Christmas at Dove Creek

by Scarlett Dunn

  Lily had tears falling by the time he finished. “I thought . . . I thought you hadn’t gotten over her or the hurt.”

  “You can believe I wasn’t ready to ask another woman to marry me. I was angry and bitter after learning of her deception. To be honest, I wasn’t sure I could trust another woman. Then I met you and you’ve changed everything. I want you. I want you to be mine.” He pulled the ring out of the box and held it between his fingers. “This was my mother’s ring and I’ve never offered it to another woman. You are the woman I want. I love you, Lily, and I want to be your husband.” He held the ring to her finger, awaiting her response.

  “Yes, I would love to be your wife,” she said softly.

  He slipped the ring on her finger and it was a perfect fit. He pulled her into his embrace. “Do you love me, Lily?”

  “Yes, I love you. I have for a long time. Isabelle told me when I saved your life we would be bound to each other forever. I prayed she was right.”

  “You asked me about the past. It’s only fair that I know what your feelings are for Anderson.”

  “He wanted more than I could give. I was truthful when I said I considered him a friend. He planned to visit to see if I could feel more for him one day.”

  He nodded, satisfied with her response. “He’s never kissing you again.”

  She gave him a smile. “I would think not. I do need to send him a telegram and let him know when we are married.” She didn’t want the captain to come to visit and be surprised to learn she was a married woman. She looked down at the ring. “It’s beautiful and I will take care of it forever.” It had belonged to his mother and she knew how important it was to Thorpe.

  “It’s not as beautiful as you.” He felt so fortunate to have a woman like Lily. He’d never met another woman like her. It was difficult to believe, but her inner beauty surpassed her outer beauty. “You’re positive you want to stay with me forever?”

  “Positive. You know I’m a good shot, so I have no doubt you will be faithful.”

  Thorpe laughed. “That I do, Miss Lily. Even if you weren’t skilled with a gun, there’s no other woman for me.” He lowered his head to kiss her and she wrapped her arms around his neck. He kissed her with a raging hunger he’d tried to keep under tight rein, and she returned the kiss with equal fervor. Their kiss sealed the proposal with the promise of a loving and passionate future.

  He had to pull away from her before he picked her up and carried her straight upstairs. “I want you to kiss me like that tomorrow about one o’clock.”

  “Why one o’clock?”

  “The pastor will be here at noon to have lunch with us, and by one o’clock I plan to be celebrating our wedding day in my . . . our . . . bedroom.”

  “You want to get married tomorrow? It’s Christmas Eve.”

  “I spoke to the pastor while I was in town, and he’ll be bringing his wife with him. I thought if you agreed, it would be a perfect day to get married.” When he’d made his decision to ask her, he didn’t see any reason not to marry right away. “Do you object to marrying tomorrow?”

  “No, I just didn’t want the pastor to be away from his family on Christmas Eve. But if he is bringing his wife with him for lunch, tomorrow is perfect.” By this time tomorrow night she would be Thorpe’s wife. Thinking about sharing his bed excited her and made her nervous at the same time.

  They kissed again, and Thorpe was the first to pull away. “Stop kissing me like that or I won’t be able to wait until tomorrow.” He had his arm around her waist as they slowly walked back to the house. As soon as he opened the kitchen door they heard a wolf howl in the distance.

  Lily stopped and listened to the mournful sound that filled the quiet of the night. “I don’t think that was so very far away.”

  “Sounds in the night can carry a long way, Lily. Do you think that’s Blue?”

  “Yes.”

  He didn’t miss the hint of sadness in her one-word response. And he didn’t know if she was right or not, but if she was, he hoped Blue would come home before Christmas.

  After they said good night at Lily’s door, Thorpe walked to his room. Before he undressed, he sat in his chair and thought about his parents and how much they would have liked Lily. She’d saved his life in more ways than one. His heart had hardened after Evelyn’s betrayal and Lily changed him. He gave thanks for the full life he was going to have with a beautiful wife and new friends. He didn’t know how long he sat there before the wolf started howling again. He walked to the window and looked out. If souls could connect man and animal, he hoped Blue connected with his soul and knew he wanted him home. “This is your home, too.” He grabbed his hat off the table and walked out the door. He wouldn’t give up on Blue.

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Isabelle insisted on helping Lily dress for her special day and arranged her hair much the way she did the day at the fort when they’d dined with the captain. “I wish you had a real wedding dress.”

  Lily had the same thought, but even if she could afford that beautiful white material at the general store, she didn’t have time to make a dress. She looked down at her dress; it was pretty and not threadbare like her other dresses. “This blue dress is my best one.”

  “It’s pretty, but I wanted to see you in a white dress. But it doesn’t really matter, Thorpe will think you are beautiful in anything, or nothing,” Isabelle said.

  “Isabelle!” Lily felt herself blushing.

  Isabelle gave her a serious look. “I know you’ve never . . . well, never been with a man. Do you know what to expect?”

  “I suppose. My mother told me some things, and I’ve been around a lot of animals.”

  “Then you know the basics. There is nothing to be nervous about. I can only tell you, with the right man, everything will be wonderful. And I know Thorpe is the right man for you. I knew it from the start.”

  “Yes, you did.”

  “He knew it, too. He just fought the notion.”

  Lily looked in the mirror when Isabelle finished winding the ribbon through her hair. “It looks lovely. Thank you.”

  Isabelle stepped back and looked at Lily. “I’ve never seen a more beautiful bride. Now help me waddle down the stairs.”

  They walked into the kitchen and found Jed making lunch for them. “Miss Lily, you shor’ look pretty.”

  “Thank you. We came down to prepare lunch, but I see we are too late. You didn’t have to do that, Jed.”

  “I wanted to do it for you. You already made breakfast this morning and baked a cake. You’ve done enough work on your wedding day.”

  “Thank you, Jed. That’s really nice of you.” Knowing how much Thorpe loved cake, she didn’t consider it work to bake one. Before dawn, Thorpe had joined her in the kitchen. While she was mixing the batter, he was standing over her, sticking his finger in the bowl. He smeared it on her lips and then kissed it off. She wasn’t going to share that with Jed though. “What can we do to help?”

  “You ladies can make the table look pretty. I’m not good at that.”

  “Seeing how delicious that fried chicken looks, you don’t need to be good at anything else,” Isabelle teased.

  To make the table more festive, Lily made an arrangement in a bowl with the mistletoe Thorpe had brought in earlier, along with some pine cones.

  “Is Thorpe back?” Lily asked.

  “He’s upstairs changing his clothes. He said he wanted to look handsome for his bride,” Jed said, smiling wide.

  “Yes, I do,” Thorpe said as he stood at the doorway. He’d been standing there a few moments just watching his soon-to-be-wife. He could hardly believe this beautiful woman was soon to be his. “I don’t want her to think she made a mistake.”

  Lily turned at the sound of his voice. He looked so handsome in his dark suit and white shirt that he took her breath away. “You succeeded.”

  He liked the look in her eyes. He hurried across the room and took her in his arms. “You think you made a mistake?”


  “No, you succeeded in looking handsome.”

  “I had to look presentable for the most beautiful bride in the world.” He picked up some mistletoe from the table and held it over her head. “Now you have to kiss me.” He didn’t give her time to respond before he brushed his lips over hers. “I’ll want some more of those later.”

  Stone came through the kitchen doorway. “Here comes the pastor and his wife.”

  Lily stepped away from Thorpe, her face turning a nice shade of pink, causing Thorpe to chuckle. He reached for her hand and walked outside to greet the pastor and his wife. After the pastor introduced his wife, they turned to go inside, but Lily abruptly turned around and looked off in the distance.

  At first, Thorpe thought she was just enjoying the view, but he saw she was focused on a specific spot at least two hundred yards away. He looked at the trees, but he saw nothing. “What is it, honey?”

  “I don’t know. I just felt . . . something.” She put her hand to her heart.

  Thorpe was staring at her when her eyes widened. “Lily?”

  Hearing the concern in Thorpe’s voice, the pastor and his wife turned to see what was happening.

  Lily took a few steps forward. “It’s Blue,” she whispered.

  Thorpe looked out over the ranch. “Honey, he’s not there.”

  Suddenly, Lily gripped her skirt in her hands and started running toward the trees.

  “Lily!” Thorpe took off after her.

  Isabelle, Stone, and Jed heard Thorpe’s booming voice and ran outside thinking something was wrong. Stone had grabbed the rifle by the door.

  “She thought she saw Blue,” the pastor told them.

  It only took Thorpe a few strides to catch up with Lily and he latched on to her arm and stopped her. “Honey, Blue’s not here.” Just as the words left his mouth, Blue came loping from the trees. When he saw Lily, he picked up speed.

  Thorpe couldn’t believe what he was seeing. There was no way Lily could have seen Blue before he came through the trees.

  “Blue!” Blue ran to her outstretched arms. She crouched down and Blue started whimpering and licking her face at the same time.

  Thorpe kneeled beside them and engulfed them both in his arms. He could barely contain his emotions. He’d missed Blue, and he’d prayed he would come back for Lily’s sake.

  “Oh, Blue, where have you been?” Lily asked him. “I’ve been worried sick about you.”

  Thorpe looked him over and the big wolf looked to be well-fed and he saw no injuries. “He looks great.”

  Seeing movement in his peripheral vision, Thorpe whipped his head around to see a rider coming through the trees in the exact spot Blue had exited. He didn’t recognize the man or the horse. He’d left his gun in the kitchen, so he said, “Lily, go back to the house with Blue.”

  She heard the change in his voice. “What’s wrong?” Then she saw the man on the Appaloosa riding in their direction. “Grandfather?”

  Thorpe looked hard at the man as he approached. Though Lily had never described her grandfather, he’d envisioned him as a small man with white hair. The man on the Appaloosa was tall in the saddle and looked to be much younger than the age of a grandfather. A quick estimate said her grandfather should be well over sixty years of age. “It can’t be your grandfather.”

  “It is!” Lily ran to him with Blue beside her.

  Thorpe was just a half step behind.

  “Grandfather!”

  Ben jumped off his horse, and when he reached his granddaughter, he lifted her off the ground and twirled her around, much like he did when she was a small child. He put her down and held her from him and looked her up and down. “You are more beautiful than ever. You look so much like my Mattie.”

  “Grandfather, how did you know where to find me?”

  “Blue led me.”

  Thorpe stared at the man who was almost as tall as he was, leaner, but he looked to be in excellent shape. His face was strongly sculpted, yet still possessed a youthful appearance despite the squint lines at the corner of his eyes. His hair was black with a smattering of white at the temples, but his eyes were as blue as Lily’s.

  “Grandfather, this is Thorpe Turlow.”

  “Am I in time for the wedding?”

  Lily glanced at Thorpe, and Thorpe was staring at Ben.

  “How did you know?” Lily asked.

  Ben smiled. “The way we know all things. Have I not taught you to be still and listen?”

  “You have. And you are in time,” Lily assured him.

  Thorpe knew there was no way the man could have heard about the wedding. When he went to bed last night, only two people knew he was marrying today: himself and Lily. He hadn’t even told the pastor he was getting married. He’d just told him to be prepared to perform another wedding when he came to the ranch for lunch. They’d told Stone, Isabelle, and Jed this morning over breakfast.

  Thorpe extended his hand to Ben. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. Lily has told me so much about you.”

  “I’ve heard much about you. My granddaughter has made a wise choice.”

  Another odd response, Thorpe thought. “I’m a fortunate man.” Thorpe planned to pull Ben aside after lunch to make sure they would have his blessing. He knew Lily would be pleased to have her grandfather bless their union. If Ben objected, Thorpe would be disappointed, but nothing was going to stop him from marrying Lily.

  “Yes, you are a lucky man, and you have my blessing.”

  Thorpe stared at him, wondering if Lily forgot to mention her grandfather was a mind-reader. When he recovered from his shock, he said, “Did you find your brother?”

  “I did and he is well. He has a wife and five children, they live in Montana Territory.” He smiled at Lily. “Honey, you have a large family now.”

  “Grandfather, Mother and Father . . .” Lily didn’t think she could tell him about her parents without crying.

  Ben squeezed her to him again. “I know, honey. I’m sorry I wasn’t there to help you.”

  Thorpe took hold of his horse’s reins. “Let’s get your horse in the stable. We were just getting ready for lunch and we want to hear all about your travels.”

  Thorpe and Ben walked to the stable and Lily took Blue to the kitchen. Blue ran straight to Spirit and the pups for a lively reunion.

  When Thorpe and Ben came in from the stable, they all took their seats at the table. Thorpe glanced at the people around his table. He’d been fortunate to inherit this family and he was happy they were there to witness his marriage to Lily. He took Lily’s hand in his, and when her eyes met his, he winked at her. He’d never been happier in his life. “Ben, would you like to say grace?”

  * * *

  Lunch ended and everyone gathered in the parlor. Stone had the fire blazing in the fireplace and the room was warm and cozy. The pastor stood with his back to the fire and Lily and Thorpe took their positions facing him with Blue between them. Thorpe declared his vows in such a deep, strong voice, it brought tears to Lily’s eyes. She felt so much love for this wonderful man that she could hardly speak her vows.

  After the preacher pronounced them man and wife, Thorpe took Lily in his arms. “It looks like you are bound to me forever.”

  The day they stood on that ledge on Chimney Rock flashed before her eyes. When he’d etched their names in that rock and carved the heart joining them together, she was filled with sheer joy at the thought of being connected to him forever in some way. Now she was the wife of this magnificent man, and she could hardly speak for the overwhelming love she felt for him. “Yes, I’ve been very blessed,” she whispered.

  Thorpe leaned over and kissed her tenderly. “I’m the one who has been blessed. I love you, Mrs. Turlow.”

  She was thrilled to be called Mrs. Turlow. “I love you, husband.” She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.

  * * *

  After they cut the wedding cake, Thorpe joined Ben at the fireplace and handed him a pla
te. Ben was looking at his carvings Lily had displayed.

  “I’m curious to know why you carved the wolf with the notch in his ear,” Thorpe asked.

  Ben turned his blue eyes on Thorpe. “Blue has a notch on his ear.”

  “Lily told me you carved that when you were a boy. She only found Blue last year and you had already left Texas.”

  Ben nodded. “This was my first carving. One of the elders in the tribe taught me.”

  “Did the wolf you had at that time have a notch in his ear in the exact spot?”

  Ben smiled at Thorpe. “Yes.” He saw the bewildered look on Thorpe’s face, and said, “The Good Book tells us to have faith and believe. All things are possible.”

  Lily walked up and heard her grandfather’s response. She wasn’t surprised. She understood her grandfather possessed a spiritual awareness that often surpassed understanding.

  Thorpe couldn’t continue the conversation as the pastor and his wife were ready to depart. After the good-byes, Stone and Jed headed out to the stable to put the finishing touches on their projects. When Isabelle excused herself to go upstairs to rest, Thorpe, Lily, and Ben were alone.

  Thorpe had planned to spend the rest of the day in his room with his new bride, but now that Ben had arrived, his plans changed.

  “What do you say we take Ben out to see the ranch?” he said to Lily.

  Before Lily responded, she glanced around the room looking for her grandfather.

  “He’s on the porch,” Thorpe said.

  “I thought you wanted to . . .”

  He arched his brow at her. “Why, Miss Lily, I think you can’t wait to see me without my shirt again.”

  Her blush started rising slowly from her neck to her forehead.

  Thorpe hugged her. “I do want to, you don’t know how much. But I think we can make it until tonight. Unless your grandfather is too tired, let’s show him around. You two have a lot of catching up to do and I want to get to know him.”

  The way she looked up at him, she didn’t have to say the words; Thorpe shared her feelings. “Yes, Mrs. Turlow. I love you, too.”