A Dogtown Christmas (Oklahoma Lovers 4.50)

“Good.”

Mrs. Beeker was sound asleep when they put on their coats. Emily went to her mother and kissed her on the cheek. “Bye, Ma. I hope you feel better soon.”

She opened her eyes and reached up to cup her daughter’s cheek. “You be good for Aunt Suzie. Tell her I’ll be by to fetch you when I’m feeling better.” She rose up on one elbow and looked at Mitch and Priscilla. “Thank you so much for doing this. I’m relieved to have Emily go to my sister’s.”

“We’re happy to do it. Just take care of yourself and drink a lot of water and eat a lot of that soup.” Priscilla wrapped her scarf around her neck, and checked Emily to make sure the girl was warm enough. “Come on, let’s go.”

The air had turned considerably colder while they’d been in the house. The first snowflakes fell as they entered the buggy and headed north toward the Milken farm. Emily was bundled up between her and Mitch, with the blanket wrapped around all three of them.

Mitch glanced again at the sky. The snow was falling harder, and he was beginning to worry about dropping Emily off and getting back to town. If the snow started to accumulate, it would be near impossible for the horses to pull the buggy. He sighed with relief when he saw smoke coming from Emily’s Aunt Suzie’s house close by.

“I’m just going to walk her in. We won’t have time to dawdle with the snow falling as fast as it is.” Mitch helped Emily down and grabbed her satchel. Hurrying her to the door, he knocked and was grateful when Suzie answered the door right away.

“My goodness, Mitch, what are you doing here with Emily in this weather?”

“I can’t stay. I have the new teacher, Miss Cochran, in the buggy. We have to get back to town. Martha is down with influenza, and she wanted me to bring Emily here so you can take care of her until she’s feeling better.”

“Oh, of course. Come on in, honey,” the woman said, wrapping her arm around Emily. She drew the child to her. “You best be on your way. It’s getting pretty bad out there.”

Mitch nodded and strode back to the buggy, his feet slipping out from under him. This wasn’t good. They still had a good forty-minute ride back to town, and that was without the snow. It would be better if he took another route that was shorter, opposite of the Beeker farm.

“Everything all right?” Priscilla asked as he settled in alongside her.

“As right as could be. For Emily, anyway. It’s going to be a tough ride for us.” He snapped the reins and the horses took off, the buggy already sliding as he continued down the road.

Within fifteen minutes he could not see the road, and the horses were having a hard time keeping the buggy moving forward. The snow fell so hard, he wasn’t even sure he was going in the right direction. “I think we’re in trouble here.”

“I think so, too. Are we anywhere near Emily’s house? Can we stay there until the snow stops?”

He shook his head. “No. I took a different route that would be faster, but it also took us away from the Beeker farm. If I remember correctly, there’s an abandoned hunting lodge somewhere in this area. It will be hard to spot, but give it a try on your side and I’ll keep an eye out here.”

If they didn’t find the lodge they would be in a lot of trouble. People had died in these circumstances. It was hard to believe they could be so close to civilization and still freeze to death.

“I think I see something!” Priscilla pointed to the right.

He stared through the snow and blinked several times. “Yes. You’re right.” With a sigh of relief he steered the buggy toward the small cabin. He had no idea if there was wood for a fire or any food there, but at least they would be out of the snow.

The buggy slid to a stop near the cabin. Mitch helped Priscilla out of the vehicle. “Go on inside. I’ll put the horses in that small shed over there.” He pointed to the rickety stable. It wouldn’t provide a great deal of comfort for the horses, but at least they would be out of the snow and wind.

By the time he reached the cabin after taking care of the horses, the snow had already drifted up to the door, making it difficult to open. Priscilla still had her coat and hat on, but was bending over the fireplace, trying to light kindling with shaky hands.

“Here, let me do that.” He rubbed his hands together and blew warm breath on them, then took the flint from her hand and lit the kindling. “Do we have logs?”

“Yes, they’re over in that box by the window.”

He threw two logs on the fire and searched the rest of the house. There was an old bed that he took the mattress from and dragged near the fire.

Two woolen blankets were added to the pile while Priscilla stood running her palms up and down her arms. “I’ll check the kitchen to see if there’s any food.”

She turned up some canned meat, a jar of green beans, and a tin of peaches. “Well, this won’t be as spectacular as the Thanksgiving feast we had a couple of weeks ago, but it will fill our stomachs.” She handed the cans to Mitch who punctured the tops with his knife.

“What about Ian? Will he be all right by himself?”

“He knows enough to close the store when the snow started. He’ll take the walk home before it gets too bad. He’s a pretty self-reliant kid.” Mitch poked the blazing fire with a stick. “I guess he had to be, growing up with no mother.”

Priscilla found a few cracked dishes in the cupboard and arranged the food on the plates and set them on the mattress next to where Mitch stood, leaning his forearm on the mantle.

“Come and eat. It will warm you up.” She settled on the mattress, her legs tucked under her.