The Midwife's Secret by Kate Bridges Page A

the children’s sake, I insist on driving you. How else would you get home?”
    “I thought I’d ask someone else for a lift back.”
    “Let me,” he coaxed.
    Was he trying to be agreeable because of how he’d spoken to her last week? Was he concerned about the children as well? “All right, then. Thank you.” She was touched by the difference in him tonight.
    Something dawned on her and she twisted in her seat to face him. “I’m sorry, Tom, I just realized you haven’t eaten supper yet.”
    “I’m fine.”
    “But you worked hard all day. You must be starved. I had an afternoon sandwich, so didn’t think of my stomach. I never thought to offer you—”
    “The children are more important. I’ll eat later. I’ll swing by the house, though, and drop off Wolf.” He pulled on the reins to signal the horses.
    She reached out and briefly touched his sleeve. Beneath her fingertips, she felt his muscles tighten with the contact.
    “Please don’t,” she urged. “Let’s bring Wolf. I want the children to like me…they’ll like me more if I bring a dog.”
    Tom frowned at her honest admission, and she felt silly for her awkwardness.
    “They’ll like you,” he said with deep sincerity. When their eyes met, her heart went out to him. “You don’t have to worry about that.”

Chapter Five
    T hey pulled into town and decided to wait in the mercantile for the time to pass. Amanda tried to contain her case of the nerves while Tom took the collar and chain he kept beneath the buckboard seat and secured Wolf to a scrub oak.
    The tinsmith’s daughter was leaving the store as Tom held the door open. Amanda stepped up eagerly to greet her. Fannie’s freckled face glowed in the lamplight.
    “Hello, Fannie,” said Amanda. “How are you feeling?”
    Svelte and not yet showing beneath her high-collared frock, Fannie Potter avoided looking into Amanda’s eyes. “Fine, thank you. I’m glad I ran into you, though. I’m switching my care to Dr. Murdock.”
    Amanda withered at the news. Tom eased his broad frame next to hers, looking perplexed himself.
    “You know how it is,” Fannie continued. “I’ve known him longer than I’ve known you. I feel more comfortable with him.” She bit her lower lip, close to tears.
    More comfortable with him? Amanda tried not to show her disappointment. She placed a comforting hand on the young woman’s shoulder. “It’s nothing to worry about.Heaven knows you’ve got enough to handle, taking care of yourself and the baby on the way. I understand your decision.”
    Fannie left with an awkward glance to the floor. Was there more to it? One of the reasons Amanda had been able to afford having Tom dig the added root cellar was because she’d gotten Fannie as a patient, and others were trickling in. Last week, Amanda had made two emergency house calls. One for a girl with an aching tooth that needed yanking, and the other for an infant boy with gastroenteritis, also on the mend.
    Had she done something to upset Fannie? Amanda couldn’t think of anything.
    While she waited to get to the crowded counter, where Emmett Langston was weighing chipped beef on his scales for three European tourists dressed in dapper clothing, she heard two young women call out to Tom behind her.
    “Howdy, Tom. You going to the ball?”
    “I think I have to. I’m one of the evening’s speakers.”
    “Isn’t that nice? I hear Clarissa’s out of town. We’d be mighty happy to take you instead,” drawled her friend.
    “I’ll let you know,” he said, humor edging his words.
    At the obvious innuendos, Amanda felt heat rush to her cheeks. Was Tom pleased with the attention?
    Of course, she thought. What man wouldn’t be?
    She knew the ladies were speaking of the grand opening ceremonies for the Banff Springs Hotel, taking place in three weeks. The hotel would be officially opening for business in two, on the first of June, but they planned the gala ball for the Saturday a week later, after all