As she wiped the baby with the cloth, she found in the washbowl, he gurgled and reached out for her face with his small hands.
“What’s your name, little one?” She smiled and he replied with animated babbling. Soon he was dressed in a fresh diaper and a clean white collared dress, similar to what he wore before. She cleaned the crib as best as she could and rinsed the bedding in the same tin washbowl. She would find a place outside to hang them up to dry.
Ruth opened the curtains and immediately the room looked lighter and fresh air filled the room once she managed to open the window.
She couldn’t help feeling anger toward the man who slept downstairs who was most likely the baby’s father, but where was his mother?
She smiled as she watched him play with his toys and crawl around the room. She felt a small smile play about her lips as she had never imagined that one day she’d sneak into someone’s house and nurse their crying baby.
Ruth suddenly felt very tired. When she traveled with the Bloomers they suggested she try to catch some shut-eye, but her mind had been too full of questions and she had been so anxious. The closer they got to the ranch, the more nervous she became with all her fears niggling at her mind about the future.
As she looked at the adorable, happy child, Ruth wondered if he was part of the Lord’s plan for her. In her heart, she felt a kind of reassuring peace that this was where she was supposed to be, but her worry was Daniel.
She closed her eyes and prayed silently. “Lord, I’m worried that Daniel Grant will send me away; please help convince him to let me stay.”
Ruth opened her eyes and wondered if the man in the dining room was, Daniel Grant? If so, would he be willing to listen to her? Would he forgive her for entering his house? She only came inside because of the baby. What would his wife think of her feeding and bathing the baby?
Ruth thought she heard a voice downstairs and her heart pounded as sudden fear gripped her. She was a stranger in the Grant house. She shouldn’t be here! What would they think when they saw her with their baby?
Ruth bowed her head and prayed earnestly; she believed that in everything the Lord was in complete control. She remembered the verse from Matthew 21:22,And all things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. Now was the time she needed to believe and put her trust and faith in Him more than ever. After all, she had nowhere else to go.
Chapter Four
Cries. Infant cries. Daniel groaned as he stirred. His head throbbed, his eyes felt heavy and his body refused to move. He saw the cup of cold coffee on the table and stretched to reach out for it, but it was just beyond his reach.
He slowly pushed himself into an upright position. His throat felt dry—he grabbed the cup of cold coffee, gulped it down, and pulled a face at the cold bitter taste. He squinted under the sun’s glare from the window. Had he slept all morning?
Matthew is crying, he thought. His remembered Elizabeth mention that she had to go to town early in the morning. Daniel massaged his forehead with his thumb and index fingers. He looked at the small empty port bottle on the floor and wondered whether he should have just listened to Elizabeth. The untouched plate of food lay on the table and he was ashamed that she had gone to all that trouble to cook a meal for him he never touched.
He stood and bent to pick up the empty port bottle. That small act caused waves of painful throbbing in his head, and he quickly left the bottle on the table before going to the kitchen. On top of one of the big table in the middle of the room, Elizabeth had left a pitcher of water and a small bowl. He quirked up a corner of his mouth. Elizabeth knew he liked to wash up a bit in the mornings. After splashing his face with the cool water, he felt some better.
He suddenly remembered while he lay on the table half-awake and half-asleep, he heard the sound of footfalls coming from the kitchen and a gentle shake. He had taken a deep breath and let out a sigh of relief. He closed his eyes again and thought it was Elizabeth. Had he imagined a presence near him? Was it Elizabeth?
Could she have changed her mind or returned already? No, it couldn’t have been Elizabeth. The floorboards had not creaked and the steps were light and quick. Who could it have been?
He frowned when he saw the kitchen door was wide open. His eyes widened suddenly as he realized he hadn’t imagined things and Elizabeth was not here. Matthew had stopped crying a good while ago. Someone was inside the house.Matthew!He felt panic hit him like a ton of bricks.Oh, no, no!Daniel raced up the stairs as fast as he could.Please, Lord, let Matthew be safe, he prayed.
When Daniel reached the nursery, his jaw dropped and he stopped in the doorway, wide-eyed and speechless. Was he seeing things? He knew he was not dreaming. The room was bright, the curtains were open and a cool breeze came from the open windows.
He was stunned to see a pretty young woman playing with Matthew on the floor. He wondered if Elizabeth had arranged a nursemaid for Matthew, but surely, she would have spoken to him first. He noticed the empty pitcher and washbowl. This woman didn’t look like a nursemaid.
The woman stopped playing with Matthew and looked up at him with dark brown eyes the color of rich, dark coffee. She started and looked scared, but she stood and faced him.
“Who are you?” Daniel demanded, “And what are you doing with my son?”
“I … Ruth—” she began to stammer, and he saw color rise to her cheeks, “My name is Ruth McKinley.” Her voice was soft and fresh like a cool breeze.
“What are you doing in my house?” he frowned at her severely, which caused her to look at her feet.
“I have a letter,” she said, lifting her head quickly. His gaze followed her as she walked to her bag, pulled out a letter, and handed it to him. It was from his father in response to her request. To his great surprise, it seemed as though his father promised her a place to stay on their ranch.
Matthew began to whimper, wanting attention. Daniel gave her a glance as she picked up Matthew and placed him in his crib with some toys.
“I knocked at the front door, and no one answered,” Ruth said, her soft voice shaky from nerves. “I went to the back to find someone and heard the baby crying. I thought someone was hurt.”
Daniel tipped his head and pursed his lips. “My father is dead,” he said flatly, ignoring her previous statement.
She didn’t seem to be shocked at the news. “I heard about your father’s passing and I’m sorry for your loss.” She took a deep breath then continued, “My father, also a physician, passed away a month ago. Before he died, he wrote to your father—his friend—knowing his time was short and asked if I could live on your ranch since I would have no other family after he passed; your father agreed. I wrote your father when mine died and he welcomed me to stay here.”
