Read Online Child of Promise by Kathleen Morgan - Free Book Online

supported Emily on her tummy, his daughter’s spasmodic motions didn’t seem quite so strange. Noah could almost imagine she was swimming, swimming like any other child. For a few minutes, he could dream of how it should have been. Then, as always, he’d wrench himself back to reality, feeling guilty for not fully accepting Emily as she was, for not wholeheartedly thanking the Lord for His gift, as unexpectedly tragic as that gift had turned out to be.
    At the renewed swell of misery, Noah’s appetite fled him yet again. He pushed aside his plate. Mug in hand, he leaned back in his chair, content to banish all thoughts and further self-recriminations and just mindlessly watch life continue around him.
    “You hardly ate anything,” Millie said, glancing at his plate. “Unless you had a very big lunch—which I doubt— you need to finish your meal, Noah Starr. You can’t stand to lose any more meat on those already scrawny bones. As it is, most of your clothes already hang on you.”
    To appease her, Noah picked up a piece of half-eaten chicken and began to chew on it. “Is this more to your liking?” he asked after swallowing a mouthful of meat that, as well cooked and seasoned as he knew it always to be, still tasted like dried bones to him.
    His aunt scowled. “A little more, but I won’t be satisfied until you eat at least half of the food on that plate.”
    Beth, who had been intent on pouring water over a giggling Emily’s head, chuckled. “Better get to work, Noah, or you’ll be here all night.”
    He grinned. “I recall a few episodes like that as a boy. There was a time when I absolutely despised peas, and I wasn’t allowed to leave the table until I ate all of them off my plate. Took me a couple of hours tossing them one by one out the window when my parents weren’t watching, but I finally completed the mission.”
    Millie scowled all the more fiercely. “You watch yourself, boy. Lucky for you, Emily’s not quite old enough to understand all that yet. But soon enough, you’ll have to take care what foolish notions you put into her head with such tales. Mark my words. Soon enough.”
    “I’m doing as I was told, aren’t I?” He waved a chicken bone now cleaned of meat in the air. “Same as I’d expect of Emily.”
    “Her appetite’s not the problem.” Millie paused to pinch one of the little girl’s chubby cheeks. Then, leaning back, she gestured to Noah’s plate. “Now let’s see some of those mashed potatoes sliding down your gullet.”
    Noah shot Beth a long-suffering look, then dug in. At the teasing give and take just now, his appetite had improved a bit. Indeed, he was rather enjoying himself. As he ate, he realized the Lord had answered his prayers. In the warm, companionable atmosphere of the kitchen, Noah’s earlier misgivings about Beth had all but evaporated. She seemed so at home, so much a part of the family, that he could almost imagine her as a sister or, leastwise, the girl she had once been.
    Almost. Beth was too beautiful to forget her potent appeal completely. But if he considered her as a fine young woman and never allowed his thoughts to progress further, he’d be safe enough. Instead of allowing his mind to turn to more carnal pursuits, he would instead just rejoice in her beauty and be happy for her. Indeed, after all she had gone through as a child, Beth deserved every happiness possible.
    “Millie”—Beth’s voice intruded suddenly into Noah’s musings—“why don’t you go on up to bed? Noah and I can finish Emily’s bath, then get her tucked in.”
    Noah looked to his aunt. For the first time tonight he noticed how exhausted she appeared. Her face was pale and shadows were smudged beneath her eyes. Remorse at his utter selfishness filled him.
    “Yes, you do look tired,” he said. “Go on up to bed. We can finish in here.”
    Millie sighed wearily. “That does sound most appealing. Can I trust you, though, to clean at least half that plate if I