Christmas Surprise Page 17

  "I've seen the way you look at Genevieve. Her mother isn't around to stop you from courting her. Why do you hide your feelings?"

  "She's too good for this ole' dog. I've driven her since she was mature enough to give me orders. Bless her heart. I've watched her grow into a beautiful young woman. When her papa died and they lost all of their fortune, it broke my heart. She wanted me to drive for someone else, so I could earn a living. It didn't seem right for me to let her drive herself in San Francisco. The place isn't safe for a woman alone, and I certainly wasn't going to let her come all this way without protection."

  "If you're so protective of Genevieve, I'm surprised you let Jory and me ride along with you."

  "Don't think I didn't keep a close watch on you two brothers. Never did close my eyes until I knew you and Jory were asleep."

  Tam shook his head. "How'd you know when we were out for the night?"

  "Your snoring could wake the dead, boy." Big Dog roared.

  "Aw, come on. Jory and I only snore when we're extra tired."

  "Well, I wouldn't know about that. All of us were plenty tired while traveling here. Don't you worry none. I won't be telling Miss Caroline about the racket you make in your sleep."

  When Hank came into the woodworking shop, they were both laughing. "Do you have a moment, Tam?"

  He dropped a cloth over the box. "Sure, I was keeping Big Dog company while everyone attended church."

  "I'll be back when I can, Big Dog."

  "Anytime, I always enjoy your chatter."

  "Let's go down by the lake."

  The two men left the woodshop. Tam slowed his step to match Hank's stride with the crutches. They reached the bench and sat. He waited in silence until the older man spoke.

  "You're aware of what we keep hidden under the lodge."

  "Yes sir, I am."

  "Before you rode to Canada with Luc, he asked permission to let you know about our smuggling operation. He feared you might accidentally say something to alert Gervais about our private business. The man has never been happy about my marriage to Isabella and he's been jealous of Luc and Josef being taken in by his parents."

  "As I said before, I did notice the hostility at the supper table. Luc thinks part of the reason is because he and Josef are Sioux."

  "I honestly thought Gervais was ticked off because I married his sister and brought her down here to the states."

  "It could be. That man is carrying around a terrible amount of hate, Hank. When he unleashes his fury, I fear what will happen."

  "I hear what you're saying, Tam. I'm afraid it may already have started."

  "How's that?"

  "Today a woman from my past showed up at the church. Unfortunately, she's here until I can figure a way to be rid of her. Warning signals are going off inside my head. I don't think her arrival has anything to do with the mail order bride scheme my daughter set in motion."

  "If it doesn't smell right, trust your instincts first. If you need me to help keep an eye on her activities, I'll do what I can."

  "That's exactly what I'm asking from you. With this bum leg, I still can't get around easy enough to do it myself. You might as well know Matthias is acting like a rutting stallion around the lady. Keep an eye on them together. Her name is Penelope Brown. We knew one another several years ago when she came to the trading post with her father. I can testify that she is more than capable of manipulating Matthias' feelings and using them for her own benefit."

  Tam shook his head. "It seems love is in the air these days."

  Hank studied Tam for several uncomfortable moments. "Are you courting Caroline?"

  "Yes sir, I am."

  Hank slapped his good leg and chuckled.

  "If she'll have me, will you give me your permission to ask her to marry me?"

  "Only if you plan to stay in this vicinity."

  "I understand your concern, but be assured, if she accepts me as her husband, I intend to settle here."

  Hank held out his hand. "Good luck."

  Tam shook it. "Thank you, sir. It sounds like I'm going to need more than my charm and good looks to convince her of my value."

  Hank chuckled. "You're more than up to the task, son."

  "I hope you're right."

  "My bet is on you, Tam."

  Chapter Sixteen

  Mrs. Brown's unexpected arrival shook Caroline's confidence in her judgment. She'd had no idea her letter to the magazine would cause so many consequences.

  She changed from her church-going clothes and put on work attire. If she made herself busy, maybe Daddy wouldn't find her until his temper cooled over having to host the unexpected guest.

  Nobody greeted her as she entered the main room. She hurried through to the store and started straightening the shelves. Her father's decision to celebrate the holidays delighted her. They'd kept excess Christmas merchandise in storage the past couple of years. Now with a display in the window, she could advertise they once again would carry various foodstuffs and supplies for traditional holiday meals.

  She heard her father and Tam enter the main room. A few moments later, Tam joined her in the store.

  "What are you doing?" He peeked into the opened carton and pulled out a box with four tree ornaments inside. "Who's helping who here? I thought your father turned the store over to me."

  "He's not said another word to me about you staying in here now that your arm has healed. I figured you'd be doing outside work."

  "Let's do it together and make a display in the window."

  Caroline was delighted at his request. "Yes, I was thinking the same thing. Let's put a small one in the window and, if you move the table in the corner over a couple of feet, we can set out turkey dinner items over there."

  "Now you have the spirit."

  "There are several crates of Mama's candles and holders in one of the tunnels, but with Daddy not able to climb a ladder right now I wasn't able to bring the heavier ones up from storage."

  "Show me where the boxes are kept and I'll bring them to you."

  "They're in the tunnel with all the pelts. I think you know where it is," Caroline said. "I'll go down with you and show you which containers we need."

  He grasped her arm before she left the store. "Wait, we can't go near the tunnels while Mrs. Brown is around."

  "Daddy's orders?"

  "Yes, according to his instincts she can't be trusted."

  "Did he say why he doesn't feel comfortable with her around?"

  "No, but with the revenuers still lurking around this area and the way Gervais treated Luc, her arrival doesn't seem right to him."

  "She said she's here in response to the mail order bride advertisement. Are you saying she isn't?"

  "Your guess is as good as mine. We don't have any proof and maybe her explanation is true. Hank thinks it is best to be careful. If she does turn out to be a spy for Farthington, your father has a lot to lose."

  "Thanks for letting me know."

  They wiped cobwebs and dust from around the window frame and ledge. "I'll be right back," Caroline said. "Let me grab a white cloth from the kitchen. We can lay pinecones with boughs of pine and fir trees on top of it. Maybe Lottie has something red for accent."

  She left the store and headed into the kitchen. She returned with the white cloth, as well as a couple of red ribbons.

  "This is all Lottie could find, but she's looking for more." She laid her acquisitions on the counter. "I wish we could get into the storage tunnel."

  He tipped her chin up. "It'll be fine. Let's work with what we have. Think of it as starting a new tradition."

  She turned her face away and wiped the tears away.

  "Don't turn away. Honey, it's all right to cry." He wrapped his arms around Caroline and held her until the tears stopped.

  His embrace comforted her. All the holiday memories broke down the wall she'd built around her emotions. "I want my Mama here with us again."

  Tam placed his hand on the back of her head and pressed
her closer against him. "I lost my own mother in my early teens. I remember the heavy weight of loss. I promise you the pain will lessen and in time you'll remember only the good memories of her."

  She sniffled.

  "Would you like to hear one of my favorite memories of my mother?"

  She didn't move out of his arms, but nodded against his chest.

  "In the forests where my family lives we have a lot of fir trees. When the trees would get their new growth in the spring, the tips of the branches turned a lighter green than the rest of the tree. I can still see the grin on Mama's face when she looked at Jory and me and told us God painted their tips so the trees would feel pretty."

  She pulled out of his arms and wiped the tears off her cheeks. "I love your memory. Would you mind retelling it to my younger sisters?"

  "I would love to."

  "Your sweet memory would be perfect some night when Francesca and Gabby need extra comforting."

  "You let me know when, and I'll help you tuck them into bed."

  "Thank you." She ran her hands down along the sides of her skirt. "We won't get our task done feeling sad, will we?"

  "If you're ready to get back to work, then let's do it."

  The pain in Caroline's heart lightened as she worked alongside Tam. His light banter cheered her. They finished the window display and started designing the corner. Most of what they needed was not yet available to them.

  Caroline sighed in frustration. "This is ridiculous. I'm going to ask Daddy when we can go after the last of the boxes. Maybe he'll help us and take Mrs. Brown for a tour of the trading post. You wait here."

  She headed into the main room. Her father wasn't in his usual resting place. The lounge on the porch was empty as well. "Drat. Where can he be?"

  She returned to the store. "I don't know where Daddy is. Let's set our imaginations to work."

  "I do have some ideas. We can explore the woods around the trading post and use items we find. See if Lottie will let us have one of the bags she sent our lunch in the other day."

  Caroline hurried out of the store and to the kitchen. "Eww, I hate that smell."

  "I'm dipping turkeys into boiling water so it's easier for your father and Matthias to pluck them. I'll be right back." Lottie carried the two headless birds out the back door. She returned in a couple of minutes with two featherless birds and set them into the sink.

  "They still don't have all the birds on ice storage?"

  "No, they ran out of time before supper yesterday. These are fine. They should have the rest done shortly." She washed her hands and picked up a towel to dry them. "Now, what do you have on your mind, young lady?"

  "Tam and I would like to borrow one of those bags you sent our lunch in yesterday."

  "What do you want it for?"

  "We're going on a nature hike to look for things we can use to make a Thanksgiving display in the store."

  "Give me a few minutes to take care of these birds and then I'll find one for you. I'll bring it into in the store if that's where you'll be."

  "Yes, I'll be back in the store in a moment. I want to talk to Daddy for a moment. Thank you, Lottie."

  She went out on the deck where her father worked with Uncle Matthias. "You've certainly got a mess going here."

  "What can we do for you, or did you come to help?"

  "You're funny, Daddy." Caroline glanced around and made sure Mrs. Brown wasn't nearby. She settled in a chair by the table. "Tam and I are decorating the store and we need those last couple of boxes in the supply tunnel. Can you do something to distract that awful woman, please?"

  "I'm sorry, but no. If she was sent here to get information for the revenuers, then we must be careful. Do the best you can until she leaves."

  Caroline sighed. "If we must, we'll make do. Tam wants to go on a hike and see what kind of things we can discover to put into the display. Do we have your permission?"

  "Are just the two of you going?"

  "Yes, we won't be gone long."

  He studied her for a moment. "Ask Tam to check with me before you leave."

  "I will." She started to walk away, but stopped. "We'll need those boxes of Christmas candles right after Thanksgiving. How long is Mrs. Brown staying?"

  He sighed. "I don't know. She's settled in so probably for a while. If she's still here after Thanksgiving, I'll see that your boxes are made available to you and Tam.

  "Thank you, Daddy."

  Caroline returned to Tam. "Lottie will bring us one of the bags in a moment. Daddy says he'll make sure we get the crates for sure after Thanksgiving."

  Tam grinned at her. "You've been the busy one."

  Lottie entered the store and glanced around. "You're doing a good job in here." She handed Caroline the bag. "I've put some snacks inside in case you get hungry."

  Caroline peeked inside. "A few snacks? You do realize there's just the two of us going?"

  Lottie brushed off her comment. "Be home before dark."

  "Yes, ma'am," Tam said.

  "Daddy wants to speak to you before we leave."

  He rolled his eyes. "I didn't expect the speech from your father, Caroline. He should know me well enough by now to realize I would never take advantage of you."

  "I was surprised myself. Let him be daddy for a few minutes and then we can leave."

  Tam joined Hank out on the deck. "You wanted to see me?"

  "Yes, but be back inside the lodge before dark, and please be careful. I don't only mean where you go, but keep an eye out for revenuers."

  "Yes sir, I understand and promise to bring your daughter home on time and without a scratch on her."

  Hank snickered. "You don't have to be so formal. It's my duty as a father to protect my children. Have fun."

  "Thank you, sir." He found Caroline waiting for him on the porch. They left the lodge and walked toward the front gate.

  "What kind of things do you have in mind, Tam?"

  "Pine cones, dried flowers, pretty rocks, different colors of sand, feathers."

  "We have all of those turkey feathers that we can use, too. We can stick the feathers into pinecones and make turkeys for centerpieces on our dinner table."

  "Now you've got the right idea."

  Tam took Caroline's hand. They strolled deep into the forest and started their search for unusual pieces of nature. Caroline found a section of a deer antler and stuffed it into the bag. Further into the forest they ran across dry flowers and various leaves in different shades of brown.

  "We're so close to the place where we often came as children to picnic with Mama. Would you like to see it? We can eat our food and have good, cold water to drink."

  "Lead on. I'd like to see your special place."

  Caroline veered to the right and led Tam to the water. The view up and down the river still stirred her heart. "I never tire from coming here. Sometimes I toss a fishing line in."

  "I can see why your mother chose to bring you here." He pointed down river. "Look!"

  They sat on an old dead tree and watched several white swans preening in the water. "We had them in some of the waterways in Scotland. I know why they mesmerize you. They're graceful the way they move." He brushed some dirt off her cheek. "Just like you."

  "You certainly know how to make a girl feel pretty."

  He leaned toward her and kissed her. "You are pretty."

  She smiled at the twinkle he had in his eye. "You're having fun today, aren't you?"

  "Yes, I am, but it's getting late. Let's eat the snacks Lottie packed and head back."

  She reached through the bag and started pulling out food containers.

  Tam shook his head. "Is she feeding an army or what?"

  Caroline snickered. "She thinks you're a growing boy and has also seen you clean your plate most evenings at the supper table."

  "Do you blame me?"

  "No." She handed him a ham sandwich. "I'm having a good time, too. You're fun to be with, Tam."

  He finished his sandwich and s
urveyed several of the containers. "What should we eat next?"

  "Hmmm." She picked one up and was about to open it when Tam grabbed her arm. She frowned at him and was about to ask what was wrong, but stopped when he held his index finger up to his lips.

  "Shhh, somebody is coming our way." He took a quick glance around the area. "Grab our stuff and follow me."

  She gathered their leftovers and shoved them into the bag and hurried behind Tam.

  He stopped in front of a huge dead tree lying along the riverbank. "See if you can crawl under those roots."

  She saw a hole left by the dead tree falling over. "Are you serious?" she whispered.

  "Yes, I saw the red coats on the Mounties heading our way."

  HANK WOKE AND RUBBED his nose. He focused his eyes on the woman sitting close to him. "What the hell is that godawful smell?"

  "I don't remember you being so rude, Henry. It's the cologne water I have specially made for me."

  He sat up and massaged his forehead. "Well, it's making me sick. Go do something to rid yourself of your specially made smell."

  "I most certainly will not."

  Hank glared at the impossible woman. He sat up and swung his good leg to the floor. He grabbed his crutches and stood. Once he gained his balance, he maneuvered himself over to the window on the left side of the door and opened it all the way. He made his way to the window on the right side of the door and pushed it up as far as it would go, too.

  He returned to the sofa, pulled the quilt off the back cushion and covered himself for the rest of his nap. He closed his eyes and waited to see what the woman would do next.

  She stood and walked around the room. Under normal circumstances he would have thought it common interest, but in her case it might be more. He opened his eyes just enough to watch her.

  She first spent time behind the bar. From there she opened a supply closet door, pushed against the walls, and ran her hand around the floor. She went to the other side of the bar and opened the door to Matthias' bar supplies. He couldn't see what she was doing, but assumed it was the same process as she'd used in the first closet. The woman has more nerve than I would have expected.

  Her footsteps sounded loud as she walked behind the sofa he rested on and disappeared into the store. He'd had enough. Penelope searched for something and he needed to stop her before she accidentally stumbled across pertinent information for that damned Farthington.