River of sin

38. it is not without risks

Jacob returned with two of his brothers from fetching Sullivan from where an associate of theirs had him held up for them, caught trying to board a boat back to America.
"Put him in the barn, I need to check on Evie, have an armed man on him at all times. No one tells Evie that he's here." Jacob stomped away in to the house.
"Was it him?" Lenard asked eagerly
"We got what we went for. No one is to speak of it in the house. Not in front of the children or in front of Evie. Understood. Keep the women and little ones away from the barn."
"Why did you not finish him?" Lenard whispered
"I have plans for that maggot. I'm gonna make him suffer first. No one is to finish him but me." Jacob snapped, his mood was getting worse not better by the day.

"Where is Evie?" He asked shortly "did she ask for me?"
"Jake...." Trudy looked worriedly at her husband.
"What? Why you looking at Danny like that? Something happen? Is she taking another ruddy bath?"
"She has had two today already." Trudy nodded "Jacob....you need to call the doctor back."
"Why? Her stitches are healed, the swelling has gone down. Bones are healing. She can stand now, even if it's not for long and she looks like a drunken old granny shuffling along. The bruises are fading, slowly I'll admit, but she is looking more like my Evie with every passing week. Even if she hardly speaks a word. She no longer cries all day and night....did she hold Maggie today, after her feed?" Jacob rambled off
"Jacob" Danny stepped forward "I'm sorry brother" he sighed
"I'll go persuade her to get out of the bath."
"Jacob, wait!" He called after his brother as he stormed up the stairs, bursting into the bedroom, looking around for Evie. He sighed going to the bathroom, presuming she was taking another bath.

"Evie?" He asked concerned when she had her head over a bowl, emptying her stomach. "What's wrong?" He stepped closer, seeing her flinch, he took a step back "are you sick, little darling?" He crouched in place to lower himself so he was less intimidating. "You are feeling unwell, Evie?" He asked holding out his hand, hopeful she would take it.
"I'm sorry" she whispered out screwing her face up, her tears falling.
He stared at her a moment before stepping out and closing the door without saying another word. He stood listening to her tears for a moment before making his way back downstairs.

"Jacob?" Trudy asked
"What does she want to do, Trudy? Has she said?" Jacob lit a cigarette, speaking coldly "how sure are you?"
"very" Trudy went to comfort him, Jacob swatting her away, walking over to the window to watch the children playing outside, Betty pushing Maggie in her pram. "Her stomach is swollen, her breasts enlarged and painful, she has not bled since before we got here other than from the injuries, she has had sickness for weeks."
"And none of you thought to tell me?" He asked not tearing his eyes from the window, smiling and waving at Betty

"Brother, Trudy only told me this morning after you left" Danny tried to ease his brothers troubled mind. "Jacob....what do you want to do?"
"What does my Evie want? Does she want rid?"
"Yes" Trudy spoke shyly "it is not without risks, Jacob. Do you understand? She may not be able to bare more children if it goes wrong. She could die from this if not done properly. I have seen many women do so, it is not pretty. So you need to be sure."
"I will try and speak with her." He blew smoke from his lips, throwing his head back in frustration.
"I know brother" Danny squeezed his shoulder reassuringly

"Who else knows?" He pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to focus his wandering mind.
"Myself, Trudy, Aunt Edna and Judith. Others are beginning to suspect. The women in particular. They know the signs, Jake. They have not said anything but I've seen exchanged looks. They all know just from looking at her when we brought her back from the hospital, they know what they did to her, Jake."
"Jacob.....if we can get a doctor to agree to it...."
"Oh I'll get him to agree, don't you worry about that. She ain't having some backstreet abortion from some old coot with a filthy knife, looking to make easy coin from desperate women, I assure you. We ain't risking doing it ourselves either."

Jacob composed himself going back upstairs to try and speak to Yvonne. finding her sat by the window watching the children.
"I'm here, Evie. I'm here waiting." He pulled a chair to sit in, leaning on his knees. He lit a cigarette taking it from his lips offering it to her with a glass of whiskey "you look like you need it, little darling. Go ahead."
She nodded taking them. The pair sat in silence for twenty minutes until Jacob could think of something to say.
"I don't want to loose you, Evie" Jacob tapped his thumbs together watching her carefully "do you know the risks involved? Evie, please look at me, my little darling." He sighed standing up when he got no response. "If it's what you want then I'll make arrangements. Give me a little time to find someone proper to do it, Evie. Yvonne?" He asked, sitting at her feet "I know you're hurting. I know you're in pain. Physically and in your mind. Let me help you, Evie. Please." He held out his hand, smiling when she placed her trembling one in his. "I love you, Yvonne Barnes."
"I love you too." She nodded in a whisper "I was not born a Barnes. I was born a Fisher" she stared out the window "I would not be here if my mother...." her tears ran down her face "Our Maggie would not be here if...."
"Shush. You do not have to say it, I know. Can I hold you?" He shuffled closer offering his arms "give it a few days to think on it. We do not have to decide today. There are other options, Evie. Either way. No one will know. I swear it. I'm here Evie and I ain't going nowhere, you hear me? No matter what, I'm here. Whatever choice you make, I'm here, little darling."