The Montana Doctor's Love (New Montana Brides Book 8)

by Susan Leigh Carlton

  He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. Taller than she was by several inches, he bent his head until their lips were at the same level. He traced the outline with his finger, and brought his mouth to hers. When their lips touched, he probed the opening. She parted hers allowing him entry.

  When his tongue touched hers, a low moan escaped, as a shock wave raced through her body. He explored the interior, sending new spirals of desire down her body. It was a divine ecstasy. When they broke the kiss, she said, “You never kissed me like that before.”

  “You were never my wife before,” he said.

  “Is this the way it’s going to be?” she asked.

  “If I have anything to do with it, yes and more,” he said.

  She pressed her open lips to his, she kissed him, lingering, savoring every moment.

  His fingers found the buttons on her dress. The first one was undone, then the second. After the third one, he slid his hand inside and found the warm soft mound of flesh under her bra. He slid her dress off her shoulders and let it fall to the floor. When she raised her arms, he pulled her chemise off and discarded it with the dress. He unsnapped her bra and pulled her to him. She removed her bloomers and stood, before him. Her perfect body revealed to him.

  He felt the burning touch of her body through his shirt. Her eyes never left his as she unbuttoned his shirt and pushed it from his shoulders. He removed his undershirt, unbuttoned his trousers and let them fall to the floor.

  He felt the sharp intake of breath when he cupped her breast in his hand. He kissed her cheek and neck. He lowered his head and took her breast in his mouth, and felt her tremble as sh pressed against him.

  “Make love to me Patrick. I want you so much, I ache.”

  He lowered her to the bed. Slowly, gently, they consummated their marriage.

  On his side, he raked his eyes over her. She smiled and enjoyed the love she saw in his gaze. “Mrs. Palmer,” he said, may I say, you’re magnificent? I am the luckiest man in the world. Not only are you mine, I get a daughter in the deal.

  “I will never do anything to hurt you, and will work to keep our love fresh and strong,” he said.

  “I know that, and I will do the same,” she said. “I love you with every fiber of my being. It took being apart those six weeks for me to realize just how much you meant to me.”

  He pulled her to him and kissed her with a growing hunger.

  Much later, Patrick went downstairs and convinced the restaurant to fix a dinner for them to eat in their room.

  The next morning…

  They came downstairs the next morning, and walked outside. “Somehow the sky is bluer today, he said.

  “You’re seeing it through the eyes of love, my darling,” she said.

  “If that were the case, it would have been this blue for a long time,” he said.

  “I wish I had known, she said softly.

  “I wish I had told you,” he said.

  “Well, now we both know,” she said.

  “Shall we go get our daughter,” he asked.

  They walked to his parent’s home, where they would be living until they could find a place that suited their needs.

  Chapter fourteen

  A New Life

  “Good morning, you two,” his mother greeted them. She hugged Mary Louise and said, “Welcome home, darling. I’m glad you’re going to be staying with us, for a while at least. This house is your house, and I want you to treat it as such.”

  “If there’s anything you need, just let Thelma or me know. We doctor’s wives have to stick together.”

  Mary Louise laughed. You’re going to have to teach me the ropes. About being a doctor’s wife, I mean. I love hearing that. ‘A doctor’s wife.”’

  “Well, the first thing you have to learn is when a patient calls, they come first. I’ve eaten a lot of meals alone,” Elizabeth said. “You have to share the sadness when they lose one, but you get to share the joy when one is saved.”

  “Thank you Mrs. Palmer,” she said.

  “That’s another thing; please don’t call me Mrs. Palmer. Call me Elizabeth, or mother, but not Mrs. Palmer. It makes me sound older than I am.”

  The housekeeper, ever practical, said, “Mr. Patrick, Miss Mary, did you eat?”

  “Not much, Thelma. We’ve got to go get our daughter,” Patrick said.

  “Not until you eat,” Thelma said.

  Circle P Ranch…

  “Emily, your mama’s here,” Charlotte called from the bottom of the stairs.

  Emily ran down the stairs and to the front porch. “Mama! You’re back.”

  Mary Louise knelt down, and embraced her daughter. “Of course we’re back. We told you we’d be back this morning.”

  “She’s been asking all morning when you were coming,” Charlotte told them.

  “Honey, we would never leave you,” Mary Louise said. “Do you remember when Patrick asked you if it was okay for us to get married?”

  “Uh huh,” Emily said.

  “Remember at the church yesterday. Well, that’s what happened. We got married. Now, he’s your papa, and he’s going to live with us.”

  “Here?”

  “No, we’re going to live in town. We’re going to stay with Patrick’s mama and papa until we get a house of our very own,” Mary Louise said. “We’re going to have lunch with grandma and grandpa, and then we will get our things and go into town.”

  “I don’t want to live in town,” Emily said.

  “Emily, remember we lived in town until your papa got sick. Your papa was my husband. He’s gone now and Patrick is my husband, so we live with him now.”

  “I don’t want to,”

  “I’m sorry you feel that way, but our place is with Patrick. He loves you, and he’s going to take care of us. In town,” Mary Louise said.

  Emily began crying.

  Patrick approached them. “What’s the matter with Emily?”

  “She says she wants to stay here.”

  “What are you going to do?” he asked.

  “Do? We’re going to do as we have planned. We’re going to stay at your house until we find a place.”

  “Let me see if Dad can cover for a few days and we can stay here until she gets used to me being around,” Patrick said.

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Mary Louise said, “She has to learn she can’t get her way by crying. She’s been spoiled since Press died. She was the center of attention then and now she has to share my attention.”

  “You mind if I talk to her?” he asked.

  “Of course not.”

  “Emily, will you take a walk with me?” he asked.

  Still snuffling, she nodded. She took his offered hand and they started off.

  “What’s your most favorite place here?” he asked. “Will you show me?”

  She led him around the house and to a tall cottonwood tree where her Uncle Hiram had hung a swing. “Do you like to swing?”

  She nodded.

  “Your mama loves you. You know that, don’t you?”

  Once again she nodded.

  “Well, I love her, and I love you too, and I want you to be happy, but I want your mama to be happy too. For her to be happy, she needs both of us. Right now, she’s upset because you were crying.

  “Your mother has had a hard time for the last year. First your papa got sick and then passed away, leaving her alone, with the job of making sure you had what you need. I want to make her life easier. I can do that, but only if you help.

  “I’ve known your mother since she was a little girl. I’ve loved her most of that time. We lost track of each other for a long time while she went to college, and I studied to be a doctor. Now we are back and we will be together for the rest of our lives. I’m asking you to help me. If you don’t, I will have to do it by myself and it won’t be easy. It’s up to you.”

  “Do you want to talk some more, or go back?” he asked.

  “Go back,” she said.r />
  When they returned to the ranch house, Mary Louise looked at him, the question showing in her expression. “I don’t know,” he responded to the unasked question. With his arm around her, they went inside.

  Emily said nothing more about not wanting to go to Helena. At three-fifteen, Patrick asked, “Are you two about ready to go? I’ve got your things loaded up.

  “Emily, I kept your doll out. I thought you might want to hold on to her.”

  “I’m ready,” Mary Louise said. She looked at her daughter, “What about you?”

  “I’m ready too,” Emily said.

  The Palmer home…

  “Emily, I’m glad you’re here,” Patrick’s mother, Elizabeth said. “I’ve got a surprise for you. Let me show you.”

  “What’s that all about?” Mary Louise asked.

  “I don’t know,” Patrick confessed,

  “Did you know I have a daughter?” Elizabeth asked.

  Emily shook her head and said, “No. Where is she?”

  “She’s all grown up like your mother. Her name is Lucy, and she’s a school teacher. She might be your teacher. What grade are you in now?”

  “Third,” Emily said.

  “Look what I did. This was Lucy’s room. I fixed it all up for you. You have a dresser for your clothes, and I found Lucy’s doll house and cleaned it up for you. You may be too old to play with it, but it looks nice.

  “This was one of Lucy’s favorites.” She picked up a music box and wound it up, and lifted the lid. It began playing a minuet. She put down the lid, and the music stopped. “You have to be careful with it and not break it.”

  Mary Louise and Patrick were standing in the doorway. Patrick put the trunk with Emily’s clothes on the floor. “What do you have here?” she asked.

  “Look Mama.” She lifted the lid and the minuet played.

  “I had one of those when I was little, but Hiram broke it. It wasn’t as nice as this one,” Mary Louise said.

  “Was this Lucy’s room?” she asked.

  “Yes. Most of the things in here were hers,” Elizabeth said.

  At dinner that evening, Carter said, “Elizabeth and I have been talking. We have this big house here, and with Lucy gone, it’s been just the two of us. We’d love to have you live here. It’s convenient to everything, and besides, I don’t know of any houses available this close in. Think about it. ”

  “We will, Dad. We appreciate the offer.”

  Chapter fifteen

  I’m With Child

  It was the third day in a row. The sight of the breakfast Thelma put in front of Mary Louise put her stomach in turmoil. She put her hand over her mouth and hurried to the back porch. She leaned over the railing and emptied her stomach. She kept heaving, The need was so urgent, she hadn’t closed the door.

  The sound of the retching brought Elizabeth to the door. “Are you all right?” she asked. The heaving subsided gradually.

  “I think it’s passed now,” Mary Louise said. “Finally.”

  “What happened?” Elizabeth asked.

  “I kissed Patrick and Emily goodbye and went into the kitchen. The aroma of the bacon frying got to me. I barely made it out here.”

  “Is it what I think it is?” Elizabeth asked.

  “I believe so. This is the third day in a row. The sight of food in the morning is enough to start it. I’m a week late this month, but my time of the month has never been that regular.”

  “That doctor husband of yours hasn’t noticed?” Elizabeth asked.

  “Not yet. I haven’t said anything about it because I wasn’t sure. This pretty much convinces me. I’m with child.”

  “How do you feel about it?” Elizabeth asked.

  “I want Patrick’s baby more than anything. We’ve talked about it quite a bit. He loves Emily, but I know he wants children of his own, and we both want a large family.”

  “It would really be nice to have a grandbaby to spoil,” Elizabeth said.” I was beginning to give up, but when you two got married, it revived my hopes.

  “When are you going to tell him?

  “Now that I’m pretty sure, I’ll tell him tonight,” Mary Louise said,

  Before dinner…

  “I threw up this morning,” Mary Louise said.

  “Are you coming down with something?” he asked.

  “I don’t think so,” she said. “It was the third time this week.”

  He felt her forehead. “You don’t feel as if you have a fever.”

  “I’m also late,” she said.

  “It dawned on him. You think you might be… “

  “I believe I’m with child. I have all of the symptoms. Morning sickness, I’m a week or so late, and my breasts are tender.”

  “You don’t think I might have caused that?” he asked, with a smile.

  “Maybe a little, but I think you caused all of them. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if I am?” she asked.

  “It would. Just think, after all of those years we wasted apart, we’re going to have a baby. I can hardly believe it.”

  “Have you told anyone?” he asked.

  “Your mother guessed it this morning after seeing me with my head over the railing.”

  “We’re going to have a baby. Do you want a boy or girl?” he asked.

  “It doesn’t matter to me, as long as it’s healthy,” she said.

  “Me either,” he said. “Although it would be nice to have another Mary Louise running around the house.”

  “I wouldn’t mind having a little Patrick,” she said. “Then we would have a doctor to take care of us when we’re old and feeble.”

  “That’s a good point,” he said.

  “Let’s wait until dinner to tell everyone. I don’t think Mom will say anything?”

  “You think she would keep something like that from your Dad?” she asked.

  “She would if she thought you didn’t want everyone to know. What about Emily? How do you think she’s going to feel about another rival for her mother’s attention?”

  Mary Louise said, “I’ll tell her. I will make sure she knows she’s still Mama’s big girl. She’ll be all right.

  Dinner…

  Mary Louise rapped her glass with the edge of her spoon, to get everyone’s attention. She took Patrick’s hand. “We have some news to share with you.” Everyone looked at her, wondering what the news might be. Elizabeth smiled. She already knew.

  “My husband, whom we all know and love, and I are going to have a baby,” she said.

  “Well, that is not only news, it’s good news,” Carter said. “So, when is this miracle going to happen?”

  “I would say, about thirty-four weeks,” Mary Louise said. “I’ve had morning sickness every day this week.”

  “You’re going to have a baby?” Emily asked.

  “I’m pretty sure, honey. You’re going to have a baby brother or sister.”

  “I want a sister,” Emily said emphatically. “Boys are dumb.”

  “Hey, I’m a boy,” Patrick said.

  “I was too, a long time ago, Carter said.

  “I still want a sister,” Emily repeated.

  “Do you want to call your folks tonight or wait and go out?” Patrick asked.

  “Let’s call them tonight,” she said. “Maybe it will give them pleasant dreams.”

  Mary Louise cranked the phone, and said, “Virginia, would you connect me with the Circle P please. Thank you.

  “Mama. Where are you?”

  “I’m in the living room, why?” Charlotte said.

  “Where’s Papa?”

  “He’s here too. Before you ask, Hiram is in the barn,” her mother said.

  “Mama, you’re going to be a grandma again!”

  “Are you serious?”

  “I’m pretty sure. My husband is a doctor, and doctor’s know about these things. I have to admit, Patrick was pretty surprised. But happy.”

  “Hold on, honey.”. To her husband, “Zebulon, Mary Louise and Patrick are
going to have a baby.”

  Mary Louise heard her father say, “Let me talk to her.”

  She could hear the noises of the phone changing hands. Then, “Mary, you’ve made your Papa happy. I think Patrick will make a wonderful Papa. Tell him congratulations for me. You keep us up-to-date, you hear? And you take care of yourself. I’m giving the phone back your mother.”

  “I will Papa.” She said.

  “Mama, I guess Papa is pleased with the news.”

  Charlotte said, “I’d say. He has a smile a mile wide. I can’t tell you how happy we are for you. Give Patrick a hug for us, and tell Elizabeth and Carter hello for us.”

  The next day in the office…

  “Papa what do you think about midwives?” Patrick asked.

  “I think they do a real service,” Carter said. “They deliver at least three-fourths of the babies around here. Some of them have delivered more than I have. The only thing they can’t do is surgery, and it wouldn’t surprise me if one or two of them haven’t done a C-section. Why do you ask?”

  “I think I would be more comfortable with Mary Louise having the baby in the hospital. She didn’t have any problems with Emily, but if there was an emergency, I think they could handle it better. I’m going to talk to her about it,” Patrick said.

  “I’ll give you the names of a couple of the better midwives, in case you decide to go that way. If you do, then I would suggest she talk to them personally. It’s important she have confidence in whoever she picks.

  “Either of these will have a lot more experience than the young doctors at the hospital.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  The New Addition

  “A midwife?” Mary Louise said, when asked about it by Patrick. “I haven’t given it any thought. Your father delivered Hiram but Mama had a midwife for me.”

  “I talked to Dad about his feelings for midwives,” Patrick said. “He said a couple of the older ones have delivered more babies than he has. He also suggested you talk to any you consider. Most of the babies on the ranches are delivered by midwives. They have one come in and stay until the mother is ambulatory.

  “As for me, I’ve only delivered three since Wash General. It’s a decision I think you should make.”