Honor Bound(65)

Lucas took an extra blanket, draped it over Aislinn's head and tied it beneath her chin. "That won't give you much protection, but it's better than nothing. Now," he said, catching her shoulders in his hands and looking directly into her eyes, "your only job is to hang on to Tony. I'll do the rest." She nodded. "Okay, let's go."

She never remembered the details of that journey, which usually took less than sixty seconds. In her mind, it would forever be a blur of wind and rain and lightning and fear. No sooner had they left the steps of the trailer than her shoes got stuck in the mud. When she fished for them with her toes, Lucas shouted above the storm, "Leave them," and she went the remainder of the way barefoot. She slipped and slid in the oozing mud, but Lucas's strong arms kept her from falling. She held on to Tony so tightly that she was afraid she would break his ribs. She kept her head bowed and, for the most part, her eyes closed.

At last her shin rapped against something and she realized it was the porch of the house. With Lucas's assistance, she staggered up the steps and beneath the shelter of the overhang. He opened the front door and pushed her inside. He propped her against the wall and, while she regained her breath, pulled off his hat and boots and threw them out onto the porch.

He untied the blanket he had wrapped around her head and sent it the way of the boots and hat. "Don't move," he said sternly. "I'll get a blanket." Barefoot, he headed toward the bedrooms, his clothes dripping water onto the tile floors. While he was gone, Aislinn unwound the blankets covering Tony.

"My brave boy," she said, lifting him for her to kiss. "You and Daddy are so brave,"

Lucas came back and threw a blanket around her shoulders, bundling her into it. "My teeth are chattering," she said needlessly.

"I noticed. Hurry, let's get Tony dried off. Then we'll work on you." Together they went into the nursery. The electricity wasn't working, but Lucas carried in two candles from their bedroom, which until now had served only as decoration. By candlelight, Aislinn swiftly undressed the baby and dried him off. While she was doing that, Lucas went to fetch a bottle from the kitchen. He waited for it to warm and came back with it just as Aislinn was snapping Tony into his sleeper.

"Let me feed him while you get into a tub of hot water. I've already turned the taps on. Take one of the candles." To keep the dry baby from getting wet and chilled again, Lucas was peeling off his clothes as he talked. When he was stripped to the skin, he took the towel Aislinn had used on Tony and whisked it over himself. Then he lifted Tony from the crib and carried him to the rocking chair.

Any other time, the sight of the huge, naked Indian man, sitting in the rocking chair with the gingham cushion, feeding a baby a bottle, would have been a hilarious sight. But Aislinn was still too benumbed by fright to notice the hilarity of it.

"Don't forget his medicine," she said, nodding toward the prescription Gene had ordered for the baby's congestion.

"I won't."

Knowing that Tony was in capable hands, she left the nursery to take her bath. It was almost a half-hour later when she came out of the bathroom carrying the candle. She had immersed herself in the tub until the hot water covered her shoulders. Its warmth had seeped into her comfortingly, relieving her chill and dulling the serrated edges of her nerves. Before she got out, she washed her hair. Brushing it back and leaving it to dry naturally, she wrapped herself in a long terry-cloth robe.

She checked the nursery first and found Tony sleeping soundly in his crib. She laid her hand on his head, tears forming in her eyes. He was so very precious to her. She couldn't imagine life without him now. What an empty, barren existence hers had been before she had been blessed with him.

She asked God to forgive her for her momentary lack of faith when she had been in the trailer. He had favored her by giving her Tony. He had brought them through a terrible ordeal safely. She would never doubt His grace and goodness again.

She left the sleeping child and tiptoed through the darkened rooms, which were illuminated only by occasional flashes of blue-white lightning and the faint, wavering glow of the candle she carried.

Lucas was in the kitchen, standing at the stove, stirring something in a saucepan. When she entered, he turned. She hadn't made a sound, and yet he had known she was there. "I knew this old gas stove was good for something. Just the other day I was wishing I could buy you a better one to cook on."

"I like that one." He had pulled on a pair of dry jeans. He was still bare-chested and barefoot. His hair was beginning to dry. She hoped he would never want to cut it short. She loved the way it shimmered each time he moved his head. "What are you cooking?"

"Cocoa. Sit down."

She set her candle on the table and pulled out a chair. "I didn't know you could cook."

He poured the steaming drink into a waiting mug and turned off the burner. "Better taste it before you make any snap judgments," he said, handing her the mug.

She sipped it cautiously because it was extremely hot. It was rich and sweet and delicious. It warmly tricked its way into her stomach and spread a welcome heat all through her. "It's delicious, Lucas. Thank you."

"Would you like something to eat?"

"No." Then she lifted her head quickly and looked up at him. "Would you? I'll fix—" She made a movement to get out of her chair, but he laid his hands on her shoulders.