Dorothy Clark - Wedded For The Baby

His Family of Convenience

For widower and ex-doctor Trace Warren, a fresh start in Whisper Creek comes with a catch: to save his home and apothecary shop, Trace must remarry. While making Katherine Fleming his wife is simple enough, he refuses to fall in love again. But keeping his distance from the kind, beautiful woman and the infant she brings with her is dangerously difficult...

Katherine promised to protect the baby left in her care, and a marriage of convenience to Trace is the only way to do that. But all too soon, Trace possesses Katherine’s heart, even as he still carefully guards his own. With hopes of turning their arrangement into a true love match, can Katherine convince Trace to forgive himself for his past mistakes and embrace his new family?

“You owe me no apology, Trace.”

Katherine looked over at him and met his gaze. Tears glistened in her beautiful eyes. “I chose to stay to help you keep your home and shop for Howard’s sake. I’m not sorry.”

Then she bent her head and kissed Howard’s cheek. The baby nuzzled at her neck, searching for something to eat. It was the perfect picture of what he had longed for, prayed for and lost.

“Now please hold Howard while I warm his bottle.” Trace’s stomach knotted as she handed the baby to him. Howard looked up at him and wiggled his arms. He took a deep breath and lifted him to his shoulder. The baby calmed, rested there against his heart. So small. So helpless.

He looked at Katherine standing by the stove and his heart lurched. She was so beautiful, so kind and softhearted, so brave. He jerked his gaze away.

It was growing far too dangerous for him to be here alone with Katherine and the baby every day.

Dear Reader,

My second trip to Whisper Creek is over. When Katherine boarded the train in Albany she was simply on her way to visit her sister at Fort Bridger in Wyoming Territory. And Trace, well, he had turned his back on love and medicine forever—he thought. But that was before they met baby Howard, and compassion for the orphaned infant forced them to follow paths they never expected. I love doing that!

I enjoyed writing Trace and Katherine’s story, but it’s time to move on. Confirmed bachelor Garret Stevenson has a hotel to open. How will he deal with the revision clause in his contract with the town’s founder? And with—But that’s for the next story. I’m excited to find out what this next journey to Whisper Creek holds in store. How about you, dear Reader? Would you like to come along on my third journey to Whisper Creek? We’re underway.

Thank you, dear Reader, for choosing to read Wedded for the Baby. I hope you enjoyed Katherine, Trace and little Howard’s story. I truly appreciate hearing from my readers. If you care to share your thoughts about this story, I may be reached at dorothyjclark@hotmail.comor www.dorothyclarkbooks.com

I hope I see you in Whisper Creek,

Award-winning author Dorothy DOROTHY CLARKlives in rural New York. Dorothy enjoys traveling with her husband throughout the United States doing research and gaining inspiration for future books. Dorothy believes in God, love, family and happy endings, which explains why she feels so at home writing stories for Love Inspired. Dorothy enjoys hearing from her readers and may be contacted at dorothyjclark@hotmail.com.

Wedded for the Baby

Dorothy Clark

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Who can find a virtuous woman?

For her price is far above rubies.

—Proverbs 31:10

To my readers:

Thank you for your faithfulness. I love hearing from you! Your letters are so encouraging. I appreciate your kind words and most of all your prayers.

And Sam. Once again, from my heart—thank you!

“Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.”

Your Word is truth. Thank You, Jesus.

To God be the glory.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

Dear Reader

About the Author

Title Page

Bible Verse

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

Medicine Bow Mountains, Wyoming Territory

November 1868

Katherine Fleming looked away from the sheriff carrying Miss Howard’s battered trunk toward the long, black carriage. The train lurched, rolled forward. She blinked the tears from her eyes and jiggled the crying, squirming infant in her arms. Poor baby. Two months old and all alone. Did he sense it? Was that why he was crying so hard?

“Shh...shh...don’t be afraid, little one. Everything will be all right. I’ll take care of you.” Her stomach knotted. How could she keep that promise? She knew nothing of caring for an infant, and there was no one to ask. The last of the other women passengers had left the train here at Laramie. Panic struck. How far was it to Whisper Creek? That had been the destination on Susan Howard’s ticket. Was she making a mistake? Would it be better for the baby if she turned him over to the sheriff in spite of her pledge to take him to his new father?

She looked back out the window, torn by indecision. It wasn’t a mere pledge she’d made; it was a deathbed promise. Of course, she hadn’t known at the time it would be impossible to keep. Miss Howard had begged her, muttered something incoherent about a letter with her last breath. The dying woman had been frantic about what would happen to her child, and so she’d made the promise to give her peace. But she had not found a letter among Miss Howard’s sparse possessions. How could she take the baby to a man when she knew nothing about him—not even his name?

She frowned, watched the sheriff shove the trunk into the black carriage. And she didn’t know Susan Howard; she’d never met the woman before she’d boarded the train. Surely that freed her from her promise. Oh, what did it matter? She held a helpless little piece of humanity in her arms. She couldn’t abandon him. Her stomach churned. The thought of the baby being put in an orphan home made her ill. So many young babies died. She would simply have to do her best for him.

The wheels clacked against the rails. The train picked up speed. Her breath came easier. It was too late to turn the baby over now. He stiffened and let out a wail. She lifted him to her shoulder and patted his back the way his mother had instructed her to do.

“I’m sorry I’m not better at caring for you, little one. But I’ve had no experience at this sort of thing.” She cooed the words, patted and rubbed the baby’s tiny back, feeling completely inadequate.

The infant burped, then fell asleep on her shoulder, his downy hair brushing her cheek, his breath a feathery warmth against her neck. Her heart swelled. She held Susan Howard’s son close, allowed herself to pretend for a moment that Richard hadn’t disappeared at sea—that they had married as planned and this was their child.

“Almighty God, please let Richard be alive and well. Please bring him home.” Her whispered words were automatic. Only the smallest trace of her former faith remained after having repeated the prayer hundreds of times. It had been almost five years since the devastating loss of her lifelong love. It was a long time to hold on to hope. Still, she refused to let go of her last remaining strands of trust that God, in His mercy, would bring Richard home and fill the gaping hole his disappearance had left in her heart.