Ana Seymour Read Online Free Page A

the stranger and had begun instead to squirm and pat at Kate’s full breasts. “I wasn’t around when you needed me, Kate,” he agreed. “But I’m here now, and I don’t intend to leave either you or my daughter to face the world alone again.”
    Kate shook her head, juggled Caroline in her arms and looked as if the tears she’d been staving off would finally fall.
    Sean brushed his hand briefly over the baby’s curly hair, then said softly, “Go ahead and feed our daughter, Katie Marie. I’ll see myself out.”
    It started that afternoon with Barnaby slamming into the kitchen out of breath to announce that Irving, the odd-job man from the dry goods, had just left a mountain of packages on the front porch.
    “A mountain!” he’d repeated, gulping air. Barnaby was the thirteen-year-old orphan who had been living with the Sheridans since he’d been taken in by theirparents about a year before their death. He helped around the house, especially now that it had been turned into a boarding establishment, but his position was more of an adopted younger brother than a servant.
    “What are they? Where did they come from?” Jennie had asked. But Kate had merely rolled her eyes. She’d expected something of the sort ever since Sean had left her standing alone in the parlor that morning. He’d had that look in his eyes that she’d seen before, a determination that sooner or later he’d get what he wanted. She’d seen the same look the spring he’d come to town and wooed her with such intensity. That time, he had gotten what he wanted, but, she resolved to herself firmly, he was not going to get it now.
    When they went out to the porch to examine the packages, Jennie seemed to be taking Sean’s side once again. “They’re for his daughter, Kate. He has a right to give her something.”
    But after they’d opened the tenth package of expensive, heavy cloth, even Jennie had to admit that Sean’s largesse had been excessive. “What in the world could one child do with so many clothes?” she asked.
    “I’ll keep four of the lengths,” Kate announced, “and then I’m going to send the rest off to the hospital in Virginia City. There were plenty of babies there who could use something warm for the winter.”
    Jennie had nodded her approval and the paperwrapped pieces of cloth had been neatly stacked at one end of the porch awaiting transportation to their new home.
    That evening when Sean had once again shown upafter supper and been informed of Kate’s proposed disposal of his gifts, he’d frowned and said firmly that the cloth was for Caroline. In addition, he told Jennie, he’d see that money was wired the following day from Flaherty Enterprises to the Virginia City hospital. “Enough to clothe a hundred babies,” he said angrily. But Kate had refused to see him that evening and the next and the next.
    Over those three days flowers arrived regularly, morning and evening. A case of champagne had been delivered for Jennie and Carter with a card: “In belated celebration of your marriage.” Amanda Hill, the town milliner and seamstress had arrived saying she’d been hired to sew frocks for little Miss Caroline. By the third evening, when a huge box of sweetmeats had arrived for their evening supper, even the silverheels were urging Kate to give Sean an audience.
    “If for no other reason than to make him stop,” Dennis Kelly told her as they sat around the big dining room table while Barnaby and Jennie cleared away the dishes. “The man’ll drive you daft, lass.”
    “He’s driving me daft already,” Kate replied.
    Dennis chuckled, jiggling the jowls under his muttonchop whiskers. “Aye, but it’s a nice way to go. Showered with attention.” Of Irish descent himself, Dennis’ speech sometimes reminded Kate of Sean’s slight brogue. And both knew how to use blarney to their purpose.
    “If you really have no desire to take up with him again, Kate, you may have to see him one more time just so