by Natalie Dean
Long Sally took charge of the situation. “All right, you done good,” she said, her praise offered both to the children and the audience. “Now, there’s vittles for everyone, but don’t be crowding to the table like you ain’t had food for days. Everyone can go find a seat.
When the children went to sit down, they saw that there were carved toys—tops and soldiers and wooden dolls, puzzles and checkers games and animals—placed by some of the seats and they whooped with delight, realizing that not only had there been toys on Christmas Day brought by Santa Claus during the night, but there were more today.
Clara smiled as she listened to the voices of the children excitedly showing off their toys. She was gathering up the robes; they would need washing, but they could be used again next year.
“Clara?”
Clara turned at the sound of her mother’s voice. “Mother?”
Mother smiled. “You’ve done a lot of work to make this a special day for these children. I’m proud of you. They will remember this day all their lives.”
“I hope so. But I wish there were more for them. They don’t have an easy life.”
“I am sure you will be able to think of what you can do to change that,” her mother said with a widening smile.
“There’s nothing I can do,” Clara protested.
“Nonsense. You have a first-rate education and they need someone to teach them.” Her mother placed a gentle hand on her daughter’s smooth cheek. “We shall discuss it later. Today belongs to them. But your Father and I agree that we want to do our part. If we’re going to become citizens of Colorado, we must find our place here.”
“It means more than any of us can say to have you and Father staying here.”
“It means more than your Father and I can say to find that our daughters have married so well. Each of my girls has found the man who will allow her to become the woman she is intended to be. Your Father and I could not ask for more.”
Lady Georgianne turned to look at her husband and Peter, who were deep in conversation at the table.
“They seem to be hitting it off,” she commented.
Clara wondered what it was that they had found to talk about at such length. She would ask Peter later. That night, as they lay together in the new bed that Peter had constructed, they would discuss the events of the day. They would wonder if Minnie was expecting a baby, and they would notice that Harley seemed to be acknowledging paternity of Oakley. She and Peter had no secrets now, she thought confidently. They had mended what was broken and they were stronger and better for it.
She didn’t know that her father was advising Peter on how to invest the silver that he had struck in the mine, enough silver to make the Edwards family very wealthy for generations to come. That was a secret that Peter would share with her later.
He knew that she understood now that their true wealth was in one another and in the love they shared with their family. It was a Colorado Christmas; it was the best Christmas ever.
I hope you enjoyed my installment in the Home for Christmas multi-author, multi-generational family series! Down below you’ll find links to all of the books in Home for Christmas. Enjoy! And Merry Christmas :)
Alice’s Arranged Marriage by Joyce Alec
Mistletoe Magic by Rose Pearson
Minnie’s Mail Order Joy by Bethany Rose
Hazel’s Mail Order Joy by Annie Boone
Clara’s Mail Order Joy by Natalie Dean
Hannah’s Holiday Wish by Sophie Mays
Her Second Chance Cowboy Billionaire Christmas Secret by Hanna Hart
Other books by Natalie Dean
NATALIE DEAN
BROTHERS OF MILLER RANCH (Contemporary)
Her Second Chance Cowboy
Saving Her Cowboy
Her Rival Cowboy
Her Fake-Fiance Cowboy Protector
Taming Her Cowboy Billionaire
BROTHERS OF MILLER RANCH BOX SET
MARRYING A MARSHAL SERIES (Historical)
An Unexpected Treasure
The Dangers of Love
The Outlaw’s Daughter
Falling for the Marshal
No Time For Love
MARRYING A MARSHAL BOX SET (includes the above five books, plus the previously unreleased 6th book of my Marrying a Marshal series)
LAWMEN’S BRIDES SERIES (Historical)
The Ranger’s Wife
Benjamin’s Bride
Carson’s Christmas Bride
Justin’s Captive Bride
BRIDES AND TWINS SERIES (Historical)
A Soldier’s Love
Taming the Rancher
The Wrong Bride
A Surprise Love
The Last Sister’s Love
BRIDES & TWINS Box Set / Mail-Order Bride Compilation (My best-seller! It includes TWO MORE unreleased heartwarming mail-order bride series)
LOVE ON THE TRAILS SERIES (Historical)
A Love Beyond Suspicion
Picture Perfect Love
Love of a Wild Rose
A Dangerous Time to Love
A Cold Winter’s Love
Brides, Trails, and Mountain Men
Historical Western Romance Compilation
Includes my Love on the Trails Series plus an exclusive series titled Marrying a Mountain Man
BOULDER BRIDES SERIES (Historical)
The Teacher’s Bride
The Independent Bride
The Perfect Bride
The Indian’s Bride
The Civil War Bride
BOULDER BRIDES BOX SET
BRIDES OF BANNACK SERIES (Historical)
Lottie
Cecilia
Sarah
Though I try to keep this list updated in each book, you may also visit my website nataliedeanauthor.com for the most up to date information on my book list.
Exclusive Books By Natalie Dean
I’ve got TWO EXCLUSIVE historical western romance stories waiting for you.
Spring Rose - A feel good mail-order groom novelette about a broken widow finding love and faith.
Fools Rush In- A mail-order bride novelette based off a true story!
Get both of these stories as a gift when you join my Exclusive Readers List.
COMING SOON… A FREE CONTEMPORARY WESTERN Novella! This will be sent to all of my Exclusive Readers List once I complete it!
Click here to find out more!
Or just go to nataliedeanauthor.com
About Author - Natalie Dean
Born and raised in a small coastal town in the south I realized at a young age that I was more adventurous than my conservative friends and family. I loved to travel. My passion for travel opened up a whole new world and new cultures to me that I will always be grateful for.
I was raised to treasure family. I always knew that at some point in my life I would leave my storybook life behind and become someone's mother, someone's aunt and hopefully someone's grandmother. Little did I know that the birth of my son later in life would make me the happiest I’ve ever been. He will always be my biggest achievement. The strong desire to be a work-from-home mom is what lead me down this path of publishing books.
While I have always loved reading I never realized how much I would love writing until I started. I feel like each one of my books have been influenced by someone or something I’ve experienced in my life. To be able to share this gift has become a dream come true.
I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I have enjoyed creating them. I truly hope to develop an ongoing relationship with all of my readers that lasts into my last days :)
www.nataliedeanauthor.com
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