THE MACKENZIES: LILY preview by Ana Leigh at The Romance Club http://www.theromanceclub.com western romance author

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THE MACKENZIES: LILY
by Ana Leigh
From the Harlequin Historical Anthology
"A FRONTIER CHRISTMAS"

The hulking brute shuffled closer, his thick lips contorted in a leering grin. Tiny black eyes gleamed from a burly face pitted with pockmarks and a heavy growth of dark whiskers.

“Give me a kiss, cutie, and I’ll pay ya,” he said. His voice rumbled from the depth of a barrel chest and sounded more like grunts than words.

Lily backed up to the wall. There were no other customers in the restaurant, not that anyone would willingly take on the gargantuan bully even if there had been. Certainly not the two Harvey Girls who huddled and watched with frightened expressions could do.

She was on her own. A quick kiss to the man’s fleshy cheek might resolve the situation, but it would be a cold night in hell before she’d let him put those slobbering thick lips on hers.

Besides, Lily, you’re a MacKenzie, and you don’t mess with a MacKenzie. Right? She’d heard that reminder often enough from her brothers and cousins when they were growing up together on the Triple M. What would you do, Dad? Uncle Flint? Uncle Luke?

Her charismatic father had always told her a person could get out of any predicament using the three C’s--a cool head, common sense, and cunning. She figured the fact that he stood four inches over six feet wasn’t exactly a detriment either. Of course her Uncle Flint’s advice had been that it only took one C--a Colt--to get out of any mess; whereas her Uncle Luke opted for a compromise between the two. He always claimed that if your common sense told you to pull your Colt--than pull it. Well, she had neither a cool head, cunning, nor a Colt at the moment. What she had was the beady black eyes of this hairy ape leering at her--and her common sense told her she was in deep trouble.

Maybe she should try and knee the bully in the groin as Em and Rose had taught her. According to those two former Harvey Girls, now married to her cousins, they’d had to resort to it a time or two. Of course if she failed, it might turn this colossus into a raging bull.

Her vulnerable situation was interrupted by the tinkle of the bell above the door. They all turned their heads toward the doorway where the sheriff stood with a drawn C--as in Colt-- in his hand. He obviously was of her Uncle Flint’s school of persuasion.

Even though she was at odds with the sheriff, Lily had never been so glad to see anyone in her life. She heaved a sigh of relief when her attacker dropped his arms and smirked at the lawman.

“Admiring and molesting are two different things, stranger. What’s your name?”

“Jake Banner, and I ain’t touched her. Did I, sister?” he said, turning to Lily.

“Didn’t look that way to me,” the sheriff said. “You want to tell me what happened here, Miss MacKenzie?”

“Mr. Banner owes seventy-five cents for the dinner he ate and has refused to pay it unless I kiss him,” Lily said. Banner gave her a dark glare.

“Pay her what you owe her, Mr. Banner,” the sheriff ordered, and slid the Colt back into the holster on his hip. To Lily’s thinking that was a mistake.

Banner snorted and advanced toward the sheriff. “I don’t figure you’re gonna shoot me over six bits.”

“Maybe not, Mr. Banner, but a night in jail will teach you that as long as I’m sheriff women are safe in this town. Let’s go.”

Banner swung a balled fist at the sheriff. The lawman ducked and delivered a blow to the bully’s solar plexus. Grunting, Banner’s beefy jaw dropped and he doubled over, clutching his stomach. The sheriff followed through with an uppercut to the jaw that sent Banner staggering backward, but he stayed on his feet.

With a feral growl Banner lowered his head and charged forward like a snorting bull. He clasped his mammoth arms around the sheriff, and both men toppled to the floor. Pinned down by Banner’s weight, and his arms locked in the viselike grip of the huge man, the sheriff could not break the hold the brute had on him. Banner began to squeeze the breath out of the sheriff.

Lily was not one to stand by idly. She looked for a weapon, spied a nearby pitcher of ice water and, without hesitation, picked it up, rushed over to the two fallen men, and dumped the icy water over Banner’s head.

He let out a yelp of shock and loosened his hold on the sheriff. Before Banner could do more than raise his head, Lily delivered the coup de gráce--she conked him on the head with the heavy glass pitcher. Felled by the blow, Banner lay outstretched.

The sheriff got to his feet and stared down at his adversary. Banner’s hair and face dripped with water and chunks of ice were scattered over him and the floor.

“No, Miss MacKenzie, but one would have to say that you knocked him cold.”

A distracting, wide grin that changed the sheriff’s usually grim look into a boyish one rocked her back on her heels. Darn the man. As annoying as he was, he did this to her all the time. Well ha! It might work on those other giggling girls standing in the corner, but not on her. Between her brothers and male cousins, she’d had to withstand engaging grins her whole life.

“That should teach Mr. Banner that you don’t mess with a MacKenzie,” Lily declared. She hoped the sheriff got the message, too: Lily Angelica MacKenzie does not fall prey to any appealing grin.

“I’ve come to learn that, Miss MacKenzie,” Sheriff Delaney said. He cuffed Banner’s hands behind his back and got the dazed man to his feet. “Thank you for your assistance, ma’am. Ladies,” he added, with a nod to the other girls. Then he tipped a finger to his Stetson and departed.

The other Harvey girls rushed to the window. “Oh, isn’t he wonderful,” Alice exclaimed. “And he’s so courageous.”

Lily moved to the doorway and watched the sheriff haul his prisoner to the jail. “And so stupid! Easy to tell he’s not from Texas.”

Appalled, Alice stared at her. “Lily, how can you say that? Sheriff Delaney just saved you from that horrible man’s vile clutches.”

“Vile clutches! Alice dear, you’ve got to stop reading those ridiculous Beadle’s Dime Novels.”

Incredibly sweet, the young girl was from a small farm town in Illinois. Although her blond curly hair and green eyes attracted the local bachelors like a magnet, she was a naïve romantic who passed up the real men who tried to woe her to instead spend her every free moment reading fictitious exploits of Western heroes from ten-cent novels.

On the other hand, dark-haired Clara was a direct contrast to Alice. She’d fallen in love and became engaged to the son of the local banker. They were to wed in less than two weeks.

“Why do you say the sheriff’s stupid, Lily?” Clara challenged. “He did get you out of a bad situation.”

“Maybe so, but he had the guy on the wrong end of a Colt and didn’t take advantage of it. Texas mamas don’t raise their sons to be that dumb.”

However, Lily had to admit to herself that since his arrival in Lamy, Sheriff Grady Delaney had had his work cut out for him. Unfortunately, the town always attracted drifters and troublemakers passing through on their way to the thriving city of Santa Fe, only eighteen miles away; and he was doing a pretty good job of keeping the peace.

But even though Sheriff Delaney had his hands full with this unlawful element, Lily had her own problem with him--his neglect of his three children. Since he and his children’s arrival the month before, she had confronted him time and time again with this issue. Raised on the Triple M, where every child was nurtured with loving care, Lily felt an ache in her heart every time she thought of the three motherless children.

“Lily MacKenzie, if you’re so fond of Texas why did you ever leave it?” Clara asked, her blue eyes flashing with merriment.

That was a question Lily had been asking herself ever since she left the Triple M.

“It’s this way, ladies. My brother Cole is married. My cousins Kitty, Josh, and Zach are married, and six months ago, my sister Linda married the last remaining handsome bachelor in Calico. That left me, my cousin Sarah and my brother Jeb the only single MacKenzies on the Triple M. Jeb went off and joined the Texas Rangers as soon as he recovered from the wounds he sustained in Cuba. Sarah has declared from the time she learned to talk that she never intends to sell herself into the slavery of marriage, and, as for me, ladies, I’m twenty-two years old and tired of bouncing my siblings’ and cousins’ offspring on my knee. The only prospects for a husband in Calico are forty-eight-year-old Ezra Wilkins, a widowed hog farmer with seven children, or the funeral director, Silas Pritchard, who has to have been the prototype for Mr. Washington Irving’s Ichabod Crane. So I decided as long as I was doomed to spinsterhood, I’d have some excitement in life. My cousins Josh and Zach married former Harvey Girls, and after I listened to Em and Rose relate their experiences working for Mr. Harvey, I decided it was the very excitement I needed.”

Lily sighed. “Yes, it certainly has been.” But what she had come to realize in the past six months was that it really wasn’t excitement she was seeking--it was a husband and a family. Since she hadn’t found that man of her dreams, she had decided to go home.

There was just a skeleton crew here in Lamy. In a week this Harvey House would close permanently and Mr. Harvey was moving them to the larger one in Santa Fe. But she was so homesick for the Triple M that it would be a logical time to quit and return home. Trouble was, she had wanted to go home with a husband. She wouldn’t find him in Calico, Texas—that’s for sure.

Lily snapped herself out of the musing and closed the door. “All right, ladies, let’s get this place in order. The train will arrive in thirty minutes.”

In keeping with the tradition of pious young women, excellent cuisine and gracious elegance--the hallmark that had earned the Harvey Houses a reputation for helping to tame the West--the three women immediately set to work putting white tablecloths, crystal glasses and fine silverware on the tables in preparation for the thirty passengers due to arrive on the next train.

Dressed in their crisp uniforms, the three Harvey Girls were in front of the restaurant waiting to greet the arrivals when the train pulled into the station. After seating the diners they hustled efficiently about serving thirty dinners of tomato consommé, baked salmon fillets, wild rice and freshly baked hot rolls. Coffee, tea, or milk was offered as a beverage, or a glass of white wine to the more bon vivant. A sumptuous dessert of a meringue shell filled with lemon pudding topped off the meal, and by the time the train pulled out forty minutes later, every diner had been properly fed.

As soon as they finished cleaning up for the day, the rest of the crew departed. Lily was about to lock up when she looked out the window and saw the three Delaney children approaching the Harvey House. Eight-year-old Andy and seven-year-old Betsy were each holding a hand of their younger brother. A grayish yellow mongrel trailed at their heels. The two older children were appealing enough, but it was three-year-old Mit who tugged the most at her heartstrings. The little tyke had his father’s dark hair, brown eyes, and engaging grin.

She went to the back door to greet them. Their threadbare clothing and scuffed shoes were in the same state as the children’s soiled faces and disheveled hair.

Mit’s face split in a wide grin as soon as he saw her. He ran up to Lily and hugged her around the knees.

“Hello, sweetheart, she said, and picked him up. The youngster never spoke but would cling to her. Lily held him as she smiled at the other two children. “How are the two of you today?”

“Okay,” Andy said, kicking up puffs of dust that succeeded in adding a fresh coat to his already scruffy shoes.

The girl looked at her with a glimmer of resentment in her blue eyes. “I’m okay.”

Lily couldn’t understand what she had said or done to warrant Betsy’s dislike, but the young girl always appeared hostile toward her.

“And how are you doing, Brutus?” The hound wagged its tail in anticipation. The dog knew what to expect as well as she did.

Lily smiled tolerantly. The youngsters had gotten in the habit of coming there for something to eat, and Andy always used the same excuse. To spare his pride, she went along with the ruse, but at her request the chef always made a little extra for them. No child would go hungry as long as there was breath in Lily MacKenzie’s body.

“Matter of fact, Andy, there’s a nice big bone I’ve been saving for him. Are you children hungry?” Lily asked. “We have some salmon left over from tonight’s dinner. I hate to see it go to waste.”

Lily nodded toward a backyard pump. “Tell you what--the three of you go over to the pump and, after you clean yourselves up, we’ll sit down and have something to eat.”

It was a ritual they knew by rote. They grabbed the towel and brush she handed them and returned a few minutes later free of dust and grime, their hair neatly brushed.

Lily gave Brutus a bone and the dog stretched out on the back stoop to gnaw on it. For the next thirty minutes Lily sat down with the children and watched with pleasure as they gobbled up the food. Suspecting they did not get a decent meal at home Lily made a point of seeing they got a balanced one there. In addition, from the condition of their worn clothing, she doubted the children had too many occasions to sample the extravagance of desserts at mealtime, so she always made certain they got a dessert to eat with the glass of milk she made each of them drink.

When they finished, Andy and Betsy thanked her politely. Little Mit gave her a hug and kiss. Lily’s smile lingered as she watched the three children trudge down the road, Andy and Betsy once again each holding a hand of their little brother as the dog followed.

Her smile faded when she saw the sheriff approach the children. She was too far away to hear what was being said, but it appeared the children were getting a tongue-lashing from him. He picked up Mit and the other two hurried after him.

Lily wanted to race down the street and tell him what she thought of his actions. Life was so unfair, not only to those poor motherless children but to her, too. What she would give to have such adorable children. How she would love and nurture them if they were hers. While their father . . . he just neglected them.

“Okay, you kids wash up and get into your nightclothes,” Grady said a short time later. “As soon as I finish up in the kitchen here, I’ll read to you.”

Grady grinned as he watched them scamper off. They were such good kids, and he was so proud of them. “And, Andy, make sure that Mit is clean behind the ears,” he called out.

He’d just sat down when Betsy came running back. Dressed in a nightgown and her cheeks scrubbed to a rosy glow, she handed him a hairbrush and then held out her hands for his inspection.

“Very good, pumpkin,” he said. “A lady must always keep her fingers and nails clean and neat.”

“Yes, Daddy.” She looked at him with an adoring smile that always tugged at his heartstrings.

“That’s my gal,” he said, and kissed the tip of her pert little turned-up nose. Then he began to brush her tousled hair, making sure he didn’t pull too hard on the curly snarls. By the time he finished, the boys had joined them and he did the same to them.

Thirty minutes later Grady closed the book he’d been reading to the children and laid it aside. “Time to go to bed.”

He picked up Mit, who had fallen asleep in his lap, and carried him to the bed. For a long moment Grady stared down at the sleeping child, then bent over and kissed him on the forehead.

“You children really had me worried when I came home to make your supper and found you gone,” he said as he tucked the blankets around his eldest son.

“I’ve told you I want you kids to come straight home after school. You’re the eldest, Andy. I depend upon you and Brutus to take care of your sister and brother. This town is wild and you never know what could happen.”

“Not as long as you’re sheriff, Daddy. You’re the best sheriff in the world,” Betsy declared.

“We can’t stay in the house all the time, Daddy,” Andy said. “If this town is so bad, why did you come here to be sheriff?”

“Because the pay’s good, son.” Grady clasped Andy’s hand between his own. “I know it’s not a pleasant life for you kids. And you’ve got more responsibility than a boy your age should have. Just one more year, Andy, and I’ll have enough saved to put down on a ranch.”

Grady walked over to her and sat down on the edge of the bed. “You bet, pumpkin. We’ll have chickens and a couple horses. And you can have a garden too.”

“I love you, too, sweetheart.” He kissed her and tucked the blanket around her. “Now get to sleep.”

“Miss Jenkins told me to tell you that she doesn’t want Mit to come to school with me anymore. She says he’s too young and disruptured.”

“I’ll talk to Miss Jenkins tomorrow.” He kissed Andy on the cheek. “Good night, kids. Pleasant dreams.”

Brutus jumped up on the bed and stretched out at the feet of the children. “Take care of them, pal,” Grady said, patting the big mutt on the head. The dog remained motionless except for its wagging tail.

Grady returned to the jailhouse and sat down at his desk. His misery felt like a lead weight suspended over his head by a thin rope that had begun to unravel. He was at his wit’s end. He didn’t know what to do about the children. He had to leave them on their own so much, and their welfare was constantly on his mind. They had barely touched their supper again. Granted it was the third night in a row he had served them soup, but he couldn’t afford to waste it.

Since his arrival in Lamy he had tried to find someone willing to look after them during his working hours, but so far had been unsuccessful. The town attracted the worst element and the streets of Lamy were no place for young children. But the job paid well, and he needed the money if he hoped to ever be able to give them a decent upbringing.

Since Kate’s death, he had tried to be both mother and father to them, but had failed miserably. Poor little Mit had never known his mother’s soft voice or tender touch because she had died giving birth to him; but Andy and Betsy had, and he’d often heard them crying themselves to sleep because they missed her. At those times he wanted to join them, bawl his insides out. But tears wouldn’t bring Kate back.

He closed his eyes and tried to conjure up the sound of her voice . . . her laughter. It was becoming harder and harder. He could see her in his mind’s eye, but he couldn’t hear her.

Don’t leave us, Kate. We need you more than ever. He opened his eyes when the door suddenly burst open.

Lily MacKenzie closed the door and strode over to his desk, determination gleaming in those sapphire eyes of hers. He had to admit that physically she was a beautiful woman with those incredible eyes and soft-looking hair that made a man itch to reach out and curl one of those dark ringlets around a finger. He shook the provocative thoughts aside. What in hell was he thinking? He must be more tired than he thought. Miss Lily MacKenzie had the tongue of a shrew and was using it to whip him bloody with unfair accusations--allegations that his children ran wild and unkempt, and he let his children go hungry.

Granted their clothing was old and threadbare. He couldn’t afford to keep them in new clothes; they had to pass the clothing down from one to the other. But her claims that they were dirty was untrue; he always checked to make sure his children were clean and neat when they went off to school. He never heard such complaints from the school marm. And his kids didn’t run around like wild little heathens either.

Well, maybe the MacKenzie woman hadn’t accused them of being that bad, but she’d come mighty close. He’d taught them manners, and to always be respectful to their elders. Furthermore, he might not be the best cook in the world, but he sure as hell made sure his kids had a hot meal in their bellies. Why didn’t the woman just go about her own business and let him handle his?

Grady took a deep breath and prepared for the worst. “What can I do for you, Miss MacKenzie?”

She squared her shoulders and jutted that pert little chin of hers in the air. “It’s not what you can do for me, sir. It’s what you can do for your children.”

He couldn’t understand how a woman with the face of a saint could be so damn irritating. “Miss MacKenzie, we’ve had this discussion before and I have repeatedly told you, ma’am, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Exactly!” she declared, with a triumphant smirk. “That is the problem, sir.”

His head was pounding, his body was aching from the earlier tussle with Jake Banner, and he was too weary emotionally to go through another bout with this meddlesome female--no matter what she looked like.

“Ma’am, no one is more aware of the unfortunate conditions of my children’s lives than I.” He walked to the door and opened it. “It’s quite late, would you like me to see you safely home?”

“As you wish. You are one stubborn female. If you’ll excuse me, I have work to do. Remember to close the door on your way out.” He grabbed his Stetson off a hook and departed.

Remember to close the door on your way out! She remembered all right--Lily slammed it as hard as she could on her way out.

She was mad. Downright, bull-stomping mad! How dare he just walk out and leave her standing there. Oh, the man was so rude! Her intention had been to have a calm, intelligent conversation with him--possibly try to work out a solution that would benefit the children--until that overbearing attitude of his blew away all her noble intentions.

Why had she even expected anything better from him? The man was so self-absorbed it was a wonder he didn’t look in a mirror every time he passed one. In addition to which, he walked around as if he were carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. Did he actually expect her to feel sorry for him? The ones she felt sorry for were those three neglected children of his. But he made it clear that he did not want to be reminded of them.

Well, Sheriff Grady Delaney had not seen or heard the last on the subject from her. A MacKenzie hadn’t been born who’d ever turn their back on a child in need.

As she strode up the street, she glanced behind and saw that the sheriff had fallen in about a half block behind her. He obviously was making sure she got back safely. It made her angrier. No matter what she said, there was no changing his mind

As soon as she got to her room, Lily undressed and went to bed. Unfortunately, she couldn’t fall asleep and tossed restlessly in bed. She couldn’t get the children’s plight out of her mind, her heart heavy with the worry of what would become of them when she left Lamy in a couple of weeks. And to her further distress, those sorrowful brown eyes of Grady Delaney kept intruding on her misgivings.

The next morning as the breakfast train arrived, Lily’s thoughts were still on the previous night’s confrontation with Sheriff Delaney. Try as she might, she couldn’t put this latest incident out of her mind. Her preoccupation was suddenly interrupted when she was grasped from behind and lifted off her feet in a bear hug.

Delight surged through her. “Cole, put me down,” she ordered. She turned around to greet her handsome brother. At the sight of him she felt a rush of homesickness. It was so good to see a face from home. Six months was a long time.

“I got stuck going to St. Louis on some Triple M business and I promised Mom I’d stop to make sure you were okay.”

“Of course. We’ll be closing up the Harvey House in a week. I’ve decided to come home for good.”

“That’s great news. Mom and Dad will be glad to hear it.” He grinned at her, a familiar devilment gleaming in his eyes. “Coming back alone?”

Lily blushed in annoyance and put her hands on her hips. She wanted to groan aloud. Her brothers and male cousins would never let her live it down. “Who said I was looking for one?”

“That’s the last time I’ll ever confide in your wife or our dear cousin Sarah.”

“Sarah will be happy you’re coming home to stay, and she’s announced she has no intentions of ever getting married.”

“Sarah’s married to the Triple M--we all know that. Sit down. While you have breakfast you can tell me all the news from home.”

She hung on avidly to every word he had to say, but too soon it was time for the train to depart, and as they walked outside Cole slipped his arm around her shoulders.

“Tell everyone hello for me and give that daughter of yours a big hug and kiss from her aunt Lily.”

The departing train sounded a final warning whistle. Sorry I couldn’t stay longer, Lil.” He gave her a big hug and kissed her cheek. “Be good.”

“I always am,” she said, beginning to choke up as she watched him board the train. She felt an urge to climb on after him.

With a whistle and a spurt of steam, the train began to pull away. “Ever think that might be your problem,” Cole called out. “Loosen up, gal.”

She waved back and stood on the platform until the train was out of sight. “Luv, ya,” she murmured. Then she brushed aside the tears that had mysteriously appeared on her cheeks. Shoulders slumped, she went back inside.

Grady was just approaching the Harvey House when Lily came out of the restaurant with a tall stranger who had his arm around her. He stepped into a doorway where he could watch them unobserved. They were obviously close friends and, after they spoke a few words, the guy hugged and kissed her then boarded the train. She remained on the platform until the train was out of sight, and then dabbed at her eyes and went back inside.

It was clear to him that the two were more than just friends. He couldn’t recall ever seeing the guy in town. So she had a sweetheart--or maybe the man was her husband. If she was married, she didn’t wear a wedding ring. What the hell difference did it make to him anyway? He had more to worry about than Miss--or Mrs.--Lily MacKenzie’s love life.

He’d intended to apologize to her for his rudeness last night, but instead, he turned around and headed back to the jail. Besides, if her sweetheart just left town and she was feeling down in the dumps, he’d be the last person she’d want to see.

As soon as they finished work, Lily and the other girls went to the dressmaker’s for a final fitting on their gowns for Clara’s wedding, and then she went back to her room and wrote a couple letters. Cole’s visit had been so short, it had just made her more homesick than ever. When she finished, Lily felt too restless to stay cooped up in her room, so she picked up the letters and left to post them.

On her way back from the post office, to her delight Lily saw Betsy Delaney peering in the window of one of the stores. Much to her surprise, the young girl was neatly groomed.

“Where are your brothers, honey?” It was unusual to see her without the other two and Brutus.

The girl’s rapt attention remained on a frothy, ruffled gown of white organdy displayed in the window. The dress was much too fussy for Betsy, whose youthful, patrician beauty would best be complimented by a softer fabric and less frills, but to the seven-year-old the dress probably looked like something out of a fairy tale.

“Isn’t it beautiful, ma’am? I bet it’s the most beautifulest dress in the whole world,” the awestruck girl said.

“Boy, if I had a dress like that for the school play, I’d really look like a fairy.”

“You’re in the Christmas play! Betsy, how wonderful. What part do you play?”

“I’m a Christmas Fairy. Miss Jenkins made a crown for my head and a wand to carry.”

“Well, I’ll be sure to come to see it. Here comes your family now,” Lily said when she saw the three approaching figures.

As soon as Mit saw her he broke free and ran to her. Lily picked him up and kissed him on the cheek, then smiled at Andy, and tousled his hair.

Her heart felt heavy in her chest as Lily watched them walk away. Then she entered the store.

The next day was Thursday and throughout the day she kept a watchful eye for the children. When it became apparent they were not coming that day, and with the school play scheduled for Friday, Lily picked up the dress box and headed for the small house the town provided for the sheriff and his family.

To her regret Grady Delaney opened the door in response to her knock. At the sight of her, his look of displeasure was embarrassing to her.

“No, she’s at school practicing for the Christmas play they’re presenting tomorrow night.”

“Yes, she told me all about it.” She handed him the box. “Will you give this to her when she gets home?”

“I couldn’t resist it, Sheriff Delaney. She said she was playing a fairy princess in the play and--“

He shoved the box back at her. “I understand. I suggest you return it because I will not let Betsy accept your charity, Miss MacKenzie.”

“But, Sheriff, it’s just a dress--and if you would have seen the longing in her eyes--“

Once again he interrupted her. “My daughter does not have to accept your charity, Miss MacKenzie. She has a dress that will do fine.”

He was being so unreasonable, she wanted to scream. “Can’t you understand what it means to a little girl to yearn for something beautiful, and then, like a miracle, she gets it.”

“You bet I understand, and I want it to end right now. If you’ve got a fairy godmother, lady, count your blessings, but don’t try and play one to my kids. I learned a long time ago there’s no Santa Claus, Easter Bunny, or Tooth Fairy, Miss MacKenzie, and as for the Thanksgiving turkey, it ends up in a roasting pan.”

“Oh, you are a nasty individual, Sheriff. Do you take pleasure in being this unpleasant? You sound no better than that brute Jake Banner you locked up for using his strength to molest women.”

“Maybe I should start locking up a certain woman for using her accusing tongue to molest men.”

Lily shook her head in utter confusion. “I can’t understand your hostility, Sheriff Delaney. Do you really see me as such a menace? I adore your children. I mean them no harm.”

“I’m proud of how my children accept the circumstances of their hard lives, Miss MacKenzie, and as well-intentioned as your charity may be it’s only fleeting, and more of a reminder of what they don’t have. Even now, as much as they’ve grown to love you, you’ll be leaving soon and they’ll have to deal with another disappointment. So why prolong it? I prefer you stay away from them for your remaining time here.”

His words took all the fight out of her. In truth, she felt closer to tears. How could he be that cruel?

Swallowing a sob of despair, she raised her head. “Sheriff Delaney, there are events in life that can cause some people to turn bitter and cruel. Then there are those who are born just downright mean. I think you are an example of the second and won’t be satisfied until you turn your children into the first.”

For what it was worth, this time Lily had the pleasure of walking away, but she could feel his stare right smack on the middle of her back as she continued up the street, dabbing at the tears stinging her cheeks.

She spent a very miserable night fretting over the sheriff’s words and came to one conclusion: despite his wishes, she would not avoid the children for the few days she had remaining in Lamy.

The next day the Harvey House served its last meal prior to moving to Santa Fe, and in another week, following Clara’s wedding, Lily would be leaving Lamy for good. It was too bad Sheriff Delaney Grady had to make this final week so unpleasant for her, because with the idle time on her hands she could have spent time with the children. It gave her greater cause to really dislike the man.

That evening she attended the school play. Although the gown Betsy wore was clean and starched, the dress showed its wear. Nevertheless, white fluffy gown or not, Betsy performed brilliantly and Lily’s heart swelled with pride as much as any mother’s in the audience.

She admitted painfully to herself that she wasn’t Betsy’s mother, and after a word of congratulation to Lamay’s little Christmas fairy--with the child’s father standing nearby like a watchful sentinel--Lily went back to her room.

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