Straight For the Heart by Canham Marsha

Author:Canham, Marsha [Canham, Marsha]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Marsha Canham
Published: 2011-06-20T07:00:00+00:00

“The baby. The bairn. When is she comin’? Did he no’ tell me ye had a wee daughter? Purity?”

“Verity,” Amanda said on a breath.

“Vurity?”

“Verity, yes. It’s … a family name. On my mother’s side.”

“Aye, well, he thought as how ye might like to put her in the room next to yours, but ye’ll have to check the list he gave me o’ what ye want aside from a cot an’ a lavvy. Ma Sally’s in a fair swoon about a child comin’ to live here. Loves them better than she loves life itsel’, she does. Miscarried her own, though, an’ tore up so bad it doesn't look like the good Lord is going to give her another chance.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“Aye, me an’ all. But she’s a good wee lass. Ye’ll now’t find anyone better to look after yer Vurity, black nor white.”

It was then that Amanda realized Mrs. Reeves was every bit as nervous as she was, even worried that her Mr Michael had married a high-born Southern belle who might look down with scorn upon a Scottish housekeeper and her barren daughter.

“Mrs. Reeves—” She laid her hand on the elderly woman’s arm.“My daughter is very shy and she may take awhile to adapt to her new surroundings, but I’m sure she and Sally will get along just fine.”

“She’s comin’ soon, then?”

The question was so eagerly asked that Amanda doubted Sally was the only one excited at the prospect of a child in the house. Relief made her smile openly for the first time in too many days to recall. “As soon as I can fetch her.”

Mrs. Reeves was suddenly all smiles herself. “Aye, come along then. I’d best be fixin’ ye somethin’ to tide ye over till Himself comes back, or he’ll be thinkin’ he’s found an excuse to pack me on the first train back to Boston.”

Amanda started to follow her down the hall. “You said he left early this morning?”

“Aye. Gone down to the docks to meet his own babies. Foley said as how he’d go down an’ fetch them, but Mr. Michael said no. He’d be goin’ too.”

Amanda stopped abruptly. And stared. “His own … babies?”

“Aye. His babies. Ten o' them on this trip and he doesn't trust anyone else to look after them, although Foley’s been wi’ him … ach … ten years now, through the war an’ all, on the frigates an’ the iron monsters both even though he puked his guts o’er the rails every other day. Nay, Mr Michael tends his babies himself. Feeds ’em, mucks ’em, even helps with the birthin’ when it comes time.” She bustled into a large airy room off the main foyer and waited for Amanda to catch up. “Can't say as I like the wee beasties myself. Never saw the need fer a horse beneath me while I still had the use o’ ma own two legs. But he took a likin’ to them, oh, ten years gone—bettin’ on ’em mostly, o’ course. Now he has it in his brain he can raise and race his own.

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