Read Online Christmas Under Western Skies by Anna Schmidt - Free Book Online Page A

pushed his plate away and wiped his mouth on his napkin. “I was thinking that tomorrow we might get you a tree to decorate for Christmas.”
    â€œOh, that would be wonderful,” Laura squealed. “Last year—” She glanced at Julianne and went silent.
    â€œLast year,” Julianne explained, “we didn’t really celebrate Christmas. The children’s father had recently died, and—”
    â€œThen all the more reason to celebrate twice as much this year,” Nathan said, addressing himself to the children. “I expect the two of you have already started on your gifts, right?”
    Both children looked blank.
    Nathan sighed. “I can see I’m going to have to take charge here—show you folks what an old-fashioned Virginia Christmas looks like.”
    Julianne was overwhelmed by the sudden need to keep her hands and thoughts busy with something other than the way Nathan looked, sitting opposite her and laughing with her children.
    Like he belongs , she thought.
    Â 
    Early the following morning Nathan returned.
    â€œCaptain’s back,” Luke announced excitedly as he ran to the door.
    â€œGood morning,” Nathan called out when Julianne and the children came out onto the narrow porch.
    â€œReady to go fetch that tree?”
    As usual, the man was in fine spirits. There was something so appealing about that, and she found herself wishing she could find that kind of peace and contentment with life. She realized that she envied him this.
    â€œGood morning,” she replied as Luke bolted from her and peered curiously into the back of the wagon.
    â€œWhat’s that?” the boy asked.
    â€œWhat’s that, sir ,” Julianne corrected automatically, her own curiosity piqued.
    â€œSir,” Luke added.
    Nathan lifted two flat packages, each wrapped in brown paper and string. “Glass panes for the windows,” he explained. “Careful now,” he instructed, as he handed Luke one of the packages.
    â€œI can take the second one, sir,” Laura volunteered.
    â€œAnd I thank you for that. Leaves me free to gather these tools,” Nathan told the girl.
    The twins carried the packages onto the porch as if they were precious gold, and set them carefully on the table that in warmer weather held the pitcher and bowl for washing up.
    â€œI don’t understand,” Julianne said. “I didn’t place an order for glass panes with Mr. Putnam, and this is a sod house, captain.”
    â€œI placed the order,” Nathan said with a grin. “See, I was thinking that if you had glass in the window openings, then you could start some apple seeds inside—plant them in tin cans there on the window ledge. The sun through the glass would be warmer—like spring, and by spring you’d have a seedling instead of just a seed.”
    â€œI really…” She could barely find the words to form the protest.
    â€œHave a little faith, Julianne,” he said softly.
    Julianne wrestled with her irritation that he would assume she had money for such things. “I cannot…”
    Nathan moved a step closer and lowered his voice, his eyes on the children busily unwrapping the precious glass. “You cannot what, Julianne? Afford? Accept?”
    â€œBoth.”
    â€œIt’s a gift. My thanks for the care you gave me. I might have died had you not taken me in. Seems to me that a couple of panes of glass is hardly repayment enough for saving a man’s life.” He gave her a moment to consider his argument. “Please accept this, Julianne.”
    â€œYour thanks were enough,” she murmured, but her eyes were on the glass pane that Laura was holding up to the light. Glass in the window wells instead of the oiled paper would do far more than help her raise apple seedlings. It would block out the wind and cold. It would allow more light into the cabin—into the lives of her children. “Very