Wandering Home (Dorado, Texas Book 1) by Carroll-Bradd Linda

Author:Carroll-Bradd, Linda [Carroll-Bradd, Linda]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Inked Figments
Published: 2015-12-04T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Five

The Saturday of Halloween dawned crisp and clear. From the sight of the bleary eyes around the breakfast table, Vevina guessed no one but Timmy got a good night’s sleep. The men were jumpy and tense, and Kell repeated the order to stay inside with the doors locked.

Eugen had never let her celebrate Samhain like she’d done with her own family. But she’d vowed this year to start the tradition with Timmy and introduce him to part of his heritage. Her sweet son had been looking forward to this party for days, and Vevina wasn’t about to disappoint him. “The Samhain celebration will go on this afternoon as planned. We’ll use a kettle on the kitchen floor, instead of the wash tub on the veranda, for the apple bobbing.” She planted both hands on her hips and narrowed her gaze, touching it on all the adults present. “But that’s me only concession.” Well, that and placing lighted gourds on the edges of the veranda, instead of around the yard, to ward off evil spirits.

Kell quaffed the last of his third cup of coffee and nodded before heading out the door. “We’ll be here by five o’clock.”

Throughout the day, Myrna and Vevina worked side by side. Tully was tasked with carving out the insides of three fat turnips, a task he could do while seated. Cabbage and potatoes boiled on the stove for the colcannon, and a ham roast baked in the oven.

On one end of the kitchen table, Vevina assembled cardboard, string, wax crayons, and paints for mask making. Even as she answered what seemed like a hundred questions from Timmy, she too often thought of the image of Eugen with the hag stones around his neck. She vowed to make her mask extra scary to blend in with any undead souls or Sidhe who walked the earth this date after nightfall.

****

Kell stepped onto the veranda, his hair still damp from the quick washing up he’d done in the bunkhouse. When the men arrived after chores were done and spotted the tub of water steaming on the stove, they quickly informed him this was the women folks’ message to perform their routine Saturday sprucing up. Kell only hoped that Tully and Myrna had taken precautions to guard Vevina as she crossed the open space between buildings.

Even as he walked the dirt path, he kept an eye out for anything out of the ordinary. The words spoken by the sheriff about pranks done related to Halloween had played through his mind most of the day. The minute the kitchen door opened, delicious smells wafted into his nose. Roasting meat, fresh bread, and creamy potatoes. And a sweet spicy scent he didn’t recognize.

“They’re here. The party can start.” Timmy hopped up and down, clapping his hands.

Vevina turned from the counter and smiled, wisps of her hair clinging to her damp face. “Thank goodness, now I can open a window. Tully wouldn’t let us until ye all were here.”

Kell nodded at Tully. “Good man.

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