Patrick's Proposal (The Langley Legacy Book 2)

by Hildie McQueen

  Patrick was not convinced. To him, Emma was not just any woman, but a special part of his life and he would worry about her until arriving home every day. “I don’t think I’m ready for this, Pa.”

  His father’s lips twitched. “You got married. What did you expect to happen?”

  Despite his frown, he wanted to smile. “I suppose you and Ma aren’t as surprised as I am.”

  “Nope.” His father mounted and looked down at him. “Actually, thought it would happen sooner.”

  The day seemed to drag. Finally, Patrick could wait no longer. His father pretended not to notice when he urged the horse toward the stables. It seemed to take forever to brush down the steed, feed it and ensure it had a blanket over its back for the night.

  He then had to see about the new horses that had been let out into the corral. Once again, he repeated the actions, taking his time to see that each horse was taken care of. By the time he walked toward his house, exhaustion settled in.

  The lights from the windows cast a glow out to the ground. The curtains were closed so he could not see inside, but he imagined Emma was probably in the kitchen finishing up dinner.

  At the bottom step to the porch, Patrick hesitated. Not wanting to appear eager, he took his time and walked up the steps slowly and then hesitated at the door.

  When he stepped through the door, Emma looked up from her knitting. She smiled at him warmly. “I’ll get you some coffee. It’s mighty cold out there. I hope you are not out there the entire time without some way to stay warm.”

  As she hustled about the kitchen making coffee and complaining about the weather, Patrick could only smile.

  He caught up with her and pulled her to him, kissing her soundly. “How are you feeling?”

  “You’re cold,” Emma said with feeble attempts to move away. Once again, he kissed her and slid his hands down her back. “Goodness, Patrick, what’s come over you?”

  How could he explain to her how full his heart was? His joy was almost painful with happiness. “We’re going to be parents. Our family will grow,” he explained the obvious.

  Emma let out a long sigh and pressed her forehead to his chin. “I’m not sure if I’m ready for it, Patrick. I don’t know the first thing about caring for a child. I’m afraid your mother will be tired of me running to her for help.”

  “You may get tired of my mother here giving you unsolicited advice. I’m sure your mother will also be here constantly.”

  He bided his time after warming up by the fire and while they sat down to dinner. Finally, Patrick had to tell Emma about his upcoming trip. He’d been dreading bringing up the subject since she’d been so moody as of late. Now with the news of her pregnancy, he wasn’t sure of her reaction.

  “I’ve got a couple ranch hands that are going to go with me to get more horses. I am purchasing another six from Jane’s husband.”

  “Oh?” Emma’s gaze met his, her brows drawn together. “When are you going?”

  “I planned to go within a few days. But now, I am going to wait until next week. Just to be sure you’re better.”

  Tight lines formed around Emma’s mouth. “You hadn’t spoken to me about it. You were planning to leave so soon and didn’t think I should know?”

  Unsure of what to say, Patrick studied the food on his plate. In truth, he’d been delaying the discussion unsure of how she’d react.

  “It will only be for a few days...a week perhaps...”

  “A week?” Emma spoke softly, her eyes roaming the house. She nodded and placed her fork down. “I see.”

  He’d considered she’d be sad, but her expression was unreadable. “I don’t want to upset you. Not right now with the babe...”

  “I’m not upset.” Obviously she was, but he let it pass. His father had warned him that pregnant women could be hard to live with.

  They ate mostly in silence as Emma concentrated on eating and then sipped tea while looking anywhere but at him.

  With a huff, Emma stood and took her plate to the kitchen. Without a word, she went straight to the bedroom.

  He hesitated for a few minutes, giving her time to get ready for bed and decided to give her a bit of time to calm.

  “Emma! I’m going out to check on the horses.”

  There was no reply, so he put on his jacket and went out.

  The bedroom was silent as he washed his face and hands before undressing. He didn’t want to slide into the bed with cold hands and feet so he went to the small fireplace in the room and added a couple logs. Once the fire was going strong, Patrick warmed up with his hands outstretched.

  Every so often, he’d look to the bed. Emma remained stubbornly silent. Usually at night while they lay in bed, she would ask him questions about his day or chat about projects and such.

  “If you wish to go visit your mother, I can take you tomorrow.”

  “No, thank you.”

  He’d never been a patient man, so he went to the bed and sat down. “Emma. If you’re angry with me, then tell me why. I didn’t tell you about my trip because I wasn’t sure about the purchase until just recently.”

  Again, she remained silent.

  “It will only be a few days. If you wish, I can take you to stay at your mother’s.”

  She sat up, her hair a tumble of curls cascading to her shoulders. Her pretty face was mottled and the frown made her even more beautiful. “I’m angry that you didn’t discuss the entire idea of purchasing more horses. I understand more than you think. I would have liked to know you are planning to breed horses and grow a stable. Your mother mentioned it, but even when I asked about the horses, you never explained your plans to me.”

  Emma took a shaky breath. “And now you’ve been planning a trip and never once spoke to me about it. It hurts my feelings.”

  “I’m sorry,” Patrick said and reached for her. She held out her hands, keeping him at bay.

  “No. I do not forgive you this easily. Tell me why you haven’t discussed any of this with me?”

  “I suppose the main reason I haven’t discussed it is because I am gambling a huge portion of our savings. If things don’t work out, it will take a lot to recover. It feels wrong to put the pressure on you. So much was happening in your life.”

  When her gaze met his, there was only love in his eyes. Emma scooted forward and cupped his jaw with one hand.

  “You come first, Patrick. You are the most important person in my life. I don’t want you to carry any burdens alone.”

  If he’d been in love with her before, the feeling expanded to overflowing. Patrick could only nod as the lump in his throat did not allow for speech.

  She shook her head. “I have lived in poverty all my life. It doesn’t scare me. I know you will take care of us.”

  “How do you feel about a horse ranch? Do you think it’s a good idea? Appaloosas are a rare but sturdy breed.”

  They discussed the pros and cons of horse ranching. Patrick was surprised at Emma’s insight. It seemed that although she’d been sheltered most of her life, she had paid a lot of attention to what happened at the neighboring ranches.

  “There are already too many cattle ranches in the area and only more to come. I think horses will be needed for the work and if this breed is as sturdy and hardworking as you say, they will be in high demand.”

  Later, as Emma slept, Patrick ran his fingers through her hair and pressed a kiss to her forehead. More content than he’d ever felt, he finally allowed sleep to claim him.

  Chapter 14

  Eight months later...

  The sounds beyond the door didn’t help Patrick’s resolve to remain out of the bedroom. His father met his gaze and Patrick saw the same tension mirrored.

  Emma had gone into labor early that morning. It was close to dusk and, still, the baby had yet to appear. Several times, the midwife from town had peeked out and told them everything was fine, but it had been at least an hour since the last time she’d done so.

  “Sit down, Son. You’re g
oing to dig a trench in the floor.” His father placed a cup of coffee on the table. “These things take time. You can’t hurry nature.”

  Patrick went to the table, but kept his gaze on the door. The cabin was too warm he decided and jumped to open the windows, only to find that they were already.

  Opting for the front door, he pulled it open. In the distance, a wagon approached. It was Emma’s parents. Patrick had sent word to them early that morning.

  No doubt, they expected to find a newborn in Emma’s arms, not to discover she was still in the throes of labor.

  He went out to wait for them and took a deep breath of the fresher air. It was end of August. The weather remained warm, but not unpleasant.

  The wagon had barely stopped and Mrs. Milligan urged her husband to hurry and help her down.

  Patrick rushed to do so while his father-in-law rounded the wagon.

  “How is she?” The woman hurried to the porch. “The baby?” she called out to him.

  Patrick motioned to the doorway. “I haven’t heard in the last hour or so. The babe is not here yet.”

  “Oh my goodness,” Mrs. Milligan exclaimed and rushed past him and straight into the back bedroom.

  Just then, a cry sounded and he hurried after her only to have the door slammed in his face. He took the doorknob, but stopped when hearing a child’s cry.

  The room swayed and he grabbed for the wall. “Damn it,” he said and turned to look at his father-in-law who watched him with a wide grin. “I apologize, Preacher.”

  “No need. Emotions run high at times like this. I’m sure I uttered worse each time Beatrice gave birth.”

  Patrick wondered if he dared to put Emma through something like this again. Her moans and guttural cries had torn at his heart.

  “Patrick?” His mother was at the door, her face alight with joy. “Come in and meet your sons.”

  “Sons?”

  “Yes. Twins.”

  Patrick rushed into the room and almost gagged at the smell of blood and other odors he couldn’t place.

  However, upon seeing Emma with two swaddled bundles in her arms, he couldn’t sense anything else but pride and joy.

  Although she was pale and her hair was plastered to her sweaty brow, she seemed to have forgotten all the pain as her gaze went from the babes to him.

  Keeping his eyes on his wife and sons, Patrick made his way to the bed and leaned over to kiss her brow. “How are you?”

  “Tired,” she announced with a yawn. “Look at them. They are perfect.”

  He peered at the tiny faces and could barely keep from bawling like a boy. “Yes, they are.”

  The other women in the room moved to the bed. “I love you,” Patrick said as his mother-in-law and mother picked up the tiny bundles from Emma’s arms.

  “I’ll make you some tea,” one of the women announced.

  “Get some rest, Emma. We’ll watch after them,” his mother instructed. Both women went out to the front room with the babies.

  The midwife scurried about cleaning up bloody rags and such. “I’ll open the window just a bit, but we can’t have cool air on her.” She went to the window, taking great pains to ensure it was only cracked.

  After a moment, she returned to the bed and pulled the blankets up over Emma to her neck. “Remain covered for now.”

  The no-nonsense woman picked up the soiled items and hurried from the room.

  He lowered to the bed and pulled Emma into his arms. She placed her head onto his shoulder.

  “Two. We have two babes to care for.” Her words slurred with weariness. “Whatever will we do?”

  “We will raise them to be strong boys and good men,” he proclaimed.

  After his tired wife fell asleep, he held her for a long while. Later, he went to the front room to see his sons. The doting grandmothers held the babes. When he neared, they looked to him as if he presented some sort of challenge.

  He went to the one his mother held and pulled the blanket back to see a tiny face with eyes squeezed shut. The second child looked to be identical. He supposed it would be hard to tell the difference until they grew older. “They look a lot alike.”

  “I think they’re identical,” his mother replied in a reverent tone. “They are beautiful.”

  “Yes, they are,” Mrs. Milligan agreed. “I can’t wait to write Jane.”

  Emma stood over the twins’ cribs studying their sleeping faces. They’d named them Donovan and Sullivan, after her father and Patrick’s grandfather.

  Six weeks had passed, but Emma had been up and moving within days of giving birth. Her mother and mother-in-law would shoo her back to bed in the mornings and insist she sit idly most days.

  Her mother took control of taking care of the twins. Patrick’s mother was always there cooking and helping with laundry.

  All morning, she’d practiced what to say when the opportune time presented itself. Her mother lowered to a chair followed by Maureen, who placed a cup of tea at Emma’s elbow.

  “It’s a nice, sweet, quiet time until they awaken,” her mother said.

  “I can’t wait to hear those sweet sounds,” her mother-in-law replied.

  “I think,” Emma started, “that it’s time for me to see after them. I appreciate everything you both are doing for Patrick and me. I really do.”

  Both women stared at her with forgotten teacups midway to their mouths. Emma let out a breath. “Mother, I think it’s time for you to go home.” She looked to her mother-in-law. “I will cook from now on. We will come for supper on Wednesdays as usual. Of course, you are more than welcome to stop by, but don’t feel obligated to help around the house.”

  Her mother recovered first. “I suppose I have been overbearing. It’s just that Jane hasn’t had children yet. The twins are my first grandchildren. We live too far and...” She stopped talking and lowered the teacup.

  “It’s not that far Mother.” Emma smiled warmly at her. “Father can bring you often to visit.”

  Maureen looked to her mother with pity. “You are welcome to stay at our house as long as you wish.”

  “Papa has his parish to look after. Both of you have to be there for the people,” Emma reminded her gently. “I promise, you will see us often.”

  Two days later, her mother was gone. When Patrick returned from work, he looked eagerly to the kitchen. There was nothing on the stove and Emma wondered what had possessed her to tell the grandmothers to leave. Handling two babes and a household was much harder than she expected.

  By the third day, she was so glad to go to eat at her in-laws that she barely slowed when Patrick asked her what the hurry was. Emma looked over her shoulder. “Toast and soup were barely enough to sustain either one of us the last few days. I’m hungry.”

  Patrick laughed. “I have to admit to eating here the last couple of days at midday because I am so hungry.”

  Emma wanted to cry with happiness when Maureen opened the door. She rushed to her mother-in-law and hugged her. “I think I was too rash in telling you I could handle everything.”

  With a look of satisfaction, her wonderful mother-in-law rounded her. “Get the food on the table. I will make sure the babes are settled into Patrick’s old crib.”

  Dinner was delightful. Emma ate until she thought she would burst. Her father-in-law had dragged the crib into the kitchen so they could mind the babes as they ate.

  “I have something for you,” Maureen told her with a smile. She held up a beautiful lace dress. “I wore this on my wedding day and want you to wear it for the baptism. “

  It was hard to keep from touching it, so Emma reached for it and slid her fingers down the silky fabric. “Its beautiful.”

  “My mother brought it from Ireland. It’s only fitting that since you didn’t get married in it, you wear it on the next wonderful occasion.”

  Emma could only stare on the dress. “I will thank you.”

  “How long until they have to nurse?” her mother-in-law asked.

  �
�They nursed right before coming. I hope they won’t wake until almost morning.” Emma leaned to look at the slumbering babes. “Aren’t they adorable?”

  Maureen stood and looked to Patrick. “Take your wife home and spend time with her. When they wake up early in the morning, I will bring them to you.”

  It was comical the way Patrick didn’t have to be told twice. In minutes, Emma found herself back home.

  He undressed immediately as she stared at him, wondering what he was doing.

  “Take your clothes off, Emma.”

  “Oh.” Emma laughed. “Very well.”

  Emma ran her hands down Patrick’s bare chest. Straddling him, she leaned forward and kissed him. As terrified as she’d been to be intimate with Patrick, she’d been filled with want for days and unable to do anything about it.

  Now he filled her completely. Emma moved her hips, each movement sending her closer to losing control.

  “I missed this...us,” Patrick said, his hands cupping her full breasts. “You are so beautiful like this.” With half-closed eyes and lips curved, she noted how handsome he looked now that his hair had grown to touch his shoulders.

  “Patrick?” She gasped when he lifted his hips while at the same time sliding his finger down her center. The action sent tendrils of heat down her legs. “I-I think...” Unable to stop it, her head fell back. His hands on her hips, Patrick pulled back and then thrust upward. “Ah...”

  “What do you think?” He grunted, rolling her over and driving in and out of her in a continuous motion. He nuzzled her neck, just below her ear as he continued moving.

  “That...oh...” She gasped and dug her nails into his buttocks. “Yes...”

  The movements became frantic and Emma soared, her cries loud as a release hit so hard that her toes curled.

  Still Patrick continued, his body moving out of pure instinct it seemed as his grunts of pleasure filled the room. Emma wasn’t sure she could take anymore. Lost between ecstasy and loss of control, once again she cried out as the room spiraled.