Marshal Zane's Christmas Horse: A Wyldhaven Series Christmas Romance Novella Read online

  By

  THE WYLDHAVEN SERIES

  by Lynnette Bonner

  Not a Sparrow Falls - BOOK ONE

  On Eagles’ Wings - BOOK TWO

  Beauty from Ashes - BOOK THREE

  Consider the Lilies - BOOK FOUR

  Novellas Releasing During the 2019 Holiday Season

  Sheriff Reagan’s Christmas Boots - BOOK FIVE (Novella)

  Doc Griffin’s Christmas Sleigh - BOOK SIX (Novella)

  Deputy Joe’s Christmas Saddle - BOOK SEVEN (Novella)

  Marshal Zane’s Christmas Horse - BOOK EIGHT (Novella)

  Washington Nolan’s Christmas Watch - BOOK NINE (Novella)

  Parson Clay’s Christmas Pup - BOOK TEN (Novella)

  Kin Davis’ Christmas Send-Off - BOOK ELEVEN (Novella)

  Songs in the Night - BOOK TWELVE – Coming Soon!

  OTHER HISTORICAL BOOKS

  by Lynnette Bonner

  THE SHEPHERD’S HEART SERIES

  Rocky Mountain Oasis - BOOK ONE

  High Desert Haven - BOOK TWO

  Fair Valley Refuge - BOOK THREE

  Spring Meadow Sanctuary - BOOK FOUR

  Find all other books by Lynnette Bonner at:

  www.lynnettebonner.com

  Marshal Zane’s Christmas Horse

  WYLDHAVEN, Book 8

  Published by Serene Lake Publishing

  Copyright © 2019 by Lynnette Bonner. All rights reserved.

  Cover design by Lynnette Bonner of Indie Cover Design, images ©

  www.bigstock.com, File: # 270255517 – Appaloosa

  www.depositphotos.com, File: # 2062118 – Porch rail

  www.depositphotos.com, File: # 42170981 – Porch

  www.periodimages.com, File: # 2015-02-11_22.48.27 - Cowboy

  Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

  Marshal Zane’s Christmas Horse is a work of fiction. References to real people, events, establishments, organizations, or locales are intended only to provide a sense of authenticity and are used fictitiously. All other characters, incidents, and dialogue are drawn from the author’s imagination.

  Chapter 1

  Jacinda Holloway woke with a thrill of joy zipping through her. Today was the day she and Kin Davis were set to meet the train and take delivery of the Appaloosa yearling she had ordered for Zane’s Christmas gift.

  It was Zane’s day for rounds out to the camps, so she should have plenty of time to make it to the station with Kin and back again. Kin was then going to take the colt to the Rodantes’. And early on Christmas morning, Joe would bring it to the house.

  She could hardly wait to see the look on Zane’s face! He’d admired both the dam and the sire when they’d seen them at a ranch while on their wedding tour last spring. And Jacinda just knew he was going to be thrilled with the gift—especially since his own mount was getting up in years.

  She thrust off the covers and bounced to her feet, hustling into her dressing-gown. Mindful that Zane still slumbered on his side of the bed, she strode to the window and parted the curtains just enough to see what the weather was like but not enough to disturb him.

  “Oh my!” She gasped and raised both hands to shove the gap wider. Her shock made her forget Zane’s peace for just a moment. “Must have snowed a foot last night!”

  And it was still coming down! She pressed a hand to her throat, heart squeezing. Would so much snow affect the train’s schedule?

  From his side of the bed, Zane grunted and squinted one eye open.

  “Sorry!” Jacinda tugged at the curtains, but too late. Zane was already climbing from beneath the covers. He came to stand behind her, wrapped his arms around her waist, and rested his chin on her shoulder, then reached to push the draperies all the way open.

  He breathed out a hum of satisfaction. “I love the way a layer of fresh snow cleans up the world, don’t you?”

  Despite her concerns about the train, Jacinda relished the feel of his arms about her. And even if the train was late, it wouldn’t be the worst tragedy the town had seen recently. It was good to remind herself of the positive side of things. Something she was trying to do more of.

  She pondered the misfortune that had rocked their little town this week. A prostitute who Liora Rodante had been ministering to, had run off from the Rodante place and befallen a tragic accident that took her life. “I guess the town needed the fresh outlook after this week’s happenings.”

  He rocked her a little, taking a moment before responding. “Do you think Liora will be okay? I’m sure Ruby’s death hit her hard.”

  Jacinda folded her arms around Zane’s and tipped her head against his shoulder, reminding herself once more to see the beauty in the snow even though what she really wanted to do was lift a fist and rail at the heavens. Why this storm, today of all days?

  Yet, there was even something positive out at the Rodante place.

  Realizing Zane still waited for her response, she said, “Yes. I know she’s devastated by Ruby’s passing. But I also know that she and Joe have something very exciting to look forward to, and I think that will help her through the grief.” She smiled up at him with a little pump of her brows.

  Zane’s expression filled with excitement. “Really? When?! I can’t wait to congratulate Joe!”

  “No!” Jacinda spun to face him, gripping the front of his night shirt. “You can’t say a word until they announce it. I don’t know if she’s told him yet. She hadn’t recognized the signs herself until I pointed them out to her yesterday at the wake.”

  He eased comfortably into his heels, drawing her closer. With a languid smile, he searched her face. “All right, I’ll keep my trap shut, but it won’t be easy with such good news. And it hardly seems fair that I know about it before he does.”

  Jacinda poked him. “It’s only unfair if he finds out that you knew before he did.” She winked.

  He chuckled. “Upon my honor, my lips are sealed.”

  “I know they are. Besides...” Jacinda smoothed her hands over the wrinkles she’d made by grabbing his shirt. “I could be wrong.”

  “Hang on, let me write this down.” Zane stepped to the little leather-bound notebook he kept on the table on his side of the bed. He lifted it and the fountain pen and opened to a blank page.

  Jacinda frowned. What did he need to write down?

  He removed the cap of the pen, and then started scrawling. “December seventh, in the year of our Lord 1894...” He gave each number a bit of a flourish. “Jacinda Holloway admitted that she might be wrong.”

  Jacinda gasped and advanced on him, snatching the pen.

  He laughed and ducked away.

  She joined his laughter, but plucked his notebook from his fingers and tossed it onto the bed. “You are impossible.”

  His hands settled against the small of her back and he grinned down at her. “Am I?”

  “Indeed, you are.” Beneath the material of his shirt, the muscles of his chest were firm against her palms.

  Lowering his head, he whispered, “I do believe you could coax the incorrigibility out of me. But it will take a good amount of time and many a long, persuasive lesson.”

  She felt her face heat in anticipation, even as her gaze dipped to his mouth. “Is that so.”

  “Mmmm.” He closed the final distance between them and his lips swept over hers like gliding silk. “This is a good start to the first lesson, don’t you think?” He trailed a few kisses the length of her jaw and back aga
in. “Rule number one: to prevent incorrigibility, keep busy.”

  She chuckled and closed her eyes against the pleasant temptation of him. And heavens, he was a temptation! But they were both grown adults who had business to attend to. Kin would be here inside half an hour. “Don’t you have to go out on rounds?”

  “Good news...” He rumbled distractedly between kisses. “Can’t ride to the camps with a foot of fresh snow on the roads.”

  Jacinda jolted. “What? Wait.” She pushed back from him, forking her fingers into her hair and trying to think through the fog his attentions had instigated.

  He reached for her. “No work. Didn’t you hear?”

  She dodged his grasp and snatched up her day dress, taking it behind the privacy screen with her. She peered at Zane above the divider, hoping he wouldn’t be too put out with her. “You may not have to work today, but that doesn’t mean that I can take the day off.”

  Zane frowned and curved one hand around the back of his neck. He seemed to be rehashing all that had just happened, then he lifted his gaze to hers. “Have I upset you somehow?”

  “No. Of course not.”

  “I see,” Zane said. But his tone proclaimed that he very much did not see.

  Jacinda pushed away her guilt, and quickly finished buttoning her cuffs. She was going to have to come up with an excuse to be gone from the house for so long this morning, but she didn’t want to lie, even for such a worthy cause as a Christmas surprise. And she couldn’t just send Kin to the station on his own, because she still owed the rancher the final installment of money for the Appaloosa. She needed to pay him at the train station upon acceptance of delivery.

  Zane grumbled a few words under his breath, then spoke for her benefit. “Well, I suppose I’ll just mosey on down to the Sheriff’s Office and see if there is any paperwork that needs done.” She heard his gun-belt buckle clank, and a moment later, his boots strike the floor as he stomped them into place.

  The hurt in his tone was almost her undoing. But there was nothing for it if she was going to get this horse picked up and paid for. She could give him an explanation on Christmas morning after he saw the magnificent creature.

  But for right now, she couldn’t let him leave without an explanation of her absence, in case he came home early from the office. “You should go to the boardinghouse for lunch. I have some errands that I need to run this morning.” Behind the screen, she winced, holding her breath. Would he buy her excuse without questions?

  “Errands? What kind of errands?”

  No don’t offer to come with me.

  “I could come with you. I don’t like the idea of you roaming around in this weather on your own.”

  Jacinda’s eyes fell closed. Perfect. Now she had to hurt him even more. “No, no.” She bustled into her apron, thankful that the screen hid her from his scrutiny. Her expression would likely give her away. “I had already asked Kin Davis. So, he should be here at any moment to ride out with me.”

  Zane frowned. “How come you didn’t mention these errands of yours until now?”

  Jacinda tamped down her irritation. Couldn’t the man recognize that it was almost Christmas? She needed to put a stop to all his questions! “Well”—she stepped from behind the screen and rushed toward the bedroom door—“I thought you would be riding your rounds. So I planned to get these done while you were away for the day. I’ll run down and get breakfast underway.”

  She made her escape, leaving him sliding his arms into his jacket. Hopefully by the time he came down to eat, he’d have resigned himself to the way of things.

  Chapter 2

  Zane did his best to temper his irritation. Jacinda had run from the room like she was escaping a brushfire. But, hang it, a man couldn’t be blamed for wanting to spend a little time with his wife on an unexpected day off.

  What had he done to upset her? One moment things had been going along just fine and the next she was jumpier than a green-broke filly.

  He roughed a hand over his face, and stepped over to the mirror. He took up his shaving brush and bowl. Maybe it was for the best, at any rate. He lathered on the soap and took up his razor.

  Reagan would be bringing the Carver siblings in to the office this morning and it might be good if he was there as backup in case anything went sideways. Just because the oldest brother had turned out not to be a murderer, didn’t mean there wouldn’t be some other shady dealings in their history. After all, the younger siblings’ first reaction to hardship had been to steal from strangers.

  It only took him a few minutes to shave, but by the time he reached the dining room Jacinda had placed scrambled eggs, toast, and thick slices of ham on the table. She hurried in with the coffee pot in her hands.

  With a frown, he took in the three place settings before he pulled out his chair and sat. Must be for Kin?

  She poured him a cup of coffee, but before he could ask his question, a knock sounded from out front.

  “That’ll be Kin. I’ll get it.” She rushed toward the door.

  Zane grunted. He’d assumed that her errands were to deliver dress parcels to clientele. But there were no packages on the table where she normally stacked them.

  He remained in his seat. Considering the third place setting, Jacinda didn’t plan to leave without offering Kin a cup of coffee and some breakfast.

  “Kin, good morning,” Jacinda greeted.

  Zane couldn’t see the entry from his seat, but he could feel the sweep of a chilly wind rush in around his legs.

  There came the sound of stomping feet and the rustle of Kin shucking out of his long leather coat. “Quite the storm we had last night, isn’t it, ma’am? I only hope that the train—”

  “Won’t you join us for breakfast, Kin?”

  Zane frowned. Why had she put such emphasis on the “us” in that sentence?

  Only a moment later, they both stepped into the room.

  Kin’s eyes sparkled just a little too much. The lad was up to something. But then when was he not?

  “Kin.” Zane nodded toward the seat across the table.

  “Marshal. Morning, sir.”

  Zane rose and held Jacinda’s chair for her. And he supposed that if she’d been expecting Kin this early, he had to grudgingly understand why she’d fled their bedroom so hastily a bit ago. His mood suddenly improved by a drastic measure. He dropped a hand to her shoulder before resuming his seat.

  They said grace, and then Zane passed Kin the plate of ham. “Did you mention something about the train?”

  Kin bobbled the platter, almost losing the fork off the side before he snatched it from mid-air. “My, this ham looks downright sinful, Mrs. Holloway. Where’d you get this one?”

  Jacinda didn’t miss a beat. “Why thank you, Kin. This came from one of Mr. Hines’ sows. He smoked it to perfection, I’d say. Eggs?”

  “Yes, ma’am. You make the best eggs in town, if you’ll promise not to tell Mrs. Griffin I said so.” He grinned, trying to act at ease, but the quick dart of his eyes in Zane’s direction spoke of the fact that he was covering something.

  Zane looked at Jacinda. “I know a snowstorm when I see one.” He allowed his humor to show in the quirk of his lips. What were they so all fired determined to keep from him?

  Jacinda’s gaze widened innocently. “Yes! I know I said a foot earlier, but I think there might actually be closer to eighteen inches out there.”

  Kin nodded. “About that, yes ma’am.”

  The reality of the weather distracted Zane momentarily from his quest to figure out what her errands might be. In truth, he was concerned about them riding off for even a short distance in this storm. “I’m not sure I want you going anywhere in this. Can’t your undertaking wait?”

  Jacinda’s mouth gaped and she flashed Kin a look that was near panic.

  Zane sat back, perplexed. What was he missing here?

  Kin swallowed a bite of ham and lifted his coffee cup. “Actually, there is blue sky to the west, and that’s where
our weather generally comes from. I think the storm is just about to pass.” He sipped his coffee and methodically lifted a bite of eggs. “It’s a Christmas surprise, see? The parson, he’s very hard to buy for. So, Mrs. Holloway is going to help me with a little shopping.” He stuffed the eggs into his mouth and reached for his toast, never meeting Zane’s gaze. “Mmmm. This breakfast is mighty fine, ma’am. Mighty fine. The parson, he always burns the toast. This is just right.”

  “Thank you, Kin. Please help yourself to more, if you like.”

  “Don’t mind if I do.” He reached for another slice and slathered it with Jacinda’s strawberry preserves. His gaze flicked to Zane’s. “Saw the Carvers riding in as I was on my way here. Sheriff Callahan met them at the office.”

  Zane sighed and pushed his plate back. He didn’t have the stomach to eat more, anyhow. There was no shopping out near the station. And he’d clearly heard Kin mention the train. These two were keeping something from him.

  He glanced at Jacinda. She wouldn’t be helping the boy cover up something, would she? Helping him keep it hidden from the law?

  With a wince, he took himself in hand. This was Jac, he was thinking about. She wouldn’t do something like that. He would just have to trust her, he supposed. For now, he needed to get to the office to help Reagan. “Guess that mean’s I’d better get on my way.” He bent to place a kiss on Jacinda’s cheek. “Till this evening.”

  With that, Zane headed for the entry. He took down his duster and shoved his arms in the sleeves. Then yanked his scarf around his neck and stuffed the ends inside. Snatching his Stetson from the peg by the door, he plunked it on his head and stepped out into the blustering wind.

  He paused on the top step. Why was it that his mood was suddenly right back to where it had been when Jacinda left him standing in their bedroom?

  He rolled his eyes at himself.

  Married life was reverting him to a moody adolescent.

  Jacinda blew out a breath and sank against the slats of her chair as Zane banged out the front door.