Ida stood back and watched her husband distribute gifts to the whispering, clapping, fidgeting throng of children.
Had she been ever that happy when she was a child? She thought not. But it made her happy to play a small part in making these children’s lives a little better.
Walter took pride in his work as a smith, but she was sure he’d be happier as a toymaker. She hadn’t suggested it, though, because changing occupations wouldn’t necessarily bring in more money—the same people who bought mass-produced tools also bought mass-produced toys for their children. They’d still have the same problem trying to compete with the factories back East.
And her other idea hadn’t panned out. She’d stopped checking at the post office for a reply from the people who she’d sent the toys to.
She would just have to think of something else.
Walter pulled a small beribboned box from his sack and read the name written on it.
“Hey, that’s me, too!” said a boy who’d already received a gift that he’d not yet opened.
Walter made a show of turning the present over in his hands. “It is? This one?”
“Yeah! I’m Tom!”
“But he’s Tom, too,” Walter said slowly, nodding at another boy. “So if this present’s yours, that means the present you’re holding is his. You go ahead and give that to him, and I’ll give you this one.”
Tom hugged the package that Ida recognized as being one of the toy soldiers. “No!”
“But I thought this present was yours.”
Tom quickly shook his head. Walter nodded and gave the present he held to the younger, smaller Tom, who had stayed quiet through the exchange. Smaller Tom jumped up and down ecstatically.
Ida couldn’t help smiling. Walter was going to be such a wonderful father.
The November air was crisp with winter as they boarded the train back to Salvation. Back home in Boston, there’d be a few feet of snow on the ground, at least. But here in Texas, apparently Christmas meant a frigid cloudy day with a chance of icy rainy. She wrapped her coat around her more tightly as she began to shiver.
“Are you all right?” Walter asked.
“I’m fine.”
He hesitated, then pulled a small packet of waxed paper out of his pocket and held it out to her. “Your Christmas tradition, right?”
Ida took the packet and unwrapped it. A candy cane. Her hand flew to her mouth as her eyes grew wet. He’d remembered. “Thank you.”
She broke off a piece and offered it to him, but he refused. “All yours.”
Peppermint sweetness flooded her mouth as the candy began to melt against her tongue. Ida couldn’t help sighing as she rewrapped the rest of the candy cane and slipped it into her pocket.
Walter glanced at her, then lowered his head and spoke softly. “If it’s too hard to go back—”
Did he think she was overcome with bad memories? “Don’t you dare stop giving those children gifts on my account.”
“Of course not.” He put a hand on her arm. “I just mean, if it bothers you to visit, you needn’t come with me when I do.”
“I wouldn’t miss it for anything.” She leaned against Walter, laid her head on his shoulder as she smiled dreamily. “Last time I was on this train, I was coming to see you.”
After a hesitant moment, Walter took her hand in his own and gave it a gentle squeeze. “There won’t be any surprises at the end of this train ride.”
Walter’s father was waiting for them at the train station in Salvation.
Ida stopped cold in her tracks. Wasn’t he supposed to be at the sanitarium? Had he fallen back into his old habits already? Why had she thought that one conversation could get him to give up the drink?
The day had been so good, and now that man was going to ruin it. For a second, she was taken with the crazy thought of shoving Walter back onto the train, to keep him from seeing the man who’d tormented him most of his life.
Too late.
“What the devil is he doing here?” Walter growled.
“I have no idea.” She was glad she could say that honestly.
Bill hauled himself up to his feet with an effort that said he’d been waiting on that bench for awhile. He said nothing as Walter stalked toward him, Ida a few steps behind.
“What do you want?” Walter demanded.
Helen said that Walter had stopped speaking to his father altogether, for the sake of supporting his mother. He’d stuck to that even through Bill’s outrageous behavior at the wedding reception. That he spoke now could be a sign of progress. Couldn’t it?
Bill looked embarrassed. But his face had lost its usual ruddiness, and his features didn’t look puffy at all. In fact, he looked about ten years younger.
Ida tried to take a deep sniff without making a sound. And failed. Bill and Walter both glanced at her.
Worth it to confirm that Bill didn’t smell of whiskey, not even a faint whiff. He smelled like soap and wet wool. Ida wondered if she dared hope that he’d really quit drinking.
Was that why he was here? Had the sanitarium discharged him already? Remember what he’d been like before, it was seemed too good to be true.
“Well?” Walter demanded.
Bill cleared his throat. Coughed. Cleared his throat again.
“I’m here to say I’m sorry, son. I know that doesn’t come close to atoning for what I put you through, but I am sorry. I’m sober now. Have been for about a month, since your wife brought the minister by and told me what for. I understand if you can’t forgive me.”
Walter shot a look of disbelief at Ida.
Ida bowed her head. She’d be apologizing next, as soon as Bill was gone.
“I wanted...” Tears shone in the old man’s eyes, and he dropped his gaze to the ground.“Ineededto tell you how sorry I am. Your mother trusted me to raise you right after she passed, and I didn’t do that. You raised yourself, made yourself a better man than I am. All I’ve done is fail you.”
Walter’s mouth fell open. Stunned wasn’t a strong enough word for how he looked.
Ida couldn’t blame him—his whole life had been centered on hating his father. Walter must feel like his entire world had just turned upside down. If the girls who’d bullied her at the orphanage suddenly appeared in front of her now and said they were sorry for making her eat dirt, would she be able to forgive them?
She hoped she would. But Walter’s father had been so much worse than the girls who’d bullied Ida.
“If you never want to see me again, I understand. I’ll go...find a job in Austin or Dallas,” Bill was saying, his voice cracking. “I just hope that someday you can find it in your heart to forgive me.”
“Stay sober,” Walter said, his own voice soft and unsteady. “Stay sober, and there’s a chance. But if you fall back into drink again—”
“That’s more than I deserve,” Bill said, nodding. “I thank you for that.” He glanced between them. “Well, I’ll leave you to your dinner. I’m staying with Minister Rowland tonight, then returning to the sanitarium tomorrow. Have a blessed evening.”
Walter’s father walked away. He didn’t turn back, didn’t try to finagle an invitation to dinner.
“You took the minister to visit my father?” Walter asked.
Ida snapped her attention back to her husband. He looked confused, puzzled...and as if he still couldn’t quite believe what had happened. But at least he didn’t look angry.
“I’m sorry, I should have told you. I know I had no right to meddle, but I couldn’t bear the thought that he’d just keep hurting you. I had to try.”
“What could have possibly said to him that made him stop drinking?”
”I just told him the truth.”
“Which truth?”
“The one I thought he needed to hear.”
“I don’t believe it.”
“I don’t know if I believe he’s changed either,” Ida admitted. “But I believe he’s trying.”
Walter stared at his fat
her’s receding figure for a long moment. “You think I should try to forgive him?”
“I think he’s owed you that apology for a very long time. Whether you decide to accept it or not, you deserve to hear it.”
Walter sighed. “I’m going to ask him to visit Mother’s grave with me. If he says yes, then I’ll try to keep an open mind.”
Ida’s prayed that Bill’s repentant recovery was as genuine as it seemed. “Shall we ask him now?”
“Right,” Walter agreed. “No point in procrastinating.”
By the time made they it back to town, it was early afternoon. Most of the stores had closed down for Christmas Eve, but the light still burned in the post office window.
After they parted ways with Bill, then Ida begged Walter’s pardon and hurried to check in with the postal clerk. She’d been corresponding with Joanne from the garment factory, and was expecting a reply any day now. In her last letter, the other girl had announced that she’d put her name in a mail-order bride catalogue, thanks to Ida’s example. Ida had offered to show Joanne’s listing to some of Walter’s bachelor friends. Several of them had seemed very nice.
But instead of a letter from Joanne, Ida found a letter from Chicago. The toys.
Her breath caught in her chest as she rejoined Walter. Mindful that he watched her, she forced her hands to stay steady and made certain to be casual about opening it. But she couldn’t keep the tears from welling in her eyes as she read it.
“Did something happen to your friend?” he asked.
Her throat was so tight, she couldn’t speak, so she handed him the letter.
He took it, looking worried at first, then shocked, and finally elated.
“Reed Toy Company wants to hire me to design toys that can be produced their factories? How do they know who I am?”
“I sent some of your toys,” Ida admitted. “You said I could, remember?”
“You said you were sending those to your old orphanage.”
She shook her head. “I said there was a place I wanted to send them. You assumed I meant the orphanage.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
Her tearful smile got a little more quivery. “I didn’t want to get your hopes up, in case nothing came of it.”
Walter swept her up in his arms and spun her around. “I can’t believe it. We’ll be able to pay off the mortgage off in no time. We’ll have money for everything we need.”
“Money for starting our family,” Ida said.
“Yes, eventually we’re going to need—”
“Not eventually, Walter.”
He froze. Put her down. So carefully she was a little worried she’d scared him. “Are you saying…?”
Was he afraid to finish the sentence?
Ida swallowed and forced herself to spit the words out. “I’m saying that I’m with child.”
He was still staring. Why didn’t he say something?
“Walter? Are you upset?”
“Upset.” He blinked. “Upset?”
He gathered her in his arms again and leaned down to kiss her. Let his lips linger against hers in a kiss that was somehow both sweet and thrilling. When he pulled back again, he pressed his forehead to hers.
“Ida, you’ve given me the best Christmas present ever.”
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The Mail-Order Brides of Salvation series
Winning the Deputy’s Heart
Winning the Rancher’s Heart
Winning the Doctor’s Heart
Winning the Bounty Hunter’s Heart
Winning the Blacksmith’s Heart
Winning the Wrangler’s Heart (coming in January 2016)
Winning the Homesteader’s Heart (coming in January 2016)
The Mail-Order Brides of Resurrection series
Seven Brides for Seven Lawmen
Samuel’s Secret
Ethan’s Duty (coming January 2016)
Dear Reader,
If you enjoyed reading this book, would you please take a moment to help others discover it by leaving a review?
Best wishes,
Faith
Winning The Blacksmith's Heart (Mail-Order Brides of Salvation 5) Page 5
