Kathleen Creighton
The Black Sheeps Baby
A book in the Into The Heartland series, 2002
Dear Reader,
July is a sizzling month both outside and in, and once again weve rounded up six exciting titles to keep your temperature rising. It all starts with the latest addition to Marilyn Pappanos HEARTBREAK CANYON miniseries, Lawmans Redemption, in which a brooding man needs help connecting with the lonely young girl who just might be his daughter-and he finds it in the form of a woman with similar scars in her romantic past. Dont miss this emotional, suspenseful read.
Eileen Wilks provides the next installment in our twelve-book miniseries, ROMANCING THE CROWN, with Her Lord Protector. Fireworks ensue when a Montebellan lord has to investigate a beautiful commoner who may be a friend-or a foe!-of the royal family. This miniseries just gets more and more intriguing. And Kathleen Creighton finishes up her latest installment of her INTO THE HEARTLAND miniseries with The Black Sheeps Baby. A freewheeling photojournalist who left town years ago returns-with a little pink bundle strapped to his chest, and a beautiful attorney in hot pursuit. In Marilyn Tracys Cowboy Under Cover, a grief-stricken widow who has set up a haven for children in need of rescue finds herself with that same need-and her rescuer is a handsome federal marshal posing as a cowboy. Nina Bruhns is back with Sweet Revenge, the story of a straitlaced woman posing as her wild identical twin-and now missing-sister to learn of her fate, who in the process hooks up with the seductive detective who is also searching for her. And in Bachelor in Blue Jeans by Lauren Nichols, during a bachelor auction, a woman inexplicably bids on the man who once spurned her, and wins-or does she? This reunion romance will break your heart.
So get a cold drink, sit down, put your feet up and enjoy them all-and dont forget to come back next month for more of the most exciting romance reading aroundonly in Silhouette Intimate Moments.
Yours,
Leslie J. Wainger
Executive Senior Editor
Prologue
December20-Los Angeles, California
S he woke in the milky twilight that passed for darkness in the city, knowing shed dreamed of Susan again. As always, she couldnt remember much about the dream-no details, not even a face. Just a voice-Susans voice, childish and frail, calling to her. Calling her, pleading with her. Help mehelp me, Devon. Pleasedont leave me. Help me
She threw back the covers and rose, paced barefoot to the window. She stared out across the glittering jeweled carpet that stretched all the way to the sea, squinting hard to hold back angry tears. How was I supposed to help you, she thought, when I didnt even know where you were? You ran away, damn you. Its not my fault. Its not my fault!
She held herself tightly as she shivered, and swallowed hard, once, then again. A tear ran warmly down her cold cheek.
Susan had been fourteen when shed run away-almost a woman. But the voice in her dream was that of a little child.
Help me, Devon
Dammit, Susan, she thought, angry and weary at the same time. I am helping, cant you see that? Im sorry if I let you down, but Im trying to make it up to you now, the only way I know. Isnt that enough?
She brushed at her cheek and jerked away from the window. The luminous numbers on the clock portion of the built-in entertainment center beside her bed glowed green-gold in the gray twilight-2:14 a.m. Way too early to even think about leaving for the airport. And yet she knew better than to try to go back to sleep. Calm, now, and resolute, she went to her walk-in closet and took her rolling overnighter from its shelf. She lifted it onto the bed, unzipped it and began, carefully and methodically, to pack.
December 20-On I-80, Somewhere in Nebraska
His eyes wanted to close-insisted on doing so, in fact, in spite of his strenuous arguments against it. That, plus an inarguable need for fuel, forced him off the interstate.
He chose an exit somewhere east of Grand Island that promised half a dozen motels and at least that many restaurants. He bypassed all of them, though his stomach had been complaining for the last fifty miles, and pulled instead into a gas station where he could pay at the pump. While unleaded gasoline gushed into the tanks of his six-year-old Dodge, he stood with shoulders hunched and hands in his pockets, rocking himself in the bitter Nebraska wind and reflecting on how the California winters had spoiled him.
Just beyond the roof of the gas stations convenience store he could see a big green Holiday Inn sign, like a beacon summoning his exhausted mind and body into a safe harbor. But as much as he yearned for rest, as much as he knew he needed rest, he also knew that right now there was only one harbor in the world that would feel safe to him.
Well be there by tonight, he told his passenger, sound asleep in the back seat. Five more hours
The fuel nozzle clicked off. He replaced it in its cradle, climbed back into his car and, after a moments indecision, pulled across the parking lot and up to the drive-through window of the fast-food place next door. He ordered a double cheeseburger and a jumbo coffee and a short time later was back on the interstate, heading east toward evening.
In his rearview mirrors he could see, reaching toward him out of the west like menacing fingers, the dark purple clouds of the oncoming storm.
Chapter 1
I t was the week before Christmas, and Lucy was sorting laundry.
She acknowledged that fact with a sense of mild astonishment-and not-so-mild vexation, for Lucy Rosewood Brown Lanagan was not a person to whom the adjective mild could normally be applied. At least, not often or for long.
Its too quiet to be Christmas! she declared loudly, though more to herself than to her sister-in-law, Chris, who was sitting at the kitchen table thumbing through magazines, looking for recipes.
This looks good, Chris said without looking up. Walnut squares
Erics allergic to walnuts.
Lucy said it without thinking, an automatic response-which she realized a moment later when Chris looked up and eagerly asked, Oh, is he going to be here for Christmas this year?
A familiar pain made Lucys voice uncharacteristically light when she replied with a shrug, Havent heard from him. And a moment later asked, What about Caitlyn?
Chriss eyes jerked away, shifting back to the magazines spread out on the table in front of her as she said in a tone as artificially cheery as Lucys, She doesnt know for sure. Says shell try her best to make it, at least for Christmas dinner. And a poignant little silence fell between the two women, fraught with empathy and unvoiced yearnings.
Its too quiet- Lucy began again, just as, with faultless timing, a door banged sharply and loud thumping noises started up out on the back porch.
Chris gave a gurgle of laughter. She and Lucy both looked toward the kitchen door as it burst open to admit their menfolk along with a gust of freezing wind. Lucy knew the smile in Chriss shining eyes was only a reflection of her own, though it gave her as much embarrassment as satisfaction nowadays to admit, even after more than thirty years, that the sight of her husbands face could still give her that seasick feeling under her ribs.
Getting colder, the man himself announced as he ducked into the service room across the hall to wash up in the laundry tub. That storms on its way. Be here before morning.
Forecast said midnight. Lucys brother Wood zigzagged over to give his wife a hello kiss, peeling off gloves and ski cap on the way. Pack it up, darlin. I want to get back to the city before this thing hits.
Edward Earl, Lucy said in a no-arguments voice-well aware that as his big sister she was the only person alive allowed to call him by his given name-youve got plenty of time, you can stay and have some supper. Ive got a roast in the oven and a Jell-O salad in the fridge, so you just go on in there and get washed up. Supperll be on the table in ten minutes.
Id do as she says, if I were you, Mike said in a warning tone, grinning as he came into the kitchen, rolling down his shirtsleeves. He paused to give Lucy a peck on the cheek.
Smells good. Whatve you two been up to?
Though she wasnt the demonstrative sort, she gave him an elbow in the ribs to let him know her heart was doing a happy little skip-hop at his nearness.
Looking up recipes. Everything all battened down out there?
Everything that can be More recipes? Mike was looking sideways over Chriss shoulder at the spread on the table. He cocked an eyebrow toward Lucy. Whore you cooking for, the third division? In an aside to Wood he added, We had leftovers from last Christmas dinner for Easter. And then, probably because he knew very well how precarious Lucys mood had been lately, coming up on this particular holiday season, he wrapped his arms around her and murmured next to her ear, Honey, theres just gonna be the four of us. You dont need to go to so much trouble.
Five, Chris said firmly, shuffling magazines into a stack as she stood up. And when nobody said anything for a second or two she lifted her head and looked her husband hard in the eyes. Caitlyns coming. She said she would.
She said shed try. Woods voice, too, was gentle.
Shell be here. Chris gathered up the pile of magazines and marched off to the parlor.
Wood muttered what sounded like, I hope so, under his breath as he pulled out a chair and sat in it. And after a moment, Sure does seem strange, doesnt it? Not having a houseful of kids around for the holidays? Doesnt seem like-
Lucy interrupted him with a swipe at his shoulder. Edward Earl, take off your coat before you sit down at the table!
Yesm. He rose obediently, not trying to hide a grin.
And hang it up, too-you know where it belongs.
Just like old times he grumbled good-naturedly as he carried his chore clothes across the hall to the service room.
Old times Lucy muttered angrily, turning to the sink. It wasnt that she was angry, really, just that she could feel a familiar heaviness creeping around her heart, thinking about the seasonthe quietness. She hated that heaviness; it made her feel old and scared, panicky and depressed, all at once. Old times. How I miss them Mama, Daddy, Gwen. And the children. Where did the children go?