A Miracle at Her Ranch Gate – Extended Epilogue

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Six Years Later

The morning sun spilled over the land, making it glow with the golden light. The air was perfect, although it would heat up later. Eliza smiled as she watched Emily and James playing outside. They were eleven months apart. Sometimes they acted like twins, and sometimes they seemed a world apart. Emily was five, and today was James’ birthday. They’d be the same age for almost an entire month.

“Ma, Emily pushed me,” James said as he ran up the porch steps.

“I did not. You tripped because you’re clumsy.” Emily put her hands on her hips and looked at her younger brother. “You need to watch where you’re going.”

James stuck his tongue out at his sister. “Stop being so bossy.”

“Emily, please go help Mrs. Digby in the kitchen. She’ll need help.”

Her shoulders drooped like she’d just been sentenced to prison. Emily was just like her mother, preferring to spend time outside rather than in the house.

“What about me, Ma?” James asked.

“How about if you go outside and help your pa and Mr. Digby set up the spit?”

He nodded and ran outside as fast as his little legs could carry him.

Mrs. Digby walked by and shook her head. “You going to wear trousers and a shirt?”

Eliza sighed. “I thought that I would actually dress like a regular woman today. The focus is supposed to be on James and his birthday and not my clothing choices.”

Chuckling, Mrs. Digby patted Eliza’s arm. “Becoming a mother has changed you.”

Sticking her tongue out good-naturedly, Eliza shook her head. “It’s just for this one day. I still go to town dressed in men’s clothing. People have mostly learned to accept it.”

“I suppose so.” Mrs. Digby heaved an exaggerated sigh and walked outside to supervise the men as they set up the makeshift tables.

The screen door opened and closed again. A young boy, tall for his age, stepped inside. Lydia said that he looked a lot like his father.

“Hi, Aunt Eliza. Ma sent me in to ask what you need my help with.”

Eliza hugged him. She loved Levi every bit as much as she loved her own children. He spent almost every weekend at the ranch, even when his mother stayed in town. Lydia had taken a job working as the doctor’s assistant.

“You can help me by keeping your cousins occupied. They’re driving everyone crazy.”

He grinned. “You got it. We’ll play tag. I think James is trying to help Uncle Morgan set up the spit, and I’m not sure how well that’s going.”

Levi went back outside, and Eliza smiled. Morgan loved being called “Uncle.” He tried to be the father figure that Levi needed, careful not to replace Andrew. Morgan had recently been elected sheriff of Eagle, since Sheriff Franklin decided to retire and spend his days fishing or relaxing. Everyone in town thought that Morgan’s years as a bounty hunter, plus his sense of fairness, gave him the experience needed to be a good sheriff.

Eliza went outside to see how the men were doing with the spit. They’d finally got it set up right, and Mr. Digby was busy lighting the fire.

Morgan slipped his arm around her and brushed a kiss across her lips. She leaned into him, his touch lighting a fire deep inside of her.

“I saw your deputy, Stephen, leaving. He’s not going to stay for the party?”

Shaking his head, Morgan rolled his eyes. “No, he’s on duty today. He came out to tell me that he had to put Earl Thompson in jail.”

Eliza raised her eyebrows while Mr. Digby, who’d heard the story already, chuckled. “Why on Earth did he put that sweet old man in jail?”

“That sweet old man, as you call him, chased Dean Withers down on the street and beat him with a switch from his willow tree.”

Mr. Digby slapped his knee and roared with laughter.

“Are you okay?” Eliza asked.

Morgan sighed heavily. “He’s fine. Mr. Digby is having a fit because the reason Earl took after Dean was because, according to Earl, Dean’s chickens were plotting against him.”

“Dean’s chickens were plotting against Earl?”

“I’ve always thought chickens were mean little beasts, especially when they started conspiring against folks,” Mr. Digby said.

Eliza chuckled. “Heavens to Betsy. Earl must have been drinking a little too much of his homemade rotgut again. He starts seeing and thinking all kinds of strange things when he does.”

She looked up as a wagon came up the road. “I guess I’d better go put a dress on. I don’t need people worrying about my clothes today.”

***

Later that morning, after all their guests had arrived, and Emily and James were playing with Levi and the other kids from town, Morgan dropped onto the quilt next to Eliza. He put his arm around her, and she lay her head on his shoulder.

They were quiet for a moment before Morgan broke the comfortable silence. “I was thinking about my ma, pa, and sister.”

Eliza squeezed his hand.

“Having you and the kids, including Levi, changed something. I don’t hurt like I used to when I think of them. I’m not angry or lost.” He sighed. “I reckon they’ve been with God all this time. He sent me down this path so I could help Lydia, save Levi, and meet you. God gave me this beautiful family. I realize I couldn’t have stopped them from being killed.”

She sat up and touched his cheek. “They’d be so proud of the man you’ve become, Morgan. Just like I’m proud of you.”

Morgan opened his mouth to say something, but Harold and Mary walked over. She was holding their new baby, who was just a couple of weeks old. Their older son was three and was trying his best to keep up with the other children.

Harold and Mary had gotten married four years ago. Eliza gave them a couple of acres to build their home on. Mary had someone else running her bakery for her, although she still went into town three times a week, unless the weather was too bad.

Eliza reached out for the baby, and Mary laid him gently in her arms. “He’s adorable.” She looked at Harold. “He has your eyes.”

Harold blushed slightly. “I hope he looks like his ma. I ain’t nothing to look at.”

Mary slapped him gently. “You hush your mouth. I think you’re plenty handsome.”

They talked for a few minutes, and then Mary took the baby back so she could show him to the other folks who’d come to the party.

Morgan nudged Eliza. “Do you think that Samuel is ever going to get up the nerve to ask Lydia to marry him? They’ve been seeing each other since he came to town to be the new teacher.”

Eliza chuckled. “I don’t know. She’s told me that she loves him. Andrew will always have a very special place in her heart, but he’d want her to be happy. I think Samuel would make her happy.”

Just then, Levi ran up to them. “Aunt Eliza and Uncle Morgan, can I show you something?”

Morgan smiled. “Of course.”

Levi pulled a folded piece of paper out of his pocket and shyly handed it to Morgan, who unfolded it.

It was a pencil drawing of Cinnamon, Bandit, and Reno grazing in the pasture together. He’d used shading and lines perfectly.

“This is amazing,” Eliza gasped. “You drew this all by yourself?”

The boy nodded. “Yes. Mr. Greene says that I’m a natural, and I can be just like Da Vinci and Michelangelo. He said that I could be an artist when I grow up.”

Eliza wasn’t surprised that Levi knew who those artists were. The child always had his nose in a book.

Levi looked to Morgan for approval.

“You’ve got talent. Your pa would be very proud of you.”

The boy beamed and threw his arms around Morgan, who hugged him back. The love between the two of them made Eliza’s heart swell.

Morgan was an incredible uncle and great father. He was so unlike her own father. Morgan was everything that Eliza had wished for when she was a child.

Lydia and Samuel strolled over to them. Eliza saw the huge smile on Lydia’s face and knew what her sister had to say before she said anything.

Holding out her left hand, showing off the small gold and emerald ring, Lydia practically exploded with happiness. “Samuel asked me to marry him.”

Eliza jumped up and hugged her sister. “I’m so glad. Congratulations.” She hugged Samuel. “Welcome to the family.”

Morgan held out his hand to Samuel. “They’re a crazy bunch, but eventually you’ll get used to it, or just become like them.”

“Hey, I’m the normal one in the family.” Lydia pointed her finger at Morgan. “Don’t you go scaring him off just yet. You need to wait before you spill all the family secrets.”

Samuel squeezed Lydia’s hand. “Crazy is okay. It means that everyone is fun to be around. Normal folks, or at least those pretending to be normal, are very boring.”

Morgan laughed. “Well, married life isn’t always fun. It has its challenges, but I wouldn’t change anything for the world. And Lydia is an amazing woman. It’ll be an honor to call you brother.”

The four of them sat down and talked until it was time to eat. After everyone had had their fill of food, as well as some of the spice cake and molasses cake that Mary had made, James opened the gifts that everyone brought. He got several carved animals, a carved train, a top, a puzzle, a slingshot, and a couple of books. After he’d opened those, Morgan went into the barn and came back with a wooden box. James peered inside, let out a loud whoop, and carefully lifted the small puppy out of the box.

The little pup wiggled and licked James’s face. “I love him. Can he sleep with me?”

Eliza laughed. “Yes. It’s your job to take care of him. You have to make sure that he’s fed and he learns to mind his manners.”

“I will. I promise.”

Morgan ruffled James’ hair. “What’s his name, son?”

“Buddy, because he’s going to be my buddy.”

He carefully took the puppy over to his friends and sat down, holding the little dog in his lap. James was little, but he was very gentle with all the animals. Even the grumpy old pig, Brutus, had taken a liking to the little boy.

The musicians picked up their instruments and started playing something soft and low. Morgan stood, bowed, and held his hand out to Eliza. “Mrs. Tate, would you give me the honor of this dance?”

She put her hand in his and smiled. “Why, I’d be honored, kind sir.”

They walked to the small area that had been cleared for dancing. Morgan slipped his hand around her waist and held her other hand in his. Eliza put her hand on his shoulder, and they began to waltz.

Although they’d been married for a little more than seven years, it still just took a single touch to make her insides melt. She could feel the warmth between them, and as their bodies moved together under the fading light, love filled her.

She looked up at Morgan and smiled. “You are an incredible father.”

“I try. I know you grew up without a loving father, and I try to be everything your pa wasn’t.”

Eliza shook her head. “He doesn’t matter anymore. I was angry that he stole my mother from me, but I’ve gotten to know her from Lydia’s stories. I’m sure she’s watching us now from heaven.”

“I believe that she is, and she knows what a wonderful mother you are.”

Eliza sucked in a huge breath of air. “So, you like being a father, huh?”

Morgan looked at her quizzically. “You know I do.”

“Good, then you won’t mind being a father to another baby.”

Morgan stopped and stared at her before laughing loudly. “Why do you always tell me that you’re going to have a baby when we’re dancing in public?”

She smirked. “In case you pass out, I’ll have plenty of help.”

Chuckling, he held her close to him. “I won’t pass out. I’m so excited. You know what would be great?”

“What?”

“If you had twins. You could have a boy and a girl.”

Eliza shook her head. “You hush your mouth.”

Then, she pulled his head down and kissed him, while the rest of the world faded away.

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OFFER: A BRAND NEW SERIES AND 5 FREEBIES FOR YOU!

Grab my new series, "Brave Hearts of the Frontier", and get 5 FREE novels as a gift! Have a look here!

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