by Kit Morgan
Caleb took it and smiled. “That was mighty kind of him. What’s in it?”
“Some things for the children for Christmas.” Mrs. Janes looked at Viola. “In case you didn’t get a chance to come back to town before then, he and his wife didn’t want you to have to worry about it.”
Viola swallowed hard, and Caleb could tell it was all she could do not to cry. “Thank you so much,” she replied. “Everyone here has been so kind. I’d forgotten all about Christmas.”
“It’s only a few days away,” Mrs. Janes said. “None of us would want to see the children go without gifts.” She smiled at Wylie and Katie, huddled beneath a blanket in the back of the wagon. She stepped closer, a hand to the side of her mouth. “I hope they like them,” she mouthed.
Viola smiled, the first smile Caleb had seen since the news of her brother. “Thank you. I’m sure they’ll love them. And tell Mr. and Mrs. Morgan thank you for me as well.”
“I’m sure you’ll meet Prudence the next time you’re in town. She was in the store earlier helping me pick things out, but her little one wasn’t feeling well so she took him home.”
“I understand,” Viola said.
Mrs. Janes nodded. “Goodbye, then. I’m usually minding the store, and if not me, then Ralph. Hope to see you again soon.”
Viola smiled again, nodded, but said nothing more. Caleb could tell she was spent. “Thank ya kindly, ma’am,” he said with a tip of his hat. “I’d best get these folks home.”
Mrs. Janes gave them a heartfelt smile, tears in her eyes. “Be a blessing to them.”
“I’ll do my best.” Or die trying, he thought to himself. He didn’t know how he could manage it with only a little money saved, a ranch hand’s wages and no proper house. Actually, if he did this, he wasn’t assured of that ranch hand’s job either. But by God, he’d make this work. He just hoped and prayed that Viola Todd thought him capable enough – and that she felt about him the way he was starting to feel about her.
Ten
Over the next several days Viola kept to herself as best she could in a houseful of people. Constance and Eloise now shared one bedroom with their husbands while she and the children remained in the other. She insisted they not change the sleeping arrangements, but the Jones women would hear none of it. Now Viola was glad they had. It gave her someplace to steal away to for quiet moments when the tears would come and, on several occasions, not stop.
Clarence had been her only living relative, and now she was alone.
Thank Heaven for Caleb. He’d comforted and played with the children, kept them occupied as much as he could. Wylie thrived on the attention more than Katie. But Katie had loved her Uncle Clarence and looked forward to living with him. Perhaps she’d come to think of him as a father figure, so for her it was like losing Edward all over again. In time, her little heart would mend.
Viola wasn’t so sure about her own. She was indebted to Caleb White and the Joneses and had no idea how to pay them back. Seth and Ryder Jones had offered to take her back to Baker City when they returned home to Clear Creek. It was a generous offer, but how could she take it knowing she’d never be able to repay them? Worse, there was nothing left for her in Baker City, just a couple of friends but no relatives and no work.
Her old home seemed so far away now that it didn’t feel like home at all. Oddly enough, she felt more at home on the Jones ranch than she ever had in Baker City. They’d all been so wonderful since Clarence’s death, almost like family. Why, she had no idea, but they had.
“Viola, are ya hungry?” Caleb asked as he stepped into the parlor.
Viola set down the mending Zadie had given her earlier to get her mind off things. “No, but thank you.”
He walked over anyway, a large basket in his hand. “I’m glad I caught ya alone. Wylie and Katie are in the barn with Jess. This here’s the basket Mrs. Janes gave us the other day, remember?”
Viola sighed. “Oh yes. I forgot all about it.”
He set it on the small table in front of her. “Ya wanna look inside? There are things in there for Wylie and Katie.”
Viola removed the mending from her lap, leaned forward and removed the checkered linen covering the basket. “Oh my goodness,” she whispered. “Look at all of this.”
“Well, I’ll be,” Caleb said. “Them younguns of yers are gonna be mighty happy Christmas mornin’.”
Viola closed her eyes and looked away. There were several ribbons that Katie would love, a couple of books, a wooden toy train for Wylie and two stuffed animals, a bear and … could it be, a spider? Because of the Morgans, the children would have a Christmas.
“There now,” Caleb said when she opened her eyes. He sat next to her on the sofa and brushed away her tears. “Ain’t ya done ‘nough of that the last few days? Unless, ‘course, them’s happy tears. Then ya can cry all ya want.”
Viola smiled, nodded and let herself fall into his arms. “Caleb, I don’t know what I would’ve done these last few days without you.”
“That makes two of us.”
She pulled out of his embrace. “What do you mean?”
He smiled as he shook his head. “Aw, don’t pay me no mind. I’m just glad I could help.”
“And I appreciate everything you’ve done for us. I just wish there was some way I could repay you –”
“Now don’t start with that again, ‘cause I ain’t gonna listen. You three have been through ‘nough – last thing ya need is to think ya gotta worry about payin’ me back. Same goes for the Joneses. None of us are sayin’ ya gotta do anythin’.”
“But I’m saying,” she said in earnest.
“So long as ya remember yer the only one sayin’ it,” he replied with a smile. “Now let’s wrap these toys. I’m sure Zadie has somethin’ around here we could use.”
“Wylie and Katie would enjoy unwrapping gifts under the tree.” She looked at the Christmas tree in front of the parlor window and smiled. “It’s pretty, isn’t it?”
“Sure is. Picked it out myself.”
“You did? I thought you and Jess went to find one together.”
Caleb leaned toward her. “We woulda, but Jess got busy with the horses, so I just went by myself. Took a while, too.”
She swallowed hard and looked into his eyes. “You did a fine job. It’s a lovely tree.” She absently glanced around the parlor. “A lovely tree in a lovely house.” She sighed.
Caleb put a finger under her chin, bringing her head around to face him. “And yer a might purty woman sittin’ in this purty house with that purty tree. If ya don’t mind my sayin’.”
Viola gasped. Even in her despair since finding out about Clarence, Caleb could still send a tingle up her spine. “Thank you.” She quickly wiped away any leftover tears. The last thing she wanted was a pair of red, swollen eyes – she’d had enough of that.
“Were you and yer brother close?” Caleb asked.
“Close enough, I suppose. But he was always running off trying some new idea or another, thinking he’d get rich. About drove our parents mad. But he was a kind man and I loved him, as did Wylie and Katie.”
“I know he’s gone and all,” Caleb said, taking her hand in his. “But I want ya to know ya don’t gotta be afraid.”
“What are you saying? Of course I’m afraid, Caleb – I have nothing, no one …”
He looked at their hands. “I told ya this at the store, and I’m gonna tell ya again. Ya got me.”
Viola stared at him, dumbstruck. She remembered him saying that, but had been so distraught she hadn’t thought through the potential implications.
“Viola? Did ya hear what I said?”
She nodded, still trying to find words. What does he mean? She was afraid to ask, afraid it wasn’t what she secretly hoped for. “Caleb …”
“I love ya.”
Viola jumped. “What?” Good heavens, did she hear him right?
“I said I love ya.” He swallowed hard and fidgeted. “I … I … consarnit, I ain’t n
ever done this before!” He slid off the sofa onto one knee, her hand still in his. “Viola Todd, you’d make me the happiest man if ya consented to marry me.”
Viola’s eyes went round as platters. “What?” she squeaked.
“Oops.” Caleb took off his hat and set it on the table next to the basket. “I’m asking ya to marry me.”
Viola leaned back in shock. Good Lord in heaven, he was proposing! “But … but …”
“But what, dagnabit!” He was becoming more flustered as well.
Viola could only stare.
Caleb stood, ran a hand through his hair and mumbled something under his breath. “Maybe it’s bad timin’ to ask,” he said apologetically. “Maybe I’m not the type of fella ya fancy …”
“Oh no, Caleb.” She came off the sofa. “I’m … just surprised, that’s all. I never expected you would want to marry me …” She couldn’t finish, as the floodgates opened.
“Oh, now don’t start that. I didn’t mean to make ya cry!”
Viola shook her head, unable to speak.
“I say, what’s going on in here?” Constance came into the parlor, and her eyes riveted on Viola. She went over, put an arm around her, then glared at Caleb. “What did you do?”
Caleb closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I just proposed to her, is all.”
“That must’ve been some proposal,” Constance replied, pulling Viola closer. “Just what did you say to her?”
Caleb threw his arms in the air. “It was a … a simple proposal. I even went down on one knee.”
“He did!” Viola sobbed.
“Doggone it, if’n I knew it was gonna make her so upset, I never woulda asked …”
“What the Sam Blazes is going on in here?” Seth asked as he came into the parlor, Ryder on his heels. They took one look at a weeping Viola and sobered. “Oh, the poor thing,” Seth said. “Everything must’ve caught up to her.”
Viola shook her head and managed a weak, “No, that’s not it.”
“Well, then what is it, Mrs. Todd?” Ryder asked with concern.
Viola pointed at Caleb with a shaky finger. “He wants to marry me!” she wailed.
Caleb sighed and raised his face to the ceiling, clearly having no idea what to do now.
Ryder and Seth looked between Viola and Caleb. “He did what?” Ryder asked, perplexed.
“He asked her to marry him,” Constance said. “Didn’t you listen?”
“Yeah, that’s what I thought I heard, but …” He gestured at Viola, as if to say, that doesn’t match the reaction.
“Good heavens!” Eloise entered, followed by Zadie and Anson. “What’s going on in here?”
“Caleb proposed to Mrs. Todd.” Seth stated.
“Oh, Viola, that’s wonderful!” Zadie said with a smile.
Viola hiccupped a few times, then let out another wail.
“I dare say,” Eloise said, “but I can’t tell if she’s happy or distraught.”
“Neither can I,” Anson said as he narrowed his eyes at Caleb.
Caleb shook his head in exasperation, “Don’t look at me, I dunno.”
“My heavens, but this seems to be the day for announcements,” Zadie said, then quickly covered her mouth with her hands.
“What does that mean?” Seth asked.
“Oh, nothing,” Zadie said innocently as she looked at Anson.
He stepped forward. “Let’s deal with the current … situation.” He turned to Viola. “I just want to know one thing – did this man upset you?”
Viola managed to take a deep breath. “No! He’s … he’s …” Then it was back to wailing. She pushed herself away from Constance, grabbed a pillow off the sofa and buried her face in it.
“Well, that’s one way to handle things,” Eloise said diplomatically. “So long as she can breathe.”
“I swear, all I did was propose,” Caleb said helplessly, pulling at his hair.
“Seems to me there’s a way to figure out which,” Ryder said matter-of-factly.
“How?” Caleb asked.
“Easy – kiss her.”
“What?!” everyone except Caleb and Viola blurted.
Caleb, his face suddenly lit with inspiration, headed for Viola.
Constance blocked his path. “I don’t care what my husband said, I don’t think it’s a good idea.”
“Worst thing that can happen, sugar, is she’ll slap him,” Ryder pointed out. “Then he’ll know.”
Viola brought her face out of the pillow, eyes wide, and looked at Caleb.
“Oh, very well,” Constance said, stepping out of the way. “But if you get hit, it’s your own fault.”
Caleb reached for Viola and pulled her into his arms. “I tell ya true, Viola Todd, I meant what I said. I’m dead serious – I love ya.” He heard gasps behind him, and ignored them. “Will ya be my wife? Will ya let me take care of ya, Wylie and Katie? I know I ain’t much, I don’t have much. But with you ‘round I’ll be one of the richest men alive far as I’m concerned.” Then he kissed her.
“Oh thank Heaven,” Constance said in relief.
“See? And you were all worried,” Ryder scolded the group.
After Caleb broke the kiss, Viola stared at him a moment, sniffled, then flung her arms around his neck. “Yes! Yes, I will marry you!”
“Anson,” Seth said, walking over to his son. “I think you’re going to have to add onto that cabin sooner than you thought.”
“A lot sooner,” Zadie added and blushed.
Seth eyed her. “All right, out with it. You two are hiding something, I know it.”
Anson and Zadie exchanged a conspiratorial glance.
“Ohhhh!” said Eloise, shaking her finger at them. “I think I know!”
Zadie was about to reply when the front door opened. Jess and Lillie entered, took one look at Caleb with Viola in his arms and stopped short.
“He proposed,” Ryder said laconically. “She said yes.”
Wylie and Katie slipped in behind Jess and Lillie. “He did what?” Wylie asked.
Caleb looked at Viola, who smiled and nodded. He let her go, dropped to one knee, opened his arms wide and said, “Come here, you two.” The children ran into his arms without question and he held them close.
Viola wiped her eyes, still smiling. “Children, Mr. White has asked me to marry him.”
Wylie and Katie’s heads swiveled between them only to finally face and hold each other’s gaze in stunned silence. For a few seconds – then they started to screech with joy and jump up and down. In the process Katie accidentally slapped Caleb in the face. “Ow!”
“Katie!” Viola said. “Be careful.”
“I knew someone was going to,” Constance quipped.
“But Mama! I’m so happy!” Katie said. “You’re going to marry Mr. White!”
“Yes, I am,” Viola said as she reached over and stroked Caleb’s face. “He made me so happy I started to cry and couldn’t stop.”
“Scared the waddin’ outta me,” Caleb chuckled. “But it’s all right now.”
Wylie smiled and hugged Caleb. “Now you can finish telling us all your stories!”
“That I can, young man.”
Katie jumped up and down a few more times, then suddenly stopped. “Oh no.”
“What’s wrong?” Viola asked.
“Where is he?” Katie spun a full circle, her eyes glued to the floor. “I brought him in so I could show him to you.”
Viola stiffened. “Brought in … who?”
“Mr. Crawlie. I caught him this morning.”
Constance and Eloise froze as they began to scan the floor as well. “I say, Viola, what is she referring to?” Eloise asked.
“Katie Todd … did you bring a spider into this house?” Viola asked.
“Yeah! A really big one!” she said proudly.
Wylie turned, took one look at his sister and screamed like a banshee. So did Eloise.
Constance slowly backed out of the parlo
r to join Jess and Lillie in the hall. She looked at her son and sighed. “Well, my dear, your little ranch seems to be growing by the minute. Are you going to tell them?”
“Tell us what?” Ryder asked innocently as he looked warily under a chair.
“And what are you keeping from us, Anson?” Seth yelled while trying to cover Eloise’s mouth.
“Anson’s keeping something from you?” Jess asked.
Anson gave Zadie a sidelong glance, smiled and waited until Eloise and Wylie both paused for air. “Seeing as how this is such a happy occasion for Caleb and Viola, we’d like to add to it if they don’t mind.”
Caleb stood. “Happy? That don’t tell the half of it, Anson. If ya tell me I can stay on and work for ya, that’d add to it fine.”
“What are you talking about?” Anson said. “Of course you can stay on – that’s the whole reason you came here! But there’s going to be a lot of extra work for you adding onto that cabin. You four can stay there while Jess and Lillie move in with us.”
“Never mind about that,” Seth said with a firm shake of his head. “I want to know what you have to add to all of this!”
Zadie put a hand to her belly. “We wanted it to be a surprise for Christmas, but …” She smiled at Anson.
“You too?” Jess blurted.
Constance’s brow furrowed. “Wait, what?” She pointed from one young couple to the other, then back again.
Zadie and Anson gasped and immediately turned to Jess and Lillie. “What?!” Anson exclaimed. “You two are expecting?”
“Wait, wait, wait!” Constance was waving her arms for attention. “Zadie … Lillie … you’re both expecting?”
“Oh my goodness!” Jess said proudly. “So I guess this means we’re gonna have us a wedding soon – and come summer, two little ones coming!” He put an arm around his wife and kissed her. Anson did the same with Zadie.
“Proposal … grandchild … grandniece or grandnephew … spider,” Eloise said numbly. “Did I miss anything?”
“Nope – I think that covers it,” Jess replied.
Eloise nodded. “I need to sit down.”
