Little Meg, as the Irishman had begun to refer to her was to be kept in the hospital for anything between six to nine weeks, the doctor had said. Bianca longed to hold her little babe in her arms, to look into the eyes which were not opened, to hold the tiny, doll--like body in her eager, aching arms.

But once again, the doctors shot down that idea.

The doctors had insisted that she stay at the hospital for a few more days. They cited reasons such as the heavy blood loss she had ...