Destined for You

by Tracie Peterson

  Luke grinned as he played the game. “I see your point.”

  They finally settled on a beautiful balsam fir. It was about as tall as Luke and, as JT pointed out, had soft branches that wouldn’t hurt Sally.

  The boys cut it down and loaded it on the back of the wagon, looking like a couple of lumberjacks. Gloriana laughed at their antics, which was the purpose for them in the first place. Luke wanted more than anything to see her happy and carefree.

  By the time they drove back to town, they were all famished. Luke pulled up to a Swedish bakery he’d tried several days earlier. Gloriana protested, declaring they should just get the baby and head home, where she could reward their efforts, but he insisted.

  “They have the most amazing Swedish doughnuts here. They are full and heavy, yet light at the same time. I can’t describe them. You really just have to try them.”

  Luke ordered a pot of hot chocolate and three cups, as well as a dozen doughnuts.

  “We’ll never eat a dozen doughnuts,” Gloriana protested.

  “Speak for yourself. JT and I are hungry. We worked hard today and got very cold.”

  JT nodded, his mop of curls springing out around his face. “We did.”

  “I need to trim your hair. Goodness, when did it get so long? I just cut it before the . . . memorial.” Her voice faded and she looked away.

  Luke reached over and squeezed her hand. “That was three months ago, as you pointed out earlier. Time has a way of moving on, even when we aren’t ready.”

  Gloriana looked at Luke and nodded. “That’s very true. I can scarcely believe it’s almost 1870. It seemed just yesterday that we were celebrating 1869’s coming. Now it’s nearly Christmas, and then it will be the New Year, and before we know it, the harbor will be open again.”

  The doughnuts and chocolate arrived. Luke announced that while the chocolate was good for drinking, it was also very good for dunking doughnuts. Everyone gave it a try and found it to be true. They talked about their day and shared the food until it was gone. Gloriana marveled that JT had eaten three doughnuts and then announced that she’d had two. That meant Luke had eaten seven by himself.

  He patted his stomach. “When a man works hard, he has to eat plenty.”

  She rolled her eyes but said nothing.

  After Luke paid the check, they picked up a sleeping Sally, who looked no worse for the wear. The day had turned out exactly as Luke had hoped it would. Now, if they could manage the evening as well, it would be the perfect day.

  Gloriana looked at Luke and frowned. “Christmas ornaments? Well, we have some homemade ones.”

  “Perfect. Where are they? I’ll fetch them.”

  She worried her lip for a moment. “I believe they’re in the attic. We usually string cranberries and popcorn for the garland.”

  “Wonderful. Do you have some of those?”

  Gloriana nodded. “I can pop some corn in the fireplace. Just let me put Sally down to bed first. JT can show you how to reach the attic.”

  She took the baby and moved to the kitchen, where she already had a bottle warming on the stove. Sally was hungry and fussy but never all that much trouble. While Gloriana tested the temperature of the milk, the baby wiggled and squirmed but issued only the faintest cries from time to time. It was as if she wanted to remind Gloriana of her situation but didn’t want to be rude. It made Gloriana smile.

  “You really are the very best baby in the world.”

  She took the baby to the bedroom where she usually fed her. Even though these days she didn’t have to hide the bottle from Sally anymore, Gloriana found it such a peaceful respite. Her mother used to say there was nothing more calming than feeding her babies. She would sit back and put the child to her breast, and it seemed as if all the cares of the day faded away as the infant latched on.

  Gloriana wondered if she’d ever know that feeling. She wanted children of her own very much. She had helped care for her siblings and now Sally, but it wasn’t the same. There was no doubt a difference. Wasn’t there? Or was it that when you loved someone, it didn’t matter?

  Sally drifted off to sleep. Gloriana wiped the baby’s mouth and burped her, relishing the fresh scent of her hair. Mrs. Sedgwick had bathed her, no doubt. Gloriana wrapped Sally up and placed her in the cradle. For a moment all she could do was gaze down in wonder. No, she didn’t think it mattered. Love was love. She would give her life for this child. Nothing was stronger than that.

  She made her way to the living room and found the boys hard at work.

  “I’m glad you’ve rejoined us. I was just describing to JT some of the Christmas ornaments I grew up with and how I like yours much better.”

  “Well, they are definitely nothing fancy.” Gloriana picked up one that had been made from a tree branch sawed crosswise to make little wooden discs. Her father had cut one for each family member, drilled a small hole in the top, and Mama had strung it with red ribbon. Then each member of the family had decorated their piece of wood with something special that would remind everyone else of them. This ornament had belonged to Tabby, who had made several small bows with excess ribbon because she liked to wear bows in her hair. Mama had even helped her cut a curl of her hair and tie it with ribbon to paste on the ornament. Her hair had been just as blond as that of Gloriana and the boys.

  Aaron was always going fishing, so his ornament had a fishing hook and a coiled piece of fishing line attached to a small twig pole. Mama had decorated one with little pieces of material and a needle and thread, and Papa had used six smooth stones in a circle to represent the members of his family. Then over these he had glued a twig cross to show that all were under the protection of God, because even though he didn’t see a need for God in his life, he knew it would please his wife. Mama had helped JT make his by carving and inking an etching of a dog. That had been the year JT had nagged everyone for a dog, but their father told him no. Not until he could prove himself to be responsible enough to care for such a creature.

  Last of all was Gloriana’s piece. She picked up the ornament and smiled. She had laughed that all she wanted for Christmas was time to read a book uninterrupted. On the ornament was her own rendition of several books. She’d made the pages out of newspaper, then covered them with starched cloth for the covers. On these she carefully penned the names of tomes she had received but never had time to read. She still had those books safely tucked in her hope chest.

  “These are too marvelous. I love them,” Luke declared. “They show who each person in your family was or even is now.”

  “Luke had glass ornaments that had been made for the queen of England,” JT said in awe. “They were all different colors and cost a lot of money.”

  “They did indeed,” Luke declared, “but not one represented the love that are in these.” His gaze met Gloriana’s, and her heart skipped a beat.

  She smiled and nodded. “It was our last Christmas all together.” She felt the weight of her loss once again. “JT never did get his dog.”

  Chapter 12

  “We have to get them to change the line. There is still time,” a man Theodore knew as Mr. Gillette declared. “We can offer so much more. We have direct access to the lake, and we will see that the city agrees to build magnificent facilities at the docks.”

  Theodore nodded and made notes. He knew the desperation of the city of Superior, Wisconsin. They had long held the focus of shipping in the area. The railroad was imperative.

  “We’ve already got people working against Duluth’s notion of building a canal into Superior Bay. We won’t allow for it. It would spell our utter doom.”

  “And would probably alter our shipping area as well. Who knows what a canal would do to the natural breakwater?” another man said.

  Theodore didn’t believe the man was worried about the breakwater so much as his profit margins. The canal, while worrisome, wasn’t nearly the problem the railroad had become. The future was dependent upon the railroad. Farmers would bring their grain crops t
o ship across the lake to buyers back east. Ore and wood would be a huge commodity as well. There would no doubt still be plenty of shipping work for both ports, but greed was a powerful master.

  “I will be speaking directly with those men from the railroad who support your cause,” Theodore assured them. “None of them were originally supportive of a Duluth terminus. I have their ear, as they believe me to be the closest thing they have to speaking to Lucas Carson in Duluth.” He chuckled. “And they aren’t wrong. I’ve made myself indispensable for your sakes.”

  “And don’t think we don’t appreciate that,” another man named Collins announced. “We cannot allow that railroad to terminate in Duluth. It must be Superior. Let them have their northern route to the Pacific, but on Lake Superior, we must be the ones who control the shipping.”

  Theodore smiled. These men knew what it took to sway others to their thinking. “You know that money is what will convince those here in St. Paul to make changes. If properly motivated, they will convince Jay Cooke for us, and our work will be minimal. We will come out looking like nothing more than helpful bystanders. The point is to make it worth their while.”

  Collins nodded. “We have put together a sizable donation to this cause. You will take it and disburse it wherever it will do the most good. Even to your Mr. Carson, if you think he can be swayed to help us.”

  “No. I feel we must say nothing to him. He is a good friend to Mr. Cooke, and I don’t think they would appreciate knowing that we are paying bribes to alter the terminus. Just trust me to bring you the best possible result.” Theodore smiled and tugged on the sleeve of his suit coat. “I have experience in this area and won’t let you down.”

  “Then it will make our uncomfortable trip to St. Paul worth it,” Mr. Collins replied, getting to his feet. He pushed an envelope toward Theodore. “Use it where it will garner us the most help, but we will expect an accounting.”

  Theodore smiled. “Of course,” he assured them, knowing it would be used for his own benefit. He wasn’t going to waste money helping these ninnies, but he would let them think that was exactly what he was doing.

  The meeting ended, and Theodore made his way to the hotel. He had accomplished everything he’d wanted to with the Superior, Wisconsin, men, and now he had some work to do on the maps he’d brought with him to St. Paul.

  Rafael would be so proud of him. He’d come up with the brilliant idea to hire a man to reorganize the track route. He’d lied and told the man that problems with the route had been noted and the railroad needed an alternative route. The man had no way of knowing that any route he made would be worse than the one already in place. He wouldn’t know that the railroad had spent over a year trying to find the best way to deal with the boggy land. With any luck at all, these new numbers would spell doom for Duluth and give Superior the upper hand.

  Theodore checked with the front desk clerk for messages, then made his way to his room. He doffed his outer coat and hat and threw them onto a nearby chair. He’d be going out again for a luncheon meeting, so he saw no need to do more. Taking up the first map, he spread it on the table and used whatever was available to hold it in place. He then took the papers he’d received from his surveyor and began to work at altering figures. The work was tedious. He had to make certain that his marks looked natural. It was all a matter of taking his time and being diligent. Thankfully, he’d always had a bit of artistic bent to his nature. It had served him well enough when he worked for the Carson bank, and it would help him now.

  Thinking of his days working for Luke’s father’s bank, Theodore couldn’t help but remember the man who had changed his life. Rafael was dead and gone now many years, but his influence had made Theodore a better man. Or at least a more knowledgeable one. Learning to adjust the books to help themselves to hundreds of thousands of dollars had enriched Theodore’s life in more than one way. Of course, it had robbed him of a friend when Rafael had been found out.

  He truly missed Rafael, and he couldn’t say that of any other person in his life. Being reunited with his parents had only proven that he’d been wise to leave in the first place. Although, to his credit, he had given them a perfect performance. Father had even laughed at one of Theodore’s stories a few nights earlier. But no one had ever shown such complete acceptance of Theodore as Rafael Clarington, and none probably ever would. His friend had taken their secret arrangements to the grave and saved Theo from a life in prison. Who could ask for a better friend?

  “And Lucas Carson is the reason you’re gone,” Theodore muttered. If not for Luke’s prying and seemingly magical ability to look at a book of numbers and see errors, Rafael would never have been caught.

  Theodore frowned. Lucas Carson had caused him more grief than he even knew. He’d lost his home and felt the need to leave a good job, all because of that man. Worse still, he’d lost a good friend. It was all Carson’s fault, and Theodore would see to it that he paid for it. When these new numbers wreaked havoc on the rail line—perhaps even caused deadly accidents—Lucas Carson’s reputation would be ruined. Especially when Theodore willingly testified that Lucas had altered the drawings.

  He would build a network of good support in the Superior men and win their railroad for them. Then, if all else failed, they would at least be in his debt. He smiled. “I like the sound of that. Don’t you, Rafael?”

  The next day after Luke left for work, JT posed a question. “Glory, what are we gonna get Luke for Christmas?”

  She stopped drying the dishes and turned to her little brother. “I’ve been thinking about that, but I’m not sure. I don’t have time to make him anything, unless I make some candy.”

  “What about a compass? I know they cost money, but they’re really important. I remember when Papa gave me my first compass and taught me how to use it.”

  Gloriana nodded. “I’ve heard it said, ‘A man needs only a Bible and a compass to always go the right direction.’”

  “Well, Luke’s got a Bible, so now he just needs a compass.”

  “A compass might be a very good gift for Luke. I don’t know what they cost, but I’ll look when I’m out shopping.”

  JT seemed pleased with himself. “It’s going to be a good Christmas, isn’t it, Gloriana?”

  It touched her that he could be so positive. It would be their first without Papa, and she hadn’t been looking forward to it. In the back of her mind, she worried about it all hitting JT on Christmas morning. He often wept over the loss, but he said very little, and it worried Gloriana that he might feel he couldn’t talk about it.

  “I believe it will be, but you know, little brother, you can always talk to me about anything.”

  He smiled. “You can talk to me about anything too.”

  Gloriana thought about that a moment and nodded. “I know I can. So maybe, if you don’t mind—and since you don’t have school this morning—you would talk with me.”

  “Sure. What do you want to know?” He leaned back in his chair like a lawyer with a client.

  She might have laughed but was afraid it would hurt his feelings. Instead, she took the chair opposite him at the table. “I guess I just feel a little sad. This will be our first Christmas without Papa.”

  He nodded. “It makes me sad too. I miss him so much, but Luke said that was all right. He misses his brother a lot. They were really close. Did you know that?”

  Gloriana nodded and pretended to pick lint off the tablecloth. “I know you and Aaron were close brothers as well.”

  “Yup. Aaron said I was a nuisance, but he was always willing to help me when I needed him. And Tabby always talked to me and let me help her roll the stockings and socks on laundry day, so she was good too.”

  A memory of Tabby and JT rolling clean stockings and socks together flitted through her memory. Those were the little things that were slipping away, even though it had only been three years. Time was cruel in robbing a soul of those details.

  “I’m sure they are all so happy in heaven and
want us to be happy here on earth.”

  “I think so too, Glory. Luke told me that there’s no more tears in heaven. No sadness or sickness neither.” He shrugged. “Sounds like a really good place to go. I wonder if you still get to fish. Papa and Aaron would be sad if they couldn’t fish, so they must be able to fish in heaven.”

  “I don’t know the answer to that question, but I agree with you. Heaven will be a wonderful place where nothing will ever go wrong again.”

  The wind picked up, causing the drafty little house to moan. Papa had always commented on how he was going to fix that one day. Now it was a rather endearing sound that reminded Gloriana of the past.

  “You know, while we’re here and the baby is sleeping, I think I’ll trim your hair. You want to look your best for the Christmas program.”

  JT nodded. “I don’t like haircuts, but I do want to make you proud.”

  She touched his cheek. “You make me proud every day. I’m really lucky to have you as my little brother.”

  “Well, tomorrow night at the Christmas program, I’ll have a surprise for you. It’s not a present,” he said and frowned. “It’s a good thing, but it’s not a real present.”

  “You don’t need to worry about getting me a present. I’ll be just fine without one.”

  “Oh, I have a Christmas present for you. Luke took me shopping a while back, and I picked out a doozy.”

  She shook her head at the idea of Luke helping JT shop for her. Was there no end to his generosity? “Well, I wasn’t worried about getting a present, but I shall cherish whatever you have arranged.” She got up and went to retrieve the scissors and a comb. “Now hold still, and we’ll have this done in a quick minute.”

  Gloriana was grateful that JT was busy the next day with preparations for the school program. It gave her time to visit the stores and figure out a gift that she and JT could give Luke. The idea of a compass was absolutely perfect, but the cost was worrisome. Still, she had the money Luke had given her, and it seemed reasonable that she should spend at least some of it on Luke.