Penny grasped his hand, turned her face into his palm and held it there. With her other hand, she loosened the pins from her hair. The tight knot tumbled down her back.
“I want us to be partners in all ways.”
Alex hesitated for a moment, seeming to gauge just how much trust she had. What he saw must have given him confidence. His fingers tangled in her hair and he pulled her into his arms and across his lap.
13
Christmas morning came all too soon for Penny. She opened her eyes to see Alex already half dressed.
Smiling, he bent to kiss her forehead. “I didn’t want to wake you, but Lexie’s up. It’s our first Christmas together, and I don’t want to miss a minute of it.”
Penny flipped back the covers. “Me, either.” When she reached up to twist her hair into its knot, Alex stepped behind her, wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed the curve of her neck. He followed it with another kiss and another, all the way up to a spot just behind her ear and murmured, “Leave it down. For me.”
Shivers tripped down her back, and she was helpless to deny him anything. She nodded. As soon as he released her, she pulled the sides back with a ribbon and hurried out the door after him.
“Papa!” Lexie ran across the room to throw herself in Alex’s arms. “I didn’t think you were ever going to wake up. Aunt Jewel said we needed to let you and Mommy sleep because you were tired.”
Jewel didn’t try very hard to hide her pleased smile.
Penny felt color wash into her cheeks and wondered if everyone knew about the change of circumstances between her and Alex.
“Aunt Jewel was right. We were very tired.” Alex winked at Penny.
Embarrassed, she ducked her head and hurried to the kitchen to help Inga with breakfast.
Every time Alex came close to Penny, he touched her hand or smiled at her. He had a habit of tickling Lexie every time he passed her. Now he found ways to come up behind Penny and press a kiss to the tender spot just behind her ear. Each time, he left her tingly and helpless.
After breakfast, Jann and Alex went next door to help Angus make the trip over the icy boardwalk. As they settled him in front of the fire, Gina Spinetti and her children arrived.
They were a quiet, sad little group, but while Inga, Penny, and Jewel stuffed chickens for their Christmas dinner, Tom played Christmas carols.
By the time she and Inga finished in the kitchen and settled in the other room, the Spinetti children clapped their hands and sang the songs Tom had taught them…and they taught the others the words in Italian.
“Can we open presents now?” Lexie asked, her tone impatient.
“Yes.” Penny grinned at the children, who dived right into the pile.
The Spinettis opened dolls, balls, and marbles, all from Alex.
Penny’s pride in her husband grew until she was bursting with love for the man who bought presents for fatherless children and made sure they were welcomed.
When it was Lexie’s turn, Alex said, “Let’s save the best for last. You don’t mind waiting do you, honey?”
It was plain from her look that she did mind, but she tried very hard to be patient.
Angelo Spinetti opened a pocket knife.
When it was Jann’s turn, Alex said the same thing to him.
Jann agreed with an excited grin.
Alex took out two large boxes and handed them to Penny and Jewel.
Inside were beautiful silk dresses complete with bustles.
Jewel’s had bell sleeves and dark blue fabric that matched her eyes.
Penny’s was green, trimmed in black. Pinned to the front of each lady’s dress, a note said she had an appointment at Lettie Masters’s dress shop for a final fitting tomorrow.
Penny was thrilled and couldn’t stop touching the lovely green material.
Jewel continued to hold hers against her body.
Tom opened his small package, a lovely carved pipe. Alex had even included a sweet tobacco he said was guaranteed to help soothe Tom over the rough patches.
“Why, that’s just about the best idea I’ve heard in a while.” Tom clapped Alex on the back several times before he popped the new pipe into his mouth.
Inga had a present from Alex as well, but it didn’t impress her half as much as the tiny, red, heart-shaped pincushion from Angus.
When Angus opened the blue scarf she’d knitted for him, he spontaneously kissed her cheek.
Inga blushed so furiously, Penny was sure her cheeks would be permanently red.
Alex went to stand by the door, looking out, and then he opened it. “Well, your gift has finally arrived. Come here, Lexie.”
She popped up from the floor and ran to Alex. He ushered her out.
There was a clamor of shuffling chairs and running feet as everyone hurried to see.
Penny stepped into the crisp morning air to see her daughter’s toes at the edge of the boardwalk, face to face with a stunning little black pony with one white star on its muzzle.
“Merry Christmas, Lexie,” Alex said.
Lexie was speechless. She stood for a moment in silence, her breath pluming out. “Is he really mine?”
“She’s all yours.” Charley Breckenridge, the stable owner, stood on the steps, the reins looped in his hand.
“But with one condition,” Alex said.
Lexie’s head jerked around. “What’s a condition?”
“A rule.” Alex smiled. “You have to promise to do everything Jann tells you so you can learn how to take care of her yourself.”
“Jann doesn’t know how to take care of a pony.”
“He will once he starts his new job as a stable hand.”
Jann froze for one heart-stopping moment. Then, unlike Lexie, he whooped as loud as he could and ran over to Mr. Breckenridge, startling the little pony.
“Easy, boy! Easy,” Charley said as Jann pumped his hand and thanked him. “Seems yer first lesson’ll be on how not to spook the horses.”
Jann laughed and reached out to pet the pony’s muzzle.
Lexie did the same.
Alex stood just in front of Penny. With his back to her, he was silent and still.
Penny stepped forward and slid her arms around his waist.
He turned slightly, looped his arm over her head and tucked her close. Together they basked in the happiness of the people they loved.
****
Alex left at his usual time to work on his building projects.
Jann headed out at the same time, off to his first day at the stable.
Penny was certain she’d never seen a happier person than Jann, except herself.
She and Jewel kept their appointment with the dressmaker.
Penny couldn’t believe her own sense of excitement. It had been so long since she had done something fun with her best friend. It made her feel young and carefree.
Tom walked them to the dressmaker’s and agreed to stop by for them on his return from a meeting with the pastor.
A widow and a member of their small church, Lettie Masters welcomed them with a smile and a lovely pot of tea. They sipped out of china cups and chatted about the play and their Christmas.
Penny’s dress was too long. But the color suited her perfectly and the neat little bustle at the back complemented her petite form.
“What a delight to fit such a lovely figure.” Lettie Masters said. “I would love to design another dress for you. Mrs. Marsden.”
“Oh, do call me Penny.”
“Well, then, Penny, please let me make another dress one day.” Lettie grinned her pleasure.
Jewel stepped out of the small dressing room. She was stunning. The dress fit perfectly and the color made her gorgeous blue eyes flash. Gone were the dark circles and lines of stress. Her complexion glowed like smooth porcelain.
“Oh, Jewel,” Penny whispered.
“I guess that means it looks all right.”
“Oh, look at you.” Lettie sighed.
Jewel moved in front of the floor-length mirror. Slight color tinged her cheeks.
“Oh.” Her hand flew to her cheek and she stared at the reflection. “I look like my old self. As if nothing ever happened.”
“In the Lord’s eyes, nothing did happen.” Lettie, an older and wiser Christian, smiled.
Jewel looked at Lettie in the reflection as if she didn’t believe her.
“You accepted Him as your Savior, didn’t you?”
Jewel nodded.
“Well then,” Lettie said as she fussed with a fold of Jewel’s dress. “It’s erased. You are a new creature, washed pure and clean.”
A slight smile flitted over Jewel’s lips and she nodded, meeting Lettie’s steady gaze in the mirror. “I’ll tell myself that every time I wear this dress. It will remind me.”
“It’ll do more than that.” Lettie had a mischievous gleam in her gaze. “I know one piano player who won’t be able to take his eyes off you…not that he can now.”
Another little smile flitted across Jewel’s lips.
Had Jewel’s feelings for Tom finally changed into something more than gratitude?
Penny wondered and prayed it was so.
“If I were you, I’d buy myself more dresses like this and make sure his looks don’t wander,” Lettie went on. “Plenty of women in our little church would do anything to catch a man with his talent. If I was a few years younger, I might be one of them.”
Jewel’s brow puckered.
Lettie turned away from Jewel’s reflection in the mirror and winked at Penny.
Penny almost laughed out loud at the older woman’s conniving. She wished she’d thought of it herself.
They decided to head home on their own. They left Lettie’s shop with hugs and promises to return for tea after the dresses were completed.
The late afternoon sun fell on Bodie’s streets. It wasn’t enough to melt the icy patches, but after weeks of winter storms the last two days of sunshine were a welcome break.
Penny and Jewel strolled down the walkway arm in harm, their heels clicking as they laughed and talked.
Neither of them noticed the man staring out from the window of the hardware store until it was too late.
“Jewel!”
Penny felt her friend stiffen, instantly recognizing the voice.
Daniel Holloway and his constant companion, Red Walters, were striding towards them.
Penny grasped Jewel’s arm and hurried her forward.
The boardwalk ended and opened to a narrow alley.
Penny tugged Jewel, but before they could get across, Penny was torn away from her friend, lifted up, and bustled into the narrow opening.
“Let me go! I’ll scream—” Penny’s words were cut off as a rough hand clamped over her mouth.
Jewel was frozen, stunned. Her lips had gone pale, her gaze sightless as Holloway held her up against the wall of the building.
“Jewel,” he said again. “My Jewel.”
He touched her face and Jewel shied away, turning her head as far away as she could. Without making a sound, she clawed at him like a caged, frightened animal trying to escape. Her strange, pathetic silence made Penny renew her own struggles in Red’s arms.
“Jewel, honey, it’s all right. Everything’s going to be all right now,” Holloway crooned.
“Let her go, Holloway.” Penny sighed with relief as she heard Alex’s voice. Red held her so tight, she couldn’t turn her head.
Holloway tensed, but he never looked back. “I’d like to see you make me, Cripple—” He never finished.
Alex stepped forward, jerked Holloway back with his bad arm, and swung with his good.
Holloway flew backwards and fell on the ground, too stunned to get up.
Red released Penny and hurried to his boss’s side.
Tom leapt from behind Penny to catch Jewel, who had slumped to the ground.
Holloway rose slowly. Blood dripped from his nose and lips. As Red tried to lift him, Halloway’s gaze focused on Alex.
“You’ll pay for this, Marsden. I’ll get you.”
Then he looked at Tom’s arms around Jewel.
“You! Don’t touch her! Get your hands off!”
Red looked back down the alley where a crowd had gathered. “Boss, now ain’t the time.”
Holloway struggled against Red’s confining arms. “Let her go or I’ll kill you. Let her go!”
“Come on, boss.” Red hustled a screaming Holloway down the back of the alley, away from the onlookers.
Alex looked at the crowd, and then he turned to Penny. “Are you all right?”
When she nodded, he wrapped an arm around her. “Let’s go, Tom.” He walked back down the alley and stopped at the entrance.
“I seen the whole thing from my store!” one man said, as he gestured across the street. “I couldn’t believe those two just dragged these ladies into the alley. I sent my boy for the sheriff, and then headed over here to see what I could do.”
A woman with a basket looped over her arm touched Penny’s arm in sympathy.
“I’m afraid the sheriff will be slow coming.” Alex addressed the small crowd. “He’s let things like this go by before.”
“Well, I never.” The woman was indignant. “Wait until I tell my husband.” She turned to another woman in the crowd. “None of us are safe.”
Tom half carried Jewel out of the alley.
Silent, stricken tears fell down her cheeks.
Penny took her other arm and Jewel grasped her hand like a lifeline. “Let’s get her home, Tom.”
“I’ll be along.” Alex’s tone was quiet as he faced the crowd.
He would use this event to speak out against Holloway. He wanted to rally the townspeople to take action against the man.
Penny wasn’t sure it would help.
As Penny had stood captive in Red’s arms, watching Daniel Holloway’s face as he looked at Jewel, one thing became crystal clear.
Holloway would never let Jewel go, not as long as he lived.
****
Alex was coldly furious…enough to push his concern for Jewel and Penny to the back burner. He kept the crowd talking long enough to prove that the sheriff had no intention of coming to take a statement about the assault.
Anger flared against the sheriff.
“I’m going to the sheriff’s office to report this,” Alex said to the crowd.
Several men decided to accompany him.
Confronted with their outrage, Andersen had to file Alex’s complaint.