Rose just looked at Ethan and shook his head.

"You could have handled that better," she said, "you'd better make up for it right now."

She bent to check on Amelia who lay on the ground but Ethan beat her to it. He stroked the hair off of her face.

"Hey Amelia…wake up….I'm right here…"

Rose sighed.

"She's fainted…maybe from the heat," she said, "We'd best get her to her house and I'll get a doctor."

"We don't have one. Only the town barber and this is not something he handles."

Rose nodded.

"I wouldn't think so," she said, "I'll go find John Taylor then after we get her out of the hot sun."

He looked up at her.

"You get him…I'll get her home."

He gently picked her up and held her in his arms but she still didn't stir. Damn, he began to really worry about her as he carried her down the street as people stood and stared until he'd walked up the stairs of her house and managed to get her inside. He laid her down carefully on the chaise where she began to move a little bit then went into the kitchen to get her a cloth soaked in cool water.

The enormity of her news hadn't hit him yet, so focused was he on tending to her. He wiped her brow with the cloth and she began to turn her head.

"Amelia it's okay…"

She opened her eyes then and just looked at him.

"Ethan?"

"I'm right here…

She frowned and tried to get up.

"Go away…"

He sighed.

"I'm not going anywhere," he said, "Rose went to get John Taylor."

She shook her head at him.

"I'm fine…I don't need John Taylor and I don't need you right now either."

He put the cloth down.

"Amelia you fainted in the street."

"I'm fine now," she said, "So you really should just go."

"No…I'm staying right here."

She ran a hand through her hair just looking at him.

"Why…what do you want? You know the truth and I can't believe you ever thought my baby would have another father...how could you say such a thing?"

"I got mad. It's not like you even told me about your…your condition."

She maneuvered herself into a sitting position on the chaise.

"I was going to…you just never gave me the chance."

He folded his arms.

"You were here three days Amelia…you had plenty of chances to tell me."

She willed herself to be patient with the man.

"You were…you are engaged to another woman," she said, "You're about to get married. That didn't make it easy."

The front door opened and in walked Rose and John Taylor who smiled when he saw both Ethan and Amelia in the living room.

"I see you're awake."

She nodded.

"I'm perfectly fine as I tried telling Ethan here. I don't need any help."

John Taylor smiled wider.

"You're probably right Amelia but why don't I take a look anyway?"

She shot him a foreboding look.

"You're not going to…"

He shook his head.

"No…just ask you some questions that's all," he said, "It sounds like the heat got you but Rose told me you've been quite sick in the mornings."

"Well that's normal isn't it?"

"Yes but that and the heat…it might make you more prone to fainting spells."

Amelia didn't like the sound of that. She couldn't be fainting all over town. People were talking enough already and she didn't need Ethan fussing over her especially when he'd just insulted her.

John Taylor turned to Ethan.

"Leave us alone for a while," he said, "You know where the parlor is don't you?"

Ethan nodded and he left the two of them to go there and wait.

Amelia sat up slowly, still feeling a bit weak.

"I don't know what happened…one moment I felt fine the next…"

John Taylor took her vitals and then smiled at her.

"It was the heat and the sickness in the morning making you more vulnerable," he said, "I think more rest and good food plus some tea I'll leave you…you'll be feeling a lot better."

"Tea?"

"Yes…our own women take it during this time. It tastes…not very good but it does the trick."

She nodded.

"You think I was rough on Ethan don't you."

He shrugged.

"He was shocked. Men often are in these situations."

She sighed.

"What he said though…there wasn't anyone else no matter what he thinks."

"He knows that," John Taylor said, "Ethan's probably regrets what he said to you."

"I know I should have told him right off…I was going to but then I heard about his engagement and it didn't seem like a good time."

"I see…"

"I don't want to mess up his chance at happiness."

"That's understandable."

"Now the whole town knows and if Missy breaks off the engagement, it'll be my fault."

"Does that bother you?"

She looked down at her hands.

"Not really…but I don't want the baby to suffer for it."

"He'll never let that happen…"

She had to smile at that.

"I know but I'll decide what's best for us," she said, "If he's getting married it'll just be the two of us…"

Ethan paced outside unable to sit down for longer than a minute. Rose watched him in amusement.

"You'd think you were awaiting the birth of your child," she said, "You'll need to pace yourself Marshal."

He stopped and looked at her.

"Is she going to be all right?"

Rose softened.

"Course she will…but you owe her an apology for what you said about its father. We both know who sired that baby. If memory serves me correctly Ethan, you were the one who went up to her room the night of the party."

"I know…I shouldn't have said it but she should have told me straight off."

"Perhaps…but she's a single woman who's expectant and her baby's father is marrying someone else in a small town that talks."

"I'm not married yet."

She looked at him bemused.

"You haven't talked to Missy yet about this have you?"

He shook his head.

"Then you'll have to figure out how to do that," Rose said, "Can't say I envy you."

Ethan didn't look forward to it either but he knew what he had to do now.

"I'm going to take care of her."

She chuckled.

"If she'll let you Ethan…you got to get back on her good side first."

"It's my child too…"

"I know that but there's a woman attached to it that you used to love once…that you almost married. You should remember what it's like to get her to anything when she gets stubborn."

Yes he did time and time again. But he was just as determined as her. He just had to come up with a plan.