“It’s a sprain,” Doc Stanton said after completing his examination. “It should heal just fine as long as you keep off it for a week.”
“A week!” Hannah looked appalled.
“A week,” the doctor confirmed.
“It isn’t that long,” Rafe said. “I can bring you something to do to keep you occupied. Newspapers, and books, if I can find any. I’ll buy you whatever sewing things you might want.”
“But what about the house? The laundry and cooking and everything.”
“Don’t worry about all of that.” Mrs. Stanton patted her hand. “The girls and I will help. In fact, I’ll be over first thing tomorrow morning,” she said eagerly.
Dr. Stanton frowned at her words, but then nodded. “I suppose that’s for the best.” He turned to Rafe. “Come get me immediately if the bruising worsens or her pain increases.”
Rafe nodded and escorted the doctor and his wife to the door. After seeing them out, he went to the kitchen to see what he could do for supper. There was the bread Hannah had made earlier. After some searching, he found some cheese, slices of ham, a zucchini that Hannah must have gotten from Lina, and some butter. If he made some coffee, it would be a decent sort of a meal.
He presented it on a plate to Hannah in bed, hoping she wouldn’t be too disappointed with it.
“Thank you,” she said as she took the plate from him. She didn’t waste a moment in taking a bite of the bread and butter. “This is likea picnic, almost like the one I would’ve brought to Prospect Mound if I’d thought of it.”
“It is, I suppose.” Rafe pulled a chair from across the room so he could sit near her. “Maybe if we imagine we’re still sitting out there, waiting to watch the sun go down, it’ll taste as good as the soup you were hoping to make tonight.”
Hannah laughed. “Maybe.”
They polished off the plates, hungry after everything that had happened. Hannah leaned back against the headboard, one hand on her stomach as Rafe took her plate.
“Thank you,” she said, reaching out to rest a hand on his arm. “Both for supper and for taking care of me.”
Rafe stilled, flattered by both her words and her touch. It was the first time she had reached for him. “Of course,” he said. “I’m your husband. It’s what I’m supposed to do.”
She rewarded him with the sweetest smile and a squeeze on his arm.
As Rafe brought the plates to the kitchen area, he couldn’t help grinning himself. How did he know what a husband was supposed to do? He hadn’t considered becoming one until he was coerced into it.
A week ago, he would have felt relieved if Hannah had decided not to marry him.
How was it that he now couldn’t imagine not having her here?
Chapter Twelve
Everydayforaweek,Natalie arrived at precisely eight o’clock in the morning.
“I’d come earlier,” she said on the first day. “Except the doctor likes to have his breakfast ready to eat at seven-thirty before he begins making calls.”
Hannah told her it didn’t matter what time she came. After all, she was simply happy to see her friend and have company for a while. The first day, Natalie stayed a couple of hours, and then Vivi arrived to help for two more hours in the afternoon. Each day, Natalie stayed later and later, until on the last day, when Ada came to offer to make supper, Natalie shooed her away.
“All right,” Hannah said from the bed as Natalie closed the door. “Sit down and tell me what’s wrong.”
“Nothing is wrong.” The tight smile her friend gave Hannah made her think otherwise.
“Yes, and I love sitting in this bed all the time,” Hannah said wryly. She leaned forward and patted the end of the bed. “You’ve stayed here every day for longer and longer amounts of time, even though I know you have your own home to keep up. You just sent away Ada before she could even come in and say hi, never mind lend a hand. Tell me what’s wrong.”
Natalie sat and pressed her hands against her face, hiding her expression from Hannah. “I’m too embarrassed.”
“You knoweverythingabout me,” Hannah said. “There is nothing you can say that I’d ever find embarrassing.”
“All right.” Natalie heaved an enormous breath and turned to better face Hannah. “It’s Dr. Stanton. Alex.”
Hannah tilted her head, wondering if the kind doctor wasn’t at all as he appeared to be.
