not mine! I can’t believe you think she is.”
“You’re sure?” Grandfather’s voice was full of doubt.
“As sure as I am that the sun will set tonight and rise again tomorrow.” He gazed at the baby, expecting her to be asleep, but she stared up at him. He touched her cheek and played with her hand, curling and uncurling her fingers. “I can’t believe Thelma called the little thing Elspeth.” Except it didn’t surprise him. Thelma had admired a singer of that name.
“Why would she say she’s yours? Why would she send her here?”
Indeed. He met Grandfather’s piercing gaze with his own steady one. “I can’t answer for her choices. But perhaps the baby is in danger.” He let that sit for a moment.
“What kind of danger?”
“Some of the people in her traveling troupe were a little...” He held up a hand to indicate uncertainty.
“What are you going to do with her?” Grandfather asked, his voice not unkind.
“Seems to me this little one needs a family to care for her and protect her. I’m willing to do that.”
Grandfather cleared his throat. “Every child deserves to be surrounded by love and care. I guess Thelma knew what she was doing when she sent her to you.”
“Except she likely didn’t think it would be just you and me caring for her.”
“Don’t worry, son. We’ll figure it out as we go. ’Sides, doesn’t it say in the Bible that God cares about even the little sparrows? She is of far more value than a hundred sparrows. We’ll trust God to help us.”
Conner nodded. “I think we’ll be keeping God busy for a few days.” But hadn’t he learned how sufficient God was in the painful days after Thelma had left? His family had gathered round him and helped him as much as they could and for that he owed them his faithfulness. They’d help him with the care of this little scrap of humanity as well. Just as soon as they got back. In the meantime, he and Grandfather were all she had.
How long would they need to provide for Ellie? What was going on with Thelma?
* * *
Kate had barely finished making a pot of coffee for her father the next morning when someone clattered into the waiting room and hollered, “Doc, are you there?”
She was used to the doctor being called away any time of the day or night, so she quickly filled a cup of coffee for her father. “Eat something while I go see what it is.” She’d delay the caller long enough to allow Father to have breakfast. A few minutes to eat leisurely would go a long way to preventing any problems with his memory.
She went into the waiting room. A man she recognized from the community stood before her.
“My mother fell getting out of bed this morning and is hurting. Could the doctor come and see her?” His mother was a frail elderly woman.
Father appeared behind her. “I’ll go immediately.” He reached for his black doctor’s bag.
“I’ll go with you.” Kate untied her apron and hung it on a hook.
She had barely finished speaking when one of the young cowboys she recognized from the Marshall ranch burst through the door.
The cowboy grabbed the hat off his head. “Miss Kate, Conner says would you please come immediately? The baby isn’t eating. He says she’s really weak.”
Kate’s hands clenched. She’d hoped and prayed for a better report. She wanted nothing more than to hurry to the baby’s side and will her to be strong, but her father was needed elsewhere. She had accompanied him on almost every call since their arrival. Often she had guided him through a task or reminded him of a medical fact as he struggled to regain full use of his memory. Lately, she’d needed to help less and less, but she wasn’t yet confident he was completely better. But she couldn’t be in two places.
Father saw her concern. “I’ll be okay on my own. You go take care of that baby, nurse it back to health and strength.”
She hesitated a moment longer before making up her mind. By the sound of it, the baby required medical care. Kate would give her that and more. She’d pour love into that little girl until she grew strong. Only for the sake of her health, of course. She knew better than to let her emotions get involved.
“Let me get a few things.” The supplies she needed were in the office, but she turned back to their living quarters and slipped into her bedroom, where she sat on the edge of the bed and leaned over, her face to her knees. She needed to be calm and collected. She needed wisdom to guide them through dealing with the weak baby.
Oh, God, You are my friend and my strength. The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
Her soul calmed and her courage renewed, she joined the cowboy and hurried toward the buggy.
As she settled herself on the bench, she glanced around. To her left was the newly constructed schoolhouse. To her right, the new barbershop. Past that were other new buildings taking shape, replacing those that had been destroyed in a fire a few months ago.
Bella Creek, Montana, was a town Grandfather Marshall had built to provide an alternative to the wild mining town of Wolf Hollow. He took the welfare of the town very seriously and was largely responsible, with the help of his sons and grandsons, for the rebuilding after the fire of last winter. The Marshalls had located a doctor and teacher as well, to replace the ones who left following the disaster.
She would miss the small town when she left. She’d already been accepted at a medical school in St. Louis, Missouri, but had delayed her entrance to care for Father.
They reached the ranch and the cowboy helped her down. Kate hurried through to the sitting room. One look at the baby, her eyes unfocused, her breathing shallow, and Kate’s mind kicked into a gallop.
“You should have sent for help earlier.”
“I kept thinking she would improve.” Conner scrubbed his hand over his hair, turning it into a blond tangle and bringing a fleeting smile to Kate’s mouth.
She lifted the baby, cradling her close. Normally a baby was warm. This one was not. “Did she drink any milk at all?”
“She wouldn’t swallow. Most of the time she won’t even meet my eyes. What’s wrong with her?”
Kate knew his frustration came from concern for the life of this little one. There was no point in her saying anything to allay his worries. If the baby didn’t begin to eat... She couldn’t bring herself to finish the thought and instead closed her eyes and breathed a prayer. The baby needed fluids immediately. Did her body even have the strength to digest milk? There was an alternative.
“I’ll start her on sugar water.”
Wanting to preserve what body heat the little one had, she swaddled her in the soft, white blanket from the basket, then handed her to Conner. “Hold her close. She needs to be warm.”
Conner pressed the baby to his chest. Kate plucked the hand-knit blanket
