His precious Charlotte.
He prayed for her to be strong enough to live through the ordeal, and for their baby to be healthy.
“Take Emma for a walk – far away from here,” Mrs Jensen ordered him. “She doesn’t need to hear this.”
He grabbed the child’s hand and began toward the creek. They were almost out of hearing when he heard an almighty scream.
He stood frozen to the spot and bowed his head. “Dear Lord,” he whispered. “Please keep my Charlotte safe.”
“Is Mama alright,” Emma asked.
He looked down at the child. What was he to say? He leaned down and picked her up. “Mama is fine,” he lied. “Our new baby is coming soon.”
Emma’s eyes opened wide. “Really? My baby sister is coming soon?”
She wriggled in his arms, wanting to get down. The moment she hit the ground her little legs took off running back toward the cabin.
“Emma,” he called to her. “Stop now.”
She defied him and kept running.
He had dealt with criminals who were more obedient than his little girl was right now, and it riled him up. At the same time, he understood her excitement. “Emma, stop,” he said again. “Otherwise you will not be allowed to collect the eggs this week.”
He hoped it would be enough. It was her most favorite thing to do.
He shaded his eyes from the sun trying to see her. As he got closer, he could see the child had stopped. Thank goodness Charlotte had told him her secret weapon to getting Emma to behave.
He grinned momentarily, then his face stiffened, remembering the situation Charlotte was in right now.
“Come back,” he called, waving to her. “We’ll go to the creek for a while.”
Face dropping, the child returned to her father. “Do you know the way,” he asked. “I’m not sure I do.”
Of course, he knew, but needed to keep her occupied.
She was excited to show him how to reach the creek she enjoyed so much.
He sat on a log near the water, watching Emma play. As the sun got lower behind the Dayton Falls Mountains, he decided it was time to go back.
At least he hoped it was.
He wasn’t sure what he would find but hoped with all his heart his darling Charlotte was still of this world. He couldn’t bear to lose her. His only saving grace was he’d found the strength to tell her how much he loved her.
As they approached the house, Mrs Jensen stood on the porch. His heart beat quickened.
She wasn’t smiling, she was just standing there.
His head was spinning, and he felt a little faint. He tightened his grip on Emma’s tiny hand.
He was only steps away from the cabin when Mrs Jensen sprung toward him.
“Congratulations, sheriff,” she said, beaming. “You have a beautiful baby boy.”
His heart beat quickened again. What about his wife? What wasn’t she telling him?
He tried to push his way up the steps, but Mrs Jensen was having none of it. “Charlotte needs to rest,” she said quietly.
“She survived?” he asked quietly. “My beautiful wife is alive?”
Tears threatened to push through, but he wasn’t letting Mrs Jensen see his weakness. He turned toward Emma. “We’ll go and collect the eggs now,” he told her softly.
Mrs Jensen smiled knowingly, and he pulled Emma behind him. “We don’t have the egg basket,” Emma said, pouting at him.
“We’ll use your pinafore to carry them,” he told her.
His Charlotte was alive. He couldn’t ask for anything more.
* * *
“Joseph Doyle. I like it,” Angus said.
He pulled back the blanket slightly and gazed down at his new son. He was amazing. Just like his mother.
“I wanted a sister,” Emma said, pouting. Then she stomped her foot.
“We don’t get choices, Emma,” Angus told her, touching her nose with his finger. “Maybe next time it will be a little sister.” Charlotte glared at him.
Joseph began to wail. “He’s probably hungry,” Charlotte told him.
He sent Emma to her room to play while Charlotte fed their baby. Angus sat on the side of the bed watching her breast feed him. Their little miracle.
He was so grateful for his wonderful wife and their beautiful family.
Christmas was two days away, and his wish was about to come true. Only instead of being the three of them, they were now four.
His heart was overwhelmed with joy.
Epilogue
Two years later...
“Papa, it’s snowing!” Five-year-old Emma shouted.
Two-year-old Joseph ran shakily across the room, trying to reach his Mama who was holding twelve-month-old Grace.
Charlotte sat with her feet up, her eyes opening and closing as she drifted in and out of sleep.
“Another Christmas almost here, and another baby about to arrive,” Angus said lovingly.
They’d had to add another room to accommodate their every-growing brood.
“This is the last baby, Angus,” Charlotte said sharply.
Angus laughed. “That’s what you said last year and look at you now.” He grinned at her, knowing she would forgive him in a heart beat.
She sat watching out the window, mesmerized by the snow.
Charlotte loved her little family. She loved and adored her husband and knew the best thing she’d ever done in her life was become a mail order bride.
If she hadn’t, she would never have met her amazing husband, nor would she have all these beautiful children.
The Lord’s gifts were truly bountiful.
The End
Thank you so much for reading my book – I hope you enjoyed it.
I would greatly appreciate you leaving a review on Amazon, even if it is only a one-liner. It helps to have my books more visible on Amazon!
I will be adding to the Mail Order Brides of Dayton Falls series regularly Look out for the next book soon!
Below I’ve listed just a few of my other books you might be interested in.
My first Western Romance series is the Callahan Brothers Series.
To Check Out the Callahan Brothers Series, Click Here.
My second series, the River Valley Lawmen Series is a spin-off from the popular Callahan Brothers Series. (Some characters cross-over from that series.)
To view the River Valley Lawmen Series, Click Here.
About the Author
Multi-published, best selling and award-winning author, Cheryl Wright, former secretary, debt collector, account manager, writing coach, and shopping tour hostess, loves reading.
She writes both contemporary and historical western romance, as well as contemporary romance and romantic suspense.
She lives in Melbourne, Australia, and is married with two adult children and has six grandchildren.
When she’s not writing, she can be found in her craft room making greeting cards.
Check out Cheryl’s Amazon page for a full list of her other books.
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The Widower's Christmas Wish Page 7
