Читать книгу Christmas Cowboy Kisses - Carol Arens - Страница 14

Chapter Four

The expedition was a rousing success, for within an hour Gideon had formed a crude tree stand and nailed the small evergreen onto it before carrying it into the house. Joseph clapped his hands with glee as his father carried the tree to the parlor and gave it pride of place before the front window.

Joy and Gideon toted the boxes of decorations from the corner of the parlor where Joy had left them after her foray into the attic in hopes of her dream tree becoming reality. Dishes were forgotten as they gathered in the parlor to place the homemade wooden stars, the gingerbread men and even an angel on the fragrant tree. Joy brought out tinsel left from years gone by and hung it strand by strand on the branches. Gideon found the candleholders and clipped them on the ends of the branches while Joy located the box of candles, most of them with hours of burning left in their slender white lengths.

She found some colored paper left over from another year and showed Joseph how to make chains, cutting the paper and then sealing the loops with paste made of flour and a dab of water. They were soon joined by Gideon, and by the time they’d used up all the heavy paper Joy had saved, the chain was almost twelve feet long and Joseph pronounced it “beautiful.” They wound it around the tree several times and the little boy beamed at the sight.

“After it gets closer to dark, we’ll light the candles,” Joy decided. “It’s only the twenty-third of December, but we’ll enjoy it awhile. Tomorrow, we’ll make cookies and bake a pumpkin pie.”

“I can’t thank you enough for letting us join in your Christmas celebrations,” Gideon said in a low tone as they stood before the tree, Joy reaching to make sure the candleholders were firmly in place.

“We wouldn’t have had it without you here,” she said softly. “I’m so thankful you came to our door, Gideon. Even though I didn’t like the circumstances behind it, what with you losing your horse and wagon.”

He slid one arm around her waist and bent to whisper in her ear, “I’m thinking it was meant to be, Joy. That we were meant to find each other this way.”

She blushed and cut a quick look at him. “Maybe so. I only know that you and Joseph are welcome here, and Grandpa and I are thankful for you.

“I have some knitting to catch up on, Gideon. I think I’ll ask you to light the fireplace and warm up the parlor a bit. Then I’m going to sit on the sofa and work on my project. I have to have it done by Christmas.”

He grinned at her. “I watched you a bit last evening before we went to bed, just knittin’ away on what looked suspiciously like a hat for my young’un.”

“I got out all my odds and ends of yarn, so it’ll be a hat of many colors. I won’t be able to knit his mittens to go with it until after Christmas, but I might be able to work on a scarf. The hat’s almost done and straight knitting on a scarf takes no time at all.”

“You’re a kind woman, Joy. My boy’s already taken a shine to you. You’re the first female he’s latched onto since he was born.” He cleared his throat and glanced to where his son sat next to Grandpa, watching as the old man whittled away, paper spread on the floor to catch the whittling scraps.

The low murmur of voices reached them as Joseph and the old man next to him considered the small manger Grandpa had formed from the wood. “How’d you do that, sir?” the boy asked softly.

“Just as easy as pie once you get the hang of it, sonny. I thought I’d do a couple of figures to hang on either side of it, maybe Mary kneeling by the manger and Joseph standing by.” Grandpa grinned at the boy. “Did you know you had such a famous name, sonny? Joseph has been revered since the days when he taught the boy, Jesus, about being a carpenter.”

“I never knew my name was special. I just thought it was what Pa wanted to call me.”

“Well, your name is almost as special as you are, my boy. You’re a fine young man, and you’ll be a terrific man when you’ve grown, if you take after your pa.”

“Thank you, sir,” the child said, as if he was flustered by the attention bestowed upon him.

“Can we light the candles, Pa?” he asked Gideon as his father and Joy crossed the room to where he sat.

“That’s up to Joy, I’d think,” Gideon said, bending to her wishes.

“I don’t know why not. The fireplace is making it warm enough to sit in here till bedtime. Let’s enjoy the tree for an hour or so.”

“I’ll light a candle in the stove and bring it back in here,” Gideon offered. He made short work of his task and in minutes he was back, his hands efficient as he lit the two dozen candles they’d anchored on the tree.

“Oh, Pa. That’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” Joseph said, his eyes widening, his mouth stretching into a grin and his excitement knowing no bounds.

“Why don’t we sing some carols,” Joy asked them. “I’ll play some chords on the organ and we can all join in. I have a book somewhere in the organ bench with Christmas carols in it.”

“I wondered if you could play that thing,” Gideon said with a chuckle. “I noticed it over in the corner there and I didn’t know if it was in working order.”

Joy nodded. “Oh, it works, all right. I’m not very good at it, but my mother taught me some music and how to read notes before she died. I don’t play often, but I think this celebration calls for it, don’t you?”

“I’d love to hear you play, and I think I know the carols by heart. We used to sing them when I was a youngster. My mother and father took us to church regularly and Christmas Eve was always a big night, with caroling and reading the scripture from the book of Luke about the birth of the Savior. Then we’d go home and have hot cider and cookies and usually we’d have a houseful of folks follow us home and join in more singing.”

“What a wonderful memory to have,” Joy said. “We used to go to church on Christmas Eve, but after my folks died it was too much for Grandpa to harness up and then hope we could get through the snow. I sure hadn’t planned on it this year. I’ve never seen so much snow in my life.”

“Well, we’ll have our own celebration right here,” Gideon said stoutly. “I can squeeze some of those apples in the cellar and make some cider for us to drink and you can make cookies tomorrow, enough for us to have a real party.”

“Can I help, too?” Joseph asked, excitement riding high as he hurled himself into his father’s arms.

“Sure you can, son. We’ll figure out how to press those apples in the morning, as soon as I finish with the chores.”

“And in the meantime, if Joy starts cookies maybe I can help her,” Joseph said, casting a yearning glance at the woman he’d obviously come to think of very fondly.

“You sure can,” Joy said quickly. “I’ll mix the dough and roll it out, and you can use my cookie cutters to cut out stars and angels and bells and all sorts of good things.”

Joseph leaned from his father’s arms to hug Joy’s neck. “I’m so glad we’re here with you and Grandpa,” he sang out.

“Well, I’m glad you’re here, too,” Joy told him, returning his hug and then turning to the sofa to sit beside her grandfather. “Come sit on my lap, Joseph,” she invited, and the boy lost no time in accepting her summons. Joy leaned back a bit and Joseph cuddled close as they both turned their attention to the tree, glowing brightly as the candles flickered and flamed.

“Time for you to show us how talented you are,” Gideon said, approaching Joy a bit later. He reached for his son and then helped Joy up from her seat with his other hand. She went to the organ and lifted the cover from the keyboard, settling herself on the bench and pumping the pedals for a moment.

“Now watch, Joseph,” his father said. “Watch how Joy pumps the pedals that feed air to the organ and make it sound out the notes she presses with her fingers. I think we’re in for a treat.”

“I hope so,” Joy said with a laugh. “I haven’t played for a while, but some things you never forget.” She stood quickly and pulled the proper songbook from the bench beneath her, opening it and placing it on the music rack. Within moments the sound of “Silent Night” filled the room as Joy played with more proficiency than Gideon had expected.

“All right, you lead off, Gideon, and we’ll all join in,” she said, completing the short introduction.

Without hesitation Gideon’s baritone voice rose in the opening words, and Grandpa rose from the sofa to join them around the organ. Joy sang a low alto part, harmonizing as her mother had taught her, and even Joseph was caught up in the words, singing along as best he could.

“I remember that song,” the boy said after they’d sung the first verse. “We sang it at Aunt Rosie’s house back home.”

“So we did, son,” Gideon replied. “I wasn’t sure you’d remember the words, but you did really well.”

“How about ‘Joy to the World’ now,” Joy asked, turning the pages to find the carol she’d mentioned.

“I know that one a little bit, too,” Joseph said with glee. Following his father’s lead, he sang out, not always getting the words correct but following as best he could. Grandpa cut in with his rusty bass and their harmony rose in the small parlor as they sang. The words were a paean of joy and Gideon found himself focusing on the woman who sat before him, her music rising in accompaniment as they sang. She was flushed and excited, her voice melodic and sounding much to him as the angels must have on that first Christmas Eve.

They sang on, turning pages in the songbook, until finally Joseph’s head began to loll against Gideon’s shoulder. “I think this boy needs to be in bed,” he said quietly as Joy finished the last song.

“He’ll have a big day tomorrow and he’s about tuckered out right now,” Joy said agreeably. “We’ll be up early. I’ll hold breakfast until the chores are done, Gideon.”

He nodded and offered her a smile that carried a wealth of feeling. “I’ll sort out some apples in the cellar after I do the chores. Joseph and I will do our apple squeezing in the kitchen, I suspect. It’s too cold for him in the cellar.”

“We’ll have lots of space. The kitchen is the largest room in the house. We spend most of our time there,” Joy answered.

Grandpa yawned widely and grinned. “I’m on my way up to bed right now,” he said. “This old body needs a lot of sleep these days.”

“I’ll come back down and bank the fire as soon as I put this boy of mine into bed,” Gideon offered.

He left the parlor on Grandpa’s heels and they climbed the stairs to the loft. Joy snuffed the candles on the tree, then went to the kitchen and checked in the pantry to be sure she had enough of everything she needed for the cookie baking. It was there that Gideon found her just a few minutes later. She turned and almost walked into him, stepping back as he took her hands in his.

“What are you working at now?” he asked, grinning as he saw the look on her face, one of surprise and pleasure, if his guess was right.

“Just making sure I have everything we need for the big day tomorrow. I’ll mix the cookies in my bread-dough pan. It’ll hold enough to make ten or twelve dozen.”

Gideon drew her closer, his hands tightening on hers in a firm grip. She stood before him looking like the angel on the Christmas tree, he decided, lifting a hand to brush a lock of hair from her cheek. “Joy, would you think poorly of me if I stole a kiss from you? I wouldn’t do anything to cause you distress, but since the first brush of my lips against your smooth skin, I’ve yearned for another chance to touch you. Perhaps a kiss more suited to a man who has come to care for a woman more quickly than he’d planned.”

“And what is the difference between the two?” she asked, her eyes sparkling in the dim light within the pantry.

“I believe I’ll just show you,” Gideon said quietly. He bent a bit, his mouth touching hers gently. And then with a murmur in his throat, he released her lips and scooped her closer to him, his arms wrapping her in a firm embrace. His mouth sought hers once more and this time he began a foray of kisses across her cheeks and forehead, ending up once more at her lips. His tongue touched her upper lip in a caress she had apparently never felt before, for she moved back quickly and opened her eyes to meet his.

“I haven’t had a lot of experience at kissing, as you’ve probably guessed,” she said quietly, “for aside from a few hasty kisses on my cheek, I’ve never allowed a man to come any closer to me, Gideon. I fear my experience is far overshadowed by yours.”

He smiled down at her, holding her closely against his big body. She was small and delicate, and though gently rounded, she was all woman and filled his arms. “You’re a woman to be cherished, Joy. I hope you know that I mean only what is right and honest between us. I feel deeply for you, but perhaps that sounds foolish after such a short time.”

She blushed and touched her forehead against his shirt, there where his heart beat, a bit rapidly, she thought. “I don’t know what to say to you, Gideon. I’ve been sheltered here with Grandpa, and men are beyond my experience for the most part. But I have to admit that I feel something...” She looked up at him. “I don’t even know what I feel, to be honest with you. I just know I’m glad you and your son came to us. I feel like you were put here for a reason, and if that’s nothing more than to be a help to us through this storm, so be it. I’m just happy to tend to Joseph and keep him safe and warm and well fed. And the same goes for you. If you’ll lend a hand with the work here, like you already have, then I’ll be thankful for it.”

“I’m here for you, Joy. For as long as you need me I’ll be here. You may be right. Perhaps I was sent here for a reason, whether for Joseph’s well-being or my own. I’m happy here with you and your grandfather, and Joseph is tickled pink by everything that’s happened since our arrival.”

“Well, I think we both need to turn in,” Joy said firmly. “Tomorrow will be a big day for everyone, and I plan on getting up early. And I still have some knitting to do tonight. I’ll sit up in bed and finish Joseph’s cap. Shouldn’t take more than a half hour or so, and I want to begin his scarf early on tomorrow, after the cookie baking is finished.”

Gideon stepped back from the pantry, then made haste to bank the cookstove after ushering her into the kitchen. She watched him finish his task, then walked into the hallway and toward her bedroom. Gideon made his way to the stairs. “Good night, Joy,” he sang out cheerfully, for he felt he had much to be pleased with, given the events in the pantry and Joy’s response to him.

“Good night,” she called back, bending to light a lamp on the hallway table to carry with her into her bedroom. She disappeared from his view and he quickly went up the stairs to the loft, where Joseph slept soundly. He undressed, slid beneath the sheet and quilts next to his son and curled his arm around the boy, the better to keep him warm throughout the night. The heat from the stove in the kitchen made its way upstairs and he found himself ready to sleep, even as visions of the woman downstairs drifted through his head. His lips curved in a tender smile as he closed his eyes.