The Christmas Bargain (11 page)

Luke sat watching Philamena, completely spellbound. His wife could perform in a circus if she wanted. He didn’t know what happened to the frightened, submissive, quiet girl he married, but Luke was more than halfway in love with this daredevil woman.

Racing Drake to catch up, Philamena beat him to the barn by a nose. Jumping out of the saddle, she laughed, a wonderful sound like silvery bells on a clear winter day that made Luke’s heart thud in his chest with a rapid beat.

“I haven’t done that in forever,” she said, hugging the horse around the neck. “Thank you for cooperating, Sheeba. You’re a good girl, aren’t you?”

The horse seemed to agree by nodding her head. Philamena held out her gloved hand and Sheeba eagerly accepted half an apple. Philamena took the other half out of her pocket and tossed it to Luke for Drake, who ate it greedily.

“Where in the world did you learn to do that?” Luke asked, still in shock as they walked the horses into the barn.

“My Mama and I went to see a Wild West show once and I loved the performing riders. I went home and practiced and practiced until I could do some of the tricks. Mama said I had a talent with horses and encouraged me to have fun and pursue my dreams.”

“What were your dreams?” Luke asked softly, gazing at his surprising bride.

“When I was thirteen, I wanted more than anything to join a traveling Wild West show. You could see the country, perform, and life seemed like it would be an exciting adventure,” Philamena said, brushing Sheeba.

“What about now?” Luke asked, as he brushed Drake, still somewhat distracted by the talented horsewoman he married.

“Now, I guess my dream would be to find somewhere I belong,” Philamena said, keeping her face turned to the horse to hide her teary eyes. “To find someone who can love me, or at least care about me.”

Stepping out of Drake’s stall, Luke pulled Philamena out of Sheeba’s and wrapped his arms around her. Bending his head, his lips were close to her ear, warming her neck and making her tremble nervously. “I care about you and I want you to feel like you belong here.”

“Thank you, Luke,” Philamena said, her head resting against his solid chest. She thought she could stay right there all day, but Sheeba had other ideas when she started tugging on Philamena’s coat, pulling her back.

Laughing at the horse’s antics, Philamena gave the animal a final pat then shut the stall door.

“I guess she doesn’t like having to share the attention,” Philamena said as Luke gave both the animals their evening feed.

“It certainly looks that way, doesn’t it?” Luke said, annoyed that Sheeba had interrupted his interlude with his beautiful bride.

As they walked toward the barn door, Luke took Philamena’s hand and squeezed it in his own. Stopping her in the barn aisle he said “Keep dreaming your dreams. I know they’ll come true.”

<><><> 

Enjoying his second helping of baked chicken and hot biscuits, Luke watched his wife. He couldn’t quite get over the transformation he had seen in her today when she was riding. It was like she became a whole different person, one he found completely intriguing and couldn’t get out of his thoughts.

Deciding to carefully approach the idea of courting his wife, the first thing  Luke planned to do was shorten her name to the one that had rattled around in his head all afternoon.

“What was your mother’s name?” Luke asked, out of the blue, surprising Philamena.

“Maureen,” Philamena said, wondering what inspired Luke to ask that question.

“Was she Irish?”

“Yes.”

“That explains it,” Luke said, nodding his head as though he was agreeing to something.

Philamena looked at Luke in confusion.

“Your hair, those big green eyes, the smattering of freckles on your nose,” Luke said, lifting his fork her direction. “They make me think of an Irish lassie.”

Philamena smiled. “My grandparents came to America when they were newly married, to start a new life. A better life. He worked hard and provided well for his family. I think it broke their hearts when my Mama married Pa and moved all the way out here.”

“Do you look like your mother?”

“Some people used to think so,” Philamena said, recalling how often her father used to say she looked just like her mother, up until he started drinking.

“If she looked like you, then she must have been very beautiful,” Luke said, studying Philamena intently.

She blushed, ducking her head. Reaching out, he lifted her chin with his finger, forcing her to make eye contact.

“Don’t be embarrassed, I’m just stating a fact,” Luke said, with a devilish grin. “Bankers know facts.”

“Is that so?” Philamena said, trying to push down her nervousness and fully enjoy this time spent with Luke. “As my grandfather used to say, I think you might be full of blarney.”

Luke laughed and cupped Philamena’s chin in his hand. “Be that as it may, I do have a favor to ask of you.”

Philamena looked at him, unable to think of anything she could do for Luke.

“Would you please allow me to call you Filly? In light of your talent with a horse and that wonderful spirit I caught a glimpse of today, I’d like very much to call you Filly. Would you mind?”

“No, that would be fine,” Philamena whispered, carrying dishes to the sink. Luke thought she had spirit? She used to, long ago. Her mother often called her high-spirited and tenacious. And Luke wanted to call her Filly? She loved the way the name sounded when he said it. Her father had been the one to insist she be named Philamena, after his grandmother. Her mother had never been fond of the name and often called her Mimi.

“Good. Filly it is,” he said, pleased at how well the day had gone. “Not that your name isn’t nice, but it makes me think of someone who likes to sit embroidering linens, not someone who could have her own act in a wild west show.”

Philamena felt heat rise to her cheeks again and hid her blush over the pan of dishes she was washing.  As she scrubbed a plate, she decided from there on out to think of herself as Filly – a woman with spirit and grit.

Chapter Six

Hurrying down the sidewalk toward home, Filly realized her errand had taken her far longer than she had planned. Aleta Bruner waited on her at the mercantile and wanted to get her thoughts on a new recipe she saw in a magazine. Eager to make a new friend, Filly enjoyed their chat and lost track of the time until the mercantile clock struck five.

Dropping the cinnamon she’d come to purchase in her basket, she gave Aleta a wave and hurried out the door.

The November air was brisk and cool. Snow would definitely be arriving soon. As she neared the bank, Filly couldn’t decide if she should go in and see if Luke wanted to walk her home or hurry back to her kitchen.

Deciding to stop, Harlan and Luke were just coming out the door as she approached the building. Seeing her first, Harlan tipped his hat and waved before Luke turned and smiled. When he saw her, his eyes lit with warmth.

“Filly, what are you doing out in this cold breeze?” Luke asked, putting an arm around her shoulders as they started toward home.

“I ran out of cinnamon and needed some to finish my baking tonight,” she said, enjoying the feel of Luke’s arm around her. Lost in conversation about the Thanksgiving meal she was preparing tomorrow for them and the Dodds, they didn’t notice Melanie LaRoux blocking their path until they nearly walked into her.

“Oh, pardon us,” Luke said, starting to go around her, until he noticed who it was. The smile fell from his face and he stood a little straighter.

“Well, well, if it isn’t Luke Granger and his wife,” Melanie said, shooting Filly a cool glare. She made the word wife sound like a derogatory term. “I suppose congratulations are in order. I heard you had a quick wedding. Of course, we all know what that means, Luke, you rascal. So when will you be adding on to your family?”

“Pardon?” Luke asked, sure he misunderstood her question.

“Come, now, Luke, don’t play the innocent. When is the baby due?” Melanie said, her eyes cold and hard, calculating.

Luke wanted to wrap his hands around Melanie’s scrawny neck and throttle her. Glancing down at Filly, her face had turned a deathly shade of gray and her eyes filled with unshed tears. He felt her stiffen beneath his arm.

Narrowing his gaze, he squeezed Filly’s shoulder through her coat. “Miss LaRoux, not that it is any of your business, but since you tend to run your mouth both coming and going, my wife is not expecting. We had a short engagement at my request. I couldn’t wait to begin a life with Mrs. Granger. She is everything a man could possibly want in a helpmate - gentle, kind, generous, tender, loving and, as you can plainly see, quite beautiful. Now, if you’ll excuse us…”

“Humph,” Melanie said, spinning on her heel and marching off in the direction of the restaurant.

Continuing on toward their home, neither Luke nor Filly said a word. Once they were inside the front entry, Luke helped Filly remove her coat and hung it on the hall tree while she took off her hat and gloves. She started for the kitchen, but Luke caught her arms and turned her back around to face him before she’d taken more than a few steps down the hall.

“Filly, I don’t want you to take a single thing that woman said to heart. She is a viscous, cruel gossip with a wide vengeful streak.”

When Filly just looked at him with teary eyes, he felt compelled to provide more detail. “I courted Melanie on and off for a number of years. I never had any intention of marrying her, mind you, but she didn’t take the news of our wedding very well.”

“I’m sorry,” Filly whispered, trying to turn back down the hallway, but Luke refused to let her go. Gently he held her to him.

“You’ve got nothing to be sorry for. She’s mean-spirited and conniving. I just wish it hadn’t taken me so long to realize it,” Luke said, angry that he hadn’t wanted to see Melanie clearly all those years because she was an interesting diversion.

“But by marrying me, you could be damaging your reputation. I never thought about what people would say. Oh, Luke, people must think the very worst of me,” Filly said, trying again to pull away before Luke noticed her struggle to keep her tears in check.

Instead, Luke kept an arm around her shoulders and walked her down the hall to the kitchen.

“Anyone who matters thinks I found a beautiful, wonderful bride and that I’m a pretty lucky fellow. The rest of them will think what they will and I don’t really care,” Luke said, seating his wife at the table and pouring her a cup of coffee.

“But Luke, what if…” Filly said, staring into her coffee cup.

“No buts, Filly. Don’t let it bother you,” Luke said, going to the cupboard and pulling out their dinner plates. “Just keep in mind, though, that we won’t ever be welcomed at the LaRoux’s restaurant.

Luke smiled at her, hoping to elicit one in return. Filly managed a half-hearted smile, then got up and finished dinner preparations.

Her mind kept mulling over the notion that Luke’s continued association with her was going to damage his reputation, cause him a loss of business, cut him off from friends and business associates alike. She just couldn’t do that to him. Filly cared too much to cause him any trouble.

Making up her mind, she decided to return to the farm. She’d leave a note asking Chauncy to annul their marriage. She hated to think what her father would do to her, but she couldn’t chance ruining Luke’s reputation.

Luke was a pillar of the community and, as such, his wife needed to be one as well. Nothing but an uneducated, country girl who had spent the last decade cut off from all society, Filly knew she had absolutely no right being the wife of a prominent citizen. Especially one as kind and caring as Luke.