The Nanny’s Temporary Triplets. Noelle Marchand

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      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.

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