Harlequin Love Inspired March 2021--Box Set 2 of 2 by Patrice Lewis (best large ereader .txt) 📕

okay to bring her outside? I put her on a blanket in the shade. Otherwise I’ll keep her in the house.”

“No, by all means feel free to bring her outside. But yes, keep her fully in the shade, especially since it’s been so hot lately.”

“Danke.”

The doctor smiled and shook both their hands. “Check out at the registration desk before you go, and we’ll see you in a week.”

Levy picked up the diaper bag. Jane slipped Mercy into the sling and walked out of the room that had seen such drama in the last twenty-four hours.

Leaning back in the buggy seat, Jane sighed as Levy clucked to the horse and guided her out of the hospital parking lot. “I’m glad that’s over. I don’t like hospitals.”

“Neither do I. Ach, what a rotten night I had, not knowing what was going on. I can’t imagine it was any better for you.”

“Actually, it probably was. I didn’t get much sleep, of course, but at least I knew what was going on.” Jane peered at Mercy, snug against her chest in the sling. “Remind me to thank the Englisch neighbor who drove us in yesterday. I was so distracted I didn’t even catch his name.”

“Well, we have to talk to him anyway to ask him to leave his phone number with the hospital, so that would be a good time.”

“I’ll bring him baked goods or jam in thanks.”

“Just so you know, I let your aunt and uncle know you were at the hospital last night.”

“Danke! I forgot all about them. I’m glad you let them know.” She fell silent a moment and watched the town transition from city streets to rural roads. “So how far behind did you fall on the farm work?”

“It’s going to be a challenge to have enough for Saturday’s farmer’s market,” he admitted. “Between the rain and the hospital, a lot of this week was shot. I’m trying not to worry about money.”

“What can I do to help?” she said. “I can’t leave Mercy alone in the house, of course, and I don’t want to expose her to full sunshine after what happened, but is there anything I can do to be—” she paused over her word choice “—useful?”

“The raspberry jam will be a huge help. If you can continue picking raspberries and turning them into jam, that would be wonderful. Whatever jam doesn’t sell can be held until the following week, since it won’t go bad. But with the amount of raspberries coming in at the moment, it’s the only way to use them up. I’ll pick some for selling fresh on Friday.”

“Ja, I’ll keep making raspberry jam then. But I’ll make sure to pick them earlier in the day before it gets terribly hot.”

Levy sighed, then asked Jane, “What about this evening? You’ve been on duty nonstop for thirty-six hours with the baby at the hospital. Should I take you straight home?”

Every instinct cried out for rest, but Jane knew Levy was already overstressed, and she wouldn’t feel right going home while he watched Mercy. “I have an idea,” she offered. “Let’s go by your place first and let me pick up that portable crib and some other things for the baby, then take us both to my aunt and uncle’s. She can spend the night with me. That way my aunt can fuss over her while I get cleaned up, and I’ll be able to keep an eye on her all night.”

“Ja, that would be great.” Levy spoke with obvious relief. “Danke.”

Half an hour later, having picked up what she needed for the baby, Levy pulled the horse to a stop in front of the Troyers’ home. Her aunt popped out of the house. “You’re here!”

“Guder nammidaag, Tante Catherine.” Jane gave Mercy to Levy while she climbed out of the buggy, then took the child while he hopped down and unloaded the baby supplies. “I’m going to keep Mercy here for the night, if that’s all right with you.”

“Ja! Of course! Here, I’ll take the boppli.” She took the child into her experienced arms and started cooing at the tiny alert face.

“I’ll be over tomorrow around seven in the morning,” Jane told Levy. “That way I can start picking raspberries before it gets too hot.”

“Ja, danke. Vielen Dank for everything.” He gave her a long look, filled with something Jane didn’t understand, then clucked to the horse and started down the road.

She stared after him for a moment, then turned to her aunt.

Catherine looked at Jane hard. “Seems like you’ve been awake all night. Am I right?”

“Close to it, ja.” She punctuated this by a huge yawn. “I didn’t even sleep in a bed, but held Mercy all night in a rocking chair.”

Her aunt nodded with the wisdom of experience. “I’ve done that, though never in a hospital room. Come inside. I know your uncle wants to hear everything that happened.”

Over dinner, with Mercy secure in her bouncy seat on the table, Jane related the last twenty-four hours. “With Mercy’s hospitalization and his primary source of income at the moment coming from the farmer’s market, he’s stressed about money.”

“It’s up to Levy to figure out his finances,” Peter said firmly.

“Your uncle is right.” Catherine took a bite and spoke with her mouth full. “If Levy’s going to keep this little boppli, he’s going to have to figure out how to juggle all his commitments.”

Her aunt paused for a moment, then continued. “I wonder if he’s waiting for Eliza to come back?” she mused. “I mean, clearly he’s nurturing some sort of hope for his sister’s redemption.”

“That young woman who didn’t see the need to be baptized,” growled Uncle Peter with uncharacteristic hostility. “She could have married Josiah Lapp, who’s a fine youngie, but instead she left Grand Creek for the Englisch world and now Josiah is interested in the Miller girl.”

Jane’s ears pricked up. “Did this Josiah Lapp lead her on or anything?”

“Nein, just the opposite. Eliza was something of a flirt, but Josiah was stuck on