Cora Captures a Cowboy Read online

  “Why aren’t the infants with their mother?” Marcus asked, but knew the answer when Marcus shook his head, while pointedly looking down at the toddler in his arms.

  “Oh no,” Ethan squeezed his eyes shut.

  “Did Sarah leave you standing at the altar to come here, Ethan?” Mrs. Paulson stared up at her son, then Marcus.

  “Yes, she’s in the house…” was all Ethan got out before his mother pushed past the men and marched through the front door.

  “Sarah!” Mrs. Paulson called out, while standing in the living room. “I need to talk to you.”

  “This isn’t the time for a confrontation, Mother,” Ethan called to his mother as she continued walking through the house.

  “I’m in the kitchen, Mrs. Paulson,” Marcus heard as he and Ethan followed the older woman.

  “What’s going on?” Mrs. Paulson stopped in the doorway of the kitchen viewing the scene. Marcus was sure she didn’t expect to find a teary–eyed Sarah trying to feed three infants with two young children hovering by her side.

  “Sarah helped the Widow Sullivan deliver her triplets…” was all Ethan could say before his mother butted in.

  “So why aren’t these children with her, then?”

  Little Maggie turned to the woman to answer for Sarah. “She’s sleeping at our house, so we moved here,” the little girl said matter–of–factly.

  “…Oh…” Mrs. Paulson finally said as she figured out the scene before her. “Is she gone?” she asked Marcus.

  “No, she didn’t go anywhere, she’s still at our house,” Maggie answered back.

  Sarah turned to Maggie and put her arm around the child’s shoulder. “Maggie, would you please take Marty and Maisie in the parlor so the adults can talk a bit? You know where the stack of picture books are and you can show the pictures in a book to them.”

  “But I can’t read yet,” Maggie protested.

  “Please look at the pictures and we’ll work on the words another time.”

  Everyone remained silent until Marcus indicated the youngsters were out of range for hearing the upcoming conversation.

  “Margaret Sullivan fell and hit her head on the stove sometime before noon and little Maggie came for my help because her mother’s head was bleeding. That’s when Sarah rode in…and went in to find the woman unconscious, and in labor.”

  “You should have been married by then and enjoying the wedding picnic—like your family is doing without you, Sarah,” Mrs. Paulson glared at Sarah.

  “If that had happened, I couldn’t have helped deliver these three infants,” Sarah snapped.

  “I don’t understand…did she wake up for a while?” Ethan asked.

  “She did, but complained about a severe headache, which worsened with each birth. Shortly after the third boy was born, she passed.”

  “Oh dear, the poor children…” Ethan shook his head in sadness.

  “Margaret did see and talk to her children right before she passed. Then I told them their mother needed to rest and we brought them over here.”

  “Well, we need to get these children moved into town so someone can take care of them. I don’t know right off hand of any mother who could be a wet nurse for the infants. Mary Weber has twins herself so she couldn’t handle three more…” Mrs. Paulson was already taking over, thinking of ways to disperse the children among the townspeople!

  “They are staying with me, Mrs. Paulson,” Sarah said firmly. Marcus was glad to see Sarah was finally developing a backbone against this woman.

  “Nonsense. We will find homes for these children, and you can marry Ethan as planned.”

  “Wherever I live, so do these six children. I am taking care of them now.”

  “No you’re not allowed any children except one son with the Paulson line, young lady,” Mrs. Paulson huffed.

  “Mother, please stop! This is an unusual situation, which just occurred, and Sarah isn’t thinking straight.”

  “Oh, I am finally thinking straight,” Sarah replied firmly while staring at Ethan. “I’m their official guardian and I will raise them, and adopt them when we can get a judge to file the papers.”

  “It would be best for the children to be split up until their relatives are contacted,” Mrs. Paulson countered. Marcus couldn’t believe how this woman could argue. Why had she set her sights on Sarah for her daughter–in–law to begin with? Probably because Sarah was pretty, a good hostess—and did whatever Mrs. Paulson said to do—until now.

  “Margaret said there were no relatives to take over her children’s care so she assigned Marcus and me as their guardians, and the paper has all three of our signatures on it.”

  Ethan turned and stared at Marcus. “Why are you a guardian too? Does this mean you and Sarah plan to marry and raise these children as your family?”

  “No, I signed the paper to ease Margaret’s mind, not knowing she’d die minutes later. Sarah and I haven’t discussed anything yet, except taking care of the infants,” Marcus snapped, trying to keep from saying what was really on his mind with this idiotic conversation.

  “Arguing what Sarah should or shouldn’t be doing at this moment is irrelevant. Either you ride back to town to get the doctor, the pastor and the Wilersons, or you help care of the infants and I’ll ride into Clear Creek,” Marcus ground out.

  “The babies also need milk immediately,” Sarah chimed in. “If Darcie Robbins, Millie’s sister is with my family, ask her to come here. She’s still nursing Amelia so she may be able to give these babies some mother’s milk, but it won’t be enough. Get several cans of Mellin’s Infant Food from Taylor’s Mercantile if they have it in stock. Go to Taylor’s house as I’m sure Mrs. Taylor will open their store for this emergency,” Sarah added.

  “Won’t the cow’s milk suffice?” Marcus asked.

  “I think the canned milk would be better for them right now. Goat’s milk would be best for long term so we need to find a doe right away.” Marcus could almost see Sarah’s mind coming up with a list of things she needed to take care of the infants.

  “I’ll return to town and notify people to come to the Cross C to help with the children and remove the body. Mother, will you stay here to help Sarah?” Mrs. Paulson didn’t say anything, just gave Sarah one more stern look before turning on her heel and marching out of the room and house. It’s no wonder Mr. Paulson stayed in the buggy the whole time instead of venturing into the house.

  “Ethan, I’m sorry, but I couldn’t go through with the marriage today. You’re a good friend…” Sarah started apologize, but Ethan held up his hand to stop her.

  “Don’t. It hurts now, but in the long run it would have been more painful if you only settled for me because you couldn’t be with the person you really love.” Ethan glanced at Marcus while saying it. “Besides, now you’ve found the courage to speak up to Mother—the tension would be pretty hostile at the hotel—but I admire you doing it. Maybe someday I’ll find the courage to do so.”

  Ethan put his hat on his head and looked back at Sarah. “I’ll get to town as quickly as I can and send help your way.” Ethan stared a second at Marcus, but then nodded as if to concede his right to Sarah to Marcus now.

  Maggie was making up a story in the parlor, Sarah was fussing over one of the infants—and the events of the day hit Marcus hard in the gut. He was ashamed he had frozen in Margaret’s emergency. What would he have done if Sarah hadn’t come along and taken charge? Let the woman die on the floor? Ignore the screaming children? He ran his fingers through his hair. Why did he think he could go back to work at the fort when he couldn’t handle a family’s emergency?

  Marcus turned, feeling Sarah’s eyes on his back.

  “What did you think you’d accomplish by coming out here today, Sarah?” Marcus picked up the discussion they started hours ago, because it had to be done before the children came back in the room and the house was filled with the Wilerson women.

  “I heard you were leaving, and I wanted to go with you.” Exhau
stion marred Sarah’s face, but love still shown in her eyes—for him.

  Marcus folded his arms, showing his frustration with her declaration. “We went over this last week and again before Maggie came running for help. I can’t give you the family you deserve, nor a permanent house. You should have married Ethan because he could have given you both.”

  Sarah looked incredulous at him. “Did you not hear Mrs. Paulson telling me I could only have one child? And I’m sure she already had her imaginary grandson’s life planned out as well. I can’t believe I didn’t listen to my brothers. They’ve been bluntly telling me to open my eyes to what I was getting into by marrying Ethan, but no, I didn’t listen. I was worried about what people would think if I backed out on the engagement. I’m glad I didn’t marry today—because now I have Margaret’s children to raise.”

  “Surely you know it would be best if several families each took one or two children instead of you struggling to keep them all together.”

  “Margaret entrusted her family to me, making me promise her I’d keep them together. I—no we—signed our names to carry out her wishes.”

  “And I asked her to take my name off as guardian when she could because I didn’t feel I could provide for them.”

  “Well it didn’t happen that way and now you’re responsible, too.”

  Marcus felt uneasy about this sudden dilemma. Surely she didn’t…

  “Sarah, did you give Margaret the idea of us being guardians?” After a second thought he asked, “You didn’t do anything to hasten Margaret’s death, did you?” Marcus asked point blank.

  That question immediately shot Sarah’s fiery eyes to his.

  “You think I KILLED Margaret to get her children?!” she said incredulously. “You saw she’d hit her head, you saw her take her last breath!”

  “And you were saying we could marry and adopt orphaned children right before six children became available.” Marcus hated to say this, but if there was any chance Sarah had something to do with Margaret’s death…he had to know the truth.

  “The poor woman slipped on a piece of buttered bread which was on the floor and hit her head on the cast iron stove! I threw the bread out to the cats to eat, but I’m sure you can still feel the smear of butter on the floor, because I did not have time to properly clean it up. If that wasn’t enough trauma, she delivered three babies while her brain was swelling!”

  “You’re right, I’m sorry…I’m just overwhelmed. I was riding off to start a new life a few hours ago…then you arrived, Margaret died and, now I’m a legal guardian for six kids…”

  Sarah didn’t say a word, just rocked…whichever infant was in her lap at the moment. Minutes ticked by when neither he nor Sarah talked. One of the other babies fussed, and Sarah switched the current baby on her lap back to the crib to pick up the crying infant. She was trying her hardest to keep a stiff upper lip and not cry.

  Sarah was right, this was their chance to marry and have an instant family. But the trauma of the past year caused him to doubt his ability to take care of a family.

  What if something happened to Sarah or a child? It would literally drive him crazy. Maybe it was better not to get involved in the first place. Surely Sarah would see the wisdom in other families raising these children.

  “Scratch your name off the guardianship papers and leave, Marcus.” Sarah had a firm set to her jaw, but she didn’t look at him.

  “What do you mean?”

  “If you don’t want to do this, go now.” Sarah put the infant on her shoulder and gently patted its back. The infant was so tiny and frail it couldn’t weigh over five pounds. Would they survive? Sarah would be crushed it she lost any of the infants.

  “What will you do?”

  “Not your concern, so no use talking to you about it. I’ll have my family’s support, and that’s all you need to know. Get yourself back on your horse—and get out of here!”

  “Sarah, I can’t leave you all alone like this…”

  “Help is on the way to deal with Margaret’s body. I can handle the children myself.”

  A second baby started whimpering so Sarah moved the first baby to her lap and picked up the second to lay across her shoulder. Sarah had to be exhausted, physically and emotionally. First to leave her own wedding, delivering triplets by herself, and then seeing their mother die.

  “I won’t leave until your family arrives, okay?” But Sarah didn’t respond. Her mouth was pinched and eyes squeezed shut as she tried her hardest not to let tears spill down her cheeks.

  But Sarah’s eyes flashed open the minute the third baby added its tiny voice to the squall filling the kitchen. She looked down at her lap in puzzlement, wondering where to place the third baby to comfort it.

  Marcus had never held a newborn, but he had to do something to comfort the bitty thing. He walked around to the cradle and reached down to pick him up.

  “NO! Don’t touch him, Marcus, you don’t want him,” Sarah hissed, but he carefully put a hand under the infant’s head and his other beneath his frail body and lifted the baby to set against his shoulder anyway.

  The infant melted onto his shoulder, instinctively soaking up the warmth and comfort from Marcus’ body. The baby took a big sigh—for such a tiny thing—and then quit his fussing. Marcus looked at his big hands holding the tiny being. They were bigger than the infant’s body. He’d always dreamed of having children, but never guessed the euphoria of holding a child just hours old would bring.

  This infant’s fine hair was a little darker than the other two, so he knew it was the middle one. Margaret had written Mark Brenner Sullivan on the guardian paper for this baby. He’d never get a chance to name his own son this name, unless… Could he become the father these children needed in their lives? Was Sarah right when she suggested these six children could be their family? If they adopted little Mark, his name could become Mark Sullivan Brenner.

  Marcus moved over to the window and cradled the infant away from his body to see Mark better in the light shining there. Mark moved his little rosebud mouth as though he wanted to eat, while flexing his miniature hands. Mark’s fingers were shorter than a joint on his own finger, and no wider than a matchstick.

  “Hello Mark,” Marcus hoarsely whispered and the infant’s eyes moved to stare at his face. My face. I’m the first man this baby has seen. Marcus gently moved the baby back to his shoulder and turned to Sarah. She was watching him, with hopeful eyes.

  Chapter 6

  Sarah slumped in relief when she heard horses’ hooves and buggy wheels stop in front of the house. Voices moved as fast as the shoes and boots hitting the porch steps before her family burst into the kitchen. “Momma…” was all Sarah could say before her mother knelt by her chair and hugged her and the two newborns she held.

  “Oh Sarah, are you all right? We stayed in town because we knew you and Marcus needed time to talk. I’m so sorry I wasn’t here for you.”

  “Momma I was so scared when I found Margaret on the floor! And I had to help her…she had three babies, three…and then she died,” Sarah sobbed into her mother’s shoulder.

  “It’s okay, Sarah, I’m here now. Your whole family is here to help,” her mother said while rubbing her back. How can I give six children the love and support they need when I break down in my own mother’s arms? But then she calmed and drew away to look at her mother. Maybe I can do it because I’ve had the best mother to show me how to be a mother myself.

  “Oh they’re so tiny and precious,” Cora sighed. “I want to hold one!” Sarah watched Cora take the infant off her shoulder, and felt an immediate loss of the baby’s warm body.

  “What’s this one’s name,” Hilda said while picking up the smallest baby from Sarah’s lap.

  Sarah took a deep breath and wiped the tears from her eyes and cheeks now she had free hands to do so.

  “The oldest son Cora’s holding is Matthew. It was the name Margaret and Martin had picked should they have a boy. Margaret asked me to name the young
est son who Hilda is holding. I chose the Biblical name of Micah because the Wilersons have always named their children names from the Bible.”

  “And who is Marcus holding?” Rania asked.

  “Marcus, you look like you’re not going to let any of the women touch your baby,” Cate teased him.

  Sarah couldn’t help but look at Marcus still standing across the room. Marcus had both his arms wrapped around the infant, practically shielding the baby from anyone’s sight.

  “Well, maybe he is my baby,” Marcus gruffly said. “Margaret named this boy Mark Brenner Sullivan after me since I helped Sarah get Margaret off the floor and into the bed.”

  “A namesake, just for helping a woman walk a few steps?” Hilda had to ask, of course.

  “But, he also took care of the three older children while I was with Margaret. Played with them, fixed them a meal, watched over them while they napped…” Sarah had to give Marcus praise because it was due. The man couldn’t handle the sight of blood, but he was so gentle and patient with the children. She hoped he’d realize he would make a good father.

  “May I hold him?” Hilda’s twin sister Rania said while holding out her arms in front of Marcus. Rania was with child and her eyes glowed when looking at the infant in Marcus’ arms. Marcus hesitated before carefully handing Mark over to Rania. Was he becoming attached to his namesake?

  Sarah looked around the room, now realizing people also stood in the doorway between the kitchen and dining room. Good heavens, even Cora’s parents and brothers were here. They traveled from Boston ten days ago for Cora’s wedding and planned to leave tomorrow.

  “Did everyone from the picnic come out here?” Sarah asked as she wiped tears from her cheeks again.

  “Not quite, but close,” her mother said. “Ethan came straight to the church and told us what happened and you needed help and baby supplies. Amelia’s sick, so Darcie thought she shouldn’t nurse the infants, in case she could pass problems on to the triplets. Jacob, Noah and Dagmar are taking care of the horses. Isaac, Doc Watson, Pastor Reagan and Adam…are in the cabin now and will be over here shortly.”