A Father in the Making
Busy Texas farmer Quinn Tucker is used to raising crops, not children. So when four nieces and nephews are left in his care, itâs not long before he realizes they need a mother. But his search for a wife leads to the least likely woman for illiterate Quinnâschoolmarm Helen McKenna.
City girl Helen has been told sheâll never have childrenâand, it seems, a husband. So she jumps at the chance to be a mother to Quinnâs little family. Though he is far from her image of an ideal husband, maybe a marriage in name will blossom into something moreâ¦
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âDonât you want to teach?â
The vague feeling of discontent sheâd been ignoring welled up inside her. âI certainly enjoy it. However, to be honest, it isnât really what I want to do.â
He frowned. âThen what do you want to do?â
I want to have a family with a husband and children of my own. She sighed and leaned back against the stair railing.
âHelen?â Quinnâs use of her Christian name for the first time drew her full attention. âI need to talk to you. I know this probably isnât the right time, but I canât hold it in.â
âThis sounds serious. Go ahead and tell me.â
âMy eldest nephew and niece are always going on about you and Iâve noticed that you seem to care a whole lot about them, too. Thatâs true, isnât it?â
âIt certainly is.â
âWell, Iâm doing my best for them, but anyone can tell that isnât good enough.â He waved away her protests. âNow, thatâs just the plain truth and you know it. The fact is that they need a mother.â She stared at him, wondering where this conversation was going before he spoke again. âI was wondering if youâd be willing to marry meâfor the childrenâs sake.â
NOELLE MARCHAND is a native Houstonian living out her childhood dream of being a writer. She graduated summa cum laude from Houston Baptist University in 2012, earning a bachelorâs degree in mass communications and speech communications. She loves exploring new books and new cities. When sheâs not scribbling out her latest manuscript, you may find her pursuing one of her other passionsâmusic, dance, history and classic movies.
Instead of shame and dishonor,
you will enjoy a double share of honor. You will possess a double portion of prosperity in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours.
âIsaiah 61:7
This story is dedicated to my faithful friend Elizabeth Tisdale. Thank you for always listening, appreciating my love for Disney movies and encouraging me to have fun. Hereâs to all of the adventures weâve had and all that are sure to come.
Chapter One
October 1888 Peppin, Texas
Quinn Tucker was not a smart man.
If he was, he would have realized he needed to get married as soon heâd found out he was going to be a foster father to a group of orphans. Three whole weeks had passed since then. Three weeks in which heâd struggled to be both father and mother to four children he hadnât even known existed until theyâd been dropped on his doorstep by a stranger named Jeffery Richardson. The man had said the children had belonged to his brother, Wade, who along with Quinnâs father, had gone off to seek a fortune for their poverty-stricken family. Quinn had been eight years old at the time, so heâd been left behind to be raised by and eventually take care of his ailing grandmother. Nana had died when he was fourteen. Quinn had been on his own. Until now...
Now, he was afraid to be on his own long enough to visit the outhouse for fear that one of the children would get hurt or wander off in his absence. Not that he regretted taking in his own kin. He didnât. Each of them had become real special to him during the short time that theyâd lived with him. It was just that their entrance into his life had changed everything faster than heâd imagined possible.
He was still trying to get his bearings, which must have been why it had taken him seeing his friends Lawson Williams and Ellie OâBrien exchange vows yesterday for him to realize that he needed a wife. After all, a wife was supposed to be a helpmeet and he needed helpâdesperately. There was only so much bathing, washing, mending, braiding, baking and cooking a man could handle on his own with a farm to run.