said, fingering the delicate piece of jewelry that somehow looked like his wife.
“It did,” Filly said, taking the cameo from Luke’s hand and studying it. “I think I will wear it. It doesn’t do any good hidden away in a box, does it?”
She took out a crystal candle stick, three worn books, a silk fan and soft hand-knit baby blanket.
The last item she pulled from the quilt was a picture showing a woman who looked exactly like Filly wearing a wedding dress as she stood next to a handsome man who smiled at his bride in adoration.
“That’s Mama and Papa on their wedding day. Pa used to be a good man, before Mama died. I sometimes just tell myself that they both died that day. It makes it easier to think of my papa being dead than thinking of him as the mean drunk he’s turned into. Mama would be so sad if she knew.”
Luke rubbed his hand reassuringly across her shoulders. “I’m glad you have good memories of your mother and some things to remember her by. I was right by the way.”
“About what?” Filly asked, wrapping her treasures in the quilt and placing the bundle on the rocking chair.
“Your mother was a very beautiful woman and you look exactly like her.”
Filly turned to her husband and caught a teasing smile as it passed across his face.
Feeling her cheeks heat, she grinned. “And you are still full of blarney.”
Luke laughed and embraced her in a hug. The contact shot sparks between them and Filly wasn’t sure how long her legs would hold her.
“Don’t ever leave me again, Filly. I don’t think my heart could take it,” he whispered in her ear then left the room.
<><><>
The next morning, Filly had a hard time making herself get up, but she had a Thanksgiving feast to prepare. Donning a simple calico dress and a big apron, she walked into the kitchen to find a beautiful little trunk sitting on the counter with a note that read:
For your mama’s treasures. Love, Luke
Swiping at the tears his thoughtfulness brought to her eyes, she carried the trunk to her room and put her keepsakes inside. After all the fuss she created last night, she was surprised at his kindness this morning.
She was reminded once again what a wonderful man she was fortunate enough to have married.
Chapter Seven
“I don’t think I could eat one more bite, even if you held me down and stuffed it in,” Chauncy said with a satisfied grin as he leaned back in his chair.
“I should say not,” Abby laughed. “You’ve indulged enough for three people. I’m surprised the buttons haven’t popped off your vest and taken out someone’s eye.”
Luke chuckled and Filly smiled, thrilled to play host to Chauncy and Abby for the Thanksgiving holiday. Her meal had turned out well and if the amount of food the men consumed was any indication, they enjoyed it immensely.
“How about another cup of cider, Filly?” Luke asked. Filly brewed apple cider with spices on the stove creating not only a wonderful scent that made the house smell delightful, but also a very delicious drink.
“Are you sure you have room to hold it?” Filly asked, pouring him half a cup and offering more to Abby and Chauncy, who both refused.
“Positive,” Luke said, taking a sip of the sweet, hot drink.
“Who’s this Filly you keep talking about?” Chauncy teased, making Filly blush and earning a swift kick to his shin from Abby under the table, along with a stern glare.
“Filly?” Luke said, feigning ignorance.
“Well, don’t think we didn’t notice you’ve called her Filly at least a dozen times since we got here. I thought your wife’s name is Philamena,” Chauncy said, ignoring the irritated looks his wife shot him.
“You’ve met my wife, have you?” Luke said, pulling Filly onto his lap as she swept by with an empty bowl. She flushed a fiery shade of red and would have jumped to her feet except Luke’s strong arm kept her pinned on his lap. “She’s an expert horse-wrangler,
“It did,” Filly said, taking the cameo from Luke’s hand and studying it. “I think I will wear it. It doesn’t do any good hidden away in a box, does it?”
She took out a crystal candle stick, three worn books, a silk fan and soft hand-knit baby blanket.
The last item she pulled from the quilt was a picture showing a woman who looked exactly like Filly wearing a wedding dress as she stood next to a handsome man who smiled at his bride in adoration.
“That’s Mama and Papa on their wedding day. Pa used to be a good man, before Mama died. I sometimes just tell myself that they both died that day. It makes it easier to think of my papa being dead than thinking of him as the mean drunk he’s turned into. Mama would be so sad if she knew.”
Luke rubbed his hand reassuringly across her shoulders. “I’m glad you have good memories of your mother and some things to remember her by. I was right by the way.”
“About what?” Filly asked, wrapping her treasures in the quilt and placing the bundle on the rocking chair.
“Your mother was a very beautiful woman and you look exactly like her.”
Filly turned to her husband and caught a teasing smile as it passed across his face.
Feeling her cheeks heat, she grinned. “And you are still full of blarney.”
Luke laughed and embraced her in a hug. The contact shot sparks between them and Filly wasn’t sure how long her legs would hold her.
“Don’t ever leave me again, Filly. I don’t think my heart could take it,” he whispered in her ear then left the room.
<><><>
The next morning, Filly had a hard time making herself get up, but she had a Thanksgiving feast to prepare. Donning a simple calico dress and a big apron, she walked into the kitchen to find a beautiful little trunk sitting on the counter with a note that read:
For your mama’s treasures. Love, Luke
Swiping at the tears his thoughtfulness brought to her eyes, she carried the trunk to her room and put her keepsakes inside. After all the fuss she created last night, she was surprised at his kindness this morning.
She was reminded once again what a wonderful man she was fortunate enough to have married.
Chapter Seven
“I don’t think I could eat one more bite, even if you held me down and stuffed it in,” Chauncy said with a satisfied grin as he leaned back in his chair.
“I should say not,” Abby laughed. “You’ve indulged enough for three people. I’m surprised the buttons haven’t popped off your vest and taken out someone’s eye.”
Luke chuckled and Filly smiled, thrilled to play host to Chauncy and Abby for the Thanksgiving holiday. Her meal had turned out well and if the amount of food the men consumed was any indication, they enjoyed it immensely.
“How about another cup of cider, Filly?” Luke asked. Filly brewed apple cider with spices on the stove creating not only a wonderful scent that made the house smell delightful, but also a very delicious drink.
“Are you sure you have room to hold it?” Filly asked, pouring him half a cup and offering more to Abby and Chauncy, who both refused.
“Positive,” Luke said, taking a sip of the sweet, hot drink.
“Who’s this Filly you keep talking about?” Chauncy teased, making Filly blush and earning a swift kick to his shin from Abby under the table, along with a stern glare.
“Filly?” Luke said, feigning ignorance.
“Well, don’t think we didn’t notice you’ve called her Filly at least a dozen times since we got here. I thought your wife’s name is Philamena,” Chauncy said, ignoring the irritated looks his wife shot him.
“You’ve met my wife, have you?” Luke said, pulling Filly onto his lap as she swept by with an empty bowl. She flushed a fiery shade of red and would have jumped to her feet except Luke’s strong arm kept her pinned on his lap. “She’s an expert horse-wrangler,
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