Free His Tempting Bride (The Brides of Paradise Ranch - Spicy Version Book 5) by Merry Farmer Page A

expression fell. Just as swiftly, it bounced back into place.
    “Well, then. I suppose I’ll be having supper in my room tonight.”
    She kissed her fingertips, touched them to Cody’s lips, then turned to sashay out of the room.
    Cody’s gaze was glued to her hips until she turned the corner and disappeared. Lord help him, he was about to have an interesting two weeks.

Chapter Five
     
    Miriam could definitely get used to Haskell. By the time Saturday afternoon rolled around and the children who were participating in the show—which was every single one in town—gathered at the school to rehearse and help with the set, if they could, Miriam’s heart felt as though it wanted to leap out of her chest and plant itself in the fertile Wyoming soil.
    “Minnie, do you think you could organize the younger girls to help Mrs. Garrett with the rosettes?” she asked the black-haired girl, who had the most intelligent look of anyone in the room in her eyes.
    “Yes, Miss Long.” Minnie beamed at her, then did a twirl as she turned to scoop up her friends and race to the corner of the room where Mrs. Olivia Garrett worked cutting strips of red and white cotton for the rosettes.
    “What about me?” Minnie’s younger brother Toby—a sharp, young boy with his sister’s black hair and blue eyes, and wide, round spectacles that were too big for his face—asked.
    Miriam hummed, tapping her finger against her lips. “I think that you could help Madame Kopanari rehearse the stories she is going to tell for the show.”
    Toby’s eyes grew as round as his glasses, and his cheeks flushed pink. He turned to study Madame Kopanari and the circle of small children around her at the back corner of the room. Madame Kopanari was dressed in her traditional gypsy garb and sat on a small stool, telling stories to the youngest children to keep them occupied until Miriam was ready for them. She held them spellbound as she spun ancient tales in her thick, Romani accent, painting pictures in the air with her hands.
    “I think she’s a witch,” Toby whispered, peeking up at Miriam.
    Miriam hunched, resting her hands on her knees so she could talk to Toby on his level. “Do you think?”
    Toby nodded. “She has a crystal ball, and she says she can see the future.”
    Miriam giggled. Madame Kopanari’s fortune telling was one of the secret money-makers of Miles’s troupe. Madame would demonstrate her skills with one member of the audience on stage, then set up a table in the lobby of whatever theater they were performing in. The lines for her services were always long.
    “Well,” Miriam whispered to Toby. “If she is a witch, I think she’s a good witch.”
    “Are you sure she doesn’t eat children? Vernon Strong said she’s a gypsy, and that gypsy witches snatch children and boil them with cabbage.”
    Miriam laughed and ruffled the boy’s hair. “I’ve known her for ages, and not once have I seen her boil a child with cabbage. Carrots, yes. Are you made of carrots?”
    “No,” Toby giggled.
    “Then you have nothing to fear.” She tipped forward to kiss his forehead. “Now, run along. I’ll be ready for your group’s song soon.”
    “Yes, ma’am.” The smile Toby gave her before scurrying off to join the circle around Madame Kopanari shot straight to Miriam’s heart.
    She could have had that. If she’d faced her fears and gotten off the train the first time, she could be married to Cody right now. She could be increasing with child, already on her way to having an entire family around her. She pressed a hand to her heart with a sigh. What must it feel like to have an entire family around you? Even in the farthest reaches of her early memories, the closest she could remember was the hazy bond she’d felt with the other girls who’d shared a room with her in the orphanage.
    “Your Madame Kopanari’s a lot better with kids than I would have thought.”
    The sound of Cody’s voice right behind her jolted Miriam out of