Rocky Mountain Romp (Rocky Mountain Bride Series Book 4) by Lee Savino
Authors: Lee Savino
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Carrie’s voice was soft, but firm. “Trust me on this, I can feed both—at least for a little while.” She laid a hand on her strong husband’s arm. “I wouldn’t say it if it weren’t true. I’ll not let our child go hungry.”
Looking troubled, Miles nodded. Carrie was already moving to pick up the baby and tuck him to her breast. Everyone watched the young mother in silence as she seated herself on a bench with her back turned to the room. Esther stayed close, wringing her hands until Johnathan put his arm around her.
“Have faith, dearest. His heartbeat is strong, and he survived the cold so far.”
Esther nodded, tears shining in her eyes. For a moment, the only sound was the crackling fire and Carrie’s quiet murmurs, encouraging the child. Miles stayed close, worry still written on his face. Rose had gone to check on Mary, sleeping in the other room, but the rest of them waited, hardly daring to breathe.
Bending her head, Carrie held the baby to her bosom, allowing her warmth to seep into the little body. As minutes passed, the tiny one’s head moved, lips parting in a movement as old as time. “There you are, child,” Carrie whispered, shifting so her hand could squeeze her breast, milking it so drops of milk fell into the child’s mouth. “That’s it.” The babe’s mouth worked weakly, and Carrie felt a surge of triumph. This little one wasn’t too far gone.
A few more tense moments, and Esther stepped forward, close enough to see the baby latch onto Carrie’s breast and begin to suckle.
“Oh.” The blonde stepped back, her hand to her mouth.
Carrie glanced over her shoulder, smiling. “He’s eating.”
The entire room sighed in relief, except Miles, who came to sit on the bench near his wife and tuck a blanket around her shoulders. Carrie leaned back into the strong circle of his arms, a satisfied smile on her face.
Esther turned a teary smile to her husband. “It’s a miracle.”
“Yes.” Johnathan used his handkerchief to wipe away her tears. He checked on Carrie and the babe, and once he was satisfied with the baby’s returning color, drew his wife away to comfort their giant guest.
Calum Macdonnell was halfway through his own meal, staring at another large bowl of stew and the second half of the loaf of bread. His sandy hair and beard were coarse and unkempt, but under the wild brush, his face had attractive, if rough-hewn features.
“On behalf of the babe, we can’t thank you enough,” Johnathan said. “You saved a life today.”
“Wish it could’ve been two.” The big man swallowed. “I don’t usually come so close to town, but the more I think on it, I had a feeling that kept me out in the forest until I found her tracks. You’d call it Providence, preacher.”
Johnathan nodded.
“But who was she?” Rose asked.
The trapper shrugged. “Ute, maybe, or another tribe. Governor Evans wants the Indian peoples out of Colorado Territory, and the soldiers he sends to “keep the peace” know it. Maybe she had a rough experience and sought to escape.” The rest of the gathering stayed silent at the obvious rancor in Calum’s voice, but then the big man sighed and rubbed his face with a rough hand. “Whatever the reason, the woman had come a long way. Pity she died so close to her destination.”
“And yet, if she’d lived, she’d thank you for your effort. It’s a sad thing, and a blessing in one.” Johnathan squeezed Esther closer. “So many things often are.”
A while later, the babe was well fed, and Miles escorted Carrie to their bedroom to eat and rest. Esther held the brown-skinned child, cooing at his solemn little face. Johnathan bent over her shoulder.
“He’s such a beautiful child,” Esther said. “I wonder what he’s called.”
“We’ll have to search the mother, to see if there’s any evidence of her clan,” Jesse muttered, too low for any of the women to hear, and Calum nodded.
The babe blinked, then yawned, and Esther
Looking troubled, Miles nodded. Carrie was already moving to pick up the baby and tuck him to her breast. Everyone watched the young mother in silence as she seated herself on a bench with her back turned to the room. Esther stayed close, wringing her hands until Johnathan put his arm around her.
“Have faith, dearest. His heartbeat is strong, and he survived the cold so far.”
Esther nodded, tears shining in her eyes. For a moment, the only sound was the crackling fire and Carrie’s quiet murmurs, encouraging the child. Miles stayed close, worry still written on his face. Rose had gone to check on Mary, sleeping in the other room, but the rest of them waited, hardly daring to breathe.
Bending her head, Carrie held the baby to her bosom, allowing her warmth to seep into the little body. As minutes passed, the tiny one’s head moved, lips parting in a movement as old as time. “There you are, child,” Carrie whispered, shifting so her hand could squeeze her breast, milking it so drops of milk fell into the child’s mouth. “That’s it.” The babe’s mouth worked weakly, and Carrie felt a surge of triumph. This little one wasn’t too far gone.
A few more tense moments, and Esther stepped forward, close enough to see the baby latch onto Carrie’s breast and begin to suckle.
“Oh.” The blonde stepped back, her hand to her mouth.
Carrie glanced over her shoulder, smiling. “He’s eating.”
The entire room sighed in relief, except Miles, who came to sit on the bench near his wife and tuck a blanket around her shoulders. Carrie leaned back into the strong circle of his arms, a satisfied smile on her face.
Esther turned a teary smile to her husband. “It’s a miracle.”
“Yes.” Johnathan used his handkerchief to wipe away her tears. He checked on Carrie and the babe, and once he was satisfied with the baby’s returning color, drew his wife away to comfort their giant guest.
Calum Macdonnell was halfway through his own meal, staring at another large bowl of stew and the second half of the loaf of bread. His sandy hair and beard were coarse and unkempt, but under the wild brush, his face had attractive, if rough-hewn features.
“On behalf of the babe, we can’t thank you enough,” Johnathan said. “You saved a life today.”
“Wish it could’ve been two.” The big man swallowed. “I don’t usually come so close to town, but the more I think on it, I had a feeling that kept me out in the forest until I found her tracks. You’d call it Providence, preacher.”
Johnathan nodded.
“But who was she?” Rose asked.
The trapper shrugged. “Ute, maybe, or another tribe. Governor Evans wants the Indian peoples out of Colorado Territory, and the soldiers he sends to “keep the peace” know it. Maybe she had a rough experience and sought to escape.” The rest of the gathering stayed silent at the obvious rancor in Calum’s voice, but then the big man sighed and rubbed his face with a rough hand. “Whatever the reason, the woman had come a long way. Pity she died so close to her destination.”
“And yet, if she’d lived, she’d thank you for your effort. It’s a sad thing, and a blessing in one.” Johnathan squeezed Esther closer. “So many things often are.”
A while later, the babe was well fed, and Miles escorted Carrie to their bedroom to eat and rest. Esther held the brown-skinned child, cooing at his solemn little face. Johnathan bent over her shoulder.
“He’s such a beautiful child,” Esther said. “I wonder what he’s called.”
“We’ll have to search the mother, to see if there’s any evidence of her clan,” Jesse muttered, too low for any of the women to hear, and Calum nodded.
The babe blinked, then yawned, and Esther
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