A tremor in her voice, Kendra said, “I was very, very ill. I almost died and didn’t even remember that you’d been born. You were so tiny and frail that no one thought you would survive. Your aunt Mary gave you to her sister, who saved your life and has been your mother ever since. You and I were both very lucky.”

Katie scowled. “How could you forget you had a baby?”

“Because I had two babies. You have a twin brother.” Kendra showed a ghost of a smile. “He looks like both of us. The same hair, the same eyes. Because I had him to love and care for, when I recovered from nearly dying, I’d forgotten that I’d borne a daughter, too. Then a few days ago I held a baby girl who looks a bit like you, and I suddenly remembered what I had lost. So I came looking for you.”

Picking out what interested her most, Katie said, “I have a brother?”

“Yes, his name is Christopher. He’ll love to learn that he has a sister.”

Mrs. Lowell emerged from the bedroom. “Katie, your mother wants to see you.”

Grateful for a reason to escape from all this new information, Katie scrambled from her chair and disappeared into the bedroom with Patches draped over her shoulder. The cat’s black and orange face studied Kendra quizzically before the door closed, separating them.

Frowning, Mrs. Lowell said, “You shouldn’t have told her you were her mother.”

“She had to know sooner or later. She started the discussion by commenting on the fact that we have the same color hair and eyes.” Kendra caught the other woman’s gaze. “I’m not going to carry her away from everything she knows. This is her home and you are her family. But so am I. I want to be part of her life. I want her to meet her brother. I want her to have the life she deserves.”

“We’re not good enough for her?” Mrs. Lowell’s gaze was challenging.

“You and your family are the best thing that could have happened to an abandoned child,” Kendra said quietly. “But your sister’s circumstances were difficult even before she became ill. I want to settle an income on Katie, enough to provide her and your sister a good home. I pray they are both healthy now. Do you think they are?”

The midwife’s tension eased. “I believe so. Jane is tired but I see no signs of illness.” She brushed her hand over her face, briefly covering her eyes. “I don’t mean to be difficult. Today has been too much for me.”

“It’s been too much for all of us,” Lucas said as he rose to his feet. “Kendra, we need to find an inn for the night. We can return in the morning and have all the discussions that are too overwhelming for tonight.”