Gloriana went to her and wiped her face with a wet cloth. “Sally, you’re nearly done. Keep going. The baby will be here soon.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Sally whispered so softly that Gloriana thought she’d misheard. “Nothing matters without Scott.”

“Of course it does. This baby needs you.” Gloriana dampened the cloth again and wiped the younger woman’s face. “You must live for the baby.”

Sally shook her head. “Not without Scott. I can’t. He was my strength.”

“God is your strength, child,” Abigail declared. “Scott might be gone, but God will never leave or forsake you.”

Gloriana fought back a bitter retort. She didn’t want to make matters worse. Sally must find the will to live, and Gloriana wasn’t about to let her anger at the Almighty interfere with that.

The baby slid out, and Abigail rejoiced. “A girl! You have a sweet little daughter.”

She hung the baby upside down and stuck her finger in the baby’s mouth to clear it of mucus. When the baby began to cry good and hard, Abigail handed her to Gloriana.

“Get a towel and rub her off, then wash her in that basin I prepared. She won’t like it, but it will aid her health.”

The baby was wailing something fierce, but there didn’t appear to be any real tears. Gloriana marveled at the tiny infant. Their gazes met, and for a moment, Gloriana felt a wave of guilt. The baby should be greeting her mother, not a stranger.

She whisked the baby to the basin Abigail had prepared and did her best to wash the newborn. The infant was slippery, and Gloriana feared she’d lose her hold. It had been a long time since she’d washed a baby. She forced herself to focus on the task at hand, making sure the newborn was completely clean. The bath was brief, and as soon as Gloriana finished, Abigail instructed her to wrap the baby in swaddling.

“Bring her to Sally,” Abigail commanded when Gloriana was done. “Sally Carson, wake up and see your baby.”

Sally opened her eyes as Gloriana bent to show her the baby. “She’s beautiful, Sally. You must see her.”

The exhausted mother lifted her hand to touch the baby’s cheek. “She is lovely.”

“She’s also going to be quite hungry. That’s why you must recover so you can feed and nourish her,” Abigail declared.

Gloriana tucked the baby in the crook of Sally’s arm. “She needs you, Sally. You cannot leave us.”

“May I come in?” Lucas Carson asked from the door.

Abigail quickly wrapped the afterbirth in a towel. “Let me pull over the covers.” She hurried to make Sally presentable.

Luke came cautiously into the room.

Sally opened her eyes again and looked at the man who stood at the side of her bed. “Hello, Luke. I’m glad you’ve come.”