His Frontier Christmas Family. Regina Scott

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СКАЧАТЬ style="font-size:15px;">      “’Course we have,” Frisco said, tone now aggrieved.

      “Well, it’s that much again to Wallin Landing,” Levi told him.

      He glanced back in time to see Frisco slide deeper into the pile of quilts. “That could be hours.”

      “Days,” Sutter moaned.

      “Maybe we could stop in Seattle,” Callie suggested. “Stretch our legs.”

      “Get a sarsaparilla,” Levi offered.

      Sutter perked up. Frisco pushed himself closer to the bench. “You got money, preacher?”

      Callie scowled at her brother. “I got money, the last of what Adam sent us a few months ago. There’s no call to bother the preacher.”

      “It’s no problem,” Levi assured her. “I said I’d provide for you all.”

      Frisco leaned up between them, arms braced on the back of the bench. “That’s real nice of you, preacher. And maybe we could get something to eat at one of them fancy hotels.”

      “San Francisco Murphy,” Callie said, her voice a low rumble, like a thunderstorm heading their way.

      Her brother’s eyes widened, and he ducked back into the wagon bed. “It was just an idea. A fellow can’t live on pumpkin and pinecones.”

      “I never fed you pinecones,” Callie complained. “But maybe I should.” She shot Levi a glance. Behind that stern look, he thought he saw a twinkle in her blue-gray eyes. “You got pinecones up your way, preacher?”

      “Plenty of them,” Levi assured her. “My brother chops down a lot of trees. I’m sure he could find a few cones, maybe some sawdust.”

      “There you go,” Callie said, facing front. “Everything a growing boy needs.”

      “You’re no fun,” Frisco grumbled.

      “I’d eat pinecones,” Sutter told him. “If I had to.”

      “Would not!”

      “Would, too!”

      Before Levi could move, the two were rolling around in the bed of the wagon, pushing and pummeling each other. With a jolt, he realized their movements were shoving the packs toward the rear of the open wagon.

      Callie must have seen the problem as well. “That’s enough!” she cried. “You’ll cost us our things.”

      Neither brother paid her the least heed. Face turning red, she reached back a hand, but, holding the baby, she couldn’t seem to catch hold of either boy.

      “Hang on,” Levi told her.

      She cast him a glance, then resolutely grabbed the side of the bench.

      Levi slapped down on the reins, and the horses lunged forward. The movement sent both boys flying into the quilts. Levi reined in, allowing the horses to draw the wagon to the side of the road and stop. Then he turned and gazed down at two scowling faces. Somehow, he thought he’d looked at Drew with just that amount of defiance when his older brother had taken over leadership of the family after Pa had died.

      “You wanted to get to Seattle as fast as possible,” he reminded them. “Every time you act up, I’m stopping this wagon. I’ve slept out under the stars before, in colder weather than this. If you want to take a week to go five miles, I’m your man.”

      They didn’t so much as exchange glances this time.

      “No,” they chorused.

      “Good,” Levi said. “Then pull those packs up closer to the bench and get comfortable.”

      The two scurried to comply.

      “By the way,” Levi continued with a wink to Callie, “I hear there are bandits in these parts. Keep your eyes peeled, and sing out if you spot one.”

      The twins’ heads jerked up, and they nodded eagerly.

      As soon as they’d settled themselves back among the quilts, Levi faced front and called to the horses.

      “Bandits,” Callie said, skepticism in her voice. Even Mica, who must have been awakened by the sudden movements, was frowning at him.

      Levi shrugged. “My brother and his wife were set upon out this way.”

      Callie’s eyes widened.

      He felt a tug of guilt and leaned closer, speaking low for her ears alone. “Eight years ago. I haven’t heard of any trouble recently.”

      “Are those bandits?” Sutter called.

      A chill ran up him. They were rolling around a bend, so Levi could easily spare a look back. Callie turned as well, shoulder brushing his. Two riders were coming along the road. The pair was far enough behind that Levi couldn’t make out their faces under their broad-brimmed hats. He forced himself to focus on guiding the horses around the curve.

      “Do you know them?” Callie murmured beside him.

      “I don’t think so,” Levi told her. “You?”

      Her cheeks were pale. “We had visitors last night. Might be them. Horses look right.”

      “There’s another bend coming up,” Levi said. “We’ll check then.”

      As the horses trotted around the curve, Levi and Callie turned once more. She was so close he could feel the warmth of her.

      The way behind lay empty.

      Callie met his gaze. “Where did they go? I didn’t see any tracks leading off this one.”

      Neither had he. Were they waiting around the last bend, making sure he didn’t get another look at them? Why the secrecy? What were they trying to hide?

      And what had drawn them out this way?

       Chapter Four

      Callie kept her head high as they rolled into Seattle. She’d been a little concerned about the men Sutter had spotted on the road, but the pair had never caught up with them. Obviously bored, Frisco and Sutter had curled themselves in Ma’s quilts.

      They perked up as Levi guided the horses down Second Avenue. Callie wished she could be as excited. New buildings crowded either side of the wide, muddy street, signs overhead showing pictures of boots, hats and a mortar and pestle. Men in a variety of garb, from fine wool coats and high-crowned hats to rough trousers and tweed caps, moved among the shops, boots clomping on the boardwalk. The few ladies among them walked with bonnets covering their hair and cloaks covering their swaying skirts. Callie’s hand went to finger her lank locks spilling out below her hat. It had been too cold the last few weeks to take a bath and wash her hair, even if she’d felt it fair to ask her brothers to lug enough water from the creek.

      Many СКАЧАТЬ