Mistletoe Courtship

by Janet Tronstad

  “She looks so forlorn,” Virginia said as she glanced up at Colter.

  “Yes, she does,” he agreed as he opened the door.

  A rush of warm air greeted them as they stepped inside. Patricia looked over and, when she saw them, shifted farther away on the bench.

  Virginia put her hand on Colter’s arm. “I’ll talk to her. She’s feeling guilty.”

  He nodded.

  “We’re just coming to see you,” Virginia said softly as she walked slowly toward Patricia. “We missed you and your father is making a wonderful breakfast. Besides, I wanted to bring you these.”

  By now Virginia was standing in front of the girl and she held out the bundle of bells. “One bell is lonely by itself. It needs others to make music. If you want them, they’re yours.”

  Patricia looked up wide-eyed. “But you need them for the songs tonight. For the church service. For that lady with the school.”

  For the first time that morning, Virginia remembered Cecilia Wells was coming tonight to make a decision about whether or not Virginia could be a music teacher at the school. If she didn’t have the bells, she wouldn’t appear like a worthy teacher at all. But her heart told her it wasn’t only bells that got lonely. She looked down at Patricia’s scared face and hoped the girl would remember she was loved when she played those bells.

  “I still want you to have them,” Virginia said as she sat down on the bench next to the girl.

  “But—” Patricia began and then she burst into tears.

  Virginia put the bells down on the bench and opened her arms to the girl. “Come here.”

  “I was talking to the clerk,” Colter said as he came over and joined them on the bench. Patricia stopped sobbing in Virginia’s arms long enough to look up at Colter.

  “He’s made a mistake. That’s all,” Patricia said as she pulled away from Virginia. “My mother sent money for me to go, too. Not just her trunks. He just made a mistake.”

  Patricia sat with her arms crossed on the bench.

  “Oh, dear,” Virginia said as she glanced up at Colter.

  “Well, you will always have a home with me,” Colter said as he opened his arms to the girl, too. “There’s no need for you to go anywhere.”

  The girl started to weep again, this time even harder. Her face was pressed against Colter’s shirt, but her voice was clear. “My mother didn’t send for me.”

  Then Patricia looked up at Virginia. “I was going to bring the bell back. I know they’re yours.”

  Virginia shook her head. “In the future, we’ll share them.”

  “But we’ll use them tonight for church, won’t we?” Patricia asked as she wiped her eyes.

  Virginia nodded. “We’ll need to practice some later today.”

  Colter went to the church an hour before the Christmas Eve service was set to begin. He brought a load of firewood over because he had volunteered to heat the room up so everyone would be comfortable as they remembered the day Jesus was born. As long as he was heating the church, he decided he might as well provide some green boughs and a few red ribbons to make everything look festive.

  When he was done, he sat on one of the benches to pray. It was about this time last year that he had walked up to the pulpit in this very building, pledging to become a Christian. He figured it wouldn’t hurt to begin this next year with prayer either. His family was just beginning to find themselves. Patricia had spent the rest of the day without mentioning her mother. Danny had welcomed Patricia back with a pat on the back and an offer to let her name the cat since he had already named the dog. Virginia—well, she was the one who might be leaving.

  Tonight the woman from the school would hear the bells ringing out those Christmas carols. Colter had heard the practicing that had taken place this afternoon. The girls could play those songs flawlessly. He had no doubt Virginia would be offered the job. All he could do was pray that God blessed her and gave her the desires of her heart. He’d never felt so helpless.

  A few hours later, Virginia and Patricia carried the bells over to the church and arranged them on a table before anyone else was there. When they opened the door, warm air welcomed them. Virginia knew that was because of Colter’s thoughtfulness and she appreciated it. The girls would not be able to ring the bells right if their hands were all freezing.

  “May I?” Patricia asked. Virginia nodded and the girl picked up one of the bells and rang it. The sound of the note filled the schoolhouse and the girl grinned.

  Reverend Olson and his wife were the next to arrive, but then families started to arrive in clusters. The Hargroves were there. The Bakers. Annabelle and Higgins. Mr. Wells and his daughters. And, with them, a woman dressed in black silk who had to be his sister.

  Virginia saw Mr. Wells nod for her to come over and she went to greet them.

  “This is my sister, Cecilia,” Mr. Wells said. “With the school in Denver. We’ve been telling her all about you.”

  “I’ve heard some wonderful things,” Cecilia said as she offered to shake Virginia’s hand.

  “I’m so glad you could come,” Virginia said as she accepted the woman’s hand. “This is a special service for us tonight.”

  By the time the Wells family was seated, everybody was ready for the Christmas Eve service to begin. Higgins began by reading the story of the baby’s birth from Luke. Then Reverend Olson and his wife sang a duet. Spotted Fawn recited a Christmas poem that she had written. And then it was time for the bells.

  Virginia barely had to prompt the girls. They knew their songs so well and the intense sweet smiles on their faces probably moved the listeners as much as the clear tones of their bells. Whichever it was, the building was completely silent as the bells rang out. Virginia wondered if there wasn’t some of the wonder with them tonight that had been present thousands of years ago. She could almost hear the sigh from the listeners when the deep tone of the last bell finished ringing.

  The girls walked back to their places on the benches and no one made a sound.

  At last, the reverend stood. “After that beautiful reminder of the spirit of Christmas, let us pray.”

  Everyone stood and bowed their heads. “Bless us on this beautiful Christmas Eve. May You give peace and joy to us all and be with us on our journeys home.”

  When the prayer was done, people rushed over to tell the girls how much they enjoyed the bells. And to tell Spotted Fawn that they thought she should have her poem published in one of those magazines from back east.

  Cecilia Wells came over to Virginia as she started wrapping the bells up in the pieces of linen.

  “Those bells of yours are magnificent,” the woman said. “And my brother tells me you’ve only given lessons on the bells for a couple of months. It’s truly remarkable what you’ve managed to teach. I just want you to know that the job is yours if you want it. I’ll be in Miles City for a few days, so think of any questions you want to ask about the school. I’ll invite you over for tea before I leave and we can talk more.”

  “Thank you,” Virginia said with a nod of her head.

  She had never thought it would be that easy. Surely the woman should ask her questions about her character and her references and—Virginia stopped. She wasn’t ready to make a decision yet. She looked over at Colter. How was she ever going to decide?

  “Can we do that again?” Patricia asked as she came over. Her eyes were bright and her smile radiant.

  “Not right now,” Virginia said with an answering smile. “Maybe for New Year’s Day.”

  Elizabeth and Jake came up to tell them how much they enjoyed the bells.

  “And you’re worried about frying chicken?” Elizabeth whispered in her ear as she gave her a hug. “When you can make music like that? You don’t even need to cook to put a smile on everyone’s face.”

  “It was a pleasure to hear those bells,” Jake said as he offered Virginia his hand.

  By then most of the people were leaving and Colter came up to ask if he could walk the
m home.

  Virginia nodded yes and put her shawl around her shoulders.

  The moon was shining high in the sky when they left the schoolhouse. The clouds from earlier had moved on so they could see the stars, too.

  “Chilly?” Colter bent down and asked her when they stepped onto the street. He didn’t wait for an answer, but put his arm around her. She liked feeling his warmth so close beside her. Patricia and Danny raced on ahead. The night was peaceful and Colter didn’t seem in any hurry to get home. Neither was she.

  “Quite a day, wasn’t it?” Colter said as they walked along.

  Virginia nodded. Maybe that’s why she wasn’t as excited as she’d expected to be about learning she had the position at the school in Denver. When she remembered the panic she’d felt when Patricia was going to leave, her heart still raced. But now that those she loved were safe, she would have to consider the school position. But not until after Christmas. Tomorrow she didn’t want any distractions. She planned to make a feast that everyone would long remember, whether she was here or not.

  Chapter Thirteen

  The carrots were sticking to the bottom of the skillet. Virginia had her best apron on and she’d banished everyone else from the kitchen. This was part of her Christmas gift to those she loved. She’d coated the pieces of chicken with flour and spices, just like Elizabeth’s instructions said. She had the potatoes boiling on the back of the cookstove. Colter had mixed up the biscuit dough, but she was determined to bake them.

  “I need more spoons,” Patricia said as she put her head inside the door. She was wearing the hat Colter had given her last night along with the locket Virginia had given her. She was dazzling as she set out dishes for twenty-four people on the gaming tables in the main room. Virginia didn’t have enough tablecloths so she had suggested Patricia use a couple of old sheets from upstairs.

  “Come in then,” Virginia said.

  Colter had suggested the two of them exchange gifts tonight, but they had given their gifts to the children. Virginia enjoyed seeing Patricia display her treasures proudly.

  “You have to keep everything secret that you see when you come in here though,” Virginia added.

  Colter still thought she was making soup. Danny probably did, too. Although the boy was so taken with his picture frame and new mittens, he probably didn’t care what he ate.

  When Patricia came in the workroom, the cat slipped in behind her.

  Virginia went back to reading her directions.

  She was ready to start frying the chicken. She put some drumsticks in the skillet because Elizabeth said she always did these first to test the heat. Virginia smelled the chicken start to cook. She looked up at Patricia. “Keep Colter away from the door. If he smells this he’ll know for sure what we’re having. Better yet, send him outside for something.”

  “What?” Patricia looked blank.

  “Oh, one of those things men do,” Virginia said. “He could go get something for dinner. Maybe more wood.”

  Patricia opened the door to go back into the other room and that was when it happened. The dog raced through the opening and the cat arched her back and hissed. That signaled the dog to begin the chase. The cat jumped up on the counter and knocked the plate of seasoned flour on top of the dog. Which made the dog growl at the cat so it ran over and took up a position on top of the pans holding the unbaked biscuits.

  “Scat,” Virginia said to both of the animals as she waved her apron at them, trying to get them cornered. Unfortunately, she was the one who caught the handle of the skillet and knocked it off balance. None of the drumsticks fell on the floor but they landed on top of the cookstove and started to burn until smoke started to rise up.

  Virginia didn’t know what to do first so she went to the cause of the problem. She picked the cat up by its fur and took it to the back door. She opened the door, getting ready to throw the cat on the porch, when the dog ran out first and Colter came around the corner carrying a load of firewood.

  “I heard you need more wood,” he said as he looked around. “What happened to the dog? It’s all white.”

  “That dog is destroying our Christmas dinner,” Virginia said, her voice full of outrage.

  “I see.” Colter stood there looking sympathetic.

  If he hadn’t looked so calm, Virginia might have been able to keep it in. “No, you don’t see at all. I have to be able to make Christmas dinner.”

  “I’m happy to help.”

  “But you shouldn’t have to do that,” she said as she stepped back inside and closed the door. She could get really frustrated at the way Colter acted when she couldn’t do something. He didn’t criticize. He didn’t blame. He didn’t—It hit her so hard she had to lean against the door. He didn’t act the way her father did even though she kept expecting it. She did not have to worry about disappointing him with every action she took.

  Realizing this gave her added determination. A man like that deserved his Christmas dinner. She went over to the counter and smoothed out the piece of paper that had her instructions. The problem was that everything was off course.

  She opened the door to the main room and saw the man she needed.

  “Psst! Petey,” she hissed. Fortunately, the man was close enough to hear her and he came without causing anyone else to look up and see who was calling him.

  Petey slipped into the kitchen.

  “You can cook, can’t you?” Virginia demanded. “I need help with dinner.”

  “Well, why didn’t you say so?” the man said in delight. “I can make a pot of soup that will make your tongue dance.”

  “We’re not doing soup,” Virginia said. “It’s fried chicken.”

  Colter checked his watch again. He had expected Virginia to be out of the kitchen an hour ago. How long did it take to put together a pot of soup? Granted, it would have to be a large pot of soup to give everyone a bowl, but it shouldn’t take this long.

  Patricia was the last one he knew of who had spoken to Virginia, so he called the girl over.

  “Do you know what’s taking so long in there?” He nodded toward the workroom.

  “I don’t know a thing,” Patricia said emphatically as she backed away.

  Just then, the doors opened. Virginia came out bearing a platter of golden fried chicken. Petey followed with a couple of bowls of something that looked like potatoes and carrots.

  “Merry Christmas,” Virginia announced. “From Petey and me.”

  The older man ducked his head in a slight bow and Virginia went to the head table and set down the platter. Then she went over to Colter and looked him in the eye.

  “I don’t know a thing about frying chicken,” she said. “I’m trying to learn, but what you see here is because of Petey.”

  “Well, I’m grateful to whoever made it.”

  “And,” Virginia continued, “I don’t know how to make soap. Or sew up a dress. Or make bread. I’m willing to learn, but you may as well expect me to be hopeless until I do. I’ve never churned butter or raised chickens or milked a cow.”

  Virginia was halfway through her list of what she couldn’t do when Colter realized what it meant. At least, what he hoped it meant. “You’re going to marry me?”

  Colter hadn’t meant to say it that way. His words had no grace or beauty to them and Virginia set great store by both those things. But before he could take the words back and put new ones out there, she was answering him.

  “It seems so,” she said. “If the offer is still open.”

  “Of course, it’s still open,” Colter said as he swung Virginia into his arms and lifted her up before bringing her down and kissing her.

  Virginia was breathless. Her heart was pounding in her. Her feet were still not touching the floor. And she thought a herd of buffalo had found its way into the building and was stampeding until she realized it was the men stomping their feet on the floor and throwing their hats in the air.

  It took a few minutes for everyone to be calm enough to eat
, but Virginia wasn’t about to let this dinner grow cold. It was their first Christmas together and she knew both she and Colter would remember it forever.

  “Everyone may take their places,” she said. Which, of course, was the wrong thing to say because suddenly no one knew where they were supposed to sit.

  “The bride needs to sit by the groom,” Patricia announced as she pulled two chairs out from the table.

  Virginia wasn’t sure she could eat, but she felt a definite need to sit. Then Patricia seated Colter on the chair next to Virginia.

  “We should visit Denver—or San Francisco,” he muttered to her as he reached over and held her hand. “I promise I’ll be a good husband. That’s it—we’ll honeymoon in Paris. I know how you like other places.”

  The noise faded as Virginia met Colter’s eyes.

  “We don’t need to go anywhere else,” Virginia said softly. When had his face grown so dear to her? She smiled at the anxiety she saw. “You and the children. That’s all my heart needs.”

  “I love you, Virginia Parker,” Colter said as he leaned over to kiss her.

  “And I you,” she said just before his lips met hers.

  Dear Reader,

  By now you probably know I love a Christmas story. Whether it’s snow or bells or lights, the sight of Christmas decorations makes me feel festive. Part of the reason is that I take great joy in celebrating a day that brings people around the world (and through time) together to remember one central fact—that God came to earth to show us He loves us.

  I hope this book reminds you of that love. During this season, with all the decorations and the sounds of carols, take time to reflect on the reason we even have a day such as this to celebrate together. May you also hear Christmas bells at some point and remember they have been used for generations to remind people of God’s church and His love.