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

only piece of Charlie she had left.
    Thomas got himself a bowl of the stew and sat in the other rocker eating it.  He didn’t know what to do, but if Victoria needed him to do something, he wanted to be ready to do whatever she asked of him.
    He’d just finished the bowl when Victoria opened the door.  She rushed to Esther’s side.  “How bad is the bleeding?”  Victoria took Esther’s hand in hers and held it tightly while she asked her questions.
    Esther looked at Thomas, wishing he’d go outside.  “It’s not as bad as my monthly would be, but it’s there.  I don’t know what it means.”
    “Are you okay to stand up and walk up the stairs?  I’d like you to lie down so I can examine you.”
    Esther nodded.  “I’m really not in pain, just worried about the blood.”
    Thomas jumped up.  “Let me help.”  He helped Esther to her feet and scooped her up in his arms, carrying her up the stairs.  Thomas was so much thinner than Charlie had been so it was hard to imagine him being strong enough to carry her across the room, let alone up the stairs.
    “Put me down!  You’ll hurt yourself!”
    “I’m stronger than I look.  And you weigh less than a feather.  You’ve got to eat more now that your morning sickness is over!”  He shook his head at her as he opened the door to their bedroom.
    Victoria rushed up the stairs behind them watching as Thomas carefully laid his wife on the bed.  She put her hand on his shoulder.  “I want you to wait outside the room.”
    Thomas looked at Esther looking so small on the bed and then at his sister-in-law.  “I feel like I should be here.”
    Esther shook her head.  “No, Thomas.  Go.  It’s okay.”  No woman wanted to be examined there while her husband was hovering around.
    Thomas rushed from the room, closing the door behind him, but stood in the hallway listening to make sure there was nothing he could do.  Victoria popped her head out.  “Get me some clean cloths and some water.”
    Thomas hurried to do what he’d been told.  He was thrilled to have something to do.  He rushed down the stairs and ran back up with the rags and a pitcher of water.  Knocking on the door, he handed them to Victoria when she popped her head out.  “Will this work?”
    Victoria nodded and closed the door again firmly in his face.  He paced the hallway while he waited.  At first he hadn’t liked the idea of a pregnant wife, but now he couldn’t imagine how he’d feel if she lost the baby. 
    It was just a few minutes when Victoria came out of the room.  “She’s fine.  I think she needs to be careful for a week or so.  She can cook, but no major cleaning.  I’ll send MaryAnn over to help with the cleaning for the next week.”  She looked at Thomas.  “No relations for a week or so, either.”  MaryAnn was Victoria and Samuel’s oldest daughter.
    He nodded embarrassed that she knew he had relations with his wife, even though he was supposed to.  “What about the baby?”
    “The baby seems to be doing fine.  She doesn’t appear to be losing him.  I’m just suggesting these things as a precaution.  I don’t want her to lose him.”  She studied her brother-in-law as if she were wondering how he’d feel about it.
    “That’s fine.  Should I make her stay in bed?”
    Victoria shook her head.  “That’s probably not necessary.  Just make sure she doesn’t do a lot of cleaning.  If there’s anything she wants done, we’ll just have MaryAnn do it.  Do you mind if she sleeps in the nursery for the week?”
    “MaryAnn?  No, that’s fine.  We’ll be happy to have her help.”  He looked toward the closed door.  “Can I go see her?”
    “Of course.”
    Thomas opened the door and went to stand beside the bed.  “How are you feeling?” 
    “I feel fine.  I’m just worried about the baby.”  Her hand automatically went to her stomach and she rubbed the small mound.
    “Are you hungry?  I’ll bring you some