The Nanny’s Temporary Triplets

“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.”