Mountain Christmas Brides

by Mildred Colvin

  She rose from the bench. “Come into the parlor. I’ll ask Eliza to bring tea. I want to catch up on how your week went.”

  “Very well, though I missed you. I finished my Christmas shopping. There are now a few gifts for you and Dorcas under the tree.”

  “You didn’t have to do that, with everything you’ve gone through. You’ll find a gift or two from us as well, though,” she noted. “So were you able to save anything from the fire?”

  “Yes, a few things.”

  “Good. I’m glad you will have some memories to hold on to.”

  Moments later, they sat in the parlor and waited for tea to be served. “So have you thought about rebuilding the house?” Thalia asked.

  “I haven’t decided yet.”

  “Oh.” She became conscious of her heartbeat. He had mentioned going to California. Was he planning to leave Aurora after all?

  “A lot of my decision depends on you.”

  “On me?”

  “You told me to start looking at people for signs instead of trusting in superstition. That was good advice. It’s been freeing. Similar to losing almost everything in a fire.” His mouth twisted into a rueful line.

  Thalia thought about his words. “Perhaps losing everything did offer you a way to begin fresh.”

  “I’ll say. I’ve been watching you as I recovered.”

  “Oh, you have, have you?” She wasn’t sure what to think.

  “I hope I’m not too weak at reading people now that I’ve thrown away my talismans. I–I’m hoping you’ve changed your mind about me.”

  “Changed my mind?” She paused. “Well, I’m glad you’re looking toward the Lord now, of course. But other than that, I don’t have any idea what you mean.”

  “Don’t be coy. You know why I didn’t choose you over Norma all those years ago.” He seemed more hurt than angry.

  Shock bolted through her. She leaned closer. “Uh, no, I don’t.”

  His eyes widened. “Why, Norma told me the truth about you—that you didn’t love me.”

  Taken aback, Thalia gasped. Her head spun. How could her cousin tell such a lie? Even worse, how could Maximilian believe it? “When did she tell you that?”

  “Why—I—I—I don’t know. Sometime before I decided to start courting her in earnest. Does it really matter when?”

  “I knew she wanted you, but I didn’t think she’d resort to lies.” Thalia didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

  “Lies? You mean you did love me?”

  “Couldn’t you tell?”

  “I guess I should have. But Norma seemed so sure of herself. And you were so reserved and so much closer to God than I ever was. I am hoping I can follow your example and become closer to God, too.”

  “I know.” The thought filled her with joy.

  At that moment, Eliza brought in tea. The maid couldn’t take her gaze from them, but Thalia didn’t want to satisfy her curiosity. The couple remained silent until she exited.

  Sweet tea, with its spicy aroma, would have been appealing any other time, but Maximilian and Thalia were too preoccupied to enjoy it.

  He took her hands in his. Their warmth sent a tingle through her. “I don’t want to talk about the past. I want to talk about the future. Do you still love me?”

  Her voice came out as a whisper. “Yes.”

  “And I love you now more than ever. You have changed my life for the better.”

  “With God’s help. I do nothing good alone.”

  “I know how important your aunt is to you. You want to stay here in Colorado, near her.”

  “Yes.” She hoped her answer wouldn’t ruin her chances with him, but she had to speak the truth.

  “If that is what you want, that’s what I want. I would love to build a new house for you, in any style you like, if you would live with me in Aurora.”

  The thought left her dizzy. “A one-room cottage would be enough, if I was with you.” She paused. “But Aunt Dorcas …”

  “I spoke with her. She knows about this, and in light of how dramatically my attitude toward God has changed, plus everything we confessed to one another on the way to Aurora that day, she has given her approval.”

  “I might have been surprised by that only a few weeks ago, but no longer. I know she really does want me to be happy.”

  Nodding, he reached into his suit pocket and took out a small box. “In the midst of all that rubble, I found a link to the past that I do want to remember. Surely the preservation of this treasure is a Christmas miracle. This is a way that I can honor my mother. Here.” He handed her the box.

  She opened it to discover a gold-filigreed ring with a large marquis-shaped diamond flanked by two emerald baguettes. “Oh, I’ve never seen a ring so beautiful!”

  “I know Mother would want you to have it. Will you wear it as a token of our engagement?”

  “Our—our engagement?” She wondered at how such words fell from her lips. But saying them felt fantastic beyond belief.

  With a gentle motion, he took the ring out of the box and placed it on the third finger of her left hand. “There. It fits perfectly.”

  “It’s gorgeous.”

  “Not as gorgeous as you. So you’ll wear it?”

  “I’ll never take it off. Ever!”

  His lips moved toward hers, and she looked into his eyes. As they kissed, everything faded into oblivion. Everything except the fires of love.

  Tamela Hancock Murray is the author of over thirty novels and nonfiction works. She feels honored and humbled that her books have placed her on bestseller lists and that one of her Barbour titles, Destinations, won an RWA Inspirational Readers Choice Award. Tamela has been a literary agent since 2001 and is with The Steve Laube Agency.

  Tamela lives in Virginia with her husband of over thirty years. They are the parents of two lovely daughters. Tamela enjoys church, reading, and spending time with her immediate and extended family and friends.

  Tamela is passionate about edifying and encouraging other Christians through her work. She always enjoys hearing from readers. Please visit her on Facebook and Twitter.

  The Best Medicine

  by Lena Nelson Dooley

  Dedication

  This book is dedicated to my writing teammates:

  Tamela Hancock Murray, Susan Page Davis, and Darlene Franklin.

  Working together on this collection has been a lot of fun.

  Thank you, Rebecca Germany, for giving us this chance.

  Very special thanks to Dr. Richard Mabry, a friend in Dallas.

  Richard was able to give me authentic practices from the time period as well as symptoms. This is the second book he’s helped me with. Any errors are mine and not Richard’s.

  And as always, I dedicate this book to my wonderful husband, James.

  When I married you almost fifty-two years ago, I loved you with all my heart.

  You brightened my life with your love. Through all we’ve experienced, the good and the bad, that love has grown stronger and deeper and provided a beacon in this topsy-turvy world for our daughters, sons-in-law, granddaughters, grandsons, one grandson-in-law, and now three great-grandsons. Welcome to the family, Sebastian Alexander VanZant, Holden Andrews, and Hudson Andrews.

  A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.

  PROVERBS 17:22

  Chapter 1

  December, 1913

  Metallic tapping awakened Rose Fletcher. She stretched then got out of bed, but she couldn’t identify exactly what startled her. Of course not. She wasn’t in her family’s home in Breckenridge, or even at the house out on their ranch. Another soft clang came from the steam radiator. She hoped these knocking sounds wouldn’t keep her awake after she went to bed tonight.

  Rose picked up the dainty timepiece her father had ordered from France for her last birthday. She should have heard it ticking, but no sound emanated from the jewel-studded brooch. As she began to turn the stem, it felt loose. The instrume
nt had completely run down because she had forgotten to wind it. No way to tell exactly how long she’d been asleep.

  Glancing at the window to estimate how late in the day it was, Rose noticed snowflakes dancing in the dwindling winter daylight, casting a white haze over everything outside. She rushed through her ablutions and donned the new emerald green dress she’d had made just for this party. The dressmaker in Breckenridge had copied the style from Harper’s Bazaar. The magazine kept Rose aware of what was going on in fashion even when it was Harper’s Bazar. After Randolph Hearst bought the magazine from the Harpers and changed the spelling, the coverage improved. This lovely dress was the perfect example of how they presented up-to-date fashions. She slid her hand down the other sleeve, enjoying the soft feel of the lightweight wool.

  Rose tilted the pier glass up to make sure her new coiffure was not mussed. Quite a departure from the Gibson-girl pouf she had worn all through finishing school. She felt her hair to make sure the figure-eight chignon was secure. Then she tilted the glass down so she could see all the way to the hem of the dress. Tiers on the skirt gave it definition without adding width. She turned her back and glanced over her shoulder. The gown fit like a soft kidskin glove and made her feel like a princess.

  When Rose arrived downstairs, Thalia and her aunt Dorcas once again made her feel welcome. Why hadn’t she made more opportunities to spend time in the city with her friends?

  “Dr. Stanton has arrived,” the maid announced.

  He must be new. Rose couldn’t remember a doctor by that name being in Denver. When Thalia had taken ill at school, she’d lamented the fact that Dr. Wetherby wasn’t there to take care of her. He’d looked after her family since before she was born, and she trusted his wisdom.

  Rose couldn’t keep her eyes away from the stranger. He doffed his hat, took off his muffler, and handed them to the waiting servant, leaning toward the young maid and speaking softly to her before he turned toward the parlor. Surprise blossomed within Rose’s chest as she beheld the handsome man. Tall with broad, muscular shoulders, he looked as if he performed hard physical labor instead of the less strenuous profession of caring for the sick.

  While she stood spellbound, the man pushed at unruly dark curls, trying to make them lie down. The effort was in vain, for one drooped across his broad brow like an errant child. Dr. Stanton shrugged out of his coat and handed it to the maid before striding toward their hostess.

  Rose took a deep breath and slowly let it out, more to calm herself than for the needed air. Why hadn’t Thalia told her about the arrival of this young doctor in Denver? Surely she could have mentioned it in one of her letters.

  Thalia glanced up, and her eyes twinkled. “Rose, I want to introduce you to the doctor who has joined old Dr. Wetherby in his practice.”

  The man turned intense gray eyes toward her. For a moment, they seemed familiar, but nothing else about the man did. Perhaps she had met someone who shared the same kind of serious expression. He never took his gaze from her, making her want to squirm. She pressed her hand over the bottom of the V-neckline of her dress. Hopefully, he didn’t think it too daring.

  Thalia slipped an arm around her waist. “Rose is one of my dearest friends.”

  Rose smiled at the tall man. She held out her hand for him to shake, but instead he lifted it and barely pressed his lips against the back of her fingers.

  For a moment, she stared into his eyes. When his hand encountered hers, heat from his body infused the connection and began a slow journey up her arm. At the same time, a blush rushed up her neck and into her cheeks, causing them to burn. She wished she carried a fan. So much for looking poised.

  After he raised his head, he continued to hold her hand captive. “I’m charmed by your presence.” The tone of his words was almost familiar.

  “Nice to make your acquaintance” was all she could think of to say after his greeting.

  A twinkle lit his eyes, and once again she felt as if she should know this man, but no real remembrance came to mind.

  Thomas held Rose’s hand a little longer than decorum allowed from a stranger, but he hoped she would recognize him. It had been years since he left her father’s ranch to go to Harvard Medical School. Back then, Rose had turned longing eyes toward him, almost as if she didn’t want him to go.

  After a blush befitting her name suffused her cheeks, she tugged her hand from his. He raised one eyebrow, gave her a nod, and waited for her response. At any moment, she’d realize who he was.

  “Rose!” The newest arrival rushed toward her, and the young women threw their arms around each other and started talking at the same time—in exclamations.

  Thomas moved away but kept his attention on Rose, studying all the ways she had changed. A sophisticated hairstyle in dark auburn replaced her carrot-colored braids. The waves framing her face ended at the nape of her neck with a soft bun like one of the nurses at the hospital wore below her cap. He’d heard her tell one of the other nurses that it was the latest style from France. A spark of fire burned on the crests of those dark red waves. He wanted to reach out and touch one to feel its warmth. Quickly, he shoved both hands into the pockets of his slacks.

  Even her freckles had faded. He’d heard her father call them her pennies from heaven that were scattered across her cheeks and forehead when she was younger. Now her skin looked translucent, like creamy porcelain. When he’d worked on her father’s ranch, the girl had idolized him. She made his life miserable. The young hoyden who followed him around the ranch, riding her horse with reckless abandon, was gone. Little Rose had grown up while he had been away, and he wanted to get to know her as a woman.

  The other young woman turned to take off her coat, and Rose finally noticed that he still stood close by.

  “How long have you known our hostess?” He hoped his question would keep her near him until she realized who he was.

  “Thalia and I were roommates in boarding school.” Rose’s smile lit her face like the electric lights that had come into general use in many areas of the country.

  “Where did you go to boarding school?” Thomas didn’t want this conversation to end too soon.

  “Outside New York City.” Rose glanced around the room as if looking for someone else.

  What would it take to keep her attention on him? “I returned to Colorado from back East a few months ago. I attended Harvard Medical School.”

  That caught her attention. “You did? I know someone who is going to—”

  “Thomas.” Thalia’s voice interrupted as she stopped beside them. “I have someone else I want you to meet. Can you come over here, please?”

  At the first sound, he’d looked at their hostess. When he turned back to Rose, her brow puckered. “Thomas?” The word sounded almost strangled.

  “Yes, Rose. Thomas Stanton.”

  A myriad of expressions that he couldn’t decipher raced across her face.

  “Are you coming, Thomas?” Thalia’s insistence urged him along with her hand on his arm. “Rose, please excuse us.”

  He leaned toward Rose. “I need to go now, but we will continue this conversation later.”

  While Thalia took Thomas from group to group, introducing him to the other guests, a special awareness of Rose went with him. When she finally started a conversation with another young woman, he was able to concentrate more on the people he met.

  Rose watched Thomas walk away with Thalia. How could she not have recognized him? Evidently her heart did even though her mind hadn’t. Those gray eyes and that voice, though the timbre had deepened with maturity. Her heart fluttered as butterfly wings danced in her stomach, making her breathless. What was wrong with her? This was just Thomas. She’d fancied herself in love with him when she was in pigtails, but she never really expected to see him again after he left for medical school. He hadn’t even returned when his father died. She had been sure the lure of the big cities back East held him there.

  They hadn’t held her, either. She’d enjoyed fin
ishing school, but the Rocky Mountains called to her heart, and she’d gladly returned to Breckenridge.

  “Rose!” Natalie Daire was taking off her long coat and gloves as she hurried toward her. “I’ve been anxious to see you.”

  And she was glad to see Natalie. Now all four of the girls who had been so close at school were at the party.

  “Daring Natalie, what’s this I hear about you having one of those Cadillacs?” Rose’s question brought a sparkle to Natalie’s eyes. Her nature fit her last name so well.

  “You’ll have to go for a ride with me while you’re in Denver.” Natalie laid her coat across one arm. “I wore my driving duster and hat. There isn’t any dust this evening, but it helped keep the snow off my new dress and out of my hair.”

  “Do you really like driving that thing?” Rose had a hard time keeping her attention on Natalie. Her gaze kept returning to the tall, handsome man across the room.

  “So have you met our new Doctor Stanton?” Evidently Natalie noticed where Rose’s gaze wandered.

  Rose smiled at her friend. “Actually, I’ve known Thomas for years. His father was the foreman on my father’s ranch. Thomas worked there, too, before he went to medical school.”

  A knowing smile crept across Natalie’s face. “So that adds to his fascination, doesn’t it?”

  For the second time tonight, Rose felt a blush stain her cheeks. “I wouldn’t say I find him fascinating. I just didn’t expect to see him after all this time.” In her heart, she knew she was more interested in him than what she professed to her friend.

  Chapter 2

  How was Thomas ever going to keep all these new people straight? His inability to remember names had plagued him all his life, and it wasn’t a desirable trait in a doctor. Patients felt more comfortable with a physician who called them by name every time he met them, in the office or out in public.