A Worthy Heart

by Susan Anne Mason

  He opened his eyes, prepared to argue, but the sheer emotion on her face stole the words from his mouth. Before he realized her intent, she moved forward and laid her lips on his.

  A jolt of electricity could not have jarred him more. He froze for a second, until the sweet essence of her being flowed through her lips, searing his soul. She moved closer still, wrapping her arms around him, enveloping him with her touch, her scent. Heat curled in his stomach. His chest vibrated along with his thudding heart, until a low whimper in her throat finally broke his stupor.

  With great effort, he tore his mouth from hers. “Maggie, no. Don’t you see how wrong this is?”

  Her fingers grazed his cheek, and she shook her head. “I only see how right this is. You are not your father, Adam.”

  A groan of protest rumbled through him. He did not deserve her faith, her loyalty.

  Yet reflected in her beautiful eyes, he saw the man he wished to be.

  Dark tendrils of hair caressed her cheek. The softness of her skin beckoned to him, begging for his touch. He needed to get away from her intoxicating nearness, but his feet refused to cooperate. His gaze fell to the rosy moistness of her lips.

  “Maggie.” Without thinking, he lowered his head until his mouth found hers and drew her closer in his arms. Her fingers wound through the hair at the base of his neck, while her mouth matched his, the faint taste of honey tripping his pulse. Finally, before he lost complete control, he drew back to rest his forehead on hers.

  With one finger, he traced the smooth curve of her cheek and released a sigh of regret.

  “Maggie?” Colleen’s voice drifted toward them. “Who are you talking to?”

  Panic leapt into Maggie’s eyes.

  “We’ve done nothing wrong.” He kissed her fingers and stepped into the hallway. “It’s only me, Colleen.”

  His sister looked as though she’d just tumbled out of bed, her auburn hair in a long braid over her robe. “What are you doing here at this hour?”

  Adam smiled. “It’s barely nine o’clock. Not everyone goes to bed with the babes.”

  She clutched her arms around her frame. “I must have fallen asleep. It seemed much later.” She straightened. “But my question remains—why are you here?”

  “I came by earlier in the hopes of speaking with Rylan and met Maggie on her way to the cathedral. I made sure she got back safely.”

  Colleen moved farther into the room. “Maggie, why would you risk your safety like that?”

  Adam expected Maggie’s Irish temper to unleash at any moment.

  Instead, she lowered her head and folded her hands in front of her skirts. “I’m sorry, Colleen. I was desperate to get out of the house for a while. It won’t happen again.”

  Colleen crossed to Maggie and enfolded her in a hug. “I couldn’t bear it if anything happened to you.” She turned to Adam, weariness etched in her features. “I guess you haven’t heard about the typhoid outbreak. Rylan and Gabe are at the orphanage until the temporary quarantine is lifted.”

  Adam snapped to attention. “I’d heard about the illness, but nothing about a quarantine. Do you mean to tell me you two are staying here alone?”

  Colleen nodded.

  Alarm licked through him. “Fitzgerald was at the cathedral, lying in wait for Maggie. He could break in here and no one would be able to stop him.” Adam’s breath came faster, and his fists curled.

  Maggie sank onto one of the chairs, her face drained of color, as though she only now fully realized the danger she faced.

  Colleen plucked at the belt of her robe. “I’ve been so worried about the children, I never thought—”

  Adam straightened, a decision cementing in his mind. “I’ll stay here until Rylan or Gabe returns.”

  Colleen clutched the lapels of her robe together. “I don’t think—”

  “No arguments, Colleen. I’ll take Rylan’s anger over the possibility of harm coming to any of you.”

  Colleen sagged, the breath whooshing from her. “To be honest, I haven’t been able to sleep without Rylan here. That must be why I dozed off when I put Ivy down.” Tears formed in her eyes, a rarity for his vivacious sister. She must be past exhausted.

  A movement at the open parlor door made Adam spin around.

  Little Delia wandered in, her cheeks as red as the cloth of her nightgown. “Mama, I don’t feel good. My tummy hurts.”

  As Colleen gathered Delia in her arms, Maggie exchanged a worried look with Adam. He gave a brief nod to reassure her. He’d do everything in his power to help his family through this crisis.

  And he wouldn’t rest until Maggie’s world had become safe once again.

  Early the next morning, Maggie placed the kettle of water on the stove and turned her attention to the ham and eggs frying in the skillet. Any moment now, she expected Adam to appear for breakfast. After a nearly sleepless night, staring at the ceiling where Adam slept above her, reliving the thrill of his kiss, Maggie’s every nerve seemed on edge.

  By all accounts, she should be ashamed of her brazen action, kissing Adam like that, but she couldn’t make herself regret something that felt so right. Knowing that Adam would never act on his feelings—that his perceived unworthiness and his rigid self-control would forever hold him back—she’d taken matters into her own hands to show Adam where her heart lay. She only hoped she hadn’t done irreparable damage to their relationship.

  Maggie flipped the eggs, trying to determine how many she should cook. She doubted Colleen would be down anytime soon. After sending for Dr. Reardon, Colleen had sat up most of the night with Delia.

  Heavy treads sounded on the staircase, and shivers of anticipation raced along Maggie’s spine. Would Adam talk about the kiss they’d shared, or act as if it had never happened?

  “Good morning, Miss Montgomery.”

  She turned from the stove to find Dr. Reardon in the kitchen doorway. “Good morning, Doctor. I’m surprised to see you.”

  From the weary lines on his face and the tousled mat of his brown hair, it appeared he’d been up all night.

  “I thought it prudent to keep watch over Delia. I didn’t want to move her in the middle of the night, but this morning, I’ll transfer her to the infirmary at the orphanage. Her mother is getting her ready.”

  A slither of fear wound around Maggie’s heart. “Delia will be all right, won’t she?”

  The doctor didn’t meet her eyes. “We’ll do our best. A few of the other infected children have shown slight signs of improvement.”

  “Please have a seat while you wait. I’ll get you some breakfast.”

  He gave a wan smile and pulled out a chair. “Thank you. It’s been a few days since I’ve had a hot meal.”

  Maggie used a cloth to grab the kettle and poured the strong coffee into a mug. Come to think of it, they hadn’t received any of Mrs. Norton’s biscuits lately. “Mrs. Norton hasn’t left because of the illness, has she?” Knowing the woman’s devotion to those children, Maggie couldn’t imagine it.

  “I’m afraid Mrs. Norton is ill herself. And the assistant cook has disappeared.”

  “That’s a shame.” Every time Maggie turned around, it seemed a new crisis arose. She slid a plate of eggs and ham in front of the doctor. “So who is making the meals?”

  “The nuns are pitching in as much as possible.” He dug into his food like a starving man.

  Maggie returned to the stove and cracked three more eggs onto the hot skillet. “Have you determined the cause of the outbreak yet?”

  Dr. Reardon shook his head. “It’s baffling, to be sure. There’s no real reason why some of the students are affected while others are not. We ruled out the drinking water, so we suspect it happened through food contamination. We’re questioning everyone to determine the common factors.” He chewed a mouthful and swallowed. “In the meantime, you all must be diligent about proper hand-washing and hygiene.”

  The cold swath of fear returned. “Aye. But what about the baby? Is Ivy at risk?�
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  The grim set to his mouth told Maggie the answer. “We’ll have to wait and see,” he said, “but little Ivy is one of the reasons I think it best to remove Delia from her home.”

  Oh dear Lord, what will Colleen do if she loses both Delia and the baby to this illness? Maggie couldn’t even begin to imagine it.

  Dr. Reardon patted a napkin to his mouth and rose. “Thank you for the breakfast, Miss Montgomery. And please keep watch for any symptoms. Malaise, fever, stomach pain. If you start to feel unwell, you’d be wise to come right over to the orphanage.”

  Adam appeared in the doorway. Maggie startled, amazed she hadn’t heard him come down the stairs. For a large man, he could be very quiet when he chose.

  “May I ask why these patients are not being taken to the hospital? Surely they could be treated much more efficiently there.” The challenge in Adam’s voice was unmistakable.

  Dr. Reardon stiffened. “And you are?”

  “Adam O’Leary. Colleen’s brother and Delia’s uncle.”

  Maggie busied herself getting Adam a cup of coffee.

  “Well, Mr. O’Leary, I understand your concern. However, we don’t want to spread the contagion, if we can help it. Moving them to the hospital would risk an even greater outbreak there.”

  Adam gave a curt nod. “I suppose there’s logic in that.”

  Maggie set a plate of food on the table and motioned for Adam to sit. A noise in the hall delayed him from doing so. Colleen moved into view of the doorway, carrying Delia.

  Dr. Reardon rushed to assist her. “Mrs. Montgomery, you should have told me you were ready. I’d have carried her down.”

  Plastered against Colleen’s shoulder, Delia’s face appeared even more flushed this morning, her eyes glassy.

  Colleen’s alabaster skin now appeared gray, her hair pinned in a quick bun at the back of her neck. “You said you have a motorcar parked outside?”

  “That’s right, but Mrs. Montgomery . . .” He laid a hand on her arm. “I feel it would be wise for you to remain here. We will take good care of Delia, I can promise you that.”

  Something akin to panic flew across Colleen’s face. “I won’t let her go alone. She needs her mother.” Delia’s whimper only served to strengthen her argument.

  “And what of the infant? We can’t risk further exposure by bringing her with you.”

  Tears sprang to Colleen’s eyes.

  Feeling Colleen’s anguish at the terrible choice she had to make, Maggie wiped her hands on her apron. “I’ll take care of Ivy, Colleen. You go with Delia.”

  Colleen looked from Maggie to Adam and shook her head. “It won’t be proper—you two here alone without a chaperone. Rylan and Gabe will be furious.”

  Adam moved up beside Maggie. “Then send one of them back here if they’re so worried. I won’t leave Maggie and the baby unprotected.”

  Dr. Reardon frowned. “Unprotected from what?”

  “A man has been harassing Maggie. He poses a danger every bit as grave as the fever.”

  Colleen seemed to gather her strength. “I’ll find someone to come and stay. Perhaps Brianna. In the meantime, let’s be on our way, Doctor.”

  “I’ll be praying for you all,” Maggie called as they exited.

  The band of stress across her shoulders threatened to snap the moment the door closed. Maggie inhaled deeply and turned to find Adam watching her in his usual intense fashion.

  “Well,” she said briskly, “I’d best go and get the baby. Eat your breakfast before it gets cold.”

  Adam reached out to halt her. Silently, he drew her to him and wrapped his arms about her. “It will be okay, Maggie. We’ll get through this . . . together.”

  Despite her best efforts, a lump rose to block her throat. For a moment, she allowed her eyes to close and drank in the comforting scent of him, gaining fortitude from his solid presence. “Aye. We will. Along with God’s grace and mercy.”

  20

  AURORA DESCENDED the central staircase to the main floor of the orphanage. She could not get used to the stillness now pervading the building that once had bustled with activity and joy. Even the healthy children seemed subdued by the seriousness of the situation.

  She brushed a weary hand across her forehead and tried to remember which day it was. Saturday? Sunday? How long had they been confined?

  Her thoughts turned to her parents and the phone conversation she’d had with her mother. Although worried at Aurora’s proximity to the illness, Mama had accepted the situation with good grace and had promised to try to temper her father’s reaction. The last thing Aurora wanted was Papa to show up at the orphanage and create a scene.

  An insistent pounding at the front door of the orphanage pulled Aurora from her reflections. Why would someone knock despite the warnings posted on the exterior?

  Warily, Aurora opened the door a crack. An unfamiliar woman stood on the stoop, agitation evident in the angle of her stance.

  “Can I help you?” Aurora tried not to gawk at the heavily made-up face, which stood out in stark contrast to the drab brown hair and threadbare coat.

  The woman lifted her chin. “I wish to speak to the director of the orphanage.”

  Aurora blinked. “I’m sorry, miss, but as you can see, we are under quarantine. You’d best try a telephone call instead.”

  The woman’s pale eyes hardened. “My child is in there, and I will not have her exposed to this danger. She needs to come home with me.”

  Nothing about the woman’s claim made sense. However, in her present state of agitation, Aurora doubted she would see reason. Best to see what Rylan wanted her to do.

  “If you’ll wait here for a moment, I’ll see if Mr. Montgomery is available.”

  Aurora went directly to Rylan’s office, where she found Gabe and Rylan involved in a serious conversation. The two men looked extremely grim as she entered.

  “I’m sorry to bother you, but there’s a distraught woman on the doorstep. She says her child is here and she wants her out of harm’s way.”

  Gabe got to his feet. “How can that be? Aren’t these children orphans?”

  Rylan shook his head. “Not all of them. Some of them have a parent who can’t afford to keep them.” He rose from the desk. “Did she tell you her child’s name?”

  “No.”

  He let out a long breath. “I’ll speak to her outside. Make her understand the severity of our situation and pray to God her child isn’t one of those affected.”

  A flurry of activity beyond the office doors drew Aurora’s attention. Rylan and Gabe preceded Aurora in the hallway. At the foot of the main staircase, Dr. Reardon stood, holding a child in his arms, speaking to Colleen.

  Rylan surged forward. “Colleen, love. What are you doing here?” The slap of his shoes on the floor stopped the moment he saw the child. “Delia?”

  Colleen flew to her husband and buried her face in his shoulder.

  “I’m afraid she has the fever.” Dr. Reardon shot Aurora a concerned look over Rylan’s head. “We’re better to treat her here.”

  Gabe moved forward to lay a hand on his brother’s arm. “You take care of your family. I’ll handle the woman at the door.”

  Rylan nodded his thanks, while trying to comfort his distraught wife.

  “I had to leave Ivy with Maggie,” Colleen sobbed. “The doctor said the risk was too great.”

  “Shh, love. You did the right thing. Let’s go get Delia settled.”

  The warmth of a hand on her shoulder brought Aurora’s focus back. Gabe pressed a handkerchief into her hands, and she realized that she, too, was crying.

  “Would you care to assist me with the woman outside?”

  She dabbed the moisture from her cheeks. “Of course. Thank you.”

  When they opened the door and stepped outside, the woman whirled to face them. “I thought you’d forgotten me.”

  “Forgive us for the delay,” Gabe said. “We had a slight emergency to handle first.”

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nbsp; The woman’s eyes widened. “What is going on in there?”

  Gabe smiled at her. “First let me introduce myself. I’m Gabriel Montgomery. My brother runs this orphanage. And this is Miss Hastings, who is tending to the children who are ill.”

  The woman took a distinct step backward and brought a gloved hand to cover her nose and mouth. “Is it smallpox?”

  “Typhoid fever. May I ask your name?”

  “Jolene Winters. I left my baby here a few weeks ago, but I’ve changed my mind. I want her back.”

  Aurora’s insides turned to putty. The only infant at the orphanage was baby Ivy—the one Colleen had claimed as her own. She shot a nervous glance at Gabe, and from his expression, she knew he’d arrived at the same conclusion.

  “You’ll be happy to know your baby has not been staying at the orphanage. The director and his wife have taken her into their home.”

  Instead of being relieved, the woman appeared even more alarmed. “I demand to be taken there immediately.”

  To Aurora’s great relief, Gabe stepped forward. “I’m afraid I can’t do that,” he said gently. “It’s against the rules.”

  Aurora had no idea if that were true, but coming from Gabe, it sounded official.

  Miss Winters lifted her chin. “Then I demand to speak with the director himself. Is he in there?”

  Gabe hesitated, no doubt weighing the consequences for his brother. A breeze ruffled the hair on his forehead as his indecision played across his handsome features.

  “If you don’t tell me, I’ll come back with the constable. I have a right to my baby.” The woman’s near hysteria rang in the air.

  People passing on the walkway directed curious stares at them. St. Rita’s prided itself on its sterling reputation. The last thing the facility needed on top of an epidemic was a scandal involving the police.

  Aurora opened the front door. “If you’ll come in and have a seat, I’ll get him for you.”

  Miss Winters pointed to the warning sign. “What about the contagion?”

  “You’ll be safe in the waiting area.”