The Midwife's Secret (24 page)

Josh and Margaux finished with their plates and ran out the door, only to come running back in. “He’s here!”

“Who’s here?”

“Tom,” Margaux cried. “And he brought Wolf!”

Amanda yanked her apron over her head and flung it on the table, dashing out to greet them.

She squinted in the sunlight, staring up at Tom’s grinning face as he rolled onto the path, his wagon rumbling behind him. Wolf was lying on a large rectangle of sheepskin, peering over the wagon edge like a grand duke on tour.

The children jumped up beside the husky onto the wagon, unable to keep from hugging the jovial dog, and Amanda slipped in a pat or two of her own.

“Can he come with us to the river?” Margaux asked Tom.

“Sure,” Tom said. “He can walk on his own, but you better watch that his sore foot doesn’t get wet. Don’t let him run in the water. Here, take his collar and leash to make sure.”

“I’ll go with them,” Grandma declared.

That left Tom alone with Amanda.

“Lord help me,” he said, “but I’ve been wishing every
one away for the last three days so I could come to see you.”

“You have?”

He nodded and slid off the wagon, his lean legs touching the ground, his heated look on her. She gulped at the sexual charge in the air.

She knew if she lived for a hundred years, it would always be the same between them.

“First of all,” he said, taking her hand and leading her to the half-built log cabin. “I need to do this.”

He twirled her around and kissed her, her muslin skirts swirling over his cowboy boots, the black ones with the shiny silver toes he’d worn on the first day they’d met.

Her mouth joined with his. He coaxed the pleasure from her, the tip of his tongue meeting hers and gently rolling over her lips, making her crave for more.

Rising on tiptoe, she pressed herself against his length, recognizing the need in him, hard and burning as her own. She pressed her breasts against his vested chest, enjoying the coolness of the leather as it seeped into her blouse.

He sucked in his breath, tearing himself away from her and staring down into her face. She slid her gaze over his firm, dark cheekbones, the straight eyebrows, the dark intense eyes.

His grasp was firm around her waist. “Why didn’t you tell me the bicycle was worth so much?”

Her lips opened slightly as she pulled back to stand at arm’s length, watching the question drift across his face.

“You found out,” she said quietly.

“You didn’t expect it to be a secret for long, did you? You had to know the banker would come calling.”

“What did he say?” She wanted to hear it word by word, from Tom’s lips alone.

“He gave me the most surprising, wonderful news.”

Tom’s obvious happiness weaved its way through her.

He grabbed her by the shoulders and tugged her closer. His grasp felt urgent. “Two hundred and eighty dollars. I didn’t know your bicycle was worth that much. Why didn’t you tell me?”

She shrugged and thought about it. “It’s not something I wanted to broadcast. It wasn’t a secret, but it…didn’t seem important.”

“But I asked you once, remember? Why didn’t you tell me that day at Ruby’s, the day it got smashed?”

“I thought you’d feel so sorry for me that you’d…overextend yourself.”

He stared at her long and hard.

“You must admit, you do tend to overextend yourself.”

He smiled and closed his eyes for a moment, crossing his arms over his ribs. “You gave almost all the money to the banker in exchange for my log cabin. Why?”

“Because what you and your sawmill do for this town is a lot more important than my bicycle.”

“That’s not why I had it fixed. I didn’t want you to give it away.”

“I know.”

“I wanted you to have your freedom.”

Emotion choked her words. “And you gave it to me.” She wasn’t talking about the bicycle, but the freedom to be herself, to accept herself the way she was with all her flaws and inabilities.

“I’ll buy you another one.”

She tilted her face in his direction and smiled. “I believe you will.”

“Where did you find a buyer?”

“Remember that older couple from England who offered to buy it once before? The man with the checkered hat and big red feather?”

“You sold it to him?”

She nodded.

“How did you find him?”

“I asked at the big hotel and everyone knew him by his hat.”

“What do you intend to do about a means of transportation?”

“With the money left over from the sale, I bought a second-hand wagon. Donald and Ellie are letting me keep it in their barn for now, until I build a barn for myself. Donald’s letting me rent one of his mules anytime I need it. It’s just a few hundred yards up the road, so it’s very convenient. I need a bigger rig anyway, on account of the children. A bicycle would be useless, now that I have a bigger…”

“…a bigger family,” he finished for her.

Her eyes watered in happy agreement.

“I’m still not sure I can accept your gift.” He looked at the half-built walls around him, then began to walk slowly around the floor, stroking the logs with his hand, deep in thought. “Now you’ve got to come with me, and I’m not taking no for an answer. Hop into the wagon.” With a firm arm between her shoulder blades, he shooed her out the door.

“I should run down to the river and let the others know.”

“They’ll be fine without you for a while. Miss Clementine will know you’re with me.”

She climbed up her side of the buckboard, leaning close to his warm body as he hiked up beside her. The springs of the seat rocked them.

“Where are you taking me?”

“Somewhere special.” He flicked the reins and the horse pulled out.

“But where?”

He laughed. “You’ll have to sit back and
trust
me.”

“I
t’s been a hectic three days,” Tom said, halfway to town.

Feeling hot beneath her bonnet, Amanda watched the sunlight stream around his black Stetson. It created deep shadows across the front folds of his blue shirt. Her gaze lingered on his profile. “We need to talk about…about what’s going on between us.”

With one hand holding the reins, he pushed up one sleeve over his elbow, then the other. The light bounced around his wrists, the dark glistening hairs and the sinewy muscles of his forearms.

“There’s so much I want to say to you, too, but if you’ll just indulge me for another hour, I promise we’ll find a quiet corner and talk then. There’s someone…something…I want you to do first.”

She looked straight ahead at the rutted, pebbled road, clasping her hands around her skirted knees. “All right.” What was it he wanted her to do?

Tom brought her to the sawmill, and she was happy to see it. It looked different from the charring of three days ago. The sun was shining on the place, streaming down the plank walls. The two huge side doors, on sliding
wheels, sat wide open, exposing the cleaned-out interior. Men were carrying several new planks of lumber inside. Outside in the yards, a dozen more men were sawing and chopping green lumber.

The place looked alive with growing business, new deals, and the simple jubilation of surviving the fire.

“It looks wonderful,” Amanda breathed.

“It does, doesn’t it?” Tom said with pride.

Looking up the hill, she noticed the two tourists from Scotland leaving Tom’s cabin in their hats and jackets. They weren’t carrying any bags. When they waved in their direction, Tom and Amanda waved back.

“They’re going hiking,” Tom said. “For the day.”

“Aren’t you going to make them leave your cabin, now that it’s yours again?”

Tom stepped down from his side of the wagon and strode over to her. He held out his hand, and she gladly took it, reveling in the warm contact.

“Their original deal with the bank was that they could stay for two more weeks. I can wait it out till then. After all, during the fire, they were the ones who ran for the Mounties.” He tugged her down. “After you knocked on their door.”

She jumped to her feet beside him, but he didn’t let go of her hand. He stroked his thumb across her knuckles. Of course Tom would let them stay. If there was one thing she was certain of, it was that he was a fair man.

“Howdy, Tom!” one of his men shouted.

Tom let go of Amanda and lifted his hat in salute.

His foreman, Patrick, walked by. “How ya doin’ this mornin’, Amanda?”

“Feeling pretty good,” she answered.

Tom clamped his hand possessively across her back as he led her toward the building. “By the way, I spoke to
Graham. He says your legal deed should make its way here within two weeks.”

Her mouth opened in delight. “Two weeks?”

Tom broke into a smile. It lit up his eyes. “That’s all.”

“Oh…” She clasped her fingers together, eager to show him how she felt about that, but very aware that they weren’t alone. When
would
they be alone?

“Is that why you brought me here?”

“Nope.”

She swirled around and lifted her arms to the sky. “Did you bring me here to show me the mill?”

“Nope.”

“Then what?”

“I brought you here to meet someone.”

“Who?” she asked, looking around.

“Come wait inside, and I’ll be back in ten minutes.”

“More waiting?”

“It’s the last time, I promise.”

Her curiosity was bounding, but she obeyed. He escorted her into the sawmill, told her to wait right there, then walked out the front door.

She peered out the window behind him, untying the ribbon that held her bonnet beneath her chin. He was walking somewhere. What on earth was he up to? Did he want her to meet another family member? Was Gabe in town?

Strolling down the room, she slid her fingers down the well-sanded curve of a worktable, enjoying the smooth feel of wood beneath her fingertips. Above her head, the rows of water pails were again in place; probably the first thing Tom had done after the fire.

She thought of the first day she’d arrived here, meeting Tom on that May morning in the rain. How preoccupied he’d been with his letter from Clarissa, how preoccupied she’d been with her problems with William. Tom had
brought about a big change in her, and her life was moving in a wonderful direction.

The door clicked unexpectedly, breaking into her thoughts, giving her a little jolt. With a gentle laugh, she rushed to it to open it for Tom. Through the window, he looked as though he was alone, but when he stepped in past her, he was carrying a little reed basket.

There was a baby inside.

She stepped back in surprise.

Tom removed his Stetson. “Do you recognize this little tyke?”

She leaned over the bundled, sleeping baby and smiled. “I recognize the wide little nose. He’s got Quaid’s nose. And those tiny pointy lips, they’re Beth’s.”

“Right again.”

Her hands felt suddenly clammy. She wiped them down her skirt. “He’s the person you wanted me to meet?”

Tom held the reed basket gently in his arms. “I was watching you the other night, during Beth’s delivery. You looked like…I just thought you might like to…away from everyone’s stare…”

If there was ever any doubt, she knew now that she loved this man. Her throat clamped with hot tears.

Tom spoke for her. “Quaid understands about your situation…and so does Beth. They’re both so concerned about you, Amanda, I hope you don’t mind that I told them.”

She nodded softly. She didn’t mind. Quaid and Beth were her beloved friends, and she knew they’d keep her private matters to themselves.

Her voice was raw. “Have they named him, yet?”

“Quaid’s waiting until Beth gains some strength.”

Tom peered from the baby’s sleeping face to Amanda’s. “When was the last time you held a baby?”

She blinked. She took a deep breath and watched the baby’s mouth twitching in deep sleep. “Not for a long time,” she whispered. She swallowed hard and took a moment to say it. “I never got to hold Sharon Rose.”

She heard Tom’s intake of breath.

He bundled the baby into one of his long arms, balancing the basket with the other. Directing Amanda to the back room, his bedroom, he left the door wide open for the sunshine and the breeze to wrap around them.

When she sank into a Windsor chair, Tom placed the baby in her arms.

It felt wonderful to hold the moving child, a warm bundle of firm legs and clear, pink skin. He smelled wonderful, too, a combination of soap and milk. She rocked him gently, humming softly in the fresh air. Holding him didn’t sadden her, it lifted her spirits and made her happy. She thought of Sharon Rose, and where she was in heaven, and wondered when it was Amanda’s time to leave the earth, if they’d ever meet again.

With a silent nod, Tom left, allowing her the privacy of her thoughts. She felt protected here in the cocoon of Tom’s room, his belongings scattered in every corner. She was safe. She didn’t need a large space with Tom, she realized, she’d be happy with a little corner they could call their own.

When Tom came back half an hour later, he asked, “Is it time to take him home?”

She sighed. “I think so. He’s waking up. I think he’s hungry. Look how he’s stuffing his fist into his mouth.” They both looked down, fascinated with everything the baby did.

Gazing up at Tom, Amanda added, “I don’t know how it is, but you always seem to know what I need.”

Mrs. Garvey answered the door when Tom and Amanda knocked, baby basket in hand. With a welcoming smile, she shooed them inside, trying to close the door behind them before the flies got in.

In the back room of the parlor, Beth was sitting up in bed, looking pink and rested. She smiled when she saw them, and by her relaxed state, Amanda deduced she must have just received her morphine. Although it made the baby drowsy after breastfeeding, Beth would be in severe pain without it.

Beth’s braided hair fell across her plump shoulders. For the first time in days she was out of her nightclothes and wearing a daytime frock. She stretched her arms out for the basket when she spotted it. “There he is.”

“Thank you for letting us borrow him,” said Amanda, taking the bundle out of the basket from where Tom had placed it on the bed, and settling him into his mother’s awaiting arms.

Beth cuddled him to her breast. “It’s my pleasure.”

The baby smacked his lips, more vigorous now that he’d been earlier, causing the women to laugh.

“Do you need help getting him to your breast?” asked Amanda, ignoring Tom’s look of male discomfort.

“Nah, I’ll be fine.”

“We’ll leave you then, and let you attend to him.”

Beth reached out and grasped Amanda’s hand. “How are you feelin’?”

Amanda gazed into the woman’s soft features, knowing what Beth was asking. “Much better, now that I’ve held your baby. Thank you.”

“It was Tom’s idea,” Beth answered.

Amanda looked at him, lean and tanned, standing tall at the foot of Beth’s bed.

The baby whimpered. Beth rocked him, making an apologetic face to her guests. “We’ll talk later.”

Amanda nodded and she and Tom left the room, escaping outside to the boardwalk. “Where to?”

He took her hand and started walking. “Follow me.”

He was holding her hand in public and not letting go. It was a strange sensation, walking down the street with Tom at her side, his hand a symbol of his claim.
On her.
She’d never had anyone display his affection in public before. It felt right.
He
felt right.

“Tom,” yelled Ruby across the road. “I need to talk to you about where to set that load of lumber—”

“Later!” he shouted back with a grin.

“Tom,” someone else hollered on the other side of the street. “I was out of town, but I heard what happened to your mill. If there’s anything I can do—”

“Thanks, Mr. Abbott, I’ll catch up with you tomorrow!”

The mercantile door swung open onto their path and Mr. Langston came walking out backward, holding a stack of rakes that he was adding to the ones already for sale by the door. His sprained wrist—not broken—was still bandaged. “Amanda, hello. I’ve got a payment to give you, on account of my daughter—”

She slowed down, but Tom gave her a friendly tug to speed her along.

“It’ll have to wait till later, sir,” she said, whizzing by. “We’re just on our way…” To where? she wondered.

“For an important meeting,” Tom finished for her.

They crossed the dry, cracked ground, leaving the buildings of town and heading up toward the big hotel.

“If we don’t find a spot soon where we can be alone for a few minutes,” Tom declared, “I think I’m going to walk into that saloon, drag out a table and two chairs and plunk them in the middle of the road. We’ll sit there for
as long as it takes for me to tell you what’s on my mind. To hell with interruptions.”

She laughed in the warm sunshine, looking up the winding mountain road with its hues of green foliage, tiny yellow mountain flowers and chirping chickadees.

It dawned on her. “I think I know where you’re taking me.” He was leading her to his favorite place.

“Well, don’t say it out loud, or we’ll have a hundred people following us with one more question they need answered.”

It took them another fifteen minutes to reach it, hidden in the mountainside, overlooking the town. All the way here, her stomach was turning in flip-flops, remembering the last time she was here with Tom. Making love in the wild open.

They stepped inside their hidden circle. It looked different in the sunshine compared to the evening, but as luscious and secluded. Raspberries grew in clumps on the south side of the hill, while pines pressed against each other on the north. The scent was heavenly.

Tom wheeled her around. She looked up, saw the sentiment in his eyes, and her heart lurched.

He took a moment to catch his breath and study her. “How do you feel about me, Amanda?”

“I think it’s time I showed you.”

She reached up on tiptoe, weaving her fingers through the back of his unruly hair, letting them slide over the dewy, soft skin she found there, and touched her lips to his.

He groaned with satisfaction and tugged her closer, wrapping his burly arms around her back and waist. He dragged his fingertips over her spine, setting her skin atingle.

Breaking free of his controlling mouth, she murmured, “I’m in love with you.”

A corner of his lips tugged high and he gave her that dimpled grin she loved so much. “What did I just hear?”

She ducked out of his grasp and fled behind the trunk of a pine. “You heard me.”

“Come here and say it to my face.”

“I can’t,” she teased.

“Why not?”

“I’m afraid you might…bite me.”

“I will,” he promised with a flourish. “You know I will.” He dashed around the tree, but she slipped out of reach behind another. “Rrrr….” he muttered in mock frustration.

She kept her eyes on him, knowing how quick he was, expecting him to leap at any moment like a tiger hunting his prey.
She
was his prey this time, and she delighted in that fact.

“You’re provoking me, Amanda, and you’re getting me hot and riled. When I catch you, you better watch out…”

She laughed with wild abandon. “Don’t you find it hot up here?” She flung her shawl into the air. “I need to remove some of this.”

“Huh?” he said, catching it.

Next came her bonnet. As she tossed it to the tree he stood behind, her hair tumbled down her shoulders. He leaped out, sliding into the grass to dive for it, but missed altogether and landed in a heap.

She stepped over him as she raced behind a bush. She cocked her eyebrow with amusement. “It’s that darned hot sun, beating down on us, making me swelter. And these heavy clothes.”

While he watched, she unbuttoned her blouse, knowing
full well that it exposed her corset and the top of her breasts.

“Dammit, Amanda, come here,” he said, gulping from his corner.

“Oh-hh, I couldn’t do that.” She slid her blouse off her shoulders, languishing in the heat.