Winter's Night Read Online Free PDF

to her since he’d run off. She’d moved to a new town, started her own restaurant and boardinghouse, and created a respectable life for her and her four-year-old daughter, Diana.
    Last summer, after the yellow fever epidemic, she and Rebecca had taken in five of the town of Redwood’s orphans.
    A lot had happened.
    Rebecca sidled up to her and took the pot from her hands to dry it. “So, tell me, if not a gorgeous St. Nick to come knocking on the door, what do you want for Christmas?”
    â€œOh, I don’t know,” Catherine said as she reached to wash a pan. “I guess if I had my druthers, I’d like for our money to be returned. It bothers me that someone would steal from the children right before Christmas.”
    Rebecca agreed. “I know how much you wanted to spend it on them. It’s such a shame. I can’t imagine what kind of monster could so something so terrible.”
    Neither did she.
    They didn’t speak for a few minutes. Only the sound of sloshing water and clanging dishes broke the silence as they worked.
    All of a sudden, the hair on the back of Catherine’s neck stood up. Turning her head, she saw Rebecca staring at her.
    â€œWhat?” she asked.
    â€œIs that really all you want for Christmas?”
    Catherine handed her another pan to dry. “Why, yes. I’m quite happy with everything else.”
    Rebecca arched a questioning brow.
    â€œI am,” Catherine insisted.
    â€œMethinks the lady doth protest too much,” Rebecca said, putting the pan away. “Can you truly tell me that you haven’t once given thought to having a handsome man come sweep you off your feet?”
    Catherine laughed halfheartedly. “I already had that happen, and I must say I found the experience less than desirable.”
    Rebecca shook her head. “You know, I came to work here almost four years ago and never in that time have I heard you speak of your husband. That is who you’re talking about, isn’t it?”
    Catherine nodded, refusing to meet Rebecca’s inquisitive brown-eyed stare as she moved to pump more water into the sink. “There isn’t much to tell.”
    Rebecca nudged her away from the pump and took up the motion. “Come on, Catherine. All the children are in bed for the night. Why not open up a little?”
    Catherine buried her hands back in the suds and sighed. “What do you want me to tell you? Plain preacher’s daughter fell in love with the gorgeous stranger who came to work for her father’s ranch? He married her a month after they first met, took her off to Nevada, and left her the first chance he got.”
    â€œThat’s it?”
    â€œThat’s it.”
    Rebecca paused. Her brown eyes darkened in anger. “I’ll never understand a man who could do something so cold-blooded or mean.”
    â€œMe either,” she whispered under her breath.
    â€œI don’t see how you stand it.”
    Catherine shrugged. “I got used to it. Five years gave me time to lay aside my hatred. Besides, I have Diana to think about. I’m the only parent she has and I decided on the day she was born that I would never mention his name or dwell on what he did to us.”
    â€œWell, I respect you for that. Me, I wouldn’t have rested until I found the polecat and skinned him alive.”
    Catherine relished the image of her husband’s tawny skin being flayed from him as he screamed for mercy. Now that Rebecca mentioned it, she did rather enjoy the thought of him being skinned. It would certainly serve him right. “You know, I do want something after all.”
    â€œAnd that is?”
    Catherine scrubbed her pot with renewed vigor, wishing it were her husband’s head she held beneath the water. “I wish I could lay eyes on him one last time to tell him what a no-good, lousy, rabid dog he was for leaving me.”
    â€œThat’s my girl.” Rebecca laughed