The Nanny's Little Matchmakers
A Wife for their PapaPolly MacDonald intends to tame Mitch Taylor’s five mischievous children, even though every other nanny has fled. She needs this job—and Mitch’s brood sorely needs affection. Perhaps their widowed papa does too. But when the children begin scheming to make her their new mother, Polly must resist. She’s seen too many bad marriages to want one of her own.Mitch has come to Leadville, Colorado, to escape a scandal, not find a wife. After the disaster of his first marriage, he’s sure he isn’t husband material. Though Polly’s tender care is working wonders with his children, Mitch knows he should keep his feelings to himself. But can two wary hearts deny the dearest wish of five eager matchmakers?
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A Wife for Their Papa
Polly MacDonald intends to tame Mitch Taylorâs five mischievous children, even though every other nanny has fled. She needs this jobâand Mitchâs brood sorely needs affection. Perhaps their widowed papa does, too. But when the children begin scheming to make her their new mother, Polly must resist. Sheâs seen too many bad marriages to want one of her own.
Mitch has come to Leadville, Colorado, to escape a scandal, not find a wife. After the disaster of his first marriage, heâs sure he isnât husband material. Though Pollyâs tender care is working wonders with his children, Mitch knows he should keep his feelings to himself. But can two wary hearts deny the dearest wish of five eager matchmakers?
âI donât think Isabella has ever known such tenderness and love before.â
Pollyâs heartbeat returned to its original state. At least Mitch hadnât noticed her foolishness over him. And instead, heâd brought her focus back to where it should have been in the first placeâhis children. âI imagine itâs been hard, having so many nannies, and with her mother now gone, love is all the little dear needs. And Iâm happy to provide it.â
But Mitch didnât return the expression. Instead, his eyes looked haunted, his brow furrowed. âI donât think she even had that before.â He rubbed his forehead, then shook his head slowly. âHow could I have missed it, all this time?â
âMissed what?â Polly reached forward and touched his arm tenderly.
Oh, if he were only a little boy like Rory or Thomas, she could take him in her arms and hold him. But Mitch wasnât a boy, and the longing in her heart felt different from how she felt toward his sons. But it didnât change her wish to somehow make whatever was going on in his mind better.
DANICA FAVORITE loves the adventure of living a creative life. She loves to explore the depths of human nature and follow people on the journey to happily-ever-after. Though the journey is often bumpy, those bumps refine imperfect characters as they live the life God created them for. Oops, that just spoiled the ending of Danicaâs stories. Then again, getting there is all the fun. Find her at danicafavorite.com.
As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.
âProverbs 27:17
To Shana, thanks for helping my books shine, and for making me a better writer.
Contents
Leadville, Colorado, 1882
The door to the Mercantile jangled and Mitch Taylor looked up from the books. Before he could greet the customers, his sister-in-law, Iris, had already stepped into action. A good thing, since the customers appeared to be a pretty young lady and her father. The lady seemed to be a proper miss, in a pale blue gown edged with lace, ribbons and all the fripperies that went with the latest style. Her strawberry blond hair arranged in a similar fashion to those heâd seen back in Denver, the young woman could have graced any parlor with ease. She laughed at something Iris said, a soft musical tone escaping her pink lips and a pretty smile lighting her face.
Mitch turned away. Not only was the young lady youngâtoo youngâbut he had no business admiring ladies of any sort at this point in his life. Heâd never imagined that heâd end up crawling back here. Here not being precisely the correct term, as the Leadville store hadnât opened yet when heâd made the decision to remain in Denver and run his own store while his brother worked to expand the family mercantile empire. Besides, he hadnât crawled. Heâd run.
Hattie was dead.
The words rolled in his mind as he considered them. Hattie was dead. Some days those words still didnât seem real.
But the ensuing scandal was real enough. He could only hope that it would be a while longer before talk reached Leadville and he would have enough time toâ
A crash and a screech from the back of the store made him set his pen down. Mitch took a deep breath, then casually turned in the direction of the noise.
As seemed to constantly be the case, before he could even get to the other side of the counter, one of his children, this time it was Clara, ran toward him. Mrs. Abernathy, their nanny, followed behind.
âYou get back here!â
Clara darted behind him and clung to the back of his shirt. âI wonât!â
Even the glowering look on Mrs. Abernathyâs face would not be enough to convince Clara. Experience had taught him that while all of his children were stubborn, when this particular daughter refused to do something, walking to China would be easier than getting her to change her mind.
