She sighed and again looked like she was going to fall asleep. Her gaze lowered, and her chin slowly sank toward her chest. She took a deep breath, though, and continued.
"I would like to employ you to help with a pregnancy,' " Emma began. She was always all business. Emma Wilkens, Emma March. There was never any time for chitchat. You could probably count on the fingers of one hand how many wasted words that woman spoke. I'm not saying that was a terrible thing, mind you. I'm sure Emma has been more productive than most women, and I'm sure she was in many, many ways a great assistant to Blake. I have no doubt that he wouldn't have reached the heights of success he reached without her at his side or. shall I say, right behind him.
"And I'll tell you something else," she said, nodding at me especially. "in his own way he loved Emma very much. He knew she was of the quality of woman he needed and wanted at his side. People here who had known them used to call them the king and the queen."
"Yes," I said. remembering. 'Grandmother Emma's mansion was like a palace with palace guards. My mother said they were like old monarchs."
"Your great-aunt, not your grandmother," Alanis corrected.
I looked at her and at Mrs. DeMarco. I couldn't just drop the idea of Emma as my grandmother just because of what this woman was telling us.
"It's not important what she calls her now." Mrs. DeMarco told Alanis. "It's too late for it to matter. I'm sure. Anyway. Emma asked me what I charged and I told her and just like that, she waved her hand and said. 'We'll triple that.'
"Well, I can tell you, triple was a lot of money for me and my husband back then. I couldn't contain my excitement. 'Under certain conditions.' she added.
"Of course, all the while I was thinking she had found out she was pregnant and wanted private care.
" 'So,' I asked her. 'what are these certain conditions?'
" You are not to tell anyone now or ever what you do here and whom you do it for. Nothing that happens here shall ever be revealed. We will ask you to sign a paper to that effect, and if you violate it, not only will we expect all the money we've given you returned, but we'll sue you for breach of contract and cost you your home and all you have saved. Believe me, we have the lawyers and the funds to do it.'
"Well. I just sat there staring at
her. I couldn't imagine what secret she wanted so guarded and I had no doubt she would do what she threatened. She could scare a spider out of its own web, that woman.
" 'I won't do anything illegal.' I said. 'I don't do abortions.' I added.
" 'Oh, we don't want an abortion. We want you for a birth, and hopefully a healthy, successful birth that results in a healthy child. We will not ask you to perform any medical duty other than what you are trained to do.'
"Well, that didn't sound bad. If she wanted to keep her pregnancy a secret and the birth a secret, what did I care really? It was her affair, not mine.
" We don't mean to sound threatening.' Blake said in a far softer, more pleasant-sounding voice. 'We just want our private business to remain private. It's very important to us. Doctors, lawyers and I suppose good private nurses like you have an ethical
obligation to keep what goes on between them and their patients and clients privileged information. You've done that before. I'm sure. I'm sure there are plenty of good stories you've buried away.'
" 'Yes. sir. Mr. March, that's for sure.' I told him. There certainly were.
" 'Please, call me Blake.' he said. I could see Emma didn't like that much. but I smiled.
" 'Are you willing to follow and obey the conditions we set down then?' she asked.
" 'Yes. I can do that,' I told her. She looked at Blake and he nodded.
" 'Okay then.' she said. 'You can begin tomorrow. One more thing.' she added.
" 'Yes?' I said.
" 'We'd like you to move in and stay here for the duration. Of course, you can take off two days a week and holidays that fall in between.'
" 'Move in? Right from the start? I mean. I stay when birthing is close at hand. but--'
"I'll need you full time,' she interrupted. 'We want to restrict access only to you. Mr. March will be coming and going, but I will remain here once you begin.'
" 'Well, why would you need me here full time? I'm not a maid or a cook. Mrs. March.'
"She looked at Blake. 'We'll double what we've tripled,' he said. 'if you will take on as much of that as you can.'
"Well, my jaw nearly dropped in my lap. We were talking big money now. In seven, eight months. I could make what it took my husband three years to make. And then Blake added. 'And if all works out well, there will be a significant bonus, say equal to the total you've been paid.'