A Family For Christmas (Spinster Mail-Order Brides Book 5)

by Cheryl Wright

  When they arrived back to Jacob’s house, he quickly jumped down and pulled the baby carriage off the back of the cab. She passed Annie down, and he put her in the contraption.

  Then he lifted his wife down.

  She shivered as he held her by the waist and looked up into her eyes. Their faces were very close, and she thought he might kiss her. Until the driver cleared his throat. Then the moment was lost.

  He frowned, then carefully placed her on the ground.

  He shoved some notes into the cab driver’s hand, then moved toward the door, unlocking it.

  “Would you like some coffee,” she asked when they were safely inside.

  “I can do that,” he said. “You sort out the child.”

  The child. The child! Would he ever use her actual name? “Her name is Annie,” she ground out, and he glared at her.

  “I know that,” he said, as if there was not an issue. “Get her settled, and I’ll make the coffee.”

  She left quickly, not wanting to wake Annie. If she was left undisturbed, she should sleep through to the morning.

  She lifted her carefully out of the carriage and into the crib, covering her with the pretty blankets Jennifer had kindly left.

  She quietly left the room, and returned to the kitchen. He handed her a coffee.

  “Tell me a little about yourself,” he said, looking over the top of his coffee mug. “Something you didn’t mention in your letter.”

  She nodded. “I’m a teacher. I think I told you that?” She had, he told her. “I lost my job recently,” she said. “They decided to put a man in my position, simply because he was a man.”

  “That doesn’t seem fair.”

  She agreed. “No it’s not. As a single woman, I had to support myself, just as a man would have to.”

  They chatted a little about his job and his standing in the community. “As my wife, I expect you to attend certain events in town. The child complicates things.”

  “Annie is not a complication,” she said adamantly. “She is my niece. An innocent child. None of this is of her doing.” She slammed down her mug harder on the table than she meant to, and stood abruptly.

  Would he ever accept Annie was part of her? Annie was important to her, and she would ensure she was safe and happy at all cost.

  He stood with her. “I didn’t mean it like that.”

  “Yes you did,” she accused him, certain she was correct. “I’m not sure what I’m meant to do. I’ve explained the situation in great detail. I don’t want to have to explain it all again.” She was so angry, she was shaking. What did she have to do to get through to him?

  He took two strides toward her and held her tight. “I just meant we would have to find a sitter. Some of these events don’t allow children.”

  It felt nice to be held, and soon she’d stopped shaking. But she still wasn’t sure he wanted them both. Things would have to change or this marriage was not going to work for either of them.

  What she would do then, she didn’t know.

  She was convinced he wasn’t interested in her at all, perhaps didn’t even like her, but rested her head against his chest. She was so tired, and so much in need of comfort right now.

  His heart was beating rapidly almost in time with her own.

  She took a deep breath, and looked up into his face. His eyes were the blue of the sky on a sunny day, and they drew her in. He stared into her eyes, and she was mesmerized by him. She couldn’t pull her gaze away.

  His hand came up and gently cupped her chin, then his face came slowly toward hers, his eyes staring at her mouth.

  She licked her lips.

  At first his kiss was like the touch of a butterfly’s wings. It was soft and gentle, and was gone almost before she knew it was there.

  She stood on her toes in an effort to get closer to him, and his head came down again. This time he pushed her dress aside at the shoulder and kissed her bare skin, then gently kissed her neck.

  His breathing got quicker, and he suddenly moved from her neck to her lips. It was a tender kiss, but not as tender as the earlier kiss. This one was more urgent, and she was surprised at her need to kiss him too.

  She had no idea she could feel this way, especially for someone she’d only just met. She wondered if he felt the same, or whether it was simply a case of manly urges.

  Without warning, he swept her off her feet and carried her to the marriage bed.

  Chapter Five

  Jacob awoke as the sun rose. That was nothing new for him. But today was different.

  Today was the first day of his marriage.

  He looked down into the face of the angel who slept soundly in his bed. He enjoyed waking up to her pretty face this morning, and knew he could easily get used to it.

  She was hesitant last night – they both were – but now that first night was over, things could only improve.

  He was trying to decide whether or not to wake her when the child began to wail. He glanced down into Magdalena’s face – she didn’t so much as stir. She’d been through so much lately, and was surely exhausted.

  Without hesitation, he pulled on a robe and went to the nursery as he’d now deemed it.

  His heart did a little flip-flop when he noticed she was trying to pull herself up out of the crib. He let out the breath he didn’t know he was holding when she couldn’t manage it.

  Standing next to the crib, the smell was almost overwhelming. Hesitating, he reached into the cupboard and pulled out a diaper. He lifted the child out of the crib and lay her on the floor.

  He stared into the angelic face. She stared up at him. Her brown eyes matched those of her aunt. Her little hands reached out to touch him, and she looped her tiny fingers around one of his.

  His heart melted.

  For about twenty seconds, then he shook himself. He had no right to get attached to this child. He didn’t know her, he didn’t know her mother.

  He just needed to get on with the job. It was then he realized he had no idea how to fold a diaper.

  Jacob groaned. He’d seen his sister do this a thousand times – surely a mere diaper was not going to get the better of him?

  He opened the wet diaper, then cringed. Not only was it wet, there was a nasty package inside as well.

  He held his nose, then realized he couldn’t change the diaper while holding his nose. He needed to get this over with as quickly as he could, and folded it as best he could.

  That had to be the most disgusting thing he’d ever had to do.

  He picked her up when she was finally changed, and the baby leaned into him and wrapped her little arms around his neck.

  He was about to pull her back, when she dropped a sloppy kiss on his unshaven face. His heart kicked up a notch.

  She leaned back and stared into his eyes, and her little hands rubbed his other cheek. Then she hugged him again.

  He hadn’t signed up for this. What was he to do?

  Left with no other choice, he wrapped his arms around the child. She snuggled back into his neck.

  “Good morning.”

  Magdalena stood in the doorway watching their every move, her hair ruffled and her cheeks pink. The child’s arms reached for her. “Mag, Mag,” she said in her baby talk.

  He handed her over.

  The diaper slipped off in the process. Magdalena laughed. “Thank you for trying, but it doesn’t seem to have worked very well.”

  She lay the child on the floor and reworked the diaper. “Where are the safety pins?”

  “What? Oh.” He reached for them from the top of the cupboard. “Sorry, I didn’t want her to get hold of them, then forgot about them.”

  She laughed. “No wonder the diaper fell off.”

  He felt deflated. He managed a bank and all it entailed on a daily basis – how could he mess up such a simple task as changing a diaper?

  “Don’t worry about it. You’ll get used to it.”

  Would he? The likelihood of that happening was pretty slim
.

  “What time do you start work,” she asked in her half-asleep voice.

  “What? Oh, I told Abigail I’d only be in for a few hours later today. I thought we could spend a bit of time getting to know each other better.”

  She smiled. “That would be nice. Thank you,” she said quietly. “Perhaps you could show me around town?”

  The child began to wail again.

  “She’s hungry. I’ll organise her bottle.” She reached across and handed the baby to him. “I won’t be long.”

  What did she expect him to do with the child? Entertain her? If she did, he had no idea how to achieve that.

  “Wait,” he called after her, but she was gone. Instead he carried the baby into the kitchen where he found Magdalena. “What am I supposed to do with her?”

  Magdalena turned, and he caught sight of her pink lips. He wanted more of her, and stepped closer, the baby still in his arms.

  “Put her on the floor in the sitting room. She’ll be fine there.”

  He hesitated, not sure it was the best place for her.

  “We’ll have to child-proof everything,” she called from the kitchen.

  Child-proof? He liked his house just as it was. What other sacrifices did she expect him to make? He stormed into the kitchen, ready to have it out with his wife, when he heard paper ripping.

  Jacob went running back to investigate. He froze. His financial periodicals that had taken months to arrive were in shreds.

  She’d pulled herself up onto the low table where he’d left them. Twenty-four hours ago he had no inkling such a risk existed.

  He stood over the baby and scolded her, taking the torn pages from her. She began to wail. Loudly.

  Magdalena came running in. “What happened?” she asked urgently.

  “This is what happened,” he answered angrily, holding up the shredded pages.

  She took the damaged periodicals from him. “It’s just paper. Oh look, she’s standing. She’s never done that before.”

  He was angry, and she was delighted. Jacob sat on the edge of the sofa. What sort of predicament had he gotten himself into?

  All he’d wanted was a bride, not a family. He put his head in his hands - his head was pounding.

  He suddenly stood. “Coffee,” he said abruptly. “I need coffee. I can’t cope with all of this.”

  She stared at him, perplexed. Did she not understand the dilemma he was in? That she’d put him in?

  “What exactly is your problem,” she asked, hands on her hips.

  She looked kind of cute, standing there, defying him. But now was not the time for such thoughts. “If you really want to know, it’s you – and the child. I, I didn’t expect all this.”

  She glared at him. “Don’t worry,” she said, tears welling in her eyes. “We’ll be gone by the end of the day.”

  She reached down and lifted the child. “Come on, Annie. We know when we’re not wanted.”

  “But…” She was gone before he had a chance to explain.

  He felt like a heel. It wasn’t that he didn’t want them there, not really. At least that’s what he told himself.

  What he needed was time to get used to this change of situation.

  Magdalena seemed like a nice person. The child seemed well behaved – most of the time. The more he thought about it, the more he realized the damaged magazines were his fault, and even inconsequential in the scheme of things.

  Jennifer had warned him yesterday, but he hadn’t listened. She’d said it would take time; he’d brushed her words aside.

  He stormed into the kitchen and stoked the fire, then filled the kettle. A mug of coffee would definitely calm his nerves and hopefully send his headache scurrying.

  Setting out the mugs, he tried to remember how Magdalena took her coffee. Was it black or white? With or without sugar?

  He closed his eyes and tried to remember.

  Damn it, he couldn’t think. He was so upset with what had occurred this morning, and he didn’t know how to move beyond it.

  The kettle boiled and he went to the bedroom to check on the pair. He’d expected them back by now. Magdalena lay on the bed with her back to him, with the child by her side.

  “What are we going to do, Annie,” he heard her ask quietly. “We have to leave.”

  He heard her sniffle. He’d upset her dreadfully, and felt like a rat. “Don’t leave,” he said softly. “I don’t want you to go.”

  She turned to face him, tears still in her eyes. “Is that true, or are you just saying that?”

  His heart ached. He’d never intended to upset anyone, especially not his new wife.

  He came to sit on the side of the bed next to her. “I’m sorry,” he said. “This is such a different situation for me.”

  She nodded, but didn’t say a word.

  “I expected a bride, not a family.”

  She glared at him.

  “Damn it,” he said under his breath. He was not explaining himself well. “I didn’t mean it the way it came out,” he said, feeling more than a little ashamed of himself.

  He pulled her up into his arms. “I truly am sorry,” he said again, not sure if he was trying to convince himself or Magdalena. “Can we start over?”

  She looked up at him, concern in her eyes. “I, I guess,” she said, quite obviously not convinced.

  “The kettle has boiled. I went to make coffee, but I don’t know how you have it,” he said, totally changing the subject.

  She stared at him. Had he done the wrong thing bringing up coffee? Being married was far different to what he’d expected.

  “White with two sugars,” she said softly. Her hand went to his cheek, and it felt good.

  He leaned in and lightly kissed her lips, then she rested her head against his chest. The last twenty-four hours had turned his life upside down.

  He wondered what would happen in the next twenty-four.

  Magdalena pushed the carriage across the boardwalk, Jacob walking next to her. Annie was no longer content laying down in her carriage, and persisted in sitting up, taking in her new environment.

  Jacob glanced down at Annie and frowned. Was he unhappy? She wasn’t certain.

  Magdalena stole her attention from Jacob, and glanced around at the array of businesses available in this little township – barber, butcher, dressmaker, boot store, and many more. Not to mention the heart of every town, the Mercantile.

  Jacob led her toward the store. “We need to stock up on supplies,” he said, as he held the door open for her.

  “Morning, Cecil,” Jacob said as a man around thirty approached them. “This is my wife, Magdalena. Anything she wants, put on my account.”

  The man smiled. “Certainly, Jacob.” He turned to Magdalena. “Pleased to meet you Mrs Carruthers.”

  She smiled at him. He seemed pleasant enough, and was well-dressed in his black suit with a collared shirt and tie, a crisp white apron over the top of it all. She glanced toward the floor – shiny black boots.

  Her father always said you could tell the caliber of a man by the way he dressed.

  She turned to her husband – his attire was almost identical. That elicited a grin from her. Her father would have approved.

  “What can I do for you today, Jacob?”

  “We need more diapers, as well as clothes for the child.”

  Magdalena frowned. “More diapers? I can wash clothes you know,” she whispered.

  “Follow me.” Cecil led them to a corner of the store. “Here are the baby clothes. There’s not a huge choice, but I can order in whatever you need.”

  “What about a stroller? Do you carry those?” Jacob’s words surprised her, and she glanced up at him.

  “We can make do with the carriage,” she protested.

  “We will not make do,” he said. “Annie will have a new stroller, she deserves the best.”

  Annie? He used her name – was this some sort of break-through? She dare not hope.

  “Make sure it’s to
p quality. We’ll also take four baby bottles and nipples.” He looked to his wife. “Do we need formula too?” She nodded. “Order in two cans of baby formula for now.”

  He put his arm around Magdalena who was feeling very uncertain about all the money he was spending. “What shall we have for supper tonight?”

  At least that was an area where she felt comfortable. “I could make a hearty vegetable soup?”

  He grinned. “That sounds excellent. Get whatever you need. I’m sure the pantry will be empty.”

  She frowned. “You don’t know?”

  Jacob shrugged. “I had a lady coming in to clean and cook, but she married recently and stopped coming.”

  She would make an extra effort with his supper tonight. He’d probably lived on beans and bacon for ages. She reached for flour, sugar, butter, milk, an array of vegetables, as well as a variety of staples. He added the items to a box he’d procured from the Mercantile owner.

  “I think we’re done?” he queried Magdalena.

  “Yes, I think so. I guess I can always come back if I need to.”

  Annie became restless as they headed toward the counter, and Magdalena picked her up. Without warning, Jacob stopped when he spotted something, but she wasn’t sure what it was.

  Until he held it out in front of himself. “What do you think? Do you like it?” he asked Annie, dangling a small doll in front of her. She reached out and grinned at him. He handed her the toy.

  “You’re going to spoil her,” Magdalena said, secretly happy that he seemed to finally be warming to the baby.

  He dropped the box on the counter, then reached out for the baby. “Any chance of having it all delivered, Cecil?”

  It was a bit much to carry back to the house, Magdalena conceded. “I’ll need some of these early enough to prepare supper,” she said. “Soup takes quite a while to cook.”

  Once she’d put aside her immediate ingredients, the rest were earmarked for delivery. Jacob put Annie back in the carriage, then took the small box of groceries she required.

  Standing outside the door he pointed to a building across the road. “There’s the bank,” he said proudly.