The Christmas Bargain

by Shanna Hatfield

  “You mean you aren’t planning to send me away when you feel like Pa’s debt has been paid?” Filly asked, afraid of the answer. She didn’t see how the debt would ever be paid with the many things Luke had purchased for her. She certainly hoped it would take her a lifetime to pay off.

  Luke looked at her in surprise. Unable to keep from touching her, he moved from his chair by the fire to sit next to her on the couch, placing his arm around her shoulders. She nestled against his chest and Luke felt his temperature rise as her soft rose scent floated around him.

  “No, Filly, I have no intention of sending you away. Consider the debt paid in full,” Luke said quietly, rubbing his hands gently up and down her arms. “I know men who would pay a small fortune to have even one of the delicious meals you prepare every day. I had no idea when I took you off the farm I was getting such a marvelous cook. As to your leaving, anytime you want to go, all you need to do is tell me. I won’t force you to stay, but I won’t ask you to leave. Not ever.”

  “I see,” she said with a contented sigh, trying to ignore the way Luke’s hands were branding through the sleeves of her blouse. “I don’t want to be anywhere but right here.”

  Luke pulled her closer and she could feel his heart pound against her cheek, could smell his spicy, manly scent. Filly relaxed against his strength as he tightened his arm around her.

  “You mean right here at Granger House, or right here on the couch with me at this very moment,” Luke rumbled in her ear.

  “Both,” Filly whispered and held her breath, waiting for Luke to kiss her.

  First, he pushed aside the curls that had escaped the pile on top of her head and kissed her neck. He worked his way around to her ear and nibbled it a moment. The sensations from his touch made her insides quiver.

  Slowly, ever so slowly, he cupped her jaw and turned her face to his, capturing her lips with his. The kiss began softly, reverently, before gathering heat and steam that made Filly tremble.

  Unable to think, she instinctively turned, wrapping her arms around Luke’s neck. He pulled her flush against him and deepened the kiss. Parting her lips to take a breath, Luke forged ahead, causing her to gasp in surprise and pleasure.

  His groan echoed in her ears as she felt something inside her heart burst into a shower of warm sparks under Luke’s loving attention. Returning his passion, she surrendered to his kiss and pressed against him.

  When Luke reached down and gripped her bottom through her dress, Filly opened her eyes and jerked away, crashing back to reality.

  Jumping up from the sofa, she ran from the room with a hasty “It’s late. Goodnight.”

  Despite Luke calling to her, she hurried to her room and shut the door. Flinging herself on the bed, she didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. What she felt with Luke was beyond anything she’d ever imagined feeling, but if he didn’t love her, she wouldn’t give herself to him.

  Even when he was telling her he would never send her away, it was because of her cooking, not because of her. Not because he loved her. Unless or until he said the words, she would remain his wife in name only, no matter how desperately she wished otherwise.

  <><><>

  Luke sat up and watched Filly run from the room. Calling after her did no good. He could have followed her and apologized for getting carried away, but he sensed she needed to be alone.

  Consumed with the fascinating and beautiful woman he was coming to know, he hadn’t meant to take things as far as they had gone. He loved Filly more than anything.

  Leaning forward, he raked his hands through his thick golden hair and sighed. Watching the flames dance long into the night, Luke decided he would continue in his plans to court his wife and win her heart, even if it took a lifetime to do it.

  He was hopeful, however, that it wouldn’t take nearly that long.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Filly looked down into the sweet face of baby Erin and smiled. How she loved this precious child. The baby looked up at her with solemn eyes, her long lashes fluttering like butterfly wings on her rosy little cheeks.

  “I could sit here all day cuddling her,” Filly said to Abby, as they sat drinking tea by the parsonage’s cozy fire.

  “Sometimes I think that is all that I do get done,” Abby said with laugh. “Then her daddy comes home and wants fed and a turn to hold her. I don’t know what I’d do if she wasn’t such a good tempered baby. She hardly ever cries.”

  “Why would she need to?” Filly teased as Erin wrapped a tiny hand around one of her fingers. “A willing pair of hands is always anxiously awaiting a turn to hold her and her every need is taken care of quite often before she even realizes she needs it.”

  “True,” Abby agreed with a grin. Looking around at the greenery Filly helped her hang the previous afternoon, Abby let out a contented sigh. “I’m so looking forward to Christmas dinner at Granger House. I think this will be our most wonderful Christmas yet.”

  “I know it will be mine,” Filly said with a wistful look. She hadn’t celebrated Christmas since she was fourteen, at least not outwardly. Despite her father’s dictates that no more holidays would be observed in his house, he couldn’t keep her from celebrating it in her heart.

  Abby put a hand on Filly’s arm and offered her an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry, Filly. I so often forget what life was like for you before Luke brought you to us.”

  “I’m fine, Abby,” Filly said, shaking off her gloomy thoughts and mustering a smile. “It’s all in the past and that is where I’m determined to leave it.”

  “Good for you,” Abby said, refilling their teacups. “I don’t know what I would have done without your help the last month, Filly. I feel like God sent you here to be our special friend. Then there is that tiny matter of Luke being completely besotted by you.”

  Filly laughed and shook her head. “Besotted? Luke? I think you must have the wrong man.”

  “Not at all,” Abby said, nibbling on a molasses cookie Filly brought in a basket of treats. “He has the look of a man in love and his face positively lights up when he talks about you.”

  “Really?” Filly asked, clinging to the thread of hope that her husband might have feelings for her, after all.

  “Really. Have I ever lied to you?” Abby asked, mischief lurking around the corners of her smile. “I am the pastor’s wife, you know. That kind of thing is quite frowned upon.”

  Giggling, Filly shook her head and rose to place the now sleeping baby in her cradle.

  Gathering up her things, she slipped on her coat and wrapped her scarf around her head. Spending the last few afternoons at Abby’s helping her get ready for Christmas, she also took advantage of the time at the parsonage to finish knitting the scarf she was making for Luke’s Christmas gift. She knew he wouldn’t be able to spy her making it at the parsonage and now it was done, wrapped, and ready to tuck under the tree. She had it hidden in a basket with a few other items she would take home and hide until Christmas morning.

  Giving Abby a hug, she stopped at the door as she remembered a last minute question. “Do you know anyone who has puppies for sale?”

  “Not that I can think of. Let me ask Chauncy when he comes home. I’ll have an answer for you if you stop by tomorrow,” Abby said, trying to think if she had heard of anyone trying to get rid of puppies. “Why do you ask?”

  “I thought Luke might like a dog. He mentioned having a puppy as a little boy, but his mother didn’t like it, so he had to give it away. I was hoping to surprise him with one for Christmas,” Filly said, standing at the door.

  “What a wonderful surprise, Filly,” Abby said, liking the idea. “You’re right, Luke would love a dog. I’ll see what Chauncy can find out for you.”

  “Thanks,” Filly said with a wave as she hurried outside into the crisp afternoon air.

  She could hardly wait until the next afternoon to stop by the parsonage and see if Abby had any ideas on where to find a puppy. Unfortunately, Chauncy knew of no one with puppies and Abby s
aid he asked nearly everyone in town that morning. Even the Bruners didn’t have any suggestions on where to find one.

  After helping Abby with a few projects, Filly was walking home when she remembered their farm dog, Bess, had given birth to a litter of puppies shortly before Luke rescued her. They would be about old enough to wean now. But how to get one? She couldn’t exactly ask her father nicely to let her have a dog. Nor could she walk up to the door and offer to buy one.

  Deciding to ride out to the farm and see if the puppies were still there, Filly ran up the porch steps, flew to her bedroom and changed into her riding skirt and boots, took down her hair and braided it. Pulling on her coat and scarf, she yanked on her gloves and raced out the door.

  Hurrying to the barn, she saddled Sheeba and was soon flying down the road out of town. She had a silver-dollar and a note that read “Merry Christmas” in her pocket. A lidded basket lined with an old towel hung from the saddle horn. If she did find a puppy, she planned to leave the money and the note. Her father would never miss the dog and likely never know where the money came from.

  Before Filly’s Aunt Shannon died, she had come to visit. Thinking back, Filly realized she was probably about twenty the last time she saw her aunt. Trying to convince Alford to let her take Filly with her when she left, he yelled and cussed and threatened Shannon with bodily harm.

  As she hurried to leave, she quietly pressed a handkerchief into Filly’s hand. Filly later discovered four five-dollar gold pieces inside and hid them away. Although it seemed like a fortune, Filly was practical enough to know it wasn’t enough for her to live on for any length of time. She knew it wasn’t enough to run away and start a new life, so all these years she had kept the money hidden, waiting to use it.

  Buying Luke a Christmas puppy seemed like a perfect way to spend part of it. Using one of the coins to buy the yarn for his scarf and a few other gifts, the silver-dollar was what was left from the change.

  Slowing down as she approached the farm, she quietly walked Sheeba up the lane and to the back side of the barn, where her father wouldn’t be able to see her from the house if he was home or sober. Climbing over the falling-down corral, she carefully opened the barn door, finding it empty. She remembered when the barn was full of horses and their milk cows. Pigs had their own little shed just down the lane, so the smell wouldn’t drift to the house.

  Now the barn was empty and forlorn. A shell of what it used to be, rather like her father. Walking down the barn aisle, Filly removed her gloves and rubbed her hand on the smooth stall doors that had long stood empty.

  She was just getting ready to walk back out when a pitiful whine caught her attention. Following the sound, she pushed open a stall door to find a scrawny little puppy lying in the hay next to the body of his dead mother.

  Filly fell to her knees and wept over ol’ Bess. There were many times Filly thought if she hadn’t been able to talk to the dog, she would have gone completely mad. She should have asked Luke to take the dog with her, or come back and get her instead of leaving her at the mercy of her father. It looked like the dog had died of starvation, if her protruding ribs were any indication. Her father had probably completely forgotten there was even a dog on the place.

  Although Filly didn’t think the dog had been dead very long, the puppy looked like it wouldn’t last more than a few more hours. Pulling her gloves from her pockets and putting them on, Filly failed to notice the envelope with the money fall next to Bess. Scooping up the sad little thing to her chest, Filly hurried out the back of the barn. Quickly tucking the puppy into the basket, she mounted and quietly rode down the lane. When she was out of sight of the house, she urged Sheeba on toward town, holding the basket carefully to her.

  Stopping Sheeba at the parsonage, she carried the basket around to the back door and gave a perfunctory knock before stepping inside. Abby spun away from the stove and looked at Filly curiously.

  “What are you about this afternoon? I thought I’d already gotten my visit for the day,” Abby said as Filly set the basket on the table and pulled out the decimated little pup.

  “My gracious, Filly,” Abby said, taking the puppy and cradling him close. “Where did you find this poor thing?”

  “I can’t even talk about it right now,” Filly said, slipping off her coat, scarf and gloves. “We need to get him to eat and warmed up. I don’t know that he’s had any nourishment for a few days and I’m afraid he might not last much longer.”

  Filly held the puppy while Abby warmed up some milk and put it in a saucer for the poor little animal. Holding his nose to the dish, at first the puppy seemed too lethargic to do anything but offer an occasional whimper. All at once he seemed to realize food was available for the taking and buried his little face in the dish, lapping wildly. Cleaning up every last drop, the puppy fell asleep on Filly’s lap.

  “I hate to even ask, especially with Erin, but would you mind terribly if I left him here until Christmas Eve? I still want to surprise Luke,” Filly said, gently rubbing the puppy’s back.

  “Of course I don’t mind,” Abby said, stroking the puppy’s head. Picturing him healthy, Abby thought he might be a handsome little pup. “What type of dog is he?”

  “Starved, neglected, abused,” Filly said through gritted teeth. Trying to calm down, she sighed. “His mother was a top-notch cow-dog. I think his father was a hunting dog. He should make a great dog for Luke if we can keep him alive.”

  “I think he’ll bounce back soon enough,” Abby said, eyeing her friend. “You went to the farm, didn’t you?”

  Filly hung her head, but nodded. “My dog Bess had puppies just a week or so before Luke came. I decided to go see if they were still alive. He was the only one I could find. Bess was dead. I think my father starved her to death. Goodness only knows what he did with the other pups. There were five of them.”

  Abby laid a warm hand on Filly’s shoulder and patted gently. “I’m sorry, honey. Are you sure you should have gone out there? What if your father had seen you? What if he had tried to stop you?”

  “I was careful,” Filly said, knowing she probably shouldn’t have gone to the farm, but glad she had if for no other reason than to save the puppy. Stroking his soft head, he let out a snuffle in his sleep and grunted with a full tummy. “Pa is usually asleep this time of day, provided he isn’t already at the Red Lantern.”

  “Oh,” was all Abby could come up with for a reply.

  Just then the back door swung open as Chauncy walked inside. Kissing Abby on the cheek, he turned to Filly and saw the puppy on her lap.

  Taking off his coat, he knelt down and stroked the puppy’s head. “See you found a dog.”

  “Yes, I did,” Filly answered, looking at Abby in hopes she wouldn’t tell Chauncy everything.

  Her hopes were short lived.

  “She went to the farm and took this one. Her father apparently allowed the mother starve to death and none of the other puppies were there,” Abby tattled.

  Chauncy raised an eyebrow at Filly. “That so?”

  “Yes,” Filly said, lifting her chin defiantly.

  “Wasn’t that a little risky?” Chauncy asked, taking a seat next to Filly. “What if your father caught you?”

  “I stayed out of sight and he didn’t. This poor little guy needed rescued.” Filly wasn’t backing down now.

  “I see,” Chauncy said, sitting quietly for a moment. “I guess I need to confess.”

  Abby and Filly both looked at him, confused.

  “The Bruners said Alford Booth had been by a few days ago with four puppies to sell. They bought them, just to get them away from him and resold them before the day was out. George said they were half-starved. Your father has been at the Red Lantern since, slowly spending what little money he had. I tried to talk to him this morning, but as usual, he didn’t listen to anything I had to say.”

  “Chauncy, you said…” Filly started to say, but Chauncy interrupted her.

  “What I said was that no one h
ad any dogs for sale now. That was true. I just didn’t want you worrying about what your father has done.”

  “What he has done is killed my dog, sold her offspring for his booze and, in his drunken stupor, left this one behind to die a slow and painful death.” Fire burned from Filly’s eyes and her voice grew hard and cold. “He is one of the most despicable excuses for a man that has ever lived.”

  “True as that may be, Filly, you at least managed to save this little fellow. But please promise us you won’t go out to the farm again. If you need something from there, let Luke or I know,” Chauncy said, looking Filly in the eye. When she dropped her gaze, he shook his head. “I just can’t see any good coming from you being out there. I’m afraid what your father might do if he finds you.”

  “I promise,” Filly ground out. “I don’t like it, but I promise.”

  “Good,” Chauncy said, taking the sleeping puppy in his hands and giving him a good once over. “Once we get this little one fattened up, he’ll make a wonderful dog for Luke. I take it he is staying here for a few days?”

  “Only if you don’t mind,” Filly said, gazing fondly at both the puppy and the pastor.

  “Don’t mind at all,” Chauncy said, rubbing the puppy’s full tummy. “It’s been a while since I’ve had a dog to play with. Maybe I won’t want to give him to Luke come Christmas Day.”

  “Now, Chauncy,” Abby said, knowing he was only teasing.

  “Come, now, pastor. You wouldn’t deny a man his Christmas gift, would you?” Filly asked, as she got up and put on her coat.

  “No, I wouldn’t. Even if it is Luke,” Chauncy said with a grin. Turning to Abby he smiled. “It looks like we’ve got a few days to put some meat on these bones.”

  Kissing Abby on the cheek and giving Chauncy a pat on the arm, Filly offered a “thanks again,” and hurried out the door. Riding Sheeba to the barn, she unsaddled the horse and brushed her down, offering her a bit of apple as the barn door opened and Luke walked in.