Convenient Christmas Bride (9781460389034) Read online

  “Thank you for saving my life.”

  He held her gaze as he swallowed and then said, “That mule out there saved your life. All I did was keep the fever down and get a little water in ya. Now eat up.” He waved his fork toward the plate in front of her. “You tell the school board what you just told me and I’m sure everything will be fine.”

  The eggs scratched as they went down, and Anna Mae turned her head to cough. The cough seemed to come and go, but at least her chest no longer burned from the pain of it.

  Once the coughing subsided, she asked, “Do you think it’s safe to go to town today?”

  He shook his head, gently wiping eggs off the side of Ruby’s mouth. “Not with a wagon. That rainstorm we got right before the snow turned into a layer of ice. Besides, it’s best to stay out of the cold air and let that cough heal.”

  “But the longer I stay here...” She left the words hanging in the air.

  “Nothin’ to do for it. I can’t have you and the girls out in this weather.” He sipped his coffee.

  He was right. If it were just her safety, Anna Mae felt sure she’d risk going out. But it wasn’t just hers, it was the twins’, too. She sighed.

  “If you need something, I can take Roy and go out.”

  “Roy?”

  A grin split the sheriff’s face. “Yeah, my horse.”

  “You named him Roy?” Anna Mae felt a chuckle rise in her sore throat. The big black gelding Josiah rode looked like anything but a Roy. Her papa had a business associate named Roy who was old, bent over at the waist, and sported a bald spot right in the center of his hair. Other than their names, there were no similarities between the fine-looking horse and the balding old man.

  “Now don’t go makin’ fun of Roy, he’s seen me through some rough weather. I believe he could get me to town without too many mishaps.”

  The thought of Josiah out on ice and snow with his horse slipping and possibly breaking a leg didn’t appeal to her at all. She shook her head. “No, I don’t need anything. Just wanted to get back before the school board missed me.” She spooned another bite of egg into her mouth, worry making the food flavorless. She brushed crumbs from her lap. If the board were to see her wearing Josiah’s shirt and long johns, she’d be in more than a heap of trouble. She’d be run out of town on a rail.

  Thankfully, his shirt covered her to right below the knees, but still her cheeks flushed every time she remembered struggling into the clothes that belonged to the sheriff.

  Shortly after she’d arrived, Josiah had insisted she put on dry clothes. She’d been shaking so badly from the cold and the fever that consumed her body that it had taken much longer than normal for her to change. Concerned, he’d threatened to come in and help her. She’d managed to get them on before he’d made good on his threat, but was so exhausted she’d fallen into a deep sleep. Hopefully, she’d be able to change back into her own dress right after breakfast.

  Josiah pushed away from the table, taking his and the twins’ plates with him. The little girls were covered in egg and wet crumbs. “Maybe, if the sun comes out full force, we’ll be able to get to town in a couple of days.” He raked the scraps into the slop bucket and carried it to the back porch to be thrown out later.

  Anna Mae offered, “I can help you with that.” She pushed away from the table and immediately felt the weakness in her limbs.

  “Nope, you are just recovering.” He walked over to her and placed a hand under her arm. “I’ll help you to the couch and you can rest there until you need to return to bed. I don’t want you to come down with another fever.”

  Tears filled her eyes as he walked beside her into the sitting room. Josiah had been so nice to her. He’d saved her life and then tried to make her comfortable during the worst of her sickness. Anna Mae vowed that during the time she had to stay here, she’d offer her help and make herself useful.

  “Why don’t you bring the girls in here and I’ll read to them,” she said, hoping he’d at least let her help out in that way.

  “Now that’s a right nice idea. Give me a minute to get them cleaned up and I’ll put them in the corral.” He waited until she seated herself on the sofa, then handed her a small quilt before he returned to the kitchen.

  Anna Mae stared into the fire, disturbing thoughts troubling her. Would she have a job when this was all over? If not, where would she go? Would this town be as hard on her as her hometown had been? Fears and past hurts ran deep within her. How she hated this feeling of uncertainty. She’d just lately felt secure enough to put down roots. As if she finally belonged. Now her very livelihood could be decided by others known for judging harshly.

  Without warning, Anna Mae remembered the shame she’d felt when her ex-fiancé, Mark Peters, had left her standing at the altar. She’d given up her teaching job to marry him. She’d thought he loved her, but he’d left the night before their wedding and had a note delivered at the hour of the marriage ceremony. Fresh tears filled her eyes, for just thinking of it shattered her. Not because she’d loved Mark to the point of distraction, but because he’d made a laughingstock of her. The whole town had shaken their heads and secretly called her a fool. With her teaching job no longer available, Anna Mae had done the only thing she felt she could do. She’d answered Levi Westland’s ad for a mail-order bride.

  But thankfully, God knew that Levi wasn’t the man for her, and had sent Millie Hamilton to be his new bride. Anna Mae had breathed a sigh of relief the day Levi announced his intention to marry Millie, confirming in Anna Mae’s heart that she was meant to be a schoolteacher and a spinster.

  “I wish you’d stop worrying about the school board. Whatever comes, we’ll face it together and I’ll make sure that they understand.” Josiah placed the girls into what he’d called the corral, made of boards and fabric, and stood to smile at her.

  Lost in thoughts of the past, Anna Mae needed a moment to reorient herself. She longed to trust in Josiah’s assurances, but she was reluctant to place her faith with a man again.

  Chapter Two

  Josiah stood in the kitchen and listened to Anna Mae’s soft voice as she read to the girls from the book of Genesis. He knew the girls didn’t understand the story of Adam and Eve, but they looked up at Anna Mae with sincere interest. He dried the last dish and laid the towel to the side.

  His boots made a soft clomping sound as he walked across the floor. He knelt down beside her chair and touched her hand. It felt soft under his rough fingers. She turned her big brown eyes upon him. “Would you mind terribly if I go check on Roy and the mule?”

  A soft smile graced her chapped lips, reminding him that she needed to drink more water. “Not at all. I’m sure they would enjoy breakfast and a little attention.”

  He nodded and stood. Josiah reached for Ruby and touched the soft black curls on her head. He glanced between her and Rose. “You girls be good for Annie, ya hear?”

  “Go,” Ruby said as she worked to stand up.

  “Not this time, little one. It’s too cold out there for little girls.” He leaned over and kissed her soft cheek.

  Rose scrambled for him. She smacked her lips, wanting her kisses, too. “Tisses!” she demanded.

  He laughed and scooped both girls up into his arms. Kissing them both all over their faces sent them into squeals of delight. Josiah’s love for the girls grew stronger every day. They were changing so much as they got older.

  Anna Mae’s soft laughter joined in. He looked over at her and saw that her face looked a little pale. Had she overdone it this morning? Possibly. Maybe now wasn’t a good time to leave her alone with the twins. He stood to his full height and looked down on her.

  As if she could read his mind, Anna Mae said, “You better hurry and take care of the animals. We’ll be fine until you return.”

  Josiah nodded and quickly set the girls back
into the corral. He pulled on his coat and scarf. Cold air blasted into the house as he hurried out the door.

  Snow glistened on the ground and the early morning sun rays added to the brightness. He shielded his eyes and exhaled, his breath forming a cloudy vapor. Thankfully, the snow had stopped falling. He followed the trail to the barn, the cold air stinging his face.

  When he opened the door, warmth greeted him along with the scent of hay and dust. Roy snorted from his corner of the barn and the little mule hailed him with a loud bray. “I hear ya, you ornery beasts.”

  Josiah hurried to give the animals water, grain and hay. As quickly as he could, he mucked out their stalls and laid fresh hay. A glance at his pocket watch told him he’d been out of the house for close to two hours. Giving the horse and mule a final pat, Josiah started the trek back to the house. He glanced up at the sky. In another hour or so the sun would sit directly over the house. That would help heat the place up a bit.

  Lord willing, in the spring he could add another fireplace; or maybe he’d just buy one of those new-fangled stoves he’d seen advertised down at the dry goods store. He figured Anna Mae would like that. He reined in his thoughts immediately. What in the world was he thinking? She wouldn’t be here in the spring. A woman like Anna Mae was looking for a love relationship, and he wasn’t. He didn’t want love. It hurt too much when the one you loved died.

  For all he knew, he might not be here, either. He’d thought about getting a house in town but didn’t want to seem ungrateful to William, his brother-in-law. After all, he’d been the one to buy the orchard. William might not like the idea of him moving to town and leaving it vacant. When he got to the front porch, Josiah stomped as much snow from his boots as possible before entering the house.

  His gaze roved around the room and he saw the twins napping in their corral and Anna Mae asleep on the couch. He walked over and gently, so as not to wake her, covered her with a quilt.

  Josiah reached out and touched Anna Mae’s forehead. Cool. He stared down into her lovely face. Dark lashes rested against her pale cheeks. Her dark hair feathered about the pillow. Anna Mae Leland truly was beautiful.

  He grinned as he remembered the first time he’d called her Annie. She’d flared up like a hissing cat. That little bit of spitfire seemed to rouse her to get stronger. Truth be told, he preferred Annie over Anna Mae. The name seemed softer. It suited her better, so he’d continued to tease her with the name. Now it just felt natural.

  Josiah made a mental note not to call her Annie once their lives returned to normal. It was a little too informal for the schoolteacher position that she held. Would the school board fire her? He took a deep breath. He’d only wanted to help her, keep her safe, and he may have ruined this sweet woman’s life. It couldn’t be helped. There was no way that he would have turned her away, sick and in the middle of a blizzard.

  Josiah caressed her cheek with the back of his hand. He cared about her. How could he not? For the past week, he’d worried over her health and at times her life. Did Anna Mae realize how close she’d come to death?

  He shook off the worry he felt for her even now and, with a sigh, turned to the kitchen for a hot cup of coffee.

  If he could save her job and reputation, he would. If not, well, he’d cross that bridge when he got there.

  * * *

  Anna Mae woke to childish giggles and the smell of frying ham. She pushed herself up and looked about. Josiah stood at the stove and the girls played in their corral.

  How long had she slept? Her gaze went to the window. The sun still shone through the glass, and she sighed, thankful she hadn’t slept the whole day away.

  “I see you are awake.” Josiah cradled a cup of coffee in his hands and rested a hip against the sturdy kitchen table. “Did you have a good nap?”

  Her throat felt so dry, Anna Mae couldn’t speak. She tried to swallow but found she couldn’t do that, either. She nodded.

  He must have sensed her need because Josiah walked to the stove and poured her a cup of coffee. He held it out to her. “Take small sips. It might burn a little going down.”

  She took the cup and did as he instructed. The warm liquid both felt good and hurt. It was just what she needed to be able to speak. “Thank you.” The two words sounded scratchy as she forced them out of her tight throat.

  “You’re welcome.” He sat down beside her on the couch.

  “It’s kind of early for dinner, isn’t it?” she asked. “Or are you making a late lunch?”

  Josiah laughed. “Trying to get a head start on dinner tomorrow night. My wife used to make the best ham and beans. I thought I’d try my hand at it, but I think I’m doing something wrong.” He sighed dramatically. “Mine never tastes like hers.”

  “Is that why you’re frying ham now?” Anna Mae asked, looking toward the stove.

  He nodded. “But for the life of me, I can’t seem to get it right.”

  She grinned. “That’s because you don’t fry the ham first. Do you have a ham hock that hasn’t been cooked?” she asked.

  “I’m sure there is one in the root cellar. Why?”

  Anna Mae swung her legs off the couch. “Because that’s what you should put into your beans.” She croaked hoarsely as she spoke.

  “Now, Annie, don’t go thinking I wanted you to get up and cook.” He stood also. “Because that wasn’t my plan.”

  She smiled over her shoulder. “Go get the ham hock and we can have boiled beans and fresh bread for dinner tomorrow.” Anna Mae watched him slip into his coat and scarf, then head out the back door.

  In the bedroom she hurried out of his clothes and into her dress. It felt good to be back in her own clothes, and Anna Mae realized that if she must stay with the Millers, she needed to give Josiah his bedroom back.

  She eased her feet into her stockings, thankful for their warmth. As she made the bed Anna Mae made a decision. No one she’d ever known liked feeling beholden to someone, and neither did she. If she could pull her weight around here it would benefit them both. She’d look for other ways to help and right now she needed to get the beans on.

  She returned to the kitchen, pausing to check on the twins, stealing a kiss from each one. Worn-out from everything she’d done, Anna Mae sat at the kitchen table and began sorting the dry beans, making sure not one black rock remained in the mix. She could almost taste tomorrow’s meal.

  She heard Josiah before she saw him. He stomped the snow from his feet, then entered the house, triumphantly waving a ham hock in his hand. “I found it, took a while, but we now have meat.” He seemed undecided what to do with it and she stifled a giggle. “Boy, it’s cold out there. Brrr.”

  Anna Mae laughed. “Set the ham hock in that bowl to thaw. I’ll put the beans on to soak on the stove as soon as I finish sorting them.”

  If he noticed she’d changed clothes, Josiah didn’t say anything about it. Instead he asked, “Would you mind having fried eggs and ham for dinner tonight?”

  “Not at all.” Anna Mae set a rock off to the side of her bowl.

  “Good. Eggs, bacon, ham and beans are about all I know how to make. Mary was the cook, not me.” He pulled a chair out and sat down. “And when I’m on the trail of bad guys, I don’t have to cook much.” He grinned.

  Anna Mae focused on the job at hand. She wondered about his wife, but didn’t want to be nosy. She knew that Mary had been killed during a bank robbery and that she was William Barns’s sister, but that was all anyone seemed to know about her. “Back when we lived together, Emily Jane did all our cooking, before she married William. I’d gotten used to her fixing all my meals, and now that I’m staying at the boardinghouse and Beth provides my meals, well, I’m a little rusty at cooking myself. But together I think we’ll do just fine.”

  “Well, we won’t starve to death, that’s for sure. Emily Jane helped me stock
the pantry before the storm hit, and the root cellar is full of meats and vegetables.” He leaned back and studied her. “But I don’t want you to overdo it today.”

  She smiled. It was nice having someone care about her. Since Emily Jane married, Anna Mae had felt alone. A feeling she was very familiar with, since she’d felt that way most of her life. She couldn’t deny that of all the things she longed for in her life, belonging to someone, being important to at least one person, ranked right at the top of her list.

  The flames crackled in the fireplace, drawing her back to the present. There was nothing like a fire to give the house a cozy feeling. She raised her eyes to find the sheriff watching her, a glint of concern in his analyzing gaze.

  “I won’t overdo, I promise.” She dumped the clean beans in the pot beside her. “It just feels so good to actually be up and moving about. To be doing something of importance. I am not fond of idleness at all.”

  Josiah picked up the pot of beans and moved to the counter. He rinsed the beans well before setting the pot on the back of the stove. When he returned to the table Anna Mae asked him, “What do you normally do while the girls have their afternoon nap?”

  Josiah shrugged. “Read or clean my guns.”

  Anna Mae pushed away from the table. “I don’t want you to change your routine because of me.” She walked back to the couch and sat down.

  Josiah followed. He dropped into the rocker beside the fireplace. “All right. What do you normally do midafternoon?” he asked, setting the rocker into motion.

  “Well, if I’m at the school I teach math, but if I’m at home I sew, read or create lessons for the next day.” She pulled her legs up onto the couch and slipped them under the quilt she’d left there earlier.

  “What made you want to be a teacher?” Josiah asked as he put a cloth ball back into the corral with the girls, who had awakened when the adults started talking.

  Her gaze moved to Rose and Ruby. “I loved to read as a child and my teacher had all kinds of books he’d loan me. He told me I was smart enough that I could teach, if I wanted to. So when I got old enough to do so, I did.” She paused, watching the twins play together. They rolled the ball back and forth between them and giggled as if each time something new happened. Their enjoyment of such a simple task reminded Anna Mae of her calling.