Dear Reader,
While writing this story I was reminded of a Christmas when all three of our sons were young. A tradition at our house is that we open the gifts from each other on Christmas Eve, and then at night, while everyone is sleeping, Santa Claus brings his gifts.
That year a winter storm hit on Christmas Eve. Shortly after weâd opened gifts, the power went out. With candles and flashlights, my husband and I put the boys to bed and then started into putting out the gifts from Santa Claus. A few items were labeled âsome assembly requiredâ and it took us hours, by candlelight, to get those toys put together. Weâd just climbed into bed when the power came back on. Weâd completely forgotten to shut off light switches and other items. The lights and noise that overcame the house awoke the boys, who of course rushed downstairs to see what Santa had brought.
I hope you enjoy Chayston and Violetâs story, and I hope you take a moment to relish memories of past Christmases.
With Holiday Blessings,
Lauri
Chapter One
Southern Montana
December 1886
Spring Valleyâs Main Street was only a few blocks long and from where he stood outside Svensonâs Dry Goods, Chayston Williams could see a mile or more up the road where nothing but a sea of bright white snow left from last weekâs storm met his searching gaze.
Irritated, Chayston spun around and stomped back inside. Stationed next to the stove, he waited while Lars assisted a customerâElleDee Scott and her brood of youngsters. When the woman and her children, all boys with black hair who looked just like their father, gathered up their packages, Chayston walked over and opened the windowed door.
âThank you, Chayston,â she said, âMerry Christmas.â
He had nothing to be merry aboutâthis year, Christmas was just another day to himâbut he responded in kind before closing the door behind her.
âWire said the stage left Cedar Grove this morning, right after the train arrived,â Lars said with his deep brogue.
âI know.â Chayston checked the watch clipped to his pants. âWhich means Riley should have been here an hour ago.â
âNo telling how bad the road is,â Lars offered. âStage hasnât come through since the storm.â
Chayston glanced out the window at the sky again. The nuisance of all this sat like lead in his lungs. He had even less desire to haul the Generalâs new bride all the way out to the ranch in the middle of the night than he did during the day. It was ludicrousâa man ordering a bride. But the General had, and heâd bade Chayston to see her to the ranch.
A Christmas bride, no less. That really gulled him.
ââCourse, others have,â Lars said. âThe Johanssons were in town this morning.â
âThatâs only five miles out.â Chayston buttoned up his coat and checked the leather strap securing his holster to his thigh. âIâm going to ride out that way.â
âIf youâre not backââ
âIâll be back,â Chayston interrupted. The stage had to be somewhere between Spring Valley and Cedar Grove. The twenty miles through the pass was always slow going, and all this snow could make it treacherous.
Thatâs all he neededâto deliver a body to the General instead of a wife.
In no time, he had his horse saddled and they headed out. Buster was more than happy to leave his stall after being cooped up most of the week and tossed his head as they took off up the street.
Chayston could relate. Had he known the amount of paperwork that went along with being a sheriff, he might not have taken the job. Then again, considering the way heâd been railroaded, he couldnât say no.
Just like last year, when he hadnât had a choice at all. Heâd been on the verge of taking a bride, had even bought a ring to give her for Christmas, but it turned out his bride-to-be had been in love with another man. His best friend, Seth Johansson. He sure hadnât seen that coming. Becca hadnât hinted toward it either. But she and Shep were married now. With a baby due shortly.
The road was clear and the five miles to the Johansson place went by relatively swiftly. Chayston hadnât planned on stopping, but Seth saw him coming and ran out to meet him.