Mystic Mountains

then ran her hands over the flailing legs and arms, whispering words of love as she ensured to her satisfaction her babe was fit and well.
    Tiger felt a pang of jealousy, and briefly wondered at it.
    "She's perfect, Tiger." Her nose wrinkled. "But the poor little wretch looks too much like her father. Take her and bathe her now, Agnes. Then wrap her in the cloth afore she catches chill. And be careful, mind."
    "I will, missus. I 'll treat her as gentle as a kitten," Agnes purred, taking the small mite and cooing to her.
    Later, Tiger took the afterbirth away. When he came back he changed the bed linen, then rubbed Isabella 's belly to ease the bleeding.
    "Comfortable?" he asked, glancing about to see if he 'd put everything in order. "Is there any more I need to do?"
    "Just hand me my baby," Isabella said, as he plumped two pillows behind her back.
    "Here, Agnes, I'll take her now." He took the tiny swaddled babe carefully, kissing his daughter's sweet-smelling head. He couldn't hold back a joyful grin. "You can go and make your mistress some tea now, Agnes."
    The girl seemed to have recovered from her nervousness. Nodding vigorously, she went out, her plain face split by a smile.
    "What will you call her?" Tiger asked later as he avidly watched the baby suckling at Isabella's breast.
    "Thelma 's middle name was Annie. Poor Thelma always wanted a baby of her own and told me once she'd call her daughter Annie if she had one. I thought I'd call her that. What do you think?"
    "Do you really care what I think about it? That 'd be about the first time you've asked my thoughts about anything in a long time." He grinned as he said the words, softening the scolding. His insides melted as he touched the baby's fist where it lay on her breast.
    "I consider you did your share in making her and helping with the birthing, so you should have some say in naming her." She kept her eyes on the suckling baby.
    "Thelma would like that, and I think it's a grand name." Tiger swallowed against the tide of feelings engulfing him. Jesus, he was shaking like a callow youth. 
    "Then Annie it is." She nodded, her eyelids drooping. "We 'll have to wait to get her baptized by the priest when next he comes to Bathurst."
    "We could get him to marry us while we 're at it." Tiger didn't know which of them was more surprised by the sudden announcement. Her eyes sprung open and she stared at him, open mouthed. Tiger rubbed his chin, waiting.
    "You don 't want to marry me, Tiger." Her soft mouth twisted wryly. "What about all those plans of yours, eh?"
    Tiger sat carefully on the bed. Gently he stroked his daughter 's satiny cheek, still awed by her beauty. "In case you've forgotten, I gave up those stupid plans long ago. The fair misses of Sydney baulked at the idea of coming into the wilderness with me. Not that I particularly wanted any of them. 'Twas a vain and stupid idea anyway, discarded almost as soon as it was born."
    "I t would have saved a lot of heartache all round if you'd felt this way long ago." Isabella put her daughter to her other breast, sighing as she settled her. "'Tis too late now."
    "I don 't believe that."
    "Of course you don 't. Tiger Carstairs doesn't think on things at all." She pushed at his forearm. "You only thought of marrying me because you're feeling all soft after the baby's birth. Believe me, it does strange things to you, having a baby."
    She smiled, looking down at the infant rapturously engaged in its first meal. "You 'd want to take the first woman you lusted after to bed when you got to town." She sucked in her bottom lip and began to nibble it.
    Reaching over, he put a finger on her mouth, halting the movement. "Have I looked at another woman since we left Sydney?" he asked softly.
    "Ha. Likely that's because apart from Thelma, Agnes and Lily I was the only one there was to look at. You don't really want me." She put the baby to her shoulder, patting her back gently. The smile she gave him was tinged with sadness.
    He shook his head. "You 're wrong, Bella. I've not wanted anyone else in a long time. I realized what a foolish mistake I'd made almost as soon as I'd done it, but pride does funny things to men. I burned with jealousy when I knew Dougal was sharing your bed, and when I knew you weren't allowing him his privileges any more I was wickedly pleased. I told you before, you're my woman. And believe it or not I'm your man. I don't deserve your love for the things I said to you. But I gave up long ago