The Christmas Bargain Read Online Free PDF

clothes and tattered state. Instead, they offered her food, shelter and friendship. Tears clogged her throat and stung the backs of her eyes.
    There was nothing she could ever do to repay the Dodds, or Luke Granger, for what they had given her. Freedom was beyond a price. As was friendship.
    Finishing the alterations on the first dress out of the basket, Philamena looked up when Abby waddled out of the bedroom, looking rested and tired at the same time. Abby studied Philamena’s handiwork and nodded her approval.
    “You’re very good with a needle,” Abby said, surprised by Philamena’s skill. She was a skilled seamstress if the work she’d just finished was any indication. “You did a fine job on this dress.”
    Philamena blushed, unaccustomed to any praise. “My mama taught me to sew. We used to spend many hours sitting by the fire, sewing and talking.”
    Abby placed a warm hand on Philamena’s shoulder. “She sounds like she was a wonderful mother.”
    “She was,” Philamena whispered, biting the inside of her cheek to keep the tears from falling from her eyes. Forced to bottle up her emotions for so long, she felt like they now might spill over at any moment.
    “I hope I’ll be a good mama,” Abby said, lowering herself to a chair with a sigh. She picked up a soft green wool gown and threaded a needle.
    “I’m sure you will be,” Philamena said, smiling at her new friend.
    Abby beamed at her, then set to work on the gown. She could smell the roast in the oven and the bread rising. Maybe letting Luke have Philamena wasn’t such a good idea, after all. She could certainly use her help here with the baby coming soon. 
    Smiling to herself, she knew that for whatever reason Chauncy was all for this marriage, so she would do everything she could to encourage it.
    “When is your little one due to arrive?” Philamena finally asked, not sure her question was proper or not, but curious when Abby would welcome the baby.
    “Middle of December, as close as we can guess,” Abby said, stopping her sewing for a moment. “Maybe we’ll have a Christmas baby.”
    “Maybe,” Philamena said, thinking that babies born close to the holiday had to be extra-special.
    The afternoon passed as quickly as the morning. Abby had a way of drawing her out of her shell and into conversation. It was soon time to get supper on the table. Between the two of them, four altered dressed were now hanging in the wardrobe in Philamena’s room.
    When Chauncy opened the door, it was to the sound of women’s laughter as Abby buttered hot rolls and Philamena sliced the roast.
    “Well, now, if that isn’t a welcome sound, I don’t know what is,” he said cheerfully as he came in the back door, hanging his coat and hat on pegs put there for just that purpose.
    When Philamena turned and saw Chauncy, she quickly ducked her head and grew silent. Abby patted her on the back and they continued with the meal preparations.
    Pouring three tall glasses of milk, Chauncy set the glasses on the table while Philamena helped carry over platters of food. Chauncy asked a blessing on the food that again had Philamena’s eyes filling with tears.
      Once the food was passed around, Chauncy asked about their day and how the wardrobe was progressing. He talked about his plans to visit some of the folks on ranches south of town the next day and asked Abby if she’d mind packing a lunch for him to take along.
    The evening was spent by the cozy fire in the front room. Chauncy read a book while the two women worked on more gown alterations.
    Cuddling down into the soft comfort of her bed in the guest room later that evening, Philamena felt blessed for the first time in many, many years.
     

Chapter Three
     
    Luke breathed in deeply of the crisp morning air and held it in his lungs before releasing it. Straightening his shoulders, he pushed open the door to the town’s only restaurant and walked to his usual table.
    He didn’t have long to wait before the