Its something I ate, Ruth said to her reflection. Its bound to be.
She bought a pregnancy test kit on the way home from work and locked herself in the bathroom with it. There were two little test tubes and a collecting jar for urine and immensely complicated instructions. Ruth sat on the edge of the bathtub and read them with a sense of growing panic. It seemed to her that since she could not understand the instructions for a pregnancy test then she must, therefore, be totally unfit to be pregnant. She hid the test, tucking it behind the toilet cleaner, secure in the knowledge that Patrick would never have anything to do with cleaning the toilet, and brushed her teeth, splashed water on her face, and pinned on a bright smile for Patricks arrival home from work.
She woke in the night, in the shadowy bedroom, and found that she was holding her breath, as if she were waiting for something. When she saw the grey-orange of the sky through the crack in the curtains she knew it was morning, and she could do the test. She slipped out of bed, careful not to wake Patrick, and went to the bathroom. She locked the door behind her and took the pregnancy test from its hiding place. She lifted her nightgown and peed in the toilet, clumsily thrusting the collecting jar into the stream of urine for a sample. Then she poured urine and test powder into the little test tube, corked it, shook it, wrapped herself in a bath towel for warmth, and waited.
She had to wait ten minutes before the test was completed. Ruth made herself look away from the tube, fearful that the strength of her wishing would make the results go wrong. She was longing with all her heart for the liquid to stay its innocent pale, pale blue. She did not want to be pregnant, she did not want to have conceived a child. She turned her mind away from Patricks new insistent lovemaking. She had thought their marriage had taken a sudden turn for the better; she had seen it as a renewal of desire. She had explained his new demanding sexiness as being a relief from the stress of his job as a reporter, a celebration of his new status as a manager. She did not want to think that he had been aiming for this very dawn, for Ruth sitting on the cold floor of the bathroom waiting for the result of a pregnancy test to tell her that she was no longer a free woman with a multitude of choices before her.
She glanced at her watch: eleven minutes had gone by. She looked at the test tube. In the bottom of the tube it had formed a sediment: a bright, strong dark blue. It was unmistakably a positive test. She screwed up her eyes it made no difference. She took it closer to the light over the mirror. It was the bright blue that meant pregnancy. Ruth folded up the instructions and put the test pack away behind the toilet cleaner again. She was supposed to retest within a week, but she knew she would not bother to do it. She had known this yesterday morning, when the woman in the ladies room had asked her if she was up the spout. She had recognized the information as soon as it was spoken. She was pregnant. Patrick and his parents had got what they wanted.
She did not tell Patrick of her pregnancy until Boxing Day morning, when he was hungover from his fathers best Armagnac, which they had drunk on Christmas afternoon, and liverish with the richness of his mothers Christmas cooking. Some resilient piece of spite made her withhold the information from the assembled family on Christmas Day. She knew that they would have fallen on her with delight; she knew they would have said it was the best Christmas present they had ever had. Ruth did not want them unwrapping her feelings. She did not want them counting on their fingers and predicting the birth. She did not want her own small disaster of an unplanned pregnancy being joyously engulfed by the whole Christmas myth of baby Jesus and the speech by the Queen, who was not her queen, and carols, which were not her carols.
Spitefully, Ruth kept the precious news to herself, refused to spread exuberant delight. Throughout Christmas lunch, when they had skirted around the subject of the cottage and the proposed sale of the flat now that Ruth had nothing to keep her in Bristol, she refused to give them the gilt on the gingerbread of their plans. She ate only a little and drank only one glass of champagne. When the men drank Armagnac and snoozed before the television in the afternoon, Ruth defiantly walked in the cold countryside on her own.
Pop down and see the cottage, Elizabeth recommended. Get a feel for it without the men breathing down your neck. Its you that needs to fall in love with it, not them.
Ruth nodded distantly at Elizabeths conspiratorial whisper. She knew that she could tell Elizabeth that she was pregnant and be rewarded with absolute discreet delight. Elizabeth would tell no one until Ruth gave permission. Elizabeth was always ready to bond with Ruth in an alliance of women against men, but Ruth would not join in. She hugged the small embryo to herself as she hugged the secret. She would not crown their day. The baby was a mistake, but it was her private mistake. She would not have it converted into a Cleary celebration.
Patrick emerged blearily from under the bedcovers. God, I feel dreadful, he said. He sat up in bed, his eyes half closed. Could you get me an Alka-Seltzer? he asked. Too much brandy and too much cake.
Ruth went down to the kitchen and fetched him a glass of water and two tablets. As they foamed she waited. Only at the exact nauseating moment of his first sip did she say, Im pregnant.
There was a silence. What? Patrick said, turning towards her.
Im pregnant, Ruth repeated.
He reached forward but then recoiled as his head thudded. Oh! Damn! Ruth, what a time to tell me! Darling!
She sat out of arms reach on the window seat.
Come here! he said.
She went, slowly, to the bed. Patrick drew her down and wrapped his arms around her. Thats wonderful news, he said. Dyou know you couldnt have given me a better Christmas present! When did you know?
Three weeks ago, Ruth said unhelpfully. Then I went to the doctor to make sure. Its true. Im due in the middle of August.
I must phone Mother, Patrick said. Oh, I wish youd told me yesterday. We could have had a real party.
Ruth disengaged herself from the embrace, which was starting to feel heavy. I didnt want a real party, she said.
He tried to twinkle at her. Are you feeling shy, darling?
No.
Then?
I didnt particularly want a baby, she said. I didnt plan to get pregnant. Its an accident. So I dont feel like celebrating.
Patricks indulgent gleam died and was instantly replaced by an expression of tenderness and concern. Gingerly he got out of bed and put his arm around her shoulders, turning her face in to the warmth of his chest. Dont, he said softly, his breath sour on her cheek. Dont talk like that, darling. It just happened, thats all. It just happened because thats how it was meant to be. Everything has come right for us, and when you get used to the idea I know youll be really, really happy. Im really happy, he said emphatically, as if all she needed to do was to imitate him. Im just delighted, darling. Dont upset yourself.
Ruth felt a sudden bitterness at the ease with which Patrick greeted the news. Of course he would be happy it would not be Patrick whose life would totally change. It would not be Patrick who would leave the work he loved, and who would now never travel, and never see his childhood home. For a moment she felt filled with anger, but his arms came around her and his hands stroked her back. Ruths face was pressed into the warm, soft skin of his chest and held like a little girls. She could feel herself starting to cry, wetly, emotionally, weakly.
There! Patrick said, his voice warm with love and triumph. Youre bound to feel all jumbled up, my darling. Its well known. Its your hormones. Of course you dont know how you feel yet. There! There!
Shes very wound up at the moment, he whispered to his mother on the telephone. Ruth was taking an afternoon nap after a celebration lunch in the pub. I didnt dare call you earlier. She didnt want you to know.
Elizabeths face was radiant. She nodded confirmation to Frederick as he registered the news and stood close to Elizabeth to overhear their conversation. Wait a moment, Elizabeth said. Your father wants a word.
Do I hear right? A happy event? Frederick exclaimed.
Patrick chuckled. I have to whisper! he said. Shes asleep and she swore me to secrecy.
Wonderful! Frederick said. Clever girl! And congratulations, old man!
There was a brief satisfied silence.
Bring her over, Frederick said. Well crack a bottle on the babys head. Cant celebrate over the phone.
I cant, Patrick said again. I tell you, I am sworn to utter secrecy. She doesnt want anyone to know yet. Shes all of a state. A bit weepy, a bit unsure. I dont want to rush her.
Oh, dont talk to me about weepy! Frederick said comfortably. Your mother cried every day for nine months. I thought she was miserable, but then she told me she was crying for happiness. He gave a slow, rich, satisfied chuckle. Women! he said.
Patrick beamed into the phone. He very much wanted to be with his father. Ill come to see you this evening, he said. Ill make some excuse. I wont bring her, well have our celebration drink, and next time we come she can tell you herself, and you can both be absolutely amazed.
Ill put a bottle on ice, his father said.
Patrick? his mother asked as she came back on the phone. Ruth is quite all right is she?
Its all a bit much for her, thats all, Patrick said. And you know how much her job meant to her. Its a big shock.
But she does want the baby? Elizabeth confirmed. She is happy about it?
Shes over the moon, Patrick said firmly. Shes happier than she knows.
As Ruths pregnancy progressed, she found that Patricks determination to move from the flat was too powerful to resist. In any case, the flat belonged to his father, and his father wished to sell. There was little Ruth could do but mourn their decision and pack as slowly and unwillingly as possible. Most days she did not go into the radio station, taking calls and preparing work at home. On those days the estate agent might telephone and send potential buyers to look at the flat. Ruth would show them around without enthusiasm. She did not actively draw their attention to the defects the small-ness of the spare bedroom, the inconvenience of the best bathroom being en suite with their bedroom but she did nothing to enhance their view of the flat.
It could not work. They were selling at a time of rising prices and rising expectations, and there were many people prepared to buy. Indeed, by playing one couple off against another Patrick and Frederick managed to get more than the asking price and a couple of months delay before they had to move out.
But the cottage isnt even bought yet, Ruth said. Where are we going to live?
Why, here of course, Elizabeth exclaimed. She reached across the Sunday lunch table and patted Ruths unresponsive hand. Its not ideal, my dear, I know. Im sure you would rather be nest building. But its the way it has worked out. And at least you can leave the cooking and housework to me and just do as much of your radio work as you want. As you get more tired you might find that a bit of a boon, you know.
And shell eat properly during the day, Patrick said, smiling lovingly at Ruth. When Im not there to keep an eye on her, and when she doesnt have a canteen to serve up lunch, she just snacks. The doctor has told her, but she just nibbles like a little mouse.
I dont feel like eating, Ruth said. The tide of their goodwill was irresistible. And Im gaining weight fast enough. Against the waistband of her skirt her expanding belly was gently pressing. At night she would scratch the tight skin of her stomach until she scored it with red marks from her fingernails. It felt as if the baby were stretching and stretching her body, her very life. Soon she would be four months into the pregnancy and would have nothing to wear but maternity clothes. Already the rhythm of trips to the antenatal clinic was becoming more and more important. Her conversations with Patrick were dominated by discussions about her blood pressure, the tests they wanted their baby to have, or, as now, her food. Even her work had taken second place. Only the project about the early industry of Bristol was still interesting. Ruth was reading local history for the first time, and looking at the buildings around her, the beautiful grand buildings of Bristol built on slave-trade money.
Dont nag her, Patrick, Elizabeth said. No one knows better than Ruth what she wants to eat and what she doesnt want.
Ruth shot Elizabeth a brief grateful look.
And you will be absolutely free to come and go as you wish while you stay here, Elizabeth said. So dont be afraid that I will be fussing over you all the time. But a little later on you might be glad of the chance to rest.
I do get tired now, Ruth admitted. Especially in the afternoon.
I think I slept every afternoon as soon as Patrick was conceived, Elizabeth remembered. Didnt I, Frederick? We were in South Africa then. Frederick was on attachment. All that wonderful sunshine and I used to creep into a darkened room and sleep and sleep.
You were in Africa? I never knew.
Training, Frederick said. I used to go all over the world training chaps. Sometimes I could take Elizabeth, sometimes they were places where I was better off alone.
You were working for the South African government? Ruth asked.
Frederick smiled at her. It was a wonderful country in those days. The blacks had their place, the whites had theirs. Everyone was suited.
Except the black homelands were half desert, and the white areas were the towns and the goldmines, Ruth said.
Frederick looked quite amazed: it was the first time Ruth had ever contradicted him. I say, he said. Youre becoming a bit of a Red in your condition.
Oh, Ruths full of it, Patrick volunteered, taking the sting from the conversation. Shes researching for a programme on early Bristol industry, and shes gone back and back. I told her shell be at the Garden of Eden soon. Shes got her nose in these books from morning till night.
Clever girl, Elizabeth said. Youll need a little study when you move in. I could convert the small bedroom for you to work.
Thank you, Ruth said. But I will have finished quite soon.
And anyway, she should be putting her feet up, Patrick said. Shes been reading far too much, and spending half the day in the library.
And what about you, old boy? Frederick asked. Hows the new post?
Patrick smiled his charming smile. Cant complain, he said, and started to tell them about his secretary, and his office, his reserved car space and his management-training course. Ruth watched him. She felt as if she were a long way away from him. She watched him smiling and talking: a favourite child of applauding parents, and as she watched them their faces blurred and their voices seemed to come from far away. Even Patrick, beloved, attractive Patrick, seemed a little man with a little voice crowing over little triumphs.