Merry Christmas, My Love Page 6

  Tonight she’d snuck into his bedroom, made it necessary for him to crawl out his own window like a thief, fell on him when she dropped from the ledge, and messed up his hair. Instead of the disdain she’d expected, he drove her home, offered to go with her to deliver her baskets, and then smiled.

  They walked slowly up the steps. “Thanks, Mr. Colbert.”

  “I think it’s time you called me Max. At least while not in school.” He gave her a lopsided grin. Her stomach clenched.

  “Good night.” She hurried through the door.

  Max returned to his motorcar and headed for home. Sweat beaded his forehead. This situation troubled him. The plan was to find someone to marry Miss Henderson to get her out of his hair, but every time he ran into her, it got harder to remember. Oh, she was trouble all right. No doubt about that, but her presence slowly peeled away the layers of protection he’d placed around himself.

  He’d witnessed first-hand what his father had gone through with his fool-headed mother. As much as he loved her, like Ellie Henderson, his mother skipped from one crazy project to another. An upstanding businessman and respected member of the Chicago community, Joseph Colbert had rescued his wife from more than one debacle. Growing up, Max had always felt sorry for his father until the day he told him, with a besotted look on his face, that he loved his wife, not in spite of her peculiar ways, but because of them.

  Not him. He had his life well planned, with no room for the lunacy of a wife. They cried, complained, and did all sorts of things to embarrass their husbands. Ellie. Practically a duplicate of his crazy mother.

  It was time to present her with another prospective husband.

  Max stood at the door and watched as the last students left the building. The dry spell had broken, and clouds dumped buckets of much needed water on Guthrie. It doused houses and people, and ran in the streets in rivulets, creating red mud everywhere. Two boys pushed each other until they were both rolling around in the muck, laughing.

  Max winced. “Get up out of that mud and go on home. Your mothers will take a switch to you.” He closed the door and headed down the hallway to Ellie’s classroom.

  Her lovely bottom rose in the air as she crawled under her desk. An unintended grin crossed his face. “Miss Henderson?”

  “Oh.” She banged her head on the desk as she jumped. She backed out, rubbing her head, wreaking havoc with her hair. Face flushed, she climbed to her feet and smoothed her blouse, leaving a trail of blue ink across one breast. “I was looking for my good pen that rolled under the desk.” She held up a black fountain pen, chewed around the edge. Dark blue ink dripped from it onto papers on her desk.

  “Ellie.” He nodded in the direction of the pen.

  She placed the pen on the desk, and he watched the ink slowly run to the edge and drip onto the floor.

  He shook his head in disbelief. “I’ve come to invite you to a Christmas Concert.” He held up two tickets. “It’s tomorrow night at the Guthrie Music Hall.”

  “You want to go with me?” Her eyes were wide with surprise.

  “Yes. It starts at seven-thirty. I will pick you up at seven o’clock at your boardinghouse.”

  “Wait a minute. I may be busy tomorrow night.”

  He raised one eyebrow. “Another Women’s Rights meeting?”

  “Well no, it’s tonight.”

  “Then are you busy tomorrow night?”

  “Not exactly. I mean, I had some work to finish on my Christmas baskets.”

  “Good. Then it’s settled. I’ll see you then.” He turned on his heel and left the room, the scent of rose water teasing his nostrils.

  Ellie left her bedroom and walked down the hallway after Mrs. Beamer had tapped on her door and announced that “her” Mr. Colbert had arrived and waited in the parlor.

  He stood next to a gentleman of undetermined age. He was pudgy and soft, and reminded her of a stuffed bunny rabbit. His skin was stark white, his nose pink, and his eyes a pale color she couldn’t name. It may have been her imagination, but his unusually long ears seemed to move by themselves. He had a few lengthy whiskers growing on his upper lip. Not enough to be called a moustache, but nevertheless, there they were.

  “Ellie, I would like you to meet Homer Snodgrass.” He turned to the man. “This is Miss Ellie Henderson, one of the teachers in Logan County High School.”

  “It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Henderson. Mr. Colbert has certainly spoken highly of you.” He smiled. His teeth protruded in the front. Definitely a rabbit.

  “Very nice to meet you, too, Mr. Snodgrass.” She glanced at Max with one eyebrow raised.

  “Well, shall we go?” he said, avoiding her eyes and handing Ellie her coat.

  “Have a good time.” Mrs. Beamer waved at them from the door.

  Max escorted her and Mr. Snodgrass into the back seat of his motorcar. “Here’s a blanket to stay warm on the ride to the concert hall.” Then he slid behind the steering wheel, fastened his goggles, and cranked the engine.

  Max always seemed to have a friend with him—but never the same one. His circle of acquaintances must be huge. She never would have guessed Max Colbert didn’t like to attend public events by himself, but there didn’t seem to be any other explanation. He must need the confidence of another man. Strange.

  She relaxed as she settled against the soft leather seat. Even though Max had bullied her into going tonight, she was glad she’d accepted. Several of her friends had already attended the concert and spoke highly of it.

  “Miss Henderson, may I say you remind me so much of my dear departed Agnes.” Mr. Snodgrass’s nose twitched.

  “Oh, I’m so sorry. Your wife?”

  “No. My basset hound. A true beauty.” He patted her hand.

  “Dear God,” Max mumbled from the front seat.

  “Yes, a beauty and very affectionate. Spent every night in my bed with me.”

  A choking sound came from Max. “Homer, why don’t you tell Miss Henderson about your rock collection?” He turned to glance at Ellie who was biting her lip to keep from laughing. “Mr. Snodgrass has a beautiful collection of rocks from all over the territory.”

  The man’s face lit up. “Yes, I do. You should see my collection, Miss Henderson. Every time my dear Agnes and I went for a walk, I would pick up a new rock. She was wonderful at sniffing out the most interesting ones. I remember one time...”

  Ellie ignored the rest while he droned on about Agnes and his rocks. Where in heaven’s name did Max find these men? Somehow she couldn’t see him being friends with any of them. It’s almost as if he snatched them from the street and dragged them along for company. Could Max be that uncomfortable in a crowd? She sighed. He was certainly an enigma.

  Christmas holly and bright lights decorated the outside of the concert hall. The cold air and festive surroundings put her in the right mood. People spilled from buggies and automobiles, wrapped in furs and jewels, laughing and chatting. She felt somewhat underdressed with her dark blue wool coat and hat, but the red and green bells she’d fashioned into earrings gave her appearance a holiday look, even if Max winced when he first noticed them.

  Christmas drew near. With only another ten days, she needed to finish her baskets and get them delivered. Even though that’s what she should have been doing tonight, attending the concert thrilled her.

  Max presented three tickets to the usher, and he led them to their seats. Very close to the front, an excellent view of the stage. Mr. Snodgrass went in first, then Ellie, followed by Max, who looked a bit agitated. They settled in their seats and studied the programs.

  The orchestra tuned their instruments behind the red and gold velvet curtain. She looked around and inhaled deeply. Pine and apples.

  “Miss Henderson?” Homer patted her hand again.

  She turned in his direction.

  “Agnes would have loved this concert.” He wiped a tear from the corner of his eye with his index finger. His pink nose had turned bright red.

  Max shi
fted in his seat, clutching his program so tightly his knuckles turned white.

  “Yes, she thoroughly enjoyed music. I play the piano, and whenever I’d settled on the bench to play a few tunes, she would lie down right alongside me and sing along.”

  “Indeed?” Ellie gasped.

  “Yes. I always thought her voice more alto, but whenever Mr. Atkins next door would come over to ask me to play a little softer, he said he found her tone to be a mystery.”

  Max squirmed, adjusted his tie, pulled at his collar, his face now beet red. He turned to Mr. Snodgrass, about to speak, when the lights went out and the curtain rose.

  The concert was wonderful, and Ellie enjoyed every moment of it. Familiar Christmas songs were interspersed with well-known classical pieces. The audience sat mesmerized as one tune after another drew warm applause.

  Max sent Mr. Snodgrass to fetch two hot apple ciders during the intermission. He seemed to relax more once the man left.

  “Don’t you want apple cider?” Ellie asked Max as Mr. Snodgrass returned and handed her the glass.

  “Cider would never suffice tonight,” he bit out.

  The second half of the concert sped by. The orchestra continued to play many of Ellie’s favorite Christmas songs. Several times Mr. Snodgrass would hum along and wipe his eyes with his handkerchief. Max tapped his foot, crossed and uncrossed his arms, shifted in his seat, and at one point glared at Mr. Snodgrass.

  Ellie sighed as the curtain came down and the lights came up. They headed down the aisle to the exit. “I just loved the music. Thank you so much for inviting me.” Ellie smiled brightly at Max as they inched along. Mr. Snodgrass blew his nose with a loud honking noise.

  This time Max escorted Ellie to the front seat of the Oldsmobile and left Mr. Snodgrass alone in the back. He rambled on about his dear departed Agnes until Max pulled up in front of his house.

  “Well, good night, Homer.” Max motioned toward the man’s house with his chin.

  “Oh. I thought you said we were going for pie and coffee after the concert.” He frowned as Max shot around the motorcar to let him out.

  “Too late. Miss Henderson has a curfew.”

  “It’s only nine o’clock.” Homer held his watch to the gaslight outside his house as Max tugged on his arm.

  “Early curfew. See you soon, good night.” Max slammed the door and then hurried to the driver’s side. He skipped the goggles and pulled away, leaving Mr. Snodgrass staring after the automobile.

  Ellie burst out laughing. Max’s jaw worked, his lips twitched, and finally he joined her. “Would you like to go for coffee and pie?”

  “I think I have enough time. Mrs. Beamer said she wouldn’t lock the door until ten-thirty tonight since I attended the concert with such a fine, upstanding gentleman.” She smirked.

  His watch showed twenty-five minutes past ten when Max and Ellie returned to the front of the boardinghouse. He’d spent the ride back from The Café telling her stories of his youth. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t reconcile this Max with the boy he’d described. Somewhere along the line, he’d lost his sense of adventure and turned into a stodgy old man. And she told him so.

  “Stodgy? How many stodgy men have a beautiful woman tumble out a window at his feet?” His eyes grew dark, and his smile vanished as he stared into her face.

  “Beautiful?” she whispered.

  “Very.”

  He slid across the short distance between them and cupped her face with strong, calloused hands. He must do more than shuffle papers with those hands. Her breath hitched, and her lower parts fluttered as his head descended toward her.

  “Miss Henderson, it’s ten-thirty,” Mrs. Beamer called from the porch, holding a lamp high above her head.

  Chapter 7

  The week before Christmas, Ellie’s thirteen-year-old cousin, Priscilla Cochran, raced toward her as Ellie opened the Cochrans’ front door. With pigtails flying, the young girl threw herself into her arms, almost knocking her over.

  “Goodness, Pris, it hasn’t been that long since I saw you.” Ellie laughed.

  “I know, but you look so different when we’re not in school.” The young girl dragged her by the hand into the parlor.

  “Come here and give me a hug, girl.” Uncle Jesse opened his arms, and Ellie walked into them, giving him a hug. He and her Aunt Tori had practically raised her. She’d been only eleven when her father died, leaving the care of Ellie and her two brothers and sister to Tori, barely twenty-two herself. They’d had some rough times in the beginning, but eventually Tori and Jesse married and they all settled into the big house outside of town.

  She loved the smell of this house. It signified home. Tori loved to bake, and the air always filled with the aroma of Uncle Jesse’s favorite dried apple pie and freshly baked bread. A fire burned brightly in the parlor fireplace, adding to the cozy familiar childhood memories.

  Tori bustled in, wiping her hands on a stained apron. “Ellie! So good to see you. You’ve stayed away too long.” She pulled her into a maternal hug.

  Ellie closed her eyes and inhaled Tori’s scent. Always cinnamon and rose water. “Heavens, I was here for Thanksgiving.”

  “Three weeks ago!” Tori turned to her daughter. “Pris, take Ellie’s coat to the closet, please.” She hooked her arm through Ellie’s and led her to the vast kitchen at the back of the house. “How is your Christmas Basket project going?”

  Jesse followed them down the hallway. “Hey, wait a minute, don’t I get to visit with our niece?”

  “Sure, you can even peel potatoes while you’re here.” Tori smirked.

  He grabbed his wife around her middle from behind. He whispered something in her ear that made Tori blush bright red.

  “Jesse, stop it.” She giggled, then turned and pushed at his chest. He pulled her close and gave her an enthusiastic kiss.

  Priscilla rolled her eyes. “Come on, stop it.”

  Ellie laughed at Jesse’s antics. Sometimes she thought the reason she didn’t feel a draw toward marriage was because no man could measure up to her uncle. If only Max Colbert could spend time here with this family, he’d loosen up. He’s see what it’s like to be playful, but still very much a man. Jesse’s wife and children adored him, even though Priscilla had reached the age where fathers were simply a necessary evil.

  The doorbell rang and Priscilla hopped up. “I’ll get it.”

  Tori had handed Jesse a knife and sat him down in front of a pile of potatoes, across from where Ellie peeled carrots. “See how your aunt orders me around?” He grinned.

  Voices coming from the front door grew louder as they neared the kitchen. Jesse looked up from his work and stood. “Well, hello and welcome.”

  Ellie turned toward the door and dropped the knife. Like an apparition, Max Colbert filled the doorway, holding a bottle of wine and a bouquet of flowers.

  She blinked several times. “What...what are you doing here?”

  “And hello to you, too, Ellie.” He grinned.

  Max stepped into the room, then handed the wine to Jesse and the flowers to Tori.

  “Thank you, they’re lovely.” Tori blushed.

  Jesse placed the wine on the counter and washed his hands. “Welcome to our home. I’m glad you could make it.” He dried his hands on Tori’s apron and shook hands with Max. “This is my wonderful wife and helpmate, Tori.” He tossed his arm around her shoulders and hugged her close.

  Jesse pointed to his youngest daughter. “I know you see my lovely daughter Priscilla every day, as well as Ellie.” He turned to her. “I invited Max for dinner so I could get to know him better. Right now he’s the top candidate for the Superintendent of Schools job.”

  Ellie continued to stare at Max, the knife forgotten on the table. She’d just wished he could spend some time here to see how her uncle related to his family, and here he stood.

  Jesse leaned across the table and put his index finger on her chin. “Ellie, close your mouth.”

  She
snapped her mouth closed, and, head down, continued to peel carrots. Jesse gave Tori a brief kiss on the lips. “Darlin,’ I’d love to help you out here in the kitchen, but I think it’s time for man talk.” He winked at her and turned to Max. “It’s important to keep the ladies happy. Shall we go?” He led him down the hallway and soon the sound of his office door closing put an end to the male voices.

  Her mind spun like a child’s top. Max had smiled and grinned. He’d brought flowers for Tori. But the most amazing change was his attire. He wore dark blue casual trousers and a long-sleeve pale blue cotton knit shirt. She’d never seen him without a stiff collar, tie, and jacket.

  The blue of the shirt set off the startling blue of his eyes. She’d also never noticed how his eyes crinkled at the edges when he smiled. A gut-clenching smile. Her heart did the double-time thumping again, and her palms grew slippery holding the knife. Ridiculous. Max Colbert was the enemy. Better to remember it, and order her heart to beat normally. It paid no attention.

  The table had been cleared of the dinner dishes, with only coffee cups and three of Tori’s pies left in the center of the table. Tori cut generous slices and passed them around. Jesse and Max had their heads together in deep conversation, and Ellie couldn’t keep her eyes off them.

  Two strong men. One, the man she’d adored most of her life, and the other one she’d thought of as the enemy. After watching him all afternoon, she found it hard to remember that. He was funny, thoughtful, and relaxed. He listened intently when one of the children discussed something, giving them his undivided attention. He’d flattered Tori and showed respect to Jesse. And whenever he looked at her, her stomach dropped to her feet, and her mouth dried up.

  “Mama, may I be excused?” Benjamin, the youngest at eleven, already had his pie stuffed in his mouth and ready to bolt from the chair.