him.
"What was that all about? " She began to pace. "This is all your
fault, " she whispered. "Can't you see that this is breaking my
heart?
" He started toward her, but she put her hand out to keep him at bay.
"I can't leave him. I'm sorry, but that's the way it is. He'll be
lost without me, and he'll be afraid and he'll be miserable and . .
.
" As if to mock her, Caleb's peal of laughter echoed down the stairs.
Cole shook his head. "He sure doesn't sound miserable."
"I'm not going to go through with this. My mind's made up, " she
whispered.
She turned to go back up the stairs, but Cole grabbed hold of her hand
and pulled her up against him.
"Tom? " he called out. "Jessica and I are going for a walk." The way
he was squeezing her hand told her not to argue. She let him drag her
out the back door and into the yard. He didn't stop pulling her along
until he reached a cluster of trees that shielded them from the street
and gave them privacy.
"Now you listen to meţ" he began.
She cut him off. "Don't you dare take that tone of voice with me. I
will not leave my baby with strangers. I'm sorry, Cole, but that's the
way it's going to be." She tried to jerk her hand away, but he
tightened his hold and pulled her close until she was pressed against
his chest. His face was inches away from hers. He was going to give
her a hard lecture because she was being so stubborn, but then he saw
her tears and relented. Now wasn't the time to lecture.
"I know how hard this is . . . " "No, you don't know. You aren't a
mother."
"No, I'm not, " he agreed. "You're going to have to be sensible. I
know Tom Norton, and I'm telling you he's trustworthy.
When Luke MacFarland and his wife were killed, Tom and Josey wanted to
raise their children."
"Why didn't they? " "Luke's relatives wouldn't let them. They farmed
the children out among them."
"They separated brothers? " she whispered.
"Yes, but Tom tried to keep them all together. I'm telling you he's a
good man. So is his wife. Josey took care of me when I got sick. I
was a stranger to her, but she still nursed me back to health. The
Nortons aren't going to let anything bad happen to your baby. They'll
love him, Jessie, and we can't take Caleb with us. You know that,
don't you? " "I'm not going to go to Texas."
"Must you be so stubborn about this? It's out of your hands. You have
to go, and Caleb has to stay."
"I hate this, " she cried out.
He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. "I know you do. "
"I'm beginning to hate you too, Cole Clayborne. This is all your
fault."
"All right. It's all my fault, " he whispered. His chin dropped down