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  Sensing his mounting desire, she moved her hand down his chest and went lower until she felt his erection. Shifting, she wrapped her hand around him and took him into her body, her sensitive flesh clenching around him. He voiced his appreciation, so she straightened once more, her hands set on either side of his head and rocked her hips. With a low moan, he placed his hands on her hips to pull her closer to him while he thrust deeper into her.

  She worked with him, following his lead. As he went faster, she did as well. His erection stroked her core, and needing to feel him deeper inside her, she encouraged him to roll on top of her. He increased the momentum of his thrusting, and she wrapped her legs around him and closed her eyes so she could focus on him and how good he was making her feel.

  He murmured her name before he stilled and released his seed into her. She waited as he filled her, enjoying how complete this part of the act made her feel. She loved knowing he received pleasure from her body, just as she’d received pleasure from his. When he collapsed in her arms, she kissed the side of his face and pressed her cheek against his. The moment was a nice one, one in which both of them were satisfied and appreciated the unity they shared as husband and wife.

  “Just when I don’t think it can get any better, it does,” he murmured as he brought himself up on his elbows and looked down at her. He brushed back a wisp of hair from her eyes and kissed her. “How did I get so lucky in getting you to be my wife?”

  With a chuckle, she shrugged. “I often ask myself the same thing.”

  He slid out of her and laughed. “You’re a tease, you know that, don’t you?” He pulled her into his arms. “But I wouldn’t have you any other way.”

  “Good, because I don’t want to change.”

  They grew silent, and soon they fell asleep.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  A week later, Emily sat in the buggy next to Isaac, thinking of any possible way that she might talk him into going straight back to town instead of out to his parents. Glancing in her direction, he gave her a reassuring smile as he put his arm around her shoulders to bring her closer to his side.

  “It’ll be alright, Emily.” He kissed her cheek. “Your parents were happy when we told them about the baby just now.”

  She glanced back at her parents’ house and wished she could return to the safety of their place. Yes, her parents had been happy to hear they would soon be grandparents, but her parents also knew she wouldn’t have been intimate with anyone but Isaac.

  As if he could read her mind, Isaac said, “You have nothing to worry about. My pa’s gotten to know you well enough by now to know what kind of person you are.”

  If only she could be so sure of that, but she refrained from voicing her doubts.

  “Besides, now that you’re starting to show, I don’t know how we can keep it from them any longer,” he said.

  She almost asked him for one more month so she could have more time to prepare for whatever reaction she’d receive at the news, but she knew he wouldn’t grant it. She’d been lucky to get him to agree to keep silent for as long as he had. Perhaps if he was in her shoes, he might understand why she wasn’t as excited as he was about making the announcement. If it was up to her, she’d delay telling them until November after the baby was born.

  “Would it help if I told my pa out in the barn so you don’t have to be there when he learns about it?” Isaac asked.

  She shifted in the seat. Maybe that was a good idea. “Yes, I think it would be better that way.” Then she wouldn’t see the suspicious look on his father’s face when he learned about the baby.

  He turned onto his parents’ property, and she had to remind herself that soon enough, they would be on their way back home. She studied the cornstalks swaying in the breeze. They were tall enough to shield the house from view, but she knew that they would arrive there before she was ready. Sure enough, he rounded the curve in the road and the house came into view. Straightening in her seat, she took a deep breath.

  She glanced at her abdomen. The dress she chose hid her pregnancy. Not that she was showing much anyway. Not yet, at least. And maybe that worked to her advantage. If she was a month earlier, that would raise his parents’ suspicions, wouldn’t it? Surely, this supported what she said. She sighed. She hoped so.

  As he pulled the buggy to a stop in front of the house, Rachel stood up from the porch swing where she was sewing a garment and called out, “I’ll tell Ma you’re here!” before she headed into the house.

  “Pa will still be in the barn,” Isaac told Emily.

  She expected that, given that it wasn’t time for lunch yet. That was another comforting thought. It was summer, so his father wouldn’t have time to linger around before or after the meal to ask her if the child was really Isaac’s.

  Isaac set the brake and went over to Emily’s side to help her down from the buggy. “You want me to tell my ma first?”

  “No. I don’t mind telling her.” As he turned to go to the barn, she reached out and grabbed his arm. “Will you tell me what he says?”

  “You underestimate him. He’ll be happy about it.”

  She wished she had his kind of faith in people, but she supposed given how his life had been, he couldn’t help but look at everything with the perspective that nothing bad ever happened. His parents met, married, fell in love, and stayed that way. He hadn’t had to worry about gaining the approval of anyone or keeping it. So how could he understand how easy it was to fall from grace in someone’s eyes?

  He kissed her and turned to the barn, so she turned and hurried up the porch steps. She almost knocked on the storm door but thought better of it. Rachel knew she was there and went to tell her mother. Opening the door, she stepped into the house, fully expecting Rose and Harriett to run down the hallway to see who had entered the house, but it was strangely quiet.

  Rachel came down the staircase with Rose. “Ma is getting Harriett ready for lunch.”

  “Do you need any help?” Emily asked, following Rachel to the dining room.

  “I already set out the dishes, and the food is cooling.”

  When they reached the dining room, Emily looked around and realized there really was nothing she could do to get things ready for lunch. “It looks like Isaac and I came out just in time to eat.”

  “We would have waited for you to show up before eating. Ma was ready to take Harriett and Rose out to the yard to play for a bit if you were delayed.”

  “Your mother thinks of everything, doesn’t she?” Emily couldn’t remember a person who seemed to be as organized as Mary Larson.

  Rachel giggled and whispered, “She has moments where she doesn’t, but most of the time, she does.” Turning to her sister, she said, “Come on to the highchair.”

  As Rose obeyed, Mary entered the room, holding Harriett. Emily’s gaze went to her expanding belly, and she remembered that Mary was due to give birth in late September. Mary put Harriett in her highchair and Emily tapped her foot on the wood floor, wondering if she should just come out and say she was also expecting a child.

  “Should I tell everyone we’re ready?” Rachel asked once she secured Rose in the chair.

  “Might as well,” her mother said.

  “Mrs. Larson,” Emily began after Rachel left, “can I talk to you?”

  “Of course. What is it?”

  “Well…” Now that Emily had her attention, she didn’t know how to word things. Reaching for the back of the chair in front of her, she rubbed the smooth wood with her fingers. “I’m not exactly sure how to say this.”

  Concerned, she stepped closer to Emily. “Is something wrong?”

  “No. It’s just that… Well, I’m going to have a baby.” As an afterthought, she quickly added, “In November.”

  “Is that all?” she asked with a chuckle.

  “Is that all?”

  “Your face was so pale that I thought you had dreadful news.” She paused. “Were you afraid I’d be upset?”

  She shrugged.
“I’m not sure.”

  “I know you’re not like your real mother. We all do. Isaac isn’t upset, is he?”

  “No. He’s happy about it.”

  “Then why are you worried?”

  “I know what Isaac’s father thinks of my real mother.”

  “I see.” She rubbed Emily’s back and smiled. “He knows you’re good to Isaac. That’s all that matters to him.”

  “But the baby is Isaac’s.”

  “I know that.”

  “Do you think his father will believe it?”

  “Sure, he will. Emily, has he done or said anything to you to make you think he doesn’t trust you?”

  “No, but he hasn’t said he trusts me.”

  The sound of Jacob and Adam running into the house as they argued about who milked cows better prevented further discussion between the two women.

  Mary patted her shoulder. “You have nothing to worry about. Why don’t you sit down and watch the twins while I help Rachel get food on the table for the hungry men.”

  Not knowing what else she could do, Emily nodded and obeyed. Just as she pulled her chair up to the table, the boys came into the room, followed by Mary and Rachel who carried large dishes full of food that smelled so good Emily’s stomach rumbled. She did enjoy the fact that the nausea was no longer a problem. If there was one thing she didn’t want, it was to miss Mary’s cooking.

  Jacob and Adam sat in their seats, followed by Isaac who slid into the seat next to her. When Isaac took her hand in his and squeezed it, she looked over at him. He smiled reassuringly at her, and though he meant to ease her nerves, when his father walked into the room, she couldn’t bring herself to look at him.

  The meal was pleasant enough, despite her apprehension. His father didn’t seem to be any different than before, and when she dared a glance in his direction, he didn’t scowl at her so that was good. At least he was nice to her in front of other people. She could handle that. By the end of the meal, she managed to relax enough where she was enjoying herself.

  When everyone was done eating, she got up to help Mary and Rachel with the dishes when Dave asked to talk to her. She hesitated since she wasn’t sure what to expect because she’d never spoken to him without someone else around before, but when Mary nodded her encouragement, she set the plates back down and followed Dave to the porch.

  He stood by the railing, close to the steps, so she decided to remain standing, keeping her distance but close enough where he wouldn’t have to talk loud. The last thing she needed was for someone else to overhear what he was going to say. She wiped her sweaty palms on her dress and waited for him to speak.

  His back to the railing, he slid his hands into his pockets and made eye contact with her. “Isaac told me the good news.”

  She noted the softness in his voice. Even so, she stared at the porch floor. “Um…yes. The baby will be born in November.”

  “I hear you keep emphasizing that.”

  “Do I?”

  “Given the circumstances surrounding your birth, I don’t blame you. I’m sorry I haven’t made it any easier for you.”

  Surprised, her gaze went to him. He was sorry?

  “Looking back, I realize I should have taken the time to get to know you instead of judging you based on what happened with your parents. Mary tried to tell me, but I wouldn’t listen. I know we got off to the wrong start, but I’d like to change that. You are good to my son, and for that I thank you.”

  For a moment, she didn’t know what to say. Here, she expected him to ask her if the child was Isaac’s, but instead of criticism, she’d gotten an apology. With a smile, she finally managed to say, “I appreciate that.”

  His shoulders relaxed and he returned her smile. “Well, I reckon we should go join the others.”

  She nodded her agreement and they went back into the house.

  ***

  On Christmas day, Emily tucked her daughter closer to her, wrapping her coat tighter to block her from the cold. Isaac sat to her left. Even if the heater on the floor of the sleigh was sufficient to keep her feet warm, she was glad for the blanket and her husband’s body. To her right, her father led the horses forward. For the festive occasion, he placed bells on the reins so they jingled as the horses moved over the snowy landscape.

  “So you and Ben Connealy are going to race sleighs this year?” Neil asked.

  Isaac leaned forward so he could see her father. “I didn’t last time he suggested it, so I thought this time I’d join in the fun.”

  “You need a sleigh?”

  “Nah. I’m going to use the one he lets me borrow at work.”

  Her father grinned. “I used to race your Uncle Tom when we were younger.”

  “Did you?”

  “Won every time, too.”

  Isaac laughed. “He’s better on a horse than a sleigh.”

  “That’s the truth of it.”

  Emily smiled, glad her husband and father enjoyed such a relaxed friendship. Her daughter squirmed in her arms, so she turned her attention back to the baby. It was hard to believe Esther would be two-months-old on January 5th. During most of her pregnancy, all Emily could think about was having the baby so that everyone else who might question the timing of her conception would know for sure this was Isaac’s child, but when November 5th came and Esther was born, she realized how quickly the nine months had flown by. She brushed her daughter’s cheek and grinned as the baby yawned.

  She turned her gaze back to Isaac who was telling her father about the horses he’d be using in the race and was surprised to realize that racing and hunting no longer appealed to her as it once did. Now her desires were for taking care of her child and wanting to make the home a pleasant place for her husband when he came home from work.

  Her father turned onto Isaac’s parents’ property, so Emily got ready to get out of the sleigh. The ride had been a good one, but she was ready for the warmth of a home. “Everyone is already here?” she asked her father.

  “Yep. I dropped your mother, brothers and sister off before I came to pick you three up.” His gaze went to his granddaughter and he smiled. “I couldn’t resist a chance to hold her first.”

  Emily chuckled, recalling how excited he’d been to take Esther into his arms and tell her Merry Christmas. “Why do I have a feeling Esther’s going to be spoiled?”

  “She’ll have four doting grandparents and a bunch of aunts and uncles to watch over her,” her father replied. “Of course, she’s going to be spoiled.” He pulled up in front of the house and stopped the horses. “You and Isaac take my granddaughter in so she can get out of this cold.”

  The front door opened and Dave came onto the porch, buttoning his coat. “I thought I heard you pull up,” he called out as he bounded down the recently-swept steps so they were clear of the recent snowfall.

  Isaac helped Emily out and gathered the blanket.

  Dave reached them and peered down at Esther. “I see she’s a happy little girl. Her ma’s been taking good care of her.”

  “Do you want to hold her?” Emily asked, pleased by his words.

  “I thought I’d help your pa with the sleigh and horses first. Besides, all the women are either cooking or ordering the oldest children to watch the young ones, and I’d rather stay out of their way.”

  “I don’t blame you on that one,” her father said as he motioned for Dave to hop into the sleigh. “Might as well ride over to the barn.”

  “Need an extra hand?” Isaac asked as his father got into the sleigh.

  Dave shook his head. “We’ll manage. You need to remind your new brother who you are.”

  “He’s only three-months-old,” Isaac replied.

  “Which is why you need to tell him you’re his oldest brother.”

  “Like it’ll make any difference when he’s this young.”

  “Isaac, even if you’re married with a family of your own, you still need to listen to me,” he joked.

  “Come on,” Emily told Isaac, sl
ipping her free arm around his and leading him to the house. As her father urged the horses toward the barn, she whispered, “They want to be alone to talk about whatever it is grandfathers talk about when they’re together.”

  Isaac shrugged and walked with her up the porch steps. “At least they’re getting along, though I admit, I never thought I’d see it happen.”

  “They’re making the effort to get along for us.”

  From the distance, they heard their fathers laughing, and Isaac wryly commented, “I don’t think ‘effort’ is the right word. It sounds like they really do get along.”