Lilian, Eugenie and Chloe shared bright, enthusiastic smiles.
Ethan shook his head. "I'm not sure pa will see it that way." He frowned at Eugenie. "What about your sons, Mrs Buchanan? Your husband. Will they agree to let Chloe come over to our ranch?"
"She won't be on her own, if that's what you're thinking," Eugenie said. "I'll be coming with her. And maybe somedays, one of my daughters-in-law will come with her." Eugenie smiled. "I've got four to choose from." Eugenie sighed. "As for my sons and my husband, time will tell. My boys are all stubborn as mules. My husband usually comes around to my way of thinking," she added with a smile. She winked. "With a little persuasion from me. It's worth a try, don't you think?"
Lilian chimed in. "Gretchen will be around to help Chloe, too" she said. This was turning out to be an all-women affair, Ethan told himself. Ethan immediately suspected he might be banished from the ranch house on the days when Chloe was present. He didn't like that idea one bit.
"If you agree, I can start this week," Chloe enthused. Ethan became acutely aware of just how beautiful Chloe looked when she was delighted and excited about something. Her eyes shone with anticipation. He had no idea what she had in mind, but there was a confidence about her now that he found irresistible and unbelievably appealing.
Ethan knew something had to be done to fix the problem between their families. But this? One thought suddenly occurred to him. An obvious fact. This would mean that Chloe would be spending time at the Armstrong ranch. He wasn't sure how long it would take for her to do what she planned at the ranch, but however long it might be, he told himself there were worse things in the world than having Chloe Forsyth spending time on the Armstrong ranch.
Ethan looked at his mother. "Can't we do what we normally do? We've done Christmas our way before." Ethan asked, realizing from the expressions on the faces of the three women that he wasn't going to win them over. "I mean it is only Christmas decorations." He paused and then added. "Isn't it?"
Chloe scoffed out loud. The sound shocked Ethan. He looked at Chloe and saw her frowning at him. There was a brief flash of indignation in her eyes. Her mouth twisted into the cutest pout he'd seen in years. Ethan immediately knew he'd said the wrong thing. He raised his hands in a defensive gesture. He knew when he'd stepped over the line. "Forget I said that."
"Maybe we should tell your pa about this," Lilian suggested to Ethan.
Concern twisted in Ethan's middle. He nodded thoughtfully. "Leave that to me. I'm not sure you're going to get an answer right away," Ethan added. "He's probably going to need some persuading."
"We have to get back to the ranch," Eugenie said abruptly. "Chloe and I have some shopping to do in Inspiration, don't we?" she said and glanced at Chloe who nodded.
"We'll let you know tomorrow," Lilian said to Eugenie.
"I understand," Eugenie replied. She cupped Chloe's elbow. "We better be going, Chloe,"she said.
Ethan felt a heavy, sinking sensation in his middle. Disappointment. He realized he'd hoped Chloe would stay longer at the ranch. Hoped he'd get a chance to say what was on his mind. Even get to know her a little better. He consoled himself with the fact that he'd probably be seeing more of her while she was at the ranch. If his father agreed to this surprising proposal.
But, there was one thing Ethan was absolutely certain about. Even if his father steadfastly refused to allow Chloe to help with Christmas preparations, Ethan had already made up his mind that nothing was going to stop him from trying to get to know Chloe Forsyth.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Upon returning home to the Buchanan ranch, Chloe discovered that she'd have to go into town on her own. Eugenie had to attend to an important domestic duty at the ranch. Eugenie suggested she and Chloe might go into town the following day, but Chloe was eager to go into Inspiration. The brief glimpse of the town she'd had the day before had whetted her appetite. As usual, Eugenie was completely understanding and arranged for the small carriage to be brought around by one of the ranch hands.
Chloe took the carriage and drove south along the trail. On the way, she thought about the morning's encounter up at the Armstrong ranch. She knew what she and Eugenie were suggesting was a surprising way of ending the feud between the two families. Chloe knew the gesture of helping prepare for Christmas wouldn't be enough in itself to put an end to the recent troubles. But, it might be a start. And, from what Eugenie and Caleb had told her about the recent troubles, Chloe felt that anything would be worth a try. Perhaps it would give everyone a chance to come together and realize that it was time to put the past behind them.
After this morning, Chloe knew there was one stumbling block. Ethan's father, Jake Armstrong. Although he'd resisted coming outside to meet her, from Ethan's brief description of his father, Chloe could tell that Jake represented a major obstacle to healing the wounds caused by the rift between the Armstrongs and the Buchanans. Also, Chloe figured her uncle Caleb might have something to do with the situation remaining tense. From her previous visits, Chloe knew that Caleb was strong-minded and stubborn. Even if Eugenie could always find a way around Caleb, Chloe knew that her uncle would need a whole lot of persuading before he'd ever shake the hand of Jake Armstrong.
Holding tightly onto the reins of the carriage, Chloe sighed and gazed into the distance. The carriage rolled along the bumpy trail. She could see Inspiration, nestled in the hollow of a wide valley. A river ran alongside the town and, over to the east she saw forests stretching as far as the eye could see. She tried to imagine what it must feel like to live in a place like this. Instantly, her heart warmed at the prospect, even if it was unlikely. She considered how peaceful life would be here. Every time she'd come to visit, she'd fallen more deeply in love with the small town. Even if ranch life wasn't exactly to her taste, she figured it would be a small price to pay for the delight and joy of living in a godly town, surrounded by people whose lives were devoted to living good lives. There were fine people here, she told herself.
The image of Ethan Armstrong came to mind. His friendly face. She wondered why she would think of him in such a favorable manner. But, she realized that her initial impressions of the rancher had been mistaken. At the train station, he'd seemed presumptuous. Even selfish and callous. However, up at the ranch this morning she'd seen another side to him. A sensitive, caring side. When he'd spoken of his father, Chloe had seen genuine love and concern in Ethan's eyes. That had impressed her. It had made her alter her opinion of the man.
And, there was one other thing she had to admit to herself. Ethan Armstrong was most definitely a very handsome man. Up close, as she'd walked alongside him, in the yard in front of the ranch house, she'd been impressed by the sheer power of his physique. The ease and confidence of his movements. He had broad shoulders and a deep chest. He was a head taller than her. His skin shone with health, and his eyes were bright and filled with curiosity about the world. Outdoor work had shaped Ethan Armstrong into an impressive figure of a man, Chloe told herself.
Chloe had done her best to mask her reaction. Being so close to Ethan, it hadn't been easy to school her features and resist the temptation to let her gaze linger for a long moment on his even features, his full lips and his lustrous hair. Once or twice, when he'd glanced at her, almost catching her looking at him, she'd felt her face flush warm with heat. She hoped he hadn't noticed her fascination with him. She didn't need complications caused by an impulsive, temporary attraction to Ethan. If she was to spend time at the Armstrong ranch, she couldn't let her feelings get in the way. That would just make a difficult situation almost impossible.
Chloe arrived in town and headed for the mercantile. She parked the carriage outside and headed toward the store's front door. Something caught her eye as she readied herself to push on the door. In the window of the mercantile, Chloe saw something wonderfully colorful and utterly irresistible. She moved to the window and gazed at the display.
Filling most of the area of the store window was a beautiful, very large, nativ
ity scene. Carved wooden figures were set amongst a perfectly formed stable, complete with wooden roof. The figures of Mary, Joseph, the three wise men and all the animals had been carefully decorated to bring them to life and make them eye-catching. The tiny crib with the baby Jesus laid amongst white sheets was adorable. Chloe gasped with admiration. It was one of the most beautiful nativity sets she'd ever seen. It was the most perfect expression of what Christmas meant. Immediately, images of how she could use it as a focus for a wonderful, inspiring Christmas display flashed into her mind. She wondered if it was for show, or possibly for sale.
Heading inside the mercantile, and closing the door behind her, the sound of the bell tinkling above her head, she saw the owner, the elderly Mr Murchison, look at her from behind the long counter.
"Miss Forsyth," Mr Murchison exclaimed smiling broadly at her. He moved around the counter and came toward Chloe. "I heard you were back in town. How nice that you've come back for Christmas again."
Chloe smiled at the small, bright-eyed, silver-haired man who was dressed in a casual shirt and pants. "Mr Murchison. It's lovely to be back." Chloe pointed in the direction of the window display. "That's a beautiful nativity display."
Mr Murchison grinned. "It is lovely, isn't it."
"Is it for sale?" Chloe asked.
Mr Murchison paused a moment. Judging by his expression, Chloe was sure he was going to tell her it wasn't for sale. But then he surprised her. Mr Murchison nodded. "It is for sale." Then he quoted a price which instantly made Chloe gasp. It was so expensive, she knew any thought of herself buying it as a surprise gift would have to be abandoned.
"I see," Chloe replied. "Maybe someone else will buy it. I certainly can't afford it."
Mr Murchison looked blankly at Chloe. "There's been a great deal of interest in it."
Disappointment flared in Chloe. Her visions of how the nativity scene could best be used faded from her mind. Chloe gazed quickly around the store. There were a few customers, all women, moving slowly around the long tables in the middle of the room and over at the tall shelving near the back of the store. The tables and shelves were stacked with goods of all sorts. After the church, Mr Murchison's store was Chloe's favorite place in Inspiration. It was the one place where she could find everything she needed to let loose her imagination.
One woman, who Chloe recognized as Victoria Munro, formerly Victoria Baxter, nodded in recognition. Chloe nodded back at Victoria. She'd met Victoria for the first time two years before. Last year, at Christmas time, Victoria had become engaged to one of the Munro ranchers, Wyatt Munro. That had been a Christmas to remember, Chloe told herself. Josh Munro, Wyatt's brother, had proposed to one of Chloe's relatives, Grace Buchanan. And so another Buchanan wedding had taken place in the springtime.
Victoria came rushing over to Chloe. Both women greeted each other warmly. "It's so nice to see you back in Inspiration," Victoria exclaimed.
"How is married life?" Chloe asked.
Victoria rolled her eyes and smiled. Victoria was as beautiful as ever. But married life had brought out a a special glow in her, a brightness in her eyes, that Chloe couldn't help noticing. "Married life is wonderful. Wyatt is an amazing husband," Victoria replied. "We've built a large cabin on the Munro ranch. We're happy living there." Victoria smiled warmly. "It's our own little home from home. Wyatt handed the main ranch house over to Josh and Grace." Victoria leaned closer, her eyes widening with the anticipation of revealing something exciting. "They've got a little one on the way."
Chloe had heard the news from Eugenie the previous day. "I know," she gasped. "Isn't it wonderful," she breathed excitedly.
"It's due in the springtime," Victoria confirmed. "Josh and Grace are so excited. It'll be a little brother or sister for Ryan."
Ryan was Josh and Grace's adopted son. It looked like the Munros were well on the way to building a real family of their own, Chloe reflected.
"Are you here for Christmas?" Victoria asked.
Chloe nodded. "Just like before."
Victoria's brows furrowed good-naturedly. "Have you still not decided if you want to come live in Inspiration?" Victoria tilted her head and peered knowingly at Chloe. Victoria took Chloe's arm gently. "You know you want to," she stated.
Chloe sighed. Was it that obvious? Even if Victoria was correct in her assessment, Chloe told herself the prospect of coming to live in Inspiration was an impossible dream. "You never know. Miracles can happen." Chloe realized that Victoria knew nothing about the situation back in Salt Lake City. Maybe, if she had some quiet time with Victoria, Chloe told herself she'd share the story of her recent misfortune. Victoria had a warm and sympathetic heart. Chloe was sure Victoria would be generous and understanding.
"Have you heard about all the trouble up at the Buchanan ranch?" Victoria asked breathlessly.
Chloe nodded and frowned. "It's terribly sad, Victoria," Chloe said. "I'm sure it's all just a misunderstanding."
Victoria's brows knitted and she shook her head. "Wyatt thinks it's all going to end very badly. He says the Armstrong family are determined to cause trouble."
Chloe shook her head. "I don't see it that way," she pleaded. "Not at all. Eugenie and I visited the Armstrong ranch this morning."
Victoria looked shocked. "You didn't!" she exclaimed.
Chloe nodded. "From what I saw, the Armstrong family are just trying to do what everyone else is doing. Make a living for themselves."
"Did you meet the father?" Victoria asked gravely. "I hear he is very unpleasant."
Now it was Chloe's turn to frown. "Not yet. But his son, Ethan seems nice." Immediately she'd uttered the words, Chloe realized they could easily be misunderstood.
Victoria peered straight into Chloe's eyes, as if she was trying to make sense of Chloe's surprisingly favorable comment about the handsome Armstrong rancher. "Have you met Ethan?" Victoria asked.
Chloe told Victoria about her encounter with Ethan at the station and up at the Armstrong ranch. As she spoke, Chloe saw Victoria's eyes narrow with growing interest. Maybe there was something in her voice which was revealing more than she would have liked, Chloe told herself.
"I see," Victoria said slowly and casually.
Chloe wasn't in the least fooled. She could see that Victoria was forming conclusions of her own. Eager to end the possibility of any speculation about herself and Ethan Armstrong, Chloe blurted out: "Of course, none of the trouble can possibly be the fault of my cousins. They wouldn't do such a thing." Chloe lifted her chin. "I don't know what the Armstrong family is really like. But, if there have been problems up at the ranch, I'm certain they are probably the cause of them."
Victoria nodded slowly, looking thoughtful. Apparently satisfied for the moment, she led Chloe toward the middle of the store. "What have you come to buy, today?"
Chloe described what she was planning for the special Christmas decoration at the Buchanan ranch. For the moment, she thought it prudent to keep the plans for the Armstrong project well and truly to herself. There was no saying how that could be misunderstood, Chloe told herself. For the next while, she and Victoria worked their way around the store picking out the necessary items. Finally everything was stacked on the counter in front of the grinning figure of Mr Murchison. Materials, paper, ribbons, candles, paints and brushes were all piled high in a riot of color. Chloe paid for everything and Mr Murchison helped her to carry the purchases out to the carriage.
Outside, she completed securing the various bags and boxes. She turned from the carriage and was about to make her way back into the store to say goodbye to Victoria when a figure caught her eye. Ethan Armstrong was standing close by, leaning on one of the boardwalk wooden posts. He was looking straight at Chloe. And he had a broad grin on his face.
CHAPTER NINE
"That's a whole load of things you've got there, Chloe," Ethan said. He glanced at the heavily-laden carriage, seeing all the boxes and bags that were stacked behind the main seat. "Looks like you've been buying ou
t the entire mercantile." He smiled at Chloe, not because he had to in order to seem polite, but because he was genuinely pleased to see her.
The Rancher’s Christmas Wish (Brides 0f Inspiration Book 8) Page 6
