Read Online Silver Heart (Historical Western Romance) (Longren Family series #1) by Amelia Rose - Free Book Online Page A

mother had shared his letters, but surely he wouldn't have sent such information to her.
                  The doctor hadn't left the room.  He stood just inside the door that led to the sitting room and I blinked away the confusion and hurt, looked up at him, and tried to smile.  "Was there – something else?"             
                  "Mrs. Barnett, she lives over other side of town, past the baker. Anyone can tell you the way?"  It sounded like a question.  I had no idea what he was getting at.
                  "Yes?"
                  "She's expecting her third.  Any day now.  She's had an easy time of it in the past, can't say as I'm expecting anything different this time around.  She's still on her feet, strong and healthy, but wouldn't hurt if you were to drop round in the next day or two.  Get your bearings but maybe make an introduction."
                  My head spun, thoughts flew.  Everything at once, the chance to help out, the fear of hurting Hutch, the challenge I'd thought I'd seen from the doctor coupled with the chance he was giving me.
                  He was waiting for an answer.  "Thank you," I stammered.  "I'll go 'round today.  Or, or tomorrow."  I hadn't unpacked.  I didn't know if Hutch would come back for midday meal.  There was Matthew to see to.
                  And I was petrified.
                  He saw that and smiled but it wasn't cruel.  Just knowing.  "Good day," he said again and was gone before I managed a reply. 
     
                  Hutch did come home midday, to check in with me, to eat lightly and without interest and to refuse to reply to any conversational sally I made until I gave up and contented myself with making a tray for his brother and busying myself in the kitchen.
                  When he got ready to go back to the mine, still silent and halfway out the door without comment, I hazarded a question.  He wasn't used to having someone here.  That I could understand.  But had I done something –
                  "No," he said, and his eyes cleared for an instant.  "I don't want to trouble you.  You've only just arrived."  He looked back over his shoulder into the house.  "Have you even unpacked yet?"  As if, had I unpacked, the nature of the house would have changed completely.
                  I smiled. "Not yet, but I brought little.  Books, mostly."
                  He nodded. 
                  "Hutch.  Trouble me."
                  That made him look at me again, with a faint smile.  "Just a line of ore.  I thought we had found a vein, something that might put the Silver Sky back on its feet.  But it petered out in a very short distance.  I'm going to be losing men, can't afford their pay, and that hurts them, hurts everybody.  It might have been better."  And he stopped and folded his lips over what he might have said, which I had no doubt was along the lines of, "Perhaps you should have stayed in Boston."
                  I took a breath.  He was already troubled.  Could what I had to ask trouble him that much more?  And he needed my help. 
                  "Doctor Horton said Matthew is doing well," I started.  He knew this, having talked with his brother already.  He simply nodded and waited.  "He suggested."  Deep breath.  "He suggested I call on Mrs. Barnett," I said, and waited to see if he'd put the pieces of that together himself.  He did, and in short order. 
                  "I see."
                  I rushed in, anxious.  "Do you mind, Mr. – Hutch?  I'd like to help."  That brought color to his face.  Quickly, I said, "She may have easy births, but it never hurts to have the help of someone trained nearby."
                  He relented, his lips losing the tight line of pride.