Abigail (Angel Creek Christmas Brides Book 12)

by Peggy McKenzie

  Rebecca climbed up onto the buckboard and sat herself next to the little girls. “Hi. I’m Rebecca. What are your names?”

  The oldest of the girls who looked to be about six, spoke up “I’m Violet. This is my little sister, Lily. She’s three.”

  Abigail watched Rebecca charm the little girls into not being scared. With no effort at all, the eleven-year-old put the girls at ease. Abigail chastised herself. She was the adult here. She should be the one stepping up to take care of these little girls instead of Rebecca who was certainly closer to their age than she was.

  She approached the wagon and introduced herself to the little girls too. “Hello, Violet and Lily. My name is Abigail. How about I climb onto the wagon with you and we can all get to know each other better while your father is visiting Rebecca’s father?”

  “Uncle Will isn’t our father. He’s our uncle,” the little girl named Lily said.

  “Your uncle?” Now that she thought about it, he had referred to the girls as his nieces. “Well, that’s interesting. Where might your parents be?” It wasn’t every day she saw an officer taking care of two little girls.

  The youngest of the two began to cry. Abigail was horrified at what she could have done to cause such a reaction. “Oh my goodness. I’m so sorry. Lily, right? I didn’t mean to upset you. Please, tell me what’s wrong.” Abigail felt awful and pulled the little girl into her lap and hugged her close.

  The oldest girl, Violet, turned sad eyes to her too. “Our momma and papa went to live with the angels. Now, our Uncle Will takes care of us.”

  Abigail decided there must be a Mrs. Captain. There would be no other way for an officer in the army to care for two little girls. Suddenly, a baby cried out. Abigail turned toward the sound and realized it was coming from a pile of blankets in the back of the very wagon she was sitting in.

  “What is this?” Stunned, she looked at Rebecca who only shrugged in her direction.

  Abigail quickly climbed over the seat of the buckboard and into the bed of the wagon. She followed the sound of the cries until she uncovered the face of a baby. “Oh my goodness.” That was about all she could manage to say while her mind swirled in confusion and shock.

  When the baby saw her, it stopped crying...for about ten seconds. Then the poor little thing let loose with every ounce of energy it possessed. “Well, hello there to you too. And who might you be?” Abigail reached down in the pile of quilts and blankets to retrieve the chubby baby.

  “That’s our baby sister, Rose. She’s a baby,” Lily said while drying her tears on her sleeve.

  “Yes, I can see that. How long has she been back here?” Abigail asked hoping the captain hadn’t brought them far. Not in this cold air. They could catch their death. She’d heard there was a fort nearby. She just hoped it was very close.

  “I’m hungry,” the younger girl complained to her older sister.

  “Uncle Will will get us something soon,” Violet told her sister as she wrapped an arm around her little shoulders. Turning to Abigail she said, “Baby Rose has been asleep most of the way. I bet she’s crying because she has a messy diaper since we left Uncle Will’s fort this morning.”

  Abigail was appalled. “Are you telling me your uncle loaded you three girls up in this open wagon and drove all the way to Angel Creek from his fort?” She looked at Rebecca, who stared back in surprise.

  “Fort Benton,” Rebecca supplied.

  “And that’s half a day from here? Why that’s ridiculous,” she huffed. Who in their right mind would do such a thing?

  “Is there a problem?” She turned to see the girls’ uncle standing on the sidewalk and by the frown on his face, he had heard every word she said.

  She pulled the crying baby tighter in her arms and covered its face with a blanket to keep the cold air from filling its little lungs. “Yes, Captain. I’d say there’s a big problem.”

  “Is it Rose? Is she alright?” He rushed around and offered Abigail a hand down from the wagon bed. She refused his help, instead preferring to glower down at him while she gave him a dressing down.

  “No, she isn’t alright. None of these little girls are alright. How on earth could you put their health in jeopardy like this?” she shouted at their irresponsible uncle.

  “Jeopardy like what? What are you talking about? My nieces are just fine,” the man answered her accusation through clenched jaws. She could see their elevated conversation was beginning to attract the attention of passersby.

  She lowered her voice. “I’m talking about these little girls sitting out here in the freezing temperatures waiting to catch their death. They are cold and hungry, and I dare say this little one screaming at the top of her lungs has a soiled diaper.” Abigail bounced the baby in her arms to try to calm her down. It wasn’t working. Nothing was working.

  The man glared up at her from his position standing on the street at the back of the wagon. “I am well aware that a baby needs a diaper change, Miss Whittaker. And, I am also aware that three little girls shouldn’t be out here in the cold. But what you are not aware of is that I had no other choice but to bring them with me for there was no one else to look out for them.”

  Abigail wrinkled her nose in disbelief at the man’s words. “Are you telling me that there was not one person in that entire fort that could—”

  “That’s exactly what I’m telling you, although I owe you no explanations whatsoever,” he snapped. “I came here looking for help, therefore, I don’t need a lecture on things I already know. If you would get off your high horse for a moment, you might see past your assumptions and realize that these girls…that I…am in need of help and that’s the only reason I put them on this wagon and brought them all the way from Fort Benton to Angel Creek.”

  Abigail continued to bounce the baby hoping to calm her down. She looked around and saw several of the townsfolk observing her and the captain’s heated discussion. Through her anger, she had latched on to one word that managed to get her attention. “Help? I’d say you are most certainly in need of help, sir. Serious help. I’m dumbfounded that you believe your only option was to load these three little girls into an open wagon and traipse across the mountains.”

  “Dumbfounded or not, Miss Whittaker, my decision was based upon the facts of the matter and not because of some hysterical notion. Now, will you please get down and hand me my baby?”

  Abigail realized she had no say, or control, over these little girls. What happened to them would depend entirely on this inept man in front of her.

  Screaming baby in her arms, she allowed the captain to assist her down out of the back of the wagon. He reached for the crying baby. She had no choice but to hand the poor little thing over.

  “What’s goin’ on here?” Abigail turned to see a man with a lawman’s star pinned to his chest.

  “Papa.” Rebecca ran to his side. “This man needs help with his little girls and Abigail and I were trying to help, but the baby won’t stop crying.”

  “I can see that.” The sheriff turned to the captain. “Captain Bennett, as I told you in my office, I’d be happy to put you and your girls up for the night if you need a place to stay. Perhaps by tomorrow, you’ll be able to hire someone to help you take care of them.”

  Abigail turned to the captain holding his screaming baby girl. “Are you saying you’re here in Angel Creek looking to hire someone to help you care for these girls?”

  “That’s exactly what I’ve been trying to say and I would have said it sooner if I wasn’t being interrupted and screeched at every two seconds.”

  Rebecca left her father’s side and came to stand next to Abigail. “You should do it.”

  Abigail looked at Rebecca. “Do what?”

  “Help the man. He said he has a job and you need one, so…”

  Abigail looked at Rebecca and then at the captain and then at the little girls still sitting on the wagon seat. “Oh, no. That would never work.” She shook her head in denial.

  The captain wi
th the crying baby in his arms shook his head too. “Well, at least we are in agreement about something, Miss Whittaker. You are right. That would never work.”

  For some reason, Abigail took offense to the man’s confidence in his statement even though she had just expressed the exact same sentiment. “I said it won’t work because—”

  “Because you are too opinionated and hard-headed, Miss Whittaker. I say it won’t work because you have already shown your willingness to undermine my authority over these children.”

  Abigail rounded on the man aware of the onlooker’s interest, but she no longer cared. “I was not undermining your authority, Captain. I was simply pointing out that you don’t have the first clue about what these children need.”

  The captain handed the baby to Rebecca standing near her father. Then he turned his full attention to her. “Miss Whittaker. I’ll be the first to admit that I have little to no experience caring for children since I myself have never had any of my own. But when my sister and her husband were tragically killed leaving these precious little girls to either their inexperienced—but loving—uncle, or to the mercy of strangers, I’d say suffering through my care is better than being deprived of my love.”

  Abigail stared into the dark eyes of the handsome officer and she felt empathy for him. She could see his pain as he spoke of the loss of his sister and she could feel his frustration with his current situation. And even though she had to admire his determination to care for his nieces, it was obvious the man had no clue how to go about it.

  “I didn’t ask for this assignment, Miss Whittaker, but I damn sure don’t intend to let these little girls suffer because I’m too much of a coward to at least try to carry out my sister’s wishes. These girls may not receive the quality of care my sister gave them, but I can assure you, I’ll do the very best I can for them no matter the cost to myself. Their well-being will always come first.”

  She heard the emotion in his voice and she felt a twinge of guilt for pointing out his shortcomings. Especially in front of the whole town of Angel Creek…and its sheriff. “Captain Bennett, I understand you have the best of intentions, and your love and devotion for your nieces is obvious. I can also see how much you are hurting over the loss of your sister, and I assure you, I’m not unsympathetic to your plight. However, I can’t hide from the fact that I am very concerned about the welfare of these girls in your care. All the love in the world won’t keep them safe if you are unable to make good choices where their health is concerned.”

  “Then what do you propose I do, Miss Whittaker?” The captain didn’t look at all pleased with her assessment of the situation.

  “I don’t have a solution to your problem. I mean, I don’t know anything about Fort Benton or why you found it impossible to find someone there to help you instead of coming all this way with three little girls in tow. Perhaps if you had asked around at the church or the school, you would have—”

  He stepped up and looked down at her. “Don’t you think I have already done that, Miss Whittaker?” he said through gritted teeth. “I am not the imbecile you continue to try to make me out to be. So, let me explain my situation to you once more. I came to Angel Creek seeking help. No, there was no one at the fort willing to assist me with three little girls. Most of the women I spoke with have their own families to tend to. Had I received a positive response, I would never have chosen to bring the girls out in this weather. So let me repeat that I simply did not have a choice.” His voice rose with each word.

  Something told Abigail, she may have pushed him a bit too far in her attempt to help. The look he was giving her said he would happily strangle her if she continued to push her luck.

  “Miss Whittaker, my daughter had a point some time back,” Sheriff Cassidy spoke up.

  She turned to the sheriff. “And what point was that?” She’d completely lost track of who had said what in this conversation.

  “You’re looking for a job. And Captain Bennett here is looking for help. It sounds like the perfect solution to both of your problems.”

  Abigail turned and frown at the captain, but this time she decided it best to remain silent.

  He glared back. “What’s the matter, Miss Whittaker? Afraid you can’t handle the responsibilities?”

  “Hardly, Captain. I’m just not sure I can handle their stubborn uncle’s over-bearing—”

  “The job pays twenty-five dollars a week.”

  She stopped short. Surprised at such a generous offer, she repeated his offer outlaid just to make sure she heard him correctly. “Twenty-five dollars? A week?”

  “Yes, I think that’s a fair amount, don’t you?” His tone had calmed a bit and he seemed more approachable.

  Abigail studied the man. Oh yes, it was more than fair and her palmed itched at the thought of making that kind of wage, but could she work for the man? Perhaps she should obtained clarification of her duties. “Yes, it’s a fair wage, but I would need some assurances that these girls would be completely under my care.” Abigail wanted to establish a pecking order before she accepted the job.

  “What kind of assurances? I would be agreeable to put you in charge of their care…within reason, of course.”

  “Within reason? What exactly does that mean?”

  “It means you are responsible for their care and well-being and you have complete authority to make the necessary decisions unless those decisions contradicts my authority as their uncle and their guardian. This is something I will not compromise on, Miss Whittaker. Can you agree to my terms?”

  Abigail studied the man standing in front of her. He was extremely good-looking, but underneath all that spit and polish, he was just like every other male she had ever encountered. His way or no way. Under ordinary circumstances, she would tell him to go jump in the freezing cold lake, but she needed something from him too. She needed a job—at least a temporary one.

  She cut a look at the three little girls and swallowed her pride. “Yes, I can agree to your terms. Within reason, of course.”

  She saw the surprise on his face followed by the twinkle of humor. At least he wasn’t mad at her for using his own words against him. “You see Captain Bennett, it’s obvious that you don’t know the first thing about caring for a child, much less three little girls, one of them an infant. I should think my expertise greatly outweighs yours, which would give me the authority to make decisions for these girls, considering I would be doing so in their best interests.

  “If you were to exercise your authority and it should contradict my ability to care for children, then I would have to assume you were exercising your authority based upon your ego. In that case, my authority based upon experience will outweigh your authority in practical theory.”

  The twinkle in his eye found its way to his mouth. He offered her a full grin and she found she rather liked it. He was a handsome devil and she could admit to herself she was attracted to him, but that’s where it ended. There was no room in her life for a controlling, over-bearing male, and to drive that point home, she added, “I can only accept your offer of employment on a temporary basis. I have plans that don’t include housework or children on a long-term basis.”

  “I see. And what if I can’t agree to your terms, Miss Whittaker?

  She offered him her sweetest smile and cut a quick glance to the two little girls in the wagon and then to the baby still in Rebecca’s arms. “I’d say you need me a whole lot more than I need you, Captain Bennett.”

  She watched his dark eyes follow her gaze and she knew she had won the battle the minute she saw the slump of his shoulders.

  He nodded in agreement and sent her a crooked little smile that made her toes curl in her soggy boots.

  “Touché, Miss Whittaker. Touché. It seems we have a deal.”

  Chapter 3

  Will heard Rose’s cry long before his brain was awake. He had learned in the few short days he had tried to care for his nieces on his own, that a soldier’s instincts did more than prepare him
for danger. It also prepared him for soiled diapers, spit-up, and outright temper tantrums from a nine-month-old baby.

  Exhausted, he rolled out of bed to take care of Baby Rose when he stopped himself. Wait. He had a housekeeper now who was primarily responsible for his nieces. Relief flooded through him as he lay back and relaxed. Listening to the sounds of the house, he marveled how, in one week, the young woman he’d hired in Angel Creek had taken control of ...well, just about everything. And he couldn’t have been more relieved.

  He studied the tin ceiling above his bed. He was still getting used to his new surroundings. This house, usually reserved for soldiers with families, was located just on the outskirts of the town that surrounded the fort. It was much bigger than his meager little room in the officer’s quarters deep inside the fort’s walls, and much better suited for three little girls.

  He had been gifted with the house when his commanding officer had learned of Will’s new responsibilities. And, he couldn’t be more grateful. His nieces could call the white-washed, clapboard house with three bedrooms, a large kitchen, and a spacious living room their home. At least for now. It wasn’t as nice as the home they shared with their parents, but it was the best he could do until his time in the army was up next Christmas.

  Will lay in his bed and marveled at the fact that the house was eerily quiet for a Monday morning, and worry hit him deep in his gut. Had he overslept? He hoped not. He and Jeremy were supposed to leave the fort around noon for a short recon ride with his company.

  Worried he had overslept, he quickly dressed and padded on bare feet down the long wooden hallway toward the kitchen. He heard voices chattering and was relieved to know the house wasn’t entirely empty after all. When he reached the kitchen doorway, he quietly leaned against it so he could watch the domestic scene before him without interrupting.