Clinton stared at her and ran his hands through his hair, wondering what was going on. Finally, he just shook his head. “Sorry, what? What are you talking about, Noelle? What’s the matter with you?”
She huffed. “The matter with me, is that you think you need more support but you’ve barely supported her. You’ve hardly said a word to her.”
He frowned. “No, I’ve definitely—”
“Said very little. Have you even held her hand?” she reprimanded him in a hushed tone, glancing back to where they could still hear the other girls singing. “Do you even like her?”
“Of course,” he threw up his arms in exasperation and shook his head. “We talked in our letters before I ever brought her out here. It’s not like she’s a stranger.”
Noelle gave him her best stern look. “So you simply decided to marry Marietta—on Christmas Eve, a lovely holiday—because you already spoke with her? Is that all?” She groaned and glanced out the window. “Marriage is supposed to be about love, isn’t it? You hardly talk to her. I thought…”
She swallowed hard, and Clinton thought she might start to cry. He still didn’t have any idea what was going on. Noelle shook her head. “It’s supposed to be a beautiful thing. Mother and Father made it look so simple, but why don’t you treat her like that? Why don’t you love Marietta?”
Clinton stared at her, watching as tears began to fall down her cheeks, watching her walls break down. It was something that he had long since forgotten were there, for all of them. It’s just the way they were, after their parents had died. It had happened without them even thinking about it, he realized. A knot lodged itself in his stomach and he didn’t know what to say. He thought back to his parents and tried to imagine them there with him. Immediately he realized what he had been doing wrong.
Wrapping his arms around his sister, he squeezed her tight as she tried to stifle her sobs. He felt her hands cling to his shirt, pulling him even closer for comfort, ducking her head under his chin. It was, he recalled, just how she used to hug their father. His heart got heavy and he closed his eyes, trying to take a deep breath.
That cleared his mind, something he’d been putting off for a long time. Resting his chin on his little sister’s head, Clinton opened his eyes and looked towards the sitting room. He could hear Serena’s voice clearly, singing the final chorus of their parents’ favorite Christmas song. When she finished, Mariette applauded, and started speaking indistinguishably.
Though he couldn’t see her, he could hear the smile in her voice and knew her eyes would be sparkling. As he considered the brave young lady who’d gone on a whim to travel all the way out here because of him, the walls appeared smaller. Or rather, he realized they were slowly crumbling, as they had been since her arrival. He hadn’t realized he’d built them so high or so thick, but after his parents had died, he’d thought he needed to be strong for his sisters.
Though it was clear—even to him now—that he had practically avoided her, Mariette had made the best of her situation. On the days she didn’t join them for meals—which she usually prepared and cleaned up with the help of his sisters—she was invited out with others in the town. His customers over the last few weeks had mentioned their approval of the young lady, and how proud his parents would have been. But it was only in that moment it began to sink in.
He closed his eyes again, shame coursing through him. Would his parents still be proud if they’d seen the way he’d been acting towards her? She had been brave, coming out here alone. Then she’d made friends with everyone, including stubborn Noelle who had clearly come to care for her. She had hemmed their clothes, organized the kitchen, swept the porch, taken the girls to church.
“Oh dear, is everything all right? I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
He opened his eyes to see Mariette standing there, looking worried and holding Serena in hand. Glancing back at the young lady, he realized that she had also been reaching out to him constantly. Her invitations to do this, to do that, always trying to help and be there for him had been brushed off. It hit him like a punch in the gut. He owed her so much.
Noelle pulled out of his hug and hurriedly wiped her eyes, trying to smile. “It—it’s nothing, honest. Um… the song, it made me… think of my parents, that’s all.” She glanced at Clinton, clearly hoping he would maintain the partial lie.
He nodded, managing a small smile before taking a deep breath and looking at them. “But it’s all right,” he mumbled finally. “It’s a good thing, us remembering them.” He gave Noelle a squeeze as she stepped away. “Let’s have another song, shall we?”
Serena nodded hopefully, giving her sister a soft look. “Something extra happy, please. Can we do ‘Joy to the World’?”
“Only if you do it fast enough for us to dance to,” Clinton agreed. They looked at him confused as he went to Mariette, gave her a bow, and put his hand out to her. It took her a minute but then she smiled, and Noelle was humming before their hands touched.
The feeling was thrilling, as it had been that first morning when he’d lifted her onto her horse. Mariette was happy and she hoped they’d taken big steps toward figuring it all out.
Chapter 8
When she took his hand inside the chapel on Christmas Eve, he had no idea what had gone on behind the scenes. He only knew that she was beautiful.
He had never noticed her leaving for church on Sundays wearing her best dress, but she had made it even more pretty today with hems of lace. He would find out later that Mariette was wearing her mother’s veil, embroidered with little flowers. It framed her face beautifully and Clinton’s heart began to pound.
“I, Clinton Mason,” he started, “take thee, Mariette Holsey, to be my lawfully wedded wife, from this day forth. I promise to…”
He paused, and she cocked her head, waiting patiently. Because she was good at doing that, waiting for him. She was patient and kind and gentle, in a way that only made her more beautiful. He didn’t deserve her. Trying to swallow a lump forming in his throat, he pushed forward.
“I promise to do my best to deserve you,” he continued to her surprise. “I will stand by your side always and I will dance with you even when there is no music. We will have endless conversations, and I promise to laugh at all of your jokes, and share your pain. I will never deserve you, but I will always strive to do better.”
She could hear his determination in his voice as he spoke. Her lips parted in awe as he finished up, never losing eye contact with her. Something had happened. It must have started last night, she realized. Something had changed within Clinton. They had danced until they laughed, cheering Noelle up and enjoying their little feast before watching the sunset. It had been a lovely night, and she had finally begun feeling that she belonged.
He slipped a plain band on his finger. She knew he’d decided to make his own out of some left over iron. It wasn’t a detail he found very important, and she had seen it before the ceremony—simple, just the way he liked it.
She was expecting a matching one. But she saw the gleam of something more, and looked down to see the ring she had heard about. Serena had mentioned it once, after showing Mariette the necklace that had been her mother’s that now belonged to her. Noelle had an old shawl, and two family broaches she treasured so much she rarely wore them.
Had Serena mentioned her brother had the ring? For it could be no other than their mother’s, a little silver band with a pink pearl in the middle.
Breathless, she looked back up at him and saw a small but confident smile on his face. He meant it, every word. Mariette’s heart pounded in her chest, trying to break free. The idea of their marriage had never bothered her, but it hadn’t truly affected her until this moment. Now, she could hardly wait to start her life as his wife. Overwhelmed, she couldn’t help but throw her arms around him the moment he had finished speaking.
There were several audible gasps. The pastor stumbled for something to say as she felt Clinton wrap his arms around her, pressing his
smile against her cheek. She tried to think of something to say, but she couldn’t. He knew, somehow, exactly what she was thinking, what she was feeling. As one, they both moved their faces just enough to connect their lips. She took a small breath before closing the final gap, pressing them together. Her lips were warm, he noted, and he pulled her closer.
The pastor, still fumbling through everything, chose to cut it short. “I pronounce you man and wife!” he said hurriedly just before they pulled apart, remembering they were in public. Everyone could be heard cheering, especially his—their—sisters in the front, clapping loudly.
As the newlywed couple separated, she burst out laughing, in joy and embarrassment. Clinton slipped his hand from her waist and down her arm to her hand, clutching it tightly.
“Merry Christmas,” he murmured in her ear. “I do love you, you know.”
“Merry Christmas,” she whispered back with so much love in her eyes she didn’t have to say it.
Also by Annie Boone
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Five Books By Lucille Chisum
Book 1 - The Mail Order Brides of Last Chance: First Christmas
Lucille Chisum
Foreword
When I was given the opportunity to participate in this boxed set, I thought it would be fun to revisit some of the mail order brides and their stories that were told in earlier books and series.
This book contains two short Christmas stories. The first, “Rescuing the Christmas Baby,” is an update of Lottie and Zeke from The Mail Order Bride and the Scoundrel series. As the story opens, Lottie is pregnant and in distress, while Zeke is a deputy out chasing a bank robber with the sheriff of Last Chance as Christmas approaches.
Will Zeke make it back in time see his newborn Christmas baby? Read on and find out!
In the second story, “Saving the Christmas Miracle Baby,” the narrative focuses on Dr. Aaron Jessup from The Mail Order Bride and the Faith Healer series, and Willa McCourty, one of the mail order brides from “The Mail Order Brides and the Mail Order Husbands.”
As the story opens, Willa has given birth but is in considerable distress, and so is her baby. The baby isn't moving, and Willa has lost a lot of blood during the delivery. Willa's husband, Jasper, rides into Last Chance to fetch Aaron Jessup—will he arrive in time to save Willa and her baby?
I hope you enjoy these two stories! Thank you for reading my mail order bride books, a list of which follows these two short stories. Happy Holidays, and I look forward to writing more adventures and stories about the mail order brides of Last Chance, Colorado.
Yours in faith and hope
Lucille Chisum
Part 1 - Rescuing the Christmas Baby
Zeke had been gone for a long time. He'd promised her this would be a short trip, but Lottie had heard that before. Once Zeke and the sheriff took to the trail in pursuit of outlaws there was no telling when they'd return.
At first his trips hadn't bothered her. Lottie was impressed with Zeke's determination to go straight, and seeing him joining the sheriff and becoming the sheriff's best deputy and right-hand man was the last thing she'd expected.
She encouraged him, and Zeke got better and better at it, even though the gold mine had paid off in spades and they really didn't need the salary he earned.
Moreover, Zeke was brilliant when it came to catching crooks. He knew how to think like one, and his ability to think strategically balanced out Wyatt StappEarp, who often became inflamed when his sense of justice was violated. Zeke was cool as a cucumber, and he always knew the crook's next move, largely because he'd been one himself.
But this time it was all too much. Christmas was a day away, and Lottie was alone and pregnant. The doc had told her she probably had at least a week before the baby arrived, but as Lottie walked around the ranch like a ship listing to and fro from too much cargo, she wondered how much longer she could go on like this.
Fortunately, though, she had plenty of help on the way.
“Helloooo?”
Lottie heard the rapping on the door from across the house, and she sighed, wondering how long it would take her to make it to the door this time. She hated to keep people waiting, but it seemed inevitable given her condition.
“I'm coming!” she yelled, wondering which mail order bride had come to assist her this time. Since Zeke had announced the news of her pregnancy, Lottie had been befriended by virtually every mail order bride in Last Chance, all of whom seemed intent on helping her to within an inch of her life.
Not that she didn't welcome their help. Lottie knew full well she would have had a hard time fending for herself, and her friends frequently arrived with different men in tow to help with the chores and running the ranch.
“It's just me. . .Sarah,” Lottie heard her guest yell through the door. “Please don't hurry on my account!”
Lottie rolled her eyes as she managed to wobble her way through the living room. As if she could have hurried.
Still, she welcomed Sarah's presence. Sarah Tucker had been one of her most frequent visitors since Lottie had become pregnant, and she was as sweet and kind as anyone Lottie knew. Their personalities seemed to offset one another, with Sarah's sweetness taking a bit of the edge off of Lottie's occasional sharpness.
“Almost there!” Lottie yelled, realizing as soon as she did that the extra volume was unnecessary given how close to the door she was.
Finally, Lottie made it to the door, and she hushed the dogs and gave them a command to go to the other side of the living room and sit quietly.
They'd been invaluable, though, particularly when the coyotes or wolves got too close to the house. But occasionally their protective instincts got a little too strong now that Lottie was with child and Zeke was away.
“Come on in!” Lottie said, hoping she sounded cheerful enough to welcome Sarah, who could be relentlessly enthusiastic. “I'm sorry it took so long.”
“Not a problem,” Sarah said, bustling in with what looked like enough food to feed a small army. “There's more help on the way in just a few moments—someone from the bank, I think, who's been designated as your chore helper for the day.”
Lottie shook her head, thinking how unlikely it was for her to have befriended the wife of a banker. Sarah's husband, Henry, had struck Lottie as stodgy and completely boring when she'd first met him.
But Henry had proven invaluable in helping her and Zeke manage the finances from the gold mine, and he quickly turned out to be one of the kindest, most honest men Lottie had ever met.
“So who got stuck with that today?” Lottie asked. “I feel so sorry for these poor men who have to come out here and do my work for me.”
Sarah laughed, waving a hand derisively. “Don't give it a second thought,” she said. “Believe me, they're happy to get out of that stuffy office for the day and do some genuine labor.
And I'm sure if Henry wasn't so indispensable in the daily affairs of the bank, he'd be out here himself!”
While Lottie helped Sarah put away the food and make a list of chores, Zeke was holed up in a canyon.
He'd been there for hours. Hours that felt like days, manning a siege along with the sheriff, who was flanking him in a hidden position on the other side of the canyon.
The bank robber they'd been tracking had been one of the cleverest crooks Zeke had taken on since he'd become a deputy, but there was no way he was going to let this hooligan outwit him. Zeke had known exactly where he was going as soon as they'd spotted the robber on the edge of town.
And Zeke had also known precisely how to head him off. There was a small pass that led through the canyon and came out the back—Zeke had used it before back during his running-and-gunning days, and he knew that was where the robber was hoping to make his e
scape.
Until Zeke outflanked him. They rode hard and made up a lot of ground, until finally Zeke had the sheriff cover the front of the canyon while he broke off to cut off the back pass. The sheriff had come to trust Zeke when he made this kind of move, and he simply waited for Zeke to pin the man in.
It took several well-placed shots to get the robber to stay put, but Zeke knew they were close enough to keep the crook from trying anything adventurous.
After that he took a slight chance, riding back around to the front of the canyon to pick out a flanking position for the sheriff. Then Zeke went to the other side, to a spot where he'd be able to see the robber if he bolted, and they waited patiently to see how their quarry would respond.
All the while, though, Zeke's thoughts were on Lottie.
He'd promised to be back in time, regardless of what happened. The call had come suddenly, a lone rider charging out from Last Chance, telling Zeke that the sheriff needed him right away, that there'd been a bank robbery in town and the robber was making his getaway.
Henry Tucker, the bank manager, was OK, thank goodness, as were all the other bank employees. But the robber had a ten-minute head start on the sheriff, which meant he'd probably get away without Zeke's help.
Zeke had jumped on Flapjack immediately, yelling to Lottie that he was taking her horse and he'd be right back. But of course he had no real idea when, and she knew that as well as he did.
What made Zeke haul out for all he was worth was the part of the report he didn't tell Lottie about. The rider said something about a woman being hurt or taken hostage, and that was what pushed Zeke over the edge. It could have been Lottie that was in the bank at that fateful moment, and Zeke knew he had to make sure that part of it was handled properly.
Christmas Miracles: Mega Mail Order Bride 20-Book Box Set: Multi-Author Box Set Page 59
