The Christmas Bargain

by Shanna Hatfield

  Luke laughed out loud, causing Filly to grin.

  “Filly, my girl, you are something else,” Luke said, then reached across the table and captured her hand in his. “You might not think I notice you, wife of mine, but I know you dislike cabbage. You inhale the scent of hot bread like it is expensive perfume, and will have just a little extra slice of apple pie because it is your favorite. You hum silly songs and sing when you think no one is around to listen. You smell like a rose garden on a warm summer night, your eyes sparkle like emeralds particularly when you are excited about something, and the slightest bit of attention cast your direction makes you blush. Your hair is beyond lovely and quite a distraction to your husband. You are passionate and spirited, but afraid to give your emotions free rein. I am confident, however, given enough time I shall overcome that particular flaw.”

  Filly blushed again. Luke did notice her, really notice her, after all.

  “You say the nicest things,” she whispered, staring at her hand clasped firmly in his.

  “Only about the nicest people,” Luke said, letting go of her hand and getting up from the table.

  Shrugging into his coat and settling his hat on his head, he kissed her cheek and opened the kitchen door. “I really do need to go help Harlan at the bank. I’ll be back in time for dinner.”

  Filly nodded and got up from the table, carrying their mugs to the sink. She nearly dropped them when Luke popped his head back in the door.

  “One more thing, wife, it’s far past time for more of your lessons. I expect you to put that lip balm I sent you to good use.” Giving her a bold wink, he shut the door and walked jauntily down the sidewalk.

  Filly put the mugs in the sink and held cool hands to her hot cheeks. Luke was such a tease.

  Chapter Nine

  Participating in more of Luke’s kissing lessons scrambled Filly’s thoughts the next morning as she turned on the kitchen lights and started setting out the items she needed to make cinnamon muffings, fried ham and eggs for breakfast.

  Although he’d teased her about it plenty the previous evening, a neighbor in need of a hand kept Luke out late and Filly had gone to bed with thoughts of his kisses lingering in her dreams.

  Humming a rousing rendition of Deck the Halls, Filly acknowledged she was both anticipating and dreading her next kissing lesson with Luke. Whenever he touched her, she tingled all over and felt strange fluttering sensations in her midsection. Just looking at his inviting lips made her feel flushed and light headed.

  Retrieving eggs from the ice box, she turned to witness the biggest spider she’d ever seen in her life crawling across the counter.

  Dropping the eggs, she let out a blood curdling scream that sounded throughout the house.

  Just finishing his morning shave after taking a bath, Luke nearly sliced through his jaw with the razor when Filly’s scream echoed down the hallway. Dropping the razor in the sink, Luke tore out of the bathroom and ran down the hall, skidding into the kitchen to find a wide-eyed Filly staring transfixed at the counter.

  Casting his glance that direction, he was surprised to see a huge spider scurrying across the end of the counter and vaulting itself to the floor. Luke hurried to the pantry, retrieved the broom and killed the spider. Sweeping it out the door, he went to Filly and folded her into his arms.

  Putting her arms around him and resting her head on his chest, he felt her take in a huge gulp of air. He rubbed her back and murmured soft words until he felt her relax. Pushing her back, he cupped her cheek and looked into her eyes.

  “Okay, now?” he asked, realizing the jokes he’d heard about women needing men to kill spiders for them was true.

  Filly was anything but okay. Luke was standing before her in nothing but a towel knotted around his waist. Trying not to stare, but helpless not to notice, she took in his broad shoulders, tight muscles and fine matting of golden hair on his chest. His hair was still damp and fell in waves around his forehead, and a dollop of shaving cream still clung to one cheek. Her mouth suddenly went dry and she felt dizzy.

  Luke had as fine a physique as any man should be allowed to have and the majority of it was on display right there in the kitchen.

  “Filly, are you okay?” Luke asked, putting his hands on her upper arms and giving her a worried look when she didn’t respond.

  Nodding her head, she attempted to regain her composure.

  “I would never have pictured you as an afraid-of-spiders kind of girl,” Luke said, trying to lighten the mood with his teasing. “Granted it was a big one, but I thought you’d been nearly killed by your screaming.”

  “Sorry,” Filly said, stepping back so she could lean against the counter until her knees felt capable of holding her upright without assistance. Seeing the spider brought back unpleasant memories she’d rather have kept buried. She knew it was silly to have such a reaction, but she couldn’t help it.

  “What is it?” Luke asked, genuinely concerned at her white face and shaking hands. “Come on, Filly, tell me what’s wrong.”

  Shuddering, Filly wrapped her arms around herself and looked off in the distance, lost in the past. “My father sometimes locked me in the cellar when he got really angry with me. It was dark and there were spiders. So many spiders. I couldn’t see them and they’d crawl on me and… I don’t like spiders.”

  “Filly,” Luke’s voice came out in a ragged whisper. “I’m so sorry, darlin’. So sorry.” Pulling her to him again, he held her close, furious once again at the suffering she had needlessly endured. “Everything is fine now. No one will ever put you in the cellar. And you scream all you want anytime you see a spider. I promise to come slay it for you.”

  “Thank you,” Filly whispered, once again stepping back from Luke. Knowing they were married, a part of her still felt wicked for seeing Luke in his current state of undress. Unable to resist the temptation, though, she reached out a hand and rested it on his muscled chest, right above his heart. “Thank you for being such a good man.”

  Filly’s hand on his chest was about to burn right through Luke. He had completely forgotten all he wore was a towel until he felt her hand warm against his skin. He would like nothing better than to sweep her into his arms and continue their kissing lesson, skipping right past hugging and moving directly on to marital bliss.

  Now was not the time to give in to his growing desire for his wife. Instead, he took a moment to tamp down his need and let Filly gather herself together.

  “I’ll finish getting dressed and help you clean up the mess,” he said, as she stood holding the edge of the counter in a death grip.

  “That won’t be necessary,” she said, grabbing a kitchen towel and bending down to clean up the broken eggs. When she turned to see if Luke had left the kitchen, he was standing watching her. Her vision was suddenly filled with Luke’s muscled legs and she felt her cheeks flame once again as her eyes traveled up to where his thighs disappeared behind the white towel.

  Watching Filly blush, Luke bent over and grasped her arm, pulling her to her feet. “See something you like, Mrs. Granger?”

  “Good gracious, Luke, don’t be…” Filly was so rattled, she couldn’t even think of a word to describe him.

  “Dashing, charming, your knight devoid of his armor?” Luke teased, quite pleased at his wife’s flustered state.

  “No, so…so…” Filly spluttered, completely flustered.

  “Appealing, enchanting, handsome?” Luke added, kissing her cheek.

  “Conceited!” Filly managed to say, trying to keep from smiling.

  Luke slapped a hand to his chest and took a step back. “You wound me, wife, deeply and profoundly.” Luke would have continued his theatrics, but the towel started to slip. Grabbing it with both hands, he shot Filly a devilish grin then sauntered back to the bathroom to finish getting ready.

  Following Luke’s exit from the kitchen from the corner of her eye, Filly let out the breath she’d been holding.

  Merciful stars, she had no idea what me
n looked like beneath their clothes. No wonder girls became so distracted thinking about boys. Picturing Luke’s muscled arms and chest made heat rush through her from head to toe. Thoughts of those muscled legs made her stomach flutter.

  How was she supposed to keep her focus on anything with her growing attraction to Luke? She had admired, respected and liked him from the first day he rescued her. Immediately, she was infatuated with him. The past few weeks she knew she loved him, truly loved him, and now she realized she wanted him. Desperately.

  And she still hadn’t gotten past their first kissing lesson.

  <><><>

  Luke whistled a holiday tune as he strolled down the sidewalk to the bank. Unlocking the door, he hung up his coat and hat, stirred the embers in the stove, adding wood then settled in at his desk.

  Leaning back in his chair, he laced his hands behind his head, set his boots on his desk and smiled smugly to himself. Filly would be his before too long, he just knew it. This morning he could see a look of wanting in her eyes.

  Forcing himself not to dwell on the terror Alford Booth had introduced into his daughter’s life, Luke instead thought about Filly’s flushed cheeks when she was looking him over, clad only in the towel. He sat daydreaming for a few moments about what she would have done if he had unpinned that marvelous head of hair and kissed her like he longed to do.

  A smack to his boot brought him back to reality. Chauncy stood grinning at him.

  “I don’t know where you were at, but you might want to stay in reality during business hours. Someone could come in here and rob you blind while you’re looking all moon-eyed,” Chauncy said with a jaunty grin.

  “I’m not moon-eyed,” Luke said, sliding his feet to the floor and sitting up in the chair. “To what do I owe the pleasure of your company this morning?”

  “Other than to brighten your day,” Chauncy said with a teasing glint in his eye, “I wanted to see if you could come help me tomorrow. The Jenkins family lost a good part of their roof during the big wind storm and could use some help putting a new one down before it snows again. Several of the neighbors are going to go help and I thought the two of us could lend a hand.”

  “Certainly. Harlan can watch over things here tomorrow,” Luke said. “Will Abby be okay by herself? I could ask Filly to spend the day with her.”

  “I was hoping Filly wouldn’t mind. Abby’s close to her due date and I hate to leave her alone. If Filly could stay with her, it would put my mind at rest.”

  “I’m sure she’ll say yes, but I’ll check with her when I go home for lunch. She’ll probably be over to visit Abby sometime today anyway.”

  “Good. I’ll plan to see you bright and early tomorrow. I want to leave at first light so can get in a full day of work,” Chauncy said as Luke walked him to the door. Stepping outside, he turned back and grinned. “And you might want to pull your thoughts away from your lovely wife for the day or you could end up with more than one smashed finger tomorrow.”

  “Goodbye, Chauncy,” Luke said, shutting the door with more force than was necessary.

  Going home for lunch, Luke wasn’t surprised when Filly readily agreed to spend the day with Abby and looked forward to their time together.

  Luke saddled Drake and left to meet Chauncy as daylight began streaking the sky. A few hours later, Filly was adding a few things to a basket to take to Abby when a loud pounding rattled the kitchen door. Hurrying to open it, she was surprised to see Percy on the step, out of breath, like he had run the whole way from the mercantile.

  “Mrs. Granger, Mrs. Dodd asked me to find you. She wants you to go get the pastor,” Percy said, trying to catch his breath. “She said to tell you it’s time and she needs Pastor Dodd with her. Do you know where he went?”

  “Yes, Percy, I do. I want you to go find the doctor and ask him to go Mrs. Dodd as quickly as he can. Then I want you to go to Mrs. Dodd and tell her I’ll find the pastor and bring him home right away. Can you do that?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Percy said.

  “Good boy,” Filly said, snatching a packet of cookies out of the basket and handing them to Percy along with a quarter from the change she now kept in her apron pocket. “Now you make sure you go get the doctor then run straight back to Mrs. Dodd. If she doesn’t open the door, you go right in and make sure she knows the pastor will be along shortly.”

  “I will,” Percy said, jumping off the porch and running back to town. Waving his cookies in the air, he yelled, “Thanks, Mrs. Granger.”

  Slamming the door, Filly banked the fire, scribbled a quick note to Mrs. Kellogg telling her what had happened, whipped off her apron, and donned her coat and scarf.

  Running to the barn, she quickly saddled Sheeba and led her outside. Slipping on her gloves, she pushed the barn door shut and took a deep breath. Yelling “run,” Sheeba took off as Filly grabbed a handful of mane and swung herself onto the mare’s back.

  Heedless of her skirt and petticoats in disarray, Filly raced through town and out to the Jenkins’ farm. She knew where it was located because they had been neighbors to her family for many years.

  Flying down the road, Filly feared for her friend. She had lost her own mother during childbirth and sent up a prayer that all would go smoothly with Abby’s birth. She wondered that Chauncy would have left if he knew Abby was in labor and decided she must not have been, or hadn’t let him know, when he left earlier that morning.

  Rounding a bend in the road, she could see men on the roof of the Jenkins home. Hoping someone would see her coming, she waved a hand over her head and rode Sheeba hard and fast toward the house.

  Unaware that her pins had fallen out and her hair tumbled wildly down her back, Filly hoped she could quickly find Chauncy.

  Ribbing each other as they pounded on shingles, Luke and Chauncy made quite a team. Luke stopped to straighten his back and noticed a horse running full-tilt up the drive. Taking a second look, he scrambled for the ladder and jumped to the ground when he was only part way down. Running to meet the rider, he couldn’t believe his eyes.

  Filly rode Sheeba with her hair streaming to her waist like a silken curtain of mahogany curls. His heart pounded in his chest as he took in her pink cheeks and bright green eyes. Giving her a once over from head to toe he couldn’t help but admire the shapely stocking-clad calf exposed between her sensible boots and the froth of skirts and petticoats nearly up to her knees.

  She was a vision to behold.

  Seeing Luke, Filly tugged back on the reins and brought Sheeba to a halt.

  “What’s wrong, Filly?” Luke asked, grabbing Sheeba’s bridle when she sidestepped away from him. The horse had obviously been enjoying her run and wasn’t quite ready for it to end.

  “It’s Abby, she’s in labor. She needs Chauncy to come now,” Filly said, darting her gaze to the ladder Chauncy hastily descended.

  One look at Filly’s face and Chauncy ran to get his horse, Luke right behind him. Leroy Jenkins held the horses while they put on the saddle blankets.

  “Thanks for the time you spent today,” Leroy said, as they settled the saddles into place.

  “Sorry we couldn’t stay longer,” Luke said, tightening up his cinch and taking the reins from Leroy. “I can come back another day if you don’t get finished today.”

  “Thanks, Luke, I appreciate it,” Leroy said, then grinned as the two men mounted their horses. “Who’s that woman? She’s mighty pretty.”

  Luke sat a little straighter in the saddle. “That’s my wife, Filly,” he said, pride filling his voice.

  “Well, she looks like a fine spirited filly at that,” Leroy chuckled, returning to his roofing project. “Congratulations, Luke.”

  Seeing Chauncy and Luke ready to go, Filly turned Sheeba and headed back toward town. Soon the three of them were racing down the road. In record time, they were stopping the horses at the parsonage.

  “Give me the reins, I’ll take the horses,” Luke said as Filly and Chauncy jumped off the horses and ran f
or the door.

  Chauncy went to Abby’s side and sank down at the edge of the bed. The doctor had not yet arrived, but Percy had left messages all over town for him to come to the parsonage.

  “Why didn’t you tell me you were in labor this morning,” Chauncy asked as he clutched Abby’s hand in his. “I wouldn’t have left you alone.”

  “I wasn’t sure I was in labor until after you’d already gone, then it came on suddenly,” Abby said, trying to breathe through the pain.

  “I’ll send Luke to find the doc,” Chauncy said, starting to get up to leave.

  “Don’t leave me,” Abby cried, clinging to his hand. “Don’t leave me.”

  “I won’t leave you, honey,” Chauncy said, removing his coat and hat, tossing them in the corner. “Filly will send Luke.”

  “I don’t want her to leave either,” Abby said, holding out a hand to her friend.

  Filly, who had been standing at the door, squeezed Abby’s hand and assured her that she would send Luke to go find the doctor and come right back.

  Hurrying out the door, Filly decided Luke would have taken the horses home, since Chauncy kept his horse at their barn. Running through town, Filly was glad she hadn’t put on her corset that morning, giving herself the ability to move freely.

  Grasping the barn door, Filly hustled inside and found Luke calmly talking to the horses, brushing down Sheeba and telling her what a fine job she did of carrying the missus on her errand.

  When he heard the barn door slam shut, Luke’s head jerked up and he looked at Filly with worried eyes.

  “She needs the doctor, Luke, and Percy couldn’t find him anywhere. Could you see if you can?”

  “Of course,” Luke said, saddling one of his other horses in record time.

  Walking the horse out of the barn, Luke mounted while Filly shut the door, then he held out his hand for her to mount behind him. Glancing down at her skirts, she realized for the first time she wasn’t wearing proper riding attire.