who are too feeble to be of help. My brothers died of influenza back in the seventies, and Edie was an only child, conceived during her mother’s change of life when she thought she had become infertile. Because of the uncle, her parents thought it best never to have other children for fear the madness might be hereditary.”
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In light of that, Alex was dying to know why the judge and Mrs. Trimble had had four daughters, but he bit back the question. It was none of his business, after all. “Then you’ll have to foster Annie out to a home of some sort?”
“Yes, and that’s where you come in. I’ll need a bit of help financially. Care for her will be expensive, especially for that long a period of time.”
“Name the amount. I told you in the beginning that I’d help in any way possible, and I meant it. As it happens, money is something I have plenty of, and I’ll happily pay all the expenses.”
The judge rubbed a hand over his face. “I’m comfortably set, but, contrary to what folks believe, my financial resources aren’t inexhaustible.” His heart going out to the other man, Alex clasped his shoulder.
“You know, James, not that I doubt your judgment, but wouldn’t it be wise to have Annie’s condition confirmed by Dr. Muir before we go off half-cocked?”
“She’s pregnant, no doubt about it. Her waistline is already beginning to thicken.”
Alex recalled the many times he’d thought a mare to be with foal only to discover later that it wasn’t.
“Sometimes looks can be deceiving. Trust me on that. We may be panicking over nothing. The girl could be putting on a bit of weight, nothing more.”
“If only that were so. Dear God, if only it were.”
Alex shared that sentiment. It would be better for all concerned if Annie wasn’t carrying Douglas’s child, especially for the babe’s sake. An orphanage. The thought of his own flesh and blood being stuck in an institution and labeled unadoptable made him heartsick.
The judge drew himself up and took a bracing breath. “Well, I guess I’ll go get Dr. Muir.”
“Tonight?” Alex couldn’t conceal his surprise. It seemed to him that calling in the doctor could wait until morning, for Annie’s sake, if nothing else.
“Edie is so upset, I want this settled as quickly as possible,” the older man explained.
“I see.”
“While we’re on the subject of Edie ...” The judge ran a finger under his collar, clearly uncomfortable with what he meant to say. “I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t mention anything we’ve discussed tonight in front of her. About her uncle, I mean. I, um ... well, the madness in her family, it isn’t something we talk about.”
It wasn’t something they talked about? Considering the fact that their daughter might be mad, Alex found that bit of information peculiar in the extreme.
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Chapter Four
Doing his best to conceal his anger, Daniel Muir eased himself down onto the edge of Annie Trimble’s bed and took her hand. The wariness in her wide blue eyes caught at his heart, and for at least the dozenth time since Alex Montgomery had fetched him from town, he had to swallow his ire at her parents. How two people as good and charitable as James and Edie could be so callous in their dealings with their youngest daughter was beyond him. If the girl was indeed pregnant, she’d be no less so in the morning. But they had insisted her condition be confirmed tonight.
Daniel didn’t believe in frightening his patients, and there was no mistaking the fact that Annie was afraid of him. Small wonder. He’d attended the girl no more than half a dozen times in her entire life, only once since the fever that had rendered her mentally impaired, and was a virtual stranger to her. Now here he was, waking her from a sound sleep to examine her. Behind him, Edie
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
In light of that, Alex was dying to know why the judge and Mrs. Trimble had had four daughters, but he bit back the question. It was none of his business, after all. “Then you’ll have to foster Annie out to a home of some sort?”
“Yes, and that’s where you come in. I’ll need a bit of help financially. Care for her will be expensive, especially for that long a period of time.”
“Name the amount. I told you in the beginning that I’d help in any way possible, and I meant it. As it happens, money is something I have plenty of, and I’ll happily pay all the expenses.”
The judge rubbed a hand over his face. “I’m comfortably set, but, contrary to what folks believe, my financial resources aren’t inexhaustible.” His heart going out to the other man, Alex clasped his shoulder.
“You know, James, not that I doubt your judgment, but wouldn’t it be wise to have Annie’s condition confirmed by Dr. Muir before we go off half-cocked?”
“She’s pregnant, no doubt about it. Her waistline is already beginning to thicken.”
Alex recalled the many times he’d thought a mare to be with foal only to discover later that it wasn’t.
“Sometimes looks can be deceiving. Trust me on that. We may be panicking over nothing. The girl could be putting on a bit of weight, nothing more.”
“If only that were so. Dear God, if only it were.”
Alex shared that sentiment. It would be better for all concerned if Annie wasn’t carrying Douglas’s child, especially for the babe’s sake. An orphanage. The thought of his own flesh and blood being stuck in an institution and labeled unadoptable made him heartsick.
The judge drew himself up and took a bracing breath. “Well, I guess I’ll go get Dr. Muir.”
“Tonight?” Alex couldn’t conceal his surprise. It seemed to him that calling in the doctor could wait until morning, for Annie’s sake, if nothing else.
“Edie is so upset, I want this settled as quickly as possible,” the older man explained.
“I see.”
“While we’re on the subject of Edie ...” The judge ran a finger under his collar, clearly uncomfortable with what he meant to say. “I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t mention anything we’ve discussed tonight in front of her. About her uncle, I mean. I, um ... well, the madness in her family, it isn’t something we talk about.”
It wasn’t something they talked about? Considering the fact that their daughter might be mad, Alex found that bit of information peculiar in the extreme.
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
Chapter Four
Doing his best to conceal his anger, Daniel Muir eased himself down onto the edge of Annie Trimble’s bed and took her hand. The wariness in her wide blue eyes caught at his heart, and for at least the dozenth time since Alex Montgomery had fetched him from town, he had to swallow his ire at her parents. How two people as good and charitable as James and Edie could be so callous in their dealings with their youngest daughter was beyond him. If the girl was indeed pregnant, she’d be no less so in the morning. But they had insisted her condition be confirmed tonight.
Daniel didn’t believe in frightening his patients, and there was no mistaking the fact that Annie was afraid of him. Small wonder. He’d attended the girl no more than half a dozen times in her entire life, only once since the fever that had rendered her mentally impaired, and was a virtual stranger to her. Now here he was, waking her from a sound sleep to examine her. Behind him, Edie
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