Tears of the Moon - Di Morrissey [88]
After six weeks at sea the Shamrock slid quietly into Broome ahead of the fleet. Niah was close to term and Tyndall had decided to come back to port.
Two nights later, in the early hours of the morning, Olivia was awakened by Ahmed banging on the front door.
‘Mem, Niah baby come. No can find midwife. Tuan says come quick.’
Olivia dressed quickly, asked Conrad to look after Hamish, and then drove in the sulky with Ahmed back to Tyndall’s bungalow. As Ahmed left her to continue his search for the midwife Olivia told him, ‘There’s an Aboriginal woman down by Kennedy’s camp. I’ve heard she helps at births, see if you can find her.’
A concerned Tyndall paced around the bedroom with a glass of rum while Niah moaned on the bed.
‘John, you’re not being any help. Please go and wait on the verandah,’ said Olivia firmly.
‘Whatever you say,’ he agreed, glad to escape.
Niah began walking awkwardly about the room, finding it more comfortable. When Olivia tried to get her back onto the bed she refused and then insisted on squatting, rocking to and fro.
Then the midwife, Minnie arrived, explaining simply, ‘Ahmed get me.’
Olivia nodded, grateful for the strength and calmness of the Aboriginal woman.
Minnie bent over Niah and murmured a few words. Niah reached up to take her hand, responding in the same language, and smiled briefly.
A few minutes later the baby began to push its way into the world. Niah insisted on squatting and the Aboriginal woman nodded in agreement.
‘Well, if she wants to have it this way, we can’t argue now,’ said Olivia. Minnie moved behind Niah and held her against her ample chest. Panting with exertion, the crouching Niah pushed and delivered her baby into Olivia’s steady hands.
Olivia cut the cord and lifted up the baby, while Minnie pressed out the placenta and helped Niah back onto the bed. Olivia then cleaned the baby, wrapped it in a cotton shawl and bent down to show Niah. She nodded with satisfaction, smiled and leaned back on the pillow, closing her eyes to rest after the effort.
Cradling the baby in her arms, Olivia went to the verandah where Tyndall was pacing in the shadows.
‘John, it’s all over. Everything is fine.’
He turned to Olivia, who was standing in the lit doorway holding the baby.
‘Boy or girl?’ he asked in a whisper as he moved quickly towards her.
‘You have a beautiful daughter.’ Olivia placed the tiny bundle in Tyndall’s arms, pulling down the shawl so he could better see the child.
‘Oh, Olivia,’ he breathed. ‘She’s a gem.’
Olivia felt her throat constrict. ‘Go to Niah, John.’
Tyndall, eyes still glued to the infant he held, walked indoors without another word. Olivia watched him disappear into the house, quietly gathered up her bag and light shawl and slipped through the darkened garden and out the gate, her footsteps muffled on the dusty road.
CHAPTER TWELVE
‘Tyndall is a changed man,’ announced Conrad with a mixture of amusement and mild astonishment. ‘He’s besotted with that baby. Whoever would have guessed?’
Olivia watched Tyndall cradle the baby in his arms, talk to her, and make delighted nonsense noises. She was surprised to feel a twinge of envy. But there were other feelings too, feelings she could not identify let alone explain. She felt a strong attachment to the exquisite little girl she’d help bring into the world. And since the baby’s birth, Tyndall’s unabashed joy, his conversation sprinkled with anecdotes of her day-to-day progress and serious queries over baby-rearing matters—despite Niah and the amah’s capabilities—had given Tyndall and Olivia a common ground that had drawn them closer together again. Olivia’s acceptance of Niah and her assistance at the birth had helped heal the rift between them. Olivia couldn’t help comparing the paternal roles of Conrad and Tyndall. Conrad was a devoted but conservative father, who held the philosophy that a baby was the responsibility of the mother and his role as guiding hand came later in life. Olivia noticed Conrad shake his head with a bemused expression