Free Nordin, Ruth Ann - South Dakota Series 02 - Bid for a Bride by Frederique Page B

you have any childhood dreams?" She motioned to the yellow flowers on the kitchen table.

    "You’re looking at one of them."

    "You wanted flowers with you at all times?"

    "Yes, especially the yellow ones."

    "They are pretty."

    "Would you like some for your house?"

    "No, thank you. I have enough flowers if I need them." She paused before asking, "Did you have any other childhood dreams?"

    With a wistful smile, she said, "When I was about ten, I hoped for a baby brother or sister. I was tired of playing with the doll I had and wanted to take care of a real baby. I probably drove my poor mother mad every time I asked her for a brother or sister."

    Lucy chuckled before she took a sip of tea.

    Across from her, Eliza finished her piece of pie and set the plate on the table. Giving her a good look, Eliza said, "It’s not my business to pry into your affairs, but I wanted to let you know that should you be in the family way with Adam’s child, we will welcome that child with open arms."

    Lucy’s smile faltered as her gaze fell to the cup in her hands.

    "I’m sorry," she quickly said. "We can discuss something else."

    "Actually," Lucy began, noting the slight trembling of her hands, "I don’t know if I’m expecting Adam’s child or not."

    Setting the cup down, she clasped her hands in her lap and glanced out the window. "Brian and I thought it best if we waited until I knew for sure either way." She cleared her throat and turned her attention to her hands. "I need to know. I’m not sure why. It’d be easier to pretend if I was in the family way, the child is Brian’s, but it’s like I can’t help it. I have to know."

    "I understand that," Eliza softly replied.

    "I won’t know for sure until early next week."

    "It must be hard to wait."

    Lucy cleared her throat. "I… I’m not sure I can love the child if it’s Adam’s. I worry every time I see the child, I’ll think of him and what he did to me, and I’m angry about what happened."

    "I know it’s hard to believe from where you’re sitting, with the wounds still fresh, but when you look at the child, you won’t think of how Adam hurt you. You’ll look at the child and see a part of yourself."

    Directing her gaze to Eliza, she said, "I don’t know if I have it in me to do that."

    "I suppose no woman does when she’s still in shock." She stood up and went to the fireplace mantle where she picked up a picture and knelt by Lucy. "This is a picture of my son."

    "Brian?" Lucy asked, taking it and thinking it didn’t resemble him. She turned to the mantle and saw a picture of Brian, but he was much older than the baby in the picture.

    "No, that’s not Brian. It’s my real son, the one I never knew."

    Eliza placed her hand on Lucy’s arm. "When I was fourteen, my parents died, and I went to live with my mother’s sister. Well, my aunt was married to a man who decided to come to my room at night."

    Lucy gripped the picture in her hand, fearing what she’d hear next and yet having to know. "He didn’t…
    ?"

    "Yes, he did, and about five months later, I realized that my time of the month wasn’t coming. I hid the pregnancy from my aunt for two months before she found out about it. I kept throwing up, and at first, she thought I was sick so she took me to the doctor. I told her it was my uncle’s, but he swore he never did anything improper. So then they blamed the neighborhood boys and decided to quietly get rid of me. I ended up in a brothel. Needless to say, my employer wasn’t pleased to discover I was carrying a child and said as soon as the baby was born, they’d give the baby to a couple for adoption.

    "At the time, I didn’t care. In fact, I just wanted to get rid of it because it only reminded me of my uncle and all the ugly things he did to me. But then the day came when I gave birth, and all I managed to get was one good look at him before they gave him to the couple who adopted him. Lucy, the moment I heard him cry, I