Amos took to working half-days while Becky was recovering. It wasn’t that her mother couldn’t handle things on her own. It was obvious she could. He wanted to be as involved in his wife’s life as he could be, and he didn’t want to miss a single moment of Belle’s infancy. He spent a lot of time working around the house, getting it painted and building a small barn.

Every time he held Belle, he fell just a little bit more in love with her, if that was even possible. His love for her had been monumental from the moment he’d looked at her sweet little face.

Before going into the house each afternoon, after working on the barn, he’d stop and pick wildflowers for Becky, wanting new flowers in the center of the table so she’d have something pretty to look at. By three weeks after Belle’s birth, she was able to stand up to thirty minutes at a time, and she was doing more of the housework and caring for the baby.

On Monday night, Minerva waited until Becky was asleep before talking with Amos. “I think it’s time for me to move on. You’re here half-days and Becky is more than capable of cooking supper, keeping up with the housework, and taking care of Belle. I’m just in the way.”

He frowned. “I’m not sure. Will you stay another week? Please? I’ll pay you if you need me to.”

“It’s not money. I don’t want to be in the way during this special time. You two haven’t been married long at all, and the baby is still so new. Enjoy each other.”

“We are. I promise. I will worry a lot more if you leave this week. One more week, please.”

Minerva finally nodded. “All right. One more week, but then I’m moving into Creede and staying in the boarding house. I’m sure I can help out Mrs. Franklin. I don’t like not being useful.”

“Are you going to get a divorce?” he asked. It had been on his mind a lot that she’d given up her life for his rigid neighbor, and he wanted her to be able to move on. Becky was still heartbroken over the entire situation.

“I really don’t know.” She rubbed the back of her neck. “I feel like I should try to make things work because I was married for more than twenty years, but it’s clear he doesn’t want anything to do with me if I chose Becky and Belle over him.” She shrugged. “I didn’t pick them over him really. I just chose to help them live, and that was too much for him.”

“If you want to go try to talk to him, I’ll come with you. You just let me know.”

Minerva patted Amos’s hand. “You’re a good man. I appreciate all the help you’ve given me, and I really appreciate knowing you’ll always take care of Becky and Belle. They need a good man with them.” She got to her feet. “Goodnight, Amos. I’ll see you in the morning.”

Amos watched her walk away, and he realized she felt badly because her marriage was ending, but he wondered what else was going through her mind. She obviously felt badly because she wasn’t keeping her commitments. Did it have anything to do with love? He hoped he and Becky never became like her parents.

When he slipped into bed, he pulled Becky toward him and kissed her forehead. “It’s never going to be like that for us,” he whispered.

“Hmm?” she asked, her eye lashes fluttering.

“Never mind. Go back to sleep.” He watched her face as she fell back to sleep, still cradled against him. His whole entire world was asleep in the room with him, and his heart was full.

* * *

The following afternoon while Amos was working on the barn, he saw an unfamiliar buggy pull up to the house. He got down from the ladder he’d been standing on to work on the roof, using his hand to shield his eyes from the sun.

When he realized who was there, he took a deep breath for confidence before walking over to greet the woman. “Hello, Mother. I thought you were going to let me know before you came back.” He wasn’t surprised she’d come with no notice, but he was irritated with her. He knew she’d upset the household, and Becky was just starting to get better.

“You know I couldn’t wait to see my grandbaby.” She took the hand he offered to help her down from the buggy. “My bags are in the back, Amos.” She walked toward the house, and he decided not to say anything, simply grabbing her bags and following her inside.

When he walked into the house, he was surprised to see his mother-in-law standing toe-to-toe with his mother. “You will not upset my daughter or my grandbaby. She’s been through a lot, and we weren’t even certain she was going to live for a while. You have no business visiting unannounced.”

His mother crossed her arms over her chest. “That baby is my grandbaby just as much as she is yours. I deserve to have a relationship with her.”

Amos froze for a moment, wondering what Minerva would say to that, but it seemed that she knew his mother wasn’t to be told the truth. “But you don’t have the right to disturb the entire household to form that relationship. My daughter has been very ill, and she is napping while the baby sleeps. You may see the baby after both of them are awake and not a minute before.”

“No one told me she was ill!” his mother insisted.

“Mother, I didn’t want to worry you,” Amos said. “Becky lost a lot more blood when the baby was born than she should have, and we didn’t think we’d be able to stop the bleeding.” He hoped he could make the stubborn woman understand why Becky’s peace of mind was so crucial, but she rarely had the ability to think of others.

“But you did.”

“We did, but we almost lost her several times. You may see the baby after she wakes up. If we catch you waking either of them, I will have to ask you to move to the hotel in town or go home to New York.” He wasn’t going to let his mother affect his wife or child.

His mother huffed out a breath of air angrily. “You make it sound like I’m an evil person, wanting to hurt her and the baby, when we both know that’s not true at all. I think Becky is a dear child.”

Amos closed his eyes and counted to ten. “You’ll be in the room to the left at the top of the stairs.”

“I want the room to the right. The room I was in last time.”

“Minerva is staying in that room. Since she’s kept this household going for the past three weeks, she gets to keep her room, and you can switch to the one across the hall.” At that moment, Amos almost wanted her to argue with him so he could tell her to go stay in town. He was finished with her nonsense.

“Fine. Carry my things up, Amos.” Her face was filled with anger, and she obviously thought her comforts were more important than anyone else’s.

Amos wasn’t worried what his mother thought. She had come unexpectedly, and he wasn’t going to kowtow to her. Not now, and not ever.

As she headed for the stairs, she looked over her shoulder and asked Minerva, “What are you planning on serving for supper? I’ve had terrible food on the train, and I need something good this evening.”

Minerva smiled sweetly. “I’ll fix something. Enjoying it will be entirely up to you.”

Amos took his mother’s things to her room before heading back downstairs to talk to Minerva. Someone needed to apologize for his mother, and he knew she wasn’t about to do it.

“Minerva, I’m so very sorry about my mother. She is not always a kind person, and you caught her at her worst today. She hates travel, and she resents the fact that to see me, she has to get on a train.”

“She’s just plain mean-spirited and selfish. It’s hard for me to believe that a man as loving and giving as you are came from her.” Minerva angrily mashed the potatoes in the pot in front of her. She was obviously taking her aggression out on their supper.

“Thank you for not telling her the baby isn’t really mine. She would never understand why I feel as if Belle should be raised as if she was mine.”

“No, I can see a woman like her would never understand.”

“Well, don’t let her make you angry. If you need me, I’ll be here. I’ll make sure not to work while she’s staying with us, but I hope to get her back to New York as quickly as humanly possible. It’s not like she’s going to help around the house and make things easier for any of us.”

“She should! I can’t imagine a grown woman coming into a situation like this and not doing everything she can to be helpful.”

He laughed. “I don’t think my mother has ever cooked a meal in her life. I know she doesn’t sew. She’s always been surrounded by servants. She hasn’t needed to learn any housekeeping or cooking skills. She’s a pampered socialite.” He’d always felt sorry for anyone marrying one of his sisters, who had been raised to be the same type of selfish person his mother was.

Minerva sighed heavily. “I’ll just keep telling myself that she isn’t here for long and that she raised a fine son. I’ll get through it. And I probably won’t even have to throw vegetables at her head.”

He grinned. “If you do throw vegetables at her head, would you try to remember to take them out of the jar first?”

She laughed, picturing the scene if she didn’t remove them from their jars first. “Just thinking about that will keep me going. You’re a good man, Amos Bowen.”

“Mother can be a good person, too. She heads charitable committees and helps the poor a great deal. She just—well, she gets other people to do the actual work.” How could he convince anyone his mother was a good person when he wasn’t quite sure he believed it himself?

“She sounds like an absolutely delightful woman . . . as long as she isn’t causing my daughter any trouble.” She started fixing three plates. “Go and wake Becky and tell her it’s supper time. I know she needs her sleep, but right now, she needs her meals a tad bit more.”

“I will.” He hurried through the house and opened the door to the bedroom he shared with Becky. Walking to the edge of the bed, he sat down and put his hand on her arm. “Becky, it’s time for supper.” He loved watching her sleep, and he hated to disturb her when he knew she needed rest.

“Supper?” She rolled to her side facing him. “I’m sleepy.”

“Your mother says you need food more than sleep.”

Becky sighed heavily. “Sounds like Mama.” She hid a yawn behind her hand. “All right. Let’s go eat supper.”

“I have to tell you something first.” He bit his lip, trying to figure out the best way to tell her that his mother had returned. “We had an unexpected visitor this afternoon.”

“My father?” Her voice sounded excited at the prospect. “I hate that my parents split up over me.”

He shook his head. “I’m sorry, it wasn’t your father. It’s my mother.”

Becky closed her eyes for a moment, not wanting to think about it. Her father was the person she would have most wanted to see, and his mother the one she least wanted to see. “How are she and my mother getting along?”

“About as poorly as you’d expect. I really think one of us should be between them at all times.”

“Just what we need right now, isn’t it?” It took all of her energy to take care of the baby and herself. Dealing with his mother was just going to drag her down.

He sighed, shaking his head. “I don’t even know what to say to that.” He leaned down and brushed her lips with his. “Mother knows you’ve been ill, and she promised to not upset you. Want to bet how long it takes her to break that promise?”

She giggled. “That’s not very nice!”

“Neither is she!” He got up and held a hand down to help her to her feet. Just as they were both standing, the baby started to cry. “Of course she cries now. I was just smelling your mother’s supper, and it smells wonderful. I’m hungry!”

Becky laughed. “I can feed her, but I need food more than sleep, remember?” She gave him an impish grin and left the room, knowing he’d pick up the baby. She wasn’t allowed to lift her yet, but she could hold her if someone handed the baby to her.

He shook his head as she left, very amused that she was taking advantage of the situation, even a little. It had been so hard to keep her from doing too much that it was a welcome change.

He picked up the baby and carefully changed her diaper—something that had frightened him just weeks ago was like second nature now. Carrying her into the kitchen, he talked softly to her the whole while, wondering who would win the fight over who got to feed the baby—him or Minerva. At mealtimes, the fights were almost brutal. Each of them wanted the other to be able to eat the food while it was hot.

Becky was already seated at the table, knowing there was no point in her even getting involved in the bickering that took place when Belle woke up at mealtime. Everyone was certain she was on the brink of starvation, though she felt a little better each day.

Apparently, Amos won the silent struggle between husband and mother-in-law, and he sat at the table with the others, feeding the baby while they ate. No one had called his mother down to supper, and Becky wasn’t sure if it was an oversight or deliberate, but she did know it was a much quieter and nicer meal without her.

When the baby was fed, she was passed off to Minerva, who ate one-handed, while Amos applied himself to his meal. He had just taken the first few bites when his mother came down the stairs. “No one told me it was supper time!”

“Hello, Mrs. Bowen,” Becky said softly. “Please join us. We didn’t want to disturb your rest after your long days of travel.”

Mrs. Bowen stared at Becky for a moment. “You don’t look half-dead! I was made to understand you almost died.”

“That’s what they tell me. I’m getting stronger every day, though. Thank you so much for asking after my health. It’s very kind of you.” Becky continued eating, knowing she needed to get as much into her as she could, and she couldn’t let her mother-in-law put her off food.

Mrs. Bowen started to say something, but she stopped. “You’re welcome.” She walked to the stove and served herself a plate of food, surprising them all.

“I didn’t even know you knew how to serve yourself, Mother,” Amos said.

“Don’t get cheeky with me!” she said, sitting down and applying herself to her meal. She looked at the baby Minerva was holding. “Does she have all her fingers and toes?”

Minerva nodded, refusing to talk to the woman who had been so rude to her.

Amos answered her, knowing it was the only way to keep the peace. “She’s perfect in every way. The most beautifully perfect baby in the whole world.”

Mrs. Bowen’s face softened for a moment. “Every father thinks that about his own child.” She looked at the baby who was held against Minerva’s shoulder. “I’d like to hold her after I finish eating.”

“That would be fine, Mrs. Bowen,” Becky said softly. “I’d like you to get to know her. She’s a sweet baby. She only cries when she’s hungry, and she’s a good sleeper.”

“All blessings, I’m sure.” Mrs. Bowen focused her attention on her son. “When are you going to hire a nanny to take care of her? She needs to be raised right.”

Amos sighed. “Things aren’t done that way around here. Becky will take care of her. There’s no reason for her not to.”

“How will Becky take her rightful place in society if she’s caring for a child all the time?”

“There really isn’t a ‘society’ to take her place in here. It’s a relatively small mining community. People are struggling to put enough food on the table, not going to society balls.” Amos knew his mother would never understand the type of world he now lived in, but he wasn’t sure it mattered either. He was happy where he was, and so was Becky.

“Well, then you need to move back to New York. You’re depriving your daughter of a proper upbringing. And your wife has a right to take her place in society where she belongs. Why would you even consider living here?” His mother shook her head at him, acting as if he’d lost his mind.

“I built this house with my own two hands after designing it. This is where I’ll raise my family. Thank you for your opinions. I will make note of them.”

As soon as supper was over, Becky stood up to help clear the table. Her mother handed the baby to Amos and walked over to wash the dishes while Becky dried. He held her as if she was made to be in his arms and patted her back gently.

His mother frowned at Becky. “I thought she was too sick to be doing housework? Why isn’t her mother doing it all?”

Becky closed her eyes for a moment, trying to control her temper. “My mother has been doing most of what gets done around this house, but I need to be useful. I’m not used to sitting idly while others do work for me.”

“You should get used to it! You have a new baby. If you’re not going to have a nanny take care of her, you should at least have someone who will clean and cook for you. It’s that simple.” Mrs. Bowen looked at her son. “Which will you get her? A nanny or a housekeeper?”

“If she wants either one, she only has to ask for it. Until that happens, I’ll thank you to mind your own business.”

Becky heard his response, and she bit her lip to keep from laughing out loud. He’d told her like it was, and she’d loved hearing him do it. Hopefully she’d back off now. Becky’s mother-in-law was a busybody, and she didn’t want her around. At all.