Montana Cowboy's Baby. Linda Ford
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Название: Montana Cowboy's Baby
Автор: Linda Ford
Издательство: HarperCollins
Жанр: Вестерны
isbn: 9781474068079
isbn:
“Sit down.” He indicated the chair at his side and she sat. “Give me your hand.”
She hesitated, then put her hand in his.
He brought it to the baby and placed it over the tiny chest and covered her hand with his. “Feel that?”
“It’s her heart beating.”
“Yes. You said the outcome is in God’s hands.”
She nodded.
“Then we will pray for His healing.” He bowed his head and prayed. “God, You love Ellie. You have a plan and a purpose for her life. She’s so young. So needy. We’re doing all we can to help her. But only You can heal her. We humbly ask that You would see fit to touch her little body and make her strong.” He paused, wanting so much more, answers to questions about Thelma, a caring home, loving parents for the baby, but he could say none of those aloud. He simply had to trust God for all of it. “Amen.”
“Amen,” Kate echoed.
Conner expected she would pull away, but she stayed as they were, their heads almost touching, their hands on Ellie’s chest feeling her heart beat and the rise and fall of her breathing. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For reminding me that it’s in God’s hands, not mine.”
The afternoon became a continual round of waking, feeding and hovering over the baby. But each time the baby took a little more.
“It’s good, isn’t it?” He was ready to rejoice.
“Yes, it’s very good. Maybe she’ll take some milk now.” She hurried to the kitchen to prepare it.
Conner leaned back, shifting the baby so they were face-to-face. Ellie’s eyes met his. “Who are you, little one? Why are you here? Where’s your mother? I need to find her, don’t I? Did she forget to take care of you? Is that why you’re so weak? Or have you been sick?” So many questions. “And you aren’t giving me any of the answers, are you?”
The sound of approaching footsteps warned him of Kate’s return and he stopped questioning the baby and chuckled at the silliness of doing so.
Ellie’s eyes widened at his laugh.
Kate pressed to his side so she could feed the baby. She eased the rubber nipple into the tiny mouth. Ellie gagged but then closed her mouth about the contraption and sucked. Her eyes widened as she tasted the milk. She drank eagerly for a moment or two.
Kate leaned over them both and Conner was so full of gratitude over the improvement that he wrapped his arm about her shoulders and drew her against his chest, next to the baby. His heart felt ready to burst.
She stiffened and pulled away, sat upright in the chair by the couch, folded her hands in her lap and studied him with a solemn expression.
“Forgive me. I was rejoicing over her improvement.”
Kate nodded. “Of course.”
He reached for her hands and clasped them to his chest. “We’re doing all we can, aren’t we?”
She curled her fingers into the fabric of his shirt. “I believe so.”
He understood then that the baby was still not out of the woods.
She should not have revealed her worry about the baby. A doctor or nurse did not frighten family members with either words or expressions, but she could not put a serene mask over her features. All she could do was cling to the fact Ellie was improving.
Conner lifted one hand and cupped her shoulder. “Kate, you’re doing a good job if Ellie’s present condition means anything.”
Ellie opened her eyes and found Kate’s face.
“See, even the baby knows it. She likes you. She knows you’re helping her.”
Kate smiled at the baby and stroked a finger along the tiny cheek. “She is certainly a sweetie. So beautiful.” A fierce protectiveness crowded all else from her mind. “Ellie, you are going to eat and fight and get strong. You hear me?”
The baby considered her solemnly, then smiled. The smile disappeared so quickly Kate wondered if she’d imagined it. “Did you see that? She smiled.”
Conner chuckled. “I told you, she likes you.”
“We’re going to do this.” She looked deep into Conner’s eyes. “We are going to save this baby, so help me God.” She meant it as a prayer and a vow, and when Conner nodded, she felt as if they had joined hands in mutual agreement.
There welled up within her a sense of something sweet and powerful. She tried to tell herself it was the same sensation she got whenever she helped her father, saw a baby or a child or an adult improving and knowing she had a hand in it. Only, the feeling was unlike any she’d ever before experienced and she could not dismiss it so easily nor fit it into a tidy slot in her brain.
She knew of one sure way to bring her thoughts into order and she concentrated on feeding Ellie. When she was satisfied the baby had taken all she would, she hurried to the kitchen...in need of an escape from the intensity prevailing in her thoughts while sitting so close to Conner, feeling the rise and fall of his chest, hearing his deep voice murmur to the baby. And knowing all the while that Thelma belonged where Kate now sat.
She found food in the pantry that Annie had prepared earlier and served them a simple dinner. She wished she had time to do more. Cooking and baking were pleasures for her. And wonderful diversions. Grandfather joined them to eat.
They all retired to the sitting room again. She needed to get back to her father. As she had done all morning, she prayed he would be handling things well on his own.
She was about to say she must leave when the sound of approaching horses drew their attention to the window. She was holding Ellie, who dozed after another decent feed. Conner hurried to look out. “Pa, Logan and Dawson are back.” His father and two brothers. Conner scrubbed his hand back and forth over his head, as if anxious over their reaction to discovering a baby in the house.
Grandfather made a disapproving sound. “You hoping to frighten them with a scarecrow look by doing that?”
He smoothed his hair into some semblance of order and jammed his hands into his front pockets.
Grandfather continued, “You’ll have to tell them the truth.”
“Yeah. I guess so.”
Kate could almost feel sorry for him, but having fathered a child, he must face up to his responsibilities. Still, she didn’t envy him having to confront his brothers and father.
They all turned to listen to the outer door open and shut, booted feet stomp off the trail dust and then a parade of thuds across the floor toward СКАЧАТЬ