Talbot liked the sound of that.
Walking around the sad, drab room with Doctor Cooper, who cheerfully conversed with the women and complimented their (rather unattractive, Talbot felt) newborns, had been most uncomfortable for the Duke. He knew how to behave in his own social set, but was out of his element here, so he decided to bite his teeth and persevere, even when some of the women had addressed him as “Mister.” He had to continuously remind himself of why he was there.
When he could no longer bear it, he walked over to where his wife was standing with Mrs Cooper.
“They all appear so exhausted,” he told them quietly.
“This is actually a vacation for most of them,” Mrs. Cooper replied. “Most of them work and have multiple other children, and no help whatsoever. All of that is waiting for them at home, in addition to the newborn they now have. This is the only rest they will have in the following months, if not years. That is the main reason why we encourage these women to come to the hospital instead of giving birth at home, which most of them could easily do.”
“I’ve never thought about that,” Talbot admitted while some unpleasant feeling welled up inside his throat.
“Well,” Mrs. Cooper said with a shrug, “I wouldn’t have either if my mother hadn’t been perpetually pregnant while I was growing up. I’m the oldest of eleven.”
The two couples drove to the Magdalen Hospital afterwards.
“Can you tell us what to expect next, Doctor?” Colin inquired, disliking how quiet the carriage was.
The Doctor and his wife exchanged one of their glances that Colin had become inured to by now, and it was Mrs. Cooper who spoke, “You shall witness many broken souls where we are going. Some of these girls… Some of them aren’t even twenty years old, and they have been with hundreds of men. Not because they enjoyed it, mind, but because they had to.”
Lizzie paled at the thought, and Colin’s mind conjured up the face of the unenthusiastic brothel worker he’d encountered as a young man, and he now, for the first time, wondered what circumstances had brought her there. Back then, she hadn’t even been a real person to him, and upon realising that, the unpleasant feeling from earlier returned.
I wonder if she’s even alive,he thought with a shudder.
“Some of them have health issues which are obvious on their skin. Take great care not to show any revulsion. Avoid touching them if you must, but do so with kindness.”
Lizzie nodded.
“Some of the girls are… reluctant to be close to men, even scared. Take that into account, please, and don’t step too close to them or corner them.”
It was Talbot’s turn to nod. As Mrs Cooper continued talking, he prayed for silence to return to the carriage.
Duke Colin Talbot, who was usually the master and commander of every room he entered, had managed to make himself almost invisible that afternoon. He kept his back to the wall, kept his gaze trained on his shoes, and obediently took orders from Mrs. Cooper.
It had quickly become apparent to both Talbots that this hospital was Mrs. Cooper’s domain. Her whole demeanour was…new. She gave orders in short, clipped sentences, with a much coarser accent than she usually had. The women seemed to like her and defer to her, whereas she seemed completely at ease with them, going as far as to hug several of them upon meeting.
When Mrs. Cooper announced it was time for their laundry work training and went to the front of the room to instruct them, Lizzie and Colin exchanged a surprised glance. Laundry was such difficult, backbreaking work that it was done only every few weeks, and even then, anyone who could afford to pay washerwomen to do it, did so. Why was a gentleman’s wife so familiar with it?
“Two of the girls are also apprenticing with her to become midwives,” Doctor Cooper told them proudly, and the Duke was impressed.
“Girls indeed, all of them are so young,” Lizzie said.
“Well, yes, the hospital leadership feels that those with the least experience with prostitution have the highest chances to be successfully reformed; thus, they must be under 30 years of age,” Doctor Cooper explained.
“What happens to those who are older but wish to leave such a life behind? Are there any options for them?” Colin wondered.
“You shall see them at the poorhouse next week,” the Doctor said sadly.
“What other training do they receive?” Lizzie wondered.
“Needlework is the only other one, I believe. I helped out once,” he said, and when he noticed Colin’s incredulous stare, he added, “I have a lot of practice suturing wounds. Excuse me, I believe someone is trying to get my attention.”
Lizzie smiled at the Doctor as he went over to the door, where a nurse had been waving at him, then, when he was out of sight, she let the smile drop.
“What is it?” Colin asked, and she seemed startled.
“This is nothing like what Mrs Brandon and I did in Norwich. I just…” She looked around and stepped closer to him. “I find myself reluctant to touch these women or be too close to them, and I hate myself for secretly thinking they are sick or dirty somehow.”
She looked torn. Colin wanted to put his palm on her cheek. Or kiss her eyelids.
