Christmas at Archer Ranch (Wild West Frontier Brides Book 8) Read online

  Maria sighed and reached for Sage’s elbow, steering her toward the kitchen door. “I think we need you to go see if your father and brother have found the Christmas decorations in the stable.”

  “But—” Sage said as Maria hustled her through the swinging doors.

  “But nothing. Don’t even pretend you want to cook. We all know better,” Rose chimed in and laughter rang around the table.

  Maria sat down beside Sadie, handing her a cup of tea. “Don’t worry, little one. Women have been having babies for ages and ages, and you will do it just as well as everyone else.”

  Sadie reached for Maria’s hand and squeezed it, gratitude shining in her eyes. “Thank you, Maria.”

  Sadie’s blue eyes were so kind, and Maria instantly thought of Katie—her eyes were kind, too. And she’d been equally nervous when Hank was born, especially since he’d been the first. The baby hadn’t come on time and she’d had to wait, growing more anxious by the day.

  She’d taken to writing in a journal since she was confined to bed, and it was a tradition she’d kept up with each baby—writing several pages about her growing family, her hopes for each child. Maria hadn’t thought about the journal in years, expecting to give it to each of the girls as Katie had requested when their time came to be mothers. Maybe it was something that would help Sadie now, and she spent the rest of the day trying to remember where she’d tucked it for safekeeping.

  Chapter 4

  Tripp pulled up on the reins and slowed the buggy to a stop. He pulled his scarf tight around his neck as he hopped down and headed to the stable where Hank and Beau Archer had flagged him down on his way to pick up Sadie.

  “Howdy, boys,” he said as he stomped the mud from his feet and headed over to the wood stove in the corner of the stable. The sun was close to setting and the mist from his breath hung heavy in the warmer air inside the stable.

  “So, son, how’s everything at the restaurant?” Beau Archer asked as he and Hank exchanged glances. “That new chef working out for you?”

  “He is, and he turned up just in the nick of time. Who’d have thought somebody heading out to Tombstone to be a miner wouldn’t see it as much fun and want to work at the restaurant instead?”

  The drive to Archer Ranch had been a cold one, and Tripp eagerly reached for the cup of coffee Hank handed to him. They all three stood around the stove, the warmth combined with the scent of horses triggering happy memories for Tripp. It’d been a long time since he’d ridden the trail with Hank and sometimes, although he’d been anxious to stop, he missed it.

  “Funny thing, that,” Beau said as he refilled his tin mug and hooked his thumb in the pocket of his vest. “Worked out quite nicely.”

  “Sure did,” Tripp said as he inhaled deeply and the steam from the coffee tickled his nose. “Good coffee.”

  Hank slapped him on the back and said, “Never as good as yours, my friend. Coffee on the trail was never the same after you left.”

  Tripp took a deep swallow and raised his eyebrow. “You might be right, there,” he said and laughed. Still, the late afternoon was frigid and the warmth welcome.

  Tripp stamped his feet and glanced out the door of the stables up toward the house. Sadie would likely be ready to come home, and he had a special meal planned for just the two of them. Gabriel actually was working out quite nicely, and it was perfect timing, with the baby coming. He looked forward to spending more time at home with his wife and child.

  Lost in his thoughts for a moment, he looked up. Neither Hank nor Beau had said much for a bit and as he glanced up, they were both staring at him. Hank looked away quickly, but Beau held his gaze.

  Beau was like a father to him and Hank a brother, and the hair on the back of Tripp’s neck prickled. He’d seen this routine before, maybe a thousand times. They wanted something. And he knew that somehow, he’d do whatever he could to give it to them. Least he could do after Beau and Katie had taken him in, given him a home and sent him to culinary school. Every success he’d had, he owed to the Archer family.

  He cleared his throat and set his tin cup on top of the wood stove. He leaned against the pine wall of the stable, tipped his hat up on his forehead and crossed his arms. And waited.

  “What?” Beau said as he glanced around the stable.

  “What’s going on? And what do you want?”

  “Well, now, son, I—”

  Hank cut his father off and shrugged his shoulders. “Just ask him, Pa. He knows you want something. Quick and painless, that’s my motto.”

  Hank laughed as he held his hands up toward his father.

  Beau let out a sigh and set his cup down. “Oh, all right.” He hooked both thumbs in his vest pockets and turned toward Tripp. “Remember last week when I met with Jeb McCandless at the Occidental?”

  “The mine owner?” Tripp asked as he rubbed his chin. “Yes. Sadie said you two were deep in conversation.”

  “Yes, we were. Turns out that they’ve bought a new kind of cart to pull the silver out of the mines. Spent a pretty penny on them, too, and have quite a few. Supposed to make it easier for the miners.”

  Tripp pushed himself from the wall and sat on a barrel closer to the stove, holding his hands out as he rubbed them together. “That’s a good thing, isn’t it?”

  Hank shook his head. “It would have been except the place that made them underestimated how much manpower it would take to push them when they were full of ore. And they’re in parts of the mine that can’t take train tracks. The miners are having a heckuva time getting the carts back out and close enough to the regular train tracks.”

  “Huh. Sounds like a dilemma to me. Looks like they need a solution.”

  Beau tugged at his collar as he looked from Hank to Tripp. “Well, that’s where you come in.”

  Tripp stood and his eyebrows rose as Hank studied his boots. “Me? Do they need meat pies or something? I can help with that.”

  Beau smiled and shook his head. “No, as I think Pepper and Tara keep them pretty well stocked.” He stepped closer to Tripp and rested his hand on the younger man’s shoulder.

  “No, son. This is different. As Mr. McCandless explained it to me, the shafts are pretty small down there and some of his miners are getting hurt trying to make it work. He’s got a major investment in these carts and still believes they can help his crew, and ultimately the mine as a whole. He was asking about burros, as horses won’t fit in these tight spaces.”

  “Burros?” Tripp was having some trouble imagining what this could possibly have to do with him, a chef.

  Hank poured himself another cup of coffee. “Not just any burros. Miniature ones.”

  Tripp laughed and slapped his knee. Just the image tickled his fancy. Miniature burros? He’d never seen one in all his days on the trail, although he’d heard of them. He finally stopped laughing when he realized he was laughing alone. He looked up at Beau and Hank, who both stood silent.

  “Yes, miniature burros. I put out some inquiries and we’ve found some, just south of the border. A small herd of them, and they’re willing to sell.”

  “Oh, that’s great,” he said. Beau Archer had always loved solutions, and it appeared he’d found one. “And how do I figure here? Ben and Hank can go fetch them, I’m sure.”

  Hank picked up an apple and handed it to a sleek, black horse who’d stuck his head out of his stall and nuzzled his ear. “That’s just it. Ben’s gone to Texas with his new bride for the holidays. Pa gave him time off, and if we don’t get this herd, we’ll miss out. They’ll sell to whoever gets there first.”

  “Oh,” Tripp said as it all started to make sense. He really would do just about anything for the Archer family but this—now, with Sadie in her current state—he just couldn’t see how it would work. “Fellas, you know I need to stick around. I mean, Sadie—and the restaurant—”

  “It’ll just be a couple days...day there and a day back. Probably only one night. And I’m certain that Clara would want her to stay here a
t the ranch. Sage could look after her since she works with the doctor, and Sadie might be quite happy to spend a couple of days with her best friend from Chicago,” Hank said in a rush.

  “What about the restaurant?” Tripp said as he rubbed the back of his neck. He knew if he asked Sadie she’d encourage him to go, but he wasn’t sure it was the right thing to do.

  “You said yourself Gabriel’s got everything under control. Just a couple of nights for supper, and they should be able to handle it with Sam there and those new waitresses you hired to replace Sadie anyway. Besides, when the baby comes, you’re going to need to rely on them for a while. Consider this a trial run,” Beau said as he raised his eyebrows, hope shining in his eyes.

  Tripp sat back down on the barrel. “Why do you care so much about this, anyway? Enough to ask me to do this and Hank, too?”

  Beau Archer took in a deep breath and let it out slowly before he replied. “You boys know that Tombstone has changed for good. The future is with the mines, and we’re growing faster than we’d ever imagined. Mr. McCandless runs a good ship, treats his miners well. And they’ve got one of the toughest jobs there is, down there by lantern for those long shifts. I figure if we can help one of the better organizations get ahead, it’s our job to do that. Provide a safe environment and easier job for our men of Tombstone.”

  Tripp knew he was referring to the Black Dog mine which didn’t treat its crew anywhere near as well as the Sunrise mine did. But he was also fairly certain that Mr. Brown, owner of the Black Dog mine, wouldn’t lift a finger to help his miners like this other man wanted to do, and he had the high worker turnover to prove it. He admired Beau’s desire to help, and stood, extending his hand to Beau, giving it a firm shake. “All right. If it’s only for a few days and Sadie agrees to stay here, I’ll give it a whirl. And that depends on Sadie.”

  Hank grinned and slapped Tripp on the shoulder. “Thanks, brother. It’ll be just like old times,” he said as Beau beamed.

  “Thank you,” Beau said as he nodded at both Hank and Tripp. “I’m sure you won’t regret it.”

  “The famous last words of Beau Archer,” Tripp said as he laughed, and set out to fetch his wife and break the news to her.

  Chapter 5

  “You know he’ll stay if you just say the word,” Sadie’s sister Suzanne said as she set a cup of tea down in front of Sadie.

  Sadie looked up into the eyes of her twin, her eyes the same blue, her hair the same color of corn silk. Suzanne had her hair piled on her head in a practical bun as she readied for work at the mercantile she and her husband James owned. She glanced in the mirror, securing the pins more tightly as she peered out the door of the kitchen.

  “Lucy, Lily, it’s almost time for school. Come and eat your breakfast,” Suzanne called out to her own twins, who were almost two perfect replicas of Suzanne and Sadie.

  She turned back toward Sadie and sat down beside her, placing her palm on her sister’s hand. “Why don’t you stay here with me? I’m your sister. I should be here to help you,” she said before Lucy and Lily tore into the kitchen, skidding to a stop at the kitchen table. Suzanne jumped up and placed two bowls of porridge on the table and two spoons beside them. “Eat up, girls, or we’ll be late.”

  Sadie hid a smile behind her hand. Suzanne had her hands full with a store to run and two busy seven-year-olds. She was grateful for the offer, but the last thing she wanted to do was add to Suzanne’s burden. She’d been the best sister anyone could hope for, and just her desire to help warmed Sadie’s heart.

  “Oh, Suzanne, I truly am looking forward to spending some time with Clara. I know Tripp would stay, but he actually seems like he’s looking forward to this. He’s worked so hard this year, getting the restaurant up and running, and done a fine job of it. He’s not taken any time off and soon...” She patted her belly and smiled as she was rewarded with a kick in return from the baby. “Well, soon he’ll be busy at the restaurant and at home. I want him to have this opportunity, and I haven’t spent any time with Clara in ages.”

  Suzanne cocked her head and frowned. “You really should be with me,” she said just as Lily jumped up from the table and ran around to where Sadie was sitting.

  “Aunt Sadie, when is the baby coming? We want to meet our cousin. Don’t we, Lucy?” She rested her cheek on Sadie’s tummy and said, “Can she talk to me yet? I want to meet her?”

  Her twin rounded the table as well, her spoon clattering on the table as she nudged her sister aside. “I want to meet her first. I’m the oldest and I get to meet her first.”

  “Girls, girls,” Suzanne said as she grabbed the hand of each one and pulled them toward the door. “Aunt Sadie is hurrying the best she can. The baby will come when it comes.” She shooed the girls out the door and wiped her hands on her apron. “Get your primers and mittens. It’s almost time to go.”

  She turned back to Sadie and leaned against the counter. Sadie wondered how she did it all—it made her a little tired and nervous just watching.

  “Maybe you’re right,” Suzanne said as she glanced over her shoulder at the voices of the girls in their bedroom. “It’s pretty hectic around here, and I think you need some rest. I know I sure could use some.”

  Sadie had never once heard her sister complain about having a business to run and twins to raise. They had a housekeeper who came in the afternoons after the girls returned from school and helped with supper, but Sadie could see that it took much more than that with these two—they were a handful.

  “What is it, Sadie?” Suzanne asked as Sadie rested her hand on her belly, feeling the baby kick once more.

  “Oh, nothing. I’m just a little nervous, that’s all.”

  Suzanne smiled and rubbed her temples. “I suppose this isn’t the best place for you to get a view of motherhood, right before you’re due to deliver. If I’d seen this before I gave birth, I might have headed for the hills myself.”

  “It’s not that, Suzanne. Mama and Papa did it, too, with us. It’s just...I wasn’t around when the girls were born. You were here and I was in Chicago and I—well, I’m not sure what to do.”

  Suzanne stood and untied her apron, hanging it on a hook beside the door. “You don’t need to know what to do. You just—do. The baby will let you know what it needs, and I’m just a few doors away from your house. When the baby comes, I’ll be around to help,” she said as Lucy and Lily careened back into the kitchen, clamoring for their mother. “Well, I’ll be able to help as much as I can.”

  Sadie fell silent as Suzanne expertly brushed and braided the girls’ hair into pigtails, wiping a spot of porridge off Lucy’s chin with a cloth and tying blue bows at the bottom of each braid. How would she possibly manage with all this?

  Suzanne looked up as she finished tying the last bow. “Girls, give your Aunt Sadie a kiss and go fetch your scarves. I’ll be right there.” She waited until they’d left the room and sat back down beside Sadie. “Sweetheart, please put aside all these doubts.”

  “I wish Mama and Papa were here,” Sadie said quietly as she leaned in to hug her sister—best she could over her belly.

  “Oh, I do, too. They were taken much too early,” Suzanne said as she hugged Sadie tighter.

  She sat back and rested her hands on Sadie’s shoulders, looking her straight in the eye. “You stop this, now. No reason to be worried. You’ll have fun with Clara and I’ll visit. He’s only going to be gone a few days, and—oh, there he is now,” she said as she pointed toward the window.

  Sadie leaned to look out and smiled as her handsome husband pulled the buggy to a stop outside the front door, ready to take her to Archer Ranch before he left for Mexico.

  Suzanne reached out her hand and Sadie took it, grateful for the assistance in getting out of her chair. Even that was getting difficult these days. But those days were numbered, and soon the wait would be over. She never thought it possible, after working in the bakery most of her life and the last year at the restaurant, that this might be hard.
But she’d be meeting her baby soon, and couldn’t wait. Even if it seemed like it would be the hardest job she’d ever have in her life.

  Chapter 6

  Sadie turned slowly from the door as she closed it. Her carpet bag at her feet, she crossed to the window and watched until Tripp made it all the way down the drive to the end and turned into the stables.

  He’d kissed her softly before he left, telling her to be safe, to not do much, just to wait for his return. When they’d decided the previous night that he should go, that he wanted to help the Archers and that she’d be staying with Clara, it had sounded like a fine idea. Almost a bit of an adventure. Better than staying at home in bed as Tripp no longer allowed her in the restaurant at all.

  But now, as she turned slowly away from the window, she wasn’t quite sure what she’d do without him.

  As she squared her shoulders, her hand fell to her belly and she slowly gazed around the room. The large parlor had been transformed since she’d been there the previous day. Pine boughs hung from the dark wood mantle over the stucco fireplace, with pine cones placed neatly around red candles decorated with red velvet bows.

  This was her first Christmas in Tombstone and she hadn’t known quite what to expect. In Chicago, they’d always procured a Christmas tree, but here she’d half expected to see bows tied neatly around the prevalent cactus. She had heard a customer in the restaurant talk about heading east into the mountains where small pine trees were plentiful, and the one that stood before her was lovely.

  Her butterflies returned and she wrung her hands. Not only might Tripp miss the birth of their baby, but their first Christmas together as well. She pushed the thought from her mind, sure that Tripp would be back in no time and all would be well.

  She lowered herself onto the wing-backed chair by the fireplace, head in her hand. Breathing deeply, she reminded herself that this was something Tripp had wanted to do for the Archers and she’d supported his kindness. Besides, she’d be surrounded by women—albeit none who’d had children—but they each had experience with babies and new mothers and she’d be in good hands. Especially with Sage nearby and her experience in working with the doctor so closely this past year. Surely she’d know what to do if the time came while Tripp was gone.