The Surrogate Wife. Barbara Leigh

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      “I can see that my presence isn’t appreciated here,” she fumed. “I just stopped by to see that Abbie was all right, not to be interrogated over the time of my arrival.”

      “Now, Ruth,” Josh chided, “I’m sure you’re reading more into this than is necessary. You seem to be the one who is touchy about how long you’ve been here.” He was irritated that the woman had implied that Abbie lied. “If you don’t have time for a cup of tea I suppose you should be starting back home. Meagan and I have to get back to work.”

      With a jerk of her head, Ruth marched to her wagon and, without a word of farewell, went on about her business, leaving Josh and Meagan to wonder as to the woman’s motives.

      Meagan returned to the house and picked up the butter crock when Josh reached out and stopped her. As his hand touched her arm he felt the resilience of her flesh all the way to his toes.

      “I just wanted to thank you for coming to Abbie’s defense,” he said, knowing it was only a half-truth.

      Meagan had been real spunky when she stood up against Ruth in defense of his little girl, and he had wanted to whoop for joy. For once, someone besides himself had championed the child. Even Lily had seldom found a good word for their daughter. It had embarrassed the lovely Lily to have given birth to a child who was less than perfect. Making Abbie wear the bonnet was a constant reminder that there was something wrong with her appearance, and when the bonnet was removed Lily had found it almost impossible to look at her daughter.

      And now Meagan had come along and seemed completely oblivious to the imperfection that set Abbie apart.

      Meagan never accused Abbie of lying to draw attention to herself. And, to the best of his knowledge, Meagan never made fun of the girl because of the angle at which Abbie’s ears stuck out on each side of her head.

      Josh wanted to do more than say thank-you to Meagan. He wanted to take her in his arms and tell her how wonderful he thought she was, but he knew that was the last thing he dared do.

      Meagan smiled at him somewhat hesitantly when he did not take his hand from her arm. He wanted to say something more, but he simply released her and stepped back.

      “And Abbie thanks you too,” he said lamely, as Meagan, sensing potential danger, scurried out the door.

      

      It was almost dark when Josh saw Meagan again. By that time he had gotten a rein on his emotions and greeted her in an offhanded manner as she entered the barn.

      Abbie darted past her and ran to the stanchion where Josh was milking the cow.

      “Squirt me some milk,” the little girl demanded, and her father laughingly aimed the udder toward her opened mouth. The first stream of milk missed and splashed against Abbie’s cheek and onto her bonnet. She shrieked with delight as the second hit her open mouth.

      “Sorry about getting milk on her bonnet,” Josh called over his shoulder.

      “Don’t worry,” Meagan answered laughing. “Bonnets will wash.”

      The cow lowed restlessly. Josh checked the trough and asked, “Meagan, will you go up in the mow and toss down some hay?”

      “I’ll go first and make sure the kittens aren’t in the way,” Abbie volunteered as she whisked up the slat ladder and disappeared into the loft.

      “Hurry, hurry,” Meagan urged. “I’m right behind you.”

      Abbie’s delighted giggles were punctuated by a gasp and the clap of one piece of wood striking another. Josh turned from his milking to see Meagan tumble to the ground.

      Exasperated at having her milking turned into a circus, the cow kicked the bucket the moment Josh let go of her udder.

      Meagan groaned as she tried to catch her breath while Abbie’s anxious little face peered from the top of the ladder.

      Josh knelt down beside Meagan and lifted her into his arms. “There, there, now. Take it easy. It’s going to be all right. Are you hurt? Do you think you busted anything?”

      Meagan’s head was spinning but she wasn’t certain whether it was because of the fall or the touch of Josh’s hands as he ran them along her body searching for broken bones. Had she been alone she would probably have climbed to her feet and waited until the pain in her hip and the dizziness subsided, but with Josh cradling her against his body she lost any desire to move.

      She opened her eyes and waited until she was able to focus on the thick blond hair and strong features so unbearably close to her.

      She nestled her head against his shoulder as he brushed back the hair that had fallen over her face.

      “What happened, Papa?” Abbie demanded from her perch. “How did Meagan fall off the ladder?”

      Josh looked up. One of the wooden slats that served as a rung swung free on one end. “I guess one of the slats came loose.” Josh barely glanced at the ladder, for his full attention was on Meagan, who was still trying to catch her breath.

      “Are you hurt?” he asked again. “Do you have pain anywhere?”

      “No,” she managed. “Nothing like that. Just knocked the wind out of me. Is Abbie all right?”

      “She’s up there.” Josh indicated the cavernous hole above their heads without taking his eyes from the woman in his arms. “Looks like you cracked your head real good.” He brushed his hand over her forehead, gingerly touching the rising lump.

      “Papa! Lift me down!” Abbie demanded. “I’ll go get some cold water for Meagan’s head.” The little girl’s perception amazed her father.

      Reluctantly, he released Meagan and held his arms up to his daughter. It was while he stood in this position that he saw the fresh marks against the aging wood. He put the little girl on the ground and turned back to the ladder.

      “You haven’t been trying to repair this ladder, have you?” he asked.

      “I didn’t realize there was anything wrong with it.” Meagan struggled to a sitting position and attempted to get to her feet.

      “There probably wasn’t anything wrong until the nails came out.” He bent down and ran his hands through the straw on the floor of the barn. Nails were hard to come by and he wanted to find them if possible.

      “What made you think I was tinkering with it?” Meagan asked.

      “Marks here along the edge of this board.” He pointed to the fresh gouges. “Looks like somebody was either trying to put it up, or take it down.”

      “Abbie runs up and down that ladder all the time and she’s had no trouble,” Meagan pointed out.

      “Abbie weighs next to nothing, but once either you or I hit that step we were going to take a fall.”

      “But how could something like that happen without either of us noticing?” Meagan wondered aloud.

      “Maybe it just happened today,” Josh said thoughtfully as his eyes met Meagan’s in concerned contemplation.

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