was frightening and the wait was not helping to ease her mind.
'Thomas,' she said as they lay in bed one evening, 'are you asleep?'
Thomas quickly awoke at the sound of her voice. 'Nay, me luv. Is the baby combing?' He was already out of the bed by that point and ready to leave to fetch Elizabeth's mother.
'Nay, it is nay the baby,' Elizabeth laughed. She had to hold her stomach from her laughter for fear that the baby would be delivered right then.
Thomas let out a sigh of relief and climbed back into bed and hugged Elizabeth. 'Whot is it, me luv?' he asked.
'Whot if I do nay survive the delivery of the baby?'
Thomas could hear a quiver in her voice and knew that she was near to tears. 'Elizabeth, do nay speak that way, you will survive just fine,' he reassured her.
Though he tried to sound convincing, Thomas too was concerned. Child delivery was hard and dangerous. He personally knew of more than one woman who had not survived.
'I am frightened,' Elizabeth said through her tears. She was now crying and he didn't know what to do to consul her.
'Your mum will be with you, me luv, and I will nay be far from your seed. I will be right ootseed the room,' he promised.
'I know you will, Thomas. I am still scared,' she said through her tears.
'Thomas, aboot the baby, I shuld 'ave told you earlier that...' Elizabeth started, but was cutoff by Thomas.
'Shhh, I luv you and the baby. You 'ave told me all that I need to 'ear,' he assured her.
''old me Thomas,' Elizabeth asked.
Not knowing what else to do or say, Thomas held her and whispered in her ear, 'God will be with you, me luv. Whotever 'appens, 'e will nay leave you alone.'
Elizabeth nuzzled her face into his side and relaxed. Eventually, she was asleep. Thomas couldn't get to sleep right away. 'Whot must it be like for a woman to be willing to offer 'er life so that another may 'ave life,' he wondered. Then he thought about his Lord and considered the similarities and his heart was drawn out to them both. 'ow culd I ever 'ave been un'appy with 'er?' he asked himself. 'Please forgive me, Elizabeth. Please forgive me, Lord,' he whispered. His voice slightly disturbed Elizabeth in her sleep and she stirred, but did not wake.
______
As he neared Elizabeth's uncle's house, Thomas could see Elizabeth's mother in the garden.
'Oy, comb quickly,' he yelled as he neared. 'It is Elizabeth! The baby is combing now.'
'Oh,' gasped Elizabeth's mother, 'the baby is combing? I must 'urry. Tell the lads and the others where I 'ave gone.' And with that she hurried along the road as quickly as she could.
It didn't take Thomas long to inform the others of the impending delivery and to catch up with Elizabeth's mother.
'Is she okay?' asked her mother through gasps of air.
'I do nay know, boot I think that she is,' responded Thomas. 'I am going to go a'ead of you.' With that he quicken his pace and left her mother hurrying as fast as she could.
Thomas could hear Elizabeth's cries before he entered the bakery and he grew weak and felt dizzy.
'Thomas!' he hear Elizabeth cry as he hurried up the stairs. He was not prepared for the sight of desperation that he saw when he entered the room. Elizabeth was breathing heavily and was sweating profusely. The bed linens were crimson with her blood. It was all that Thomas could do to keep from passing out.
Hurrying to her side, he said, 'Your mum is on 'er way, she is right be'ind me.' He felt so helpless. He felt that all that he could do was to pray and so he did.
Elizabeth's mother appeared in the doorway and he leapt to his feet. He was so happy to turn the situation over to her. She had some experience with child birth. She had delivered three of her own and had helped other women as well.
Thomas had promised that he would stay near, but the cries of Elizabeth were more than he could stand, so he left the bakery. He first went into the yard in the back of the bakery, but he could still hear her cries so he walked down the nearby lane to the church. He was there for over an hour and decided to return, but when he got near to the bakery, he could hear her cries again. A friend of