It was much later when Ingrid began to think with a degree of reasoning and deliberation. She lay leisurely and comfortably in David's arms, her cheek against his chest.

"Wasn't Pam a satisfactory plaything?" she teased.

"She's too skinny, her lips too thin, her feet too big, and flat as a board across the beam."

Ingrid laughed. "What were her good points?"

He didn't say anything for a long time. She raised up to look at him, thinking he was asleep. He was looking at her. "Why do you hesitate to answer?"

"I'm thinking."

"About what it was you liked about her."

"Yes."

"Well?"

"Truthfully, Ingrid, I can't think of a thing. You've spoiled me. I was telling Lowell about you and he thinks I have all my eggs in one basket, and he's right. You're perfect--well except for one little flaw."

"Go ahead and tell me." She sounded peeved.

"You don't trust your husband."

"What about my jealous streak?"

"If you ever stop being jealous, then I'll start to worry." "Do you like fat women?"

"Only you."

"Will you still love me when I'm fat and round?"

"I like you anyway I can get you."

"I'm serious," she said.

He rolled to his side to face her. "So am I." They were quiet for a time, and then he said, "What is it you want to tell me?"

Suddenly he had asked the question she had been dreading. "I thought you had forgotten."

"There seemed more pressing things to be considered, but I haven't forgotten."

"Do you love me?"

He held her tighter. "What can I do to prove it? Anything, just tell me."

"Do you trust me?"

"Of course," he sounded perplexed, and then felt a spear of alarm. "Ingrid, what is it?"

"Something has happened, something inexplicable, wonderful, and frightening."

"I can't imagine what you're talking about, but you're scaring the hell out of me. What has happened?" He started to push himself up.

She put her arm across his chest and whispered, "Please, don't move, just hold me." He lay flat and held her. She was trembling. "I'm so scared," she said, and her voice faded into the darkness of the room.

"Scared of what? You've been beating around the bush long enough. Now will you please tell me what's wrong? Is it something I've done?"

It most certainly is, she thought, but how will I convince you of that. "Darling," she said, and then paused as tremors racked her body. His arms tightened around her and she held on to him like a frightened child who had just awakened from a nightmare.

"For God's sake! What is it?"

"I'm pregnant!"

She felt him stiffen, but he did not move, tighten or relax his hold on her. The long silence that followed was deadly. She could not hear the sound of his breathing and she held her own breath in terror. She put her ear over his heart and heard it beating very fast, and she feared, in disbelief.

When he finally spoke he sounded excited. "Ingrid, are you sure?"

"Yes, darling. I'm positive."

He didn't say anything more, but he held her fiercely, and she felt the sobs that racked his body. She hung on to him while they both wept. "Sweetheart," he said at last, "why were you afraid to tell me?"

"Because," she sobbed, "I was afraid you might deny being responsible. You were so positive that you couldn't get me pregnant. I have never been so scared in my life."

"Deny it! Do you have any idea what this means to me? I'm the happiest man alive--" His voice broke off.

"I was afraid that you might think that I--"

"Stop it!" his voice cut through the darkness. "What kind of an animal do you think I am? Sure I'm shocked out of my gourd. I never dreamed that it might actually happen. I knew there was a small chance, a minute possibility, but I have never believed in impossible odds."

"What will people think?"

"To hell with people!"

"Some people are suspicious and nasty. They can read smut into Bible stories. We might as well be prepared for it."

"They can think what they like, but they had better not say it." He gathered her close. "I'm the luckiest man on earth."

"I want to have your baby more than I have ever wanted anything in my life."

"I can't wait to tell Father."

"Please, don't tell anyone, not yet."

"Of course I'll tell him. I'll tell the whole damned world. We don't have anything to hide; we have something to brag about. I know you haven't been sleeping with the ice man."

"Indeed I haven't," she laughed. "The man I sleep with is more like a fireman."

"You should know, you carry the matches."

"Do you realize that we will have been married only nine months when the baby comes?"

"That's all the time we need. I still can't believe it."

"You had better believe it."

"I'm going to call Father."

"Now?"

"Right this minute."

"Darling, it's three o'clock in the morning."

"I don't care. If I don't tell someone, I'll burst."

"Oh, dear," she said. "I was supposed to call Nadine and let her know I found you."

"She's probably asleep by now."

"You know she's not. She's sitting by the telephone right this minute waiting."

"Then you had better give her a call. Shall I do it?"

"Yes, if you don't mind. I gave her a pretty hard time. I'm not too sure she would want to talk to me."

"I wasn't too easy on her myself. Poor Nadine, always caught in the middle."

"Poor Nadine talks too much."

"Don't be too hard on her. She has a lot more good qualities than bad ones."

"I know. I could never get along without her. I love her very much."

"How about it--care for a second honeymoon?"

"There isn't any such thing, remember?"

"So there isn't. How about a short vacation?"

"What will I wear? I didn't bring a thing with me and I lost my shoes in the mud."

"You brought everything with you that I need." He was quiet for a moment. "Did you say you lost your shoes in the mud?"

"My car stalled about a quarter mile from here and I had to walk. I lost my shoes."

"Good Lord! I had no idea. You must have been out of your mind starting out in the middle of the night, and in the rain."

"I was out of my mind," she admitted. "I was frantic to find you. It wasn't raining when I left home."

"That washed out trail is dangerous at best. Dammit, you could have been hurt, or ended up in the river." He grabbed her and held her, trembling. "This was all my fault. I am like a turtle. You're right. Sometimes I act like a spoiled brat too. I'm going to make sure that you take better care of yourself."

"Don't start treating me like an invalid just because I'm pregnant. Women have babies every day."

"Not my babies."

She felt ashamed for making such a cold observation. He would most likely never have another child and she knew she must protect the precious life she was carrying. "I'll be very careful," she said seriously. "I thought you were going to call Nadine?"

"I can have Slim bring us some clothes and groceries."

"How will he find us?"

"He could find this cabin in his sleep. Slim has been with me since I was nine years old."

"David! You gave me your own man! Now I know why he never cashed any of his paychecks. You've been paying him all along."

"To look after you for me." He got up and struggled into his robe. "I'll call Nadine." He felt his way across the dark bedroom and turned on the hall light. Ingrid slid out of bed,...