feet.
Dammit.
“What is it? The baby?” Bram ducked his head to get a look.
Jake wanted out of this chair right now, but, if he rose, the baby would fall. She took a lurching step forward into the vee between his legs and latched on to him to keep her balance. One chubby little hand hit his thigh, the other one his man parts.
He didn’t want to hold her, but he didn’t want her looking at him with those big eyes, either. Easing his chair back, he sent a pleading look to his brother, who was occupied with scraping his plate clean.
Jake picked her up, holding her stiffly out in front of him. He had every intention of handing her off to Georgia or his uncle when Molly grabbed his face between her hands and jabbered something. Her sweet baby scent drifted around him, pricking at memories he kept ruthlessly tucked away.
Sheer reflex had him surging to his feet and thrusting her toward Ike. Before the older man could take her, Miz York eased the baby out of his hold.
“I’m sorry.” She sent Jake an apologetic look. “I didn’t know she’d gotten away from me.”
Heat searing his nerves, he stepped behind his chair, putting some distance between them. The knowing look in his uncle’s eyes had him dragging a hand across his nape.
Puzzlement slid across the nurse’s fine-boned features.
“We don’t know much about babies—” Bram stood, drawing her attention “—but we like ’em.”
Her uncertain gaze darted to Jake then fixed on his brother. “I’ll try to keep her out of your way.”
“She’s not in our way,” Ike said jovially as he rose from his chair. “We like having her around.”
Jake caught the flash of skepticism on Emma York’s face and knew he should try to reassure her, but he couldn’t do it. Her light soap scent joined with the baby’s and he felt as if his chest were being crushed.
“We didn’t hire you so you’d keep her away from us,” Ike said. “We just need some help taking care of her.”
Jake wanted to say he had definitely hired Miz York to keep the baby away from him. That he was the one who made the final decisions around here, but he wasn’t. And he didn’t want to be responsible for that baby. Fine with him if Uncle Ike wanted to raise the orphan the same way he’d raised his nephews. That didn’t mean Jake had to.
“It’s just that some of us are better with little ones than others of us are,” Bram explained.
Miz York nodded, her face pale as she cuddled the baby.
“That was an excellent breakfast, Miz York.” Georgia folded her napkin and set it beside her plate.
“Yes. If we don’t watch it,” her father said, “you’ll have us all fatter than peach-orchard boars in no time.”
Her lips curved in the closest thing to a real smile that Jake had seen since she’d arrived. “Thank you.”
The way her face lit up put a strange tightness in Jake’s chest. But, when her gaze shifted to him, her smile faded and a wariness moved into her eyes. She turned and walked into the kitchen.
Dammit. Compelled to make an effort at reassuring her, he asked, “Is there anything we can do for you before we leave? Anything you need?”
Her voice drifted from the kitchen. “I need to do the laundry. If you could just show me the washtub—”
“We’ll haul the water for you,” Bram volunteered.
“And start the fire,” Jake added.
Coming back to the doorway with the baby on her hip, she looked at Bram, not Jake. “Thank you, but—”
“I’ll get the basket Louisa used to carry the laundry.” His brother went into a small alcove between the housekeeper’s room and the outside wall, returning with a large round basket. After setting it in Jake’s chair, he moved toward the door. “That was a fine meal, Miz York.”
“I’ll start the fire on my way out,” Jake said.
“That’s not necessary,” she said stiffly. “You did hire me to do the job, after all.”
He looked at her. Did they all make her uncomfortable or was it just him? “It won’t take a minute for me to get it burning.”
“I can do it.”
“We can gather up our clothes for you,” Bram insisted.
“I’m supposed to be here to help you—” she looked ill at ease “—not the other way around.”
“All right.” Bram grinned. “You can gather the clothes, but we’ll haul the tubs and the water.”
“And rig up the clothesline,” Ike added.
“Thank you,” she said quietly, though she acted more uneasy than pleased about it.
Bram went outside and Jake started to follow. Now that he was getting some space from her, he could breathe just fine. “We’ll be riding in the west pasture today. If you need anything, for any reason, there’s a gun behind the front door. And there’s a bell hanging right outside the kitchen door and the barn. We can hear both for quite a ways.”
“Do you expect trouble?” Her eyes went wide with worry.
“No, not at all. But we’re not expecting visitors, either.” He’d mentioned the weapon and the bell to reassure her, but it obviously hadn’t. “I wanted you to know about the gun for protection and how to signal us if you needed to.”
“All right, thank you.” She studied him as if she were trying to determine how he was put together.
“Is there anything particular you’d like for supper?” she asked tentatively.
“Whatever you fix will be fine.” He needed to get outside, now. “If we get held up, don’t wait on us. You and Georgia eat while it’s hot.”
She nodded as Georgia came around the table. Emma and his cousin followed him to the door, and Jake could feel the nurse’s anxious gaze locked on him.
Just looking at her pale face made his chest tight. That baby and Emma York made him feel responsible for their welfare. The minute he’d seen the brunette, something inside him had gone still. He didn’t know why. He didn’t care to know.
He was sick to death of feeling responsible for everyone, dead and alive. He’d done the right thing by not dumping that baby on someone else, done the right thing by hiring Emma York. He didn’t need to do anything else, but, for some reason, right didn’t seem like enough this time.
Jake Ross had buzzed in Emma’s thoughts all day like a pesky insect. She wasn’t sure if it was because of the hard look on his face when he’d held Molly that morning at breakfast or because of the quiet way he had studied Emma. As if he knew more than she’d told him. Thankfully,
