Read Online Montana Sky Christmas: A Sweetwater Springs Short Story Collection by Debra Holland - Free Book Online
Authors: Debra Holland
Tags: Western
Ads: Link
welcoming.
Her mother came to stand at her shoulder. “I’m Mrs. O’Donnell. Won’t you come in?”
“Harry O’Hanlon, ma’am. Although you can call me Harry. Since I knew I was disturbing you on Christmas Day, I brought a haunch of beef.” He held up a heavy burlap bag, which he handed over to Sally’s ma.
“Why thank you, Harry,” Ma said with a wide smile. “This is a generous gift that we’ll enjoy.”
Sally felt Ma’s fingers dig into her arm. Her mother surreptitiously pulled Sally away from blocking the doorway, which was a good thing because she’d been rooted in shock, energy racing through her like a river.
Harry stepped inside, spurs jangling. Even though he wasn’t a big man, Harry seemed to fill up the space in their home. Maybe it was because of the raccoon skin coat he wore. His dark hair looked clean as if freshly washed, and his jaw was strong and closely shaved.
The twins giggled.
Ma shooed the two into the bedroom, instructing them to stay there and work on their samplers.
Somehow, Sally found her outer composure, although the moths fluttering in her stomach made it difficult. “Let me take your coat, Harry.”
“I have to see to my horse.”
“Charlie will.” Mrs. O’Donnell handed the bag to her son. “Put that in the pantry, Charlie. Then run and get your coat, and take Mr. O’Hanlon’s horse to the barn. You know what to do.”
“Yes, Ma.” Charlie raced across the kitchen, set the meat on a shelf in the cold area in back of the pantry, and then rushed back. He scrambled into his coat, grabbed his knit hat and mittens and ran out the door, slamming it after him.
“He’s horse mad,” Sally explained. “But we only have the mule. This is a real treat for him.”
“Glad to oblige.” Harry pulled off his leather gloves and the thin woolen mittens he wore underneath and handed both sets to Sally. He unwound her scarf and shrugged out of his coat, which she took from him, hurrying into her parents’ room to drop them on the bed. She rushed back to the main room, anxious not to miss a word.
Her mother fingered the gold cross she wore around her neck. “My daughter tells me we have you to thank for our lavish Christmas today.”
He looked puzzled. “Surely not. I merely bought two scarves.”
Sally laughed. “Yes, but because you did, Mrs. Cobb changed her mind about taking the rest. And more after that.”
“That’s good to hear.” His smile lit up his eyes and crinkled the lines at the corners, just the way she remembered from their first meeting.
Da opened the door, stamped the snow from his boots, and stepped in. His glance took in Harry’s well-groomed ruggedness and seemed to approve. “Heard we have a visitor.” He pulled off his right glove and extended his hand to Harry. “Welcome. I’m Rory O’Donnell.”
“Thank you, sir. Harry O’Hanlon.”
“Ah, with a name like that, man, yer doubly welcome. Ye have a fine Pinto gelding, ye have do.”
“He’s carried me a long ways. Been through a lot together.”
Sally’s mother smoothed her apron. “Won’t you join us for dinner, Mr… Harry?”
With a raised eyebrow, he gave Sally a quick enquiring glance.
She nodded and smiled with shy pleasure. “Yes, Harry, please join us for Christmas. Ma has baked a raisin pie for dessert.”
He grinned. “I’d love to stay.”
Mrs. O’Donnell encouraged him to sit by the fire and have a cup of tea from the leaves she’d saved for a Christmas treat. She shooed Sally over to keep him company while she finished supper preparations. Out of the corner of her eye, Sally saw Ma detain her father in the kitchen area, so Sally and her visitor could have more privacy.
Harry sipped his tea in silence. His body seemed tense, and he stared into the fire or snuck quick glances at her.
Sally fumbled for a place to begin a conversation. “You work on a ranch?”
“Yes. At Thompson’s. He’s a decent boss. Treats his men well. Pays good.” He
Her mother came to stand at her shoulder. “I’m Mrs. O’Donnell. Won’t you come in?”
“Harry O’Hanlon, ma’am. Although you can call me Harry. Since I knew I was disturbing you on Christmas Day, I brought a haunch of beef.” He held up a heavy burlap bag, which he handed over to Sally’s ma.
“Why thank you, Harry,” Ma said with a wide smile. “This is a generous gift that we’ll enjoy.”
Sally felt Ma’s fingers dig into her arm. Her mother surreptitiously pulled Sally away from blocking the doorway, which was a good thing because she’d been rooted in shock, energy racing through her like a river.
Harry stepped inside, spurs jangling. Even though he wasn’t a big man, Harry seemed to fill up the space in their home. Maybe it was because of the raccoon skin coat he wore. His dark hair looked clean as if freshly washed, and his jaw was strong and closely shaved.
The twins giggled.
Ma shooed the two into the bedroom, instructing them to stay there and work on their samplers.
Somehow, Sally found her outer composure, although the moths fluttering in her stomach made it difficult. “Let me take your coat, Harry.”
“I have to see to my horse.”
“Charlie will.” Mrs. O’Donnell handed the bag to her son. “Put that in the pantry, Charlie. Then run and get your coat, and take Mr. O’Hanlon’s horse to the barn. You know what to do.”
“Yes, Ma.” Charlie raced across the kitchen, set the meat on a shelf in the cold area in back of the pantry, and then rushed back. He scrambled into his coat, grabbed his knit hat and mittens and ran out the door, slamming it after him.
“He’s horse mad,” Sally explained. “But we only have the mule. This is a real treat for him.”
“Glad to oblige.” Harry pulled off his leather gloves and the thin woolen mittens he wore underneath and handed both sets to Sally. He unwound her scarf and shrugged out of his coat, which she took from him, hurrying into her parents’ room to drop them on the bed. She rushed back to the main room, anxious not to miss a word.
Her mother fingered the gold cross she wore around her neck. “My daughter tells me we have you to thank for our lavish Christmas today.”
He looked puzzled. “Surely not. I merely bought two scarves.”
Sally laughed. “Yes, but because you did, Mrs. Cobb changed her mind about taking the rest. And more after that.”
“That’s good to hear.” His smile lit up his eyes and crinkled the lines at the corners, just the way she remembered from their first meeting.
Da opened the door, stamped the snow from his boots, and stepped in. His glance took in Harry’s well-groomed ruggedness and seemed to approve. “Heard we have a visitor.” He pulled off his right glove and extended his hand to Harry. “Welcome. I’m Rory O’Donnell.”
“Thank you, sir. Harry O’Hanlon.”
“Ah, with a name like that, man, yer doubly welcome. Ye have a fine Pinto gelding, ye have do.”
“He’s carried me a long ways. Been through a lot together.”
Sally’s mother smoothed her apron. “Won’t you join us for dinner, Mr… Harry?”
With a raised eyebrow, he gave Sally a quick enquiring glance.
She nodded and smiled with shy pleasure. “Yes, Harry, please join us for Christmas. Ma has baked a raisin pie for dessert.”
He grinned. “I’d love to stay.”
Mrs. O’Donnell encouraged him to sit by the fire and have a cup of tea from the leaves she’d saved for a Christmas treat. She shooed Sally over to keep him company while she finished supper preparations. Out of the corner of her eye, Sally saw Ma detain her father in the kitchen area, so Sally and her visitor could have more privacy.
Harry sipped his tea in silence. His body seemed tense, and he stared into the fire or snuck quick glances at her.
Sally fumbled for a place to begin a conversation. “You work on a ranch?”
“Yes. At Thompson’s. He’s a decent boss. Treats his men well. Pays good.” He
Similar Books
