He shouldn’t do what he was thinking. He really shouldn’t. But danged if he didn’t want to. He exchanged a quick look with Matthew and winked. Then he stopped Maddie in her steps. “Darlin’, are you up for aggravatin’ Mrs. Peabody a mite more than you already did?”
She looked in the direction he was staring and nodded.
“Then just follow my lead. It is only for show.”
Before she could change her mind, he pulled her into his arms. He bent his head, his lips brushing hers for a moment before he cradled her head with one hand and slanted his mouth more firmly over hers. He kissed her and delighted in doing so. He might have started this to aggravate the nosy townswoman, but he continued because he was enjoying having his wife’s soft mouth against his. Wanted to taste the lips that had haunted him so long.
For show? Oh no. He wouldn’t tell Maddie this, but this was a full on kiss. Nothing show about it.
He didn’t care what anyone in town thought.
As they walked back toward the mercantile, a stagecoach clattered along the dusty street pulled by four horses. Madelyn moved closer to Luke as the conveyance whizzed by, spewing dirt and dust in its wake.
Determined to purchase material for Maddie to make new dresses, despite her protestations, Luke placed his hand on her elbow and urged her forward. Swede ran out the door and headed toward them.
“What is wrong, friend?” Luke asked.
“I have to find Doc. My Birgit needs him.”
Luke shook his head. “We left his office before we came to your store earlier. I needed him to check Maddie to make sure she is better after her illness. He told us he was heading out to old man Worth’s house. Apparently he fell and broke his leg, and Doc planned to make sure he was doing okay.”
“No! Birgit needs him. Now!” The poor man looked panicked. “Oh, dear God, not again. My Birgit will not survive another loss.”
Madelyn stepped forward. “I can help her.”
Swede shook his head. “No, no. My Birgit, she needs the doctor.”
Luke put his arm around her. “Darlin,’ his wife needs Doc. There is nothin’ you can do.”
With an imperial swish of her skirts, she pulled away, all sense of anger and tears over the busybody laid aside. She had more important things to do than wallow in self-pity. “If she is having the babe now, she needs help. You two men can stand here and argue about her waiting for the doctor until the cows come home, as you say, but I am going inside the mercantile and help her.”
She flounced away, but Luke caught up with her in a few quick strides and grabbed her arm to stop her. His jaw tightened.
“Maddie, you can’t. Birgit usually has…complications.” He lowered his voice on the last word.
She tried to pull her arm away, but he was too strong.
“I can—”
“I know you well enough by now from watchin’ your determination at the ranch to know if you think you can do somethin’, you will try. And you think you can do this. But in this case I forbid you to try.”
She gasped, his patronizing tone infuriating her. “You what? You forbid me? Do not deign to dictate to me, sir!”
“Maddie, she has lost three babies already.” His voice gentled, clearly trying to soften his refusal. “Should something go wrong again this time, I do not want anyone to blame you.”
“And I would blame myself if something went wrong and I had not tried to help.” She stepped closer to him. “Please, Captain. Have faith in me on this and let me go to her. I know what I am doing. She cannot go through this alone. You know how frightened she is.”
He opened his mouth to say something, but she interrupted.
“Even if I do nothing more than sit with her and hold her hand so she is not alone. She is one of the few people in this town that has befriended me. I have to be there.” She choked off the words, overcome with emotion.
He pulled her close and hugged her—right there in the middle of the street. She could only imagine what people who saw them would say about that—especially after he’d just kissed her in public—but she drew strength from being in his arms. It felt right. She just wasn’t sure why.
After a long and pensive pause he said, “All right. Go sit with her. Please, God, do not let me regret this.” He addressed Swede. “Until Doc returns to town, let Maddie sit with Birgit. Go to Doc’s house and tell his sister he needs to come as soon as he returns. I will take Maddie upstairs. Is Birgit in your room?”
Swede nodded, then took off running in the direction of Doc’s house.
While Madelyn was upstairs with Birgit, Luke and Swede alternated serving customers downstairs in the mercantile and listening to Birgit scream and standing outside the bedroom door and listening to Birgit scream.
Luke was as frazzled as Swede. The tall man, who looked so much like people envisioned Vikings of old, ran his hand through his already mussed hair.
When Matt came to check on them late in the afternoon, Luke stood staring out the window, watching as fingers of light surrendered the setting sun. Swede had gone to the storeroom. Luke scrubbed his hand over his face and lowered his voice so no one except Matt could hear him. “I cannot imagine how any husband keeps his sanity while his wife is birthin’ their child. How in the world did Aaron handle it when Kat had Johnny and Rebekah?”
“Cain’t rightly answer that, but if they didn’t, no family would ever have more’n one.” His shoulders sagged and he turned his face away. “I am praying everything goes well for Birgit this time. I do not know that she and Swede can handle another stillbirth. Their faith has been so strong up until now, but how much can a person stand before they break? Losing a loved one in childbirth is enough to break a person’s heart. Like it is being wrenched from their body—only the scar never shows. It is much more than anyone should have to suffer. A woman, a child…” His voice cracked.
He glanced around the room just as Swede entered the store from the back storeroom and handed Mrs. Marshall a large parcel. “’Tis the one you ordered all the way from New York City.”
Matt narrowed his eyes as he looked around the room again. “Where is Maddie? She at the aunts’? Her and Birgit bein’ friends and all, figgered she would be here waiting with us.”
“Wish you hadn’t asked that, big brother.”
“Why not?” A frown marred his entire face.
Luke hiked his thumb behind him. “She is upstairs with Birgit. Doc’s out of town, and Maddie didn’t want Birgit to be alone. Supposed to be sittin’ with her, but you know Maddie.”
Matt swore.
A large scream rent through the entire building. Heedless of Mrs. Marshall being in the building, Swede ran from the store and up the stairs. Luke was right behind him.
Matthew came up a few minutes later. “I finished checking Mrs. Marshall out and then closed and locked the front door. More’n likely best if there aren’t any more customers today. Word travels fast enough around here.”
Swede paced directly in front of their bedroom door.
Before anyone said anything else, Birgit screamed again. Luke tried to get Swede to sit in the nearest chair, but the man refused. He stood in front of the door as if he could see through it. Either that or was ready to break it down.
When the sound of crying began inside the bedroom, tears streamed down Swede’s face. He didn’t wait for Maddie to come to the door before he yanked it open and charged inside. He didn’t completely slam the door behind him, so Luke and Matthew could hear what was being said.
“Birgit? Birgit? Oh, God! Mrs. Guylenhall, is my Birgit all right?”
Madelyn’s muffled voice grew stronger as she moved closer to the door to speak to him. “She is just fine, Mr. Ericksson. Tired from all the hours it took to birth your beautiful son, but other than that she is just fine.”
“A son?!? I have a son? He is alive?”
She moved closer to Swede. “Would you like to hold him now? He is perfect.”
“Ja. Ja. He is fine? My boy is
really fine?”
“I assure you, sir, your babe is perfect. As soon as Doc comes back to town, I am sure he will head over here and you can have him check both Birgit and your baby, but he will not find a thing to worry about.”
“Oh! Thank you, Mrs. Guylenhall. Praise God! I have a son!”
Not wanting to be improper, Luke moved so he could see her talking with Swede, but not see the bed where Birgit lay. But Maddie sounded tired, and Luke was worried about her. She’d been with Birgit for hours. Doing far more than just sitting with her! She’d truly helped deliver the child.
Once again, he’d rushed to judgment—and he’d been wrong.
Madelyn patted Swede’s shoulder. “Keep your hand beneath the baby’s head now.” She helped him to hold his son. “Why don’t you go over to your bed so you and your wife can both see him? I am sure she would like to have him close again, even though I showed him to her just before you came in.”
“Ja, ja, I would like that. And I think I need to sit. The past hours are catching up with me.”
He raised his head toward the ceiling. “Thank you, God!” He shot a fisted hand in the air. “I have a son!”
~ Chapter 11 ~
While Swede sat beside his wife on the bed, Madelyn finished cleaning up the room, got the afterbirth ready to dispose of, then went out to the parlor. The captain and Matt both stood there waiting.
Her gaze shifted to her husband. When he held his arms out to her, she rushed straight to him and threw her arms around his neck. He held her, murmured encouragement and rubbed his hands slowly up and down her back.
When he started to step back, she tightened her arms around his neck. She needed something solid to hold on to right now. “No. Please, Captain. Hold me.”
She’d never needed him before. Or so she’d thought.
He held her, half supporting her as she collapsed against him, rocking her gently, stroking her hair, her back in soothing, healing motions.
“Both Birgit and the baby are fine?” Matt asked from behind them.
She nodded against the captain’s chest. After a few deep breaths, she said, “They are.”
Matt nervously held his hat in his hands. “I’ll be on my way then.” He placed a hand lightly on her shoulder. “What you did for Birgit today was amazing, Maddie. Thank you for helping her.” His voice cracked and he shifted his gaze to Luke. “Are you heading back to the ranch tonight or staying in town since it is so late?”
Her husband spoke over her head as he continued to hold her, caressing her back, her neck. The timbre of his voice caressed her senses. “We will head back tonight. Do not much like travelin’ in the dark, but this vexin’, fool woman I am holdin’ pushed herself too hard today. Would not listen to a thing I said when I told her not to try helpin’ Birgit.”
He gave a long drawn-out sigh and squeezed her tight when she tried to pull away. He bent and lightly kissed her hair, gently brushing a stray lock away from her face. “And from the joyous outcome, it appears a good thing she ignored me. Seems she really does know about birthin’ babies and probably saved Birgit’s baby’s life considerin’ the problems she has had with her other births. Maddie’s had a rough day and needs her own bed. I will be careful goin’ home. The moon should be almost full tonight, so I should be able to see all right.”
“I will check with you later then.” Matthew’s relief was evident.
When he left the room, the captain spoke against her hair. “Want to sit? You probably have been standing too long. Doubt you did much sitting.”
She nodded, but didn’t move, so he backed against the wall and slid down it, taking her with him. “Everythin’ was all right with the birth? There were no problems?”
She hiccupped. “Well…”
His heart plummeted. “Maddie?”
“There were a few issues, but I had seen them before when I assisted Father. So I knew what to do. There has been some controversy about some of the newer procedures to help babies being born, but Father thought they were worthwhile learning.” She sniffled. “If this is what happened before when she lost her babies, Doc might not have known about some of the newer techniques. It is understandable since he does not have access to newer facilities.”
“Sounds like you did great. I am proud of you.” He continued rubbing his hand gently up and down her back. “I am sorry I doubted you.”
Not moving her head from his chest, she eased to the side so she could look up at him. “I-I never delivered a baby completely by myself. I made sure I did everything exactly as Father taught me. I wish he had been here with me today. I may disagree with how he handled things with us, but I m-miss him.”
“I know you do, sweetheart.”
“Oh, God. Captain, I miss him so much.” Tears streamed down her face.
He didn’t try to stop her, just kept comforting her. This was the crying she hadn’t done after her father’s death. She needed this to move forward.
“How can I go on? My entire family is gone. I have no one now.” Her shoulders heaved with sobs.
“Ah, but that is where you are wrong.” He placed his hands on each side of her face and eased her back so he could look into her eyes. “You have me now. Not to mention my entire family. Give them time and you will grow to love them.” As I think I might be falling in love with you. He pulled her back against his chest and wrapped his arms around her. They sat in companionable silence.
When she finally stopped crying, he asked, “Are you ready to go home?”
She nodded, bumping her head against his chin.
After the ride home, he helped put her to bed. She didn’t protest when he helped her out of her royal blue dress and into her white linen nightgown. He could have used the aunts here right now, but as they’d passed the women’s house they’d stepped outside and announced they’d be here bright and early two days from now to give them time to rest. Matt had told them what happened.
He covered her with the blue and white quilt and stepped back. “Good night, Maddie. I will keep the door open a bit in case you need anythin’ tonight. Just call out and I will be here.”
He reached for the doorknob as she spoke. “Do not go. Please.” Her words had been so soft he wasn’t sure he’d heard her correctly.
He faced the bed. “What did you say?”
“D-do not leave me, L-luke. I-I do not want to be alone tonight. Can you lay here with me and just hold me?” Her cheeks flushed.
Hold her? In bed? Lay beside her and nothing else? Did she realize how that would torture him? No, she probably didn’t. He didn’t answer right away.
How could he do that? How could he not?
His heart raced faster than a stampede of wild horses.
“Please.” She started crying again. “I do not want to be alone anymore.”
Her tearful plea was enough to break his heart. Turning down the wick on the oil lamp, he removed only his boots and slipped under the quilt with her. He rolled her to her side so her back was to him and moved against her, wrapping his arms around her.
She’d called him Luke, not Captain. He’d give her the world right now, no matter how much it threatened his self-resolve.
Her soft sobs quieted as he held her. “It is all right, love. Your healin’ can start now. You go to sleep. I will be here for you all night.”
Soon her breathing evened out and he knew she slept—curled trustingly in his arms.
He doubted he’d get any sleep.
The next morning was awkward between them, but they didn’t talk about him spending the night in bed with her. They each did chores and Madelyn actually scrambled eggs and fried bacon for breakfast without burning them. The rock hard biscuits, however, were totally inedible. Luke didn’t say a thing about them, just choked them down the best he could without being obvious and washed ‘em down with coffee. Lots of it.
She sighed as she stood to clear the table. “Sorry I ruined breakfast.”
He reached out to touch her face, but pulled
his hand back. “Breakfast was mighty good.”
“Not the biscuits.”
He didn’t say a word. Just smiled. She’d tried. That’s all that mattered. And she was improving every day.
He headed for the door. “I had best skedaddle. The men are probably waitin’ for me down in the south range. They are takin’ split rails with them so we can make a few repairs in the fence. Some of the other men will be chasin’ down strays. Got a full day planned.”
“Do you always work on the range?”
“There is still a lot to do there since I was gone so long, but no. Many days we work with the horses in the corral beside the barn.” He tilted his head to observe her. “Would you like to come observe us while we are doin’ that sometime? Aunt Lola loves being there whenever she is here with us. She would be happy for your company.”
To his surprise, she smiled and nodded. “I would like that. Sometimes when I am alone all day it gets lonely.”
When he came back in later in the day, tired and hungry after working with the cattle and helping with fence repairs, he headed toward the barn. Madelyn opened the door and watched his approach. “May I watch while you curry your horse?”
She’d never asked to join him before. Pleasure surged through him and he wasn’t quite as tired anymore. He extended his hand and she joined him.
Inside the barn, she sat on a hay bale. He was aware she watched every move he made.
“I never had to curry a horse before. We always had someone else to do it.” She lightly chewed her lower lip. “I was so spoiled—even though I never realized it at the time. It was just ‘what we did.’ What everyone else did.”
She met his gaze. She had something on her mind, but he had no idea what.
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