The Magic of Christmas: A Christmas Child / The Christmas Dove / A Baby Blue Christmas

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Marianne walked quickly to the house next to the general store, rapping once on the door and waiting as she heard footsteps approaching, the sound vibrating on the porch. Janet opened the door wide and welcomed her inside.

“Merry Christmas, Marianne. I wondered what had happened to you last night. I left the store unlocked in case you wanted to sleep there, but I noticed this morning when I went over to put wood in the stove that you hadn’t been there.”

“I slept at the parsonage,” Marianne admitted quietly. “David felt it would be better for Joshua to be in a warm house where there was everything available to tend to him. He’s sleeping now in the spare bedroom. And that was where I spent the night, Janet. I hope you don’t think there was anything out of order going on last night. David gave me a place to stay and I got up and made his breakfast.”

She slid her cloak from her shoulders and sat in the chair Janet offered, nodding her head as she offered Marianne a cup of tea, a gift received with a grin.

“Thank you. David prefers coffee apparently, and I didn’t ask if he had any tea. My mama used to always have a cup for breakfast or in the middle of the morning. I miss sitting at the table with her and talking of what we would do during the day and what work needed to be done.”

“What have you and Mr. McDermott spoken of, Marianne? I think from the look on your face that you have something to talk over with me. Am I wrong?” Janet sat across the table, lifted her teacup and sipped at the warm brew, waiting till Marianne should decide to speak.

“He wants to marry me,” she said softly. “He asked if I would live there and keep house for him and cook and do the laundry and all that is entailed in being a wife.”

“All?” Janet asked quietly, her brow rising as she posed the query.

“All but the sleeping in his bedroom part,” Marianne said, feeling awkward as she explained the circumstances David had suggested. “He said he would not expect that of me, for we barely know each other, having met but yesterday. I think he’s willing to give me as much time as I need to become accustomed to his company before he makes a change in our relationship.”

“And how do you feel about it?” Janet asked, as if she were feeling her way, trying to negotiate a rocky path. “Would you be comfortable living in the parsonage and answering to the ladies in town, for surely you know they will watch you like a hawk.”

“I hadn’t thought of that,” Marianne told her. “I suppose they feel somewhat protective of David, given the circumstances of his wife’s death and the loss of his child.”

“It could well be the best thing that could happen for both of you,” Janet said slowly, as if her mind must catch up to her words. “I assume you’ve had a good upbringing, Marianne, and your parents were no doubt strict with you. Have you had a gentleman friend in your life before this?”

“A young man in our neighborhood wanted to court me a couple of years ago and my father told him he could come calling so long as he didn’t see me alone, without a chaperone. He talked about marriage for the past few months, and I had just about agreed to the idea, for he was a good man, with good prospects.”

Janet eyed her, obviously noting the tears that threatened to fall as she spoke. “What happened? Did you change your mind?”

“No. He came down with the fever and died just before my parents became ill. A lot of the folks in our part of the county fell ill and many of them didn’t make it. There are a lot of homes without mothers, some without a breadwinner, and the winter looks to be a sad one for several families who are grieving for loved ones.”

“Is that why you left home with Joshua?”

“My neighbor said her sister lived here in town and I might be able to stay with her while I found work. You know how that turned out, once her husband got wind of the idea. I don’t think my old neighbor is aware of the situation in her sister’s home.”

“Well, you didn’t need that sort of problem anyway,” Janet said bluntly. “What you’ve been offered is far and away the better choice for you.”

“David said he’s going to speak with the mayor today, even though it’s Christmas. He’s anxious to get someone else’s approval of his proposal.”

“The mayor is head of the church board, and if he gives his okay, David has clear sailing,” Janet said with a grin.

“I’ll bet he’s anxious to get things in motion. I wouldn’t be surprised if you’re not a married lady by tomorrow.”

Marianne almost choked on her tea. “So soon? Do you really think he’ll want to do things that quickly?”

“He can’t keep you in his house without marrying you, Marianne. You’re old enough to know folks will talk if such a thing were to be going on. It’s better for you and David both if you speak your vows right away.”

Marianne stood, gathering her cloak up from the chair and tossing it over her shoulders. “I think maybe I’d better get back to the parsonage and let David do his business with the mayor, hadn’t I?”

Janet smiled, her eyes beaming with anticipation. “I can’t wait till tomorrow. Every lady in town will be in the store before the day is over, wondering what is going on. You’ll have their eyes glued on you, I’ll guarantee it.”

Marianne felt a flush creep up her cheeks. “I don’t know if I’m looking forward to that. I’d thought maybe we could keep it very quiet if we decided to do this, sort of just make it a private thing.”

“Not a chance,” Janet said with a hoot of laughter.

“Everyone in town will be wanting to give you a pounding.”

“A pounding?” Marianne’s eyes widened as she considered the word, wondering at its meaning.

“A pounding is where each family brings a pound of this or that to the happy couple’s home. A pound of coffee, or flour or maybe sugar or butter. Quite often it’s more than just a pound, for folks think highly of Mr. McDermott and they’ll want to welcome you into the parsonage as his wife in fine style.”

David left the house as soon as Marianne returned, heading for the mayor’s home, leaving Marianne with a smile, and his expression speaking of his pleasure at the circumstances. He obviously was pleased at the idea of gaining a wife so readily, Marianne decided. It was likely that he was weary of taking care of himself, although the parsonage did not show neglect in any way. He apparently had taken good care of his home, keeping it clean and caring for his belongings.

She spent an hour preparing dinner, first finding a piece of smoked pork in the pantry, then placing it in a baking pan, sliding it into the oven and deciding on a kettle of green beans and potatoes to go with it. Most men enjoyed their big meal of the day at noontime—at least her father had, and her mother had said it was the usual circumstance to have a large meal at noon, then just soup or some such thing for supper later on in the day.

She heard Joshua’s cry as he awakened and she made haste to wash her hands and set a pan of warm water on the table for his bath, then gathered him up from the bed and stripped him of his clothing so that she could give him a fresh start. He was a pleasure to tend, contented to allow her to wash his head, using a cloth to wipe his arms and legs and then his back. He shivered as she finished the task, and she wrapped him in a clean towel she’d found in David’s bedroom. His small head smelled sweet, she thought, just as an infant should, and it was with joy that she diapered him and found the last clean gown for him to wear.

The laundry must be done soon, for he was almost out of diapers, having only just a few more than a dozen to his name. A washtub on the porch offered her a place to soak his clothing, and she put it in front of the stove, half filling it with warm water from the reservoir.

His bottle ready, she held him in her arms in the rocking chair and sang to him as he ate his meal, his hands clutching at her fingers, his nose nuzzling her as he searched out the nipple she’d carefully washed and readied for his use.

He was warm and soft and she felt an overwhelming love for the mite as she rocked him, holding him close, humming a lullaby she’d heard her mother sing as she worked around the house, one she remembered hearing as a child.

When David returned from his jaunt across town, she had just put Joshua down on the bed, knowing that he would sleep again for at least two hours. He was a good baby, her former neighbor had said, quickly accustoming himself to the schedule of eating and sleeping. Marianne had not spent much time with children up until this point in her life, but tending to her brother was a chore she accepted as her due.

David had good news. “The mayor seems to think it would be a good idea for us to be married. He said every man needs a wife, and a preacher especially so. The parsonage is usually the place where people come with their problems, and it is better if there is a true family living there. I understand what he was saying, for it isn’t a good idea for a man of the church not to have a wife of his own. He said I’ve been the object of several young ladies’ attention of late, and I suspect he is right. For I feel sometimes like I’m on display.”

Marianne nodded at his words. “What do you think we should do?” she asked.

“Did Janet have any ideas?” David wanted to know. “I thought she might speak her mind to you.” Marianne nodded, looking down at her hands, clenched tightly in her lap. “She thinks it’s a good idea, our getting married. I just don’t want you to jump into something you may be sorry for later on. What if you find that you don’t like me well enough to share your life with me?”

The expression on David’s face was almost comical, for he’d apparently not thought of that possibility. “I see no reason why we couldn’t make a good marriage. You’re a woman who would appeal to any man with eyes in his head, and I’m not immune to the allure you offer.”

“Me?” She was stunned by his words. “I didn’t think you had looked at me that way, David.”

“You don’t know much about men, do you?” At the quick shake of her head, he continued, his voice soft, his gaze upon her seeming as warm as a spring breeze. His words were genuine, spoken from his heart, and he felt the pace of that organ in his chest vibrating in a mysterious rhythm. “You are slender and most appealing, Marianne, with curves that speak of feminine form and beauty. Your eyes are lovely, your hair looks like pure silk. It makes my hands itch to touch it and run it through my fingers. Altogether you are a woman any man would be proud to marry. Best of all, your demeanor is modest, your upbringing obviously that of a girl with a good background. I’ll bet your folks were strict with you, weren’t they? I doubt they allowed you to be alone with any young men, did they?”

He halted, watching her with a warmth in his eyes that made her wonder at the many charms he had described, made her stomach swim in a delightful manner. She shook her head in bewilderment. “No one has ever spoken to me this way before. I don’t know what to think, David. I look in my mirror every morning when I wash my face and brush my hair, and I swear to you I don’t see the woman you have described.”

“Perhaps I look with the eyes of a man who is attracted to you, Marianne. Maybe my viewpoint is so different than yours because it is one of masculine interest. Know that I am being as honest with you as I know how. I would never tell you an untruth or exaggerate my feelings. You are a tempting woman and I would find it no hardship to put my ring on your finger and claim you as my wife.”

Chapter Four

“Is this what you told the mayor? That you were ready to speak vows with me?”

David nodded silently, then awaited her answer. It was not long in coming. “I’ve decided to do as you’ve asked, David. I’ll marry you and take up the reins in your home and do my best to make you happy and make your life as easy as possible. I’ll keep your house clean and your clothing in order and in all ways act as a minister’s wife should when the occasion warrants it.”

His hands found hers, long fingers clasping smaller digits, warmth sheltering small chilled fingers, and his smile was enough to warm the entire house, she thought.

“You’ve made me a happy man, Marianne. The circuit judge will be making a stop here tomorrow morning to make a ruling on a man the sheriff is holding in jail. I’ll visit him early in the day and ask for his assistance in this matter. I’m certain he’ll arrange to marry us before the day is over. Will that please you?”

She was speechless. That her whole life could so quickly change, that her position be elevated to that of wife in less than twenty-four hours was something she had not believed could happen. Yet if David were to be believed, that would be the plan for the morrow. And she knew, somehow, deep inside, that David did not make plans without the intent of carrying them out in full. And so she smiled up at him, nodding her agreement.

And as if he was tempted beyond his ability to refrain, he surrounded her with his arms and held her against his body, lowering his head and tilting it just so, until his lips were hovering over her own and his breath warmed her mouth. “Am I being too bold, asking a kiss from you, sweetheart? I ache to hold you and know that you will be mine tomorrow, and I need to know that you are not averse to kissing me and allowing my caresses.”

Marianne tilted her face to his. “I’ve only been kissed twice before, from the man who wanted to marry me, so I’m probably not very good at it, but I’m willing to learn, David.”

In a few long moments she discovered that the whole exercise was an experience of true delight, that the man’s lips were soft, yet demanding, that his heartbeat was strong and rapid against her breast and she was more deeply involved in the brushing and pressing of lips than she’d thought possible. A thrill of surprise ran through her body, her arms developed gooseflesh and her legs felt weak, as if she were standing on limp noodles.

“David?” Her voice had even developed a strange lassitude, for she could not seem to speak aloud, only murmur his name. “David,” she whispered again, and his eyes were lit with discovery, his cheeks flushed with a line of ruddy color over his jawline.

“I think kissing you will fast become a habit,” he said softly. “You are a lovely woman, Marianne. I’ll enjoy very much being married to you.”

His arms tightened their grip on her and she was pulled tautly against his long frame, the powerful lines of his chest cushioning her breasts, his long legs surrounding her more feminine lines. Her hands moved from his shoulders to his hair, to that dark, waving mass of silky stuff that invited her fingers to investigate and caress the fine threads that seemed to be as soft as dandelion fluff in the spring.

She tilted her head back and looked closely at his face, the straight nose and dark brows over blue eyes that glowed with a strange light even now. His jaw was firm, with just a trace of whiskers to mar the surface, and her hand went there, feeling the roughness of his beard, which was so much a part of a man. She was held tightly against him, and his legs were taut with a strength she had not realized—his very body seemed coiled and ready, as if he would move on to another phase of this courting he’d undertaken. For surely that was what he had set into motion. An accelerated courting that would last only a day, for on the morrow they would be wed.

“I don’t know much about what goes on in a marriage, only that my mother and father were happy together, and worked together to make a home. I know she loved him and cared for him, and he felt the same way about her. They touched frequently, his hand on her shoulder or her hand reaching to touch his fingers at the table. And I know there was a connection between them that defied my imagination, for they were very close, very loving when they thought I didn’t notice.”

“It sounds to me as though you had a good pattern to follow, Marianne,” David said with a broad smile. “My own parents had just such a marriage. We always knew that they put each other first in all things, that we children were loved, but that their marriage was important to them.”

“That’s what I want in life,” she said quietly. “I need a man to care about me and my brother and always take care of us.”

“And is he your brother, Marianne? I know that the ladies in town have spoken in the general store and the mayor asked me outright if Joshua was indeed your brother or if he was your own child.”

“I haven’t told you any falsehood, David. It is exactly as I said. My mother died just minutes before he was born. He’s my only relative, my brother. I’m sworn to care for him and provide him a good life.”

“All right. I don’t want you to be upset, sweetheart. It’s just that folks have noticed he holds a close resemblance to you, and that fact alone made the ladies suspicious. I’ll be sure that they know the truth of it.”

“I can’t prove it, David, unless I write to my old neighbor and ask for a letter of verification from her.”

“It may come to that one day, but for now I’m satisfied with what you’ve said.”

And yet a pall hung over Marianne’s mood, for if there was the slightest doubt in David’s mind that she was not what she claimed to be, she would not be happy in this marriage. It was with a heavy heart that she retired that night, the loneliest Christmas of her life, for there had been no gifts to exchange, no words of celebration, only the dinner she’d cooked and a second reading of the Christmas story from St. Luke.

She slept better than she’d expected, Joshua being well fed at bedtime and sleeping throughout the long night hours. The rooster from next door awoke them again at dawn and she rolled from the bed and dressed quickly, carrying Joshua to the kitchen to feed him. In minutes she had warmed his milk and filled his bottle, and she was settled in the rocking chair when David came from his room.

“Good morning,” he said quietly. “You haven’t changed your mind about today, have you, sweetheart?” He watched her closely from his place by the stove, one hand holding the stove lid, the other a chunk of wood he was planning to lay within the black cave, where it would provide enough heat to cook breakfast.

“No, I’ve not changed my mind. I was wondering the same about you, though.”

“I don’t make an offer I’m not prepared to follow through on, and my offer of marriage to you is firm, Marianne. I’m waiting anxiously to hear that the judge has arrived in town, and when he does we’ll walk over to the sheriff’s office and I’ll introduce you to him. I’m sure the mayor will make it his business to do the honors when we get there, for he’ll be on hand for the occasion. I’d thought you might ask Janet to stand by your side during the ceremony, and the mayor will stand with me. Does that suit you?”

“Of course. I’m sure Janet will be agreeable to the notion. I’ll stop by and ask her early on so’s to give her time to get ready. And in the meantime, I’ll stop by at the general store and see if there is a dress there I may purchase to wear myself. I haven’t anything fit for such an occasion, David. But I have enough money to purchase a dress, I think.”

“If you haven’t enough, I’d be happy to buy you a dress, sweetheart. May I go along?”

“Will the store be open early, do you think?”

“Janet is generally there by eight o’clock. Let’s eat quickly and take a walk over.”

“If you’ll finish feeding Joshua, I’ll fix breakfast,” Marianne offered, and with a grin, David switched places with her, holding the baby in his arms and presenting the nipple to the tiny mouth. It was an eager little boy who ate his breakfast, almost as though he knew there were plans afoot that included his presence. By the time his bottle was empty and he’d been properly burped over David’s shoulder, Marianne had made gravy from the leftover dinner, and along with fresh biscuits from the oven and the savory mixture of meat and gravy, they sat down to a veritable feast. David ate quickly, obviously anxious to be on his way, but strangely enough, Marianne seemed to have lost her appetite this morning, for she ate but half the food on her plate.

“I’m nervous,” she explained, donning her cloak, then wrapping little Joshua warmly and carrying him beneath the thick woolen garment she wore. “The wind is brisk and I don’t want him to get colic from the cold air. And I keep feeling chills down my back. Do you suppose I’m coming down with something, David?”

His grin was wide. “I think you’re having bridal nerves, Marianne. You’ll be fine once we get together with the judge and things start rolling. Just don’t change your mind on me, will you?”

She shook her head, a quick firm movement that fully expressed her thoughts, for she’d decided in the long hours of the night that living in David’s house with the handsome man as a husband might just be the best fate that could have befallen her.

They headed to the sheriff’s office, made their arrangements and then walked across the street to the general store. With a great deal of whispering and laughter, Janet and Marianne sorted through several boxes of clothing and finally selected a dress both thought would be suitable for a wedding. A session in the storeroom with David holding Joshua at the front of the store, warming them both by the potbellied stove as he waited, ended with Marianne emerging from the curtained area garbed in a shimmering white dress dotted with golden daisies and sashed with a wide ribbon of the same color.

“You look beautiful,” David said in a hushed voice, his eyes warm with a tender emotion as they scanned her form. “Just as a bride should look, Marianne. Have you spoken to Janet about what we discussed?”

Janet spoke up quickly. “Yes, she surely did, and I’d be so proud to stand by her side while she marries you, Mr. McDermott. This is the finest thing that could have happened here in Walnut Grove. What a wonderful ending to a delightful Christmas.”

It was almost noon when the small group trooped across the street to the lawman’s office and appeared at his door. The familiar figure of Judge Pearson stood from his position behind the sheriff’s desk and extended a hand toward David. “Mr. McDermott, I understand we have a happy occasion to celebrate today. I’m honored to officiate at your wedding, sir. And is this the bride?” he asked, peering down at Marianne, whose blushing countenance had assumed a look of confusion.

“Yes, sir, I’m Marianne Winters. I’m new in town, for my family, all but my small brother, died of the fever over in the next county early in December. Janet over at the general store let me stay there for a bit and then on Christmas Eve when Mr. McDermott found my little brother in the Nativity scene, he was kind enough to give me shelter and has decided I would make a good addition to his home. I plan to be his wife, cook for him and keep things up over at the parsonage. In return, he will care for me and my brother and be responsible for our well-being.”

“Well, that’s quite a speech for a young lady. Sounds to me like you’ve got your plans all lined up well, ma’am. And how do you feel about this situation, Mr. McDermott?”

David grinned widely. “I’m feeling on top of the world, sir. Being a married man was a most wonderful thing when my Laura was alive, and I have every hope that Marianne will be as fine a wife as Laura ever was. We seem to have hit it off well, and she is a lady through and through. She even comes equipped with a little boy, her brother, Joshua.” With those words he reached to Marianne and took the baby from her arms. “Between the three of us, I think we’ll make a good marriage and have a fine home together.’

His words stunned Marianne with their forceful enthusiasm, for she had no idea he was so motivated about this marriage to be performed today. She’d felt his approval of her and Joshua, had known he was a good man, willing to put forth any effort to help her, but to have him so thrilled over the wedding itself was a surprise to her.

The judge eyed them for a moment, glancing at Janet and the figure of the mayor who stood next to David, and then began his task. Opening a small book from his pocket, he began reading the familiar words of the marriage ceremony. They floated over Marianne’s head like so many bumblebees, the sound but a buzzing in her ears, and when the judge looked at her pointedly and cleared his throat, she realized he was waiting for a response from her.

“I will,” she said, hoping that those words were the proper ones to have uttered at that point. They seemed to have been what he’d waited for, for he turned to David and asked questions that David listened to intently, and then nodded and repeated the words Marianne had spoken. “I will.”

A brief prayer was spoken then and in a sonorous voice, with great dignity, the judge announced that they were to be considered husband and wife, in the eyes of the Almighty and the laws of this Territory. “You may kiss your bride, sir,” the judge said with a smile.

David gripped Marianne’s shoulders and bent to her, his lips touching hers with a light caress that offered his troth in a simple gesture. He’d slid a narrow gold band onto her finger during the ceremony and it weighed heavily there as she curled her fingers and held it tight, lest it fall to the floor, for it felt a bit large for her.

David apparently had noticed it, for he whispered a message in her ear. “We can go over to the store and pick out one just a bit smaller, if you like. I’m sure Janet has a selection we can look at.”

Marianne nodded, holding Joshua firmly against her breast, watching as David shook hands with the judge, then the mayor and the sheriff, who had been standing by with a wide smile on his face. The judge approached Marianne and spoke kindly words.

“I’m sure you’ll be a happy bride, Mrs. McDermott. You have a good husband, and David will take good care of you and your child.”

Her mouth opened to deny Joshua’s belonging to her, for she wanted to make it clear that he was her brother, not her son, but the moment passed and David ushered her from the building, across the street to the general store, where Janet’s husband was busily tending his customers. He sent a bright smile in their direction as they entered his domain, and hugged his wife as she walked close to where he stood.