“That’s it. He said the kids were out there alone and hungry, but it doesn’t matter. They’ll find food, or maybe they won’t. It’s not your problem. Why don’t you stay in bed, and I’ll bring you up a tray? I’m quite handy in the kitchen. I—”
“The children are alone? With no food?”
“That’s what he said. How about some nice hot chocolate? Or maybe—”
“I’m going to them,” Nellie said, getting off the bed.
“I don’t think you should. After all, they’re just a bunch of kids. Who cares if they starve or not?”
“I care. Do you know where they are in Journada?”
“In one of the shacks. Nellie, you can’t go out there all alone.”
“I must. The children can’t be left alone. I guess Father took the buggy, so I’ll have to rent one.”
Berni sighed, trying to hide a smile. “If you are determined to go, then you could borrow my carriage.”
“You wouldn’t mind?”
“No, of course not. I’ll prepare a food basket while you go to the stables and get it.”
As soon as Nellie was out of the house Berni got her emerald magic wand from her trunk and waved it over the bed. A large basket appeared. “Now, what to eat?” she murmured, then she waved her wand and a couple of Cornish hens, wrapped in bacon and stuffed with bread crumbs and preserved fruit, appeared.
She had a great time conjuring up food, then bottles of wine. She added a damask table cloth, Limoges china, and heavy silverware. Leaning back in her chair, sipping on brandy-laced coffee, she directed everything into the basket. Of course it wouldn’t all fit, so she had to put a little spell on the basket, then a second spell when she realized the basket weighed over a hundred pounds.
“They’ll never notice,” Berni said. “Lovers always think everything is magic. A bell rings and they think it’s because of them. A small basket produces an endless quantity of food and no doubt they’ll take it in stride.”
She directed the basket to float down the stairs ahead if her and only just grabbed it as Nellie entered the room. Nellie had the buggy waiting, ready to go off to save the hungry children.
“Good luck,” Berni called after her as Nellie took off. Berni went back to the parlor, pulled her magic wand out of her pocket, and waved it. The end of the parlor disappeared, and she could see the train depot. Jace Montgomery was standing before the ticket window.
“I’m sorry, sir,” the ticket agent was saying, “but you’ve missed the train.”
“Missed it? I’m fifteen minutes early.”
The agent looked at the clock on the wall behind him, then at his pocket watch. “That’s true.” He frowned. “I don’t think the train’s ever been early before. Late, yes, but never early.”
“When’s the next train?” Jace snapped.
“It’s…” The agent trailed off as he looked at the schedule. “That’s odd. Usually there’s a train through here every thirty minutes, but today there isn’t another train for four hours.” He looked at Jace and shrugged. “Maybe it’s because it’s Christmas Eve.”
“Some Christmas!” Jace muttered. He grabbed his case and started back to the hotel. What he wanted to do was get drunk, so drunk he wouldn’t remember ever having been to Chandler, Colorado.
Berni waved her wand and Jace disappeared. Another wave and she saw Terel in a Denver store fighting a tough-looking woman for a silk blouse. The store clerks looked ready to drop from exhaustion as they tried to wait on the hundreds of pushing women.
“I may have overdone it on the sales,” Berni said, but she waved her wand so she saw the Denver street. “Now, Terel dear, who can we find for you? Someone you deserve, but someone who will make you happy.” She scanned the street until she saw an old buckboard. In the back were six kids, three of whom were rolling about trying to kill one another. On the seat in front was a big, dirty, but good-looking, farmer who ignored the kids.
“Well, well, well, just who are you?” She reached into the air to retrieve a computer printout. “John Tyler,” she read. “Thirty-two years old, widower with six illiterate, loud kids. Raises pigs. Very poor, will always be poor. Good heart. Vigorous in bed.”
Berni looked back at the man as he got down from the wagon seat. “Not bad. Not bad at all.” She looked at the kids. They were a handsome bunch, even if they were as dirty as the pigs they raised. “Just what Terel needs: someone to think of besides herself. A few years of cooking and cleaning and washing should teach her a little humility.”
She waved her wand and the picture split down the middle, Terel on one side, John Tyler on the other.
“Okay, kids,” Berni said, popping a chocolate into her mouth. “Meet and fall in love. Don’t just fall in love; fall madly, passionately in love forever. Got it?”
She waved her wand and Terel dropped the blouse she was looking at and started for the front door of the store, while John Tyler turned away from the feed store and headed toward Terel. “Terel Tyler,” Berni murmured. “It could be worse.”
She waved her wand again, and this time she meant to take care of Charles. He had always been so penny-pinching, so afraid to spend any money, that he’d forced his eldest daughter practically into slavery.