Read Online Having His Baby by Beverly Barton - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Beverly Barton
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unexpected, unwanted surprise, who came to them in their forties.
The one thing Donna intended to do every day of Louisa's life was to tell her daughter that she was loved and wanted. The only true maternal influences in Donna's life had been her grandmothers. The happiest moments of her childhood had been visiting Gram—Louisa McGuire—a woman who baked cookies, told fabulous stories and let her grandchild dress up in her hats and shoes. Her other grandmother—Christine Hughes—had also taken a keen interest in Donna. Far more than either parent. She had introduced Donna to the opera and the ballet, concerts and art museums, and had chaperoned her first trip to Europe.
A loud tap on the outer door of her office erased those sweet memories from Donna's mind. "Yes?"
The door opened and Neil Webster peered into the office. "Hello, there. I heard you'd come in today. How are things going?"
"Hello, Neil." Donna groaned silently. Neil was the financial aide director for the community college. A nice man, he tended to be a nosy busybody. He knew everyone's business and loved spreading gossip.
He slipped into the office and closed the door behind him. "The place is abuzz about your former husband showing up unexpectedly. I understand he's some sort of cowboy and he's Governor Rand's brother-in-law."
"That's right." Fully prepared to perpetuate the lie that she and Jake had been married briefly last summer, Donna plastered a phony smile onto her face. "Jake Bishop is back in Crooked Oak and is looking into buying a quarter horse ranch there."
"Everyone's curious as to whether you and Mr. Bishop will remarry." Neil leaned over Donna's desk, lowered his voice and whispered, "You know, of course, that some people are saying y'all were never married. President Harper's wife was terribly upset when she heard the rumor. I assured her that it wasn't true."
"Thank you, Neil." Donna cast her gaze heavenward and prayed for someone to rescue her from this well-meaning friend.
Resting a hip on the desk as he leaned closer, Neil glanced from side to side, as if checking for hidden spies. "Between the two of us, my dear, if there's any truth to that nasty rumor, I'd get Mr. Bishop to the nearest preacher as soon as possible. Even if the marriage ends in a few months, the marriage certificate alone would stop wagging tongues, end any speculation about your losing your job and—most importantly—ensure your child's legitimacy."
"You've got this all figured out, haven't you, Neil?" Donna positioned her face directly in front of his. "You know more than you're telling me."
Neil withdrew, pursed his lips and rose from the desk. "Marry the man, Donna. No matter how uncouth he is— and I understand he's a rounder. I've heard he was the town bad boy years ago. A really bad boy."
Neil smiled. Until Donna frowned at him. He cleared his throat.
"Get that marriage certificate, legitimize your daughter and then divorce the man," Neil advised. "You know as well as I do what the moral codes are in Marshallton County. We're still living in the nineteenth century around here."
"I cannot be fired simply because I'm an unwed mother!"
"No, of course not. But believe me, if the powers that be want you out, they'll find a way."
Donna shoved back her chair, stood and looked out the window behind her desk. "Thanks for stopping by, Neil. I'll keep your suggestion in mind."
"You're a smart lady. You'll do what you have to do," Neil said. "So, you made a mistake last summer. You can correct it. We all make mistakes."
Without acknowledging his comment verbally, Donna merely nodded, her silence a cue for him to leave.
"I'll talk to you later, then," he said.
When the door closed, Donna turned to find Neil gone. But his presence lingered. She couldn't afford to ignore his warnings. He was right. If Mrs. Harding and others like her, suspected that she hadn't been married to Jake, they could put a great deal of pressure on the college president and
The one thing Donna intended to do every day of Louisa's life was to tell her daughter that she was loved and wanted. The only true maternal influences in Donna's life had been her grandmothers. The happiest moments of her childhood had been visiting Gram—Louisa McGuire—a woman who baked cookies, told fabulous stories and let her grandchild dress up in her hats and shoes. Her other grandmother—Christine Hughes—had also taken a keen interest in Donna. Far more than either parent. She had introduced Donna to the opera and the ballet, concerts and art museums, and had chaperoned her first trip to Europe.
A loud tap on the outer door of her office erased those sweet memories from Donna's mind. "Yes?"
The door opened and Neil Webster peered into the office. "Hello, there. I heard you'd come in today. How are things going?"
"Hello, Neil." Donna groaned silently. Neil was the financial aide director for the community college. A nice man, he tended to be a nosy busybody. He knew everyone's business and loved spreading gossip.
He slipped into the office and closed the door behind him. "The place is abuzz about your former husband showing up unexpectedly. I understand he's some sort of cowboy and he's Governor Rand's brother-in-law."
"That's right." Fully prepared to perpetuate the lie that she and Jake had been married briefly last summer, Donna plastered a phony smile onto her face. "Jake Bishop is back in Crooked Oak and is looking into buying a quarter horse ranch there."
"Everyone's curious as to whether you and Mr. Bishop will remarry." Neil leaned over Donna's desk, lowered his voice and whispered, "You know, of course, that some people are saying y'all were never married. President Harper's wife was terribly upset when she heard the rumor. I assured her that it wasn't true."
"Thank you, Neil." Donna cast her gaze heavenward and prayed for someone to rescue her from this well-meaning friend.
Resting a hip on the desk as he leaned closer, Neil glanced from side to side, as if checking for hidden spies. "Between the two of us, my dear, if there's any truth to that nasty rumor, I'd get Mr. Bishop to the nearest preacher as soon as possible. Even if the marriage ends in a few months, the marriage certificate alone would stop wagging tongues, end any speculation about your losing your job and—most importantly—ensure your child's legitimacy."
"You've got this all figured out, haven't you, Neil?" Donna positioned her face directly in front of his. "You know more than you're telling me."
Neil withdrew, pursed his lips and rose from the desk. "Marry the man, Donna. No matter how uncouth he is— and I understand he's a rounder. I've heard he was the town bad boy years ago. A really bad boy."
Neil smiled. Until Donna frowned at him. He cleared his throat.
"Get that marriage certificate, legitimize your daughter and then divorce the man," Neil advised. "You know as well as I do what the moral codes are in Marshallton County. We're still living in the nineteenth century around here."
"I cannot be fired simply because I'm an unwed mother!"
"No, of course not. But believe me, if the powers that be want you out, they'll find a way."
Donna shoved back her chair, stood and looked out the window behind her desk. "Thanks for stopping by, Neil. I'll keep your suggestion in mind."
"You're a smart lady. You'll do what you have to do," Neil said. "So, you made a mistake last summer. You can correct it. We all make mistakes."
Without acknowledging his comment verbally, Donna merely nodded, her silence a cue for him to leave.
"I'll talk to you later, then," he said.
When the door closed, Donna turned to find Neil gone. But his presence lingered. She couldn't afford to ignore his warnings. He was right. If Mrs. Harding and others like her, suspected that she hadn't been married to Jake, they could put a great deal of pressure on the college president and
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