Abigail (Angel Creek Christmas Brides Book 12)

by Peggy McKenzie

  Abigail shot a surprised look to him. “I don’t understand, Will What’s she talking about?” He could see the fear gathering in Abigail’s worried gaze.

  He felt he needed to explain the situation as quickly as possible, but Danielle beat him to it. “I’ve been given custody of my brother’s children and I’ve come to take them back to Boston.”

  Chapter 13

  Abigail stood holding Baby Rose in her arms trying to make sense of what was happening.

  “That hasn’t been decided yet, Danielle. In the meantime, Abigail and I will continue caring for the girls. You can’t possibly think you’re going to take them back to Boston at this time of the year? It’s winter.”

  She heard the girls laughing in their room and she wanted to get Rose a change of clothes and give her the medicine the doctor made for her. “Um, I’ll let you two sort this out while I go see to the girls.”

  Will sent her a look of something akin to panic as she walked across the room and down the hallway towards the bedrooms. What could this mean, she wondered? This woman was the girl’s aunt? But Abigail thought that Will had custody of the girls. Her heart stuttered as she contemplated the possibility that these little girls could be ripped away from the stable environment she and Will had worked so hard to provide for them. “This can’t be happening,” she murmured to herself.

  She peeked inside Violet and Lily’s room. The girls were playing house with their doll babies, feeding them from tiny teacups, and pushing them in little carriages. Oh, how she wished real life could be as simple as children’s play.

  Satisfied they were fine for the present, she went next door to her own room and lay Rose in her crib. The medicine the doctor had given her at his office made her sleepy and the baby drifted off to sleep before Abigail could get her changed and settled.

  She shucked off her winter coat and sat on the edge of her bed trying her best to eavesdrop on the conversation between Will and the girls’ aunt. How on earth could this have happened? Why would this woman think she had any right to these girls when Will said they had been sent to him with a letter from his sister’s attorney? It was all so confusing. And troubling. Her stomach sank when she thought about these precious little angels being uprooted and moved somewhere else. It was all too much for them to have to endure. How much loss would they have to suffer? Surely Will would talk some sense into the woman. She prayed he could.

  The front door slammed and the house was quiet. Abigail held her breath and wondered what she should do. Will’s voice spoke to her from the doorway. “Abigail, please come in here so we can talk. You can tell me about Rose and what the doctor said, then, I’ll tell you all about David’s sister, Danielle, and what she intends to do.”

  “Of course.” She took another peek at Rose sleeping in her crib and then hurried to the living room on stockinged feet.

  She entered the big room to see Will deep in thought staring into the fire’s flickering flames. He turned at the sound of a creaking floorboard and she saw his dark eyes glittering with unshed tears. Her compassion for the man who was trying so hard to create a home for these little girls pushed her own tears forward. When Will held out his arms, she rushed into them and wrapped her arms around his body and held on tight.

  How long they stood in the silence of the old house, she had no idea. She just knew they were up against a rock and a hard place and those sweet little girls down the hall were depending on them. Lost in their own thoughts while wrapped in each other’s arms, she realized somewhere between that open buckboard in Angel Creek where she first met Will, and this moment, she had fallen in love with the handsome captain. She had known there was an undeniable attraction to him from the first moment she laid eyes on him, but she thought she was prepared for that. How could she have known that the dashing captain’s kindness, sense of humor, and love for those little girls would blow huge holes into the walls of protection she had long ago built around herself?

  Finally, Will relinquished his hold on her and she felt obligated to step back even though that was the last thing she wanted. When had she come to depend upon Will’s strength? She thought herself strong but she realized she was stronger—more sure of herself—when Will was by her side. These feelings had snuck their way into her heart while she was busy pretending she was immune to them. It wasn’t true.

  “Abigail, we have a lot to talk about, but first I want to know what the doctor said about Rose. Is she going to be alright?”

  She looked up at Will and met his worried gaze. “Yes, she’s fine. She’s just got a cold is all. The doctor said it isn’t serious and if we keep her from getting too hot or too cold, she’ll be fine in a few days.”

  Will nodded and breathed a sigh of relief. “Good. That’s good to hear.”

  “Now, we might as well get to the problem of the girls’ aunt Danielle. She said she’s taking the girls to Boston. How can she do that if you have custody?” A sudden thought poked at Abigail’s confidence. “That is unless you give her permission to take the girls.” When Will didn’t say anything, fear rolled down her spine. “You didn’t, did you?”

  Will turned to her. “No, of course not. She just showed up. I mean, she was waiting here when I got back with Violet and Lily.”

  Abigail relaxed a little bit. “Alright, so what would make her say something like that? It doesn’t make any sense.”

  “She has a letter, much like my letter from Daisy and David’s attorney. In it, it says that while Daisy named me the girl’s guardian, David sent a similar letter to Danielle choosing her as their guardian.”

  Abigail was speechless. “But, the attorney sent them here. That has to mean something?” Abigail was grasping at anything she could hold on to that would shine a positive light on the matter.

  Will pulled her to him. “Abigail, look at me. I know this is unsettling, but we have to remain calm. We have to create a battle plan, so—”

  Abigail stepped away to get a good look at Will’s expression. “Battle plan? Why would we need a battle plan, Will? The lawyer’s letter said they were yours. There was nothing about Danielle having any right to them.”

  “The letter I received was written before the attorney was made aware of David’s letter. He appointed his sister as guardian over the girls.”

  “But, how can that be?” Abigail’s mind spun in circles trying to make sense of the whole sordid mess.

  “The attorney received David’s letter in a bunch of financial documents. Those are the documents the attorney said he needed me to sign. My sister and her husband had money set aside for the girls in case something happened to them. Daisy told me about it right after Rose was born, but I didn’t think anything about it. I mean, I don’t need the money. I have my salary from the army and my parents, Daisy’s and mine, left us a decent amount of money when they passed a few summers ago. Now that Daisy is gone, it all comes to me, so I have plenty of resources to care for the girls.”

  Abigail remained silent trying to soak in all the information Will was telling her. She shook her head in confusion. “David’s sister, Danielle, isn’t married, right?”

  “That’s right. As far as I know, she’s never even had any serious suitors, but I can’t say that for certain since I haven’t kept up with her.”

  “Does she have any money? I mean is her family wealthy? Is that how she plans to care for the girls if she were to somehow get them from you?”

  “Not that I know anything about. David and Danielle were from a middle-class family. I seem to remember David talking about his father’s propensity to invest in quirky ideas hoping someday to get rich, but in all the years he was married to my sister, they never indicated he had actually succeeded at it.”

  Dread filled Abigail. “But what if he did and Danielle is rich. Can we fight her if she truly intends to take the girls?”

  Will chucked her chin with his finger and raised her face to meet his gaze. “Abigail, I don’t know what she thinks she can do, but I know I won’t let
her take those girls. We won’t let her take those girls. Not without one hell of a fight. Tell me I’m right. Tell me you care enough about those girls—about me—that you’re gonna help me fight to keep them. Because I can’t do this without you, Abigail. I can’t.”

  She heard the desperation in his voice and knew it was the same desperation she was feeling.

  “Abigail?” He grasped her arms and pulled her against him, her head resting on his chest. “Please, tell me you’re in this with me,” he whispered. “Please.”

  She rested against Will’s solid strength for a second or two, gathering her own strength from it. In the beginning, it would have been so easy to just pack up her things and say goodbye to the girls and to their handsome uncle. But now? She couldn’t let them go.

  Abigail had come a long way from that disillusioned young woman who was convinced family was nothing more than never-ending demands and expectations that transformed a woman into a wife and mother whose sole worth was judged only by the services she provided for the convenience of her family. She realized she didn’t feel that way now. Not in the least, and she had three little girls and their loving uncle to thank for that.

  Will rested his cheek against her head and whispered her name in the quiet of the little house she thought of as home. “Abigail, please answer me. I can’t keep those little angels here with me if you aren’t a part of the solution. Tell me I’m not misreading you or that kiss we shared, or the fun we have spending time with each other and the girls. Tell me I’m not wrong.”

  She had made her decision. “You’re not wrong, Will. I’m in this fight with you and whatever battle plan you say we should follow, I’ll be right there beside you watching your back every step of the way.”

  He groaned and hugged her so tight against him she could barely breathe, but she didn’t mind. Not one bit.

  The morning sun pulled Will out of a dead sleep. He heard Rose crying and he realized it was morning. Monday morning. Last night was rough for sleeping. After he and Abigail decided on a battle plan around three in the morning, he went to bed, but sleep couldn’t overcome his worried mind. The last time he remembered hearing the clock in the hallway chime the time, it was six a.m.

  He needed to talk to his commander, to let him know he might need to take leave next spring. That is, if the courts in Missouri were going to hear the custody case of his nieces between him and David’s sister.

  He rushed through his morning toiletries and hurried to dress. Poking the last button through the buttonhole of his uniform, he felt more in control of the situation. Just because Danielle had decided to stake her claim to his sister’s daughters, didn’t mean she could just waltz in and take them. Thoughts of a judge siding with a woman instead of a man with a job in the military temporarily squashed his confidence, but not for long. He had an ace-in-the-hole. He had Abigail.

  He stepped out into the hallway carrying his hat in his hand and headed for the kitchen where he knew Abigail and the girls would be starting the day. Baby Rose would be in her high chair picking at bits of food and Violet and Lily helping Abigail prepare the morning meal.

  But when he rounded the corner of the kitchen door, he stopped short.

  “Hello, William. I take it by your surprised expression, you didn’t expect to see me back so soon.” Danielle was sitting in his chair feeding Baby Rose with a spoon. He shot a look to Abigail who shrugged.

  “Don’t blame the help, William. I let myself in. I will admit my surprise to find the woman already up this morning with the children dressed and eating breakfast. I’m sure this display of domestic bliss is all for my benefit, but I can assure you nothing—,”she turned from Baby Rose to pin him with a pointed look “or no one, is going to stand in the way of me getting what I want.”

  He had failed to realize just how much Danielle Wilson reminded him of his ex-wife, Charlotte, but now that he had the time to think about it…

  “Why don’t you come join us for breakfast,” Danielle urged. “Abigail, get Captain Bennett coffee, please.”

  He saw the look Abigail gave Danielle and he started to correct the interloper’s misassumption about Abigail’s role when Abigail sent him a pointed look and a subtle shake of her head. “Of course, I’ll be happy to.”

  Abigail stood and pointed to her chair. “Here, Captain Bennett. Please. Take my chair.” He picked up on her sarcasm.

  “Yes, please sit down, Captain. I’d like to discuss our new arrangement.”

  “I’m not discussing anything with you, especially not now. Not in front of the girls. If you’ll excuse me, I’m running late.”

  “Do you want your coffee?” Abigail called out to him as he left the house by the back door, slamming it behind him. Didn’t he have enough stress and emotional upheaval without this? Just one more problem added to his bucket of troubles.

  Now, he definitely needed to speak with his commander. Since it looked as though Danielle would be trying to gain custody of the girls. He’d need time off from his duties to go to Missouri to fight her. And fight her he would. With every tooth, nail, and dollar he possessed.

  “Will. Hey, Will. Captain Bennett. Hello?”

  The fact someone was calling his name finally penetrated his worried mind and he turned to see his friend hurrying after him. “Hey, Jeremy. Sorry. I’ve got a lot on my mind these days.”

  Jeremy caught up with his stride and they walked in amiable silence for a good five minutes before Jeremy spoke again. “Looks like you’ve got some pretty serious thoughts going on inside that melon head of yours.”

  His friend’s attempt at humor worked. Will laughed. “Big head, big thoughts.”

  “Anything I can help you with, my friend?” Jeremy’s forehead wrinkled in worry.

  “I don’t think there’s much anyone can do at the moment. I’m afraid I’m going to need one of those Christmas miracles I’ve heard happens in Angel Creek. Maybe I should quit the army and move there full time just to hedge my bet.”

  The shock on Jeremy’s face was comical. Will laughed again. “I’m kidding. At least, I think I am.”

  “Tell me what’s going on? Is Abigail becoming a problem? I can try to help you find someone else,” his friend offered.

  “No, it isn’t Abigail. Not in the least. If it wasn’t for her, I’d probably have lost what’s left of my mind already.” Will said the words and realized he meant them.

  “Alright, then is it the girls? Is something wrong there?”

  “No, Baby Rose had a cold and a bit of a fever, but Abigail recognized that Rose wasn’t acting normal and rushed her to the doctor. She’s given Rose excellent care and the baby should be over her cold in a day or so according to Doc Pembroke. Except for a bit of a stuffy nose. Otherwise, she’s nearly back to normal.”

  “Then what is it? Are you seriously going to make me guess the problem, Will? The options are limitless where you are concerned.”

  “Yes, I know. I’m just getting used to living in a household with four females, and now a fifth one has shown up to wreak even more havoc on my life.”

  “A fifth one? Please tell me Charlotte hasn’t returned.”

  “No, although this one reminds me an awful lot of Charlotte,” Will admitted, the animosity and disgust evident in his voice.

  “Well, that can’t be good.”

  “We both know nothing about Charlotte was good, and I fear Danielle is going to be chapter two of the same book.”

  “Who is Danielle?”

  By this time, they had reached the commander’s office. “Look, I need to talk to the commander about taking some time off next spring to go to Missouri.”

  “Missouri? Why on earth would you want to go to—”

  “Because Danielle Wilson is my brother-in-law's twin, and for whatever reason, David sent his sister a similar letter to the one Daisy sent me about taking custody of the children. Now, Danielle is determined to take the girls back to Boston and raise them herself.” His gut wrenched at the thought of
saying goodbye to his little nieces.

  “When did that become a problem for you, Will? You had just started to enjoy a bachelor’s life again and suddenly you found yourself responsible for three little girls. I would think Danielle Wilson is an answer to your prayers. She takes the girls to live in a city where they can get a good education and have all the modern conveniences. And she will know how to raise three girls. She’ll be much better at it than you are. After all, you did declare yourself a permanent bachelor not long ago. She’ll know all about the kinds of dresses and dances and fripperies they’ll need as they get older. How is this a problem?”

  Will turned to look at his friend and he could see the genuine confusion on Jeremy’s face. What could he say to make his friend understand the extent of his problem?

  “Jeremy, I understand from your perspective, how you could see Danielle Wilson as the answer to my problem. She’ll take the girls back to Boston and I’ll be free of my responsibility to my sister and her children. But, it’s been weeks since those little girls were uprooted from their home, brought to a place they’ve never been, and left with a man they barely remember. They’ve moved into a new house. Violet has started a new school with all new friends. They’ve had to depend on me and Abigail for all their physical and emotional needs. We’ve done our best to support them as they grieved for their parents. Through the midnight screams of terror from Lily, the quiet blank stares from Violet, and the round-the-clock cries from Rose who demands feeding and changing on her schedule, not ours. We’ve come together, Abigail, myself, Violet, Lily, and Baby Rose to form a sort of a…”

  He didn’t know why he was having such a hard time saying the word, but Jeremy had no such trouble.

  “A family? Ah, so that’s what’s happened. You and Abigail and those three girls have somehow created a family. And you like it. I knew it. I knew you and Miss Whittaker were attracted to each other. I could tell by the way you two were always butting heads. And now, you and she—when’s the wedding?”