Caroline’s boyfriend had left for college, but she had met another boy she liked, a fellow senior, and Charlie said he had seen Magnus almost every day.
“How are they?” Sybil asked with a look of concern.
“I don’t know. He says his mom cries all the time, and Bettina throws up a lot.” Sybil winced when she heard it. Magnus showed up a few minutes later and gave her a big hug too. He felt just as solid and real in her arms as Charlie did, and he was happy to see her. He told her he had missed her, and she said she had missed him too.
“My mom told me to ask you for dinner tonight.” She nodded.
“How is everybody?”
“My grandma was sick for a while, but she’s fine now. And Bettina is really fat.” Sybil knew that they hadn’t told him about the baby yet, but they would have to soon. Magnus knew she had gotten married and was a widow now. Sybil didn’t ask him if Josiah was back yet. She’d have to see that for herself.
When the four of them joined the Butterfields in the dining room that night, it was obvious that he wasn’t, and Bettina was almost transparent, she was so pale. Lucy seemed healthy by comparison, but they all greeted Sybil warmly, even Augusta, and she had brought back little presents for all of them. A scarf for Augusta, a pipe for Angus, a light cashmere shawl for Lucy, a book for Bert she thought he’d enjoy, perfume from Paris for Gwyneth, a box of lace handkerchiefs for Bettina, two sweet little nightgowns for the baby with matching caps and booties, and new videogames for both boys. And she could see immediately how much Bettina’s pregnancy had grown. She couldn’t hide it anymore.
“She won’t be able to go out for much longer,” Gwyneth said with a look of concern. “A few more weeks maybe. From the beginning of November, she’ll stay home.” She said it as though that were a normal occurrence, and Sybil realized that Bettina would have to stay out of sight and literally be “confined” at home, like other women in her condition at the time. “Maybe even before,” Gwyneth added. It sounded depressing to Sybil, but was accepted behavior for women of her day.
They talked about Sybil’s trip and the exhibit and how much Andy loved school. She had been FaceTiming with him from New York, while Blake and the children were Skyping with him from San Francisco.
They stayed at the table longer than usual, to catch up on each other’s news. Bert still seemed very down about Josiah. The loss of his oldest son had been a terrible blow. Gwyneth whispered to Sybil that she had been doing artwork on the computer the whole time Sybil was away, and they exchanged a smile.
“How do you feel?” Sybil asked Bettina when they got up from the table, and she saw that Bettina’s eyes looked inconsolably sad. She had lost a husband and a brother, and was having a baby she wasn’t ready for and would have to bring up alone. Her mother had whispered to Sybil at dinner that it would be nearly impossible to find her a husband now, especially during a war. Her fate as an unmarried woman in future was nearly sealed, and with a child.
“I’m all right,” Bettina answered in a thin voice. Sybil had noticed that she’d eaten almost nothing at dinner except some clear broth and a piece of toast. But Augusta appeared to be in robust health, and so was Angus, and he was very pleased to hear how much Andy loved school, and how he was traveling around Scotland on weekends.
“I’m amazed he got over there without a problem. Give the dear boy my love,” Angus said, with Rupert at his feet.
“I will,” Sybil promised. It felt good to be home with all of them. As odd as it seemed, she knew that this was where she belonged, even if her best friends now were all ghosts. At least they had Bettina’s baby to look forward to, but Sybil seemed like the only person in the house who was excited for it to arrive.
Chapter 9
By the end of October, as was proper for her time, Bettina no longer left the house. It wasn’t considered appropriate for her to be seen in public in her condition, and she accepted it without complaint. But she looked profoundly depressed whenever Sybil saw her at dinner, which wasn’t often. She remained very ill and violently nauseous throughout the pregnancy. Her mother said she still threw up several times a day and could barely eat. It sounded awful to Sybil, who’d had easy pregnancies with all three of her children.
“I don’t think I could have done that,” Sybil said sympathetically when Gwyneth came to visit her in her office. Sybil was trying to work on her book, but still with little success. There was always too much going on with Blake, the kids, or at night with their friends they shared the house with. They had dinner with the Butterfields two or three nights a week, and usually went out once a week to a restaurant with clients or one of Blake’s associates from work. They had a full life.
“I was very sick with Josiah,” Gwyneth said and looked sad as she said it, she missed him so much. They were having a beautiful portrait done of him in his uniform, from a photograph that had been taken right before he left. “I had less trouble with the girls,” she commented. “And I was in bed for six months with Magnus so I wouldn’t lose him. He came early, and hopped around all the time. He was in such a rush to be born.” She smiled at the memory.
“Do you think Bettina’s baby is all right? She eats almost nothing. She can’t be getting much nourishment.”
“The doctor has come to see her several times, and he says she’s fine, and the baby is quite small.” That didn’t sound good to Sybil, but she didn’t say anything. She didn’t want to worry her friend. They had their own way of dealing with things, according to the times they lived in. And a small baby would make for an easier birth. She would have the baby at home with a midwife in attendance, and a nurse who would stay on. It was how Gwyneth had given birth to her babies too. She said Magnus had almost fallen out, he was so anxious to arrive, and had come three weeks early, which could have been dangerous, but all had gone well, and she was sure it would for Bettina too. She was young and strong, in spite of how ill she had been for months.
“Is Bert feeling better about it?” Sybil asked Gwyneth, and handed her the cup of tea Alicia had brought for her. She couldn’t justify asking for two cups of tea when she appeared to be alone.
“Not really,” she said honestly. “But he’s relaxed a little. He feels sorry for her. Apparently, her husband’s family wants nothing to do with her. They were afraid she’d ask them for money. And they’re devastated over their son. So are we over ours,” she said simply. “They’re not going to help Bettina or the baby. We’ll take care of both of them, of course, but no man is going to want her.” She had said it before. But Sybil knew differently and wanted to give her friend hope without telling her the future.