I wrote The Perfect Gift, A Texas Devlins Christmas for an anthology that is no longer available. Now it's a stand-alone novella on Amazon. Today, I will share an excerpt showing how I imagine a family gathering in 1885. I hope y'all enjoy!
It’s Christmas in Bosque County, Texas, and everyone is gathering to celebrate at the River T ranch. The day promises a feast and fellowship for all, but surprises lay ahead for some
Nora Taylor adores Vittorio Medina. He’s been her best friend all of her young life, but now she wants more than friendship from him. She’s too young, he insists while fighting his own growing feelings for her. Besides, she is the boss’s daughter. He’s just a poor cowboy of Mexican blood. They can never be together.
Although Nora refuses to accept what Vittorio says, she’s afraid he will go off and marry someone else before she is old enough to fight for his love . . . until a special gift offers hope.
Excerpt
Jessie Devlin Taylor stepped back to admire the dining room table
she and her twelve-year-old daughter Nora had just finished arranging.
Everything was in place, ready for dinner to be served. Her good china, crystal
and silverware gleamed, and a centerpiece of cedar bows decked with red ribbon
stood out against the white linen tablecloth.
On the nearby sideboard, her
cherished Christmas angel oversaw several serving pieces waiting to be filled.
About ten inches tall, with a gown of ivory, a delicately painted face, golden
hair and wings, the porcelain angel was one of Jessie’s most prized
possessions. Her mother Nora had brought it all the way from Ireland ,
stuffed in her bundle of clothing, the only thing left of her former life.
Jessie’s father had saved the
precious keepsake when they fled the terrible Chicago fire
that destroyed most of the city. He’d presented it to her after moving to Texas to
be near his children and grandchildren.
“Doesn’t everything look
beautiful, Mama?” Nora said.
“It does indeed.” Slipping an
arm around her tall, gangly daughter, Jessie gave her a light squeeze. She
wished her sister Rose, brother-in-law Jack and their brood of little ones
could be here, but Rosie was expecting again – this would make five children
for them – and Jack had insisted they stay home. Considering how rough the ride
was by buckboard from their Red River cotton
plantation, Jessie conceded he’d been right.
She released Nora. “I’d best go
see if all’s ready out back.” Her cook, Maria Medina, was roasting venison and
turkeys in the cookhouse, while Jessie’s sister-in-law Lil prepared side dishes
in the kitchen. Their food preparations were nearly complete. She just wanted
to make sure David and Tye, her husband and brother, had finished setting up
tables for the twenty-odd ranch hands from their adjoining spreads. They would
soon gather in the courtyard behind the house for their Christmas meal.
“Quiet the little ones before
they upset your grandda, aye?” she said, hearing children’s shrieks from the
parlor.
“Yes, ma’am.” Nora’s reply came
with a sigh and an impatient frown.
Jessie smothered a laugh. She
knew Nora wanted to go out front and wait for Lil’s parents to arrive with
their ranch hands. One hand in particular.
While Nora hurried across the
hall to put a stop to the noise, Jessie headed for the back door. Stepping out
onto the walled, flagstone-paved courtyard, she was glad to see two long tables
stretching back almost to the cookhouse. Currently, David and Tye were
spreading white sheets across the tables they had constructed out of wooden
planks supported by sawhorses. More planks lay across barrels and crates along
both sides of the tables, improvised seating for the ranch hands. Fortunately,
the day was warm, or the men would have to eat in the bunkhouse, not nearly as
festive.
David looked up, saw her and
smiled. Leaving Tye to finish spreading the last cloth, he sauntered toward
her. Even after all this time his dark-haired, handsome looks and long-legged
gait made her heart beat faster. The new red shirt she’d gifted him with this
very morning along with the black silk bandana knotted at his throat, both cut
and sewn by her own two hands, fit well and showed off his deep tan and dark
hair to perfection, if she did say so herself.
“Well, darlin’? Does it pass
muster?” he asked, draping his arm across her shoulders and hugging her to his
side.
She was so caught up in
admiring him that it took her a moment to catch his meaning. She directed her
gaze back to the tables. “Aye, it all looks fine. Now bring out the box of
greens and ribbons if ye please and I’ll lay them out.”
“The boys don’t expect all this
fuss, you know. Feed ’em good and give ’em some Christmas cheer and they’ll be
happy as foxes in a hen house.”
“Nonsense! As I’ve told ye
every year before, I want them to enjoy their holiday the same as we do.” She
poked her finger at his broad chest. “Now fetch the –”
He cut her off by pulling her
into his arms and sealing her lips with a lusty kiss that flooded her with warm
tingles all the way to her toes. When he lifted his head, she sighed in regret.
“You look beautiful in that
blue dress,” he murmured next to her ear.
“I’m glad ye like it. You
picked out the material,” she said, feeling faintly dazed.
“So I did, and I recall why. It
matches your bluebonnet eyes. It’s nice and soft, too.” He ran his hands slowly
up and down her back
“’Tis velvet,” she said in a
breathy whisper, delighting in his sensual touch.
“Mmm. Tonight, I’ll enjoy
taking it off you, very slowly.” Smoky green eyes dancing, he grinned wickedly
when she caught her breath, planted a quick kiss on her temple, then stepped
away and went to do her bidding.
Jessie required a moment to
collect her wits. Then, glancing at her brother, she met his leering grin and
felt her face heat with a blush. “What are ye looking at, brother dear?
He is my husband. He’s allowed to kiss me if he wishes.” She
smoothed the skirt of her gown, thinking of David’s bold promise for tonight,
and made sure the pins holding her auburn hair in a coil at the back of her
head were still secure.
Tye’s vibrant blue eyes glinted
mischievously. “I’ve no argument with that. I was merely enjoying the show and
admiring the man’s ability to shut ye up, sister mine.” An even wider grin
split his devilishly handsome features.
“Oh, is that right?” she huffed
Slamming her hands onto her hips, she narrowed her own eyes, eyes the same
color as his. “Keep talkin’, boyo, and I’ll pull your black Irish hair out by
the roots.” Of course it was an empty threat, as he very well knew. She loved
her big brother far too much to ever do him harm. Although, she wouldn’t mind
boxing his ears from time to time.
The wicked imp laughed and
raised his hands, palms out. “Oooh, I’m quakin’ in me boots.! Don’t hurt me,
mum!”
Making a disgusted noise, Jessie
shook her head and batted her hand at him as if swatting away a
fly. Then she marched across the courtyard, heels clicking on the
flagstones, toward the cookhouse where Maria worked to find out when the meats
would be done roasting. Her stomach grumbled and her mouth watered at the
delicious aroma wafting from the small stone building. All she’d eaten for
breakfast was a slice of bread and butter, and that was hours ago. Dinner
couldn’t come soon enough for her.
* * *
Nora stood on the front porch
watching for riders. Goshdarn! What was taking Mr. and Mrs. Crawford so long?
Uncle Tye and Auntie Lil had come early to help Mama and Daddy get ready. Lil’s
parents were to come later with their men, but surely they ought to be here by
now. What if something had happened to prevent them from coming?
No! Don’t even think that!
They have to come, they just have to!
Smoothing the front of her
Mother Hubbard, a short, baggy little girl’s dress she hated, she wished for a
grown-up gown, but Mama had decreed she couldn’t start dressing like a woman
until she turned fourteen. At least this Hubbard was made of pretty pink calico
printed with sprigs of white flowers, and she liked the ruffled shoulders and
neck. The color set off her black hair, which Mama had helped her put up, and
her black stockings and high tops. She hoped Vito would approve.
She stuffed her hands into deep
side pocket and glanced at her brothers and cousins. She’d shooed the four boys
outside so Grandda Seamus could nap in his favorite chair in the parlor.
Together with Maria’s younger children, they were playing ring taw, a game
she’d once loved but now considered babyish. Crouched around a circle drawn in
the dirt, they took turns shooting marbles, trying to knock each other’s
marbles out of a small inner circle. Her brother Reece, less than two years
younger than her, was winning judging by the pile of marbles he’d collected.
Not surprised, Nora scowled, remembering how many marbles the little fiend had
won from her and their baby brother Seamus in the past.
A faint thudding sound caught
her ear. Shading her eyes, she spotted a cloud of dust in the distance. Then
she made out a buckboard and horsemen. Finally! The expected company was almost
here. Heart thumping wildly, she whirled and ran inside to alert her parents.
“Mama! Daddy! The Crawfords are
coming,” she yelled, forgetting about her napping grandfather. At his grumble
of complaint, she said, “Sorry, Grandda.”
Aunt Lil stepped out of the
kitchen holding a large bowl and spoon just as Mama walked in the back door.
“Are they here?” both women
asked.
“Not yet but almost. Should I
tell Maria?”
Her mother nodded. “Aye, and
your father and uncle. Lil, let’s greet your folks outside.”
“Right, you go ahead. I’ll set
the cornbread on the stove and be right out.”
Nora was already dashing for
the courtyard. “The Crawfords are almost here,” she announced to her father and
uncle as she raced toward the cookhouse.
“What’s your
hurry?” her father called.
“I have to tell Maria that
Vittorio’s coming.”
Hearing the two men chuckle,
she tore into the steamy little building. “Maria, Vittorio’s nearly here!”
“Sí, I heard you, niña,” the
cook said with a broad smile. Tall and rather plump, with gray-streaked black
hair, Maria was one of Nora’s favorite people. She was kind and good-natured
and always ready with a tasty snack for all the children. And she was
Vittorio’s madrecita, making her special.
Setting aside the huge kettle
of gravy she’d been stirring, Maria mopped her sweaty face with her red-checked
gingham apron – only worn on Christmas – and motioned for Nora to lead the way.
“Let us go and welcome my son.”
By the time they joined
everyone out front, Auntie Lil’s folks were pulling up in their buckboard
followed by several riders. Nora had eyes for only one, a slim young cowboy
with dusky skin and raven hair. Drawing rein, he gave her a bright smile, a
smile she had seldom seen since he’d gone to work as a wrangler for the
Crawfords and Uncle Tye a few months ago. Four years older than she was,
Vittorio had been her best friend all her life.
She watched him dismount and
greet his younger siblings who danced around him like eager puppies. Then it
was her turn. Bounding down the porch steps, she launched herself at him. He
laughed and caught her, lifting her off the ground in a tight hug.
“Hola, pequeña.”
“Hola, Vito! I’ve missed you so much!”
“I suppose I have missed you a
little bit too.” He winked and whirled her around, making her squeal and laugh
with joy. Caught up in him, she paid not a lick of attention to laughter and
teasing remarks from their audience of cowboys, family and friends.
On the porch, Jessie shared a
smile with Maria, whose husband Luis stood nearby with David and Tye. Short and
wiry, Luis was the River T’s head horse wrangler. He glanced at his wife,
grinning over Nora and Vittorio’s exuberant reunion. “I think maybe they are
glad to see each other.”
Maria nodded. “Sí, they are
each other’s best Christmas gift.”
“Aye, and always will be,”
Jessie said under her breath. She’d seen the pair together in
a time to come, and her visions never lied. If not for one very special vision,
none of this would be happening. She never would have met David, Tye wouldn’t
have crossed paths with his Texas cowgirl,
Lil Crawford, and Rose might be a shy, convent- bred spinster living in Chicago instead
of wed to Choctaw Jack Lafarge.
As if sensing her thoughts,
David turned his head and caught her eye. She gave him a misty smile; he
grinned and tilted his head toward Nora and Vittorio. Assailed by guilt, Jessie
wondered how he’d like seeing the two wrapped in each other’s arms if he knew
what her vision predicted.
To see what perfect gift awaits Nora, find this novella on Amazon:
Happy Holidays, one and all! See you in 2018.