Brides of Texas by Cathy Marie Hake Read Free Book Online Page B

He looked just as shattered. “Are you sure?”
    “Aye.” Rob explained the details as gently as he could.
    Chester Heim heaved a sigh. “We were told the same by the doctor in Austin. We hoped he was wrong. Lena and I—we talked about it. If there is no hope for us to have a child of our own, we would consider adopting.”
    “If anything comes up, I’ll keep you in mind.”
    Wearily washing his hands, Rob let out a long sigh.
Mercy is carrying a babe that was forced upon her; the Heims desperately want a child and cannot have one. It’s not for me to question Your ways, Father, but I have to admit I dinna understand them. Common sense says the solution to everyone’s problem is clear, yet that’s man’s planning and not Your wisdom. Unless, or until, You give me a clear sense that You want me to approach Mercy about relinquishing her babe, I’ll wait in silence
.

    “Kunstler!” Grossvater’s voice sounded loudly through the open barn door.
    Mercy swiftly set Stubby down next to Freckle and headed toward the other exit. Ever since Otto broke their engagement, the only time she’d seen him was at church. Never once had he offered to come help with the chores or crops when Grossvater was unable to work. Not once had his mother thought to bring by food. When gossips whispered about the babe Mercy carried, it hurt. But buried in that hurt was the hope that Mrs. Kunstler would come and speak privately with her, to let her know what to expect, to console her and promise to help with the birth. Those hopes were in vain. Mercy tugged on the barn’s back door.
    It was stuck.

Chapter 6
    O tto would come inside and walk the length of the barn so he could inspect the reaper. For a moment, Mercy considered scrambling up into the hayloft.
No. This is my home
. She sat back down beside Freckle’s box and filled her skirts with puppies. A minute later, Grossvater and Otto came inside.
    Otto caught sight of her and averted his gaze. Still, he kept coming. He stood above her and cleared his throat. “Miss Stein, those are fine hounds there.”
    Miss Stein
? This man who was supposed to have been her husband now greeted her as if she were practically a stranger. Mercy looked down at the wiggly little bundles of fur and nodded. “Ja, they are fine, indeed.”
    To her relief, Grossvater leaned against the wall of the stall. “Even the runt is growing to good size.”
    “Everyone knows Freckle’s pups all become good hunting dogs.” Otto hunkered down and reached for a solid brown male. “Since the day you promised me a puppy, I’ve looked forward to claiming one.”
    Mercy sucked in a pained gasp as memories washed over her.
He used seeking a puppy as an excuse to come over, and he asked me to marry him that afternoon
. Unable to quell the emotions, she blurted out, “More than one promise was made that day.”
    Otto’s head shot up. Finally, he looked at her. “So is that what you want? For the sake of a promise you would marry a man who cannot bear to look at you? Who, every time he sees you, remembers how he slew a man? You would want me to rear the child of the man I killed?”
    “What I want?” Her voice shook. “Do you think I want any of what has happened? To bear the pain, the shame, and to carry a child? No! I don’t want any of that. I wanted a man who would love me regardless of what life brought and who would stand beside me in the bad times. You were right to break your promise to wed me, because you are not that kind of man.”
    “Mercy,” Grossvater said softly.
    Her eyes swam with tears. “I do not know whether my grandfather is calling my name or reminding me to treat you with mercy.”
    “This has been very…difficult for both of us,” Otto said.
    One by one, she placed the puppies back in the box. “In three weeks, the pups will be weaned. We will reserve that one for you.” She went into the house, opened the bottom drawer of her wardrobe, and pulled out a white bundle. Until now,