His Miracle Baby by Kate Walker

Author:Kate Walker
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2001-07-22T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINE

‘YOU look tired.’

Morgan’s greeting, with its note of concern, set Ellie’s teeth on edge. She looked dreadful, and she knew it, and having him tell her so only added to her already ruffled mood. The day had begun hot and was now positively scorching and even the weight of the fine soft cotton of her loose green dress was almost unbearable, in spite of the fact that it was vee-necked and sleeveless.

Your daughter kept me awake half the night, she was tempted to declare, but discretion had her biting the foolish words back.

‘Rosie didn’t sleep well last night,’ she said instead. ‘And as a result, neither did I.’

‘She seems peaceful enough now.’ Morgan looked down at the little girl, fast asleep in her pushchair.

‘Appearances can be very deceptive. Believe me, she wasn’t at all peaceful at three this morning! I think she’s cutting another tooth and that’s what’s making her so grizzly. I apologise in advance if she’s difficult when she wakes up.’

Which was the last thing she needed. The whole point of bringing Rosie with her on these daily visits to Meadow Cottage was to get Morgan to like having the little girl around.

Up to now it seemed to have been working. In the five days since Ellie had been acting as Morgan’s housekeeper, the baby had always been at her brightest and most delightful best during their visits. As well as that, she seemed to have developed a particular liking for her unknown father and crowed with delight whenever she saw him, holding out her arms to be held or picked up.

And a couple of times Morgan had actually obliged. Once when Ellie had had a struggle getting the pushchair into the cottage’s narrow hallway he had come to help, manoeuvring it into the kitchen and parking it in a corner before unfastening Rosie’s harness and lifting her out of the buggy. The memory of that moment still brought tears to Ellie’s eyes with the recollection of the wide, brilliant beam on her daughter’s face, and the way she had looked so right, so safe in the strong support of her father’s arms.

Another time, when the baby had pulled herself up from her position on the floor using an armchair as a support, it had been Morgan who had spotted that she’d been about to overbalance and had stepped forward to catch her just in time.

It was a beginning. A small foundation on which Ellie hoped to build a better future.

‘If she gets really bad, I’ll take her back home so we don’t disturb you.’

‘Don’t be silly, Ellie.’ Morgan frowned. ‘There’ll be no need for that. I didn’t plan on working this afternoon anyway. Thought I’d take an afternoon off.’

Ellie was none too sure how she felt about that. Over the past few days they had fallen into a sort of a routine. She would clean and tidy, prepare a meal, while Rosie played in the safety of the small playpen Morgan had unexpectedly provided from the very first morning.

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