allowing this man to see her daughter. A surge of fear rushed up her spine. Katie was hers , in heart and legally. But would the welfare officials see it that way if he challenged the adoption?
“She’s sleeping right now.”
“I won’t wake her. Please.”
“I fail to see what good it would do.”
“She is my niece, Miss Walters. Our parents are dead as well. Surely you can see I’d have some feelings for the child.”
“And she’s my daughter.”
“I’m not leaving until I see that she’s well cared for.” He waved a hand around him. “You hardly seem old enough to be caring for a house full of children. And look at this place. It’s practically falling down around your ears. I know foster care is hardly a decent living for you, let alone all the things a little girl needs. I could at least offer some financial assistance.”
The fury Eden had been holding in check spilled over. “I don’t need your money, Mr. Leland! This may be an old house and not up to Leland standards, but it’s a house full of love and laughter. We have God to watch over us, and that’s worth more than all the money you’ve made in the oil fields!”
A small hand rapped at the door. “Eden? Katie was crying so I brung her to you.”
Eden nearly groaned but had no choice except to go to the door and shove it open. Ten-year-old Samantha, rail-thin with haunted gray eyes, held chubby Katie. Eden took the toddler and touched Samantha on the cheek. “Thanks, Sweetie, you’re a good helper.”
Samantha colored with pleasure, then cast a frightened glance toward Josh and scurried away. Eden turned slowly with Katie in her arms. The little one’s chubby arms were around her neck, and Eden breathed in the sweet scent of her.
Josh stared at Katie with hungry eyes. “She looks a lot like Mandy,” he said. The muscles in his throat moved as he swallowed.
Was that a film of tears in the big man’s eyes? Eden’s tender heart smote her. She’d given no thought to how he must feel with his sister dead and his niece ripped from him before he even knew he had a niece. She could afford to be generous. God had given her Katie as a daughter.
Eden stepped closer to him. “Would you like to hold her?”
His eyes widened, and he nodded. He slipped his big hands around Katie and drew her to his chest the way he might hold a basket of eggs.
“She won’t break.”
“She’s so little,” he said. Katie regarded him solemnly, then reached up a chubby hand and pulled on his nose, released it, and peered inside one nostril.
Eden chuckled at the panicked expression on Josh’s face. “She’s fascinated with noses right now.”
“I haven’t been around many children,” he said. “But she doesn’t seem to be afraid of me. Is this normal?”
“It is for Katie. She’s very secure and outgoing. She loves people.”
He shuddered. “Makes me frightened for her in this world.”
“Wabash is a nice town to raise a family in,” Eden said. “I’ll take very good care of her.” She fought the words struggling against her lips, but they came out anyway. “You’re welcome to stop in and visit her sometime. Just call first. Katie has plenty of love to share.” She held out her hands for her daughter.
A muscle twitched in Josh’s jaw, and his fingers tightened around Katie. He took a step back. “I mean to raise her myself, Miss Walters. I give you fair warning.”
Eden’s olive branch was sliced in two, and the hair on her neck stood. If it was a fight he wanted, he’d get one. There was nothing he could do. The adoption papers were signed. “Give me my daughter,” she said evenly.
With obvious reluctance, Josh handed Katie back to her. “I’ll be back, Miss Walters.”
“Look, Mr. Leland, I’m willing to let you see Katie. I think it’s important for an adopted child to have as many roots of her heritage as possible. But Katie is happy here. Surely, you can see that. What’s to be gained by disrupting her life
“She’s sleeping right now.”
“I won’t wake her. Please.”
“I fail to see what good it would do.”
“She is my niece, Miss Walters. Our parents are dead as well. Surely you can see I’d have some feelings for the child.”
“And she’s my daughter.”
“I’m not leaving until I see that she’s well cared for.” He waved a hand around him. “You hardly seem old enough to be caring for a house full of children. And look at this place. It’s practically falling down around your ears. I know foster care is hardly a decent living for you, let alone all the things a little girl needs. I could at least offer some financial assistance.”
The fury Eden had been holding in check spilled over. “I don’t need your money, Mr. Leland! This may be an old house and not up to Leland standards, but it’s a house full of love and laughter. We have God to watch over us, and that’s worth more than all the money you’ve made in the oil fields!”
A small hand rapped at the door. “Eden? Katie was crying so I brung her to you.”
Eden nearly groaned but had no choice except to go to the door and shove it open. Ten-year-old Samantha, rail-thin with haunted gray eyes, held chubby Katie. Eden took the toddler and touched Samantha on the cheek. “Thanks, Sweetie, you’re a good helper.”
Samantha colored with pleasure, then cast a frightened glance toward Josh and scurried away. Eden turned slowly with Katie in her arms. The little one’s chubby arms were around her neck, and Eden breathed in the sweet scent of her.
Josh stared at Katie with hungry eyes. “She looks a lot like Mandy,” he said. The muscles in his throat moved as he swallowed.
Was that a film of tears in the big man’s eyes? Eden’s tender heart smote her. She’d given no thought to how he must feel with his sister dead and his niece ripped from him before he even knew he had a niece. She could afford to be generous. God had given her Katie as a daughter.
Eden stepped closer to him. “Would you like to hold her?”
His eyes widened, and he nodded. He slipped his big hands around Katie and drew her to his chest the way he might hold a basket of eggs.
“She won’t break.”
“She’s so little,” he said. Katie regarded him solemnly, then reached up a chubby hand and pulled on his nose, released it, and peered inside one nostril.
Eden chuckled at the panicked expression on Josh’s face. “She’s fascinated with noses right now.”
“I haven’t been around many children,” he said. “But she doesn’t seem to be afraid of me. Is this normal?”
“It is for Katie. She’s very secure and outgoing. She loves people.”
He shuddered. “Makes me frightened for her in this world.”
“Wabash is a nice town to raise a family in,” Eden said. “I’ll take very good care of her.” She fought the words struggling against her lips, but they came out anyway. “You’re welcome to stop in and visit her sometime. Just call first. Katie has plenty of love to share.” She held out her hands for her daughter.
A muscle twitched in Josh’s jaw, and his fingers tightened around Katie. He took a step back. “I mean to raise her myself, Miss Walters. I give you fair warning.”
Eden’s olive branch was sliced in two, and the hair on her neck stood. If it was a fight he wanted, he’d get one. There was nothing he could do. The adoption papers were signed. “Give me my daughter,” she said evenly.
With obvious reluctance, Josh handed Katie back to her. “I’ll be back, Miss Walters.”
“Look, Mr. Leland, I’m willing to let you see Katie. I think it’s important for an adopted child to have as many roots of her heritage as possible. But Katie is happy here. Surely, you can see that. What’s to be gained by disrupting her life
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