The Tudor Witch Book 1 Mistress

1525 Winter

"The midwife is here, Lady Compton." Tilly announces.

Tilly enters my chamber and is followed by the village healer. The woman looks the same as when I had seen her last. Her hair is tied back under a plain coif but I can still see the  tousled renemants of light ash hair, whisping through the front. She is of a large dispostion for someone from village elk, but she wears her plain-brown dress well. She looks too young to have already earned the respect of those who have used her services.

Her moth-bitten cloak is wrapped tight around her and for good reason. She sweeps into my chamber dragging the chill air behind her. Her eyes gleam with joy when she notes the burning hearth and the mound of furs I have stock-piled. 

"It is so cold outside. I can not feel my toes." She says without introduction.

My nose crinkles as she comes closer and removes her cloak. A potent stench of herbs intertwined with the dampness of rain. "Take a seat by the fire with me." I offer.

It was a courtesy which went unnoticed. She was already half-perched, dragging a close-by-hand fur over her body before the final word had been spoken. She must have noticed my eyes widen in surprise at her etiquette. 

"Frank speech, is it not what you wanted?" She throws me a lop-sided grin, causing dimples to appear on her cheeks. 

She rubs her hands together, leaning into towards the heat of the fire. I swallow trying to give myself a moment to think.

"You are right. It is just.. something I will need to get used to." I shuffle awkardly in my chair. 

Her grin widens at my candor and she tilts her head in a gesture of submission although; not quite. "I apologise that it has taken me several weeks to attend you here. The winter weather has made many in the village in need of attention. There is only me and lil Jane who can attend those who are ill and she is still learning the art." She says evenly.

My first instinct is to question why I was not placed as a priority compared to those of her village, my need ever more present. I stop myself voicing the words which even I know are pompous and unkind, yet, are instilled. She is to be my midwife - now my other is lost to me - so I can not push her away with foolish words.

I sigh inwardly. "You asked me before why I did not seek a midwife who has dealt with women of my station. My husband had acquired such a woman but the winter weather has halted her journey most-likely in definitely. I had hoped, I would only require your services to help me prepare before her arrival. I am now certain, I will need your assistance throughout the whole ordeal." I eye her intently.

"I have heard those of high-station take a process of lying in?" She queries after a moment of thought. 

I nod my head in response. Stifling memories come to the forefront of my mind. I can still remember the cloying heat and constant agitation of being locked inside a chamber on a hot summers day. Mary's confinement had left me and Anne with an unpleasant memory, but I am hopeful that the process over winter might be more comfortable.

"I should ideally be in confinement from now onwards. I will arrange it with my husband as I shall need a priest to bless me and certain changes need to be made to my chamber." I recall little of the details involved. 

I had only witnessed the practice with Mary, for Queen Katherine had not been confined during my service to her. At the time I had not taken note of the little intricacies involved only the pressing inconvenience it had invoked and even then, that was only a blur. I try to force memories to the surface but only the pain-staking labour comes to mind. 

I break away from the thoughts, William will know who to ask. "What shall I call you when you are in service to me?" I ask.

It occurred to me Tilly had only mentioned this woman as healer or midwife. Our own introduction had been brief and was really no introduction at all, but a banter of words and requests.  

"You may continue with what you already use, midwife, or if my Lady Compton wishes to not use titles then you may call me Maggie, sounds almost similar and is a lot more pleasant if we are to be conversing quite often." She responds.

It feels like she is offering me a choice - as she should - but, the way she intoned the words makes me think it should be Maggie and to do otherwise would be foolish and time wasting. 

"Maggie will be acceptable. You may call me Katherine, but only in this chamber and not if anyone else of station is present. They would only question the familiarity between us and my choice of midwife." I say.

I make a point of looking at her until she caves in and smiles in acceptance. I can lower the formality but no one else should hear of it, it would only convince William to remove her from my service and no doubt leave me with only him and Tilly to administer the birth - and that, I would not want.

"It will be as you say then, Katherine. The truth is that the process called lying-in is rarely kept with those below your station especially not in the village.  Women find that the work does not stop nor do their families stop needing food, water, and care just because she is with child. The ritual is not known to me so I shall leave those arrangements with you and your husband. The labour can be left to my instruction, that does not change." She says evenly. 

Her words almost feel like she is chastising me, for being able to rest before labour. I feel the need to defend the practice, to defend my choice. 

"It is the way it has always been. There have always been bad ills in the air that can effect the babe, as well as mother. The priest has to bless the chamber and ask God, so that he will allow a safe deliverance." I add. 

Maggie snorts in response. I raise my eyebrows at the sound. I may not believe in his deliverance but no body should know of that and to remark in such a way was dangerous for her and for me. Last thing I want is for the woman to be known as a witch, and hence my child being brought into the world by Satan's whore. I have my own faith and from the sound of it perhaps she does too, but silence is paramount. 

"Do not disregard the process so easily." I reprimand. 

"I am a woman who has seen ills and death. If the priests blessing saved all those he prayed for then I would take stock in his advice. I have not yet seen such a thing. Prayer or blessing, childbirth is dangerous and his words will not alter fate, they only give false hope." She pushes on. 

I sigh. I believe her words but I am not foolish enough too agree. I do not know the woman and I do not know who has access to my words. "They are dangerous words Maggie. I know those who have burnt for less. Do not say them in my presence again." I respond sternly.

The woman is more like me than I care to agree on. Yet, she has no skill with covering her truths and should be more careful, for death comes knocking to those who believe other than the Catholic Church tells.