A Valentine's Choice: A Montana Sky Series Holiday Novella (The Montana Sky Series) by Debra Holland Read Free Book Online Page B

cousin had given them as welcome presents. Sally knitted scarves for the mercantile to earn extra money, and she’d allowed them to choose from several colors. They’d both selected dark-blue.
    Sally had insisted on getting up and helping even though the pale cast to her skin indicated what the movement cost her. She still wore a robe over her nightgown and hadn’t gone to breakfast with them. “If only I’d felt better, I’d have prepared meals to send along.” She fussed with loading supplies onto the top of the table.
    “Don’t worry,” Bridget assured her. “Alana is a fine cook, and Mrs. Toffels is sending food with her.”
    Sally frowned in obvious distress. “Harry and I were showered with foodstuffs as wedding gifts, and I want to share with them. Portions of rice, beans, coffee.” She tapped each sack. “A jar of huckleberry jam, a hank of salt pork, and a canister of tea.” As she spoke, she picked up each item and tucked it into a round basket with a curved handle.
    Alana laid a hand on Sally’s arm. “I’ll manage the meals just fine, cousin. No need to fret yerself so.”
    Sally gave her a rueful smile. “I am fretting, aren’t I? It’s not as if my parents hadn’t laid down provisions to last through the winter, even though at times, we eek out what we have with wild game. They expected me to be living with them still, so, in a way, you’re just taking my place.”
    “Not that I can take their daughter’s place,” Alana said in a soothing voice. “But this experience will give yer family and me a chance to form the bonds of kinship that we’ve lacked all our lives.”
    “You’re right.” Sally relaxed and breathed out a sigh.
    “I promise ye, I will give yer mother the same loving care that ye would.”
    Sally embraced Alana. “I can’t tell you how thankful I am that you’re doing this.” Taking a step back, she glanced at both women. “You two are such a godsend—the answer to prayers I didn’t know I needed to pray.”
    Alana touched Sally’s shoulder. “Comforting, isn’t it? That the good Lord knows our needs before we do.”
    Bridget didn’t have Alana’s unquestioning belief. After all, she was the one who often had to pinch and scrape for both of them. A sudden thought struck her. James had appeared at the train station at the very moment they arrived. Perhaps my sister is right. Something to ponder later.
    “Now, back to bed with ye, Sally,” Alana said firmly. “We’ll see ourselves out.”
    Sally released her cousin’s hand. “Thank you again.”
    Alana pointed at the bed in a silent command.
    “All right, all right,” Sally muttered in a mock grumble.
    Alana picked up her satchel. She was also taking along the volume of Shakespeare, hoping to read to her aunt as she convalesced.
    No sense sending the potatoes they’d stored in a corner of the loft. Surely, we’ll be reunited before spring planting. Bridget threaded her arm through the handle of the basket, lifted it, and turned.
    Alana smiled a good-bye to Sally before following Bridget out the door.
    The cold wind caught them first, but the freshness was welcome after the close air of the cabin. Bridget and Alana trudged through the snow on a path made wider by the recent comings and goings to and from the houses.
    They reached the area between the barn and the big house to find the rented sleigh, a brown horse hitched to the front. The plan was for Harry to drive the sleigh to the O’Donnels and on the way home, drop off the conveyance at the livery, and ride horseback the rest of the way to the ranch.
    Samantha came out of the house, carrying a crate that she gave to Harry.
    Without a word, he stowed it on the front seat. He took the basket and satchel from the sisters and placed them on the floor in the back. “Mrs. Toffels heated the bricks.”
    Samantha pulled a fur muff off her arm and handed it to Alana. “Borrow this for your journey, my dear.”
    “Thank ye for yer kindness.” Alana