Corina obediently accompanied her, and Scottie went to the window to see if the skies were clearing. Even in the rain she could see that the flowers in the yard were brilliant and knew that whenever she could venture forth with Corina, it would be worth the effort.
“Do you want her back?” Iris popped her head out of the kitchen long enough to ask.
“Actually, I have some things to get done. Will you please tell her we’ll read again after dinner?”
With a swift nod, Iris disappeared back into the kitchen, and Scottie made a beeline for her husband’s room.
“How are you?” Maddie asked of Reese, who had come to visit her at the farm. The women had just gotten comfortable in the parlor, Valerie in Reese’s arms.
“I’m fine. A bit tired at times.”
“What do you do when you’re tired? Do you rest or push on?”
“I push on,” Reese admitted.
“Do yourself a favor, Reese, and rest now. You won’t have that option once the baby comes.”
“I didn’t think of that, but then I assumed I wouldn’t be tired once the baby’s born.”
Maddie almost laughed before remembering that Reese had unbelievable energy. She did laugh, but at herself.
“Sometimes I envy you, Reese. I seem to be tired every day.”
“Are you expecting again?”
Maddie opened her mouth to say no but stopped.
“What’s the matter?” Reese asked.
“I was going to say no, but now I’m not sure.”
“You think you might be?”
Maddie didn’t speak; she was too deep in thought.
“How old is Val?” Reese asked next.
“She was four months last week.”
“And you’re still nursing, aren’t you?”
“Yes.”
Both women sat in silence, knowing it was possible but unlikely.
“That would explain the fatigue,” Maddie muttered, her voice a little strange.
“Being the mother of a newborn would do that, Maddie,” Reese said with compassion, almost sorry she’d asked. “I don’t even know why I asked that.”
Maddie looked into Reese’s eyes and smiled. “I don’t know why I’m so stunned. Even if I am pregnant, it’s good news.”
“Is it?” Reese questioned. “You didn’t sound so sure a moment ago.”
“Well, I guess I would be surprised, but not at all sorry. Jace and I have just assumed that Val would be the first of many.”
“Conner’s favorite passage these days is the one about children and a man’s quiver being full of them.”
“Where is that?”
“In the Psalms. Let me think—” Reese stared into space as Maddie went for a Bible.
“Do you remember where?” she asked, opening to that book.
“One-twenty-something,” Reese guessed, and waited while Maddie began to search. It took some doing, but she eventually read from Psalm 127.
“ ‘Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord, and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man, so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them; they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.’ ”
Maddie sat back, her face soft with a coming smile.
“I didn’t know about those verses. It makes me wish I was expecting right now.”
“Maybe you are,” Reese reminded her, laughing a little over the chain of emotions from chagrin to pleasure. Maddie laughed as well.
“Well, if emotional changes in a matter of minutes are any indication, I’m probably carrying twins.”
The women shared another laugh, and that was how Jace found them. He wanted to know what was so funny, but Maddie took pity on him, knowing it would not be news—even if she was only suspicious—that he would want to hear in front of company.
“I couldn’t ask you in front of her, but I’m wondering how you’re doing with Corina in the house,” Eli said, not wasting any time.
“I was a little tense until I met her, but it’s better now.”
“Why were you tense?”
“I was afraid I would be emotional in front of her and scare her.”
“Are the memories still there?”
“Not if I keep busy.”
“Are they about the orphanage?”
“Yes. They’re not about the way I felt, never knowing from year to year what would happen to me and afraid of where I would end up, but of what might have happened to the other girls. I haven’t thought about those years and all those other girls for a while now. Seeing Corina has brought it flooding back, and that’s taken me by surprise.”
Eli listened, waiting for her to go on.
“I think it would be worse for Corina. She knew her parents. The only life I’d ever known was at the children’s home. I was afraid that just meeting her would be so crushing that I would sob, and that would have upset everyone.”
“It was kind of you to hold off, but your feelings are just as important as Corina’s.”
“Thank you for that.” Scottie looked grateful. “I just didn’t know what to do. Iris was trying to press the issue, but I stood up to her.”
“Good,” Eli firmly agreed. “Iris means well, but you’re not to be run over. I won’t have it.”
“Don’t scold her,” Scottie pleaded. “She just wants all of us to get along, and I’m sure we will.”
“Did you read to Corina?”
“Two books, and we started a third. We’ll go back to it after dinner.”
Eli was pleased. His wife was smiling and relaxed again. Eli had spent a good deal of time that morning confessing to God how much he wanted to be in control and how worried he’d been. He wondered if Scottie might be doing better because he had chosen holiness over wanting his own way.
“I’m glad to hear you’re doing better, but should those memories come back, tell me.”
“I will.”
“You know I pray,” Eli added.
“And you know I need it,” Scottie said with a smile.
They held hands like old friends, and for a moment Scottie wondered at the place God had put her. She couldn’t imagine being anywhere with anyone else.
“That’s a thoughtful look,” Eli noticed.
“Just being thankful.”
Eli squeezed her hand. “As am I, Scottie. As am I.”
Their routine was more than a week old when Dannan went back to the Peterson house for his dinner and book discussion. He had seen Corina for a few minutes in the kitchen, but when he encouraged her to go back to her dinner, she did so without complaint.
Dannan took the stairs on quiet feet, his mind on the book he was returning. He could have kicked himself when he walked into the room, took one look at Scottie, and had the content of the book fly from his head. Her face always beautiful, and she was downright distracting in a yellow print dress, her hair not under a bonnet but pulled up softly around her face in light red curls.
“Welcome,” Eli greeted, reminding Dannan of the reason he’d come.
“Hello,” the younger man responded, using Eli’s presence to get his mind in order.
“Please sit here,” Scottie invited, and Dannan was able to smile in her direction without having to look into those long-lashed eyes.
“Thank you.” Dannan took a seat and found a small table placed in front of him. Finn had brought trays with the food, and after seeing to Eli, he made sure Scottie and Dannan had their dinner.
“Thank you, Finn.” Eli smiled at the older man as he went on his way.
“I’ll check back in a bit,” Finn promised, heading out the door.
“Well, now,” Eli began, smiling at Dannan. “Whenever anyone joins us for dinner, I ask him to pray. Would you mind, Dannan?”
“Not at all,” the younger man said, bowing his head. “Father in heaven, thank You for this home and family. Thank You for the food and the generous sharing of that food. You have
blessed us this day, Lord, and help us not to forget Your presence. In the name of Christ, I pray. Amen.”
“Amen,” both Eli and Scottie echoed, starting their meals. Dannan followed suit, and after just a few bites, Eli was ready to talk.
“So, tell me what you thought of Ivanhoe.”
“I enjoyed it. I like the way Scott built the characters as well as the plot.”
“What did you like the most?”
“Scott’s attention to detail. It’s interesting to be swept back to another time and place. As a doctor, I always wonder what strides were being made in medicine at that time and whether the people trusted doctors more or less than they do today.”
“How often do you get called to help someone and find you don’t know what to do?” Eli asked, having strayed rather easily from the book.
“It hasn’t happened often, but it has happened—thankfully not since moving here.”
“What do you do?” Scottie asked.
“I don’t bluff, but neither do I admit it right away. I get very quiet while I work on my options.”
“Which are?” Eli asked.
“Well, it all depends on how serious the situation is, but I have medical books I can read, and in Willows Crossing, I had a mentor in Dr. Collier. I consulted with him on more than one occasion.”
“Did I hear Conner say that Dr. Collier trained you?” Scottie asked.
“In a way, yes. He was the doctor I worked with after my training.”
“Where did you train?” Eli asked.
“At the University of Pennsylvania Medical School in Philadelphia.”
“We’ve gotten off the book,” Scottie said quietly to her spouse.
“Yes, we have,” Eli admitted. “Do you mind, Dannan?”
“Not at all.”
“How did you choose that school?” Eli went right back to the topic of medicine.
“Their reputation of excellence. Dr. Collier graduated from there and sent me off with a letter of recommendation.”
Eli seemed fascinated, and truly Dannan didn’t mind, but the discussion never did arrive back at the book. By the time Eli was ready to question him, Dannan had to excuse himself to get back to work.
Scottie wanted to laugh at the irony. Eli finally had someone to talk books with, but he’d spent all his time on Dannan’s training. She wanted to laugh but didn’t. Eli had been having too fine of a time.
“Corina, I said no,” Dannan repeated when she didn’t seem to hear him.
Corina looked up, her face turning stubborn.
“I know you’re hungry,” Dannan said, meeting her gaze, “but I don’t have all the food on the table yet, and I want you to wait.”
Dannan was tired and hungry as well and could feel his temper rising. His brows rose, telling Corina he was waiting for an answer, but she turned away from him. Dannan’s jaw tightened as he went down on one knee to confront her at eye level.
“Did you hear me tell you to stay out of the bread?”
Her lip quivered, and Dannan did everything in his power to remember what Grant would have done in this situation.
“I don’t want you to cry,” Dannan directed softly, schooling his features but refusing to allow her willfulness. “Did you hear me?”
“Yes,” Corina said, lip quivering some.
“We will eat very soon, and you will not cry or touch the food until we sit down.”
The contents of the pot on the stove began to boil, and Dannan had no choice but to stand up to stir it. He had no more done this than Corina began to cry. As though her heart had been broken, she put her hands over her face and began to sob.
Dannan did not immediately move. His head went back for a moment, frustration filling him. Taking a few moments to calm down, Dannan moved the pot to the table and went to Corina. He took her in his arms and sat down with her in his lap.
“Corina,” Dannan spoke softly. “Listen to me. Corina?” he tried again.
When the words did not work, Dannan rocked her a little bit and prayed. He thought about how little of this type of behavior there had been. He did not want to make excuses for sin, but she had been amazingly well behaved since arriving in Tucker Mills.
Corina’s crying was stopping, so Dannan used his handkerchief to dry her face and wipe her small nose. She looked at him with a miserable, wet gaze, and Dannan’s heart felt as though it was breaking in two.
“Let’s eat,” he said hoarsely, unable to utter another word. Tears had clogged his throat, and he couldn’t even pray. He prepared Corina’s plate, and as soon as she was done eating, put her to bed. She was asleep within seconds of lying down, but Dannan did not leave the room. He knelt by the side of the bed and prayed. His heart heavy with his cousin’s loss and his new job as father, he begged God to give him the strength and to raise Corina as Grant would have done, believing that man to have been a very fine father.
It was a painful time on the floor of Corina’s room in the dark. Just thinking about Grant’s tender way with Corina brought Dannan’s own tears.
“This book is called Old Dame Trot and Her Cat.” Scottie held the book out for Corina, who was cuddled against her side on the parlor sofa. Scottie had been busy all day with no time to read, so they were getting a late start. Iris warned them that Dannan might be along any moment, but Scottie said they would get in as much as they could.
“ ‘Here you behold Dame Trot, and here her comic cat you see. Each seated in an elbow chair as snug as they can be,’ ” Scottie read, holding the book in such a way that Corina could see the funny pictures. Corina smiled at the picture of a cat in a red dress and another of the cat sitting by the fireplace in a chair as a person would.
Scottie read slowly, making the story last as long as possible. When the kitchen door opened, she glanced up and found that Dannan had come in the back way.
“Look who’s here,” Scottie said to Corina.
“Danna!” the little girl looked delighted to see him but didn’t leave Scottie’s side.
“Hello,” Dannan quietly greeted his little charge, not aware that Scottie and Corina had become so close. He took the chair closest to him in the room and tried not to show his surprise. This was the first time in almost two weeks Corina hadn’t run to him at the end of the day.
“We can finish tomorrow,” Scottie said, her eyes shifting between the two.
“I’m not in a hurry if you have time, Mrs. Peterson,” Dannan said.
“She Sottie,” Corina told him.
Scottie smiled, and Dannan had to smile as well.
“She calls you Scottie?” Dannan asked.
“Everyone calls me Scottie.”
“Sottie,” Corina said again, looking completely content at her side.
Dannan could not hold the huge smile that spread across his mouth. He was just short of laughing when Scottie, also smiling, dropped her eyes and went back to the book.
It didn’t take ten seconds for Dannan to know that he should have gone back to the kitchen with Iris or upstairs to visit Eli. The longer he listened to Scottie and watched her interaction with Corina, the more trapped his heart felt. Her voice and manner with Corina was so tender that had Dannan not known better, he would have taken the two for mother and child.
The book was done in rhyme form, and Dannan tried to attend. However, whenever he did that, he began to listen to Scottie’s voice and found that doing so took his mind to a bad place. Dannan tried to let his mind wander to other things, and it must have worked. Before he realized it, the story was done.
“Did you thank Scottie?” Dannan asked, coming to his feet as Corina came to him.
Corina turned to do the honors, and Dannan said, “Let’s go thank Iris too.”
Dannan held out his hand to Corina. They were headed toward the kitchen when Finn came from Eli’s room.
“Dannan,” he called from the open hallway upstairs. “Can you see Eli a moment?”
His tone was lost on Dannan, who started that way with Corin
a, but Scottie caught it.
“Dannan,” she said his name softly and spoke when he turned. “Corina should stay down here.”
Dannan’s eyes shot up to Finn and finally saw what Scottie had caught.
“I want you to go and see Iris,” Dannan instructed Corina, putting her down and ushering her that way before taking the stairs two at a time. Scottie followed behind Corina to quietly explain the situation to Iris and then went back to the parlor to wait. She sat so she could see her husband’s door, knowing it would be closed but feeling better just keeping watch.
“It came on suddenly,” Finn explained because Eli had no breath. “It’s just like last time, the attack that was over before you got here.”
Dannan was bent over the bed, his stethoscope moving over Eli’s chest. Finn had moved him off the headboard a bit, and Dannan listened to his thin chest rattle. Dannan, however, was more interested in Eli’s face. His eyes were calm, but his lips were growing purple. Dannan put a hand under his back and lifted him slightly. The rattling eased some, and Eli’s chest rose for the first time since Dannan entered the room.
“Better?” Dannan asked.
Eli gave a small nod, and the younger man continued to hold him up even when his arm began to pain.
“Finn, try putting some pillows right here.”
The men worked on either side of Eli, and not many minutes later, the bedridden man tried a few words.
“Better,” he said with a wisp of breath. “Thanks.”
“Just rest,” Finn cautioned.
“Scottie,” Eli tried.
“Just as soon as you’re stable,” Finn promised.
Dannan knew it was not his imagination that Eli relaxed as soon as Finn assured him that he would get Scottie. He was at an awkward angle, but his complexion was clearing, and in a few more minutes, he was able to speak.
“What’s causing these episodes?” Eli asked.