Luke looked at her and shook his head. “You are amazing, you know.”

She laughed. “I’m tired, not amazing. Now, go help JT. Sally and I will be just fine.”

There was something in Luke’s expression that changed. “I do have something to tell you.”

She had known him long enough to know it was serious. Whatever it was, she knew it might not be pleasant. “I’ll be here.”

She warmed Sally’s bottle and tried not to fret. Whatever Luke needed to tell her, they would just face it together and do whatever needed to be done. Perhaps something had gone wrong with the house or with his job. Maybe Jay Cooke wanted him to return to Philadelphia. Oh, what if it were that? What would she say or do? Would he leave Duluth to do his work? He did have a responsibility. How could she fault him for honoring that?

When the bottle was ready, Gloriana sat in the rocker by the fire and fed Sally. The baby took hold of the glass bottle herself and half chewed, half sucked on the leather nipple. They would have to replace it soon. Mrs. Sedgwick had even suggested feeding the baby by using a little mug and teaching her to drink from it. To Gloriana it sounded like a lot of work and cleanup.

Luke came back just as Gloriana was burping Sally. “Here, that’s a job I can do.” He reached down and drew the baby up to his shoulder. “Hello, little one. Aren’t you looking pretty today?”

“You’d better have this towel. You don’t want your suit ruined.” Gloriana handed him up a towel, which he promptly used to cover his shoulder.

He patted Sally firmly on the back until she let out a loud burp. “I think that should suffice,” he said, laughing. “I’ve heard grown men belch more delicately.”

Gloriana grinned. “She’s just very enthusiastic. By the way, how’s JT doing with his nouns?”

“He’s fine now. He was just confused by pronouns. When I left, he was racing through the problems. I’ll check all of his answers after dinner.”

She had no desire to avoid the obvious. “What is it we need to discuss? Has something happened?”

“It has.” Luke sat down and bounced Sally on his knee. “My father has come to town.”

“Your father?” Gloriana felt a chill go up her spine. “Why is he here?”

Luke met her gaze. “To take Sally.”

Chapter 20

“Take Sally?” JT asked from the other side of the room. “You aren’t going to let him, are you?”

“Indeed, I will not. That’s why I was late getting here. I had to stop off to see Judge Prescott. I told him about my father and what he had said and what I feared he might do.”

“Which is what, exactly?” Gloriana asked. She wanted to snatch Sally out of Luke’s arms but held back.