Beside, a couple of miles wouldn't be far enough away to hide a prematurely pregnant bride from her neighbor's ridicule. I can hear the old hens now: I visited my sister in Bethlehem, and guess who I saw? Yes, that snotty Mary who just got married...and she looked like she could have a baby any time now...Guess she put one over on Joseph.
Of course, the "modern" scholars claim they just thought of that too, even though pagans and others were spreading that story 1800 years ago to ridicule Christians. wikipedia quotes all these "modern scholars" who don't believe anything in the gospel is true, But ignore more modern scholarship that suggests there are reasons to believe the texts.
Yet if you scroll down, they also quote Justin Martyr: In the 2nd century, Justin Martyr stated that Jesus had been born in a cave outside the town, while the Protoevangelium of James described a legendary birth in a cave nearby.[106][107] The Church of the Nativity inside the town, built by St. Helena, contains the cave-manger site traditionally venerated as the birthplace of Jesus...the article mentions the pagan shrine, but some point out that it dates to after the suggested date of Christ's birth and was probably built by Hadrian.
Of course, why would a anyone believe someone who lived less than a century after Jesus died.
more on Justin Martyr HERE
Let me note: Bible Christians base their evidence on the Bible, but scholars use other means. The fact that other ancient writings mention the cave is valuable to scholars, and since the date of Justin Martyr’s death is known, helps to date what early Christians believed.