The Christmas Bargain

by Shanna Hatfield

  Luke grinned at her and wiggled his fingers. “Come on, Filly. It’s a little late to worry about propriety now, don’t you think?”

  She took his hand and swung behind him, lacing her hands around his waist and leaning her head against his back. As they rode to the parsonage, Luke kept his hand resting on top of hers.

  “I’d like to speak with you about your ride to the Jenkins farm,” he said, using his most official banker’s tone.

  “Oh,” was all Filly could say. She should have known riding through town with her skirts up to her knees and hair flying would embarrass Luke. She was really going to have to work on behaving with more decorum. More like a proper banker’s wife.

  Turning to look at her over his shoulder, Luke smiled and his icy eyes warmed to a liquid blue. “I’d like to discuss how enticing you looked with your skirts hiked up and your hair rippling behind you. I pictured you as some ancient Irish warrior queen riding into battle. Filly, my girl, you’ve been holding out on me by keeping all that glorious hair confined to buns or braids. I think we need a let-your-hair-down lesson to go along with our kissing lessons.”

  Filly’s response was to wrap her arms a little tighter around Luke and release a pleased sigh.

  Arriving at the parsonage, Luke held his hand out and helped her dismount, although they both knew she didn’t need the assistance. Luke stepped out of the saddle long enough to pull Filly into an embrace and bury his hands in her hair. It felt as silky and rich as he imagined it would.

  Sucking in a deep breath of cold air, he kissed his wife’s cheek, mounted and took off to find the doctor.

  Filly hurried in the parsonage door, removed her coat and gloves, then put a big pot of water on to boil before returning to the bedroom.

  Abby was covered in a fine sheen of perspiration and Chauncy sat white faced beside her, his arm around her shoulders, holding her hand.

  “Luke went to find the doctor. I’m sure he’ll be back soon,” Filly said, not certain what to do. “Abby, I’ll bring you a glass of water. Chauncy, do you need anything?”

  The frightened pastor shook his head.

  Filly went to the kitchen and filled a small basin with lukewarm water then found a soft piece of toweling. Pouring a glass of water for Abby, she returned to the bedroom. Chauncy helped Abby take a sip while Filly dipped the towel in the basin and wrung it out. She wiped it across Abby’s forehead, down her cheeks and across her neck and hands.

  “Thank you, Filly, that feels good,” Abby panted as another contraction hit her.

  For the next three hours, Filly and Chauncy tried to keep Abby as comfortable as possible. She was heading into hard labor and Filly was debating what to do when Luke and the doctor came clamoring through the door.

  “I hear we are about to welcome a new little one into the Dodd family,” the doctor said with a smile as he walked into the room. “How are things progressing?”

  “Her water broke two hours ago and she said she feels like she needs to start pushing,” Filly said, standing next to the bed. “I’m so glad you came.”

  “Well, Mrs. Granger, your husband made it perfectly clear I was needed post haste,” the doctor laughed. “Let me go wash up and we’ll see about getting that baby here as soon as possible.”

  Filly accompanied the doctor into the kitchen and assembled the items he requested. Luke went back out to take care of the horses, then returned to pace the parlor floor and keep the fires stoked.

  Abby refused to let Chauncy or Filly leave the room, so Chauncy lent Abby what strength he could, holding her up in the bed, while Filly assisted the doctor. She had been there when her mother died and blocked the memories from her mind, instead focusing on doing whatever the doctor asked of her.

  “You’d make a good nurse, Mrs. Granger,” the doctor commented as she helped him. “Most people are too squeamish to be of much help.”

  Filly just nodded her head. She was feeling a bit squeamish herself, but certainly wasn’t going to admit it to anyone.

  Abby labored for what seemed like many more hours, and finally the doctor held a healthy, crying baby girl in his hands.

  “It’s a girl,” he said, giving the baby to Filly to clean and wrap in a warm piece of flannel. Filly couldn’t remember ever holding a baby before, but the doctor quietly instructed her what to do once he gave her the baby. She followed his detailed directions and soon had the bundled baby ready to hand over to Abby. The sweet little thing wrapped herself around Filly’s heart from the moment the doctor placed her in her arms. A rosebud mouth and a thatch of dark hair added to her beauty.

  Filly thought she looked perfect.

  Placing her in Abby’s arms, Filly stood back and watched Abby and Chauncy both make over the baby, uncovering her fingers and toes to make sure they were all there.

  “Isn’t she a beaut?” Chauncy said, like he had picked a prize tomato. “Just like her mama.”

  Abby beamed a smile at him and kissed the baby’s forehead.

  “Filly, what’s your middle name?” Chauncy asked as he touched a finger to the baby’s soft cheek.

  “Erin,” Filly said, watching the baby with her heart in her eyes.

  “Then we’d like to name the baby Erin, after you,” Abby said. “Her middle name will be after Chauncy’s mother. So I’d like you to meet Erin Kathleen Dodd.”

  Filly smiled through her tears. “That sounds like a wonderful name for a wonderful baby.”

  “How about the proud papa takes the baby while Filly helps me clean things up in here?” the doctor said motioning Chauncy toward the door with his head.

  Chauncy stood and carefully took the baby from Abby. “Let’s go introduce you to your uncle Luke,” he said, going out the door.

  Walking into the front room, he found Luke leaning against the fireplace, looking tense and unsure. Luke turned when he heard footsteps and smiled to see Chauncy with the baby.

  “I’m mighty glad that is over with,” Luke said, looking down at the baby. “If Abby had screamed one more time, I thought I might have to leave for a while.”

  “Try being in the room watching it happen,” Chauncy said. “I won’t ever put her through that again.”

  Luke laughed and slapped his back. “Yes you will. As soon as you’ve forgotten about how much work bringing this little one into the world was for Abby, you’ll have another one on the way.”

  Chauncy glared at Luke but held out the baby. “Would you like to hold her, Uncle Luke?”

  “I’m not so sure on how to go about it, but I’ll give it a try,” Luke said, holding out his arms while Chauncy gently slid the baby into them.

  “Just keep her head up higher than her feet,” Chauncy said, stepping back. “And don’t drop her.”

  Luke rocked the baby close to his chest and inhaled her sweet, heavenly scent. “I think that is about the best thing I’ve ever smelled,” Luke said, sniffing the top of the baby’s head. “You suppose heaven smells like that?”

  Chauncy leaned over and inhaled a long whiff. “Maybe. Babies are most certainly a God-given miracle, aren’t they?”

  “Mmm-hmm,” Luke said, enchanted with the baby. He hoped Filly would be open to having children. He wouldn’t mind having one or two of his own to cuddle and hold. Surprising himself, Luke wondered where those thoughts came from. A couple of months ago if someone had asked if he wanted children, he would have told them they were crazy. Now, here he was imagining what his and Filly’s babies would look like.

  “We named her Erin. Erin Kathleen. After Filly and my mother,” Chauncy said.

  “Filly’s middle name is Erin?” Luke realized he’d never asked if she even had a middle name.

  Chauncy gave him an odd look. “How are things progressing with your wife? You two seem to get along well enough.”

  “Slowly but surely,” Luke said with a grin. “We get along quite well, thank you very much.”

  “Is that right?” Chauncy said, taking the baby back from Luke. “If that’s tr
ue, maybe this time next year, you’ll be holding your own baby.”

  Before Luke could respond, Filly swept into the room. Luke thought she looked beautiful with her eyes bright from witnessing the miracle of the baby’s birth. She had borrowed some of Abby’s pins and put her hair up, though. Luke was hoping to get another glimpse of it hanging loose.

  “Abby’s asking for you,” Filly said, bending over to kiss the baby’s forehead.

  “I don’t want to keep her waiting,” Chauncy said, returning to the bedroom with the baby.

  “Isn’t she precious?” Filly asked, watching Chauncy walk down the hall. “Have you ever seen anything so perfect?”

  “Yes,” Luke answered, thinking Filly looked pretty close to perfect at that particular moment.

  “I feel like I’ve held a little bit of heaven in my arms,” Filly said, turning to look at Luke.

  “I know what you mean,” he said, pulling Filly into his embrace and wrapping her in a warm hug. “I think I’m holding a little bit right now.”

  “Luke, you really do say the nicest things,” she said, tipping her head back and getting lost in the heat radiating from Luke’s eyes.

  “Only to the nicest people,” he whispered, lowering his head to hers. Before their lips could make contact, Luke heard the doctor clear his throat from the doorway.

  “Since mother and baby are doing fine, I’ll be on my way. I’ll check back in on her tomorrow,” the doctor said, putting on his coat and hat.

  Luke grabbed his coat and started for the door. “I’ve got your horse down at our barn. Let me go get him.”

  “I’ll walk with you. Some fresh air would suit me just fine,” the doctor said. Standing in the doorway, he tipped his hat to Filly. “It was very nice to meet you, Filly. You really do make a great assistant.”

  “Thank you,” Filly said, embarrassed by the doctor’s praise. “It was nice to meet you as well.”

  When Luke returned, Filly had dinner preparations started. She thought it would be just as easy to feed Luke and Chauncy together as to make a meal for the Dodds then make another one at home.

  Poking her head in the bedroom door to check on Abby and the baby, Filly found Abby asleep on the bed with Chauncy asleep in a chair holding the sleeping baby. Gently, Filly moved the baby into the cradle that now sat next to the bed and quietly shut the door behind her.

  “How are they doing?” Luke asked from his seat at the table where he was reading through a newspaper.

  “They’re all asleep,” Filly said with a smile, turning her attention to the meal.

  By the time she had it ready, Chauncy wandered into the kitchen, rubbing a hand across his eyes.

  “Thank you both for sticking around. I woke up and decided I should probably figure out something for dinner when the smells of something delicious tickled my nose.”

  “You’re welcome,” Luke said, waving his hand around the kitchen. “I’ve worked really hard to put a meal together for you.”

  Chauncy laughed when Filly shook a spoon Luke’s direction with a warning glance. “I can’t believe you’d tell a lie in the parson’s house, of all places,” she said.

  “Who’s lying? I did work really hard to stay out of your way. And I fetched you a few things from the mercantile. That should count for something.”

  Chauncy slapped Luke on the back and poured himself a cup of coffee.

  “I’ll give you a little credit,” Filly said with an impish grin. “Even if you don’t deserve it.”

  “You are a cold, hard woman, wife,” Luke teased, sidling closer to the cookie dough Filly left on the counter.

  “Humph,” Filly said, smacking his hand with a spoon as he tried to dip into the bowl on the counter. “Keeping an eye on you and attempting to keep you out of the food before I’ve had a chance to cook it has been a challenge.”

  Luke snitched a bit of the cinnamon cookie dough when Filly’s back was turned and offered the bowl to Chauncy, who shook his head.

  When she turned back around, he plastered a look of innocence across his face.

  “I know you snitched the dough, so consider that your allotment of cookies,” she said, taking a casserole from the oven and placing it on the table.

  “How do you know I snitched?” Luke asked, surprised.

  “I can see things,” Filly said with a sober expression.

  “Really? What do you see right now?” Luke pulled her onto his lap and held her still for a minute, waiting for her answer.

  “Two hungry men. One of whom isn’t smart enough to allow the cook to finish getting the food on the table because he’s too wrapped up in his tomfoolery.”

  Chauncy laughed. “She’s got you there.”

  Luke released his hold on Filly and she got to her feet, but not before popping him playfully on the shoulder. “Could you please behave, just for an hour or two?”

  Luke’s eyes twinkled with merriment. “I suppose I could try, for an hour or two.”

  “Very well, then,” Filly said, taking a seat at the table. “If you think you can control yourself, you might even get a piece of cake later.”

  Luke shot Chauncy a grin. “Hear, that, preacher man, she’s bribing me? Isn’t that wrong to do in a pastor’s house?”

  “I’m staying out of this one,” Chauncy said. “Now, if you both will settle down I’ll ask the blessing so we can enjoy this meal while it’s still hot.”

  Later that evening, after Filly gave Abby a bowl of broth and some bread, readied food for breakfast the next day and sat with Abby as she fed the baby, Luke helped her into her coat and they walked home.

  The air was cold and crisp, but the stars danced above them in a clear December sky.

  Strolling hand in hand, Luke was in no hurry to return home. When Filly stopped to study the stars, he pulled her up against him.

  “What a beautiful way to end such a beautiful day,” Filly said, tipping her head back to better see the stars.

  “Beautiful,” Luke said, admiring the way a thin ribbon of light from the house they were passing illuminated Filly’s face. “Absolutely beautiful.”

  Filly glanced at Luke to see he was looking at her instead of the night sky.

  “Luke,” she whispered. Whatever else she was going to say was lost when his lips connected with hers. His kiss was warm, gentle, loving.

  Luke felt her melt against him and pulled Filly closer, deepening the kiss. Finally realizing they were standing in the middle of town, Luke kissed her quickly once more then put his arm around her shoulders, directing her home.

  Going in the kitchen door, Luke helped Filly remove her coat then took off his coat and hat, hanging them on the pegs by the door. Filly stirred the embers in the stove. Straightening, she turned to find Luke watching her intently.

  Taking both her hands in his, he pulled her into his arms.

  “Filly, you were amazing today,” he said, resting his chin on top of her head. “I’m so proud of you.”

  “Thank you,” she whispered, wrapping her arms a little tighter around Luke’s waist. “I do apologize for the spectacle I made on Sheeba. I didn’t stop to think about what it would look like.”

  “You most certainly did not make a spectacle,” Luke said. “You looked like a very caring young woman riding to get help for her friend. That’s all. And I didn’t mind what I saw. Not one bit.”

  “Oh,” Filly said, unable to think of a response.

  “In fact,” Luke said, taking a step back and pulling the pins from her hair. “I’d like very much to see your hair down again.”

  “But, Luke,” Filly said, raising one hand in a weak protest. Luke grabbed her hand and kissed her palm, then continued taking down her hair. When all the pins were removed, he shook the mass of curls loose and watched it cascade down her back and around her shoulders.

  Drinking in the sight of her for a long moment, Luke finally released a groan and buried his face and hands into her hair. Breathing in the scent of roses, he felt his resolve to
patiently court his wife race right out the door. As his pulse accelerated and she filled his senses, he wanted more than anything to sweep her into his arms and carry her to his bed.

  Filly didn’t know what she would do when Luke let her go. She’d already lost the ability to stand on her own and her legs felt like they might give way beneath her. Luke was making her feel things she’d never felt before. Longings from deep within her were edging closer to the surface and she didn’t know what to do about them. They both frightened and thrilled her.

  Luke took a deep breath then captured Filly’s lips with his in a firm, demanding kiss. Afraid she would pull back, she instead returned his ardor.

  Lost to everything but the feel of the woman in his arms, Luke finally raised his head, resting his forehead on hers. When his breathing returned to normal, he leaned back, offering her a wicked grin. “I think you should move to the advanced level of kissing since you seem to have mastered the basic lessons.”

  “Luke,” Filly said, her cheeks flushing at his teasing. “It’s because I have a good teacher.”

  “Let’s make sure you’ve got it all down,” Luke said as he kissed her senseless one more time.

  Filly clung to Luke, feeling too spent to do anything else. She had no idea kissing could be so exciting, wonderful and invigorating.

  Luke gathered the unravelling edges of his composure together and took a step back from his wife. Seeing exhaustion in her eyes, he took her hand and led her down the hall to her bedroom. Stopping at her door, he kissed her cheek and ran one hand over her hair, letting his fingers linger on a silken curl that rested on her chest.

  “Sweet dreams, Filly.”

  “Good night, Luke,” Filly said, half hoping, half fearing what Luke planned to do when he led her to her room. Quietly closing the door behind her, Filly knew her dreams would all be of Luke.

  Chapter Ten

  Luke and Filly didn’t have much time alone for the next several days. She spent most of her mornings and part of the afternoons at the parsonage helping Abby with the baby, cooking and cleaning for them. When she wasn’t doing that, she was busy keeping up Granger House, with the help of Mrs. Kellogg.