скачать книгу бесплатно
The Bride’s Matchmaking Triplets
Regina Scott
Marriage by NecessityWhen mail-order bride Elizabeth Dumont’s intended weds another, her only option is to take a job as nanny to abandoned triplet babies. Though she longs to provide a real home for her three precious charges, as a single woman she can’t adopt. Until her onetime sweetheart, minister Brandon Stillwater, offers a match of convenience…It’s only for the triplets’ sake—that’s what Brandon tells himself. Insecurities once drove him and Elizabeth apart, and now small-town rumors have made them man and wife. And though Brandon doesn’t want to risk his heart this time, he’s not sure he can resist the feelings that are once again starting to bloom for Elizabeth. But can he convince her that this sweet surprise family is more than just convenient?
Marriage by Necessity
When mail-order bride Elizabeth Dumont’s intended weds another, her only option is to take a job as nanny to abandoned triplet babies. Though she longs to provide a real home for her three precious charges, as a single woman she can’t adopt. Until her onetime sweetheart, minister Brandon Stillwater, offers a match of convenience...
It’s only for the triplets’ sake—that’s what Brandon tells himself. Insecurities once drove him and Elizabeth apart, and now small-town rumors have made them man and wife. And though Brandon doesn’t want to risk his heart this time, he’s not sure he can resist the feelings that are once again starting to bloom for Elizabeth. But can he convince her that this sweet surprise family is more than just convenient?
“You’re worried for your reputation.”
Brandon colored. “My reputation will survive. I’m more concerned about yours.”
Elizabeth put her hands on her hips. “Oh, so now you agree that I’m some kind of fortune hunter?”
“No.” He puffed out a breath. “Elizabeth, please. Consider my offer. I will make no demands of you. You and the boys would have a secure home, a place in the community. I can protect you. But if marrying me is unthinkable, even under those terms, I’ll understand.”
“Frankly,” she told him, “I don’t know what to think. I’m willing to believe we’ve both grown since our days together in Cambridge. But a marriage of convenience? I had once hoped for more.”
He nodded. “So had I. But we are different people now. I promise you all my support, all my respect. I hope more will grow with time.”
Time. Might as well say chance. He was asking her to risk her future on him. How could she?
“All I can say,” she told him, “is that I’ll give the matter due consideration. Good day, Pastor.”
* * *
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 (#u00a166ff-16ad-5726-8f7f-ccf03e558a42),
Thank you for joining me on Elizabeth and Brandon’s journey. Having written two stories set in Little Horn, the people and place are near and dear to my heart. In 2016, the first series included Stand-In Rancher Daddy by Renee Ryan, A Family for the Rancher by Louise M. Gouge and my own A Rancher of Convenience. If you haven’t read the first two books in the 2017 series, try The Rancher’s Surprise Triplets (http://ads.harpercollins.com/hqnboba?isbn=9781488017568&oisbn=9781488017667) by Linda Ford and The Nanny’s Temporary Triplets (http://ads.harpercollins.com/hqnboba?isbn=9781488017612&oisbn=9781488017667) by Noelle Marchand.
When I was pregnant with my first son, the doctor thought I might be carrying twins. My first thought was, how wonderful! My second was, how am I going to take care of two babies? It was probably a good thing it turned out to be one special little boy. My hat’s off to Elizabeth, Louisa and Caroline for so capably loving Jasper, Theo and Eli.
I love to hear from readers. Visit me at reginascott.com (http://www.reginascott.com), where you can also sign up for an alert to be notified when the next book is out.
Blessings!
Regina Scott
REGINA SCOTT has always wanted to be a writer. Since her first book was published in 1998, her stories have traveled the globe, with translations in many languages. Fascinated by history, she learned to fence and sail a tall ship. She and her husband reside in Washington state with their overactive Irish terrier. You can find her online blogging at nineteenteen.com (http://www.nineteenteen.com). Learn more about her at reginascott.com (http://www.reginascott.com) or connect with her on Facebook at Facebook.com/authorreginascott (https://Facebook.com/authorreginascott).
The Bride’s Matchmaking Triplets
Regina Scott
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
Yet to all who received Him,
to those who believed in His name,
He gave the right to become children of God.
—John 1:12
To Meryl, Lola Jo and all those who open their hearts to children who need them; and to the Lord, who adopts us all into His family.
Contents
Cover (#u8eec4587-d51b-5f3a-9b74-981952d6198b)
Back Cover Text (#ub67db4f4-d53c-5a09-b7c6-6ff3f1fee4db)
Introduction (#ub98276ce-93ee-56d9-abf4-a04e90f82142)
Dear Reader (#u80a0d576-ce58-5cf3-9fad-2d0fbc8339d7)
About the Author (#ub870c922-7f93-5892-97b3-f51f756a5294)
Title Page (#ude8d75d4-0f47-5e70-879f-a68bd6588e0a)
Bible Verse (#udeb10662-0383-546f-b8a3-faab329f7cf9)
Dedication (#ucf1800b7-8267-5431-9199-3b5487e5b734)
Chapter One (#u8d014b9a-4f1c-581d-916a-8d2d2c9a6629)
Chapter Two (#u190f7c83-4c0a-54af-b58f-42a46fad239b)
Chapter Three (#ua34cffd1-840f-5665-9750-5bd2c9ad26d8)
Chapter Four (#ua3dd5fd6-07c8-53d5-b7fc-e01b667f6b18)
Chapter Five (#uc8f89b69-6d6a-5c93-837c-c22b7c1fe098)
Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Fifteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Sixteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Seventeen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eighteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Nineteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twenty (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twenty-One (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twenty-Two (#litres_trial_promo)
Extract (#litres_trial_promo)
Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter One (#u00a166ff-16ad-5726-8f7f-ccf03e558a42)
Little Horn, Texas, August 1896
“And which of our fine gentlemen have you chosen to be your husband?”
Elizabeth Dumont tried not to cringe at Mrs. Arundel’s question. Instead, she picked up one of her three precious charges and handed a triplet to the lady. One look at little Theo, and Mrs. Arundel’s stern face melted like snow in the sun.
“I’ve actually advertised for a position,” Elizabeth said, bending to pick up the second baby as another woman—Mrs. Tyson, if she remembered correctly—pressed closer, the scent of her lavender cologne like a cloud surrounding them.
The snug boardinghouse room felt even more cramped with her three visitors this morning. How much nicer it would have been to receive the ladies in her own home, as her aunt had done as Cambridge’s most famous hostess. Elizabeth could picture the babies playing on a rug at her feet, tea and cakes waiting on a side table. But right now, this room, with its flowered wallpaper, chintz-covered iron bedstead, porcelain washstand and sturdy walnut dresser, was the best she could do. She was just thankful David and Caroline McKay had given her the three high chairs and large crib they had used when caring for the boys.
“You don’t need a position,” insisted blond-haired Stella Fuller, wife of the local sheriff, as she came forward to take the last baby. “There are plenty of men in this town worth marrying. You just have to pick one. I did.”
Elizabeth had heard Stella had been a mail-order bride, just as Elizabeth had planned to be.
As Stella laughed, little Jasper grinned in her arms. Eli was looking up at Mrs. Tyson, brown eyes wide, as if trying to memorize her kind face. Theo wasn’t nearly so sure about Mrs. Arundel, for his lower lip trembled. He glanced at Elizabeth as if afraid the woman was about to make off with him.
Elizabeth knew the feeling. Ever since she’d been given charge of the boys three days ago, she’d wanted to gather them close, smooth their dark hair, whisper comfort in their ears. Maybe it was because they were so little and helpless, maybe it was because they were orphans like her, but Jasper, Theo and Eli touched her heart more than any of her other charges in her four years of being a governess.
“I hear Clyde Parker is looking for a wife,” Mrs. Arundel offered. “He has a fine ranch not too far from town. He might not object to red hair.” She bounced Theo on her hip, and he frowned at her.
Elizabeth tried not to frown as well. She’d never had anyone complain about her long red hair, now carefully bound up in a bun at the top of her head. Until the time her uncle had been sent to prison for swindling others, she’d received nothing but compliments on her looks. After that, people tended not to want to look at her at all, as if she’d somehow been tainted by the scandal.
“James Forrester needs a wife too,” Mrs. Tyson put in. “His two boys have settled down nicely since they joined the Young Ranchers program.”
“His boys are nearly grown,” Stella pointed out. “I’d think you’d want someone younger to be father to the triplets.” She bent and rubbed her nose against Jasper’s, and he squealed in delight, winning a smile from all the ladies.
Mrs. Tyson looked to Eli and sighed. “I simply cannot understand a mother giving away a child. Has no relative come forward since Bo Stillwater found the boys abandoned at the fair?”
“Not one,” Elizabeth told her, feeling a little guilty for the relief that statement brought. “The Lone Star Cowboy League advertised in newspapers all over the state, even offered a reward for information about the mother, but the one couple who had asked about the situation later sent word they weren’t related after all.”
Theo started fussing then, and Mrs. Arundel hurriedly handed him back to Elizabeth. He leaned his head against her shoulder, thumb going to his mouth. Elizabeth drank in the soft weight in her arms, the scent of fresh soap.
Please, Lord, couldn’t I be their mother?
She stifled a sigh. She’d just asked for the impossible. While she believed God could do anything, He had never moved mountains in her life. He didn’t heal her aunt of the stroke that had left her bedridden or send Elizabeth a new position or husband to support her when her last position ended. Instead, she found herself in Little Horn, a governess-turned-mail-order-bride, whose groom had changed his mind and married another. Any day she’d receive an answer to the advertisements she’d posted seeking a position, and then she would have to give Jasper, Theo and Eli to someone else to raise.
She hugged Theo closer.
“What about Pastor Stillwater?” Stella asked, perking up and causing Jasper to raise his head in expectation. “He’s young enough to be a father.”
Elizabeth’s stomach dipped, and she started shaking her head.
Mrs. Tyson must not have noticed, for she nodded eagerly. “He’s such a nice man. Everyone respects him.” She tickled Eli under his chin, and he squirmed with a bright giggle that made Elizabeth want to hug him close as well.
“We are very fortunate to have a gentleman of Mr. Stillwater’s character as our minister,” Mrs. Arundel agreed, her face becoming all prim and proper. “He comes from near Boston, you know. He is very well connected.”
Oh, but Elizabeth could tell them stories about Brandon Stillwater’s supposedly excellent character. She clamped her mouth shut. Watching her, Theo did the same.
“Compassionate to the less fortunate,” Mrs. Arundel continued.
Focused on himself.
“Kind.”
Selfish.
“Humble.”
Arrogant!
