“I believe that’smyjob.”Luke grinned, unable to shake the feeling he’d finally come into his own, and trotted into the kitchen. “Holy smoke, girls! This looks delicious.”
He picked up the platter and went to the door where Judith held it open. Luke leaned against it so she didn’t have to.
“After you, my lady,” he said with an exaggerated bow.
At her blink of surprise and the way her cheeks colored, Luke’s own face warmed. Dang, but he liked it when she went all shy. He’d only seen her do it a couple of times.
“I need to get the mashed potatoes.” She didn’t look at him as she returned to the kitchen. Why would a beautiful and elegant woman like Judith Breckinridge respond with surprise at such a small gesture?
Something in her eyes had reminded him of Gypsy. He’d bought the horse a few years back, liking her dark bay coloring. If he’d checked her closer like he should have, he’d have known how badly she’d been handled. He wouldn’t have bought her—and missed out on owning one of the finest mares in the county.
“You just going to stand there and tease us with the smell?” Marshall asked with a grin.
Feeling foolish at being caught daydreaming, Luke gave an embarrassed chuckle. The ladies followed him into the room, handing off serving dishes to the men before returning for more.
As he set the platter in the middle, his gaze followed Judith. Was she so prickly because of how she’d been cast aside by that fiancé of hers?
“Luke, I’m so grateful to finally get to share this holiday with you again.” Maude watched him with glistening eyes that made a lump form in his throat. He’d missed his sisters a lot over the years.
“Me too,” Doris said, tears running down her cheeks. Marshall brought her hand to his lips and kissed it before offering her his handkerchief.
“Well, I am too,” Frances said, her voice rougher than usual “but don’t expect me to go all sappy about it.” She pointed to the turkey. “Who’s going to carve it?”
“Since this is my house, I get that honor too.” Luke was about to pick up the knife when he remembered the blessing. He extended his arms to each side and took Maude’s and then Judith’s hands. At her touch, an unexpected tingle ran up his arm, and her fingers twitched. When the others had clasped hands, Luke offered a simple prayer of gratitude for having family around again and for the Lord’s blessing of prosperity.
After he’d said amen, he was slow to release Judith’s hand. Since the wedding, she’d let some of her superior attitude slip. Luke couldn’t shake the idea the young woman needed the same kind of tender care his horse had. She shot him a wary sidelong glance. He released her hand and picked up the carving knife.
Yes. Beside him sat a wounded soul. If she’d let him, he’d do whatever her could to help her heal it.
2
“We should take advantage of the program the school is putting on for Christmas,” Judith said to the members of the Ladies’ Improvement Society.
She hadn’t been one of the founding members, but as soon as she’d heard about it from Doris, Judith had joined. If she were to be forever ostracized from polite society back home, she would do what she could to bring culture and refinement to Lilac City. The meetings at the hotel on Saturday mornings made her feel she was doing something productive and worthwhile.
“What do you have in mind?” Mary Teague asked. While she hadn’t been a member of the upper crust in her hometown and would never have run in the same circles as Judith, the woman came from an affluent family and had received a decent education. Besides the two older Lancaster sisters, Mary was the woman most likely to support anything Judith suggested.
“Doris has her scholars working on a display of talents as well as a presentation of the Christmas story,” Judith said, scanning her list.
“Oh, do you like my idea?” Her sister-in-law flushed prettily, looking happy at the recognition.
“Of course, I do,” Judith said.
Doris’s addition to the Circle B household had been a relatively easy one. Judith had never before met anyone she wanted to please so much. It was a gift Marshall’s bride had. Judith had found she resented it which, she had to remind herself, was catty. Even the need to remind herself of that was a new thing since all her friends in New York had treated each other that way. Gentle and kind Doris deserved better treatment which brought out a protective side to Judith she hadn’t known she had.
“If we were to also invite adults to submit items for display or performance,” Judith said, “we could fill the hall and turn it into a true community event.”
“What kinds of talents do you think adults would offer?” Mrs. Phelps, the mayor’s wife, asked.
“For one, Doris can display some of her artwork.” Judith ignored the look of alarm that flashed across her sister-in-law’s face. She had a rare talent in painting, and Judith refused to let the young woman hide her light under a bushel. “I’ve also seen some beautiful sketches done by Mr. McDaniel.”
“Tom?” Edith Vosburg, the sheriff’s sister, asked in surprise. She was another woman who was most likely to support any effort to civilize Lilac City. She’d once confided to Judith the sheriff had refused to let her come to keep house for him until the church had been built. He hadn’t considered it a fit place for a decent woman until then.
“Yes, Tom,” Judith said. “And from what Mrs. McDaniel says, there are several hands at the Lucky L Ranch who like to sketch. I’ve asked around at the Circle B, and it appears there are a few there too.”
“I like the idea,” Mary Teague said, looking thoughtful, “but could we expand on it? One of our goals is to bring culture to Lilac City, but we can’t do that unless we involve more than the people who already have some culture.”
“We need something that will bring in the cowhands,” Maude said.
