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"Is that why you asked about contraception?" I asked, waving a greeting as we passed the MacRaes’ ca more children, in case"
"Oh No I ht about venereal disease until you mentioned syphilis, and then it just struck ht have--" She stopped and cleared her throat "Er, no I just wanted to know"
A slippery patch of trail put paid to the conversation at that point, but not to ht not turn lightly to thoughts of contraception--but under the circumstancesas it? I wondered Fear for herself, or for a new baby? Childbirth could be dangerous, of course--and anyone who had seen the attendees at ery or heard the wo could be in no doubt as to the dangers to infants and children; it was the rare family that had not lost at least one infant to fever, morbid sore throat, or "the squitters"--uncontrolled diarrhea Many women had lost three, four, or more babies I remembered Abel MacLennan’s story, and a small shiver ran down my spine
Still, Brianna was very healthy, and while we did lack is like antibiotics and sophisticated medical facilities, I had told her not to underestiood nutrition
No, I thought, watching the strong curve of her back as she lifted the heavy equip root that hunched across the trail It wasn’t that She ht have reason to be concerned, but she wasn’t basically a fearful person
Roger? On the face of it, it would seeain quickly, with a child that was definitely Roger’s That would certainly help to cee On the other handwhat if she did? Roger would be er had sworn a blood oath, taking Jemmy as his own But huer would never abandon or neglect Jemmy, it was quite possible that he would feel differently--and obviously differently--for a child he kneas his Would Bree risk that?
On due consideration, I rather thought she ise to wait--if she could Give Roger ti the family situation with another child Yes, very sensible--and Bree was an eminently sensible person
It wasn’t until we had arrived, finally, at the clearing where the eries were held that another possibility occurred to me
"Can we be helpin’ ye at all, Missus Fraser?"
Two of the younger Chisholtold, started in at once to unfold tables, fetch clean water, kindle a fire, and generally ht and ten, and watching them work, I realized afresh that in this tirown man
Brianna knew that, too She would never leave Jemht happen when he left her?
I opened an slowly to lay out the necessary supplies for the ’s work: scissors, probe, forceps, alcohol, scalpel, bandages, tooth pliers, suture needles, ointes
Brianna enty-three She ht be no more than in her mid-thirties by the tier needed her care--she and Roger o back Back to her own time, to safety--to the interrupted life that had been hers by birth
But only if she had no further children, whose helplessness would keep her here
"Good entle’s first patient He was bristling with a week’s worth of whiskers, but noticeably pallid round the gills, with a clammy look and bloodshot eyes so raith smoke and whisky that his over was endeuts,like to settle ’e for a cup "Raw egg and a bit of ipecac Have you a good vomit, and you’ll be a newat the foot of the hill, where the great fire of the Gathering burned at night The damp air smelled of soot and the acrid scent of wet ashes, but the blackened patch of earth--so under a crisscross of fresh branches and kindling They’d have a tiht, if the drizzle kept up
The gentleover disposed of, there was a short lull, and I was able to give my attention to Murray MacLeod, who had set up shop a short distance away
Murray had gotten an early start, I saw; the ground by his feet was dark, the scattered ashes sodden and squishy with blood He had an early patient in hand, too--a stout gentleave testimony to a life of alcoholic excess He had the man stripped to his shirt despite the rain and cold, sleeve turned up and tourniquet in place, the bleeding bowl held across the patient’s knees
I was a good ten feet from the stool where Murray plied his trade, but could see the ht