A Texas Christmas Reunion Page 20

  * * *

  Juliette was getting married tomorrow.

  Cold, hard facts did not indicate that to be the truth, but tomorrow was Christmas Eve. If any time of the year was ripe for wonder and unexpected miracles, it was this one.

  Hadn’t she given up hope of having a dozen Christmas trees in her lobby? Yet there they were.

  She had despaired of seeing her town turn around, and now one of the saloons had closed, a doctor was setting up shop and there were guests in her beautiful new hotel.

  Years ago she had tearfully given up her adolescent passion for a boy, stuffed it away the same as she had her dolls and games. Now the seeds of love that she had buried were blooming, too beautiful to even think of without emotions bringing her to the point of tears.

  Although she could not see how, she did have faith that Christmas Eve would see her a married woman. It might be a wavering faith, but it was faith nonetheless.

  Which meant she had a lot of work to get done before then.

  She’d meant to go straight to the hotel, but when she passed the café, she saw a crowd through the window.

  No doubt Rose would need her help.

  As it turned out, the dining room was not filled with paying customers but with schoolchildren.

  “Mrs. Lindor!” cried out young Maxwell, rushing forward to wrap his arms around her skirt. “We is going to jail!”

  “I certainly hope not, Maxwell.” She patted his head, looked about to see several students nodding.

  “It’s true,” Cora announced. “It’s where our teacher is and so it’s where we are going to rehearse.”

  “Your parents don’t mind?”

  “Most don’t.” She shrugged, apparently dismissing the objections of the ones who did.

  “Well then, I’ll bring the cookies and the hot chocolate.”

  Just see if Sheriff Hank had the audacity to turn children away!

  In high spirits, they put on coats, scarves and gloves against the wind. Catching the spirit of adventure, Juliette smiled while she loaded the baby buggy with treats.

  Even though this was not what the children had had in mind for their last rehearsal, it would be something they never forgot.

  Juliette went to the kitchen to kiss Lena, Joe and Warren goodbye. Luckily the gesture did not wake them from their afternoon naps.

  Hurrying back into the dining room, she pushed the stroller after the children.

  A well-dressed stranger coming through the doorway stood aside to let them pass.

  “Good day,” he greeted them with a tip of his expensive-looking bowler hat. “I imagine you are Mrs. Lindor?”

  “I am, yes.”

  “It appears you’re in a hurry. If you don’t mind I’ll walk with you, introduce myself along the way.”

  “I ought to warn you that we are going to the jailhouse, but feel free to join us.”

  The fellow was dressed in fine clothing. A gold pocket watch peeked from under his open coat as they hustled along.

  She was half winded from trying to keep up with the excited, chattering group of students. Even Charlie was close to smiling.

  “I’m Dr. Fulsom. Suzie Fulsom’s son.”

  That was very good news. From now on she would have fewer sleepless nights.

  “I can’t tell you how happy we are that you’ve come.”

  From across the street, she saw Nannie stroll out of the dress shop, three boxes loaded in her arms. Her gaze fastened on Dr. Fulsom. She nearly dropped her packages in her rush to cross the road.

  “And I’m happy to be here,” he answered, not seeming to be aware that Nannie was suddenly standing at his elbow. “From what my mother tells me, you have twin babies. I just wanted to introduce myself, let you know that I’m available night or day if you need me.”

  “I can’t even say how grateful I am for that! Believe me—”

  “Hello. I’m Nannie Breene.” Nannie loosened her fingers from the packages she carried, apparently trying to shake his hand without dropping everything. “You must be our new doctor. I’m so very pleased to make your acquaintance.”

  “I’m pleased to make yours, as well.” A package tipped from the stack. Dr. Fulsom caught it. “May I carry these for you, Mrs. Breene?”

  “Oh! Thank you.” Nannie smoothed a curl that had popped from its well-coiffed nest during her dash across the street. “And it’s Miss Breene. I’m not a married lady yet. In fact, I’m the town’s newspaperwoman. I wrote the article announcing your arrival.”

  “Did you? I thought it was very well done.”

  “You did?” Nannie looked equal parts astonished and pleased. “I’m new to the position, actually, but I feel it might be my calling—at least until I marry and make a home for my husband.”

  “We are just on our way to Sheriff Hank’s office.”

  Somehow, Juliette felt that she had disappeared from the conversation. As usual, Nannie commandeered the attention. Juliette only hoped that the new town reporter didn’t say something to make the doctor reconsider settling here.

  “If you’d like to come along,” Juliette said.

  The odd thing was, the way the doctor gazed at Nannie looked anything but put off. And Nannie glowed with the attention.

  “I’d adore to come along. But why are we going there?”

  “The children are having their last rehearsal before the pageant. They want to do it with their teacher. I’d better hurry and catch up with them.”

  “It’s the most awful thing. Our teacher has been arrested for arson. I, for one, do not think...”

  The sound of Nannie’s voice faded as Juliette half ran to catch up with the students.

  “Charlie,” she called. “Help me carry the buggy up the steps, won’t you?”

  If the sheriff resisted allowing the children into his office, she would offer him cookies and hot chocolate.

  “Good day, Sheriff Hank,” Cora said. “We’ve come to rehearse for our program and we cannot possibly do it without our teacher.”

  “I don’t—”

  “I told everyone that you would have invited us on your own accord if you hadn’t been so busy protecting your town to have thought of it. A few of them thought not, but here we are and I, for one, know you are glad of it.”

  “All right, then—go ahead.” He waved his hand toward the cell area, but reluctantly.

  Juliette poured hot chocolate and placed it on his desk.

  “Oh, but you’ll need to bring Mr. Culverson out here. Our parents would never allow us to go back there.”

  “I don’t want to get a whipping!” Maxwell cried.

  “I’m convinced you don’t want that, either, sheriff. But Tom...” Cora indicated a boy near the back of the group with an inclination of her head. “He thinks you would, but I guess we’ll see.”

  Was that a chuckle coming from Dr. Fulsom?

  “I can’t figure what would be the more interesting story, Dr. Fulsom,” Nannie said in a whisper meant to carry. “How the sheriff turned the children away or how he forced them to practice among the cells.”

  The sheriff snatched up a cookie Juliette had placed beside the hot chocolate, then he grabbed the cell keys from the desk drawer.

  They jingled when he stomped away, then again when he came back with Trea, wrists bound in the cuffs.

  Juliette glanced at Charlie. The child looked completely stricken. She was not sure he’d be able to sing.

  Small Maxwell rushed forward and wrapped himself around Trea’s thigh, sobbing.

  “You is a mean man!” he hiccuped, pointing his finger at the sheriff.

  “Let’s just sing.” Charlie clapped his hands when another child began to sob. Juliette thought if he hadn’t done that, he would have been the next one crying.

  Or Trea.

  It br
oke her heart in a thousand ways to see the pride in his smile as he watched his students form their lines, lift their voices in song. Did anyone else notice that his eyes glittered ever so slightly?

  Juliette stood near a window beside Nannie and the doctor listening to the children practice “Jingle Bells.”

  Glancing out the window, she saw an elderly man and woman stop on the boardwalk. She opened the door in order for the lovely sound to better carry outside.

  By the time they sang “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” and “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” several passersby stood on the steps, smiles on their faces while they clapped their hats to their heads to keep them from flying away in the wind.

  She held her breath while Charlie performed his solo. At times she thought he might not make it through the piece. Glancing at Trea, she wondered the same of him.

  Cora must have noticed the gathering crowd, too. She motioned for folks to come closer.

  “I would just like to let you know that even though the schoolhouse burned, we will be performing at the hotel tomorrow evening. Also, all of us want to say thank you to our schoolmaster for everything he’s done. He is the best teacher in the universe and we cannot wait to begin school again after the Christmas holiday is finished.”

  The applause from outside carried easily into the office. Trea hung his head. Juliette knew he did not want his students to realize that they had brought him to tears.

  “And,” Cora continued, “we want to also thank Sheriff Hank for allowing us to practice here. It was a kind and generous thing for him to do.”

  The sheriff’s face flushed the shade of a beet. It was hard to know if the emotion came from pleasure at the child’s praise—or anger at having his will being neatly thwarted by a clever wisp of a girl.

  * * *

  Trea awoke from a half doze when he heard the jingle of keys.

  At the sound of boots thudding in the hallway, he slowly opened one eye and then the other.

  He expected the sheriff would have gone home for the night. What time was it, anyway? Stuck in this isolated space, it was easy to lose track of the hours. One blended into another.

  The only relief he got from the boredom of these brick walls were the moments when Juliette brought his meals. Unless one counted the times when a small mouse came visiting after dark.

  Hell, he’d even set aside a store of crumbs to encourage the four-footed visitor to come calling. Not that he’d ever admit the odd kinship he’d formed with the rodent. The eviction of four-legged pests was Juliette’s crusade.

  Keys rattled in the lock. Hinges squealed when the sheriff drew the cell door open wide.

  Odd—since the chamber pot would not need emptying until morning.

  “Thought you’d have gone home by now, sheriff.”

  “Can’t. Not when I’ve got to babysit you.” Hank Underwood tossed the keys on the floor inside the cell. “Besides, it’s wicked cold outside and the fool wind’s come up again.”

  “Don’t think you have to hang around here and keep me company.”

  The sheriff scratched his head, frowning.

  “Here’s my problem, Culverson. It’s hard to know when someone’s going to show up. Won’t look good if I’m not here.”

  “I won’t tell anyone.”

  “Maybe not, maybe so. But let’s just say for a minute that another fire starts, and what if it’s here? If I’m at home and you’re trapped in the cell, there’d be the dickens to pay. I’d be called negligent.”

  “You’re expecting another blaze? Makes me think you know I’m innocent. How is a fire going to start with the arsonist behind bars? Looks to me like you need someone in jail to make it seem that you’re doing your job.”

  “Could be an accidental fire. Stoves go wrong all the time. And Mrs. Lindor is always checking to make sure it’s lit.”

  Trea sat up on the cot, stared silently at the sheriff.

  “Why is the door open?”

  “So you can escape.”

  “You want me to walk out of here?”

  “Wouldn’t leave the door open if I didn’t.”

  Whatever the lawman was up to, he didn’t have Trea’s best interests in mind.

  “It won’t look good if you let a prisoner escape.”

  “Doesn’t look good anyway. You wouldn’t know it, but folks in town are real divided over you being here. Especially since those kids came in here singing Christmas carols. Don’t know what you did to make them like you the way they do. Schoolteachers and the bogeyman were all the same to me.”

  Trea got up from the cot, feeling stiff from inactivity. He picked the keys up off the floor.

  “You want me to escape because it’s a better alternative than incarcerating a schoolteacher? You don’t care about the right or wrong of the situation—only how it makes you look?”

  Underwood nodded. “Also because I’d rather spend my nights at home. I’m done with being your nursemaid.”

  “Why didn’t you give me bail when Mrs. Lindor wanted to pay it? Seems like bail would solve all your problems, sheriff.”

  “Now, I’m surprised a fine, educated man like yourself doesn’t know why. If you skip town, then I’m the fool for granting bail. But if you knock me out, then escape, folks will just feel bad about the injury I got during our fisticuffs.”

  “You can save yourself the injury. I’m not going anywhere.”

  “You ran once before. No one will expect any different now.”

  That wasn’t true. Someone would.

  Years ago he’d been a frightened boy. The fact that he had been innocent hadn’t meant a thing to anyone but Juliette. He’d run scared back then, but he wouldn’t do it now.

  Juliette trusted him, his students looked up to him—escaping would betray them all.

  Right was right and wrong was not. This lesson in responsibility was something he could teach his students, even from here.

  If someone had taught him that as a child, his life would have played out differently.

  When he thought about it, though, he knew he would not change the past. Not if it kept him from being where he was today. Not this moment, standing accused, but having Juliette’s love.

  The fact that he could not now marry her didn’t change anything.

  “You’ll have to find another way to look good. I’m staying put.”

  “That’s blamed foolish. You can walk free.”

  “You ought to know better, sheriff—walking is the one thing to guarantee that I would never be free.”

  “You turn down this chance and I’ll do my best to see you convicted, Culverson.”

  Blamed if it didn’t feel good to close the door, lock it and toss the keys back at Underwood.

  * * *

  Wind howling about the eaves woke Juliette early in the morning. Gusts rattled the windows and sent unseen things skittering across the yard.

  The fact that it was Christmas Eve and her wedding day did not give her the thrill it ought to have.

  Whispering snow would be merrier than blustery wind. So would a groom standing by her side and reciting wedding vows.

  But, nevertheless, this was Christmas and she was going to rejoice. Putting on a festive plaid dress and braiding a matching ribbon in her hair, she reminded herself that this was the babies’ first Christmas and she was determined to make it wondrous.

  “Where have you put the boy’s cat?” She turned to see Warren standing in the doorway frowning at her.

  “I believe it’s in the lobby sniffing the trees,” she answered, hoping that Dixie would do as well.

  On the way out of the room, she paused to kiss his wrinkled cheek. “Merry Christmas, Father Lindor.”

  She would make the day happy for him, too, as much as she could.

  On the day after Christmas she thought a visi
t to Dr. Fulsom would be in order.

  To her surprise, he smiled. “Christmas? Why, Merry Christmas to you, Juliette.”

  On her way to feed the babies, she had to blink away tears. That one smile was all the gift she would need today.

  After feeding and dressing the babies, Lena in red and Joe in green, she took them, along with her father-in-law, across the street to the café.

  “I’m glad to be closing after breakfast is all I have to say!” Rose declared, turning from the stove and waving a spatula in her hand. “Oh, Merry Christmas!”

  “Merry Christmas, Rose, and why?” Juliette asked while putting the children into their cradles and tucking a blanket around Father Lindor’s knees.

  “It ought to be merry but everyone is in such a tizzy! Some arguing one way and some another. With all the vitriol being spewed about...” Rose sighed then turned back to flip a pancake. “It might just as well be any other day. Mr. Culverson’s breakfast is almost ready.”

  “What are they arguing over?”

  “I haven’t wanted to say, since you are so busy with everything and you being Mr. Culverson’s particular friend, but there’s been a lot of conversation going on about dismissing him from his position.”

  “They can’t do that! He hasn’t even been proven guilty of a crime.”

  “Yes, and Cora has a good bit to say about that to nearly everyone who walks past her.” Rose piled pancakes on a plate. “These are going to be cold by the time you get them there, I’m afraid.”

  Juliette felt her holiday smile slipping. “How many want him dismissed?”

  “Oh, as many don’t as do.” Rose covered the plate with a napkin, tucking the ends neatly under. “But the blessing is that not as many are in favor of it as there were yesterday, before the children went to the jail to sing.”

  Rose handed her the plate. “In fact, did you notice Cora at the table in the corner when you came in?”

  No, she hadn’t, not with the bustle of getting everyone in the front door.

  “She’s painting a poster demanding freedom for her teacher. She is going to march all over town with it before the town meeting today.”

  “There can’t be a meeting today!” Some things did not happen on Christmas Eve. “I didn’t hear of it.”