Homespun Hearts (60 page)

I
t was long
after Daniel had left for work the following morning before Lily had a chance to sit down and really think about what her mother had said. She wanted grandbabies, and she obviously thought Lily should provide them as soon as possible. She chuckled. She and Daniel certainly were trying to accommodate her, not that she ever thought about a baby being the obvious outcome of Daniel’s amorous attentions. They were too busy enjoying each other to think about children.

It was then she realized that in their three months of marriage, she and Daniel had never missed a night of lovemaking, but that meant… She frowned. Had she really not had a cycle in three full months? She didn’t feel any different, and Rose and Aunt Harriett had both been plagued by morning sickness. Was it possible she was expecting and hadn’t even realized it?

Her cycles had never been terribly regular, so it made sense that she hadn’t put it together before then, but now that she thought about it, she had never gone this long between before. Sometimes five or six weeks, yes, but never three months.

She made the short walk to the doctor’s office and waited her turn. When he called her back, he took one look at her, his eyes twinkling. “You want to confirm your pregnancy?”

Lily nodded slowly, wondering how he knew. “How?” She didn’t feel any different at all, and the doctor could just look at her and know she was pregnant?

“I’ve been a doctor for a lot of years, and I’ve been your doctor since you were born. You’re slim, as always, but your breasts are slightly fuller. Your waist is bigger than it was.” He grinned. “I’ll examine you, but I’ll tell you right now, you’re expecting.”

Lily felt her heart plummet. She was excited, but now would she ever know if Daniel loved her for herself and not for the baby she carried? She wanted this baby more than anything, but she didn’t want to always wonder if Daniel ever would have loved her without it.

She wouldn’t tell him just yet, she decided. It wouldn’t hurt him to wait to know, and it would be good for her. She needed to be certain of his love. Thanks to her talk with Laura, she felt like it was possible for the first time ever.

She was walking on air as she left the doctor’s office, knowing her body cradled the beginning of a new generation. As she walked, she realized something else. Daniel had told her he loved her when they were courting, so not just since she’d started changing into what she thought he wanted her to be.

She would be herself again. She’d hunt, she’d fish, and she’d wear pants. If he didn’t like it, well that was just too bad. He’d married her knowing she did all those things and had never once asked her to change. All the changing had been her decision, and she knew then it had been a terrible one. She was going to be who she wanted to be, and she was going to raise her child to do the same.

The walk home in the early spring air was glorious, because she felt like she’d made all the right decisions. She couldn’t wait to get home to change back into her pants.

D
aniel stepped
into Fred’s office and closed the door behind him, the ledger clutched tightly in his hand. “I’ve got some bad news for you.” He didn’t want to have this conversation, so he decided to just spit it out and get it over with.

Fred looked up at him, studying his face for a moment, before gesturing to the chair in front of him. “What is it? Is something wrong with Lily?”

Daniel shook his head. “No, of course not! I’m sorry to frighten you that way.” It had never occurred to him Fred would assume there was something wrong with Lily. He held up the ledger. “You know the ledger we found at Charles’s desk? The one you asked me to go over?”

Fred nodded, leaning back in his chair. “What about it?”

“Well, it was his own private ledger. It seems to be adding up the money he was taking from the bank every day.” Daniel held the ledger out to Fred, pointing out the notes he’d made in the margin. “He stole several dollars from the bank as far as I can tell.” He shook his head in disgust.

Fred sighed heavily. “I should have been watching him more closely.” His eyes looked down at the ledger, and it was all there in black and white. Not only did they have proof the man was stealing from the bank, they had this ledger to back up every word of it. He rubbed the back of his neck. It hadn’t added up to a large sum of money, but it was enough that something needed to be done. “Would you be willing to go get the sheriff and bring him here?”

Daniel got to his feet, nodding briskly. He hated being mixed up with this, but it was part of his job. He walked quickly through the streets to the sheriff’s office, hurriedly explaining what was happening to the older man. He couldn’t understand how anyone would think it was okay to steal from their employer. It made no sense to him whatsoever.

They walked back to the bank together, the sheriff asking brief questions about what Daniel knew. When they arrived back at the bank, he took him to Fred’s office and they once again closed the door, not wanting the other employees or any of the customers to hear what was going on.

Fred took charge from there, pulling out the ledger and showing the sheriff exactly what was wrong with it. “These are the amounts that he took from the bank every evening. They match up with the amounts his cash drawer was short every day.” Fred shook his head. “There’s a certain amount of room for error and everyone tends to be off a little at times. That’s why it took us so long to catch it.”

The sheriff studied the ledger before handing it back. “I’m not much of a numbers man, but even I can see he took you for quite a bit of money. I’m sorry for that, Fred.” The sheriff, Dean Little, had come West on the same wagon train as Fred and Mary. The two men had been friends for years, and he seemed genuinely upset for Fred. “I’m assuming you want to press charges?”

Fred nodded. “I have to. I don’t want people thinking it’s okay to steal from me.”

“I’ll need any information you can give me on the man. Address to start with. I don’t know if he’s had time to find another job, but I need to find him so I can see for myself.” He shook his head. “We’ll find him and get your money back, Fred.”

Fred stood and shook hands with Dean. “Thanks, Dean. I appreciate you coming so quickly to help me out.”

Dean nodded. “You’ve helped my family when we needed it. I’ll go see what I can find. Should be able to get him at home.” Dean was a short portly man with dark hair laced with gray. He had been the sheriff there in Seattle for a lot of years and most men in the area respected him.

“Let me know what you find out.” Fred watched as his friend left, his eyes turning back to Daniel. “Do you think we need to take extra precautions to make sure nothing happens?”

Daniel made a face. “You mean like hiring a guard for a day or two? Might not be a bad idea.” He wasn’t nervous for himself, but Fred had six daughters still at home. They needed to be certain they were protected.

“Go see to it!” Fred indicated the door.

Daniel hurried out of the bank and went to catch up with Dean to see who he would recommend for the job. Surely he knew of someone who could help them out for a few days.

L
ily was
nervous as she waited for Daniel. She had purchased three new pairs of pants in a larger size to wear around the house now that she was expecting. Daniel would be home any minute, and she was worried about his reaction to them. She knew he’d said he didn’t mind, but most men seemed to really care if a woman wanted to wear pants. Hopefully Daniel wasn’t like most men. She wanted to be herself and see if he still loved her.

When she heard the front door open, she put a hand to her stomach and took a deep breath before rushing into the entryway to greet him. She hurried to him and brushed her lips across his. Daniel grinned down at her and held her at arm’s length for a moment. “Back to pants? Nice.” He put his hands on her shoulders to turn her around and made a big show of looking at her bottom. “Very nice!”

She laughed and turned back to him, hugging him tightly. “Thank you!” She buried her face against his neck, happy he was home and didn’t mind her new attire. “You sure you don’t mind?” If he did, she would never wear pants again. She badly wanted him to be happy.

He shook his head. “I’ve never minded when you wanted to wear pants. To me they’re just a part of you.”

She sighed happily. “I’m glad, because they’re so much more comfortable than skirts.” She linked her arm through his, leading the way to the dining room where Rebecca was putting dinner on the table. “How did Papa take it that Charles was stealing?” She’d been thinking of him all day while he was at the bank, wondering how it was going. She knew her father wouldn’t be angry with Daniel for telling him, but she expected him to be very angry with Charles.

“He looked at the ledger and agreed that’s what was happening, and then he had me get the sheriff, who said he’d arrest him.” He looked down at the top of her head. “We hired a guard for the bank just as a precaution.”

She looked at him with a startled look on her face. “Do you really think that’s necessary?” She hated the idea of him or her father being in any kind of danger from Charles. She didn’t know how she’d handle it if she lost either one of them.

“I really don’t know, but we want to make sure.”

She bit her lip. “Can you take a little time off work? Just so you won’t be there?” She knew the answer before she even asked the question, but she didn’t know what she’d do if he was hurt.

He pulled her chair out for her and she sat down. “No, I can’t. Not right now, anyway. But it’ll all be fine.”

She sighed. “I’m sure you’re right. I’m just nervous about it.” Knowing there would be a guard there helped, though.

“We’ll be fine.” He gripped her hand in his tightly, making it clear he cared without saying words. “So, if you’re back to wearing pants, how would you feel about going fishing on Saturday?”

She laughed. “Don’t you want to take one of your buddies fishing?” Not that she was complaining, because she loved to fish with him. They always had a good time together.

“I’ve only fished with my father and you. After my father died, fishing was something I only wanted to do alone. Now, I want you there, but not anyone else.” He winked at her. “I’ll take our little girls fishing one day.”

“What if we only have little boys?” she asked with a twinkle in her eye. She wanted boys that were like him. She could already see them wandering around the house.

He shrugged, but frowned. “I’d be happy with little boys, but I want one tiny little redhead who looks just like her mama who likes to climb trees. So at least try to give me a little girl, okay?”

Lily smiled, thinking about the baby she was carrying. “I’d love to give you a daughter, but how will I ever figure out how to dress her? And teach her to be a girl? I haven’t figured any of that out yet!” She could always rely on her mother and sisters though. They’d be wonderful at those things.

“Why would you teach her those things? You’re perfect just the way you are, and you know she would be too!”

She looked at him in amazement. He really did care for her. “I love you.” She looked down at her plate after saying the words. She hadn’t meant for them to just pop out of her mouth.

His hand reached over and he tilted her chin up so she’d meet his gaze. “And I love you. So very much.”

Lily felt tears spring to her eyes, not contradicting him for the first time when he said that to her. She felt terribly relieved to know he loved her for who she was, not for who he thought he could change her into.

Daniel stared at the tears in her eyes and wanted to scream. Would she never believe him? Why had she married him when she obviously felt he was a liar?

I
t was late
the following afternoon, and Lily found herself once again on her knees in the backyard at the shelter with Laura by her side. Laura’s bruises had faded to a pale green, and she seemed in better spirits. Even though she’d been slightly snobby the first day they’d met, Lily really enjoyed Laura’s company.

“I want to thank you for your advice the other day,” Lily told her as she threw another weed on the pile growing between them. The younger woman had been right on the money about how Daniel felt about her, and as much as she hated to admit it, she was glad she had been.

“What advice was that?” Laura stopped for a moment and studied Lily.

“I think you were right. My husband really does love me and I’ve been rude by not believing him.” She sighed. “It was hard to believe he could even see me past Rose, but he does.” She shook her head, slightly baffled now that she thought about it.

Laura smiled as she returned to the dead plants. “He sounds like a good man. You need to trust him to do what’s best for you both.”

“I do.” She put her hand over her stomach about to burst with her news. She hadn’t told anyone about the baby yet, but she wanted Laura to be the first to know. “I found out yesterday that I’m expecting our first.” Her eyes were sparkling as she told her new friend.

Laura grinned. “Oh that’s wonderful! Do you want a boy or a girl?”

Lily shrugged. “I want a boy, because I have no idea what to do with a girl, but Daniel keeps saying he wants a little girl with red hair who will climb trees and fish with him.” She could see herself as a mother to a little boy, but to a girl? She had no idea how she’d manage.

Laura laughed. “It sounds like the man is head over heels in love with you.” She glanced up. “He’s excited about the baby?”

“I haven’t told him yet. I think I will tonight. It didn’t feel like the timing was right yesterday.” She got to her feet. “I’m going to go get some water. Would you like a glass?” They’d been working for a while by that point, and she’d built up a strong thirst.

Laura stood up too, rubbing her back. “I’d love one.”

They walked toward the back door just as Mildred flung it open. Her eyes were frantic as they met Lily’s. “There’s a man at the bank holding everyone inside hostage.”

Lily’s heart sank. “Daniel? Papa?” What could she do? There had to be some way she could get in there and help out.

Mildred shook her head. “I’ve told you everything I know.”

Lily picked up her skirts and ran through the house and out onto the street. She knew she probably shouldn’t be running while she was pregnant, but she didn’t care. What if Daniel died without ever knowing about the baby they’d created together?

She rushed through town, noting that most people were crowded around the bank, watching the situation. She walked to the sheriff, a longtime friend of her father’s and tapped his shoulder. “What do we know? Is it Charles?” She wanted to plead with him to get her family out of there safely, but she knew it was all in her eyes, and he’d do the best he could.

The sheriff gave a brief nod. “I know you’re worried, Lily, but we’ll get them out of there.” He pointed to a spot behind a buggy parked in the street. “Please crouch down behind there. We don’t want him seeing you.”

Lily did as she was told, panicking as she prayed for her husband and father. She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see James. “Do you know anything?” he asked.

Lily shook her head. “I don’t know any more than anyone else does. I’m worried about them.” She clasped her hands together, shaken to the core. James needed to just go away and leave her alone. She was too upset to deal with him just then.

James looked down at her. “You really love him, don’t you?”

“Of course I do. I never would have married him otherwise.” She kept her eyes on the door to the bank, hoping against hope they’d all walk out the door any second.

“I hate it that you’ve come between us.” James shook his head at her.

“I haven’t done anything to come between you. I’ve told him to stay friends with you.” She still didn’t look at the man, wishing he’d go away.

“He won’t even talk to me anymore. He said I don’t respect you enough.” James’s voice was bitter as he said the words.

Lily looked over at him for the first time since they’d begun their conversation. “But I heard you say that I was the silliest flower in the garden and he laughed like he thought that was really funny.” She was confused about what she’d heard that day.

James looked at her in surprise. “He told me then that I wasn’t allowed to talk negatively about you. He hasn’t spoken to me since.”

Lily blinked in surprise. “Really?” A slow smile covered her face, and then she remembered where Daniel was and turned back to the building. “He’s got to get out of there!” She had to tell him how she felt and that there was a baby on the way.

James patted her shoulder. “He’ll be okay.”

She shrugged him off, not wanting him touching her. Her eyes stayed glued to the door as she prayed silently.

D
aniel sat
on the floor with Fred on one side of him and Walter, the new man, on the other. He looked up at Charles. “Fred will drop charges if you’ll just let us go.” He knew his voice was pleading, but he could see a crowd gathering outside, and he was afraid Lily was part of it. He knew she’d be frantic with worry both for him and her father.