"Is the kettle hot?" he asked.

Of course the kettle is not hot. It is one o'clock in the morning, Julia thought. But she kept her snippy answer to herself and said instead, "I'll see to it right away."

Julia closed her ears to the sounds coming from Priscilla's room and hurried down the stairs, through the house, and to the kitchen.

It was after eight when Constance came running to the kitchen to inform Julia that the delivery had gone well and that a baby boy had arrived.

Julia felt the excitement a new baby always brought to her. She wanted to run upstairs immediately to see the child.

"The doctor wants to know where to put him," Constance continued, and Julia's thoughts came back to earth with a jolt.

This is not a wanted baby, Julia reminded herself. No one has prepared for his coming. Even I did not think to make any arrangements.

"Whya"whya"" she stammered, "won't he be staying in Miss Priscilla's room?"

"Priscilla doesn't even want to see him," replied Constance, her voice breaking. "She wants him out of her room at once. She has turned her face to the wall."

"Buta"but surelya"" But then she put everything together. Miss Priscilla had hidden for four months. She had never intended to return home with a child.

"I'lla"I'll fix something. Bring him to my room."

"Buta"but I thought perhaps I could keep him in my room," Constance explained as they hurried through the house. "Ia"I don't know a thing about babies, but if you would be kind enough toa"And if we had a beda""

"I don't have a baby bed," Julia said, an edge to her voice. Why hasn't Mrs. Blakeney made provisions? Julia wondered. She has been quite thorough in everything else. After all, the baby is her flesh and blood.

"Can we use aa"a boxa"or a drawera"or something?" Constance asked, and Julia scolded herself for her angry thoughts.

Poor Constance, she thought instead. This has all been so difficult for her, and now she must be a nursemaid to a baby as well.

"We'll find something," she a.s.sured the girl.

Baby boy Blakeney was eventually dressed in a white gown with pink ribbons, bundled in used pink blankets, and laid in an emptied, towel-padded dresser drawer. Julia could have wept as she looked down on him.

"You poor little soul," she whispered. "You didn't ask to come into the world. And you certainly didn't get much of a welcome. What will happen to you? Whatever will happen to you? If only I could have had you to lovea"" Julia brushed away tears and went back to the kitchen to prepare hot tea for Miss Priscilla.

They had nothing for the new baby. Tom fashioned a nipple of sorts from the finger of a new glove. It was all Mr. Perry had in his store that would make any kind of feeding arrangement. Julia fixed a bottle of milk and fed the hungry baby.

Constance took over the care of the infant as Julia instructed her. There were no diapers, so Julia told Hettie to tear up an old flannel sheet. There wasn't even time to put in a proper hem.

Julia had never before felt so disturbed over the birth of a baby. Her heart cried, It's not right. It's not fair. He wasn't at fault. It seemed so totally wrong that a child should be born unwanteda"unwelcomeda"unloved.

But when Julia looked at Constance's face as she held the baby and coaxed him to drink from the makeshift bottle, she was forced to change her opinion.

I've been wrong, Julia concluded. He may have been unwanteda"but he is not unloved. Constance has already fallen in love with him.

And it was true. Never did a baby get more tender care than Constance gave her new nephew.

"What do you call him?" Julia asked Constance one evening.

"Mother said he is not to be named," responded Constance with a sigh.

Julia could not disguise her surprise.

"Buta"secretlya"I call him Peter," the young woman confided.

"Peter. I like it." Julia waited for Constance to finish feeding Peter and give him to her to hold.

"He seems to be doing well, doesn't he?" Julia said on one of her daily visits to see the baby. She lowered the small garment she was st.i.tching for Peter and watched him sucking hungrily.

"He's a little piggy," laughed Constance in a way Julia had never heard her laugh before.

Constance kissed the top of the downy head. "I think he has grown already," she said. "Eight days olda"and already bigger."

Julia smiled. "I can see it too. The way he eats, I guess he should." Then Julia added with a chuckle, "We are going to have to buy more gloves. I do hope Mr. Perry has another pair or two. We have already cut all the fingertips off the pair we bought."

Constance looked up. "Oh, it shouldn't be much longer," she said. "The doctor says Priscilla will be ready to travel soon."

Julia lifted her eyebrows in surprise.

"Will the doctor be traveling with you?" she asked.

"Oh no. He plans to go straight back toa"wherever. He says his contract does not include escorting us home."

"I see," said Julia, but she still had many questions.

"I will be leaving tomorrow," the doctor announced at dinner the next evening.

Even Priscilla had joined them at the table. She still looked pale, but Julia believed that it was as much from shutting herself in her room, away from fresh air and sunshine, as from her recent delivery.

"I shall need clean garments and blankets for the baby and enough feedings to last for a twelve-hour trip."

Three heads lifted and three pairs of eyes studied the man's face.

"What do you mean?" asked Constance.

The doctor looked blank at her question. "I need clothes and food for the infant," he repeated. "Enough for a twelve-hour trip. Why is that confusing?"

"But you won't be taking the baby."

"Indeed, I will. I have instructions from your mothera""

"My mother doesn't understand the situation," Constance interrupted. "She made those plans long beforea""

"I have my ordersa"and I plan to fulfill them," the doctor said adamantly.

"But you can't take the baby."

"I must take the babya"according to contract," the man declared.

"Buta""

"Oh, Constance. For goodness' sake don't fuss," broke in Priscilla, tossing her napkin on the table and standing up. "You know the plana"the arrangement. Mother has it all cared for."

"But Mother doesn't know Peter!" cried Constance, also rising.

"Peter? Peter?" screamed Priscilla. "Who called him Peter? You know Mother said he wasn't to be named. What right do you havea"?"

"I love him!" Constance shouted back at her screaming sister. "I love him."

Priscilla looked at Constance. Surprise and anger flashed across her face. Then she began to cry. Hot tears washed down her cheeks and made trails in her face powder.

"That'sa"that'sa"just like you!" she shouted at Constance. "You can't even be trusted toa"to care for a baby. You know that Mother said hea""

"I will care for him. I will!"

"You will not bring thata"that baby home. Do you hear? You will not!" Priscilla shouted.

Julia trembled. She had never witnessed such a quarrel. She wanted to cover her ears and flee, but she was rooted to the spot.

"Of course I won't take him home!" Constance shouted back at her sister. "I wouldn't dream of taking him to wherea"to that place. I will keep him herea"for a while. I have money. I can find us a place."

"You're a fool!" yelled Priscilla. "You're aa"a pigheaded, selfish fool." With that final burst of anger she fled the room, sobbing loudly.

Constance dropped back to her chair and reached for a napkin to press to her cheek. Her shoulders trembled, but Julia knew she felt that she had won the battle.

At length she lifted her head and looked at Julia.

"Is ita"can I staya"for just a while? Just until I am able to make arrangements for me anda"and Peter?"

"Ofa"of course," whispered Julia.

A stirring at the table reminded Julia they were not alone. She had forgotten the doctor.

"I'm afraid it's out of the question. I already have all of the papers in order for the adoption."

"But you can't."

"I cana"and I will," the man said. "I have a legal doc.u.ment. Signed and binding. You will not interfere." He pushed back his chair and stood up.

"I want the child ready by nine o'clock," he said with authority. Then he looked directly at Julia. "Mrs. Harrigana"I expect you to see to it."

He stalked from the room, and Constance buried her face in her hands and sobbed.

The next morning when Julia went to check on Constance and Peter, she found a note.

Peter had his morning feeding, and all his things are packed and ready to go. Give him one last kiss for me. I have gone for a walk. C.L.B.

Julia opened the door softly, brushing away tears. Peter lay sleeping in his makeshift bed. Beside him was a suitcase that belonged to Constance. In it, neatly folded, were all of the garments Constance and Julia had made over the past several days. The borrowed clothing that had belonged to Julia's two baby girls lay in an orderly stack on the bed.

Julia lifted the small baby from his bed to prepare him for his journey.

"She loves youa"so much," she whispered to the sleeping child, her tears falling onto his blanket. "I only hopea"only pray that your new mothera"whoever she might bea"will love you half as much."

Julia lifted the small bundle and kissed the soft cheek. The baby squirmed but did not waken.

"One from mea"and one from Aunt Constance," whispered Julia as she kissed him again. She paused a minute to gain a measure of control before she took the baby to the waiting doctor.

Julia was pacing the kitchen floor, her brow furrowed, her lips moving in silent prayer when the door opened and Constance stepped in. Julia took one look at the young woman's face and moved to embrace her. They clung to one another for several minutes, neither one speaking. Shared tears were their only communication.

"You must be starved," Julia whispered. "You have been gone all day. Sit down. Hettie saved you a plate."

Julia pushed the teakettle forward on the stove and checked the warming oven that held the waiting food.

"Draw your chair closer to the fire," Julia urged. "It's cold out. You must be chilled through and through."

Constance wiped her eyes, blew her nose, and then did as Julia suggested.

"I walked with them to the train," Julia said hesitantly. "He wasa"fine. He never even awakened when the whistle blew."

Constance turned her face.

"Thea"the twelve hours will soon be up," Julia went on. "Just think of it. Somewherea"right nowa"there is a very excited womana"and mana"waiting for that little one. Can you just imagine how they feel?"

Julia saw the sagging shoulders tremble.

"There was a time when we thought of adopting a baby boy. But we were told there weren't many children available for adoption. And because we already had two healthy girls it might be a long wait."

The young woman made no effort to respond. Julia stepped closer and placed her hand on the trembling shoulder.

"Constance, I am not trying to make it harder for you. I just want you to think about the other couple. How they might have prayeda"longed for a baby. Little Peter coulda"willa"make them very happy. He is such a sweet little thing. He will be loved. We'll pray for that. We'll pray that he has wise and kind and loving parents."

Constance wept again, but soon she looked at Julia and whispered, "You are right. He is better off witha"with both a mother and a father. I loved hima"will always love hima"but I couldn't have given him the home he deserved. Oh, Julia, I need to learn how to pray so that I might pray for him. I know you know how. I have watched youa"with mea"with Priscilla. No one could have been as kind or as patient withouta"without a deep faith in G.o.d. Pleasea"please tell me what I must do to find G.o.d in that way."

Through tears that blurred her vision, Julia led Constance in reading Scripture portions that explained how to believe in the Son of G.o.d.

Priscilla and Constance left the next day. Constance seemed reluctant to leave, but Priscilla was impatient to be gone.

"I suppose that poky old train will be late," she fussed, but the train was right on time.

"I will write," Constance promised.

"I will be waiting," said Julia.

"Thank you. Thank you so mucha"for sharing your faitha"for understandinga"for your love," said Constance.

Julia hugged her again and blinked back another onset of tears. She turned from Constance to Priscilla. The train was coming toward them, chugging heavily as it pulled up the incline toward the station.

"Priscilla," said Julia. "Ia"I'll continue to pray for you." Julia tried to give the girl a parting embrace, but Priscilla accepted only a token hug and then stepped back quickly.