A Journey of the Heart Collection (43 page)
Sarah leaned against him and buried her face in his chest. “The doctor thinks so now. But she's very weak.”
The afternoon dragged on as they paced outside the bedroom door. Finally Amelia cried out again, then they heard the weak, wavering cry of a newborn baby. Jacob shot to his feet and looked at the bedroom door wildly.
Rand stepped forward and gripped his arm. “Calm down, little brother. You won't do Amelia any good in this state.”
Just then the door opened and Dr. Horton stepped through. He looked into Jacob's agonized eyes and smiled reassuringly. “You have a beautiful daughter, Jacob.”
Jacob's face was white. “How's my wife?”
The doctor gestured toward the bedroom. “See for yourself.”
Jake jumped forward like he was shot out of a cannon. The rest of the family followed him eagerly. Amelia lay against the pillows with a little more color in her cheeks. A tiny face with a tuft of dark hair peeked out from under her arm. Jacob sank to his knees beside his wife and daughter and stared at them with awe on his face.
Amelia smiled up at them. “Isn't she beautiful? I'm glad we decided to name her Gabrielle. âGod's messenger.' She really is a wonderful message from God.”
“You're beautiful.” Jacob kissed her gently on the forehead, then turned his attention to his daughter. His big hand took her tiny fingers. “She looks just like you.”
Amelia smiled. “Does she really?”
“Without a doubt,” Rand said.
Sarah stepped closer to the bed. “Aren't you going to hold her, Jacob? First you, then it's my turn.”
Amelia lifted the baby and Jacob took her awkwardly. His Adam's apple bobbed as he stared down at his tiny daughter. After a few moments of mutual inspection, he handed the baby to Sarah.
She took her eagerly and snuggled her expertly. “Oh, Amelia, she's adorable!”
Amelia smiled and her eyes closed wearily. Emmie saw her friend's exhaustion and motioned them all out. She was just about to shut the door when Amelia opened her eyes and motioned to her to come back.
“What is it, Amelia?” she said gently. “You need to get some rest.”
Amelia clutched her hand. “Thank you. And thank Morning Song for me. You both saved my life. I was so surprised to see her. Tell her I want to have a long talk when I'm stronger.”
Emmie smiled and smoothed Amelia's dark hair away from her forehead. “I'll tell her. I told you there was nothing to worry about. You're going to be here to take care of your own husband and baby.”
Amelia smiled, then her eyes closed again and Emmie tiptoed out.
S
now skittered across the walk. Isaac hovered outside the door. It wasn't his place to go inside, but the entire fort had heard Amelia was in grave danger. His feet were lumps of ice, but he couldn't go anywhere until he knew things were okay inside. The doctor had given him some information, but he wanted to make sure.
The door opened and Emmie, swathed in her cloak, stepped through the door. He caught a glimpse of Sarah and Rand sitting on the sofa with contented expressions. Relief loosened the tightness in his chest.
She froze when she saw him, then shut the door behind her. “Isaac, you startled me. Have you been out here long?”
“About an hour.” He offered her his arm, and after a brief hesitation, she took it. “Amelia and the baby okay?” He led her across the path toward the Campbell house.
“Yes, thank God. I thought we'd lose her.”
He pressed his right hand against her hand resting on his left arm. “I heard you and Morning Song were the heroines of the hour. You're a gritty little thing.”
Her steps faltered as reveille sounded. “I didn't do anything but hold her down. Morning Song and the doctor did it all.”
“Doc Horton said he had you help because he knew you wouldn't faint. He was pretty sure Sarah would. He said you have a lot of backbone.”
“I didn't think I could stand it, but I had to help her. It was awful.” Her voice trembled.
Isaac stopped as emotion swirled inside his chest. This feeling that gripped him all the time was more than attraction. He loved this brave little slip of a woman. His fingers tightened over her hand. They belonged together. He wanted to be there when her
baby came. No one else could care for her and love her like he could.
He gripped her shoulders and turned her to face him. Her violet eyes looked at him with such trust, and her expression emboldened him. “You've gotten a lot more confident in the past few weeks.” He grasped her chin and tilted her head up until he could look into her eyes. “I love you, Emmie. You're all I think about.”
She went still, then her lashes shuttered her eyes. “You can't possibly love me, Isaac. Not if you knew . . .”
“Nothing you could tell me would change how I feel.” He felt her resistance in the stiff stance of her shoulders and the tilt of her head. “Look at me.”
She bit her lip, then her long lashes swept up and emotion blazed in her eyes as he stared into her face. “I'm looking.”
“Can you look me in the eye and tell me you don't love me?”
“IâI don't know. I don't want to love you. Love can hurt, Isaac. You don't know what I've been through.”
He drew her into the shelter of his arms and rested his chin on her head. “I won't hurt you, my love. From the first moment I laid eyes on you, I knew you were the one I'd been waiting for. I want to be your baby's
father. I've seen the gentle, loving spirit you have. You may not want to love me, but I think you do.” He drew back and tilted her chin up again. “Don't you?” He bent his head and kissed her.
Her hands went to his chest and started to push him away. He started to pull back, but her right hand crept around his neck and she kissed him back. She relaxed into his arms as if she'd always fit there.
The wind intensified and she shuddered. He broke off the embrace. “Let's get you inside. You're cold.”
She shook her head. “I do love you, Isaac. I love your goodness, your unwavering kindness to your friends, everything about you.” She gave a choked sob and wound her arms around his neck as she kissed him again.
Even the biting wind couldn't chill him with her arms around him. When Isaac finally drew back, he was trembling. “Does this mean you'll marry me?”
Fear fluttered through her eyes. “I must explain something to you.”
He tugged her cloak closer to her neck. “It can wait. I love you no matter what.” He put an arm around her and led her back toward Jacob's quarters. “Let's go tell everyone.”
Amelia's kitchen bustled with activity when they arrived. Morning Song was cutting up venison while Sarah peeled potatoes. Rand and Joel were putting the bread and butter out and setting the table.
Hands clasped, Emmie and Isaac stood and watched for a few moments before Sarah looked up and saw them.
“Oh. What's happened? You look soâ” She broke off as she ran out of words.
“I've finally worn down Emmie's resistance,” Isaac said. “She's going to be Mrs. Lieutenant Liddle.”
Sarah shrieked and dropped her potatoes on the floor. She flung her arms around Emmie and danced her around the room. “I just knew you two were meant for each other,” she crowed.
Rand slapped Isaac on the back and grinned. “I told you to keep trying.”
Sarah gaped at her husband, then scowled at him. “You told me to stay out of it, and here I find you were the one doing the meddling.”
Isaac slipped his hand around Emmie's waist. “He thought one meddling Campbell was enough.”
Morning Song kissed Emmie on the cheek. “I am happy for my sister. I pray the Lord's blessings upon your life.”
Emmie was touched. “Thank you, Morning Song.”
Did she dare to be happy in this moment? Isaac still didn't know the full truth. While she believed his love was strong, it would take a special man to overlook the circumstances of her pregnancy. She glanced at him from the corner of her eye. He really was most remarkable. If any man could forgive her, it would be Isaac.
Joel gave a disgusted shake of his head, then shook Isaac's hand. “I guess that means another dumb wedding.”
Isaac ruffled his hair and grinned. “You won't think it's so dumb in a few years.”
Rand gestured to the table and chairs. “When's the wedding?”
Emmie took a seat at the table and looked hesitantly at Isaac. “We haven't discussed it yet.”
“Soon,” Isaac said. “I'll talk to the chaplain. How long will it take you to get ready?”
Emmie bit her lip and raised a brow in Sarah's direction. “How long?”
“A month, at least,” Sarah said. “We have to make you a dress and get the food ready.”
“How about we plan it for January seventeenth?”
“Make it the eleventh. That's my birthday,” Rand interrupted. “I'll give her away, and I'll be giving
you
a gift on my birthday. You couldn't ask for a better gift than a new wife.”
Her head reeling from the speed of everything, Emmie nodded. As they cleaned up after supper and made plans, she felt as though it was all happening to someone else. She couldn't be this happy. It wasn't possible. She kept stealing glances at Isaac's profile in the parlor, where he talked with Rand.
But what if Isaac didn't believe her about Monroe? What if he thought she had deceived him? Her mouth went dry. She had to tell him soon. She suddenly remembered Jessica. What would her reaction be? Would she really tell Isaac her perverted version of the so-called marriage? She must tell him tomorrow.
But her heart quailed at the thought. Jessica was so believable. She'd put a nasty twist on everything. Emmie would fight for him if she had to. He wasn't a man to break a promise the way Monroe had. He was worth fighting for.
D
ECEMBER
18, 1866, F
ORT
P
HIL
K
EARNY
, W
YOMING
T
ERRITORY