A Very Special Delivery

A Very Special Delivery
Myrna Mackenzie

I'm going to have my baby. Right now!Rushing to the rescue, Mick Hannon swept the vulnerable, delicate woman into his arms–and straight to the Maitland Maternity clinic door. But before he could leave, he suddenly found himself coaxing–and coaching–her through the birth!Mick was secretly investigating some odd incidents at the clinic. Yet protecting penniless but proud Laura Maitland and her beautiful, newborn baby girl quickly grew more important. Although Laura's past had opened her to suspicion, Mick couldn't believe she was anything but good and honest.But how to tell her his own secrets…?

“Be careful. Don’t marry someone just to give your daughter a father,”

Mick warned.

Laura looked surprised. “I don’t intend to marry at all.”

Mick’s eyes seemed to turn fiercer than before, but he only gave her a quick nod. He gently touched her baby’s cheek, then he took Laura’s hand in his and studied it, as if remembering the hours they’d spent with their fingers linked.

Carefully he curled Laura’s fingers closed. “Sleep,” he whispered. “Rest. Have a good life.”

Laura watched him disappear. Mick wasn’t the first man who’d walked out of her life. Her father had walked away many times. Her baby’s father had left. So she shouldn’t feel sad to see Mick leave. Heavens, she didn’t even know him! Even so, he wasn’t a man she would easily forget.

“I hope there’s nothing to this imprinting thing, sweetie,” Laura crooned to her child. “Don’t go getting attached to Mick. Just don’t.”

Maitland Maternity: The Prodigal Children

The Inheritance by Marie Ferrarella

Silhouette Single Title

A Very Special Delivery by Myrna Mackenzie

SR #1540

The Missing Maitland by Stella Bagwell

SR #1546

A Very Special Delivery

Myrna Mackenzie

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

MYRNA MACKENZIE,

winner of the Holt Medallion honoring outstanding literary talent, has always been fascinated by the belief that within every man is a hero, and inside every woman lives a heroine. She loves to write about ordinary people making extraordinary dreams come true. A former teacher, Myrna lives in the suburbs of Chicago with her husband—who was her high school sweetheart—and her two sons. She believes in love, laughter, music, vacations to the mountains, watching the stars, anything unattached to the words physical fitness and letting dust balls gather where they may. Readers can write to Myrna at P.O. Box 225, LaGrange, IL 60525-0225.

THE MAITLANDS:

MEGAN MAITLAND:

Matriarch of the Maitland family. Her life had been filled with sorrow, excitement and joy. Once she was reunited with her long-lost son, she’d thought all would be well. But now strange things were happening at her clinic, and she wasn’t sure who was behind the mystery. Was her dream of a maternity clinic going to fail?

JANELLE MAITLAND:

The oldest of black sheep Robert Maitland’s children. Ambitious and grasping, she’d stolen and blackmailed and lied to gain the Maitland money. She’d been captured and sent to jail, but she has broken out. Could she be behind the incidents? And was she representative of all the prodigal Maitlands?

RAFE MAITLAND:

The youngest of Robert’s children. Hardworking rancher. He’d always lived life alone, but in the past few months he’d acquired a daughter—and a wife! Now he would do anything to protect his family….

LAURA MAITLAND:

Robert’s third child. Vulnerable new mother. She’d swallowed her pride to ask for help with her child. She’d vowed never to depend on another man again, but Mick Hannon was very hard to resist….

LUKE MAITLAND:

Robert’s second child. Even investigative reporter Blossom Woodward couldn’t find anything out about his past. Or his future…

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter One

“I—I’m sorry, but I think I’ve waited too long. Please help me. I’m going to have my baby. Right now.”

The soft, shaky words caught Mick Hannon’s attention and he spun from where he’d been reviewing a set of blueprints outside Austin’s Maitland Maternity clinic to see a pale, delicate woman with long brown hair swaying on her feet. Her eyes were wide with distress, her arms cradled her abdomen. She was staring beseechingly at one of the gardeners who’d been trimming the bushes at this end of the long drive.

Just at that moment, the woman sucked in a deep breath and a low moan spilled from her pale lips. Her knees began to buckle.

The unfortunate gardener’s eyes went round and scared. He didn’t move.