A Man for Glory Page 23

  Etta and Glory pronounced the baby to be absolutely beautiful, an opinion shared by Essie, who had been waiting in the parlor to be called at the appropriate moment. Buddy arrived home in time to give his approval and then it was a silent group who watched as Etta bathed the newborn for the first time.

  “Did Cade agree on the name you chose?” Etta asked.

  “Glory said if we had a girl I could call her Samantha. I named my dolly that, but I’d rather have a sister with that name,” Essie told Etta as the dark-haired little girl was dried and diapered with expert care.

  “He ought to agree. She’s named after his grandmother,” Glory told her.

  The doctor left within an hour, after sharing a shot of Cade’s whiskey, and Etta returned to the kitchen to put the rest of their supper together.

  In the bedroom upstairs, all was quiet, for Glory was almost asleep, after having been awake almost all night with a backache she had been sure was a far cry from labor.

  “I told you so,” Cade said sagely. “I just knew it was time.”

  “And not any too quickly, either,” Glory admitted. “For I was thoroughly sick of being pregnant.”

  “Doc brought out a letter for us, sweetheart.”

  “He did? From your parents?”

  Cade nodded. “I’d told them it wouldn’t be long and they said to wire them when the baby came. They want to visit. Will it be all right if they’re here for her christening?”

  “You know it will. I’ll be so glad to get back in the habit of going to Sunday church, Cade. I missed it while I was so big and bulky. And we’ll have to plan for Samantha’s christening too.”

  “You’re not big and bulky anymore, sweet. You’re downright skin and bones.”

  “You lie!” she exclaimed. “But I love you for it. I’m not going to have another baby for at least …” She paused and eyed him from her spot on his pillow. “At least two years,” she said finally. “And then we’ll have your boy.”

  “We’ll see.” He bent and kissed her. “I hated to see you in pain, Glory. But I’m so happy that you made it safely.”

  “Well, of course I did. My mama said women were made to have babies, and she was right. But it will be a while, Cade. I can’t wait to see my shoes again. I forgot what they looked like over the past couple of months.”

  “Same as ever, honey. Maybe it’s time to get you a new pair. Any woman who can deliver a beautiful baby girl deserves at least a new pair of Sunday shoes.”

  “And a new dress?” she asked, prodding him gently.

  “At the very least, I’d say,” he told her, bending to spread a wealth of kisses across her face. “At the very least.”

  All the characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author, and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all the incidents are pure invention.

  All Rights Reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises II BV/S.à.r.l. The text of this publication or any part thereof may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, storage in an information retrieval system, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.

  This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the prior consent of the publisher in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

  ® and TM are trademarks owned and used by the trademark owner and/or its licensee. Trademarks marked with ® are registered with the United Kingdom Patent Office and/or the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market and in other countries.

  First published in Great Britain 2013

  by Mills & Boon, an imprint of Harlequin (UK) Limited. Harlequin (UK) Limited, Eton House, 18-24 Paradise Road,

  Richmond, Surrey TW9 1SR

  © Carolyn Davidson 2013

  eISBN: 978-1-472-00376-8

  Table of Contents

  Excerpt

  Author Note

  About the Author

  Title Page

  Dedication

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Copyright