The Christmas Vow (24 page)

“The livery,” Arlan said and took off running with Adam hot on his heels.

Together, they raced into Douglas McIntosh’s livery and blacksmith shop. The man looked up from the counter where he did his paperwork and smiled. “What can I do for the Guthry brothers today?”

“Have you seen any strangers, Douglas?” Adam asked as a feeling of dread made knots form in his stomach.

“Sure have. He left about half an hour ago. Man had a rented sleigh from Heppner and said he planned to make the train this evening. He came in this morning and paid me a tidy sum to feed and water the team of horses, and to keep them ready to go this afternoon.”

“Did this man have anything with him when he returned?” Adam asked, desperate to know if Toby had in fact been abducted.

Douglas removed his hat and thoughtfully scratched his head. “Come to think of it, he was carrying a small trunk. He seemed to struggle with it, like it was heavy, but when I offered to set it in the sleigh, he insisted on taking care of it himself.”

“Was there anything strange in the sleigh?” Arlan asked. “Anything at all?”

“He had two heavy lap robes, a jar of peppermint sticks and a few children’s books.” Douglas looked from Arlan to Adam.

The two brothers nodded at each other in silent agreement. Adam ran out the door to let Blake and Luke know they were riding after whoever had snuck into town and back out again in the rented sleigh.

“We’re going to need our horses, right now.” Arlan hurried to saddle his horse, Orion, while Douglas saddled Adam’s rented horse.

The sheriff caught up with Adam and agreed to ride along while Luke and Blake stayed in town, continuing to search for Toby.

“Do you think the judge sent someone else after Toby?” Adam asked as Arlan approached riding his horse and leading Adam’s.

The sheriff shook his head as he mounted his own horse. “I didn’t want to worry you on Christmas Eve, but I received a telegram this morning that the judge wasn’t home when they went to arrest him. His wife said he had business out of town and planned to be back sometime Christmas Day.”

“Then we better catch him before he makes it to Heppner and gets on that train.” Adam swung onto the back of his horse, racing out of town.

An hour later, they topped a rise and saw a sleigh gliding along the snow-covered road ahead of them.

“That’s got to be them,” the sheriff said to Adam as they spurred their horses forward. In minutes, they overtook the sleigh.

A pompous, richly dressed man scowled at them as Adam and Arlan rode on either side of the sleigh, tugging the team to a stop.

“What is the meaning of this?” the man demanded, glaring at them. “I’ll have you arrested for detaining me if you don’t release the horses this instant.”

“Oh, I don’t think that’ll be necessary,” the sheriff said, pointing to the bronze star pinned to his coat. “These gentlemen are helping me with a problem. See we’ve got a little boy missing back in Hardman and heard you might know something about that.”

The man scoffed and waved his hand toward the back seat of the sleigh. “As you can see, there are no children in my sleigh. Now, get out of my way, I have a train to catch.”

The sheriff shook his head. “Might I assume you’re Judge Devereux?”

“Yes. Have you heard of me, even out here in this backwater territory?”

“Oh, we’ve heard of you all right.” The sheriff watched as Adam swung out of his saddle and stepped next to the sleigh, looking for any sign of Toby.

A small trunk, just big enough to hold a child rested on the floor in the back of the sleigh. He reached out to lift it and the judge turned on him, cracking the whip he held across Adam’s arm.

Before the judge hit him again, Adam jerked the whip out of his hand and tossed it to the ground.

Quickly working the latch free on the trunk, he lifted the lid and gasped, gaping at Toby bound hand and foot.

Adam growled in rage and punched the judge in the face so hard, it knocked him off the seat of the sleigh into the snow.

“What have you done to my boy?” Adam untied Toby’s hands and feet then tenderly lifted the child out of the trunk, terrified by his limp body and shuttered eyes.

The little chest rose and fell, so Adam knew Toby still breathed, but he remained unconscious.

“It’s just a little chloroform,” the judge said, holding a handkerchief to his bloody nose as he sat in the snow. “That boy isn’t yours, he’s mine. I intend to raise him in the manner I see fit.”

“Well, now, that’s going to be a little hard since you’ll be spending the rest of your life in prison.” The sheriff dismounted and locked handcuffs around Cedric’s wrists. “Where we come from, what you did is called kidnapping. Most law enforcement officials and judges who aren’t in the pockets of criminals take offense to that.” The sheriff shoved Cedric into the sleigh then tied his horse to the back of it. “With the full confession your friend Mr. Bass gave us, including the details about the disappearance of Mr. Nivens and your involvement in any number of crimes through the years, you can plan on never again seeing the light of day as a free man.”

Finally grasping the fact that his carefully plotted world crashed around his ears, the judge lost his bravado and began to plead for mercy.

The sheriff looked to Adam and tipped his head toward the judge. Adam reached out with one clenched fist and hit Cedric’s chin with just enough force, his head snapped back and knocked the man senseless.

“Thanks, Adam. I wasn’t looking forward to listening to his whining all the way back to town. I suppose I could take him on to Heppner, but my wife has a nice meal planned this evening and I’m not of a mind to miss it.” The sheriff turned the sleigh around while Adam continued to hold Toby in his arms.

Arlan snatched one of the heavy robes off the seat as the sheriff drove past him then walked over to where Adam stood with Toby. Carefully, he tapped the child’s cheeks while Adam tried to coax Toby awake.

“Come on, now, Toby, time to open your eyes so we can go back to your mama and have a merry Christmas. You don’t want to miss out on the Christmas festivities at the church. How will Pastor Chauncy make it through the program without you there to be one of the shepherds?”

Toby’s eyelashes fluttered and Adam gave Arlan a hopeful glance.

“You can do it, son. Open those eyes and give me a peek.” Adam knelt on one knee in the snow, shifting Toby so he sat on his bent leg with his arm supporting his back.

The child’s head listed to one side and Arlan tapped his cheeks again. “Come on, Toby. If you wake up, I promise Aunt Alex will show you a special magic trick.”

“She will?” Toby mumbled as his eyelashes fluttered again.

Arlan grinned. “She sure will.”

Toby released a ragged breath and slowly his eyes opened. Although he seemed somewhat dazed and foggy, he didn’t appear any worse for wear.

“What happened?” Toby asked, as Adam hugged him tight and kissed his forehead.

Rather than answer his question, Adam handed the boy to Arlan while he mounted his horse. He held his arms out for his son. Between the two brothers, they got the heavy blanket wrapped around the boy as Adam cradled him in one arm in front of him.

“What do you remember, Toby,” Adam asked as they started back toward town.

“Erin and I were eating cookies with our friends and I had to use the necessary. Mrs. Granger has such a nice one, doesn’t she?” Toby asked.

“She certainly does,” Adam agreed, eager to find out how Cedric had managed to kidnap Toby right beneath their noses. “Then what happened.”

“Well, after I went to the potty, I wanted another cookie, one for me and Erin, so I went to get one. Then I saw Grandfather. He had my coat and hat and said Mama asked him to walk me home. Grandfather picked me up and carried me outside. That’s all I member.”

“That’s good, Toby,” Adam said, offering the child a reassuring smile.

“Did you see my Grandfather?” Toby asked, sitting up a little as he came more fully awake.

“I did, Toby, but he had to leave and I don’t think you’ll see him for a long, long time.”

Toby released a relieved sigh. “That’s good. Mama said we had to be polite to Grandfather and Grandmother, but they aren’t much fun.” Toby wiggled a hand free from his blanket cocoon and reached up to pat Adam’s cheek. “I’m glad you’re my daddy.”

Adam swallowed down his emotion. “Me, too, son. Me, too.”

Arlan and Adam urged the horses to hurry home, passing the sleigh halfway back to town. The judge remained knocked out on the seat beside the sheriff and Adam grinned at the lawman as he and Arlan rode past him.

The sheriff touched the brim of his hat and snapped the lines on the rumps of the team, eager to return to the warmth of his home and his own Christmas Eve plans.

Adam rode straight to Greg and Dora’s home. Before he had a chance to pull the horse to a full stop, Tia raced down the front steps. Adam swung out of the saddle with a sleeping Toby in his arms. Before he handed the boy to her, he spoke in a hushed tone. “He doesn’t know what happened, Tia. Don’t scare him. The judge dosed him up good with chloroform. All he knows is that his grandfather won’t be back for a long time.”

“Oh, you saved my baby.” Tears streamed down her cheeks as she took Toby from him and softly kissed her son’s cheek. “I can’t thank you enough, Adam, and you too, Arlan.” She glanced to her brother-in-law as he stood nearby. “Thank you for bringing him home.”

Adam gave her a tender smile. “He’s my son, too, Tia. I promised to bring him back to you, and I did.”

“And I promised him my wife would show him a magic trick, so I think I better warn her to have something planned for later.” Arlan kissed Tia’s cheek and patted Adam on the back before taking the reins of the two horses and walking off in the direction of the livery.

Adam squeezed Tia’s hand. “Let me get your coat then I’ll take you home. Once I get you and Toby settled, I’ll let everyone know to call off the search.” Adam turned to go inside, but Tia held onto his hand. He glanced at their joined fingers then lifted his gaze to her face. “Thank you, Adam.” She placed a soft kiss to his cheek with Toby cradled between them.

The boy chose that moment to awaken and squirmed. “Ew! Don’t slobbery kiss on me.”

Adam chuckled and Tia dropped her head, raining kisses on Toby’s cheeks, making him giggle.

“Hi, Mama.” Toby reached up and patted her face. “May I have another cookie? I didn’t get one earlier.”

“Yes, baby.” Tia rubbed her nose against his. “Let’s go inside.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

“He’s snoring.” Adam’s soft chuckle made Tia smile as he returned to the parlor after checking on Toby.

Hesitant to set the little boy’s gifts beneath the tree and fill his stocking, they first made certain he was sound asleep.

“Under normal circumstances, he’d sleep in late and give me a chance to catch up on my rest. However, I have a feeling Toby will be up bright and early, ready to discover the gifts Santa left for him.”

“Who can blame him?” Adam asked as he placed an orange in the toe of Toby’s stocking then filled it with foil-wrapped chocolates, peppermints, and a bag of shiny marbles.

Tia smiled at him from where she set a wooden sled, painted bright red, beneath the tree along with a few other packages wrapped in shiny red and silver paper.

“That’s quite a sled.” Adam picked it up and admired the sleek curves of the metal runners.

“Douglas made it for me. I asked him to do it as soon as I knew we’d be here for Christmas,” Tia said, excited for Toby to find it beneath the tree. He’d mentioned several times how much he wanted his own sled.

“He’ll love it, Tia.” Adam set the sled beneath the fragrant branches of the tree then disappeared down the hall to his room.

He returned carrying a wooden boat, complete with a sail, and set it beneath the tree. Not big enough Toby could fit in it, the boat did look like a miniature of his favorite in the picture book.

“Oh, Adam. He’ll be so thrilled.” Tia sank to her knees and ran her hand over the smooth wood side of the boat. “Where on earth did you get it?”

Adam hunkered down beside her. “I made it, with Blake’s help. If it hadn’t been for his knowledge and tools, I might not have gotten it finished in time for tonight.”

“This will be Toby’s favorite gift. As you know, he absolutely loves boats.” Tia stood and took a seat on the sofa.

Adam sat beside her, wrapping his arm around her. He maneuvered Tia around until her back rested against his broad chest. Together, they looked at the tree in the light from the fire.

The flames on the candles they’d lit earlier on the tree had already been doused. After attending the Christmas Eve service at church, they’d illuminated the tree for Toby’s enjoyment then blew out the candles before tucking him into bed.

Adam thought back to the sermon Chauncy delivered, leaving nary a dry eye in the congregation as he talked about the best gifts in life.

The children performed in a program, reenacting the birth of the precious baby in a manager. Toby stood to the side with Erin, both dressed as shepherds, watching as Percy Bruner and Anna Jenkins revised their roles of Joseph and Mary.

Now that Toby slept and evening settled over them, Adam planned to woo his wife.

Slowly, he ran his hand along her arm and lifted her hand in his. The opal ring on her finger glittered in the firelight. Iridescent shards of light danced across the room like tiny fireflies.

With unhurried movements, he brought her hand to his mouth and kissed the tip of each finger, hearing a satisfied hum from Tia as she relaxed against him.

“Do you know what I was thinking the day I purchased this ring?” he asked in a low voice.

“I have no idea,” Tia whispered, turning her face to look at him.

“I was thinking…” He tipped his head down and kissed her forehead. “That you were the most beautiful…” A kiss to her nose. “Funny…” A kiss to her temple. “Smart…” A kiss to her cheek. “Perfect-for-me girl in the world.”

“Really?” Tia asked, closing her eyes and inhaling Adam’s enthralling masculine scent.

“Really. The reason I didn’t ask you before graduation, before you left town, is that I was afraid you’d tell me no.”

Tia opened her eyes and started to sit up, but he splayed his hand across her mid-section holding her in place.

“I loved you with my whole heart and soul, Tia, and I never stopped.” Adam trailed an index finger along her neck, gently traced the outline of her ear. “The moment I saw you at Carl’s funeral, all those feelings I’d buried, all the love I pretended never existed, nearly knocked me to my knees.”

He picked up her hand again and studied the ring. “When I asked you to marry me, I tried to convince myself it was for Toby, to keep him safe. That wasn’t the real reason, Tia. I asked you to marry me because I can’t live without you. Every word I spoke to you, every vow I promised when I slipped that ring on your finger, I meant.”

Tears filled her eyes, but he continued. “I’ve loved you for so long, Tia, and I always will. From the day you walked into church and sat in the pew behind me with those beautiful sad eyes, you’ve held my heart in your hands.”

“Adam…” Tia started to speak, but he abruptly rose to his feet and pulled a box from beneath the tree.

He handed it to her and she sat up, untying the red ribbon wrapped around it and removing the lid.

She lifted out a wooden jewelry box, one of the finest she’d ever seen. “Did you make this, too?”

“I did, with help from Blake.” Adam watched her face. “Open it, Queenie.”

Carefully tipping back the lid, she reached inside the box and lifted out a silver necklace. Holding the chain up to catch the light of the fire, she admired a knot made of silver in the center of the chain.

“What is this, Adam?” she asked, running her finger over the intricate design. “It’s beautiful.”

“It’s called a True-Lover’s knot.” Adam dropped to one knee in front of her. “The knot is strong, nearly impossible to break once those two strands have been woven together into one.” He took the necklace from her hand, dropped it into the box, and set it aside. “You and I are like that knot, Tia. Our hearts are tightly tied together, bound by love, and they always will be.”

The tears she’d held back spilled down her cheeks. Adam sighed and brushed them away with his thumb.

“I love you Tiadora Elizabeth Guthry, I’ve loved you for so long. I’ll love you until and with my last breath. Would you do me the honor of being my wife? My true wife?”

“Yes, Adam. Yes!” She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close, thrilled as his lips tantalized hers in a fervent kiss full of hope and promises.

Suddenly, Tia pulled back and gave him a panicked look. “Oh, Adam, you’re going to be so disappointed when you open your gifts tomorrow. Nothing I got you compares to this.” She pointed toward the jewelry box sitting on the table.

Adam stood and lifted her to her feet. With a dimpled grin, he pulled the pins from her hair and watched it tumble in silky waves around her shoulders and down her back.

“Ribbons and shiny paper don’t matter to me, Queenie. There’s not a single thing you could buy for me that’s any better than this.” Burrowing his hands into the thick tresses, he nuzzled her ear, pressing close against her. When she moaned, he lifted her in his arms and kissed her so tenderly, she lost the ability to think of anything beyond her love for Adam.

He kissed her with a passion unlike anything she’d ever known, unlike anything she’d ever imagined.

Finally, he pulled back and held her gaze, allowing the warmth in his eyes to envelop her. “Wrap me in your love, Tia. That’s all I want for Christmas — to take you in my arms and love you like you’ve never dreamed of being loved.”

In response, she tugged his face down, capturing his mouth with hers as their hearts, at long last, connected.

“I love you, Adam Guthry. Only and forever you.”