Free Mail Order Maternity (Brides of Beckham Book 6) by Kirsten Osbourne

now able to have marital relations with someone or because he had someone to talk to or simply because he had someone to cook his meals and do his laundry.  Whatever the reason, she was glad she wasn’t just taking from him and could give back to him as well. 
    She realized they’d both finished their lunches and stood up.  “I need to get back home and do some work.”  She still felt off-kilter enough that her lip was trembling and she fought to keep him from seeing it.
    He sighed.  “What are you doing today?”
    “I churned some butter this morning.  We were almost out.  This afternoon I’m going to finish scrubbing the walls and windows on the first floor, and I’ll start cleaning the second floor tomorrow.”
    “I’m sorry the house was so dirty.”  He hated that she’d come here to find so much work to do.
    She shook her head.  “I thought it was very clean for a bachelor’s house.  I should be caught up on everything tomorrow.”  She carefully packed everything into the picnic basket.  “Will you be working here for the rest of the day?”
    “Close enough that if you walk out here and call my name, I’ll answer.”  He leaned down and brushed her lips with a quick kiss.  “I’ll be home around six for dinner.”
    She took her time and enjoyed the walk back to the house, thankful that he hadn’t gotten angry with her for panicking when she couldn’t find him. 
     
    *****
     
    It was while Esther was making a stew for dinner that she realized she felt a dampness between her thighs.  When she checked, she found she was bleeding.  Her first thought was that she was losing the baby, but there was no pain, and she’d been told that there’s usually pain involved with the loss of a baby.  She left the stew on the stove and sat in the rocker, remaining as still as she could while she waited for Thomas to get home. 
    When Thomas walked in and saw her sitting in her rocker without having set the table for dinner, he was immediately concerned.  “Are you okay?”
    She raised her tear-filled eyes to him and shook her head.  “I’m bleeding.  I’m afraid I may be losing the baby.  I couldn’t go get you, and I don’t know where the midwife is.”
    Thomas swallowed hard, his adam’s apple bobbing.  What should he do?  “I’m going to go get my sister-in-law.  You stay right there.”  He left the house at a dead run.  Was he doing the right thing?  She could be seen faster if he took her with him, but was it safe to move her?  What was wrong?
    He didn’t bother to saddle his horse, but jumped on her bareback and rode at breakneck speed to his brother’s homestead.  They were just sitting down to dinner when he arrived, his hair messed from the fast pace he’d taken.  He didn’t knock but instead walked right in.  “Victoria!  I need you.  Esther is bleeding.”
    Victoria asked no questions, but jumped from her chair and followed him out the door.  “Go to her.  I’ll saddle a horse and follow.”
    He nodded, jumped onto his horse, and rode home.  He knew Victoria would follow quickly.  She wasn’t one of those women who worried about every little thing.  If she thought she’d be able to help faster by riding a horse instead of hitching up the wagon, then that’s exactly what she’d do.  She’d want to help as soon as she could.
    He stopped in front of the house and tied his horse to the porch rail.  He ran into the house and found Esther sitting exactly as he’d left her, obviously afraid to move.  “Victoria’s on her way.  She told me to come ahead so you wouldn’t be alone.”  Now that he was there, though, he had no idea what to do.  He stood wringing his hands and staring at her.  “Are you hungry?  I can bring you a bowl of the stew you made for dinner.”
    She shook her head.  “No, but you go ahead and eat.  I’m sure you’re hungry.”  She sat perfectly still, her face pale.  She couldn’t lose the baby.  He was the