Her Motherhood Wish. Keli Gwyn

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СКАЧАТЬ a lot of fun together.”

      “That we did. I look forward to the day my home is filled with the joyful shouts and laughter of my children.” He cast her a quizzical glance. “What about you? Do you look forward to having a family one day?”

      She did, very much, but the question never failed to shake her sense of peace. Chip’s emphasis on the word my breathed life into fears she fought to suppress. Most men had a strong desire to father children of their own, just as most women dreamed of becoming mothers.

      But what would happen if a woman couldn’t bear children? The elderly doctor who’d treated her after the accident when she was a girl of six said she couldn’t.

      A muffled sob coming from behind a thick stand of manzanita bushes spared Callie the need to answer Chip’s question. “Did you hear that? It sounds like someone’s crying.”

      Not just someone. A child.

      Chip brought his wagon to a halt, jumped to the ground and looped the reins around a low-hanging branch of a scraggly oak. His team shifted restlessly, causing the heel chains on their harnesses to jangle. “It’s all right, fellows. I just need to have a look.”

      Callie climbed from the wagon and stood beside Chip. Although she listened intently, she heard nothing but rustling leaves. “The crying seems to have stopped, but I’m certain there’s a child out there somewhere. We have to find the poor dear.”

      He beckoned. “Follow me.”

      They rounded the plentiful shrubs. He stopped and pointed toward a downed tree in the distance, where two youngsters sat huddled together, their attention on each other. “Look.”

      “I’ll try to get closer without scaring them.” She approached slowly.

      A twig snapped under Callie’s foot. The little fellow, who appeared to be all of five years old, pulled the small girl to his side and stared at Callie, wide-eyed.

      She held up her hands in the classic surrender position. “I’m not going to hurt you. We’re here to help.”

      The boy froze, but the slip of a girl broke free and ran into Callie’s open arms, dangling a doll in one hand. She pulled the child to her in a tender embrace. “I’ve got you, sweetheart. Everything’s going to be fine.” Or so she hoped.

      Left alone, the young fellow’s gaze darted from Callie to something over his shoulder. He was shaking. What could have happened to terrify him so?

      Chip drew closer to the boy. “It’s all right. We won’t let anything happen to you.”

      “No.” The lad’s lip quivered. “The bad people left us here and made Papa drive away, but what if they come back? I gotta keep Ruby safe.”

      Chip’s features tightened, but he spoke with admirable calm. “Ruby’s a nice name. What’s yours?”

      “Jasper.”

      “That’s a great name, too. You said the people took your father, Jasper? When was that?”

      The young fellow shrugged. “Not too long. One of the bad men hollered to the others and told them to get back on their horses when you come along.”

      Thank the good Lord they’d shown up when they did. These children could be in danger. It sounded like their father was. Callie joined Chip, cradling the frightened girl to her chest. “Do you know where they went?”

      “Over there.” Jasper pointed to the north, where a cloud of white smoke crested the trees.

      Callie inhaled sharply. Something was on fire!

      Chip leaned over, putting himself on the boy’s level, and spoke with such tenderness that Callie stifled a sigh. “I need you to stay here with my friend Miss Callie while I look for your father. Will you do that?”

      “Y-yes.”

      “Good.” Chip straightened, assumed a take-charge manner Callie found reassuring and spoke beside her ear. “I don’t like leaving you and the children alone, but I have no choice. Take them back behind that log—” he angled his head toward the downed tree where Jasper and Ruby had been hiding “—and keep out of sight until I come back.”

      Although she did her best to keep her voice level, it cracked. “I’ll do that. What about you? They’re sure to be armed.”

      “I have what I need.” He flipped open his jacket, revealing a revolver strapped to his hip.

      Callie nodded. “Go on then. We’ll be fine.”

      He left, and she hustled the children to their hiding place. She held Ruby in her lap and pulled Jasper to her side.

      “What’s the tall man’s name?” the boy asked.

      Callie replied in a hushed voice, using the informal manner of address preferred by the owners of the Double T orphanage, where she hoped to work. “Mr. Chip.”

      “I never heared that name before.”

      “I’d never heard it, either, until I met him.” It had to be a nickname, since his parents had given his brothers longer names. “I like your name. Did you know Jasper is a special stone?” If she could keep him talking, perhaps the traumatized boy would relax.

      He scoffed. “’Course I do. Papa told me. He makes pretty things out of stones like that.”

      “Oh, is he a jeweler?”

      “Yep. He’s gonna start a jewelry store up in Placerville. Have you ever been there?”

      “I live there.” But if her interview went well, she’d be moving to Shingle Springs.

      Jasper’s face pinched with worry. “When will Papa and Mr. Chip come back?”

      “I don’t know, sweetheart. We must be patient.”

      “Why did the bad people take him?”

      She wished she knew. “I’m sure we’ll find out shortly.”

      The rapid-fire questions continued until Chip returned. Alone. Callie approached him with Ruby on her hip, eager for good news.

      Jasper raced around the log and faced Chip, with his legs spread and arms folded, scowling. “Why didn’t you bring Papa back? You said you would.”

      Chip squatted and rested a hand on the boy’s shoulder. The kindhearted man spoke with such compassion that Callie’s eyes misted. “I looked for him like I said I would, but I’m afraid I have some sad news, Jasper. Your papa won’t be coming back. He’s...gone.”

      The boy’s face paled. “You mean he’s dead, don’t you?”

      Blood rushed in Callie’s ears, drowning out all other sounds, much as it had the day the robbers burst into her parents’ house and took their lives all those years ago. She clutched Ruby to her and pressed a kiss to the girl’s mass of blond curls.

      No, Lord, no! How could You let this happen to СКАЧАТЬ