Melanie clasped her hands in front of her and beamed at him. “I am most definitely pleased. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
Again, she was surprised to see a blush staining his cheeks. He looked bashful but didn’t say anything more, only touching the brim of his hat again and waving as he drove off.
The girls’ giggles brought her back to the present with a slight sigh.
Melanie enjoyed the chatter of the two little girls as she taught them how to cook and bake. She was also trying to teach them how to sew, but Mary especially found the task tedious at best. She would far rather be out working with her father on his ranch, but it would seem Mr. Miller was determined that his daughter get at least some education in the female arts, as he liked to put it. Melanie had to guard her heart from growing too attached to both girls. I’ll write to Mr. Brace and the Children’s Aid Society first thing tomorrow, Melanie thought as she watched them try not to spill too much flour around the tidy kitchen.
~~~
“I can’t believe she was once the one insisting that we needed to play tea parties. Now she wishes she was a boy.” The rancher shook his head in confusion as he sat with Melanie when he had finally come round to call several weeks later. No one else was home so Melanie hadn’t invited him in. They were sitting on the porch, enjoying the slight breeze as it brought the scent of the flowers Melanie could never get tired of admiring. She was torn between excitement being in his presence and dread that someone would happen along and interrupt them. Or worse still, that Mr. Miller would realize she had nothing of interest to say and would take his leave.
“I think she likes to be contrary.” Melanie explained, “It’s just a phase. While I can’t say she’ll ever be a seamstress, she does love being in the kitchen. And every woman ought to know her way around the animals. I wish I wasn’t so squeamish myself. It would be lovely to have some chickens and a cow for fresh eggs and milk.”
Cole’s face was serious as he looked at her closely. “You could have those without needing to do it on your own, you know.”
Melanie blinked, surprised by the sudden turn in the conversation. “Whatever do you mean? I’m afraid I barely know which end of the cow the milk comes from,” she excused with a nervous giggle.
“Now I know you’re teasing me, but don’t you realize by now that I would love to have you out on my ranch?”
Melanie frowned at him in true confusion. “What do you mean?”
Cole sighed. “I’m not going about this at all in the right way, am I? Melanie, I know I’ve only known you for a few months, but in that time, I’ve watched you blossom from a pretty but nervous little lady to a beautiful, strong woman who would be the finest wife a rancher could hope to have. I’m proud of the progress you’ve made. I’ve grown fond of you and would deeply appreciate it if you would agree to marry me.”
Melanie stared at him in shock. “That is the most lukewarm declaration I have ever heard of. I’ve barely seen you in the past six weeks despite the fact that your daughter has been here on three different occasions, and you expect me to believe you have suddenly developed tender feelings for me? I’m sorry to be rude, but I think you should take yourself back from wherever you came. I don’t need to take on that sort of attention. I have enough of my own concerns to occupy me.”
She would have giggled over the expression on his face if she weren’t so very hurt by his words. Melanie had found herself pining for a visit from the handsome, rugged rancher, but knew that the depths of her own feelings required more emotion from him than what he had expressed. While it had taken her a long time to accept that she had fallen for the man, she had finally come to terms with her desire for a family of her own. And watching Katie with her doctor, Melanie knew she wouldn’t settle for a weak attachment. It would need to be all or nothing for her.
Cole was still gaping at her when she turned on her heel and stormed into the house, slamming the door behind her. Melanie wished there were someone else home so she could ask them to make sure the rancher had left. She contented herself with slamming her bedroom door for good measure before throwing herself on her bed as an unexpected bout of tears claimed her.
~~~
Cole sat in his wagon, pulled over to the side of the road, so as to not impede any traffic that might come along, heedless to the fact that he most likely looked like a simpleton staring off into the yonder like he was. That conversation had most certainly not gone how he had intended. Miss Jones was perfectly correct; he had stumbled through what should have been a proposal of marriage like a clumsy bull trying to drink from a teacup. All he’d done was make a mess.
But what was he going to do now? He had been so sure she returned his feelings. Maybe he had read the situation all wrong. He forced himself to pause and think back over her words. She hadn’t said she didn’t care for him. She just hadn’t appreciated his lack of attention and the suddenness of his declaration. He couldn’t really blame her for that, he supposed. It had taken him so long to figure out his own thoughts. Spending time with her had just muddled him further.
He thought of the time he had visited to help her move the flowers. She had seemed so full of light. He had the impression that he had helped her overcome some of her fears that previous day when she went to visit her customers. It had made him feel so proud of himself and of her. And then he had discussed his idea of adoption with her.
Cole loved the way she listened so attentively whenever anyone spoke to her. She had listened without interruption as he explained why he was thinking of adopting. A son to help him on his land and then to take over when he was old, seemed like a good idea.
Of course, the more time he spent with Melanie, the more he thought of a future with her. And maybe they might have more children together. Perhaps a little girl or a little boy with Melanie’s bright, inquisitive eyes would fill any empty spaces still left in his heart.
The only trouble was, Cole hadn’t had the best experience with women. That was why he had taken so long to come around to accepting his feelings for her. He just hoped his hesitation and blundering hadn’t ruined all his chances. He would just have to convince her!
Setting his chin with determination, Cole guided his wagon to turn around slowly on the road and made short work of heading back to Melanie’s tidy little house.
~~~
“Melanie? Melanie!” Her name was being called, accompanied by loud banging on the door. Melanie awoke in confusion. She got to her feet and hurried to the door, sure that an emergency needed her attention.
Cole was standing there with his hat in his hand and a bemused expression on his face. It wasn’t apparent what he was feeling.
“What has happened? Is Mary all right?” Melanie hadn’t shaken her sleepy confusion.
Cole’s eyes seemed to devour her face, and Melanie suddenly became conscious of the fact that she had fallen asleep crying. No doubt she looked a fright. She gasped as he pulled her into his arms.
“Darlin’,” he drawled, “I never meant to make you cry. I’m so sorry that I saddened you with my weak expressions. I’ll never make that mistake again.”
Melanie’s stomach began to flutter, but for the first time in her life it was a pleasurable sensation. She searched his gaze to try to read his thoughts, but he didn’t leave her in suspense for long.
“While I think you will be an excellent help with Mary and a wonderful mother to any other children we might be blessed with, children don’t stick around forever. I want you for me as my partner, companion, helper, and mate. I thought I could be logical about the subject. I thought I didn’t need you. I’m sorry I stayed away for so long, but I was trying to get it all straight in my head.”
He paused briefly, his eyes searching her gaze and examining her face, trying to gauge her reaction to his words. He ran his thumb along her cheekbone, catching the tears that had once again begun to leak from the corners of her eyes. His own eyes crinkled. “As you know, I haven’t had the best of luck in the
female department. My wife left me, then died, and my sister lost her mind while in my company.”
Melanie made as if to protest, but he stopped her by pressing his thumb gently on her lips. “Let me finish, darlin’, or I might never get this said. The thing is, I had to figure if I could deal with the responsibility of another adult in my life. I feel at enough of a loss with little Mary, but I’ve known her all her life, and she’s mine no matter what. I’ve been racking my mind and heart, trying to determine if I had what it takes to make you happy. But staying away was making me miserable. I have to think that together we could manage reasonably well. We’re both fine, intelligent people.”
He paused again, taking a deep breath before plunging on with his speech. “I love that you are willing to face your fears. I love that your kind heart makes you speak up even when you don’t want to. I love that you have taken to my daughter and helped make her feel whole, even though you didn’t really want to open your heart. And I really love that you want to make Missouri home, that you won’t be pining for somewhere else.”
Melanie was blinking back her tears, examining his face as Cole declared himself. She felt as though her heart were going to burst, but she didn’t know if she was going to be able to force words out of her mouth. It felt as though her heart were taking up all the space and preventing her thoughts from spilling out of her mouth. Finally, he grew nervous or impatient with her silence, despite what must have been obvious love shining in her eyes.
“Please, I’m begging of you, Melanie, I quite desperately love you. Please say you’ll consent to be my wife, my friend, and my companion until we’re both old and grey and then one of us is pushing up daisies.”
Finally, Melanie gasped. “After all those beautiful words, you have to bring up our deaths?” She couldn’t help but giggle a little.
“Well, that’s for how long I intend to stick by your side, if you’ll have me.”
Melanie wound her arms around his neck and answered him simply. “I didn’t think I wanted to ever marry, but I have been fighting off misery these last weeks when I haven’t seen you. I thought I had given you disgust of me when I told you all about what’s behind my fears and anxieties. But I appreciate that you were taking the time to be sure, I suppose. It just might’ve been better if you had told me what you were thinking.”
“I swear to you, I will do much better in the future. Maybe if you marry me, you could teach me.” His eyes were twinkling, and he wiggled his eyebrows at her.
Melanie never would have thought, if she had taken the time to imagine such a moment as this, that she would be filled with laughter at the same time as overflowing with love. But she supposed it stood to reason that happiness couldn’t help but bring laughter.
“Thank you so much for your kind offer, Mr. Miller, I think I would very much like to accept.”
With a shout of joy, Cole lifted her off her feet and twirled her in a circle. As he allowed her to slip back to the ground, he lowered his head and finally sealed their match with a tender kiss. As first kisses tend to do, it went slightly awry, but he quickly made up for it by wrapping his hand around the back of her head, angling her jaw slightly to the side and settling his lips more firmly over hers.
It was only when they heard a couple of loudly cleared throats that they broke apart, but not very far. Cole kept his arm wrapped tightly around Melanie’s shoulder as they turned toward the gate to see who had interrupted their moment of joy and commitment.
“I knew it!” Katie declared with glee as she dashed up the stairs to hug her housemate. “I told you that you were in love with him.”
Melanie couldn’t help giggling in response. There was no argument to be found because it was true – she was deeply in love with the handsome rancher and couldn’t wait to begin her new life by his side. All the past sorrows were forgotten as she looked deeply into her promised husband’s eyes. She could see her tomorrows all laid out brightly, and a happy future beckoned her to step into it.
Epilogue
I t was a bright, warm day in September. As Melanie looked around at the gathered friends mingling about, she felt her heart swelling with gratitude and love.
Katie and Doctor Jeffries were waiting with her. Katie was standing up with her as her matron of honor as she and the doctor had just wed a couple weeks prior. Doctor Jeffries had agreed to the responsibility of walking Melanie down the aisle.
Cassandra Morley, or rather Cassie Ainsworth, and her new husband were in attendance, as well. Melanie would have never thought a socialite from New York would be attending her wedding. Not that she had ever thought she would be having a wedding, she reminded herself with a grin. But Cassie was not at all stuffy or snobby and was adjusting just as well as Melanie and Katie to her new life in Missouri.
Melanie had wondered if Cass’s parents would ever accept her marriage and subsequent lack of return to New York, but the fact that they too were in attendance would seem to prove they had gotten over their anger with her for getting on the train with the orphans. It would seem there was something about Mr. Ainsworth that made them accept the situation with delight rather than the anger Melanie would have expected. She reminded herself that she needed to get the full scoop from Cassie the next time they met. Melanie had been a little too wrapped up in her own happiness to inquire as closely as she ought to into the details of Cassie’s new family.
Katie and Melanie had received a letter from Sophie Brooks earlier in the week when the train stopped in town with the post. She and Renton would have loved to come for a visit, but they hadn’t been able to convince Mrs. Rexford that they wanted a small wedding. It had taken Mrs. Rexford rather a long while to accept the fact that her darling son was intending to marry Sophie, but once she had, she was determined to throw the most spectacular event the city had witnessed. Melanie suppressed a shudder at the thought but was happy for her friend, who didn’t seem to mind and was too caught up in her own happiness to begrudge her future mother-in-law her enjoyment.
Sophie, of course, was kind enough to want Melanie and Katie to attend her wedding along with their new husbands, but she also said she understood if they wouldn’t want to return to the city so soon. Sophie promised that she and her husband would take the train out to visit them as soon as the trip could be done in less than five days. Melanie mused that with the way the train companies were pushing things, it wouldn’t be long before that would be a reality.
Melanie had even received letters from both her sister and her brother. Her sister had baby number two on the way, so she wasn’t up to the trip West but sent her love and best wishes, which meant so much to the big sister. Even Henry had something kind to say, much to Melanie’s surprise, and sent a little money as a wedding gift, which she never would have expected, since he had been the most miserly boy she had ever seen as soon as he received his inheritance. Perhaps they would be able to maintain a relationship through the post.
Finally, it was time. Katie finished fussing with Melanie’s hem; there was nothing more that could be done to the beautiful gown. It was the most wonderful garment the two women had made, in Melanie’s doting opinion. It had been crafted with love and joy so nothing more could be expected of it. Melanie couldn’t help but feel beautiful as she took one last glance at herself to make sure her hair was staying in place.
Mary and Annie danced into the room in a whirl of energy and swinging pink taffeta.
“You look beautiful,” Mary breathed in awe.
Melanie laughed. “That is sweet of you to say. The two of you look to be glowing. Are you ready?”
Both girls nodded vigorously, thrilled to be a part of the special day. Melanie thought back on the moment when she and Cole had told Mary that they were to wed. The little girl had been beside herself with joy. Her only disappointment was that Annie wasn’t going to be joining their household as well. They assured her they were still considering sending to Mrs. Parker for at least one orphan of their own.
“Then let’s
go,” Melanie declared, sharing a grin with Katie as the two girls made to dash from the room.
“Try for some decorum,” Katie called after them, and their strides shortened minutely. “I better try to keep up with them, but don’t you rush — you need to savor the moment.” Katie looked stern before her expression turned sly. “And you need to make your groom savor the moment, too.”
Melanie’s face heated in a blush, which was probably Katie’s intention. She had always been such a teasing friend. Melanie couldn’t believe that both of them were getting a happily ever after.
By then, she and Doctor Jeffries were joining the rest, and Melanie’s gaze had been ensnared by Cole’s. All other thoughts slipped away on the breeze. All she could think about was her love for this man and the joy with which she was facing her future. She knew the minister was saying some beautiful words that she ought to be pondering, but she couldn’t bring herself to pay attention. Before she knew it, she was stammering after him, making her vows, and then it was official. She was Mrs. Cole Miller. The gathered townsfolk cheered and clapped as Cole bent his head and captured her breath and her lips with his warm embrace.
The End
About the Author
I’ve been writing pretty much since I learned to read when I was five years old. Of course, those early efforts were basically only something a mother could love. I put writing aside after I left school and stuck with reading. I am an avid reader. I love words. I will read anything, even the cereal box, signs, posters, etc. But my true love is novels.
Eight or nine years ago my husband dared me to write a book instead of always reading them. I didn’t think I’d be able to do it, but to my surprise I love writing. Those early efforts eventually became my first published book – Tempting the Earl (published by Avalon books in 2010). There were some ups and downs in my publishing efforts. My first publisher was sold and I became an “orphan” author, back to the drawing board of trying to find a publishing house. It has been a thrilling adventure as I learned to navigate the world of publishing.
Orphan Train Series Boxed Set: Books 1 - 4 Page 41
