Stavewood (Stavewood Saga Book 1) (31 page)

Chapter Fifty-Nine

     
 
T
imothy
paced the parlor of the cottage angrily. “Rebecca, it’s out of the question. We’ll stay here until the baby comes and I think it’s safe to make the trip, not a minute before.”

      “It’s just a few feet of snow. I’m feeling fine today, I’m sure the ride would be alright. I can’t imagine making you stay here for months.” Rebecca was disappointed not to be returning to Stavewood, but she was sure Timothy was devastated.

      “You’re not making me stay. I just think it’s the only way. Why risk it? If something went wrong neither of us would forgive ourselves.” He sat down beside her at the table, taking both of her hands and looked at her openly.

      “I’ll be back first thing in the morning with everything you need and we’ll just stay here. You loved this cottage when we first came. It’s just a much longer honeymoon than we ever imagined.” He smiled and kissed her hands.

      “Not much of a honeymoon now, I suppose,” she sighed.

      “We can continue to satisfy your curiosities in no time, it’s always a honeymoon to me.” Rebecca had to smile at the twinkle in the man’s eye.

      “I will enjoy that very much,” Rebecca blushed. “I’m anxious for that myself.”

      Isabel walked onto the porch and held Rebecca by the shoulders, standing behind her on the cottage porch, as Timothy pulled away in the carriage.

      Rebecca turned, unable to watch the man leave, and cried onto the older woman’s shoulder.

      “He’ll be back soon, Rebecca. It’s not good for you to make yourself so upset. Come inside out of the cold and we’ll have something naughty and delicious to eat.”

      Rebecca allowed the woman to lead her inside and sat at the table, a faraway look in her eye.

      “He wanted so badly to return to Stavewood right away, right after we were married, he even stated it as we were leaving there. Oh, Isabel, I feel so terrible.” Rebecca fought back her tears. “He was so worried I would feel trapped at Stavewood like Corissa did, and now I have trapped him here away from home. I feel fine really, a little twinge sometimes, but not much more than before.”

      “Before now you didn’t have your baby to consider. Think about it, Rebecca. Inside of you a part of both of you is growing, depending on you to take care of yourself so it can come into the world healthy and strong. Timothy is a grown man and he knows he can’t just do as he pleases. He has a family now and he understands that. He loves you so much. Trust him to make the right choice. I assure you, he does not feel trapped any more than you did at Stavewood.”

      Rebecca smiled. She accepted Isabel’s perspective and tried to understand. She sighed and decided that something to eat sounded wonderful.

      “I have to admit to you, Rebecca,” Isabel opened the basket she had brought down from the main house and revealed a collection of delectable pastries. “I’m rather pleased you’ll be here to have your baby.”

      “Are you excited about becoming a grandmother at last?” Rebecca pulled one of the chairs closer, arranging the pale yellow gingham cushion and propping up her feet.

      “You can’t imagine! I’m also quite happy that you convinced Timothy to bring Mark back with him. Phillip and I have never had the chance to get to know him, though we certainly have wanted to. Corissa would have none of it.

      “When you told me about being up at the cabin for so long I could have killed Timothy for leaving the boy there while he was away. We would have loved to have had him here. It’s a good thing he’ll have you to teach him to be a more responsible parent. He never cared much for our methods.” Isabel chuckled, tasted the pastry, and rolled her eyes.

      “I don’t know anything about it myself. I don’t know how well I might teach him.” Rebecca tasted the pastry and agreed with Isabel’s’ appreciative expressions. “Timothy gave me a kitten, for practice he said, right before we left to be married.”

      “See, Rebecca. There’s a perfect example! Timothy is thrilled that you’re expecting.”

      “Yes, you’re right,” Rebecca sighed. “I just feel as if everything has gone badly and I can’t stop wanting to cry about every little thing.”

      “That’s part of how you learn to be a mother.” Isabel placed her hand upon Rebecca’s on the table. “You cry over everything. Sad, happy, sweet, silly. When your baby comes you understand how important every little emotion can be and you understand so much more. You’ll feel your baby’s every sensation and know how to communicate and care for him.

      “That however, does not apply to men. With men you understand less and less.”

      The two women laughed and Rebecca began to understand that Isabel was the perfect person to help her prepare for her baby.

      In the morning Timothy returned as promised, grinning broadly, with Mark beside him, holding the mewling kitten in a basket. The big man began unloading the carriage, taking out a boxful of yarn in every shade of blue.

      Rebecca hugged him fervently and ruffled Mark’s hair as she accepted the kitten.

      “Pa said you need more practice.” Mark’s eyes were twinkling and Rebecca was sure they must have had some interesting conversations about the baby.

      “He said I was getting a brother or a sister in the spring and I needed some practice, too.” The boy was visibly pleased.

      “I see you expect me to spend much of my time knitting. But only in blue?” Rebecca smiled at the two males, lifting her eyebrows and examining the bundles in the box.

      “Well,” Tim said devilishly. “If not blue, you could use these!” He reached inside the vehicle and pulled out an equally large box filled with pinks.

      Rebecca laughed, and, taking Mark by the shoulder, led him inside.

      Later, Phillip and Isabel took Mark up to the main house with promises of wonderful books and toys, threatening to tell stories of how badly Timothy had behaved as a child. Their son and Rebecca were left to enjoy their evening alone.

      “You thought you might be expecting before we came to town, didn’t you?” Timothy was lying on the bed, Rebecca’s head on his chest as he played with her hair.

      “Yes,” she whispered, drowsy with the pleasure of his fondling.

      “Why didn’t you say anything?”

      “I didn’t want you to marry me just because I was expecting.”

      “Afraid you’d be trapping me?”

      “Yes, rather. I talked to your mother after you left. Do you remember when you asked me if I would feel trapped in the winter at Stavewood?” She moved slightly to free her hair from beneath her, allowing him more to play with.

      “Yes, vividly. Why?” He let a long strand fall from his fingers.

      “She told me that it was the same thing, my thinking I had trapped you here. Is that true?”

      “My mother is a very wise woman, Rebecca. She’s exactly right.”

      Rebecca ran her slender hand along his thigh, stopping short of being too intimate.

      “I’m not sure that’s such a good idea.” He held his breath.

      “It’s fine. I asked the doctor when he stopped by yesterday.”

      “You asked him what?” He lifted his head and looked into her eyes.

      “If it would hurt me if we made love.”

      Timothy cleared his throat, embarrassed to imagine what the conversation must have sounded like to the doctor. “What did he tell you?”

      “No swinging from the chandeliers and no standing me on my head. He suggested that there were ways we might enjoy one another I hadn’t thought of before.” Rebecca smiled up at him, a twinkle in her eye.

      “What? I don’t want to envision that conversation at all.” The big man blushed.

      “That’s what he said,” she grinned at the memory. She was nervous about asking, but the doctor was open and frank with her, professional, yet understanding.

      Timothy groaned, still uncertain and terrified that he might hurt the girl or her baby in some way.

      “You’re afraid, aren’t you?” She asked, laying her head back against his chest.

      “Very,” he responded softly.

      “Then why don’t you just let me satisfy my curiosity and you just lie back?” She began to stroke his thigh a bit more boldly.

      “Possibly,” he whispered cautiously. “Just exactly what are you curious about?”

      “I’ll show you,” she whispered as she turned and crawled up to face him.

Chapter Sixty

    
P
atches
of the rich soil had begun to show through melting snow in the woodland surrounding the cottage and the spring day was unusually warm. A bright collection of crocus was beginning to bloom along the pathway.

      Mark was seated beside Rebecca as she read aloud on the porch swing. “Grandmother Isabel told me that if I asked you might let me feel the baby pushing. She said to ask very nicely so you wouldn’t be uncomfortable.”

      “Grandmother?” Rebecca asked, watching the boy’s face.

      “Sure, she’s going to be the baby’s grandmother, so that makes her my grandmother too, right?”

      “Yes, you’re exactly right!” Rebecca watched the sleek black cat chase her yarn on the porch and then rub affectionately against her leg.

      “So, does the baby really push?”

      “Yes, quite well in fact.” Rebecca took the boy’s hand and pressed it to her rounded belly where the baby had kicked soundly just moments before.

      As her unborn infant pushed a tiny foot firmly against her Mark nearly leapt from the chair.

      “I felt it!” he exclaimed and held his hand carefully against her. “There it goes again! What’s it doing in there?” Mark was clearly amazed.

      “Getting crowded, I expect.” Timothy walked out onto the porch, having listened to their conversation from inside the doorway.

      “You should feel it, Pa! It’s pushing really hard!”

      “I have. It pushes me all night.” Timothy placed his hand lovingly on Rebecca’s shoulder.

      Rebecca shifted her position slightly.

      “Mark, let Rebecca be now. Why don’t you take the cat for a walk up to the house so Rebecca can get her nap?”

      The boy patted Rebecca’s belly softly, leaned close and whispered. “It’s spring now, you can come out pretty soon.” He jumped from the porch, calling the cat, which followed him as he ran up the path.

      Rebecca laughed and Timothy shook his head.

      “I guess he’s getting excited,” Timothy chuckled.

      “I’m just getting uncomfortable,” Rebecca sighed.

      Timothy helped her from the chair and took her arm, leading her inside. They both knew that the baby was becoming difficult for Rebecca to carry now, but her pregnancy had gone well and her date was not far away.

      “I feel like a human pumpkin,” Rebecca remarked as Timothy helped her into the bed.

      “The most stunning pumpkin I’ve ever seen.”

      Rebecca settled against the soft, propped pillows and studied her husband’s fine face.

      “Something happened while you were up at Stavewood. I know it, please don’t deny it.”

      “You have enough to worry about. Let it be and I’ll sit with you if you like.” Timothy lifted her legs easily and placed her feet on his lap.

      “If you don’t tell me I will continue to worry and might imagine something far worse than the truth. I’m only expecting, Timothy. I’m not an invalid.”

      He rubbed her slender foot slowly, wishing she had not seen the concern on his face and hoping she would abandon her questioning.

      “I’ll only keep asking. Tell me please. You don’t need to worry alone.”

      Timothy sighed and looked her in the eye.

      “There’s talk that Dianna is back in the area. Someone may have seen her in the woods surrounding Stavewood.” 

      “Oh, Timothy!” Rebecca tried to sit upright in the bed.

      “Sit back. I told you, you have enough to worry about. It’s fine. Nothing has happened for months. They could have been mistaken.” He sat her back and covered her legs with a light quilt.

      “Timothy,” she scolded. “Dianna is not a woman you tend to mistake for anyone else.”

      “Maybe it was just a huge moose,” he smiled.

      “Oh, you!” Rebecca smirked. “You’re just trying to keep me from worrying.”

      “Most definitely, woman. You let me worry and you sleep.” He tucked her in and sat carefully on the bed beside her.

      “I’m not in the least bit tired.” She took his hand gently.

      “Because you are going to lie here and worry now.”

      “No, that’s not it. I’ve felt rather energetic all day I just don’t move quickly enough for anyone to notice.” She giggled.

      “It may be all that fresh air you have gotten today. Here, come closer.” Timothy pulled her to him and Rebecca snuggled into his shoulder.

      “I’m nervous, Timothy,” she moaned.

      “About Dianna? Don’t be.”

      “No, about the baby coming.” She rubbed his hand absentmindedly.

      “Do you feel alright?” he looked down at her, concerned.

      “It’s not that,” she sighed. “What if I scream or something?”

      Timothy chuckled deeply. “I’ve heard you scream before. I’m sure everyone will survive.”

      “Me? Scream? Never!” she gasped.

      “Close enough.” Timothy cleared his throat.