Warren lowered his voice so it was heard only among their immediate group. “Either you pay to the fund or I will ensure you are beggared.” His eyes shone with his distaste. “Think carefully, Mrs. Jameson, for I doubt you have many friends who will come forth and speak in your favor.”
Mrs. Jameson blanched and backed away. “You will pay for what you’ve done to me.”
Warren shook his head as he saw Leena leaning against Karl as she battled her distress and felt his own wife trembling beside him. “We already have.”
Mrs. Jameson glared at the unified group before spinning on her heels and marching away.
“That was singularly unpleasant,” Annabelle muttered.
“There isna one of us who that woman hasna attempted to harm or malign with her vicious words,” Alistair said as he ran a hand over Leticia’s shoulder.
Warren smiled. “I wouldn’t worry about her. She’s discovering just how few friends she has in town. She’ll pay the fine and agree to the terms for she has no desire to be forced from her home of many years.”
“Aye, but it willna stop the woman’s penchant for mischief,” Ewan muttered.
Karl grumbled. “Only when she’s dead will that end.” He flushed as he saw Helen flinch. “I beg your pardon.”
Helen shook her head and gave a weak smile to the group. “No, I’m sorry. I wish …”
Leena gripped her arm. “She is nothing more than an irritation to Karl and me. We are fine. Her words will not hurt us.”
Helen breathed a sigh of relief, and her smile broadened at Leena’s reassurance.
Jessamine sighed as she tracked Mrs. Jameson’s movements, Jessamine’s gaze finally darting back to the group after Mrs. Jameson departed the Hall. “I fear she will find a way to cause mischief for Sorcha. The longer she is at the ranch, the louder the rumors of impropriety will grow.”
Cailean gave a small groan and shook his head. “Can we not enjoy tonight without worrying about tomorrow?”
“Aye,” Alistair said. “Tomorrow’s problems will come soon enough.”
They were interrupted from saying anything further as Harold quieted the musicians and spoke in a loud voice to attract the townsfolk’s attention. He wore his best suit and a red waistcoat. “Thank you for joining us tonight for our Second Annual Bear Grass Springs’ New Year’s Eve Dance!” He smiled and gave a small bow as a few of the miners whistled.
“The man should be mayor,” Ewan muttered, earning a grunt of agreement from his brothers.
“As you know, we are attempting to fatten the coffers of our sparsely funded Bear Grass Springs’ Improvement Committee.” He smiled and stepped aside from the gingerbread house. “With that in mind, we are going to auction off this delicious edible treat prepared by our very own Leena Johansen.”
The crowd gave an appreciative murmur at the large house with multicolored icing. Leena flushed and nodded as the townsfolk looked in her direction.
“I hear it is like one large gingerbread cookie!” Harold proclaimed with glee.
“Ja,” Leena said and smiled as interest in her gingerbread house grew at that proclamation.
“Therefore, I’ll start the bidding at five dollars. We must be generous as we fund our Improvement Committee!”
“They’ll never receive so much money,” Leena protested to Karl.
Karl kissed her head and whispered in her ear, “Watch and listen. Cailean told me that Harold is a master at auctions.”
Soon the bidding had risen to thirty dollars. Ewan silently nodded as each bid was made, but, after the bid surpassed twenty, Jessamine whispered in his ear, and he dropped out. Finally Harold called out, “Going once. … Going twice. … Sold for twenty-five dollars!” He pointed to a miner wearing a fine suit, and the townsfolk clapped.
“He must have had a bit of luck,” Annabelle said.
Leena shook her head in surprise. “I never thought anyone would pay such money.”
“I’m sorry, love,” Ewan said as he kissed Jessamine’s forehead.
Jessamine smiled and kissed his cheek. “Thank you for being gallant and attempting to purchase me that gingerbread house.” She watched as the miner called his friends over, and they began to nibble at it.
Leena looked at her friends and smiled. “Don’t fret,” she whispered. “You’re friends with a baker.”
Cailean nodded. “Aye, with two,” he said as he squeezed Annabelle.
“And, with friends like us, you’ll never go hungry for treats,” Leena teased. Soon she joined Karl on the dance floor as the musicians played a slow waltz. “Thank you,” she whispered.
“For what, min kjærlighet?” He smiled as she flushed at his saying “my love” in Norwegian.
“For standing beside me. For not allowing Mrs. Jameson’s words to separate us.” She smiled as his gaze softened. “For not ruining our surprise for our friends when they arrive home tonight.”
Karl laughed. “I wish I could see their faces when they realize they have small pepperkake houses waiting for them.”
“Nathanial was good to agree to deliver them for us.”
“Ja, and we’re lucky the MacKinnons don’t lock their doors,” he said with a smile.
She leaned her head against his shoulder. “This has been the best Christmas and New Year’s, Karl. Thank you.”
He grinned at her. “It’s our first of many.” He leaned forward and kissed her softly on the lips before pulling her tightly against his chest. He held her close as they slowly moved around the dance floor.
Later that evening, after riding home from the dance with Nathanial, Leena entered the small house she shared with her husband, her hands shaking from the cold and her nervousness. She watched as he stoked the fire in the stove, her eyes tracking how his muscles flexed with the movement.
He turned and caught her staring. He smiled and winked at her. When she flushed and wrung her hands, he frowned. “Leena, love, why are you standing by the door, still with your coat on?” He moved to her and helped her out of her outerwear as though she were a child. When he noted her shivering, he tugged her to the warming stove.
“No,” she rasped, when he moved away, clinging to him. “Hold me.” She pushed herself into his arms, holding him tight. “I need to feel your arms around me.”
“What happened?” he whispered. “Whatever it is, it will be all right. You know that woman will not harm us, ja? And we had a wonderful time with our friends.” He held her, rocking her to and fro as they stood in front of the stove. He slowly began to twirl them in a circle so they both warmed, and his deep voice hummed a Norwegian lullaby to her. When he realized she was crying, his hold on her tightened. “Please, my love, what is it?”
“I love our home,” she said into his ear. “I will miss it when we have to move.”
He chuckled. “We won’t have to move until we have a …” He froze, their impromptu dance abruptly halted. He pushed her away, his thumbs chasing tears down her cheeks. “Leena?”
She smiled and nodded. After sharing a long glance, she turned her cheek and kissed his palm. Then she picked it up and placed it over her belly. “Ja, a spebarn. In summer.”
He dropped to his knees, hugging her close as he wrapped his arms around her lower back, his face buried against her belly as he kissed it. “A baby. Oh, I never dared dream I’d be a father.”
She giggled as her fingers tangled in his blond hair. “With what we’ve done since we married, it was bound to occur.”
His raised brilliant, hope-filled eyes to meet hers. “Thank you.”
She dropped to her knees, kissing him. “We will be wonderful parents, Karl. You will be such a magnificent father.” She let out a hitching breath as her tears abated.
His gaze held fear and hope in equal measure. “Do you believe that?”
She cupped his cheeks and met his gaze. “Yes. I trust you. I love you. And I know you will only show love and dedication to our child. To our children.”
“Yes,” he raspe
d as he tugged her close. After many moments he whispered, “Why were you crying?” He gave her a gentle squeeze. “Truly?”
“Today, when we were at the dance, I overheard Cailean whisper to Alistair about Jessamine losing a baby.” Leena leaned away and kissed Karl’s cheek as she met his gaze. “I was standing here in our home, so happy with my surprise for you and yet filled with such sadness for them.” She attempted a smile as her tears fell again. “I can’t imagine how sad Jessamine is.”
Karl shuddered as he pulled Leena close, sitting on the floor with her between his strong legs. “And Ewan. Always so happy. I wondered why he was not more jovial at Christmas. He seemed better today, although he still looked like he mourned something.” Karl held Leena, rocking side to side subtly. “Never doubt that I want you more than any baby we might have.” He moved so she could see his earnest expression. “I want our baby, ja, but not more than I want you.”
“Oh, Karl,” she whispered. “Thank you for being my husband. For having the courage to confront your past and to realize that you are more than the people who raised you ever knew you could be.”
He smiled and traced a finger over her cheek. “Your love, Leena, your faith in me, gave me the strength I needed to be more.” He frowned as she shook her head.
“No.” She kissed his palm. “No, it gave you the freedom to be who you always were. I love you as you are, not as I wish you were.”
He groaned and kissed her passionately. They broke apart, and he whispered, “Together, my love, we will have such a wonderful life. You enjoying your work at the bakery while I work with your brother and our children grow up all around us.”
She sniffled and smiled as she snuggled into his embrace. “Always together.”
Never Fear! There are more Bear Grass Springs books coming!
Look for Sorcha and Frederick’s Novel- Montana Wrangler in January 2019
Look for Fidelia and Bears’ Novel- in March 2019.
Also by Ramona Flightner
Bear Grass Springs Series
Montana Untamed
Montana Grit
Montana Maverick
Montana Renegade
Montana Wrangler- coming in January 2019!
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The Banished Saga
Banished Love
Reclaimed Love
Undaunted Love, Part One
Undaunted Love, Part Two
Tenacious Love
With Many More!
Afterword
Thank you for reading Leena and Karl’s story! I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. I loved researching Norwegian Christmas customs and finding their way to happily ever after. You’ll read much more about the harsh winter of 1886/87 in Sorcha and Frederick’s upcoming novel!
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During my research, I found that spebarn meant baby or infant while spedbarn meant infants or babies. I hope this is correct and know that any Norwegian errors are mine.
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As for the Bear Grass Springs Series, there are many more books to come! Sorcha and Frederick’s novel will be available in January 2019, Bears and Fidelia’s will be available in March 2019 with many more after that! Thank you for joining me in this adventure.
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If you want to stay up to date with new releases, cover reveals and special treats I only send to my newsletter subscribers, sign up now!
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Happy Reading,
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Ramona
About the Author
Ramona is a historical romance author who loves to immerse herself in research as much as she loves writing. A native of Montana, every day she marvels that she gets to live in such a beautiful place. When she’s not writing, her favorite pastimes are fly fishing the cool clear streams of a Montana river, hiking in the mountains, and spending time with family and friends.
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Ramona’s heroines are strong, resilient women, the type of women you’d love to have as your best friend. Her heroes are loyal and honorable, of men you’d love to meet or bring home to introduce to your family for Sunday dinner. She hopes her stories bring the past alive and allow you to forget the outside world for a while.
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