Christmas on the Prairie

by Frances Devine

  Rolling her eyes, Teddy scowled. “Imagine him being sweet on her all his life—poor Mrs. Carson.”

  “Well, we can be thankful for his feelings if it helps us get more out of the land.” He sighed and slapped the table. For all of his resolve, Carson had him over a barrel. “I don’t see that we have any choice.”

  Teddy averted her gaze and bit the inside of her lip—a sure sign she was plotting something.

  “What are you thinking?”

  She looked him square in the eye. “I’ll tell you, but you’re not going to like it.”

  “Go ahead. Whatever you have to say can’t possibly be any worse than our other two options.”

  “Ansley.”

  “What about her?” Seth lifted the cup to his mouth and took another drink.

  “Well, she has lots of money—part of which belongs to Rose, or would if Rose were still alive. I bet you anything she planned to put away Rose’s share for the children.”

  “What does that have to do with Frank’s land?”

  “Jonah’s and Hannah’s and Lily’s land, you mean.”

  He shrugged and conceded the point. “Okay. What does Rose’s inheritance have to do with the children’s land?”

  Teddy sent him a scowl that would have broken a weaker man. “Seth Dobson, your head is so thick sometimes it’s a wonder you can button your own shirt. What I’m suggesting is speaking to Ansley about paying the mortgage so Rex can’t foreclose and Mr. Carson can’t swindle us out of it.”

  “You mean to tell me you want me to go to that woman and give her a reason to lord it over us? If we ask her to pay off the mortgage, she’ll have proof we’re not fit to raise Frank’s children, Teddy. She’ll snatch them up and ship them off to Boston before we can say ‘boo,’ and you know it.”

  She set her chin in stubborn defiance. “I think you’re wrong. I don’t believe Ansley would take them away, and I believe she will help if she can.”

  “You can forget it, Teddy. I won’t beg her for money.”

  Teddy opened her mouth to protest more, but Seth stood, nearly knocking his chair over. He stomped across the room.

  “You’re being pigheaded, Seth.”

  Yanking open the door, he glared at his sister. “Maybe so, but I’m not going to speak to Miss Potter about the mortgage, and that’s the end of the matter.”

  * * *

  For as many mornings as she’d awakened in Prairie Chicken, Ansley’s sleep had been interrupted by the sound of Alice’s children. Children playing, children crying, children running up and down the steps, children laughing—each time followed by the sound of their mother’s insistent shushing. Ansley didn’t fault them. Of course children must move about, and it must be trying for their mother to raise them in one room of a boardinghouse. But Ansley’s generosity didn’t help her sleep any better, and after five repeatedly interrupted nights, she feared she must be looking as haggard as she felt.

  She was just finishing her morning routine when a knock sounded on her door. A glance at her watch brought on a groan. For all Mrs. Boatwright’s warning, Ansley just had not been able to drag herself down to breakfast. Each morning Mrs. Boatwright had grudgingly brought a breakfast tray, although she threatened each would be her last.

  “Come in, Mrs. Boatwright,” she called, securing one last hairpin in place.

  The door opened. “I’m not Mrs. Boatwright, but may I still come in?” Teddy had opened the door a crack and stuck her head in, her smile brightening the room.

  Ansley stood and welcomed Teddy with a hug. “Of course. I’m delighted to see you.” She motioned toward a wooden chair in the corner of the room. “It’s not very comfortable, I’m afraid.”

  Waving away her apology, Teddy sat resting her reticule on her lap. “It’s fine.”

  “What brings you here this morning? Are the children all right?”

  Teddy’s fingers twisted around the lace string of her bag, and her usual happy demeanor seemed to be missing. If nothing was wrong with the children, then it must be something else. Because she wasn’t acting like herself. “Teddy? What’s wrong?”

  “Seth is going to be furious with me for coming.” She caught Ansley’s gaze. “There’s a problem, Ansley. A big problem I think only you can solve.”

  Ansley listened intently while Teddy poured out the details of Seth’s dealings with Mr. Carson and the bank. The girl was nearly in tears by the time she finished her outrageous story. Ansley stood abruptly and went to her desk.”

  “Teddy. Mr. Carson has been misinformed about the status of the mortgage.”

  A frown creased Teddy’s brow. “What do you mean?”

  Ansley lifted the receipts for the mortgage payments. She handed them to Teddy. The other woman glanced at them, then back to Ansley, confusion clouding her eyes. “I’m not sure what it is you’re showing me.”

  “Those receipts prove the mortgage is up to date.”

  Understanding slowly dawned and Teddy’s eyes went wide. “You mean you already knew about it?”

  “Mr. Macomb informed me of the situation. Although I’m still not sure if he did it on purpose or by mistake. Either way, I paid the mortgage payments and I have ordered a bank draft to pay off the rest. It should be here in a few days.”

  “I just don’t know what to say, Ansley!” Teddy shot to her feet and threw herself into Ansley’s arms. “Oh, oh, oh...what are we going to tell Seth?”

  Chapter 8

  Anger burned Seth to his core as he stalked out of the bank and swung himself into Brewster’s saddle. Well, anger and relief, but mostly anger. How dare those women go behind his back like that? Teddy’s betrayal hurt the most. After a night of fitful sleep, he’d decided all he could do for the children was sell the land above asking price to Mr. Carson rather than let the bank take it back and leave them with nothing.

  He’d met with Carson at the bank, but Rex Macomb—the little worm—had twisted his delicate white hands together and stuttered through the explanation. The bank no longer had the right to foreclose on the property, as Miss Potter had settled the debt. The only satisfying part about the meeting was Carson’s stormy eyes and red face. Seth wouldn’t want to be Rex when Carson got through with him.

  Who did Miss Potter think she was to go to the bank and settle an account for him? She should have come to him first. Even if Teddy had instigated the whole thing.

  He rode at breakneck speed to the boardinghouse only to discover Teddy and Miss Potter had left an hour earlier. “They went to Frank’s cabin,” Mrs. Boatwright said quietly. “Ansley’s decided to move in until she goes back to Boston, so they went out to take a look at the place and have a picnic with the children.”

  “I should have known.” Seth’s boots hit the floor with heavy thuds as he walked back to the door.

  Mrs. Boatwright followed. “I don’t know what put a burr in your saddle, Seth, but Ansley moving into that cabin is just sensible—although she is paid up here for another week. You know my policy about refunds. Anyways, you’d best simmer down and have a chat with the Lord before you hightail it in there and say something you’ll regret.”

  “Believe me, I won’t regret a thing, Mrs. Boatwright.”

  She shook her head, disappointment evident in her downturned lips and the deep frown creasing her brow. “I’ve never known you to be a cruel man, Seth Dobson. Ansley has as much right to that cabin as you have.”

  Seth nodded his acknowledgment and stepped into the crisp late morning air. As much as he tried to ignore the guilt tensing his gut, he couldn’t get Mrs. Boatwright’s words out of his head. By the time he reached the cabin five miles outside of Prairie Chicken, he had cooled down quite a bit. Enough that he could at least confront the women rationally.

  At the cabin, he reined in Brewster, hopped down and wrapped t
he reins around the porch rail, and then stepped inside.

  Teddy was standing next to the fireplace, attempting to ignite some kindling. She jerked around and gasped. “Now, Seth, don’t overreact.”

  “Overreact?” He kept his voice even. “Just because my own flesh and blood went behind my back and did exactly what I forbade her to do?”

  Her lips twisted in a wry grin that grated on Seth’s nerves even before she spoke. “Honestly. Betrayal? You’re not overreacting a bit. Besides, I am not your daughter. I’m your sister. I do whatever I choose to do. Oh, why won’t this fire start!”

  Seth stepped to the fireplace and gently nudged her out of the way. “Let me do it.”

  “You be nice to Ansley, Seth. I mean it. Things aren’t as they appear.”

  Seth carefully blew on the struggling fire and watched, satisfied, as the flames licked up through the kindling. “There,” he said, and added the larger wood. “It should warm up in here soon.” He stood and faced his sister once more. “I told you I would handle the situation without involving Miss Potter. Where is she anyway?”

  “The children took her down to show her the creek.”

  He glowered down at his sister once more. “Why did you do it?”

  Teddy’s responding grin ignited his wrath even more.

  “Now you’re laughing at me?”

  “Oh, Seth. Calm down. No one is laughing at you. The fact is I did go over to the boardinghouse to speak with Ansley today. When I explained the situation, she showed me the receipts for the mortgage payments. And the fact is she has contacted her bank in Boston to send a draft to pay the rest of the mortgage.”

  “I suppose that’s why she believes she has the right to move in here.”

  “No, she has the right because she is Rose’s sister.”

  “And she has the right to pay off the mortgage without even telling us?”

  “She did it to save the children’s home. And considering how you’re acting, can you blame her for keeping it to herself?”

  “I was taking care of things.” Still smarting, Seth couldn’t quite let it go.

  Teddy placed her hand on his arm. “Don’t you think the children would rather have their home than the money it would bring?”

  Seth steeled his heart against the emotion welling inside of him. “They have a home...with us.”

  “Now you’re just being bullheaded.” Teddy walked to a crate on the floor. She lifted a cloth from the crate and headed to the table where a bowl of water sat. She dipped the cloth and began to wipe away the dust. “Do you know they come here sometimes?”

  Seth drew in a quick breath. “Alone?”

  She turned and looked him square in the eye. “Together.”

  “I had no idea.”

  “I care as much about the children’s welfare as you do, Seth. Besides, you aren’t being fair to Ansley. Just because she is wealthy doesn’t mean she’s greedy. She loved her sister and even you have to admit she loves the children.”

  “But she doesn’t even know them. Not like we do.” She hadn’t stayed up with them at night, wiped their tears those first few weeks after their parents’ deaths, bathed them, dressed them, prayed with them, fed them. What right did Miss Potter have to swoop down and try to steal them away?

  “She’s here now, and it’s not fair to judge her. She spent all those years not knowing where Rose was or that she even had children. You need to give her the benefit of the doubt and stop being so suspicious of her motives.”

  “Well, maybe I know a little more than you do.”

  She turned back to face him, her eyebrow raised. “What are you trying to say?”

  It was time to let his little sister in on all the facts. Perhaps then she wouldn’t defend Miss Potter’s motives quite so much. “It so happens Miss Potter has already made it pretty clear she wants to take over the children’s raising.” He paused. “In Boston.”

  Rolling her eyes, Teddy gave another wave of her hand, completely dismissing his revelation. “Is that all?”

  “Is that all? It doesn’t bother you that she waltzes into town and thinks she can raise them better than we can?”

  “It doesn’t worry me in the least. And of course she wants to raise them. Can you imagine the wonderful education they could get back east? Not to mention everything money can buy. If I were in her position, I’d want the exact same thing. And I might not be nearly as nice as Ansley has been.”

  Shock burst through Seth, and he stared at Teddy. Did he even know the young woman standing before him? “You mean to say you think we should just give them up to Miss Potter?”

  “Of course not. And if you give Ansley half a chance, I can almost guarantee that by Christmas, she will be in full agreement that they should be raised right here in Prairie Chicken.”

  As usual, Teddy was being far too trusting. “Maybe, but I doubt it,” Seth said.

  * * *

  Ansley dressed with special care that night. She wasn’t sure what to expect from Seth. She and the children had returned from the creek earlier that day to see him riding away.

  She finished dressing early and went downstairs to wait in the parlor for them to arrive. Mrs. Boatwright joined her. “You did the right thing, Ansley. Seth’s just stubborn.”

  The last thing Ansley wanted to do was discuss the situation with this woman. “He’s not stubborn. He has been working very hard to keep the children’s inheritance secure. I think he’s to be commended.”

  “Well, of course. Seth is the best man I’ve ever known.” She paused and Ansley could feel her scrutiny. “It seems as though you are beginning to see what a good man he is, too.”

  “Of course.”

  The bell above the door signaled someone’s arrival, much to Ansley’s relief.

  Mrs. Boatwright grinned. “That’s going to be for you.”

  Seth stood in the foyer as Ansley and Mrs. Boatwright walked out of the parlor. Ansley caught her breath. He wore a black suit and his hair had been freshly barbered and combed neatly away from his face.

  “Good evening,” he said. His eyes moved over her, then the hard look returned. Clearly, he was still angry with her.

  “You look very handsome, Mr. Dobson. Shall we go?”

  He stepped forward and offered her his arm.

  After saying good evening to Mrs. Boatwright, they ventured out into the cold night air. Seth offered her his hand as she climbed into the wagon.

  “Where are Teddy and the children?” she asked as he took the driver’s seat.

  “Already at the school. I dropped them off first.”

  Ansley drew in a deep breath and released it with her words. “Go ahead and get it over with.”

  “Get what over with?”

  She faced him, folding her arms across her chest. “Clearly you’re upset. Teddy said you would be.”

  “If I am upset, as you say, it is simply because you went to the bank without consulting me.”

  “First of all, I didn’t go to the bank to take care of the mortgage. I was simply there to open a bank account. But what was I to do when Mr. Macomb confided that Frank’s farm was in jeopardy?”

  “You could have come to me before you paid it.”

  “And what would you have said if I had consulted you?” Anger started to build in her. “Teddy made it pretty clear you were against my involvement in the first place. Besides, if the issue were about your farm, of course I would have come to you rather than pay it on the spot. But this was my sister’s home. Her children’s inheritance. I felt I had no choice.”

  “Do you also feel you have no choice but to move into the cabin?”

  Refusing to be baited, Ansley shook her head. “I’m just being frugal.”

  “And since you paid the payments you believe you h
ave the right.”

  Honestly, he was being insufferable. “I don’t have any rights, but my sister would have welcomed me into her home.”

  “You’re right, Ansley. I shouldn’t have said that.”

  She reached inside her reticule and pulled out the receipts. She handed them to him. “These belong to you and as soon as the draft comes through, I will hand over the deed, as well.”

  The school yard was filled with wagons and horses as they approached, and Seth pulled on the reins. He wrapped the leather straps around the brake and hopped down. Ansley would have liked nothing more than to help herself out of that wagon before he could reach her, but to even try would be folly, so she sat until he offered her his hand.

  “Miss Potter...Ansley, I know you thought you were doing what was best. But I’ve been caring for the children for months now. I don’t need your help to give them a good future. Even if I had been forced to sell the land, the children will inherit my property.”

  “And what happens if you get married and have children of your own? Will they still inherit equally?”

  His lips twisted in a wry grin as he offered her his arm. “Trust me, Miss Potter, I have no intention of ever getting married. But if by some chance there is a woman out there suited to me, then of course I would never put any children born to me above those three.”

  Clearly, he believed he’d yet to meet his future bride—which meant he certainly didn’t consider her courting material. Ansley was glad for the cover of night as heat moved up her neck and into her cheeks. Was he thinking that she was implying he should marry her?

  They walked into the school, which was filled with music, as several musicians had already begun to play at the front of the room. Couples were already beginning to take the floor. “May I take your cloak?” Seth asked.

  She shrugged out of it and handed it to him. “Thank you, Mr. Dobson.”

  “I’ll go put this up and be right back.”

  She watched him go and wondered if he would ask her to dance when he returned. Feeling a tap on her shoulder, she turned to find Luke Carson grinning at her. “Well, here I am, asking you to dance like you suggested.”