Woodland Christmas by Murray Tamela Hancock

Author:Murray, Tamela Hancock [Cecil, Ramona]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-60742-892-3
Publisher: Barbour Publishing, Inc.
Published: 2010-09-25T04:00:00+00:00

What kind of creature did Gabe dig up? At least Caleb knew his mule was a mule. This girl looked like a raccoon. Remembering his manners, he tipped his hat.

“Miss Pickett.”

He couldn’t stop staring. And not just because of her filthy face. The bonnet on her head screamed its colors loud enough to be heard in the next state. What would possess a woman to buy such a thing?

“That’s my mule.”

She spoke, but he didn’t like what he heard. “Pardon?” He frowned, daring her to restate her claim. The beast might be willful, but he’d be hanged before he’d let a dirty gypsy girl steal it from him.

“I said that’s my mule.”

Her statement sounded much more timid the second time, convincing him she spoke a lie. Then her jaw jutted.

“My mule, my saddle, and my belongings.”

The creature being fought over yanked so hard, it spun Caleb’s horse around. By the time Caleb managed to get both animals under control, his temper had flared. He glared at the woman.

“Prove it.”

“What?”

“What’s in the bag?”

She looked into the sky like she’d find the answers there. “Let’s see. There’s some changes of clothing, another bonnet, a diary, a brush and comb, a small mirror, hopefully not broken—” She ticked off each named item on her fingers, making his doubts of her honesty shrink and his impatience soar. “Oh, there’s also some doctoring tools.”

Now she’d gone too far. “You claiming to be a doctor?”

And why was Gabe sitting there like a mute? He’d been plenty talkative earlier.

“Oh no.” While the corners of her mouth turned up, her eyes changed from challenging to sad. “They belonged to the man who raised me. When he died, I kept them as a reminder.”

His displeasure dissolved into bewilderment. This girl didn’t fit into the mold of any he’d known before. She’d gone from dazed to timid, then commanding to solemn. But he wouldn’t let his confusion blind him to the fact this might be an act. She could be a swindler. She certainly looked the part.

After tying the rope to his saddle horn, Caleb dismounted and rummaged through the bag. Everything she’d mentioned lay inside along with a few she’d missed, including a pistol. Did she leave that off the list on purpose? Did she know how to use it?

What he had to do next didn’t set well. He looked up to apologize and found Gabe wearing a wide grin. Much as he wanted to wipe it off the old wood-carver’s face, Caleb knew he deserved more than a humiliating smile.

“My apologies, Miss Pickett. It’s just that it’s hard to give up this dunderheaded mule when he gave me fits trying to catch him.”

Her laughter grated on him. “What’s so funny?”

She raised her hand. “I’m sorry. I understand completely. He’s the very reason I look a mess.”

If she only knew. He reached into her bag, pulled out the mirror, and handed it to her. Her gasp shamed him further as he silently berated himself for being quick to judge.

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