Pearl (44 page)

When the room was empty and the last one out the front
door, she brought a box back to her table and sat down to sign
a book for each of the children, her present, along with an
orange, for each of them. She’d bought books for each of the
staff and a copy of
The Iliad
and
The Odyssey
for Carl. Books were
a proper gift for a woman to give a male friend. Not that she’d
ever given a male friend a present before. And here she’d done
three. She ordered Rand a copy of
A Tale of Two Cities
and Charlie
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
. Ordering the books from her old
bookstore in Chicago had been a thrill. She actually had
friends
to buy gifts for.

On her way to the kitchen, she stopped to admire the tree. White candles—and a water bucket beside the tree—strings of popcorn, cellophane-wrapped popcorn balls, red paper chains made by the schoolchildren, gingerbread men for all the children coming to the party, and candy canes for everyone. Never had a tree been more loved than this one. They would light it during the singing of Christmas carols.

Pearl inhaled the pine scent one more time and entered the kitchen. ‘‘Oh, look, fattigmann and sandbakkels. Where did you get the receipts?’’

‘‘From my bestemor,’’ Ruby answered. ‘‘And Cimarron added the kranser cookies.’’

‘‘I baked the shortbread.’’ Milly put the last of the cookies into the tins with lids. ‘‘We have enough for everybody and then some.’’

‘‘Some of the families are planning on bringing food for the dinner.’’ Pearl snitched a fattigmann. ‘‘They say it’s not fair for Dove House to always feed everyone.’’

‘‘Like Mrs. Robertson?’’ Ruby looked up from icing a cookie.

‘‘And some of the others. They sent notes with their children. I love the flavor of cardamom. Shame we don’t use it more the rest of the year.’’

Charlie blew in through the back door. ‘‘Brrr, it’s cold out there. The temperature is dropping.’’

‘‘Just so we don’t have a blizzard tomorrow.’’

‘‘We won’t.’’

‘‘How do you know?’’ Ruby asked.

‘‘Just doesn’t feel like it. Wainwright is letting the men off early tomorrow, since it is Christmas Eve. At three.’’

‘‘Good.’’

‘‘A box came on the train today from a church in Chicago. You wouldn’t know anything about that, now would you, Miss Pearl?’’

‘‘Oh good. Did you open it?’’

‘‘No, it’s addressed to the schoolchildren of Little Missouri.’’

‘‘Then we’ll all open it tomorrow.’’

‘‘I can’t wait.’’ Opal picked up Cat and sat down on the stepstool. ‘‘We should give you a red bow, Cat. With a bell on it. Where’s Goldie and Gray Bar?’’

‘‘Sound asleep behind the stove.’’ Milly stirred a pot on the stove. ‘‘Cocoa anyone?’’

The kitchen was busy long before the sun came up to glitter on fields of white. As soon as they finished breakfast, they continued preparations for the coming celebration. Ruby mentally checked down her list, trying to make sure no one was left out. Invitations had been announced in church the last two meeting times, and Charlie had made sure anyone not in attendance received a personal invite. Announcements had been made at meal times for all the men working in Medora, so if everyone

came, there would be standing room only. Ruby planned to serve on long tables with everyone helping themselves.

Every time Ruby went by the tree, she inhaled the scent of pine and another burst of Opal’s contagious excitement. Once she caught Pearl standing in front of the tree, tears leaking, chin quivering.

‘‘Homesick?’’

‘‘Um-hmm. hmm.’’ Pearl dabbed at her eyes. ‘‘I’ve never been away from home at Christmas before.’’

‘‘The first time is the hardest.’’ Ruby patted her arm. ‘‘I can tell you one thing. I’m really glad you are here, and I know there are lots of others who feel the same way.’’

‘‘That helps. If I could know my father doesn’t hate me, that would be the best Christmas present I could receive.’’

‘‘Your heavenly Father doesn’t, and that’s far more important.’’ ‘‘I know. And for that I am truly grateful.’’ She wiped her eyes again. ‘‘Well, that’s enough maudlin thoughts for today.

How else can I help?’’

They served vegetable venison soup and sandwiches for dinner with the smell of roasting goose and stuffing permeating the entire building. Ruby set Pearl to refilling all the kerosene lamps that were set in reflective brackets on the walls. A bit of greenery and a red ribbon hung on each. As the time drew nearer, the pace frenzied. Daisy snapped at Milly, and Milly burst into tears. Ruby comforted both of them, teeth marks roughening her tongue from the effort not to yell.

‘‘All right. Charlie, you finish carving the meat. Cimarron, you mash the potatoes. Milly, you and Opal make sure all the chairs are out. Daisy, you fix the pickles. Pearl will take charge of her children, and I will go sit down and drink my coffee.’’

At their hoots of laughter, she knew she’d successfully overridden that ripple. But she was serious about the cup of coffee— she needed a moment to nurse the holes in her tongue.
Please,
Lord, make this go smoothly, or at least peacefully, so everyone has a
wonderful time
.

By three-forty-five all the children were ready in the closed-off schoolroom. Much of the seating was taken, but Ruby had a feeling something was wrong. None of the townspeople had walked through the doors. She stepped out onto the front porch and glanced up the street to see lights in every window. The street was empty.

Charlie joined her. ‘‘They won’t be coming.’’

‘‘What?’’

‘‘Mrs. Robertson just whispered to me that she’d received a message to not come. There were some scurrilous things said about Dove House and what goes on here.’’

‘‘What goes on here?’’ Ruby glanced up the street again. Johnny Nelson, the store proprietor, was coming from across the street.

‘‘Sorry I’m late,’’ he called. He carried a wrapped package under one arm.

‘‘Good evening, Mr. Nelson. Happy Christmas. You made it just in time.’’

As Mr. Dennison entered Dove House she turned to Charlie. ‘‘What in the world are you talking about?’’

‘‘There’s rumors that the women of Dove House have returned to their former occupation, you included, and therefore those who buy that load of horse manure said they won’t step foot in here again.’’

Ruby felt a giant fist slam her in the stomach that ignited a fire within. ‘‘Do you have any doubt as to who started such a rumor?’’

‘‘No.’’

‘‘As much as we’ve done for the families in this town, they would believe that?’’

‘‘Some folks have a tendency to believe whatever ill gossip comes about.’’ He took her arm and they walked through the door.

We will have the best Christmas ever, and those who won’t come are
the ones who will miss out
. Anger well disguised a wounded heart.

Pearl played the opening chords, Rand joined in with his guitar, and the doors of the classroom opened to four angels in white sheets with gold halos set precariously on their hair walking through the crowd and up the center aisle singing, ‘‘Angels we have heard on high, sweetly singing over the plains. . . .’’

‘‘Please join us,’’ Pearl announced after the children finished the first verse and chorus. Soon the Gloria echoed around the room.

Charlie read the age-old story, and as he read, Mary and Joseph made their way to the front, while Pearl softly played the tune to ‘‘O Little Town of Bethlehem,’’ and then everyone sang. When Mary took the stool by the manger and Joseph stood behind her, the tallest angel stepped forward. Opal looked to Pearl, who gently stroked the keys while Rand fingered the notes, and ‘‘Oh holy night, the stars are brightly shining. It is the night of our dear Savior’s birth’’ rejoiced across the room.

When the song ended, a small voice said, ‘‘See, Opal is too an angel.’’ Giggles swept through the room like a breeze through the cottonwood leaves.

The shepherds came and said their parts, the angels theirs, and the shepherds returned as wise men by virtue of wearing crowns instead of headcloths and carrying presents instead of staves and crooks.

The whole room surged to their feet when the final notes of ‘‘Joy to the World’’ faded away. The enthusiastic clapping masked eyes full of tears and throats full of joy. The children took their bows, and Ruby came to the front. She waited for everyone to sit down again. ‘‘While we’ll be giving out presents later, right now there’s a big box that is addressed to the schoolchildren of Little Missouri. Charlie, would you please bring that up here so they can all help open it?’’

‘‘I’m going to need some help. Atticus, could you come with me?’’

Atticus looked down at his robe and belted undergarment.

‘‘You can move in that thing. People been doing so for ages.’’

The buzz of excitement made Ruby smile. When the thought of those missing came by, she swatted it away. Nothing was going to ruin this celebration for these people. Belle’s little trick would backfire somehow. The fact that all these folks were here in spite of her lies told the real story. As Charlie had said, some folks were always ready to believe the worst. She also ignored any thoughts of getting even—for now.

Charlie and Atticus carried the box in and set it right in the middle of the stage area. Charlie cut open the twine and beckoned for Pearl to take over.

‘‘I don’t know any more about this than any of you, so let’s see what is here.’’ She unfolded the box flaps and motioned for the children to gather around.

Ruby stood off to the side with Daisy and Milly on either side of her, Jed and Cimarron behind. ‘‘As soon as this is finished, we’ll get the food on the table as quickly as possible.’’

‘‘Ooh, lookie. lookie.’’ Books, tablets, pencils, paints, a long jump rope, two balls, maps—the bounty spread across the front as each child held and admired the treasures.

Pearl rocked back on her heels, her face beaming. ‘‘Manna from heaven.’’

‘‘Merry Christmas, and ‘God bless us every one.’’’ Ada Mae quoted Tiny Tim and threw her arms around Pearl’s neck. ‘‘You the best teacher ever.’’

Pearl blinked back tears as she accepted the hugs of all the children. ‘‘You all go change your clothes now so we can have supper. And thank you.’’

Charlie stood and held his hand up to stop. ‘‘No, wait, we have one more thing.’’

Pearl looked to Ruby, who shrugged her lack of knowledge.

Four men trooped out, and the others waited. And waited. They heard some banging in the kitchen. ‘‘Easy now. Careful.’’ Those in the dining room looked questions at each other. The angels caught the giggles. Pearl shushed them.

The men pushed through the swinging door carrying something so big it took all four of them. They set the golden piece of furniture down in front of Pearl, who couldn’t seem to close her mouth.

‘‘A desk?’’

‘‘You got that right. Carl Hegland, here, he made it just for you.’’ Charlie slapped Carl on the shoulder.

Pearl could hardly catch her breath. ‘‘I . . . I can’t be . . . I mean . . .’’

‘‘I think she likes it,’’ Ada Mae said with a sagacious nod.

Pearl took a deep breath. ‘‘Thank you very much, Mr. Heg-land.’’ She ran a hand over the surface, leaned down, and pulled out the narrow flat drawer.

‘‘For your pencils and things.’’

She closed that one and pulled out the deep one on the right side.

‘‘For papers and whatever you need. You said you needed a desk.’’

Pearl nodded, oblivious of all the others in the room. ‘‘Thank you again. I can never say thank you enough.’’

‘‘See, I told you she likes it.’’ Ada Mae looked around when everyone started laughing, then hid her giggle behind her hands.

Ruby smiled and nodded when she caught Pearl’s shiny gaze.

Christmas surprises. What a treasure.

‘‘Rand, will you start grace for us? I thought we’d sing the ‘Doxology.’’’

He nodded, his smile making her heart flutter just the tiniest. ‘‘Praise God from whom all blessings flow . . .’’ The rich harmonies from around the room sent all her resentments scurrying out the door.

The food disappeared about as fast as they set it out. They kept refilling all the platters and bowls until the people groaned.

‘‘We’ll have coffee and dessert following our service, so if we can clear the tables, we’ll continue.’’

‘‘When do we get presents?’’ a small voice asked, making everyone chuckle again. Tonight, chuckling, visiting, and laughing all came easily.

Finally the last verse was read, the last carol sung, and many lamps were blown out as the candles were lighted on the tree.

‘‘Oh, pretty . . . beautiful . . . ohh . . .’’ came from around the room as the tree glimmered and shimmered in all its glory.

‘‘I am so glad each Christmas eve, the night of Jesus’ birth.’’

Opal and Pearl sang like they’d been singing together all of their lives.

Ruby fought the tears, she truly tried, but they slipped down her cheeks in spite of her attempts. When a handkerchief appeared over her shoulder, she glanced back to see Rand smiling down at her.

She leaned back slightly and felt the warmth of his broad chest. His hand rested on her waist. Never had she realized how comforting a man’s hand could be and how strong his chest. She mopped her eyes again.