The Cowboy Who Saved Christmas - Jodi Thomas Page 0,27

they reached the steps, everyone on the ranch was watching.

Trapper had no problem recognizing the colonel. White beard, white hair, and standing strong and tall. For a moment he frowned, as if he didn’t know who was invading his ranch.

Number One lowered the four-year-old to the ground and she ran toward her father. She was halfway up the steps before anyone recognized the youngest daughter.

The colonel hugged her so hard, Trapper thought he might crush her. Within a minute all his daughters were around him, talking and hugging and laughing. He took each girl’s face in his big hands and stared at them, then smiled. No matter how bad they looked or how they were dressed, his girls were back.

Trapper stood watching. He’d done it. He’d got them home by Christmas.

As the chaos began to settle, Trapper wasn’t surprised to see the colonel’s eyes focused on him.

“Mr. Trapper. I’d like to have a word with you. Now!”

Trapper remembered what the teamster had said about the colonel threatening to kill him if the girls arrived with one scratch. The girls were all sunburned and bruised, with scrapes and blisters.

He tried to stand up straight as he moved forward, but Number Three cut him off when she ran in front of him, almost tripping him.

“Now, Papa,” she began, with her fists on her hips.

The colonel pointed his finger. “What happened to your hair, Elizabeth?”

“Never mind that. Right now Trapper needs a doctor and some rest. He is hurt and hasn’t slept in days because, even injured, he’s always watching over us.” She crossed her arms. “And I go by Eliza or Three. You’ll not lecture Trapper. I will not stand for it.”

Anger reddened the colonel’s face. “You telling me what to do, daughter?”

All five girls stood before him with their arms crossed and their boots set wide apart as if ready for a fight.

Anger looked like it might explode out of the colonel. Obviously, no one ever told him what to do. No man. No woman, and certainly no daughters.

The girls didn’t back down.

To everyone’s surprise, the littlest one stepped closer to her papa. “We’re not taking a bath until you take care of our Tapper. He’s still dripping.”

“Who is Tapper?” The colonel lowered to her level and his tone softened slightly.

All the girls started explaining that Five never got the name right. And Trapper had told her she could call him by any name she liked.

“Who is Five?” The colonel tried to yell above them.

Then they all began with how they met on the dock.

Finally, the colonel yelled, “Stop.” When all was silent, he said in a normal voice he rarely used, “Sam, go get the doctor.”

“Yes, sir.” Sam smiled, obviously happy to be leaving.

“Martha.” The colonel yelled again.

A woman with an apron on, stepped from the crowd watching. “Yes, Colonel.”

“Tell the kitchen to cook up a meal and keep buckets of hot water headed upstairs.” He stared at his girls. “My daughters will be taking baths and dressing properly for dinner in one hour. I’ll be busy taking care of our guests.”

The girls all smiled and walked past their father. Each kissed him, and as they started up the stairs, Chapman grinned as if he just hadn’t lost the first argument in his life.

When he turned back, he seemed to notice Emery for the first time. “Madam, I assume you are the girls’ traveling companion.”

“Yes. I met them in Jefferson.”

“I’d be honored if you’d stay with us through Christmas. Martha will send a bath to your room, and I’m sure we’ll find clothes that will fit you. I see you are a widow.”

“Yes.”

Trapper’s hand was resting on the small of her back, and he could feel her shaking.

“Thank you for seeing my daughters here safely. I hope we have time to talk over dinner. It isn’t often we have such a lovely lady among us.”

Martha took Emery away. Trapper couldn’t help but notice she hadn’t even said goodbye to him. But then, the little widow hadn’t said anything to anyone but the colonel, and that was “yes.”

Sam moved up behind Trapper. “I’ll see you to your room, sir. The doc will be here as soon as he sobers a bit. He always comes for Christmas, but he prefers to stay in the bunkhouse.

“We have two guest rooms through here.” Sam started down the same long hallway where Emery had disappeared.

Trapper followed, suddenly feeling the lack of sleep catching up with him.

“The old man was sure polite to the widow,” Trapper