I've had so many lovely stories contributed this holiday season. I hope you've enjoyed them all. At the end of this story I will give you the links to each story again. In the hustle and bustle of getting prepared for the holidays and family, not many had time to really do much but extra reading.
This Holiday Short story is written by Anna Small. Anna writes historical romance and shares a story about two of her characters, Cassie and Jed Hazard.
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Cassie Hazard looked out her bedroom
window and blinked rapidly to clear her vision. Surely, she was dreaming, for
there could not be snowflakes on the ground. Wrapping a quilt around her
shoulders, she hastily left the bedroom and rushed outdoors. She gasped in
delight. Speckled on the ground like shimmering dust was the first snowfall she
had ever seen since arriving in the New Mexico Territory.
“I’ll bet you never expected to see
snow in the desert, city gal.”
She turned around and smiled at her
husband. Jed looked like a snowman himself, bundled up in a heavy coat and a
muffler wound around his neck. She was grateful when he stood behind her,
wrapped his arms securely around her waist, and hugged the quilt to help keep
her warm.
“I didn’t know it would snow. How
beautiful everything looks.” Tiny flurries of snow whipped around the horse
paddock. The ground sparkled, reflecting the sunlight so she had to squint from
the glare.
“It always snowed at Christmas back
home. Ty and I would have snowball fights until our pa caught us avoiding our
chores.” He laughed at the memory, and she turned around in his arms to face
him.
“Boston will be beautiful this time of
year. They have sleigh rides on the Common, and Uncle Abe always took me to the
Parker House for dinner on Christmas Eve.”
“Sounds like a nice time. I hope you
don’t mind cornbread for this Christmas Eve.” His head lowered and he was just
about to kiss her, when someone called to them from the road. Jed glanced up.
“Looks like old Busybody Ames is bringing someone out here. Maybe it’s that
cattle buyer I met at the House of Diamonds a few weeks back.”
“I’ll go inside and dress,” she said,
reluctantly pulling away and walking toward the door. She watched from the step
for a few moments as Jed walked to the gate to let the driver in. Jed was
right. The driver was Mr. Ames, the schoolteacher, and his sole passenger
looked familiar. He was out of place in his black stovepipe hat and fur trimmed
coat. His full white beard made her almost think of Santa Claus, except she
only knew one man who wore a red silk scarf over his top coat.
Her breath caught in her throat as she
tried to call Jed, to warn him, but it was too late. He’d already reached the
gate, and the wagon was pulling up. Jed was talking to the two men, and he
glanced a few times back at her, as did the others. She gulped, then held her
head high. She had nothing to fear from anyone, and certainly not this man. She
was a married woman now, for goodness’ sake, and could make her own decisions.
Jed swung the gate open and the wagon
came through. She stood on the porch, her shoulders back and her chin stuck
out, waiting.
The wagon stopped at the house, and
Ames gave her a smug smile. He touched the brim of his hat with a slender
finger. “Good morning, Mrs. Hazard.”
“Mrs. Hazard?” The old gentleman
beside Ames scowled so deeply she thought his thick, bushy eyebrows would knit
themselves together. He climbed off the wagon with some difficulty, and walked
slowly to where she stood on the porch. “Well?” he demanded, and she felt her
knees wobble, “are you not going to say hello to your own uncle, missy?”
“Hello, Uncle Abe,” she said, cursing
herself inwardly for sounding like a little girl. Suddenly, she was no longer
the capable rancher-woman Jed always called her, but the naughty little girl
who’d painted all over her uncle’s desk and had gotten caught. “What are you doing
here?”
He puffed out his chest, and cast a
sardonic glance around the ranch. “I wanted to make sure you were still alive.
Mr. Ames has been good enough to inform me of what shenanigans you’ve been
about, young lady.”
“That’s my wife, sir. I’ll expect you
to be polite in my presence,” Jed said, his voice firm but pleasant. He climbed
the stairs to the porch and grasped her shoulder. “Sweetheart, let’s all go
inside and have some coffee. I’m sure your uncle doesn’t want to stand outside
in the cold all day.”
Grateful for Jed’s steady, practical
nature, Cassie led the way into the small house, instinctively wishing she’d
cleaned better the night before. But they’d had an early supper, and Jed had
smiled at her in that special way that she’d foregone housekeeping in favor of
their big, soft bed.
“Is this all there is?” Uncle Abe said
gruffly, surveying the small house and cramped kitchen.
Jed pulled out their best chair and
smiled pleasantly. “Won’t you sit, sir?”
Uncle Abe hesitated a moment, then sat
down carefully, as if he were afraid the chair would break. He glowered at
Cassie, but she kept up her air of strength, even though she was afraid she
would settle back into the role of obedient child again.
“I came to make sure you were still
alive, Cassandra,” he said, removing his hat and placing it on his knee.
“As you can see, Uncle, I am.”
Jed brought three mugs of coffee to
the table and set one before Uncle Abe, then took the chair opposite him. “How
was your journey, sir?”
“Long. What are your prospects with my
niece? She’s my only family, and I want to make certain you are not toying with
her.”
Cassie’s cheeks burned with the heat
of her blush, but she bit her tongue to keep from speaking her mind. Jed’s jaw
tightened, but he was polite.
“As I said before, she’s my wife. It
was all done up nice and legal. Charles Ames married us a few months ago.”
One white eyebrow rose up into his
forehead. “I have not heard a word about love, Mr. Hazard. Did you marry her
for love, or was it a business proposition? Mr. Ames seems convinced of the
latter.”
“He’s both a liar and a fool,” Jed
said, pushing out of his chair and rising abruptly. He stood beside Cassie and
wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “I love this woman with all my heart.
Yes, I wouldn’t have the ranch if she hadn’t married me, but that’s not why I
did it.” He faced her now, and it was as if they were alone. She stared up into
his sky blue eyes, so earnest and filled with all the hopes and dreams they
both shared. “I’ve loved you from that first day, Cassie, when you walked down
that dusty road and demanded I leave your ranch.” His eyes twinkled with
amusement at the memory. “I wanted you then as much as I want you now. The
o-nly reason I suggested we marry was that I couldn’t imagine a life without
you. You’re my partner and my friend. My best and truest love.”
Her eyes filled with tears, and she
placed her hand on his chest, over his beating heart. “I love you, too, Jed. I
always have.”
Uncle Abe cleared his throat, then
reached into his coat pocket. Cassie almost feared he was going to take out a
pistol and challenge Jed to a duel, but he withdrew a fat leather pouch, which
he handed to her. “In that case, you may have this.”
She hastily brushed the tears from her
cheek. “What is that?”
He heaved a sigh. “My dear sister was
not destitute when she ran away from home with your reprobate father. She had
some money put away, and I wish you now to have it.”
“If you think you can pay me to change
my mind, you’re wrong,” she said fiercely. “I don’t care if it’s a million
dollars. I’m staying here. My home is with my husband.” Her limbs trembled as
if she were feverish, but she kept her gaze focused on him, so he would know
she spoke the truth.
“My dear child, this is not a bribe to
take you out of this place, although,” and he glanced meaningfully around the
room, “it could use some sprucing up. It is your inheritance. You may give it
to your husband, keep it for yourself, or throw it to the wind – I don’t care
what you do with it.” He rose from the table and put his hat on. “Now, if Mr.
Hazard will be so kind, I require a ride back into town.”
“What for?” Jed asked.
Uncle Abe frowned slightly. “I am not
welcome here, that is evident. Cassandra and I have rarely seen eye to eye. She
is happy and well; that is all I wanted to see. I’m going back to Boston at
week’s end.”
He started for the door, but Cassie
was quicker. She gripped his arm. “Wait.”
“Yes, my dear?” His eyes swam with
tears, and she had to fight to keep her own emotions in check.
“That is why you came all the way out
to New Mexico Territory? Not to persuade me to come back to Boston with you or
to take the ranch from Jed or…or any of those things?”
He shook his head. “Is it so
impossible that I would want your happiness, Cassandra? I am the only family
you have left.”
“That’s not true,” she said softly. “I
have Jed, and I have a brother, Tyler. I have Laughing Crow and Two Rivers, and
Marianna and Miss Lavinia.”
He covered her hand that remained on
his arm. “You are the only family I have left, Cassandra. Please, forgive an
old man’s foolishness. I have always wanted your happiness. If this is what it
takes, then….” He sighed, and smiled through his thick beard. “I can ask for
nothing more.” He kissed her forehead, then looked at Jed. “And now, sir, if
you please….”
“You’re not going anywhere,” Cassie
said suddenly. “You’ll spend Christmas with us, Uncle Abe.”
“We insist,” Jed said, standing beside
her.
Uncle Abe shook his hand, then embraced Cassie warmly, the
long beard tickling her cheek as it always used to on the rare occasions he did
show affection. She realized now that he had been too worried about keeping her
safe all those years that he’d forgotten to enjoy the time they’d had.
“Well,” he said gruffly, pulling away and straightening out
his coat, “if I’m to stay here, we must have a proper Christmas dinner.”
“We’re having beans, cornbread, and
rabbit,” Cassie said.
Jed grinned. “And maybe some venison. Our friends, Laughing
Crow and his family, will bring a deer, and our sheriff, Wade, makes the best
apple pie you’ve ever tasted.”
“As I said,” Uncle Abe replied, “a proper Christmas
dinner.” He removed his coat and hat and rolled up his shirtsleeves. “Get me an
apron, missy. I’m going to tidy up around here so you may get ready for your
friends.”
She tied her apron around his waist, her throat full of
unshed, joyful tears. When she was done, he cupped her cheek in his warm hand
and gave it a little pinch.
“How I’ve missed these freckles. You must come out and
visit me in Boston.” He nodded at Jed. “Both of you.”
“We will.” Jed winked at Cassie as he headed for the door.
“I’m going to chop some more wood and see to the livestock. I’ll come in when
Laughing Crow arrives.” He paused and looked at Uncle Abe. “Merry Christmas,
sir.”
“I find sir a little stuffy. Call me Uncle Abe.”
“Merry Christmas, Uncle Abe.” Jed grinned at both of them and
went outside.
Cassie embraced her uncle. “Merry Christmas, dear Uncle
Abe.” She kissed him on the cheek.
“Merry Christmas, Cassandra.” He indicated the table. “Are
you not going to open that pouch and see how much is in there?”
She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. I have everything I
want right here.”
You can find Anna:
Story links:
UPCOMING GUESTS:
WEDNESDAY(4th): Mia Marlowe And Connie Mason
FRIDAY(6th): Tawny Weber
