Joanna held Darcy’s hand as the poor woman writhed on the bed and moaned. At intervals, she settled into a period of restfulness. During that time of calm, Joanna removed Darcy’s skirt and petticoat. She caught her breath at the sight of blood on the cotton material. Had they made things worse in moving her?
Oh, God, no. Nausea churned in her stomach as memories beset her. “I can’t do this,” Joanna whispered. She backed away, ready to run from the room, and would have if Mrs. Samuels hadn’t blocked the doorway when she returned.
With a tender touch, the older woman bathed Darcy’s battered face. “I don’t suppose you know nothin’ about midwifery? Silly question. I can tell from that scared look on your face you’re no midwife, and you never had young’uns, so you got no experience that way.” Heat rushed to Joanna’s face, but Mrs. Samuels spared her an answer. “Doc Hazard oughta be here in a shake.”
With those prophetic words, Kit called out, “Joanna?”
“Back here.” Thankful for the opportunity to escape, she trotted to the bedroom door and waved Kit and the bearded, middle-aged man behind him down the hall.
Joanna stood aside as Dr. Hazard’s long strides carried him past her and into the room. With the doctor and Mrs. Samuels to care for Darcy, she turned and scurried to the kitchen where she could breathe.
***
The muscles in Joanna’s legs were as rigid as fence posts and her fingers like ice.
Kit brushed aside a lock of hair hanging over her right eye. “You’re pale, Jo.”
“Am I?”
“Go sit down. I’ll get this.” He removed the coffee pot from her hold.
She reached out to take it back. “That’s not—”
“I know. That’s not necessary.”
At her scowl, his mouth slanted with a lackluster grin. “It’s your favorite phrase. I’ve come to expect it.”
Kit poured two cups of coffee, handed her one as she sat at the table, then backed against the counter to drink his. The warmth of the coffee cup warmed Joanna’s hands. Strange how, on such a balmy night, she could be chilled.
With each sip from his cup, Kit watched her over the rim. “Did Miss Baird say what happened?”
“No. When she woke, she was in too much pain. I’m afraid for her … for the baby.”
He set his cup on the counter, crossed the space between them, and crouched next to her chair. “Let’s pray for her.”
Kit closed his eyes. “Dear Lord, we come asking for Your mercy and healing for our friend, Darcy Baird.”
Open-eyed, Joanna observed his calm. She listened to the low voice and conversational tone—the same style of prayer used by Ben—and compared it to her father’s twisted features, loud voice, and stilted speech.
Kit’s past was far from lily-white, yet his prayer reflected a confidence that God would answer. “We pray for the health of the child and ask that you give Darcy strength through this ordeal. Heal her, Lord, and bring a healthy baby into this world.”
While he spoke, a dozen questions galloped through Joanna’s mind, but one made the circuit over and over. What if God waited for her to pray along with Kit for Darcy’s sake and she refused? She might be held responsible for another’s life—or death.
Joanna pressed her eyes closed. Father in heaven, I don’t deserve any favors, but I want to believe that you’ll answer this request and see past the sins Darcy and I have committed. Please, do not hold them against the child. Hear my cry for the baby’s safety and well-being. She recalled a verse quoted by Ben. Help my unbelief.
When she opened her eyes, Kit was staring at her. His beaming smile left her lightheaded. “How long since you stopped praying?”
“Long enough to be affected by the earnestness of your own prayer.”
“How did you know?”
“Your mouth moved. Don’t worry. I’m not a lip reader.” His smile evaporated. “Why would anyone hurt Darcy and ransack your house?”
“I’ve asked myself the same question.”
“Jo, I saw you leave the bank the day of the sale. When you decided to stay, did you re-deposit the money from the check I issued?”
The money. Why hadn’t she considered it earlier? Joanna vaulted from the chair and ran to her room. The trunk was open and the items from the top scattered as if the culprit lashed out with his arm in impatience and sent them flying. Brushing aside shards of glass from the globe of the broken, bedside lamp, she knelt and dug through the jumbled contents until she reached the false bottom of the trunk. After raising the thin, paper-covered wood, she sank to the floor. The bills were still there. He hadn’t found them.
“I see the answer to my question is no.”
Kit had followed her inside her bedroom? Had he any idea how terrifying it was for her to be alone with him in such a setting, especially after he’d asked to kiss her not two hours ago?
The last time Kit kissed her, he hadn’t asked. He took, and she let him. She let him take everything. Then he cast her away as if she were a week-old fish polluting the air he breathed.
The urge to flee from his question and the temptation to say yes had warred inside Joanna. She had reason not to trust him, but mostly, she didn’t trust herself.
“You shouldn’t be in here.”
“You’re changing the subject.”
Through the closed door of the room across the hall, Darcy’s cry reminded her they weren’t alone. Nothing would happen. No need for concern. She forced herself to relax. “It’s safe.”
“Who else is aware you’re keeping that much money here?”
“Anyone who knows I sold my house and closed my account at the bank.”
Though she didn’t like David Murray, she doubted he would commit such a crime, and the teller knew nothing about her, so it was unlikely he was involved. That left one person at the top of her list of suspects. Liam.
Joanna studied Kit. Perhaps it was time to tell him of her agreement with Rose’s husband. Maybe Kit should learn the reason she sold him the house, and why he should never have hired Liam McCall in the first place. She could tell him the barest of versions, one that stressed the safety of Rose and Annie and ignored the rest of his threat.
But if she did, how would Kit respond? Would he go to Liam and learn the whole sordid story anyway? Blackmail. It was an ugly term, and she couldn’t afford for him to question her in depth about it.
No. She would deal with Liam on her own.
A loud screech from Darcy’s room introduced the shrill cry of new life. Joanna lifted one more plea for the child’s good health … and another for her good sense.
CHAPTER THIRTY
Clothing and other personal items covered Joanna’s bed. One by one, she folded the clothes and placed them in the trunk and the dresser Kit had delivered.
Across the hall, Jamie Baird slept in Darcy’s arms, his stomach full and his mother resting to regain her strength. Before he left, Dr. Hazard assured them the injuries Darcy suffered were not serious, though bed rest was required for the next four or five days. Mrs. Samuels volunteered to stay with Darcy whenever Joanna was gone. What would she have done without her landlady last night?
What would she have done without Kit? She shut the trunk and locked it. He had coaxed a promise from her to open a new bank account this morning, but she was not to go without him to accompany her.
How easily he had wheedled his way into her life again. At the same time, she had been given a second chance to win his heart. Hadn’t he said as much when he asked to kiss her? Then again, he hadn’t asked to court her. Shouldn’t that have come first?
She covered her face with her hands. How could she consider kissing Kit when the courage to tell him the truth fled from her at every opportunity?
Joanna lowered her hands and straightened her back. She peeked into the bedroom across the hall. God had extended His grace and mercy toward Darcy, a remorseful sinner. What did that mean for Joanna? Help my unbelief.
Darcy turned her head and lifted t
he corners of her mouth in a tired grin.
Joanna stepped inside the room. “How are you feeling?”
“My head hurts.” Darcy ran a hand over the light fuzz covering the sleeping baby’s head. “Nothing will ruin this time for me. Isn’t he beautiful?”
“Yes.” Joanna’s heart lurched. Over the last hours, gratitude for Jamie’s healthy body and lungs had overcome the bittersweet announcement of his arrival.
She tore her gaze from the child. “Kit notified the sheriff, but you were in no condition to speak with him. He’ll be by this morning. Will you feel up to answering questions?”
“I don’t expect to be of much help. My back ached, so I crawled into bed early. Not long after, I heard a loud noise in the house and saw a light. When the noises continued, I left the bed, thinking it was you. I saw a man near your trunk.”
“You saw his face?”
“No. He must have sensed me behind him because he blew out the lantern he carried and came after me. It happened so quickly. I didn’t see much of anything.”
“Did he speak?”
Darcy shook her head. “Just cursed, then hit me and knocked me against the wall. I don’t remember much else.” She tightened her grip on the baby.
Whoever broke into Joanna’s house knew about the money. It was the only thing she had left of value. With the lamps dark, he must have thought both women were gone, and it was safe to search.
A thundercloud of guilt hung over Joanna’s head. How would she forgive herself if Darcy, or worse her child, had perished because she’d been too afraid of David Murray to do a simple thing, such as open a bank account?
The blame for the housebreaking pointed to Liam, but with no proof, she would keep her suspicion to herself for now. If she told the sheriff, he would ask her to explain.
“I’m sorry for what you went through, Darcy.” Joanna caressed the baby’s plump cheek. “You should follow Jamie’s example and rest.”
She lumbered back to her room, stricken by her conscience. Life was becoming more complicated with each secret she kept.
***
Kit checked his pocket watch and suppressed a yawn. He had returned home around three-thirty in the morning. Unable to sleep, he’d spent most of the past four hours seated in a wicker chair on the rear veranda. Eventually, the sun poked its rays above the horizon.
The House would officially open in a month with a tour for town officials and a reception at Mrs. Brockhurst’s home. Kit scanned the list of tasks in front of him but found it hard to concentrate on anything other than last night’s events.
Even though the attack caused her to deliver her baby early, Kit was thankful Miss Baird suffered nothing more serious than a cut and a bump on the back of the head.
Joanna concerned him most. What if she had been the one home alone? His heart had nearly stopped when she screamed and ran into him, ashen with fear. Then to see the condition of the sitting room …
Kit scratched the stubble on the side of his face and shut his eyes. He should have questioned Joanna about the money from the house sale last month and insisted she deposit it in a bank account. Who was aware that the money was in the house?
“It’s going to be a hot one.” Ben shuffled to another chair and fell into it. He yawned. “You’re up early.”
“Never went to bed.”
“What’s wrong?” After Kit explained, Ben leaned forward. “Any idea who did it?”
“Given the situation, we couldn’t question Miss Baird.”
If Darcy’s child hadn’t chosen that moment to be born, Kit would have asked Joanna the reason for the sudden, contemplative expression on her face when they discussed the closed account. Later, she discouraged his questions with vague responses. The maddening woman hugged her innermost confidences closer to the vest than a gambler.
At the same time, he had witnessed Joanna’s love and loyalty for Rose and Annie, the sympathy and benevolence toward Darcy, and the kindness in a simple gift to Donovan. Kit wouldn’t have known about the latter if he hadn’t caught the gruff fighter staring with admiration at three fine linen handkerchief squares. Using a different colored thread for each, Joanna had embroidered his initials in the corners.
Only one person here never benefited from her generosity.
Kit glanced at the cottage. Over the past hours, while he sat here in the dark, he’d made a mental list of everyone who might prove guilty of invading Joanna’s house. Like oil in water, Liam’s name rose to the top each time.
Was the man aware she kept her money in the house? “Rose knows everything Joanna does and doesn’t do.”
“Are you thinking Rose would steal from her? They’re tight as ticks, Kit.”
“No, but we can’t be sure she didn’t say something to someone in innocence. What if that person knows Joanna kept her money in the house?”
“Someone like Liam?” Ben raised an eyebrow. “You don’t trust him, and I understand why, but are you sure you’re not letting what happened at the park color your reasoning?”
“Yes, I suspect him because of what happened then.” Kit relived the memory of the confrontation with Liam. “We found out last year that a man isn’t above seeking our help in order to cover his crimes. Where Joanna’s safety is concerned, I’m willing to consider every possibility.”
“I think you’ve settled on one. It’s been a month since that incident. If you’re right, why has he waited so long?”
It was a good question. Kit had no answer to it.
Jelly jumped onto Ben’s lap. Ben ran his hand along the cat’s arched back and received a noisy purr in gratitude. “I looked for Liam after you left to walk Joanna home last night. I couldn’t find him.”
“Did Rose know where he was?”
“She’d already gone to the cottage, so I assumed Liam accompanied her. What I wanted wasn’t important enough to bother them.” Ben shooed Jelly off his lap and stood. “It probably means nothing, but I figured I’d make you aware of it.”
Kit dug out his pocket watch. Almost eight. He needed to get to the livery, pick up the buggy, and drive to Joanna’s house. When he returned, he’d question Liam regarding his whereabouts last night.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Kit had helped Joanna straighten the sitting room in the middle of the night. Now, she undertook the task of putting the bedroom in order.
She swept up the shards of glass scattered on the floor. After the trip to the bank, she would stop at the mercantile and purchase a new globe for the lamp. Ben’s Bible had been flung halfway across the room, so she retrieved it and placed it back on the top of the trunk, along with her hair brush and mirror.
“Jo!” As usual Perry had burst into Joanna’s house without knocking.
She set the broom against the wall near the bedroom door and met him in the sitting room. “Hello, Perry.”
After tossing his hat on an empty chair, he reached for her hands. “You weren’t hurt, were you?”
She squeezed his fingers in reassurance. “I wasn’t home when it happened, but thank you for being concerned. How did you find out this early in the morning?”
“I met the constable in town. Do you know who did it?”
Joanna considered telling him of her suspicion about Liam but thrust aside the idea. What if she was wrong and Liam was innocent? Without proof, bandying Liam’s name about could harm her relationship with Rose. “No.”
Perry eased Joanna onto the settee beside him, still holding her hands. “I understand Miss Baird met the man.”
“She’s the one who was hurt, and I feel awful about it.”
“Did she recognize him?”
“It was dark.”
At Jamie’s cry, Perry glanced over her shoulder in the direction of the bedrooms. His face lost its color. “She had her baby?”
“Yes. A boy.”
He recovered from his surprise in quick measure. “It wouldn’t surprise me to learn the child’s father was responsible. Women like that attract an e
qually sordid man.”
“Don’t make me ask you to leave, Perry.”
“Jo, what makes you protect Miss Baird? Is she a relative who landed on your doorstep, or a stranger who means to take advantage of your kind heart?”
“Neither. She’s a woman experiencing a difficult time, and I want to help her. It was my decision to ask her to stay here.”
“Risking your own reputation.”
His superiority was the reason Perry wouldn’t understand how she could have let herself be duped by a bitter and merciless drunkard—how she could have done the unthinkable with Kit.
But Kit wasn’t the same man, just as she wasn’t the same woman. In the past days, she’d taken that to heart. She’d begun to trust in his reformation. And if God forgave Kit Barnes, surely He would forgive her, too.
“Please, keep your voice down.”
Perry bobbed his head. “Fine. Are you sure she has no idea who molested her?”
“I don’t think he was after Darcy. I think he intended to rob us. Kit thinks so, too.”
“Kit? When was he here?”
Leave it to Perry to focus on the least important information if it involved the man he imagined as his rival. “He walked me home last night, as he does every night.”
Perry flicked a smile he clearly didn’t feel and looked around the room. His brows drew together. “Why would a thief believe you have anything worth stealing?”
It embarrassed Joanna to admit her foolishness, but he would learn of it sooner or later. “I failed to open a new account once I decided to stay in Banesville.”
Perry dropped her hands. “You mean to tell me you’ve had the money from the property sale in this house the whole time?”
Joanna winced at the rise in his voice. “Yes, but don’t worry. I’ve learned my lesson, and Kit insisted I put it in the bank. He’ll be here shortly to escort me.”
A Reluctant Melody - Will she risk losing everything … including her heart? Page 20