A Family-to-Be

After fleeing to Little Horn, Texas, when she discovered her fiancé was a con man, Caroline Murray agrees to act as the temporary nanny for her brother’s handsome neighbor. Though caring for David McKay’s daughter and the orphaned infant triplets he’s fostering is just a charitable gesture, she’s falling for the children and David. But if there’s one lesson Caroline won’t forget, it’s that her feelings can’t be trusted.

With children to care for and a ranch to run, David definitely needs help—though he doesn’t want a new wife. But his affection for Caroline runs deeper than mere appreciation of her skills as a nanny. She was only supposed to be a temporary solution, but will Caroline find a permanent place in David’s heart?

“Why can’t Miss Caroline be our nanny?”

All the grown-ups froze. David’s eyebrow lifted. Had his darling daughter just said “our nanny,” as in she’d consider herself one of Caroline’s charges?

Caroline’s lashes fluttered as she recovered from her surprise. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I couldn’t.”

Maggie’s eyes clouded. “Why not?”

“Well, I’m not going to be here very long, for one thing. For another, I’ve never been a nanny before.”

“Maybe not,” Ida interjected. “But you certainly seem to have a way with the triplets.”

“Ma, Miss Murray is here to visit her family, not work for ours.”

“Of course we wouldn’t want to impose, Caroline, but your family would be welcome to visit here as often as they want.”

“Oh, I don’t know.” Caroline’s gaze landed on his, soft as a butterfly, filled with questions.

Did he want her to help them? The answer was an irrevocable no. Did he need her help? Ida’s meaningful glare said yes. When he remained silent, she prompted, “We sure could use your help. Couldn’t we, David?”

He swallowed hard. “There’s no denying that.”

* * *

Lone Star Cowboy League: Multiple Blessings

The Rancher’s Surprise Triplets—

Linda Ford, April 2017

The Nanny’s Temporary Triplets—

Noelle Marchand, May 2017

The Bride’s Matchmaking Triplets—

Regina Scott, June 2017

Dear Reader,

Writing has always been something hugely personal to me. It’s also always been something rather private to the point where most of my friends and even family had no idea I was interested in writing until surprise, surprise! I had a book being published. Back then, I learned a very valuable lesson about not hiding your light under a bushel.

Five years later, I was honored to be asked by my editor to take part in this series. I am so glad that I said yes. Writing this book has taught me so much about what it means to share, to let what I create become a collaboration and to appreciate the ideas others bring to the table.

For this intensely personal and private writer, it was very much a chance to get back to the basics of the lesson I learned when I was just starting out. Writing, by its nature, is something meant to be shared. The story that begins in my imagination takes on a life of its own in yours. I think that is downright incredible.

I am so blessed that I was able to share that process with my editor, Elizabeth Mazer, and the two other authors in the Lone Star Cowboy League: Multiple Blessings series, Linda Ford and Regina Scott. Please be sure to read the other books in the series to see how the search for the triplets’ family begins and ends. I’m sure you will enjoy the other installments as much as I hope you’ve enjoyed this one.

To find out more about me and the other books I’ve written, be sure to go to NoelleMarchand.com. You can also search for me on social media sites such as Facebook, Goodreads, Twitter and Pinterest. I’d love to hear from you.

Blessings!

NOELLE MARCHAND is a native Houstonian living out her childhood dream of being a writer. She graduated summa cum laude from Houston Baptist University in 2012, earning a bachelor’s degree in mass communications and speech communications. She loves exploring new books and new cities. When she’s not scribbling out her latest manuscript, you may find her pursuing one of her other passions—music, dance, history and classic movies.

The Nanny’s Temporary Triplets

Noelle Marchand

www.millsandboon.co.uk

For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him.

—Philippians 2:13

Special thanks to everyone involved in the creation of the Lone Star Cowboy League: Multiple Blessings series, especially Linda Ford, Regina Scott and Elizabeth Mazer!

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

Dear Reader

About the Author

Title Page

Bible Verse

Dedication

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 Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

Austin, Texas

July 1896

“By the power vested in me by God and the state of Texas—”

“Stop this wedding!”

Everything around Caroline Murray seemed to blur. Yet she was more aware than she’d ever been. Time fractured until it was made up of nothing more than tiny details. Seemingly insignificant, she could still feel their indelible stamp on her soul.

Sunlight streamed through the stained-glass windows of the church, spilling a bizarre assortment of colors onto her pure-white gown. Her hands were clasped in her groom’s. His grip held hers tighter and tighter. So tight now that it was almost painful, not unlike the ring he’d placed on her finger only moments ago that had somehow been forged a size too small.

None of that mattered now because through the dreamy tinge of her veil she watched another woman march down the aisle with a baby in her arms and righteous indignation on her drawn features. Caroline turned back to her groom in confusion, waiting for him to take charge. She saw panic flash across his face before his dashing smile faded to a scowl. Yet he didn’t breathe a word. It seemed she would have to be the one to deal with the stranger who’d brought their wedding to a halt.

It was silent. Too silent with more than two hundred people in the chapel. Even the baby, with his eerily familiar eyes, stared at her without a sound. Somehow Caroline found her voice. “Who are you? What do you want?”

Compassion filled the eyes of the woman who surveyed her. “My name is Lucette Calabrese.”

“She is my sister,” Nico Calabrese asserted as if his strong Italian features bore any resemblance to the delicate ones of the woman who spoke with the inflections of the French.

Lucette closed her eyes and winced. “No. I am his wife.”

Caroline recoiled. “What?”

Lucette bounced the baby in her arms slightly. “This is our son.”

“Caroline, don’t believe her.” Nico’s dark, pleading eyes captured Caroline’s. “She is a crazy woman who follows me from town to town. She is obsessed with my career, my music, my voice.”

“Nico is right. I am crazy...for following him from city to city, standing by as he wastes the money he earns at the gambling table, then makes up for it by seducing unsuspecting women out of their fortunes.” Lucette lifted her chin. “But no longer. I am going home to France. His music, career and voice do not enchant me in the least. I came here today because I could not let him ruin another life the way he has ruined mine.”

Nico finally released Caroline’s hands. “How can you say these things?”

Lucette ignored him. “He will take your dowry and leave you after the honeymoon. That is his plan. Save yourself and your virtue while you can.”

With that, Lucette turned on her heel and walked out of the church. Nico swallowed hard. Turning back to Caroline, he asked, “Do you believe her?”

Her heart screamed no, but her head silenced it. A kaleidoscope of memories paraded through her mind. Their romance had been a fairy tale from the start. They’d met through her parents’ connections in the crème de la crème of Austin’s music society. He was everything they had always wanted for her and exactly what she’d wanted for herself: educated, well-traveled and, most important of all, musical. His skill at the piano wasn’t particularly anything to brag about, especially in comparison to her father’s, but then Lawrence Murray had been a world-renowned pianist from the age of eight.

Nico’s voice, however, was the epitome of what a classical tenor should be. His control over it was astounding, his lyrical phrasing impeccable. He put new shadow, light, vibrancy into melodies she’d heard hundreds of times before and made them exciting again.

Her parents loved him. He’d become the musical son they’d never had. So much so that she’d been glad her tone-deaf brother, Matthew, had been too preoccupied with his cattle and growing family in Little Horn, Texas, to see how they doted on Nico.

He was the handsomest man she’d ever seen and the only man to look beyond the influence and glamour of her parents’ lives to notice her—the girl with a voice that was pretty, but not nearly strong enough to match her mother’s mezzosoprano or to even make it onto the stage. Embarrassingly enough, Caroline had little else to recommend her. Why else would her father have set aside such an obscene amount of money for her dowry, then discreetly make it public knowledge?

Nico had told her the money didn’t matter to him. He loved her for who she was. In return he was destined to be her first and only love. Their romance was going to be able to meet the standard set by the tender tomes of her parents’ love story. At the very least, it was meant to rival her brother’s idyllic one. And it had.

Until now.

Maybe that had been the problem. All of it had been too good to be true. So much a fairy tale that it well and truly was only that—fiction.

She pulled in a deep breath, locked eyes with the man she’d just pledged her life to and suddenly felt dirty, soiled. Anger burned within her so hot and deep that it couldn’t rise to the surface. She pushed it away, clinging instead to the protective numbness. “Yes, Nico. I believe your wife.”

His shoulders sank, but he offered an irascible half smile and tweaked her nose in that familiar way of his. “It was fun while it lasted. Arrivederci, my sweet.”

She cringed away, but he was too busy rushing out the door to notice. It closed with a bang loud enough to startle some sense into her. She turned to her parents and their guests. “Wait. Shouldn’t someone arrest him for something?”

A few laughs punctuated the shocked silence as a few justice-minded men bolted off in pursuit. Caroline took advantage of the general confusion that followed to slip out the side door into the harsh sunlight. She shoved her veil out of the way and hugged her arms around her waist. Wincing as the door opened behind her, she turned with a glare that softened at the sight of her brother.

Matthew didn’t say anything at first. He just searched her face in concern. Finally, he ran his fingers through his blond hair and pleaded, “Carrie, let me take you away from here until all this blows over.”

“Where would we go?”

“To my ranch.”

A laugh escaped her. “In Little and Worn?”

His scowl lacked any real bite. “You know the town is named Little Horn.”

She offered him a faint smile. “I know.”

He caught her arm gently. “Come with me. Get away from the city. The country is beautiful, Caroline. The sky goes on forever. It’s the kind of place that puts everything in perspective. Emma and I would love to spend time with you. You could go riding, let loose without worrying about what society thinks of you.”

As though on cue, guests started exiting from the front of the church. They walked in groups with their heads together. No doubt already gossiping about what they’d seen. Who could blame them? If she’d been a guest at such a wedding, she’d talk about it, too. The gossip in Austin was going to be unbearable for the next few weeks. Besides that, she and Nico had made memories all over town.

Someone spotted her. The society reporter from Austin’s most widely read newspaper. He veered her way. Caroline tensed. Her voice came out kind of wobbly. “Matt, get me out of here.”

Within minutes she was in the carriage beside her brother and sister-in-law. They went back to their parents’ house, where Caroline changed into her traveling clothes. Her trunks were already packed. Having said goodbye to her parents at the church, Caroline was on a train headed toward Little Horn in less than an hour.

Relief filled her as the train lumbered into the station at Little Horn after what felt like an eternity. Soon she would be tucked away at her brother’s ranch, where she might be provided some modicum of privacy.

As they stepped onto the train platform, Emma placed a hand on her rounded stomach. “I hate to say this, but the baby and my stomach are both doing flips. I think I need to eat something now before it gets any worse.”

Matthew placed a comforting hand on his wife’s back. “We’ll stop at the café before we head home.”

Caroline realized she should be ravenous. She’d been too nervous to eat before the ceremony and had had nothing since. Yet food didn’t interest her, and she wasn’t sure she could hold her emotions together long enough to eat an entire meal at the café. A hand reached through the fog to give hers a light squeeze. Caroline met her sister-in-law’s understanding gaze. “Would you like to take a walk first and meet us there when you’re ready?”

“Yes,” Caroline agreed almost desperately even as Matthew protested.

Emma ignored her husband. “Go right ahead, Caroline. The church is around the corner and across the street. You might be able to find some privacy there.”

“Thank you.” Caroline wasted no time in finding the church, but she stopped just shy of entering. She followed the walkway between the church and what seemed to be the parsonage, hoping it might lead exactly where it did. The path opened into a small sort of...well, park would a generous term. It was really just a field. Though the wildflowers and grass were all but dried up, the space was blessedly empty.

A few tall live oaks provided refuge from the sun. She sank to her knees at the base of one. She opened her hand to stare at the small gold wedding band she’d carried all this way. She should have thrown it out. Yet when she’d removed the silly thing, she’d been unable to let it go.

Now it gleamed in the bright Texas sun, mocking her, berating her, teasing her with the reality of what her situation might have been had she gone through with the wedding. Not the roses, cake and laughter she’d expected, but robbery, ruination, abandonment. Closing her eyes, she clenched her hand and let the metal bite into her fingers. “How could I be so utterly stupid? So ridiculously foolish? How did I not suspect anything?”

She lowered her head to bury her fingers in her hair and fought against the tears filling her eyes. The sound of approaching footsteps made her still. She stared through blurry eyes at the man who’d stopped some distance away. He removed his hat in a gesture of respect, then went down on one knee as though purposefully making himself smaller. His broad shoulders and muscled form could be deemed intimidating. Yet there was no mistaking the gentleness or concern in his drawl. “Ma’am, I don’t mean to intrude, but I couldn’t pass by without asking. Are you all right? I mean, are you sick? Should I get a doctor?”

A doctor would be of no help to her. Still, it was a sweet gesture. A wobbly smile tilted her lips. “No, thank you.”

There was a moment of silence. He was probably trying to figure out what to do next. Was there a polite way to ask him to leave? There had to be.

She blinked several times to clear her vision. Everything blurry came back into focus. He was handsome. So handsome that the gentle dismissal she planned to deliver died even as her lips parted to speak.

She wanted to look away, but his gaze held hers in place. More than that, it seemed to peer deep inside, where he had no business being. Then something flickered in his eyes. Recognition. Kindness. An odd feeling of kinship stretched between them as if he understood her pain and, in his own way, had felt it, too.

This time there was no question in his voice. “You are hurt.”

She wanted to deny it, but her heart wouldn’t listen. The ache in her chest reopened, becoming a chasm too wide to run from. Her tears would no longer be denied or controlled. They flooded her cheeks. Sobs broke free, along with more shame and self-recrimination than she’d ever felt before. She no longer cared that she had an audience. What was one more person when so many had already witnessed her humiliation?

* * *

David McKay wasn’t afraid of a woman’s tears. His late wife had been a crier. Anytime he’d disagreed with her or displayed the slightest displeasure over her wandering eye, she’d cried until he turned to putty in her hands. That had lasted until his mother had oh so casually mentioned she’d heard Laura instructing a friend on how to make herself cry. After that, he’d let Laura cry as often as she wanted. She’d eventually realized her tears wouldn’t sway him and saved her energy for other ways to torment him.

Then his pa had been fatally gored by a longhorn. Nothing David did could stop his mother’s tears. All he could do was offer a shoulder and a handkerchief to mop up her tears when she was done. She’d gone on and on to her friends about what a comfort her son had been in her grief. That was when he’d learned a secret about women strange enough to boggle any man’s mind. They wanted to cry. The sooner a fellow let them do it, the sooner they’d stop on their own accord.

Of course, the difference was that the woman crying now was a complete stranger to him...and a beautiful one at that. Yet he couldn’t leave a woman crying in the dirt without trying to offer at least a little comfort. He approached her as he would an injured heifer, hoping not to frighten her. She didn’t seem to care one way or the other. She just kept crying in heartbreaking sobs that shook her whole body.

He tentatively put a comforting hand on her back, between her shoulder blades. She didn’t flinch away, so he left it there. Her shudder seemed to travel up his arm. She began to talk. David knelt beside her to listen to her quiet confession through her sobs. “I loved him. I really did.”

His eyebrows rose, though he couldn’t say he was surprised. He’d suspected she was a victim of heartbreak by the pain he’d seen in her eyes.

“I never imagined he had a wife.”

Everything within him stilled. He swallowed down the instinctive aversion he had for anyone who played fast and loose with fidelity. He’d had more than enough of that from his late wife.

“How stupid can one person be? To be taken in like that? To believe every lie and ignore any sign of the truth?”

All right. She’d been lied to. That didn’t exactly excuse it, but it did explain it. It also made her the injured party here. Her and the man’s wife. He’d been in that situation one too many times not to feel compassion for her.

With a sigh, David settled in the dirt beside the woman and put his arm around her shoulders. He was kind of hoping she’d get all offended and push him away. She leaned slightly into him instead. He gave in to the moment, as crazy as it seemed, and pulled her a bit closer. Her cheek landed on his chest, allowing warm tears to spill onto his shirt. He ran his right hand up and down her arm in a calming, predictable pattern while his left hand rested on his knee in full view of her downturned face, making it clear he wasn’t panning to take advantage of the situation.

Her sobs faded to intermittent shudders. The wet patch on his shirt began to cool. He dug a white handkerchief from his chest pocket and offered it to her. “You can keep this, so don’t be afraid to blow your nose if you need to.”

A small, watery laugh reached his ear as she took his offering. She wiped her face, then blew her nose before whispering, “Thank you, Pastor.”

David’s eyes widened. “I’m not a preacher. I’m a rancher.”

“A rancher?” Dismay filled her voice as she pulled back to look at him with hazel eyes that were an intriguing mix of brown, amber and green.

He tried not to grimace. It figured she’d be one of those women like his wife. The kind that against all odds got even prettier when she cried. Color flushed her cheeks while reddening her nose only slightly. A rich brown tendril came loose over her right eye. It threatened to tangle in the dark lashes that her tears had turned spiky.

He lifted a hand and brushed it back. She froze. Suddenly aware of the intimacy of the moment, he removed his arm from around her and searched for something, anything, to put distance between them. “Something wrong with being a rancher?”

“Of course not. My brother is a rancher. It’s only that being near the church and you being so kind and all, I assumed...” She trailed off with a shrug.

“No. I was just on my way to the parsonage and happened to see you. You say your brother is a rancher? How is it that I’ve never seen you around town before?”

“I haven’t been around town before. Not for several years, that is. I’m visiting my brother. His name is Matthew Murray.”

“I know Matthew. He’s a good friend of mine.” Matthew had mentioned he would be leaving town for a few days to attend his sister’s wedding. The puzzle pieces shifted into place. “And you’re Caroline.”

Her eyes widened slightly. “Yes.”

He hesitantly added, “I take it the wedding didn’t go as planned.”

“No.” She glanced toward the church. “It did not.”

That was probably for the best, though he wasn’t sure she’d appreciate him saying so. He kept quiet, watching for any indication she wanted to be alone. She turned to look up at him with curiosity. “I just realized I don’t know your name.”

“David McKay.”

Her lashes lowered toward her cheeks. “Well, David McKay, thank you for listening to my troubles and...”

“Holding you in my arms?” He probably shouldn’t have teased her, but he wanted to see if he could make her smile just once before they parted ways. He wasn’t disappointed.

Her laughing hazel eyes met his, acknowledging the underlying absurdity of the encounter, while her lips tilted into a smile. “That, too.”

Anytime, he wanted to say, but that would be inappropriate. It would also be flirtatious, and David hadn’t tried his hand at flirting since Laura had died five years ago. He wasn’t planning to start now. Especially not with a woman whose heart had just been broken. He knew from experience how long that could take to heal.

Granted, he could use another woman’s influence in Maggie’s life. Preferably it would be someone who could convince his daughter to stop cutting her hair shorter and shorter anytime she got the notion and someone who could teach her that there was nothing wrong with wearing dresses or acting feminine.

Of course, there were the triplets to consider now. The ten-month-old foundlings had been abandoned at the county fair last month. Their mother had left a note explaining that she was widowed, penniless and dying. No longer able to take care of the boys, she’d asked the Lone Star Cowboy League, a group of ranchers known for their compassion and ability to get things done, to take in her boys.

As a member of the league, David had stepped up to do exactly that when the folks originally charged with their care had to give up the babies because of an illness in their house. He’d gone through a lot of trouble to hire a nanny for them and his daughter. Maggie had a tendency to run wild when he wasn’t around. School being out for the summer only exacerbated that. He had a ranch to run, which meant that Ma was Maggie’s main caretaker for most of the day. At seventy-seven, Ma wasn’t as spry as she used to be, and keeping up with Maggie’s ever-increasing energy and mischief was becoming more of a challenge.

Of course, the truth was, even in her younger days Ma never had been able to find it in her heart to discipline her only grandchild. He understood. Maggie’s big blue eyes, honey-colored hair and button nose made her cute as could be. It also gave her an innocent appearance that unfortunately was too often only that—an appearance. Hence, the reason he’d been heading to the parsonage.

First, he needed to do the gentlemanly thing. That did not include leaving his new acquaintance by herself in this state. “Where is your brother?”

“He’s at the café with Emma. I should probably head that way myself.”

She made a motion as though to rise, so he jumped to his feet and caught her arm to help her stand. “May I escort you?”

“Oh, no. That isn’t necessary.” She brushed the dirt from her skirt, lifted her chin and offered one last faint smile. “Thank you again, Mr. McKay.”

“You’re welcome, ma’am.”

He watched to make sure she was headed in the right direction before crossing the field to the parsonage. Brandon Stillwater answered the door with a welcoming grin. “Come in, David. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“I need your advice on something.” David removed his hat and stepped inside the foyer.

“Let’s talk in my study. Can I get you anything? Coffee? A cookie? One of those little strudel things Mrs. Hickey is so fond of making?”

“Thank you, but I’m fine.” Entering the study behind Brandon, David paced back and forth on the bright square of light falling from the window onto the floor in front of the well-hewn desk.

Concern furrowed Brandon’s brow as he leaned his hip against the desk. “What’s going on?”

“Maggie put a snake in the nanny’s bed.”

“What?” Brandon asked in alarm.

“I know.” David sank into a nearby chair. “It was dead. I’m not sure if that makes it better or worse. Before I could even try to discipline her, my ma stepped in and fired the nanny for being angry at Maggie. It was a formality, really. The nanny was already halfway up the stairs on her way to pack her bags of her own accord.”

“How long have you been without a nanny?”

“Two days. I’ve been racking my brain for a solution, asking around to see if any of the ladies in town would take the position. None of them are interested. In fact, I may have offended a few husbands and fathers by even suggesting their women might be able to use the extra income. I don’t suppose you’ve heard of anyone in need of a job? Perhaps someone in the congregation?”

Brandon glanced away, looking deep in thought, before he slowly shook his head. “I’m afraid not. The women in our congregation are mostly married or widows with their own children. The unattached women help out on their families’ ranches and farms. A lot of them are younger girls, too. Either way, you might run into the same problem of offending their menfolk. Of course, if we put the word out that you’re looking for help, a few of them might be willing to do so out of pure Christian charity—and a chance to catch the eye of one of the ‘wealthiest and most mysterious bachelors in Little Horn.’”

“Ugh.” David winced. “Is that really what they say about me?”

Brandon grinned. “I’m afraid so.”

“Well, nothing doing. I’m not letting those women into my house. The last thing I’m looking for is romance. There has to be someone else.”

“What about her?”

“Her? Her who?”

“Her.” Brandon tipped his head toward the window.

Confused, David followed his friend’s meaningful look. All he saw was an empty field with a few trees. It was the same field where David had been only a few minutes ago...holding Caroline Murray in his arms while she cried on his shoulder. Heat spread across his face. He met Brandon’s steady, amused gaze. “You saw that?”

“Sure did.”

“Why didn’t you come out to help me?”

Brandon shrugged. “You seemed to have everything well under control, so I didn’t want to intrude.”

“You wouldn’t have been intruding.”

“Are you sure about that?”

David glanced out the window and frowned. “Of course I am.”

“Who is she?”

“Matthew Murray’s sister, Caroline. She’s just here for a visit.” He shook his head. “There has to be someone I can hire.”

“Maybe, but not locally. Have you checked the newspaper? That’s where you found the first nanny, isn’t it?”

“Yes, that’s the first thing I did. I found the latest papers from Houston and Waco at the general store. None of the personal ads mentioned anything remotely close to a nanny, nurse or governess.”

“Governess.” Brandon held up a finger, then rounded the desk to open a drawer. “I saw something in an Austin newspaper about a governess.” He pulled out a newspaper and rifled through it. “Here it is. ‘Former governess of good reputation and character seeking Christian...husband.’ Oh. She’s a mail-order bride.”

“I didn’t say anything about marriage.” His ma had, though, countless times. She wanted her son to be happy and for her granddaughter to have a mother. Why she thought marriage would ensure his happiness after what he’d been through was beyond him, but there was no denying Maggie would love to have a mother.

“Now hold on. Don’t reject the idea without thinking about it first. You need someone to take care of the triplets until they find a permanent home, but you also need someone to help out with Maggie. This woman may have the experience you’re looking for.”

David gave him a doubtful look. “What else does the ad say?”

“‘Please inquire at—’ She doesn’t give a name. Just a PO Box in...” A wistful look flickered across his face. “Boston.”

“Well, that’s certainly straight to the point, isn’t it? Almost businesslike in a way. It doesn’t mention anything about love or feelings.” Hope started building in his chest. “Maybe I don’t have to, either.”

“What do you mean?”

“If she’s willing, we could have a marriage in name only.”

Brandon frowned. “David, I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”

That was too bad because the idea had real merit—not the least being the woman wouldn’t be able to run away as soon as Maggie got into trouble. If she did, she wouldn’t take his heart with him. Of course, there was a chance Maggie would get hurt if that happened. He could do his best to rule out that chance, though. In talking to this potential bride first and laying out all the parameters, they would both know from the start where they stood with each other and the marriage. There would be no passion or emotions getting in the way to confuse things. It would be a nice, straightforward marriage of convenience.

Decision made, David glanced up at Brandon. “May I borrow a pen and paper? I have a letter to write.”

Chapter Two

Caroline had lost her mind. There was no other explanation for why her thoughts kept straying to a man she’d barely met—a stranger...with the most amazing green eyes. The comfort she’d found in David McKay’s embrace had been a blessing in the moment and downright disconcerting in retrospect.

“Caroline, the potatoes.”

Blinking away her thoughts, she refocused on the skillet filled with potatoes in danger of being burned to a crisp. She removed it from the fire and stirred frantically. “I told you I’m a disaster in the kitchen, Emma.”

“You are not.”

“I am, but you’re much too sweet to say so.” She scooped the potatoes onto the serving dish and sent her sister-in-law a smile as Matthew breezed into the room just in time for lunch. “Matt, tell your wife I’m hopeless when it comes to cooking.”

Matthew stopped in his tracks. “She has you cooking? And for Sunday dinner, too? Oh, Emma, sweetheart...no.”

Emma frowned at them both. “It’s just takes practice.”

“No amount of practice will help my sister.”

“Well, thank you for the support, Matthew. I’m not sure if I should be grateful or insulted.”

Matthew patted Caroline on the back, then kissed his wife’s cheek. “I still can’t believe we’re finally all together in my favorite place.”

“I’ve visited here before, Matthew.”

“Once. Three years ago for the wedding.”

She lifted a brow. “That’s still more frequently than you visit Austin.”

“I have a ranch to take care of.”

“And I have a job, too...” She bit her lip. She’d given up her position at the prestigious Harmony School of Music to marry Nico. “I had a job.”

Emma’s voice was soft with sympathy. “Maybe they’ll let you have it back.”

“I doubt it. Not after I handpicked my replacement. That’s fine, though. I don’t need the work.”

“You needed it,” Matthew interjected. “Just not for the money.”

She smiled. “It did give me a sense of accomplishment, I suppose, and something to do while Mother and Father were involved in their rehearsals.”

“Well, then,” Emma said. “We’ll all pray that a new opportunity presents itself soon.”

“Yes, I think we’d better.” Caroline clapped her hands. “Now, my lovely potatoes and the actually palatable food Emma cooked are getting cold. Let’s eat.”

Lunch was a simple and delicious affair. Caroline did her best to listen while Matthew and Emma conversed about the everyday ins and outs of ranch life. Her mind kept wandering back to Austin. Had the men who’d gone after Nico captured him? If so, what had happened to Lucette and that sweet little baby? She hoped they were on their way to France and that their family would welcome them. It wasn’t her concern. She knew that. Yet she would forever be grateful that Lucette had shown up to put a stop to the wedding, as harrowing as that experience had been.

Caroline couldn’t keep thinking about it, though. It would drive her crazy just as surely as her thoughts about—

“David.”

Glancing up from her plate, she met her brother’s gaze across the table. “What?”

He nodded toward his wife. “I was telling Emma that our neighbor David McKay rode by to ask how we were handling the drought. The creek that cuts through both of our properties has been running low. He has another spring closer to his ranch house. He wanted me to know he would be keeping his cattle closer to that so as not to tax the creek.”

“Oh. I...I didn’t know he was your neighbor.” So much for taking comfort in the fact that she’d likely never see the man again except for across the aisle at church like she had this morning. “Does he stop by often?”

“Now and then.” Matthew tilted his head to survey her. “I didn’t know you knew him.”

“I don’t.” Watchful silence descended on the table until she finally gave in to Matthew’s silent probing. “I met him once.”

“You did? When?”

“Yesterday. I ran into him on my walk. He was very kind.”

“Was he? How so?”

“Well, I was obviously upset and he—Honestly, what does it matter?”

He grinned. “Just curious is all.”

“Beware, Caroline. Your brother is on a campaign to get you to move to Little Horn by any means necessary.”

He shrugged. “All I’m saying is it would be awfully convenient to have you living practically next door.”

Caroline let out a disbelieving laugh. “So now you already have me married to a man I hardly know and living next door.”

“Well, I think you’d know him pretty well by then.”

“Matthew, give her some time to breathe. She just barely escaped marrying a—”

“No-good, low-down skunk of a man,” he finished for his wife. “David is the exact opposite of that, from what I can tell. Besides, he’s been a widower for five years now. He’s likely to be of a mind to take another wife soon.”

“The last thing I need is to start thinking about another man.” Yet she already had, and Matthew wasn’t helping her stop.

“All I’m saying is you could do worse.”

She sighed. “That much I know.”

He paused. In that moment, she was certain he saw how much she’d been hurt, because his jaw tightened. “Mother and Father were so blinded by that Nico fellow’s talent that they couldn’t see his real character. If I’d been around to have my say, he never would have gotten anywhere near my little sister.”

“Yes, well, you weren’t around. I don’t fault you for that. You have a life to live here.” Caroline gestured to her auburn-haired sister-in-law, who was kind enough to illustrate the point by already having one hand on her belly. “What’s more, it isn’t your responsibility to keep me from making a fool of myself. It isn’t our parents’, either. They might not have seen him for who he really was, but neither did I. I’m the one who let myself be taken in by a...a would-be bigamist.”

His brown eyes filled with worry and concern. “You didn’t make a fool of yourself. He wasn’t honest with you. That’s on him. Not you. And you’re right. It isn’t entirely our parents fault, either. Though, in my opinion, they should have been paying more attention. That doesn’t matter right now. What does matter is that you have to find a way to stop blaming yourself. You have to put this behind you.”

“That’s easier said than done, and it will be practically impossible to do if you keep bringing it up.”

“Then I won’t bring it up.”

She leaned forward to press her advantage. “It also isn’t helpful to have you pushing me toward a man I’ve only met once.”

“Fine.” This time the reluctance in his voice was almost palpable. “I’ll stop, but I hope you don’t rule it out.”

Caroline let out a huff of exasperation. Emma jumped in with a little distraction. “Caroline, I remember that the last time you were in Little Horn, you mentioned how much you enjoyed riding. Are you still taking lessons in Austin?”

“I had to stop the lessons after I started working at the music school, but I still ride as often as I can.”

Emma gave a satisfied nod. “Good. I was hoping you’d say that. About a year ago, Matthew bought me a beautiful palomino mare. Her name is Dulce, and she’s as sweet as they come. You’re welcome to ride her whenever you like.”

“Thank you. I’d love to ride her.” In fact, a ride was exactly what she needed to clear her head.

After they were finished eating, Caroline headed to the barn to saddle up. She intentionally refrained from asking Matthew about anything more than the basic layout of his land. She wanted to explore it herself as she hadn’t had the chance to do when she’d arrived for his wedding three years ago. She soon found herself alone on a landscape that was a mixture of open land and tree-covered hills.

With the sun bearing down on her and Dulce from a cloudless sky, she headed for the path that led through the trees. It brought her to a creek. The sound of water rushing steadily downstream over rocks and the occasional downed tree soothed her tattered nerves.

A barking dog dashed across the path. Caroline started, and Dulce spooked a little, shying away from the puppy that was now splashing into the shallow creek. Caroline almost had the mare under control when a little boy burst from the trees yelling, “Come back!”

Dulce bolted into a gallop. Heart lurching into her throat, Caroline automatically slouched into the saddle and held on for dear life. The ground flew by beneath them. Dulce dodged through the trees and careened into open land. A fence appeared in front of them. She braced herself for the jump. Instead the mare ground to a jarring stop and lowered her head. The world turned end over end. Caroline landed on the ground with a thud.

Staring up at the sky, she couldn’t move. She couldn’t breathe. She was dying.

“Breathe, Caroline. Just breathe. Take a breath.”

The voice was deep, soothing, commanding. She forced herself to obey it. She took in a small breath. Her lungs eased. She gasped in air.

“Calmly now. That’s it. Nice and deep.”

Slowly becoming aware of the strong hand holding hers, she lowered her gaze from the sky until she found David McKay’s. He offered her a reassuring smile that made her breath hitch again. She concentrated on the task at hand. Did she have enough air in her to speak? If so, she’d like to ask what was wrong with her.

“You got the wind knocked out of you. On top of that, you’re probably a little stunned. You’ll be all right in a few minutes.”

He was right. She was starting to feel better already. She tried to sit up. He pressed a hand to her shoulder to stop her. “Whoa now. Take it easy. Before you get up, tell me—does anything hurt?”

She paused to take inventory. Her voice came out a little breathlessly. “Everything hurts a little, but nothing vital seems injured. Just my pride.”

“Not much you can do when a horse decides to bolt other than stick to your saddle and try to calm her down.” He helped her sit up. “You did that pretty well until she decided to throw you.”

“Where is she?”

Approval filled his eyes. Apparently, the way to this rancher’s heart was through worrying about her horse. “My men will round her up for you.”

“Thank you.” She rubbed at the burning sensation on her arm.

He caught her hand and pulled it away to look at the spot. “Looks like you’ve got a pretty bad scrape there.”

“How?”

“Probably the fence. You flew right over it on your way down. You didn’t notice that?” After she shook her head, he placed a knuckle under her chin and lifted it slightly. “You’ve got another scratch on your chin. Come back to my ranch house. My ma will fix you up. Then I’ll escort you back home.”

“Oh, I’m sure that isn’t necessary.”

“Maybe not, but it’s neighborly, and that’s how we do things around here.” He stood, then reached down. “Shall we?”

She hesitated only for a moment before placing her hand in his. He pulled her up. The world tilted before settling in place. She instinctively caught his free arm to steady herself, then let go. “I’m sorry.”

“Dizzy?”

“A little.”

He took hold of her elbow. “You didn’t hit your head, did you?”

“No. My equilibrium needed to catch up. That’s all.”

He gave a reluctant nod. “Let’s get you to the house.”

She grew steadier by the minute as he guided her through the tall, yellowing grass toward the two-story house in the distance. “Thank you for coming to my rescue yet again. I promise I’m not usually this much trouble.”

He smiled. “No trouble at all. Do you have any idea what made your horse spook like that?”

“A dog ran across the path with a little boy chasing him.”

“A little boy?” His eyes narrowed as he scanned their surroundings. “That’s mighty interesting. I don’t suppose you got a good look at him?”

“Nothing more than a glimpse.”

He opened the door for her. An acrid smell reached her nose. Since she was a horrible cook, it was one she knew all too well. “Something is burning.”

“Uh-oh. Why don’t you wait in the parlor while I take care of this?” David rushed away, presumably to the kitchen.

Left alone in the foyer, Caroline caught a glimpse of the parlor through the half-open door on her right. Her eyes widened as she stepped inside. She crossed the room to where the upright piano stood against the wall. She pressed middle C. The note filled the room until a discordant cry drowned it out. Was that a baby?

As though in confirmation, the cry seeped down through the ceiling above her head. Hadn’t Matthew said David had been a widower for five years? What on earth could he be doing in possession of a baby? She was halfway up the stairs before realizing it was bad manners to explore someone’s house uninvited. Still, she couldn’t ignore the baby. Not when she was so close and willing to help. She followed the cries to the nursery, then stopped short when she discovered there were three babies and that they weren’t alone after all. An older woman with a cloud of white hair sat in a rocking chair. The baby in the nearby crib caught sight of Caroline and stopped crying in order to watch her attentively.

She gave a little gasp. “Oh my! How adorable! Are they triplets?”

The woman blinked in surprise, then offered an amused smile. “Why, yes, they are. And who might you be?”

“Caroline Murray. I promise I didn’t just walk in here off the street...or range. David invited me in.”

“Did he?” Surprise filled her warm brown eyes, followed by a speculative look. “Well, then, welcome to our home. I’m Ida Winthrop.”

Not David’s mother, then. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Winthrop. Are you the triplets’ caretaker?”

Ida laughed. “I’m everyone’s caretaker. I’m David’s mother.”

“Oh, I—”

“It’s confusing, I know. My late husband and I adopted David when he was only a little tyke. We knew that David had been separated from his two brothers. We tried to find them. When we couldn’t, we decided we’d better keep David’s last name McKay in case his family came looking for him.”

“Eventually they did,” David chimed in as he stepped into the room and immediately lifted the baby from the crib into his arms.

Ida’s face lit up with love for her son. “Yes, they did. They were both grown with families of their own and living in Little Horn. We decided to sell our old ranch and move nearer to them. And so here we are.”

“Yep, here we are.” David stole a quick glance at Caroline before turning back to Ida. “I took our lunch off the stove, but I think it was too late to save it.”

“Oh, no! I completely forgot I had something on the stove when I came up here. Maggie could have gotten burned.” Ida shook her head in dismay when David tried to reassure her. “No. It isn’t fine. I can’t believe I did that. It’s just that I don’t know if I’m going or coming these days.”

It was obvious that David’s mother was overtired and in need of a break. Caroline stepped forward to take the drowsy baby. “Why don’t I take the triplets for a little while?”

Ida looked relieved. “Would you mind? I really do need to figure out what I’m going to do for lunch.”

“I wouldn’t mind at all.” Caroline carefully laid the baby in the crib.

Ida sighed. “Thank you, dear. I’ve tried rocking them, but it doesn’t seem to be doing much good.”

“Are they sick?”

“No.” Ida handed Caroline the baby with the little green booties. “They aren’t sleeping. Not on any kind of schedule anyway. I think that’s what has them so fussy.”

Caroline held the sweet weight close to her chest. “Well, I can understand that. I’d feel grumpy, too, if I was in their shoes.”

“Louisa—she cared for the triplets before us—said they like to sleep touching each other, but when I put them down, one will inevitably start moving around and awaken the others. I’ve done everything I know how to do—rocking, pacing, singing and praying. We need to put them back on their schedule. They need their naps.”

“Caroline and I will work on it, Ma. You go on and do what you need to do.”

“Thank you.” Ida gave them both grateful looks before hurrying out of the room.

David whispered, “Thanks for helping out, Caroline. Hey, I can’t tell. Is this one sleeping?”

She met the baby’s large brown eyes. “Not even close.” She laughed at David’s small groan. “How on earth did you end up caring for triplets?”

His brow furrowed into serious lines as he told the story, and that as a member of the Lone Star Cowboy League, he felt he should step up to care for the triplets. His answer was short, succinct, to the point and hardly revealing.

“What made you offer to take them in?”

He shrugged. “I felt responsible. After all, I encouraged the league to keep the boys together. Splitting them up into different homes would have made it easier for the community to help them. You heard my story from Ma. I was separated from my brothers for most of my life. We’re reunited now, but we can’t get those years back. They’re gone. I didn’t want these little ones to go through that.”

“That’s beautiful, David.”

He gave her a quick smile. “Well, I don’t know about that, but it was the right thing to do. Of that, I’m absolutely certain. Unfortunately, it hasn’t been easy—especially now that they no longer have a nanny.”

She frowned in confusion. “Oh? What happened to the nanny?”

“Pa!” A little girl yelled from downstairs. “Pa, come quick! I think I killed somebody!”

Their eyes caught and widened simultaneously. David tensed. Caroline jerked her head toward the door. “Go. I’ll handle the triplets.”

That was all the encouragement he needed to lower the baby into the crib and rush out the door.

Chapter Three

There was no way Maggie could have killed someone—leastwise, not on purpose. Even so, someone might need help. Right now that person was his daughter. As soon as he descended the stairs, Maggie launched herself into his arms. He caught her close. Over her shoulder, he exchanged a worried look with his mother, who stood at the kitchen door holding a scouring pad and a burned pot. David shifted Maggie in his arms so that he could see her face. She looked downright terrified. “What happened?”

“I spooked a lady’s horse. It ran off with her. She was barely hanging on. She probably fell off and died like Ma did.”

He glanced at his mother. They both knew this wasn’t anything like the way Maggie’s mother had died. Laura’s horse hadn’t bolted. It had tripped because Laura had been galloping through the night in a storm—running away with another man. Of course, David couldn’t tell Maggie that. He hoped she’d never find out, either. Better that she think Laura’s death had simply been a tragic accident than that her mother had been willing to abandon both of them.

Tears filled Maggie’s eyes. “Oh, Pa, I killed her.”

“Baby, you didn’t kill anyone. That lady is alive. I found her myself.”

She searched his face. “You did? She is?”

“Yes, and she’s fine. A little shaken and scratched, but fine. In fact, she’s upstairs right now.”

“Oh.” Maggie’s blue eyes widened. “Is she mad?”

Caroline hadn’t seemed angry when she’d mentioned the boy darting across her path, but she hadn’t known then that boy was actually his daughter. He’d had a vague suspicion it might be, since the incident had taken place near his property. The part about the dog had thrown him off because they didn’t have a dog for Maggie to be chasing after. He’d have to talk to her about staying clear of strays. First things first, he needed to deal with the task at hand. “I’m not sure, honey. I don’t think so, but—”

She began to wriggle. “Can you put me down now, Pa? I’ve got to apologize.”

“Of course.” He set her down and exchanged a look with Ma—one that was a mix of relief, concern and pride. Then he followed Maggie up the stairs. He really hoped Caroline’s reaction would be appropriate to the occasion. After all, this truly had been an accident. Maggie certainly should have been more careful, but there were rarely ever any riders in those woods for her to look out for.

Maggie tugged at his wrist. She placed a finger over her lips, then whispered, “Listen.”

The simple melody of “Hush, Little Baby” drifted down the hall. The soprano was bright and warm and pure. Yet its tone was so soft and soothing that he could feel the tension easing from his shoulders. Maggie moved stealthily toward the partially open nursery room door. She leaned against the doorjamb, her head cocked as she listened with a look of wonder.

He quietly stepped up behind her to peer inside. The yellow curtains infused the room with warm, muted light, outlining Caroline’s willowy figure as she swayed in time to the song with a babe in her arms. She gently laid the child in the crib, lingering until the boy settled onto his stomach. She stilled. Her lashes slowly lifted until her gaze met David. She’d felt his stare. That much was obvious. He ought to look away. He had every intention of doing so when a tendril from her mussed chignon broke free to swing near her lips. His hand landed on Maggie’s shoulder to ground himself in the reality of his life rather than the vision before him.

Caroline’s soulful gaze mercifully lowered to Maggie. With a single sweeping glance, she seemed to take in the chopped-off caramel curls beneath Maggie’s hat, her dirt-smudged cheeks and, most condemning of all, the collared shirt and worn pants Maggie had begged off her seemingly endless supply of boy cousins. Caroline’s eyes lit with realization. Her mouth fell open slightly, then curved into a smile. She winked, which prompted an answering bashful smile from Maggie before the girl ducked her head.

Caroline finished her song, then tiptoed toward them. They moved out of the doorway so she could exit. She closed the door behind them softly and tipped her head to prompt them farther down the hall. Once they were out of hearing range of the triplets, she knelt in front of Maggie and gently caught hold of the girl’s arm. “Are you all right?”

Maggie must have been holding her breath, because she let it out in a rush. “I’m fine. Are you? I thought I killed you.”

“I’m right as rain. Even if I had been hurt, you shouldn’t have blamed yourself. We scared each other. That’s all.”

“What about your horse?”

Caroline sent a questioning look to David over Maggie’s shoulder. The palomino had seemed fine to him when he’d sent his men after it. “She looked fine to me, but I’m sure my men are making sure of that as we speak.”

Caroline squeezed Maggie’s arm lightly. “And what about your dog?”

“We don’t have a dog,” David volunteered.

Maggie bit her lip and glanced down at the floor.

He narrowed his eyes. His voice turned half questioning, half warning. “Maggie, we don’t have a dog.”

“The Colemans’ dog had puppies. They came by this morning to see if we wanted one. I did. Grandma said I could.”

David pulled in a deep breath and let out a heavy sigh.

“I named him Duke. He’s really cute. I left him tied to the porch. He’s probably lonely now. I should go get him.” She paused to give Caroline a quick hug. “I’m sorry for scaring your horse, and I’m glad you’re not dead, Miss...”

The woman recovered from her surprise to return the hug. “Caroline.”

“Miss Caroline.” Maggie raced down the stairs and out the front door.

Caroline stood with a smile. “There’s never a dull moment around here, is there?”

“You have no idea.” He ran his fingers through his hair, then remembered why he’d brought Caroline home to begin with. “Let’s get those scratches cleaned up.”

He led the way to the kitchen, where his mother looked up from her second attempt at lunch. “I take it Maggie didn’t kill anyone?”

Caroline laughed. “No. Thankfully, everyone is fine.”

“Good.” Ida smiled at her. “You mentioned your name was Caroline Murray. Are you any relation to Matthew Murray?”

“I’m his sister.”

“How lovely! Matthew told me that one of his sisters was getting married. You must tell me about her wedding.”

“Oh.” Caroline’s gaze darted to David’s, then back to his mother. “Matthew and I have no other siblings. I was the one getting married—only, I didn’t get married, so...”

Seeing the curiosity on Ida’s face, David opened the nearest cabinet. “Ma, where’s that stuff you put on Maggie’s cuts? Caroline hit a fence when the horse threw her and has a few scrapes that need cleaning.”

“It’s two cabinet doors over.”

“Found it.” He grabbed the supplies he needed. “Have a seat, Caroline. I’ll help you out, since my ma is busy.”

If her grateful smile was any indication, Caroline knew he was trying to distract his mother. The searching look Ida sent him said she knew it, too. Caroline sat on the bench at the kitchen table, so David straddled a spot beside her. As soon as he touched her arm he realized he probably shouldn’t have taken this task upon himself. It wasn’t the same as doctoring up Maggie. Not at all.

Seeking a distraction, he cleared his throat and pinned his watchful mother with a look. “I don’t recall agreeing to let Maggie have a dog.”

“I don’t recall you saying she couldn’t have one.”

The skin around Caroline’s scrape turned red, which meant the cleanser was working and likely smarting. He blew on it gently. She tensed. He glanced up at her, but she was staring at the floor near his boot. “That’s probably because no one asked me.”

“She has no one near her own age to play with unless one of us takes her clear across town to see her cousins. I couldn’t say no.”

“I know, Ma, but you could have said, ‘Wait until I ask your father.’” He caught Caroline’s chin and guided it away from him so that he could dab some of the cleaner on her cheek. This scrape didn’t turn quite as red, and he didn’t want to blow on her face, so he let it be. “How am I supposed to tell her no now that she’s named the dog?”

Ida frowned. “So you really didn’t want her to have one?”

“I don’t want to have to take care of a dog. Especially since we’re already taking care of the triplets without a nanny to help. I don’t have time for that. Not with a ranch to run and a daughter to raise.” He hesitated as Caroline looked at him with compassion, then swiped a bit of healing ointment on her arm.

Maggie’s voice sounded from the entryway. “I’ll take care of him. I promise. You won’t have to do anything.”

He glanced at his daughter’s earnest face. It was a sweet offer, but Maggie had never had a dog before. She wouldn’t know what to do. “Puppies need to be fed three to four times a day. You’d have to bathe him when he gets dirty. You’d have to train him if you want him to behave, which we do. Then there are small things like clipping his nails and cleaning his ears. You’d have to clean up after him if he has an accident and teach him to go outside.”

“I’ll do it. I promise.” There was a determined glint in her eyes. She’d gotten that from him, so he knew she’d argue up and down that she was fully capable of tending to her pup. She probably had every intention of doing so, but when it came down to it, David knew he’d be the one to bear the most responsibility for the dog’s care. Unfortunately, the dog would have to go back, but he’d save that bit of news for when they no longer had an audience.

Caroline touched his arm. “I’m sorry, but my cheek...”

One look at the redness told him it was probably stinging up a storm. Propriety aside, he caught her chin and turned her face aside to blow cool air on it. Her tension eased a bit. He put the healing ointment on it. “Sorry about that. Almost done.”

“Son, what about the lady you contacted about being the new nanny?”

David tore a strip of cotton gauze loose from the roll. He hadn’t told his mother that he’d contacted a nanny. He’d simply said that he’d contacted someone about helping them out. That was all he planned to tell her until he heard back from the Boston mail-order bride. His mother wouldn’t approve of it, since she wanted him to find another love match. He wanted to wait to break the truth to her until he was certain the lady was coming. “It’s only been two days. There is no way she’s even received my letter yet.”

Maggie stepped farther into the kitchen to watch him bandage the scratch on Caroline’s arm. “Why can’t Miss Caroline be our nanny?”

All of the grown-ups froze. David’s eyebrow lifted. Had his darling daughter just said “our nanny,” as in she’d consider herself one of Caroline’s charges?

Caroline recovered from her surprise. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I couldn’t.”

Maggie’s eyes clouded. “Why not?”

“Well, I’m not going to be here very long for one thing. For another, I’ve never been a nanny before.”

“Maybe not,” Ida interjected. “But you certainly seemed to have a way with the triplets. I can tell from the quiet in this house that you finally got them to nap. Besides, we wouldn’t need you for long. Only until this nanny David’s trying to hire can get here.”

“Ma, Miss Murray is here to visit her family, not work for ours.” He tied off the bandage. “It wouldn’t be right for us to impose on that.”

“Of course, we wouldn’t want to impose, Caroline, but your family would be welcome to visit here as often as they want.”

“Oh, I don’t know.” Caroline touched a hand to her throat as she glanced around the kitchen. Her gaze landed on his, soft as a butterfly, filled with questions.

Did he want her to help them? The answer was an irrevocable no. Did he need her help? Ida’s meaningful glare said yes. When he remained silent, Ida prompted, “We sure could use your help, Caroline. Couldn’t we, David?”

He swallowed hard. “There’s no denying that.”

Caroline bit her lip. “Well, I’m sure my brother and sister-in-law could spare me now and then.”

“We’d need you more than now and then.” David offered up the potential difficulties with a little too much enthusiasm. “You’d have to stay here at the ranch. The triplets need to be fed once during the night.”

“Yes,” Ida interjected, “but there is a stipend that would help compensate.”

Caroline bit her lip. “What about the piano?”

David frowned. “What about it?”

“Would y’all mind ever so much if I played it now and then?”

Ida grinned. “Honey, you can play it as often as you want.”

“In that case...” A smile slowly tilted Caroline’s mouth. “Yes! I’d be happy to help out.”

Maggie let out a whoop and reached for Caroline’s hands. Somehow Caroline seemed to know that was her cue to dance the girl around the kitchen in a tight little circle. Ida sank into the nearest chair with pure relief. David opened his mouth to remind everyone that he was the man of the house with the final say on all of this and he hadn’t agreed to anything. Since doing so would likely accomplish nothing, he closed his mouth and let out a frustrated breath.

He ought to be happy. He had a nanny to help with the triplets—one Maggie had all but promised to mind. They could use Caroline’s help. There was no denying that. There was also no denying that he’d been thinking about her almost constantly since they’d first met. He’d ridden over to Matthew’s ranch earlier today hoping to catch a glimpse of her. Of course, he hadn’t realized that until not seeing her had resulted in major disappointment. He’d been determined to put her out of his mind. That had lasted for about as long as it had taken her runaway horse to gallop across his land. Now he was supposed to be happy about the fact that she’d be living in his house? Not likely.

Still, there was no getting around it. Caroline was here to stay for now. He’d just have to get over his ill-fated interest in her. And it was ill-fated. More than that, it was inappropriate. She was recovering from a broken heart. He’d never quite recovered from his. There was also the little matter of him already having sent off a letter of inquiry to a mail-order bride. Not that he was thinking about Caroline in the context of marriage.

He closed his eyes, shutting off that train of thought before it could go any further. Caroline staying here wouldn’t be a problem. He wouldn’t let it be.

Chapter Four

Agreeing to help David had been an easy decision for Caroline. Perhaps too easy, considering she didn’t have all that much experience caring for babies. It would be worth it to have access to the piano. Her fingers were already itching to touch those smooth ivory keys. She knew from experience that as the music flowed through her it would carry her stress and anxiety with it. She desperately needed that release, and she certainly wouldn’t get it at her brother’s ranch. He refused to allow a single instrument into his house.

Of course, she couldn’t tell him that was one of the reasons she’d agreed to move to the McKay ranch. She didn’t want him to think she was being anything like their parents by putting music above family. She wasn’t, but she couldn’t sit around twiddling her thumbs trying not to think about what had happened in Austin, either.

David answered the door the next morning looking a little bleary-eyed but otherwise ready to start the day. He offered a welcoming smile to Caroline and extended a hand to Matthew, who had accompanied her. “Good morning. There’s a fresh pot of coffee on the stove if either of you want some. Matthew, let me take that luggage from you.”

He was speaking in a slightly hushed tone, so Caroline did the same. “Are the babies still asleep?”

“They were just starting to stir when I saw you driving down the road. I let them be, hoping you’d get here before they really got going.”

She removed her hat and gloves. “And Maggie?”

“She was still sleeping last I checked. My ma’s getting ready for the day. She’ll probably be starting breakfast in a few minutes.” He nodded down the hall. “Follow me to the nursery. I’ll give y’all a quick tour on the way. I think y’all have both been in the parlor. The kitchen and dining room are on the left side of the house. On the right we have my study. Next door to that is my bedroom.” They climbed the stairs. “My mother and Maggie are on the second floor with the nursery.”

David set down the luggage to open the nursery door. One of the babies immediately grabbed on to the crib’s bars and stood to greet them with a happy exclamation. Caroline dropped her hat and gloves on the bed on her way to the crib. She cooed, “Good morning.”

He chortled and began bouncing up and down. Soon one of his brothers stood beside him, staring at her with big brown eyes. The last one seemed content to stay right where he sat, though he smiled shyly. They all blinked when light flooded the room. Caroline glanced at David as he tied back the curtains. “Do you know who is who?”

“The bouncing one is Jasper. Eli is the one standing beside him, staring at you all wide-eyed. The shy one is Theo.”

She searched the boys’ identical faces for some differences. “How do you tell them apart?”

“Mostly by their personalities. They’re each pretty distinctive. If you get confused, just call one of their names. They’re usually pretty good at responding to their own.”

“Well, aren’t you little fellas smart?” She listened intently as Eli started babbling to tell her how right she was. Once he finished, she nodded. “Yes, that’s exactly what I think, too.”

David walked over to the chest of clothes to show her where they kept the baby clothes, diapers and other supplies. “Everything you need should be right in here.”

Matthew walked over to peer into the crib. “So these are the three cowboys causing such a fuss in town. They’re pretty cute.”

Caroline bumped him with her shoulder. “It won’t be long before you have a little one just like this causing a fuss in your house, too.”

“I can’t wait.” Matthew grinned. “Listen, I’d better head back to the ranch. Have fun with the kids, Caroline. I’ll see you soon.” Matthew turned to David. “David, would you walk me out?”

There was a questioning little lift to David’s brow, but he nodded. “Of course.”

Left alone with her three charges, Caroline clasped her hands behind her back and paced in front of the crib. “All right, boys, listen close. The four of us are going to make a deal. I promise to feed you, keep you clean, sing you to sleep and whatever else is necessary for your comfort. I have two conditions, though.”

The shyest one finally stood up next to his brothers.

She stopped pacing to grin at him. “Well, hello, Theo! Thank you for joining the discussion.”

He gave a little heart-melting grin and babbled something to his brothers.

“I do appreciate the stamp of approval, but it’s a bit early. You haven’t heard my conditions yet. The first one should be very simple. In return for my services, you must each continue to be adorable. Do you think y’all can do that?”

Eli yelled something unintelligible.

“I’m sorry. I know I shouldn’t have questioned your talents. I just want to make sure the terms of our agreement are clear. The last and final condition is not so simple.”

Jasper reached out for her.

She lifted him into her arms and hugged him close. “I’m only going to be here a short time, so you little honeybees better not make me fall in love with you. My poor heart’s been through enough, and it can’t take any more breaking. Is that understood?”

David cleared his throat. She spun around to find him watching her from the doorway. A blush rushed over her cheeks as she met his amused gaze.

“It was a nice speech, but I don’t think they have any intention of obeying.”

“You can’t blame a girl for trying.”

“No, I guess not.” He sobered as sincerity filled his voice. “Caroline, I wanted to thank you for being so kind to Maggie after finding out she was involved in spooking your horse.”

“You’re welcome, but there’s really no need to thank me. Maggie is easy to be kind to. Of course, that might have something to do with the fact that I was a lot like her when I was younger.” She laughed at his surprised look. “I didn’t go quite so far as wearing pants, but I was forever chasing after Matthew. Anything he did, I had to do or at least attempt.”

“I never would have guessed that.” She followed his gaze as it swept over her bottle green skirt, black shirtwaist and cream blouse. From the lace on her collar to the puff sleeves and the slender, tulip-shaped skirt that smoothed over her hips, everything about her clothing was as feminine as it was fashionable.

“What changed?” he asked with more than a hint of desperation. “I mean, what made you want to be ladylike?”

She shrugged. “I made friends with several little girls my age and wanted to be more like them.”

His mouth settled into a discouraged frown. “Maggie’s been around girls her age, but that hasn’t changed anything.”

“That’s because you’re more important to her than they are.”

He tilted his head to stare at her. “What do you mean?”

“She could be trying to emulate you just like I was trying to emulate Matthew.” She could see him thinking about it, but she didn’t have time for him to reach a conclusion. Dampness was beginning to seep through Jasper’s diaper. She turned toward the changing table. “Uh-oh. Someone needs a little changing.”

“They probably all do.” He strode closer. “Would you like some help getting started?”

“No, I’m sure I can handle it. Why don’t you head on down for breakfast? I’ll bring the boys as soon as they’re ready.”

He hesitated. Eventually, the confidence in her smile must have convinced him she could handle this, because he nodded and left the room. That was a good thing because it took all her concentration to remember the lessons Emma had given her last night about changing diapers. She probably should have accepted David’s help, but she wanted to start out being a help to the McKays, not a hindrance.

She finished changing Jasper and set him on the floor to crawl. He found her luggage intriguing. Since everything was still closed up, she let him fiddle with it to his heart’s content. She opened the window that was far out of reach of the triplets to let in some fresh air before taking on the other boys. With them all clean and smelling good, she took a few moments to freshen up herself. She was just pondering how she was going to carry the triplets down the stairs to the kitchen when a tentative knock sounded too far down on the door to be anyone other than Maggie.

“Is that Maggie McKay I hear?” She opened the door to find the little girl looking at her with a mix of sheepishness and surprise.

“How’d you know it was me?”

Caroline winked. “Just a feeling. How are you this morning?”

“Good. I’m glad you’re here. Oh, I’m supposed to tell you that Grandma says breakfast is almost ready.”

“Then we’d better head down—whoa, little man.” Caroline caught Eli as he made a break for the stairs. Or was it Jasper? Setting them loose in the bedroom had scrambled their identities a little in her mind. It was rather like watching that street magician’s game with the pea in the walnut shell. If she had to guess, she’d say this sweet pea was Eli.

Refocusing on Maggie, she realized the girl was exactly the extra set of arms she needed. “You know, Maggie, while I’m here, I could use a special helper to assist me now and then. I don’t suppose you have anyone you would recommend?”

Maggie brightened. “Me, Miss Caroline. You’ve got to choose me. My pa said I’m supposed to help you whenever I can.”

“Wonderful! I knew I could count on you. Right now, I could use an assistant to help me get the triplets safely down to breakfast. Do you think you can carry one of them while I carry the other two?”

“I can do it.”

“Thank you, Maggie. Here. You take Eli.” Caroline transferred the baby to Maggie, making sure she had him safely in her grasp. “Go right on down the stairs, and I’ll meet you at the table.”

She watched to make sure Maggie made it all right, then turned to hunt down the two others. Soon enough all three boys were sitting in their high chairs at the table, which felt like an accomplishment in and of itself. Ida greeted Caroline with a warm hug and words of welcome, then set her to work cutting the triplets’ food into manageable pieces for them.

David entered through the back door with a pail of milk. He smiled at the sight of Maggie entertaining the triplets by making silly faces. David placed another chair at the table. “Caroline, the boys are pretty independent when it comes to mealtimes. At least, they try to be. Usually Ma and I split up the triplets during the meal. I watch over two while Ma takes care of one.”

“I’d be happy to take one of the triplets off your hands.”

“Sounds good.” He nodded and placed one of the high chairs between them.

Finally, they were all seated, but not quite settled. Caroline shifted to find room under the table and accidentally bumped David’s knees with her own. “Sorry!”

“It’s all right. This table is getting a little too small for all of us. Ma, do you know where you stored the leaf? I can put it in before lunch.”

“Yes, I’ll—” Ida hesitated, her gaze flickering from David to Caroline. “I’ll have to look for it.”

Maggie wiggled in her seat as she impatiently eyed the gooey cinnamon rolls at the center of the table. “Is it time for grace, Pa?”

“Go ahead, Maggie.”

She reached for David’s and Ida’s hands. Ida took Caroline’s. Caroline glanced at David. He showed none of the hesitance she felt in joining hands. In fact, he was already closing his eyes by the time her hand found his. A little surge of heat went through her fingers as they slid across his palm, but he didn’t seem to notice, so she determined that she wouldn’t, either.

There was no ignoring that this was the hand of a rancher used to hard work and long hours in the saddle. It had a strength and a roughness to it that made for a much different experience than those few times she’d held Nico’s hand. He’d had soft hands with long fingers, perfect for the piano—and for stealing from unsuspecting women, apparently. Why she persisted in comparing the two men was beyond her and beyond annoying. Especially since it only made Nico look worse, which in turn made her feel more foolish. It also had the inconvenient result of making David look even better in comparison. It needed to stop.

Thankfully, Maggie’s prayer provided a timely distraction from her thoughts. “Lord, thank You for this food and for Miss Caroline coming to stay with us. Help us all have a good day. Amen.”

All the grown-ups echoed, “Amen.”

Caroline grinned at Maggie. “Thank you for including me in your prayer, Maggie. That was very sweet.”

“You’re welcome, Miss Caroline.” Maggie sent her a bashful smile.

Ida gave Caroline’s hand an affectionate little squeeze before releasing it. “It was well deserved. You’re going to be a blessing to us. I can feel it.”

“I hope so.” Caroline glanced at David to see if he had anything to add. She found his thoughtful gaze trained down at the table. No. Not the table. He was looking at their joined hands. Oh, dear. Were they the only ones still holding hands? A quick glance around the table said they were.

Offering him a small smile to cover the awkwardness of it all, she pulled her hand free with a gentle tug. Something was troubling him. She could see that and sense it, too. His expression shuttered and he glanced back to his plate. Oddly enough, she felt cheated. After all, she’d poured her heart and her tears onto his shoulder a couple of days ago. It seemed only fair that he would be just as vulnerable with her.

Of course, they were technically little more than strangers, and the best place for sharing confidences probably wasn’t at the breakfast table. But still. The principle of it bothered her. And it annoyed her to be bothered by it.

“Caroline, dear, the boys like to try to feed themselves, though they don’t quite have the knack of it yet.”

Caroline blinked away her reverie and focused on copying Ida’s technique in making sure the baby, whom she was relatively certain must be Theo, was well fed. It took far more energy and creativity than she’d imagined to keep him interested in the food. Maggie filled the lagging conversation. “Are you riding with the ranch hands today, Pa?”

“Yes, I need to check on the herd.”

“May I go with you?”

David paused to look at Maggie, then at Caroline before returning to Maggie. “I thought you were excited about helping Miss Caroline today.”

“I am, but I also like helping you. I can do both.”

David chuckled. “You stay here with your grandma and Miss Caroline today. I’ll take you riding another time.”

Caroline lifted a brow at David slightly, wishing she could say, “See? I was right. You’re the most important person to her.” Instead Caroline smiled at Maggie. “We’ll have fun today, Maggie. I promise.”

Ida took a break from feeding the baby to nudge the bowl of biscuits toward David. “David, will you be back in time for lunch?”

“Probably not, but I’ll be here for dinner.” He finished his plate and set it in the sink before grabbing a biscuit on the way out. “Y’all have a good day now.”

“Bye, Pa.” Maggie returned her father’s parting wave and watched until the door closed after him. Her eyes filled with tears. Her lower lip trembled.

Caroline tensed in alarm. She was about to try to comfort the girl when Ida caught her eye. The woman shook her head in warning. Pressing her lips together to keep them silent, Caroline did her best to listen as Ida went over the triplets’ daily schedule with her. Even so, Caroline couldn’t help glancing at Maggie now and then. The girl’s eyes eventually cleared of tears. Finally, Maggie reengaged in the conversation as though nothing had happened.

Did that happen every morning? It must if Ida was so used to it. Caroline’s heart went out to the girl. At Maggie’s age, she used to do the exact same thing when her parents left for the theater. She’d known she wouldn’t be able to see them again until the next morning, and the small amount of attention they’d paid to her at breakfast was never enough to fill her aching heart. Matthew had always done his best to distract her until she was able to forget about her parents and enjoy the rest of the day. It had bothered her less and less as she grew older. Eventually she’d learned to accept the fact that her parents cared more about their work than they did about their children.

Could the same thing be happening here? If so, Caroline was a living, breathing example of why that was a disaster waiting to happen. She’d fallen for the first man to show her any attention and ignored every sign of his dishonorable intentions. Caroline couldn’t let the same thing happen to sweet little Maggie. Something had to be done. And she was just the woman to do it.

* * *

David tugged his hat lower to block out the midafternoon sun. Even its scorching heat couldn’t quite rival the intensity of Matthew’s warning glare from earlier this morning. The man’s exact words had been “Watch yourself around my sister. She’s been hurt, and that won’t happen again on my watch. At least, not without some serious repercussions for the man who does the hurting. Understand?”

David understood, all right. He’d done his best to assure Matthew that Caroline would be safe from any romantic entanglements at the McKay ranch. For some reason, Matthew hadn’t seemed entirely convinced. The man really had no need for concern. The only thing David intended to do with Caroline was to stay out of her way. That should be easy enough, since as long as she was doing her job, he’d have plenty of time to do his.

That in and of itself was a blessing. After spending the last few days helping his mother with Maggie and the triplets, he had a lot to catch up on. Beyond the normal day-to-day running of the ranch, David was also battling the drought that continued to wreak havoc on the ranches surrounding Little Horn. He’d grown up on a ranch in west Texas, where rain and water was far less abundant than in the comparatively lush Hill County, so he felt he had an advantage in that fight that many of the nearby ranchers didn’t.

He was used to conserving water and stretching resources. Unfortunately, that didn’t make it any easier to watch the once-green pastureland fade to yellow, then dry up in patches of brown. Nor did it stop him from being concerned about his cattle—especially since the land had to support the extra two hundred head he’d brought with him from out west last year.

Bringing along his best breeding stock had seemed like a good idea at the time. He’d planned to focus on rebuilding the herd and extending his adoptive father’s legacy right here in Little Horn. Now it would take his best efforts to keep the stock healthy and fed through the winter. While the fresh spring near the house looked to be holding up, his hay crop was going to be much smaller than he’d hoped.

David sent a questioning glance to his nearest ranch hand. Ephraim Campbell had been a part of the McKay operation in west Texas and had followed the outfit to Little Horn, along with David’s foreman, Joaquin Reyes. They’d joined together with Isaiah Upkins, an older cowboy who’d worked for the previous owner of the Windy Diamond. As appreciative as David was for Isaiah’s knowledge of the land, David had worked with the other two men long enough that they could all but read his thoughts when they worked together. Proving that, Ephraim simply said, “Twenty-four.”

David nodded. Twenty-four calves still nursing so far. They’d likely find a few more before the day was through. That meant he’d have no choice but to buy additional feed. Other ranchers in the area were going to find themselves in the same position, which meant feed prices were bound to go up. The sooner he got his order in, the better.

The only thing left to determine was how much he’d need to spend. He considered his options for a moment. “I’m thinking about weaning early.”

Ephraim wiped his golden-brown brow on his shirtsleeve before placing his hat back over his dark curls. “Cutting feed cost?”

“Yep.”

Ephraim nodded his agreement. David glanced across the thirty or so cattle they had corralled in search of his foreman. “Hey, Joaquin, what do you think about weaning early this year?”

Joaquin tipped back his hat to eye the calves in the bunch. “They look good. I think they can handle it. Want us to separate them out?”

“Yes, as soon as we get a final tally.”

Far in the distance, Isaiah headed their way, returning from a scouting mission with a couple of strays. Catching sight of a limping calf, David rode out to meet him. “Have you checked the injury?”

“Not yet. This red-spotted steer has a mind of his own.” As if to prove Isaiah’s point, the steer bolted left.

“I’ll doctor the calf. Have fun with the steer.” He grinned as Isaiah grimaced and redirected the steer.

Joaquin cantered over as David doctored the calf’s leg. “What’s the matter with him?”

“Looks like he got caught up on some barbed wire.” David untied the calf and watched him lope back toward his mother. “If so, his mother might be scratched up, too, even though she isn’t limping. Once we’re done counting calves, let’s bring them into the corral by the barn. Examine the mother. Keep an eye on the calf.”

“Sure thing, jefe.” Joaquin tipped his hat back. “Do you want us to check the fence? It might be damaged.”

David remounted his horse. “I’ll ride over now and take a look, since I wanted to check on the crop anyway. Meanwhile, y’all keep looking for nursing cattle.”

“We’ll take care of it.”

With a nod of thanks, David rode the hay field fence until he found the spot where the cattle had tried to break through. Oddly enough, a large branch blocked the opening. It had to have been put there after the cows had broken in. Had one of his men coaxed the cow and calf from the field and placed the branch here as a temporary fix?

It seemed a strange thing to do when fixing the breech was a relatively simple task with the right tools. Stranger still was the fact that none of them had mentioned it. No. His men hadn’t done this. They’d started rounding up those heads of cattle two days ago. That meant whoever had helped them out by blocking the fence was long gone.

Shrugging off the matter for now, David set about mending the break. He was nearly finished when he spotted Jamie Coleman riding toward him. They’d missed each other yesterday when David had returned the puppy to the Coleman ranch. Tug, Jamie’s father, had promised to send his son out to apologize for giving Maggie the dog without David’s permission. David had insisted it wasn’t necessary.

Apparently, Tug hadn’t agreed, because the nineteen-year-old in question greeted David with a wave of his hat. “Howdy, Mr. McKay! I came to apologize. My pa is right. I should have checked with you before I gave Maggie that puppy.”

“It was only a misunderstanding. Don’t worry about it.”

Jamie nodded, though worry entered his hazel eyes. “I hope Maggie wasn’t too upset by it all.”

Oh, she’d been plenty upset. The fact that Caroline was coming to live with them had been the only thing to save the evening. “She’ll be fine. I softened the news by telling her we’d get a dog someday when everything calms down. Right now adding an untrained puppy to the mix is just too much.”

“I understand.” Jamie hesitated. “What if I kept the dog for a little while and trained him for you? That way you and Maggie both get what you want and I’ll feel a whole lot better about the whole thing.”

David stopped wrestling with the barbed wire fence to consider the offer. “That would be a huge help. I’d be happy to pay you for the training.”

Jamie grinned. “Great! No need to pay me. Would it be all right if I bring him around now and then so Maggie could have a hand in training him?”

“She’d love that. Thank you, Jamie.” David held out his hand and they shook on it. “You’ve just made my daughter’s day.”

“Happy to help. I’d better get back to work. I’ll be by with the dog in a couple of days.”

“See you then.” David let out a sigh of relief. With the dog training out of the way, he’d still have to deal with its day-to-day care, but that shouldn’t be too much of a problem now that Caroline was caring for the triplets. Maggie would help out, too. He’d hold her to the promise.

He’d tell her the news when he tucked her in tonight. For now, he had a fence to finish repairing. With that done, he rode the fence to check for other breaks in it. That took David well to the north side of his spread, so he took the road back around toward the house.

He hadn’t gone far before he spotted two children riding a mule ahead of him on the road. Neither of them seemed to notice David’s approach as they talked to each other. David called out, “Hello there!”

The children startled. The girl kicked her heels into the mule’s side and sank low to its back as though she expected him to gallop away. Instead the mule brayed in stubborn protest and continued its plodding progress. David easily caught up with them. Up close, the children looked so much alike that they had to be siblings. The girl seemed to be around Maggie’s age with brown hair and serious brown eyes. The boy matched her in coloring but looked to be several years younger. Noting their wide eyes, David spoke in a friendly, gentle tone. “Evening, folks. My name is David McKay. I don’t believe we’ve met.”

The two exchanged a look rife with meaning before the boy answered for them. “My name is Gil. This is my sister, Jo.”

“Do you two have a last name?”

“Satler.”

Oh. The Satler siblings. He’d never met the pair, but he’d heard enough about them to make sympathy stir in his chest. Their widowed mother had died recently, leaving them orphans. The last David had heard they’d been taken in by some friends of their family who lived in town. However, that didn’t explain what they were doing way out here by themselves.

“It’s nice to meet you both. What brings you to these parts?”

“We’re out for a ride, sir.”

“I see.” That sounded innocent enough, but they had the same look on their faces that he saw on Maggie’s whenever she had something to hide. “Do your guardians know you’re out here by yourselves?”

Gil shrugged. “Don’t reckon they much care, sir.”

“Hmm.” David hoped that wasn’t true, but he couldn’t help taking a closer look at the pair for signs of neglect. They were both a mite thin. Otherwise, they appeared to be well taken care of. Sometimes appearances only went surface deep, though.

Jo poked her brother in the ribs, loosening his tongue a bit more. “I mean, they let us do what we like so long as we stay out of trouble and make it back in time for supper.”

Jo nudged the mule’s side again. This time the mule picked up speed. Gil waved. “We’ve got to go now, Mr. McKay. Don’t want to miss supper. Bye!”

David watched them take the turnoff toward town and shook his head. It was a shame that the Satlers didn’t feel cared about at home. David had every intention of following up with their guardians to see if there was anything he could do to help support the siblings. Even so, he wished there was something more he could do for them. Something like what exactly? Take them into his home? He’d expanded the former Windy Diamond homestead into the ranch house it was today. Even after adding a second floor with three bedrooms, the McKay house was full up to the rafters. Actually, that wasn’t entirely true. He could ask Maggie to share her room or he could clear out the study, which operated as his business office. But he was already struggling to care for the children under his protection now.

The sad fact was he simply couldn’t take in every orphan in the county—no matter how much he might want to. No matter how much they needed a home and not just a transient one, either, but a permanent place where they could grow up or stay until they found new families.

“Wait a minute,” David whispered to the quiet woods. “That’s it. That’s the answer.”

A children’s home would provide the town’s orphans a permanent place to stay where they knew they would be safe and cared for. It was the perfect solution. Not just for the children, either, but for him. He wouldn’t need a nanny. He wouldn’t need a wife. Not if the children had a permanent place to stay. Selfishness aside, the children needed this, too. The triplets needed stability. The other children in the community, children like the Satlers, should have a place to go where they knew they would be cared about. This was the perfect solution. He simply needed to develop it more.

He said a quick hello to his family when he entered the house, then all but locked himself in his study to do just that. Once he ran out of ideas, he switched his focus to pinning down the feed order. Before he knew it, his mother was calling him for supper. He took one look at the table and asked, “Ma, did you find the table leaf?”

She shook her head. “I’m still looking. Sit down, son. Supper is getting cold.”

He hesitated only a second, then took his seat. Maggie extended her hand to him. Caroline’s fingers slid across his palm to rest in his grasp. He stole a quick glance at her only to find her watching him expectantly—just like everyone else.

Grace. He was supposed to be saying grace. Clearing his throat, he kept his prayer brief and released Caroline’s hand even faster once it was over. No romantic entangles. Not even the merest possibility of one. That was what he’d said. That was what he’d meant. End of story.

Chapter Five

Caroline sang one last lullaby as she watched to make sure Jasper’s droopy eyelids stayed shut. With her three little charges snuggling together in their crib, she silently padded toward the door. She pulled it open as quietly as possibly only to hear a grunt as Maggie tumbled into the room and landed at her feet. Caroline’s eyes widened. Putting a finger to her lips, Caroline helped the girl stand. A quick glance at the crib showed her the babies hadn’t been disturbed. She ushered Maggie out of the room and closed the door behind them. She spoke softly as they walked down the stairs. “Are you all right, Maggie?”

“I’m fine,” Maggie mumbled.

“How’d you end up on the floor?”

“I was listening to you sing. The door opened. I fell in.” Maggie paused at the base of the stairs to cross her arms and pout. “How come you never sing to me?”

Caroline’s eyebrows lifted. “Do you want me to sing to you?”

Maggie shrugged. “I don’t know. I just like hearing you is all.”

“Well, that’s very sweet, Maggie. I’d be happy to sing for you anytime you like.”

“Now?”

“Oh. Well...” She glanced back at the nursery. Too much noise would awaken them. She had a feeling Maggie wouldn’t particularly appreciate Caroline using that as a reason to refuse.

“Can we? We still have a few minutes before Pa has to tuck me in.”

“Pa” had been locked away in his study since shortly after dinner. Honestly, in the three days that Caroline had been living with the McKays, she’d hardly seen the man. That meant Maggie hadn’t, either. The more time Caroline spent with the girl, the more she noticed how much Maggie wanted to spend time with her father...and how often those requests were denied. Determination filled Caroline. “Let’s make an adventure of it, Maggie. We can go a little away from the house and serenade the moon. Maybe your pa would like to join us.”

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