Read Online Child of Promise by Kathleen Morgan - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kathleen Morgan
Ads: Link
said to use this to hasten things along.”
The next fifteen minutes were spent finishing up Emily’s bath, then drying and dressing her in her diapers and nightgown. Leaving Beth to tidy the kitchen, Noah carried his daughter upstairs to bed. He tucked her into her crib, rubbed her back until she fell asleep, and then, his thoughts returning to Beth, headed downstairs.
He had no intention of letting her earlier slip of the tongue pass. He knew enough about pain to realize it didn’t ease until you named it and faced it, enlisting the good Lord’s aid in the doing. He could help Beth; it was his calling and when it came to helping others, he was very good at it.
Problem was, he wasn’t all that good at helping himself anymore.
“Blithering idiot and stupid fool! That’s what I am, and no mistake!”
As Beth worked to clean up after Noah and Emily had departed the kitchen, she repeatedly berated herself for her unfortunate slip of the tongue. It had been hard enough to hide the pain she felt at helping Millie care for Emily. Millie, though, was ill and needed her help. Besides, Beth knew she’d have to get over her self-protective aversion to children sooner or later. But whatever had possessed her to anguish over medical school and the problems she had encountered there to Noah? The priest was an astute man, sensitive to the deeper issues that frequently lay beneath the surface. And he cared, truly cared. Odds were, he wouldn’t let her barely veiled rancor pass.
With a groan, Beth sank into a chair at the table and buried her face in her hands. What was she going to do now? Lie?
“No.” Savagely Beth shook her head. “I’ll not add lying to all my other sins. I’ll not. I’ll just tell Noah it’s none of his business, that I don’t wish to talk about it, and that’ll be that.”
Fortified with that resolve, she went back to work. By the time Noah returned from tucking in his daughter, Beth had set the kitchen aright, save for the dirty bathwater. And though the sight of her host’s handsome face did momentarily unsettle her, Beth’s determination rose immediately around her like the walls of a stone fortress.
Noah said little as he helped her dump the contents of the tub outside. After placing the tub in the enclosed porch, he strode back into the kitchen.
“Want a cup of coffee?” he asked, heading straight for the cookstove. “It’d go right nicely with a big piece of apple pie.”
The last thing Beth wanted to do was settle down at the kitchen table for a cozy little chat. “No, thanks. I think I’ll turn in.”
A fresh mug in one hand, a steaming pot of coffee in the other, Noah turned. “It’s not all that late.” His glance strayed to the small clock on the cupboard. “Why, it’s only a bit after eight. I haven’t had much chance to talk with you since your return. Please stay a while longer so we can catch up.”
“Fine.” Beth wondered if he could hear the exasperation in her voice. “Just know right off I’m not talking about medical school or anything else personal.”
He motioned her to sit at the table, then took his own seat. “If that’s what you want, that’s fine with me. You did first bring up the subject, though.” Noah poured out a mug for Beth, then refilled his. “Most times I find people don’t broach something unless it’s really eating at them. And most times those things need some talking about to set them right.”
Beth stirred a spoonful of sugar into her coffee, then sipped it tentatively. It was rich and strong, just as she liked it. With a sigh, she set the mug, and the excuse of drinking it, aside.
“Maybe so, Noah.” She lifted her gaze to meet his. “I’m just not ready to talk, that’s all. I’m sure you, of all people, can understand that. I’d imagine you’re not all that ready to talk about Alice, are you?”
Pain darkened Noah’s eyes. Pain and a knowledge of what she was trying to do.
Remorse flooded Beth. “I’m
The next fifteen minutes were spent finishing up Emily’s bath, then drying and dressing her in her diapers and nightgown. Leaving Beth to tidy the kitchen, Noah carried his daughter upstairs to bed. He tucked her into her crib, rubbed her back until she fell asleep, and then, his thoughts returning to Beth, headed downstairs.
He had no intention of letting her earlier slip of the tongue pass. He knew enough about pain to realize it didn’t ease until you named it and faced it, enlisting the good Lord’s aid in the doing. He could help Beth; it was his calling and when it came to helping others, he was very good at it.
Problem was, he wasn’t all that good at helping himself anymore.
“Blithering idiot and stupid fool! That’s what I am, and no mistake!”
As Beth worked to clean up after Noah and Emily had departed the kitchen, she repeatedly berated herself for her unfortunate slip of the tongue. It had been hard enough to hide the pain she felt at helping Millie care for Emily. Millie, though, was ill and needed her help. Besides, Beth knew she’d have to get over her self-protective aversion to children sooner or later. But whatever had possessed her to anguish over medical school and the problems she had encountered there to Noah? The priest was an astute man, sensitive to the deeper issues that frequently lay beneath the surface. And he cared, truly cared. Odds were, he wouldn’t let her barely veiled rancor pass.
With a groan, Beth sank into a chair at the table and buried her face in her hands. What was she going to do now? Lie?
“No.” Savagely Beth shook her head. “I’ll not add lying to all my other sins. I’ll not. I’ll just tell Noah it’s none of his business, that I don’t wish to talk about it, and that’ll be that.”
Fortified with that resolve, she went back to work. By the time Noah returned from tucking in his daughter, Beth had set the kitchen aright, save for the dirty bathwater. And though the sight of her host’s handsome face did momentarily unsettle her, Beth’s determination rose immediately around her like the walls of a stone fortress.
Noah said little as he helped her dump the contents of the tub outside. After placing the tub in the enclosed porch, he strode back into the kitchen.
“Want a cup of coffee?” he asked, heading straight for the cookstove. “It’d go right nicely with a big piece of apple pie.”
The last thing Beth wanted to do was settle down at the kitchen table for a cozy little chat. “No, thanks. I think I’ll turn in.”
A fresh mug in one hand, a steaming pot of coffee in the other, Noah turned. “It’s not all that late.” His glance strayed to the small clock on the cupboard. “Why, it’s only a bit after eight. I haven’t had much chance to talk with you since your return. Please stay a while longer so we can catch up.”
“Fine.” Beth wondered if he could hear the exasperation in her voice. “Just know right off I’m not talking about medical school or anything else personal.”
He motioned her to sit at the table, then took his own seat. “If that’s what you want, that’s fine with me. You did first bring up the subject, though.” Noah poured out a mug for Beth, then refilled his. “Most times I find people don’t broach something unless it’s really eating at them. And most times those things need some talking about to set them right.”
Beth stirred a spoonful of sugar into her coffee, then sipped it tentatively. It was rich and strong, just as she liked it. With a sigh, she set the mug, and the excuse of drinking it, aside.
“Maybe so, Noah.” She lifted her gaze to meet his. “I’m just not ready to talk, that’s all. I’m sure you, of all people, can understand that. I’d imagine you’re not all that ready to talk about Alice, are you?”
Pain darkened Noah’s eyes. Pain and a knowledge of what she was trying to do.
Remorse flooded Beth. “I’m
Similar Books
