The women in the room all sagged. Katerina collapsed backwards onto the bed with a groan. She threw one arm over her eyes.
Mrs. Turner, her shoulders slumped, wrapped the baby in cotton and made soothing noises.
Daisy lowered the child she was holding away from her shoulder and looked down into his face. He regarded her for a quiet moment before screwing up his face and wailing.
“Mrs. Bennett?” Daisy said, drawing the exhausted mother's attention to her. “I think your son wants you, not me. Are you feeling well enough to hold him?”
Though she looked pale and her hands trembled, she reached out her arms. Daisy laid the child on Katerina's chest. She rolled to her side. “Oh, my darling,” she breathed, leaning down to kiss his face.
Exhausted, Daisy sank to the floor, not in a faint, but
