Mail Order Miranda (Widows, Brides, and Secret Babies Book 20)

by Jenna Brandt

  Miranda and Cade entered the little white church that sat at one of the corners of the town square. Inside, an older man with gray hair donning a cleric collar was standing at the front, with an older woman with salt and peppered brown hair swept up in a bun.

  “Good afternoon, Pastor Gable, sorry we’re late. We had a bit of a problem with the boys.” Cade placed the twins on the front pew, cueing Miranda to do the same with Eleanor’s basket. “I hope we haven’t kept you waiting.”

  The pastor shook his head. “We were happy to wait, Mr. Tanner. We understand how difficult it’s been for you lately.” Then glancing at Miranda, he added, “But I think you might be able to help with that now that you’re here.” He gestured beside him, adding, “As your fiancé mentioned, I’m Pastor Gable, and this is my wife, Cindy.”

  “I’m pleased to meet you, miss,” Cindy said, greeting her with a friendly smile.

  “Please call me Miranda,” she said, returning the smile. Glancing around, she asked, “Is there somewhere I can change into my dress?”

  Cindy’s eyebrows raised with surprise, but she refrained on commenting on the odd request. It wasn’t lost on Miranda that it was unusual for a mail order bride to arrive with her own wedding dress. She’d already given up so much to come out here; however, she wanted this one small thing to remind her of where she came from.

  “You can change in my husband’s office. I can take you there,” Cindy offered. Miranda followed the other woman towards the side of the church, where she pushed open a hidden door that led to a separate room. “Take your time, Miranda. I’ll keep an eye on the children until you’re ready.”

  “Do you mind staying for a few moments?” Miranda asked sheepishly. “I could use some help with the buttons on the back of the dress.”

  “Of course, dear, whatever you need.”

  Cindy kept her back to Miranda until she was out of her other dress and had slipped on her white wedding gown. Miranda glanced over her shoulder, saying, “You can turn around.”

  “Your dress is gorgeous,” Cindy gasped, reaching out to touch one of the long, satin sleeves with puffs of material at the shoulder and a high collar. The gown was fitted through the bodice and waist with rows of tiny buttons down the back, ending at just where the skirt of the dress flared out and cascaded down to Miranda’s feet. “No wonder you wanted to wear it.”

  “It was my mother’s and sister’s. Unfortunately, they have both passed away,” Miranda explained. “I feel by wearing it, I have a little bit of them with me.”

  “I think you’re right,” Cindy confirmed, as she buttoned up the back of the dress. “It looks perfect on you. I’m going to let the men know you’re almost ready for the ceremony to start.” The other woman slipped out through the door, leaving her alone.

  Miranda made quick work of braiding her hair and pinning it up in a loose bun, then pinched her cheeks to add some color to her face. She took two deep breaths to steady herself, then pushed her shoulders back as she exited the room.

  Cade was standing at the front of the church with Pastor Gable beside him. Cindy was sitting in the front row next to the sleeping children. Miranda assumed she was there to be the witness. Nervously, Miranda made her way over to where the men were standing. She took her spot next to Cade, a weak smile forming on her lips as she clasped her hands in front of her.

  Pastor Gable made quick work of the ceremony. Miranda and Cade repeated the words spoken by the pastor, vows she knew were important, yet seemed to slip by her so quickly, she barely registered them. She promised to be faithful, to stand by his side for the rest of her life, and to be his help mate for better or for worse. He promised to do the same in return. Before she knew what was happening, he was sliding a ring on her finger, signaling the end of their wedding.

  “By the power vested in me by God, I now pronounce you husband and wife.” Pastor Gable beamed with pride.

  A noise outside woke the baby, who immediately started to cry. Miranda rushed to Eleanor’s side, scooping her up in an attempt to quiet her before she woke the twins. Miranda’s efforts, however, were too little too late; their little bodies squirmed on the pew for a few seconds before they both sat up, looking around in confusion.

  “Why she here?” Isaiah accused, pointing his finger at Miranda. “And the baby?”

  “Make it stop crying,” Ezra demanded, his bottom lip coming out in a pout again, his face turning red and his cheeks puffing up just like before, signs that he was about to throw another tantrum.

  Miranda wasn’t going to let that happen. Before the screaming could pierce the room, instinctively, she reached out and gently pinched Ezra’s lips together. “I won’t have any of that. I have my hands full enough with the baby. I don’t need you adding to it.”

  His eyes widened with shock, and for a moment, she thought he was going to yank away and scream in defiance. Instead, he slowly nodded his head, prompting her to remove her fingers from his mouth.

  Even though her actions kept the boys from another outburst, it did little to persuade them to sit still. In an instant, both boys jumped from the pew and were chasing each other around the room like it was the most common thing in the world to act like heathens in church. Miranda held her squalling niece in her arms, as she watched in horror at the twins misbehaving, wondering what she had gotten herself into.

  4

  Once the children finally calmed down, they were able to load them into the wagon and head towards the ranch. Cade had just over 500 acres of land ten minutes outside Rockwood Springs, nestled between a creek and a series of rolling hills. Set back off the road was a sprawling, wooden house, big enough for a large family.

  “This is impressive,” Miranda stated in awe as they pulled the wagon into the barn next to the house. “Did you build all of this yourself?”

  “I did,” he confirmed, leaving out the fact that he had built the house to his wife’s specifications, making sure the kitchen and parlor were tailored for entertaining. Before she passed away from influenza three months’ prior, their house was regularly filled with friends from church for various occasions. Her absence stopped all of that. Cade felt so inadequate. He could barely keep up with taking care of the ranch and the boys. The idea of having any sort of party was beyond his capability, not to mention he hadn’t felt much like celebrating since his late wife’s death.

  Cade jumped from the driver’s seat and came around to help Miranda down first, then the boys. He picked up the wicker basket and handed it to his wife. It still felt foreign to think of her as such, but once Pastor Gable announced them husband and wife, he knew it to be true. There was no taking it back—he was married again, and to a stranger of all things. He hoped in time, she wouldn’t remain as such, but as he looked at the pretty brunette beside him, she seemed a mystery to him. He knew from her letters she decided to come out West as a mail order bride to spare her sister and brother-in-law from having to take care of her. Much beyond that, he didn’t have a single inkling as to what made her tick.

  He guided her towards the front of the clapboard-sided house that was painted in light yellow, Carol’s favorite color. They climbed the steps until they reached the front door, which sat in the center of the wide porch that spanned the length of the house.

  “I hope everything will meet with your approval.” He pushed the door open for her, stepping back so she could enter. Before she got very far, the boys rushed passed them and headed straight for their room down the hall on the right side of the house.

  “We won’t see them until it’s time to eat. They’re obsessed with the wooden train set Carol bought them before…” He couldn’t finish the sentence. It still wasn’t any easier to talk about her death than it was the day it happened. As he watched the stranger that was now his wife take center stage in Carol’s home, he could feel the pain rising up in him. Needing a moment to compose himself, Cade turned to retreat back through the front door. “I’m going to go get your trunks and bring them in for you. Why d
on’t you familiarize yourself with the house, and you can ask me any questions you might have when I get back.”

  He didn’t wait for Miranda’s response, afraid at any moment he might break. He refused to cry on his wedding day and make his new wife uncomfortable. It was better if he headed back to the barn where he could wallow in his pain in private.

  After praying and getting himself under control, Cade unloaded both trunks, before carrying each one inside the house. Miranda must have heard the door close the second time, and came into the foyer. She glanced at the small trunk that was currently by itself. “Where’s mine?”

  “I already placed it in my bedroom.” Her eyes widened with surprise as she pressed her lips together in apprehension. He could tell the wheels in her head were turning with all the possibilities of what he was expecting regarding their sleeping arrangements. To relieve her concerns, he quickly added, “I’m going to sleep in one of the boys’ beds so you can have the bigger bed with the baby. The boys are still small enough, they’ll be fine bunking together.”

  Miranda nodded, relief flooding her eyes. “I found some food in the cold box in the kitchen and whipped up a quick meal. It isn’t much, but it’ll do for now. I’ll make more of an effort starting tomorrow, but I’m exhausted from my travels.”

  “It’s fine, Miranda, anything you’ve prepared will be appreciated. I’m just grateful to finally have some help around here.”

  “Whatever I can do to make things easier for you and the boys, just let me know. I want to pull my own weight.”

  “I’m sure you will,” he assured her. “I’ll go get the boys.”

  Cade padded down the hallway until he came to the room at the end of the hall. Their tiny voices caused him to stop just outside the door and peek inside, curious to see what they were saying. They were indeed playing with their train set, but what surprised him was how.

  “We don’t want you,” Ezra said, moving a wooden figure towards the train.

  “I came all this way,” Isaiah replied, moving another wooden figure in front of the train. “I nice lady.”

  “Mean, too,” Ezra added.

  “Not always,” Isaiah corrected.

  “Yes, she is,” Ezra screamed at his brother.

  “Nuh-uh,” Isaiah shouted back, throwing his wooden figure on the ground. “You mean.”

  Ezra threw his own toy down, then jumped up from the ground. “No, you mean. I telling.”

  Cade came into the room, revealing himself for the first time. “That’s enough boys. Playtime is over. Miss Miranda has made dinner for us.”

  “We don’t wanna eat with her,” Ezra shouted. “We want Mama.”

  Cade’s heart seized in his chest, wishing he could give the boys exactly what they wanted, because deep down, he wanted it, too. The problem was, it was never going to happen. She was gone, and never coming back. They needed to find a way to make do without her.

  “Boys, we need to do our best to make Miss Miranda feel welcome. She isn’t going anywhere, so you need to get used to her being here.”

  “I don’t wanna,” Ezra stated with an angry shake of his head.

  “If you can’t be nice, Ezra, then you won’t come eat with the family at the dinner table. I’ll bring you a plate in here and you can eat by yourself.” Being firm with the boys wasn’t easy for him. Carol always took care of the discipline. His role had been more like a big friend. He used to play with them after work. Now, he had to take on her role too, and it was difficult for him to do it.

  Ezra seemed to think about what his father threatened. After a couple of seconds, he finally nodded his head. “I be good.”

  “I’m glad to hear that. Let’s go then.” Cade reached out his hands to the boys and they took them in turn.

  When he arrived back in the dining room, Miranda was sitting at the table with the baby in her lap. She was feeding her from a glass bottle filled with what he assumed was goat’s milk, since he had some stored in the cold box.

  “Does she seem to like the milk?” he asked, gesturing to the bottle. “Gerty makes the best.”

  “Gerty?” Miranda inquired with a raised eyebrow.

  “My prize goat. She has the best milk around in three counties; even won a couple of county fairs. People pay a fortune for what she produces. They swear it can cure almost anything.”

  “Well, Elle seems to enjoy it, and that’s good enough for me.” Miranda placed the bottle on the table and turned the baby over, patting her on the back. A couple of moments later, Eleanor let out a large belch, shocking Cade that something so big could come out of something so small. Miranda placed her back in her basket, her eyelids immediately flickering until they settled downward. The even rise and fall of her chest demonstrated that she was fast asleep.

  The boys hopped up into their chairs, placing their legs under them so they could reach the top of the table. Miranda served them all some of the dried meat and fried potatoes she had prepared, then poured them glasses of tea.

  They ate the meal in silence, all of them too tired from the long day to talk. The boys were nearly falling asleep in their plates by the time they finished. Cade stood up and picked up Isaiah, who was closest to him, and started to move over to pick up Ezra next.

  Miranda raised her hand and shook her head, whispering, “I can carry him.”

  Cade let her scoop Ezra up. They carried both boys to their room and laid them in their beds, where they tucked them in for their naps.

  “I can’t believe the day is only half over,” Miranda stated with a sigh as she let herself fall into one of the chairs at the table. “I know I need to clean all of this up, but I can’t manage to stir up the energy to do it.”

  “What if I help,” Cade offered. “Two sets of hands make the work go twice as fast.”

  “Really? I hate to put you out. I’m sure you have a lot of work to do around the ranch.”

  “It can wait,” he stated, standing up and picking up two of the dishes. “I’ll wash if you dry.”

  “Deal,” she said, following his lead.

  As Cade watched his new wife make quick work of the clean-up, he found his respect for her work ethic growing by the minute. She didn’t quit, even when exhaustion was clearly written across her face. If nothing else, at least he knew that she had enough gumption to handle being a rancher’s wife. As for what else she was capable of, only time would tell.

  5

  In all her life, Miranda had never slept as hard as she did that first night on the ranch. Traveling by train had been bumpy and confining, making for little to no sleep. In one night, she felt like she made up for it, which was good, because as soon as she woke up, she had to hit the ground running.

  First thing in the morning, the baby started crying, needing a bottle to quiet her. Next, she had to make breakfast for the twins. She would have done the same for Cade, but he was already gone before she woke. She would have to find out when he got up so she could rise before him to make him breakfast. After cleaning up the kitchen, she started on the laundry, using the wash basin and the scrub board to clean the family’s clothes, taking time to mend any holes she saw during the process. It was a long and grueling activity, and she barely hung the clothes on the drying line before it was time to start making the mid-day meal. While the stew was cooking on the stove, she went over the list Cade left for her. By the time she reached the end of it, she was completely flabbergasted.

  Feed the chickens

  Collect the eggs

  Milk the goats and the cows

  Separate the cream and milk

  Churn the butter

  Feed the calves and pigs

  Pick the fruit in the orchard

  Tend the garden

  The chores he expected her to do were completely foreign—not to mention overwhelming—to her. She had no idea how to do any of it. She decided she would have to question her husband about them when he came in for the mid-day meal. The problem was, he didn’t come in at all. If she could hav
e asked the boys where he was and have them understand, she would have, but they seemed unaffected by his absence.

  For the rest of the day, Miranda moved right from one chore to the next, never seeing any end in sight. By the time Cade came in for supper, she was bone tired and hadn’t finished anything from the list he had left her. She dreaded telling him as much, and put it off, hoping that after his belly was filled with a hot meal, he wouldn’t be as quick to be upset with her.

  She placed the leftover stew into bowls, then added the freshly baked bread on the side.

  “Soup again?” Ezra whined.

  “I miss Mama’s chicken,” Isaiah complained, as he swooshed the spoon back and forth in the brown liquid. “This soup’s lumpy.”

  “It’s supposed to be that way; it’s a stew,” Miranda quickly defended, but knowing that something hadn’t gone right with her preparation of it. She’d tried to fix the consistency in the afternoon, but apparently, her efforts hadn’t turned out the way she hoped. The stew tasted just as awful as it did before, but now it also had consistency issues.

  “You shouldn’t complain, boys. We should all be grateful Miss Miranda is here and helping us around the ranch.”

  “She didn’t feed the chickens,” Ezra tattled.

  “She’s scared,” Isaiah chimed in.

  Miranda’s head jerked to the side, shocked that the boys were smart enough to know she’d never been around farm animals, and they frightened her. If she could, she would deny it, but the truth was, the boys were right. When she entered the chicken coop earlier in the day, one of the hens came barreling towards her, beak ready to peck at her legs with an untamed fury in her beady little eyes. That was it for Miranda. She ran out as quickly as she could, barely latching the gate behind her.