by Natalie Dean
“Where are they!” one of the slavers, the shorter one, demanded. “You’re hiding them!”
Preacher Shepherd had returned from the graveyard. “No one is hidden,” he said. “Look wherever you please.”
“I’ll find him,” the tall slave hunter warned. “And his sister too. And when I do, you’ll be taken into custody.”
“Horne,” Jack warned. “You do your job. Search, find them, do what you say you have to do. But don’t tell me who I’ll be taking into custody.”
The slave hunters split up. The taller one, the one called Horne, said he was searching the cabins while the other continued to search the patients. Sarah, Dr. Darnley, and Preacher Shepherd continued with their work while the lawmen stood against the wall, waiting. Sarah could feel her husband’s eyes upon her but she resolutely kept her attention on her patients.
Her heart was pounding. Would Horne go to the graveyard? Had Preacher Shepherd put Lazarus in the shed where the dead were kept until they were buried? Would Lazarus reveal his identity? She had not known what else to do as the slave hunters came closer and even though she was confident that Lazarus, with his hair shaved off and his face and chest covered in what would pass for a variation of the smallpox, would not be recognized, she felt it was not safe for him to be scrutinized. Declaring him dead, she hoped, would be a successful ruse.
Methodically, she continued to tend to the patients in her row, her impassive demeanor at odds with her racing pulse. If the ruse failed, she would be responsible for a man losing his freedom.
Chapter 31
It was still dark outside, but Sarah was awake. Morning would break soon and she hoped that the day would be all that she wanted it to be for the children. They had spent the week before Christmas baking the gifts that they wanted to give to the people on Sarah’s list; yesterday, they had delivered them. Sarah had driven the wagon while the children took turns taking mince pies to very special people like Mrs. Greenwell and the Wiessens, and taking baked treats to others. The children had been so excited by their gift-giving and so pleased by the gratitude of the recipients that they were already making plans to continue the tradition next year.
The town had reason to feel celebratory. The smallpox epidemic had finally eased. Only a few patients remained in the hospital and they were recovering. Dr. Darnley continued to visit the sick in East Knox Mills and sometimes Sarah went as well.
The slave hunters had gone back to Louisiana, disappointed that they had not found the runaway slave Lazarus or his sister among the inhabitants of East Knox Mills. Recalling that day, Sarah could still remember the fear that she had felt as she waited, along with the others, to find out what the slave hunters would do.
But no one had been more anxious than Lazarus himself, pretending to be dead in the burial shed. Horne, the tall slave hunter, had opened the door to the shed where Preacher Shepherd had left Lazarus, but he had not entered. Still, no one had relaxed until the slave hunters announced that the slaves must have run off to Mexico. Jack and his lawmen had escorted the slave hunters back to town.
Lazarus told them that his sister had gotten free through the Underground Railroad. When she reached Canada, she was going to have someone send him a letter. That was why he had been so determined to stay in East Knox Mills, where a letter could be sent. But no one in East Knox Mills got mail, she realized. Perhaps now, with Dr. Darnley as an intermediary between the two communities, there would be more interaction between the town residents and the freed slaves. Preacher Shepherd had not lied when he said that there were only free men and women in the church; all men and women, he said, were free in Christ.
She wondered how they were faring in East Knox Mills. They were poor people; Christmas would be very different from what she had planned for her family. There would be a splendid ham, succulent and pink; baked potatoes roasted in their skins; spiced apples; cookies and cakes and all sorts of good things on the table.
The children had decorated the pine tree that Carson and Erich had cut down and now it ruled over the parlor which had formerly looked shabby. The garland of popcorn and cranberries and the paper chains on the tree made a vivid splash of color in the room. The fragrant pine scent, mingled with the dried oranges and apples that Sarah had added, sent its pleasant odor throughout the cabin. The children had been wide-eyed at the finished result when they stood back to see their handiwork.
Sarah smiled as she imagined how they would look this morning when they emerged from their beds to see what Santa Claus had brought them. After the episode in East Knox Mills, Carson had said nothing more about her extravagance in shopping for the children. He told her later that after he’d seen her at her work as a nurse in the church, tending to the sick, he’d realized that she had her work to do, just as he had his. Sarah, basking in his praise and his understanding, had vowed that she would include him in the decisions that were made about the children. They were a family.
“You’re already awake?” Carson leaned over her, sleepy-eyed. “You waiting for what Santa Claus brought you?’
“He brought me a wonderful husband and four delightful children,” she replied, turning so that her lips met his.
“He brought something else,” Carson said.
“What?”
“Check inside your shoe,” he said, grinning.
Sarah hopped out of the bed and scampered over to her shoes with the eagerness of a child. Inside her right shoe was a little jewelry box.
“Open it,” Carson said.
She opened the box to find a golden wedding ring inside. It was a simple band with no embellishments, just a golden circle. It was perfect. She looked up at her husband, who was grinning with pleasure at her response.
“Bring it over here,” he said. “Let me put it on your finger.”
She returned to the bed and obediently handed the ring to Carson. “I figured it was time to put a ring here,” he said. “We’ve done everything out of order. We got married and got a family and all this time, you haven’t had a ring.”
“There hasn’t been time to think of things like that.”
“I thought of it,” he said as he placed the ring on her finger. “I was going to wait until you found it yourself when you dressed, but I couldn’t wait after all. I love you, Sarah.”
She touched his clean-shaven cheek. “I love you, Carson.”
They kissed, a long, exploring kiss between two people who were still getting to know one another and would enjoy the journey, even when it brought them to unexpected destinations.
The children were soon clamoring at their door, begging to be allowed to go into the parlor to see what Santa had brought. Carson pulled on trousers and a shirt; Sarah pulled a blanket over her and the pair opened the door.
“It’s not even daylight yet!” Carson pretended to grumble as the children raced past him.
They stood still, staring in disbelief at the presents beneath the tree.
“Are they for us?” Ruby asked curiously.
“Of course they’re for you,” Sarah said. “Come now, Deputy Harlow and I will hand them out to you.”
The children arrayed themselves around the tree expectantly while Sarah and Carson sat before them, taking turns handing out the gifts. Sarah’s heart swelled with pleasure as each one—Erich, Lucy, Isaiah and Ruby—exclaimed over the presents she had bought for them. Even Carson laughed when Isaiah opened up a sack of peppermint sticks just for him and began to eat one as if he couldn’t wait.
When all the presents were opened, Lucy stood up. “We have presents for you, too,” she said shyly. “We put our money together, the money you put in our shoes and Erich put in some of his earnings.”
Sarah opened hers first. It was a knitted scarf; it was not flawlessly made and there were places where the stitches had dropped, but tears formed in her eyes as she beheld the gift.
“It’s beautiful,” she said.
“Frau Wiessen helped me pick the yarn,” Lucy said. “I’ve been knitting every chance I got so
it would be done. Ruby did some of the stitches, too.”
“It’s a wonderful present,” Sarah said, and to prove her point, she wrapped the scarf around her neck, making the children laugh at the sight of her in her nightgown and blanket.
Erich handed Carson his gift. “We thought. . . that is, we figured . . . “
“Just open it,” said Isaiah.
Carson did so. It was a new razor. “We thought that it would be a good thing to have, now that you can shave again,” Erich explained.
Carson held the razor in his hand. “Very fancy,” he said, guessing that much of Erich’s savings for his own horse had been spent on the razor. “Thank you. This is quite a gift.”
“Mr. Wiessen says it’s the newest kind of razor. See there, how the handle goes the other way from the blade? That’s new,” Isaiah told him proudly.
Carson nodded. “Mighty fancy,” he said, touched by the thoughtfulness of the children. “I don’t know when I’ve had a present this fancy. I’ll be the best-shaved man in town. It certainly makes my old straight razor look mighty old-fashioned. I guess I’ll hand that down to Erich here, for when he’s of shaving age.”
The boy blushed with pleasure and embarrassment alike. Sarah realized that the boys would learn about manhood from Carson, who would be a much better mentor—and father—than Graham Boone could ever have been.
“Miss Ruby,” Carson said, noticing the little girl’s serious expression. “You look troubled. Don’t you like your presents?”
“I do . . .” Ruby said, looking concerned. “Maybe too much. Ma always said that where your treasure is, there your heart is also.”
“That’s right. . . “
“With so many presents, I have too many treasures,” the little girl said with a contorted sense of logic that obviously made sense to her. “I wonder if Santa Claus would mind if I gave some of them away?”
“He wouldn’t mind at all, Ruby,” Sarah said warmly. “Who should get the presents?”
“The children of those freed slaves that you and Deputy Harlow were talking about that time,” Ruby said promptly. “You said some of the children didn’t have parents anymore because of the smallpox. They’re like us. But then you came, Miss Sarah, and you married Deputy Harlow, and we have parents again. I think God would like us to share what we have.”
Sarah tried to keep her voice from breaking. “I think God would like that,” she said, “if you’re willing to do this with a cheerful heart.”
“I am!”
“Me, too!”
“We’ll all do it,” Lucy declared. “We have so much, it’s only right to share.”
“I’ll even share my peppermint sticks!” Isaiah said.
“Miss Sarah, we have so much food. Do you think we could bring some to those people? They might like to have some of our cooking,” Lucy suggested.
“I think they would like some of our cooking very much,” Sarah agreed.
Carson’s hand clasped hers. He could feel the gold wedding band on her finger, a reminder of the covenant between them and the marriage that united them. This Christmas Day brought them all, Carson, Sarah, Erich, Lucy, Isaiah and Ruby, into a covenant of love that taught them all that the gifts of God were endless when they were shared.
* * *
THE END
If you enjoyed this story…
Please be so kind as to leave an honest review. Reviews can make or break the success of a book and ultimately, my career as an author and work-from-home mom. Even if you only write a few words, it makes a big difference! Thank you so much…
Also, if you enjoyed this story and want to read more about the brides of Knox Mills, Texas, here are links to the whole series (Book 1 is 25K words, but the remainder of the series will be 50K+ words long!)
LAWMEN’S BRIDES SERIES
The Ranger’s Wife
Benjamin’s Bride
Carson’s Christmas Bride (Coming in December 2018!)
Other books by Natalie Dean & Eveline Hart
NATALIE DEAN
MARRYING A MARSHAL SERIES
An Unexpected Treasure
The Dangers of Love
The Outlaw’s Daughter
LAWMEN’S BRIDES SERIES
The Ranger’s Wife
Benjamin’s Bride
Carson’s Christmas Bride
BRIDES AND TWINS SERIES
A Soldier’s Love
Taming the Rancher
The Wrong Bride
A Surprise Love
The Last Sister’s Love
BRIDES & TWINS Box Set / Mail-Order Bride Compilation (My best-seller! It includes TWO MORE unreleased heartwarming mail-order bride series)
LOVE ON THE TRAILS SERIES
A Love Beyond Suspicion
Picture Perfect Love
Love of a Wild Rose
A Dangerous Time to Love
A Cold Winter’s Love
Brides, Trails, and Mountain Men
Historical Western Romance Compilation
Includes my Love on the Trails Series plus an exclusive series titled Marrying a Mountain Man
BOULDER BRIDES SERIES
The Teacher’s Bride
The Independent Bride
The Perfect Bride
The Indian’s Bride
The Civil War Bride
BOULDER BRIDES BOX SET
BRIDES OF BANNACK SERIES
Lottie
Cecilia
Sarah
* * *
Though I try to keep this list updated in each book, you may also visit my website EVELINEHART.COM for the most up to date information on my book list.
About Author - Natalie Dean
Born and raised in a small coastal town in the south I realized at a young age that I was more adventurous than my conservative friends and family. I loved to travel. My passion for travel opened up a whole new world and new cultures to me that I will always be grateful for.
I was raised to treasure family. I always knew that at some point in my life I would leave my storybook life behind and become someone's mother, someone's aunt and hopefully someone's grandmother. Little did I know that the birth of my son later in life would make me the happiest I’ve ever been. He will always be my biggest achievement. The strong desire to be a work-from-home mom is what lead me down this path of publishing books.
While I have always loved reading I never realized how much I would love writing until I started. I feel like each one of my books have been influenced by someone or something I’ve experienced in my life. To be able to share this gift has become a dream come true.
I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I have enjoyed creating them. I truly hope to develop an ongoing relationship with all of my readers that lasts into my last days :)
PS
Though my name is Eveline Hart and I initially started writing under that name, I decided to use the pen name Natalie Dean.
Why did I do that?
I wanted to do testing with my various styles of writing, to see what you readers like the most! Well, I guess I ended up going crazy with the books under the Natalie Dean pen name and now that I’ve developed such a following for Natalie Dean, I’m just going to stick with it : )
www.EVELINEHART.com