The Sergeant's Lady Read Free Page B

beauty. The head would settle back to normal soon enough—Anna’s cousin’s son had looked worse, but had turned into a fine handsome child in due course.
    “A girl,” Sergeant Reynolds repeated. “I have a daughter.”
    “Gracias a Dios,” Juana said. She slumped down onto the blanket, and Sergeant Reynolds knelt beside her, cradling her head on his lap.
    What had the midwife done after Charlie was born? “Shouldn’t we cut the cord?” Anna asked.
    Sergeant Atkins frowned. “I think so.”
    “I believe you’re supposed to tie it off first,” she added.
    “Yes. That sounds right. Here, ma’am, you hold her.”
    Without ceremony he wrapped the squirming creature in a strip of linen and passed it into her arms. She trembled lest she drop it. The little thing, so strong and vigorous for so new a life, wailed fitfully and stared up at her through dark, unfocused eyes. Never would she hold a child of her own like this, for surely if she were capable of conceiving she would have done so by now. Usually she thought it best that a marriage as unhappy as hers bear no fruit, but she couldn’t hold a baby without pangs of regret. Silent tears trickled down her face.
    Through blurred eyes she watched Sergeant Atkins rinse his hands with water from his canteen and dig through his equipment for a bit of string. He raised an eyebrow at his friend. “Give me your sword, Dan.”
    Sergeant Reynolds grinned, unsheathed his rifle’s sword-bayonet and passed it to his friend.
    When Sergeant Atkins came to cut the cord he saw that Anna wept. “It’s all right, ma’am,” he said. “It’s over now.”
    She shook her head and tried not to cry harder. He didn’t understand—how could he?—and she would not explain it.
    His face grew troubled, his golden brown eyes boundlessly compassionate. With his free hand he stroked her cheek, brushing away her tears with his callused fingers. She leaned into his touch, accepting its comfort.
    The touch lasted only a second or two before they both jerked apart.
    “I—I’m sorry, ma’am.”
    She shook her head. “Think nothing of it.” That was the only thing to do—pretend it hadn’t happened.
    He gave her a startled stare and bent to his work, inspecting the cord. “I’ve used these bayonets to cut firewood,” he said, “and they make fine spits for roasting a rabbit, but I never thought I’d use it for this.”
    He spoke hurriedly, and Anna knew he was covering his share of their confusion and embarrassment. Resolutely she focused her attention on the baby. The child had calmed and was blinking at the world in bewilderment. Once the cord was cut, Anna must find a way to wash her and give her to her mother so she could nurse. Surely there was some water left in one of the canteens.
    “There.” His task done, Sergeant Atkins sat back.
    Anna heard a rustling at the edge of the grove, and at last Beatriz rode in, followed by Helen and her servant, María, on their own donkeys.
    “I see I’m too late,” Helen said. “But it looks as though you managed. Has the afterbirth come yet?”
    Anna shook her head. At that, Helen and María nudged her and Sergeant Atkins aside and took charge of the mother and baby.
    “I could hardly credit it when Beatriz found us,” Helen said as she inspected the infant. “Our Anna, delivering a baby!”
    “Sergeant Atkins really did it,” she said.
    He shook his head. “I couldn’t have done it without your help, ma’am.”
    She doubted it. She only hoped she hadn’t done more harm than good by bringing Sebastian’s wrath down upon them.
    “Did she say your Christian name was Anna, señora?” Juana asked.
    “Yes.”
    “Then we shall call this one Anna—Anita.” She looked to Sergeant Reynolds for confirmation, and he nodded.
    Anna smiled her appreciation of the honor, though it amused her to think how appalled Sebastian would be if he ever found out.
    She and Sergeant Atkins were superfluous as Helen and María worked to