Mother's Promise by Anna Schmidt Page A

individually wrapped candies.
    Darcy was impatient to get down to business. She had another meeting in twenty minutes. She checked her watch and was a little annoyed that Rachel accepted the offer of water. But then Darcy glanced at her and realized the woman was nervous. And why not? Rachel Kaufmann had accepted a job by phone from over a thousand miles away and was only now facing the realities of that decision.
    â€œSo, Rachel, how was your flight?” Paul asked as he handed her the water then sat down in the swivel chair behind his desk.
    â€œWe did not make the trip on an airplane,” Rachel said after swallowing a sip of the water. “We came on the bus.”
    â€œMy goodness, that must have taken days,” Paul exclaimed. “Have you had some time to rest up and get settled into—where are you living now?”
    Rachel smiled. “My son and I arrived on Friday. We are staying with friends. We had the weekend to rest.”
    â€œThat’s right. Hester Steiner mentioned you were going to bunk in with her and John when I was there last week for the co-op board meeting. All settled in then?”
    â€œOur stay with the Steiners is temporary. Tonight Hester is taking me to look at a cottage that Mr. Shepherd has for rent.”
    â€œMalcolm Shepherd?” Darcy asked, her attention now riveted on this quiet-spoken woman, surprised that she had already connected with Ben Booker and Malcolm Shepherd. She felt a familiar tingle of alarm. Darcy had worked hard to establish herself in a career where she was in charge, where she reported only to the board of trustees. She was fiercely protective of that position. It had taken her some time to win the respect and support of Malcolm Shepherd, the president of the hospital’s board of directors.
    Now this woman was possibly going to be living next door to him? On his property?
    â€œYou’ve met Malcolm?” she asked while at the same time assuring herself that Rachel with her prayer cap and her hands now folded piously in her lap was of no possible threat to her.
    Rachel smiled. “Only in the way I met both you and Dr. Booker before now. By the telephone interview. It is my friend Hester Steiner who has made the arrangements for me to see the guesthouse on Mr. Shepherd’s property.”
    â€œExcellent,” Paul boomed. “You’ll be close to the hospital. We do have emergencies and as the new kid on the block, those will most likely come your way.” He arched an eyebrow as if waiting to see how this bit of information would be received.
    â€œThat would be fine,” Rachel replied and smiled. “What are my other duties?”
    â€œAs I mentioned on the phone I want you to focus on the cases that come through our pediatrics wing while I handle the adult cases,” he said. “Right now we have more adult patients than children, so you’ll have some time to get your bearings. Anyway, I’m taking you at your word.”
    Obviously confused, Rachel looked up at him and then at Darcy.
    â€œYou said on the phone that you liked working with children,” Paul reminded her. “And now that I’ve met you in person I think you might be exactly the right person for the job.”
    Darcy opened her mouth to object. Paul was getting ahead of himself. He could not possibly know if this woman had the special skills necessary to minister to children and their parents without at least supervising her work initially. He was already handing Rachel a folder and a pager.
    â€œYou’ll need to wear this pager or have it handy even when you aren’t actually here at the hospital. If a kid comes in during the night or on the weekend, this thing will buzz.” He pushed a button to demonstrate. “You’ll see a number on the screen, and you’ll need to call that as soon as possible.”
    â€œI believe you mentioned that you had a child, Rachel.” Darcy felt the need to