The Fire of Home (A Powell Springs Novel) by Alexis Harrington Page A

the kitchen, where the table had been set for everyone.
    “Mrs. Gifford, ma’am?” Tom said.
    Deirdre turned and nodded at the young man. “Breakfast is almost ready. I know you’re due at the mill—”
    He shook his head. “No, ma’am, it’s not that, although I do appreciate it. I’m looking for my dirty clothes. I left them where I always do, in that basket in the bathroom. I wondered if yo u’d seen them, since we’re supposed to take care of our own stuff now.”
    “I have your wash here, Mr. Sommers,” Amy said over her shoulder, hearing the question. “And yours, too, Mr. Duncan.” She left the machine to do its job, wiping her hands on her apron, and started shaking out things that had already been through the wringer. “Mr. Duncan did a favor for me yesterday, and I thought I’d return it by taking care of his wash. I included yours, too, on the house,” she nodded at Tom. “Just this one time.”
    Bax looked at her with raised brows and a baffled expression. Then comprehension seemed to sink in. He walked out to the porch, ducking around wet laundry that hung from the retractable clotheslines. “Thanks, Amy.”
    His eyes bore an intensity that was ever present, and she wondered what had happened to him to put that look in their gray depths. “You’re welcome.”
    Amy sighed. She had a feeling that “just this one time” was going to become permanent.

    “How have you been feeling?” Jessica asked Susannah Grenfell. “You look luminous !” The two women sat in Jess’s examination room.
    Susannah grinned and patted her pregnant belly. “I’m starting to feel like one of the mares.”
    Jess laughed. “Well, at least you’ll get a bit of a break—only nine months instead of eleven or twelve. Although toward the end, it will seem like that long, and you’ve got another two and a half months to go. How is Tanner handling this?”
    The other woman shook her head. “I never saw him worry more. And he’s the sort who’ll sleep in the stall with a mare that’s about to foal. He treats me like I’m an invalid and fusses over me so much, I try to find things for him to do to keep him busy. He’s missed Wade and Josh since they’ve gone back to live with their mother. He fostered them for so many years when Em was working and couldn’t keep them.”
    “You’re hoping for a boy, then.”
    “You know women don’t care, as long as the baby is healthy. Tanner might be hoping for a boy. At least I’ll have you for the delivery instead of Granny Mae.”
    “There weren’t a lot of choices. When Margaux was born it was either her or Cole. I didn’t think he was up to the task. Actually, she’s a pretty good midwife, and yes, I know she used to help farmers around here pull a calf now and then, although she’s gotten too old for that. She’s become Margaux’s substitute grandmother.”
    Susannah leaned forward. “But what about Amy? Everyone is buzzing about her.”
    Jessica sighed and rubbed her forehead. “I’m not surprised. It was the shock of my life to walk into Laura Donaldson’s old place and see her standing in the kitchen. I can’t say that I’m holding a grudge—she’s my sister, my only blood relative. And Adam isn’t with her, thank God, but I’m not sure just what’s going on. She claims he’ll be along soon.” She shook her head. “Really, I think people around here will tar and feather him if he shows his face, and I doubt that anyone would try to stop them, not even the sheriff or Reverend Mumford. As for my sister, she left a lot of hard feelings and burned bridges behind her.”
    Susannah, who had believed Amy was her best friend, later realized she was just using that friendship to get close to Cole. The shadow of an old hurt fluttered across her face. “I didn’t realize how selfish and immature she was.” She stood up and gathered her coat.
    Jess stood, too. “I don’t think anyone else did either. But I guess she’s about to find out how