Free The Baby Swap Miracle by Caroline Anderson

more than anyone could ever know.
    There was no amount of compensation that could make up for what she’d lost, and nothing he could do to make up for the fact that the baby would be his and not James’. But he could make her life easier, and he could care for her, and he would love his child—because it was his, too, as much as hers—to the end of his days.
    But not Emelia. She was off limits, and she was staying that way. He’d given up dreaming.
    ‘I’m going to do some paperwork,’ he said brusquely, and getting to his feet, he walked out, leaving Daisy torn between her new friend who was sitting by a plateful of biscuits, or the man who’d fed her and walked her and played with her since she was tiny. No contest.
    She stayed with the biscuits, and he went alone.
    Alone, the way he wanted it, the way he liked it.
    It was safer that way.

CHAPTER FOUR
    T HEY went the next morning to collect her things, in the big four-wheel-drive estate car he’d bought when he’d moved to the house. It had been used for any number of things, but this was one he’d never anticipated—collecting the possessions of a woman who was carrying his child.
    He glanced across at her, and she gave him a fleeting smile. She looked tense, a little uneasy. Not hard to work out why.
    It was about thirty-five miles to her in-laws’, and as the miles rolled by, she became more tense and withdrawn. And he was concerned. He could see how much she was dreading it, but she’d insisted on doing it herself. He wondered now if she’d changed her mind.
    ‘Are you OK with this?’ he asked quietly, as he pulled up in the street close to the house she indicated.
    ‘I have to be. I’ll just say as little as possible, because if I open my mouth, I’m afraid I may not shut it.’
    He hesitated for a second, then reached out and squeezed her hand. Just briefly, but she turned her head and met his eyes, and he felt as if she’d shown him the deepest, most intimate recesses of her soul. And it robbed his breath.
    ‘Emelia—stay here,’ he urged, shocked at the pain and anger and betrayal he’d seen there. ‘Let me get the stuff.You can go for a walk or something. Just tell me where it is, so I know what I’m looking for, and I’ll deal with them.’
    She looked away, so, so tempted by his offer, but knowing she had to do this herself. ‘I never have to see them again,’ she said. ‘I can manage.’
    Although she wasn’t sure she could. And the first step was to let go of Sam’s warm, strong hand which she seemed to be holding again, so he could turn into the drive.
    She freed her fingers and unclipped her seat belt, then got out and walked towards the front door. They were expecting her, but it was still a few moments before Brian opened the door, and she was grateful for Sam’s strong, silent presence behind her when he did.
    ‘Julia’s out,’ he said, looking uncomfortable. ‘She couldn’t face seeing you.’
    ‘And you could?’ she said softly, knowing he’d been complicit, even if it hadn’t been his idea, but then she cut herself off with a little shake of her head. ‘Look, I don’t want to talk about it. I’ve just come to collect my things, and then I’ll go. This is Sam, by the way. He’s a friend of a friend. He’s got an estate car and he said he’d give me a hand.’
    It was all true, but not the blatant, most glaring truth which she was reluctant to reveal. Brian swallowed it, anyway, and offered his help, but Sam refused.
    ‘That’s all right, I’m sure we can manage.’
    ‘Don’t let her lift anything.’
    She caught the icy look Sam gave her father-in-law, saw him pale and step back. ‘I’ll leave you to it,’ he muttered, and went off in the direction of the kitchen. Relieved, Emelia led Sam through to the annexe bedroom and looked around. Nothing had been touched—except the diary. It was missing. And his watch and pen, but not his wedding ring, she realised.

    It was as if Julia had wanted to cut