Maggie tried rocking her crying child. Singing. She walked around with Hannah. Tried to make her drink again, but the baby girl pushed her away in a rage. Still the crying continued. Maggie's own eyes burned with desperate tears. There were times she worried what she might do if the crying went on for much longer. And in three months or so, there'd be another one.

And her useless husband was bringing home less and less, reeking of alcohol after his team had sold a load to the merchants, and offering nothing to their family life when he was around. The way she had shut him outside just now hadn't even provoked the anger she had sought to draw out.

She sat motionless with the crying babe in her lap. From the bedroom rose another wail.