A Christmas Spark (Hudson House Holiday #2)

Chapter Nine

“I ’m so tired. Can’t we rest for just a little while?” Sarah asked as they flopped onto the comfortable overstuffed chairs in the sitting room.

The last guest had just left from the luncheon the family had held to honor all the estate staff. After lunch, every child received a personalized gift, while envelopes with colorful sleigh-scene Christmas cards and a twenty-dollar bonus tucked inside were given to the adults. Every family was also given a basket of oranges. The tradition of gifting oranges had started with the first Christmas celebration in 1892 and was something the staff looked forward to receiving each holiday season.

“Ten minutes, then Mama needs us to help clean up the dining room so the staff can prepare it for tomorrow’s lunch with family,” Kase said as he stretched out his legs and rubbed at the ache in his thigh. It felt like he’d been on his feet since the moment he’d risen from bed that morning. Despite the discomfort, he was having a grand time.

Although he’d been home from the war last year, he’d avoided every celebration, staying in his room above the stables where he could sulk and grieve in solitude.

Now, though, he didn’t want to miss a single moment of the festivities. Kase knew having Dori there had made the difference. If for no other reason than watching the delight and excitement on her face, he wanted to participate in everything this year.

Dori was, at least in his mind, joy. She carried it with her everywhere she went and spread it around like sunshine on a dreary day. He couldn’t help but feel illuminated and brightened when he was with her.

He knew she’d be leaving in two weeks, but he wouldn’t think about goodbyes now. Not when he wanted to spend every minute he could with her.

Yesterday he’d enjoyed their laughter and teasing banter. She’d even made wrapping gifts seem fun.

Normally, Kase avoided emotional, sobbing females, but when Dori had excused herself at lunch and he’d found her crying in the hallway, he didn’t hesitate to offer her comfort. It made his heart ache to see her so distressed, but he understood, so perfectly, what she was feeling. Perhaps the fact that they’d both suffered the loss of loved ones during the war was part of the reason he felt so connected to her.

Regardless, he was incredibly grateful to his sister for bringing Dori home with her for the holidays.

“Is it always so hectic on Christmas Eve?” Dori asked, sliding off her right shoe and rubbing her toes. She and Sarah had both worn fashionable shoes with a heel, but he expected their feet were protesting all the work they’d done this morning, and would continue to do this afternoon.

“Yes. It’s better now that the ball is on New Year’s Eve, though. Trying to do the party for our staff and the ball on the same day was too much for everyone.” Sarah kicked off her shoes, tucked her feet beneath her, and curled up with her cheek on the arm of the chair. “Wake me in ten minutes.”

“I’ll have Gareth bring a bucket of snow to dump on you. How would that be?” Kase asked with a smirk.

Sarah opened one eye and glared at him. “Don’t even consider such a thing, Kase. If you do, there will be retribution, and I promise you will not enjoy it.”

Dori grinned at them, then leaned back in her chair. She and Sarah both fell asleep almost immediately.

Kase rose and retrieved lap robes, covering them. He brushed a lock of hair away from Dori’s sweet face, then left the room, sliding the pocket doors closed behind him so they wouldn’t be disturbed.

He recruited Bobby and a few others from out in the stables to help move furniture back into place in the dining room and do the heavy lifting while the house staff cleaned the room and began resetting the table with fresh linens and centerpieces. The gifts for extended family members would be carried in and left beneath the tallest Christmas tree, ready for those who would gather for lunch at Hudson House tomorrow.

Kase and Bobby retreated to the kitchen where Dulcie poured each of them a glass of milk, and offered them the broken outcasts from the sugar cookies she’d baked.

Bobby kissed his mother’s cheek, then returned to the mechanic’s room at the stable while Kase remained in the house. He wanted to be close when Sarah and Dori awakened from their naps.

“Are you having a good holiday, honey?” Dulcie asked as she bustled around the busy kitchen, preparing food for tomorrow’s feast. Tonight the family would eat a simple meal of oyster stew, or beef stew for those like Kase who did not like oysters, along with Dulcie’s biscuits, and a variety of pies for dessert. Kase hoped Dulcie had made her buttermilk pie because it was his absolute favorite of any she baked.

“I am having a grand holiday, Auntie. Other than working yourself to death here in the kitchen, how are you?”

“Just fine, Kase. Just fine. Once we get the food ready for tomorrow, we can all leave early and enjoy Christmas. We’ll see you at the church service this evening, won’t we?”

Kase nodded his head. “You certainly will.”

Dulcie wiped her hands on her apron and gave him a hug full of warmth. “I’m glad, Kase. We’re all so glad you’re feeling better.”

“Me too, Aunt Dulcie.” He grinned at her, snitched another broken cookie, and made his way through the house. Dori and Sarah were no longer in the sitting room, so he went in search of them. He found them carrying piles of presents to tuck beneath the tree in the dining room for tomorrow’s celebration.

“Put me to work,” he said, draping an arm over their shoulders as they adjusted the placement of the many packages beneath the towering Christmas tree.

Sarah elbowed him in the side, causing him to grunt, but Dori looked over her shoulder at him with a spark in her amber eyes that made him want to lean down and kiss her regardless of who was watching. Instead, he took a step back and rubbed his side.

“If you break my ribs, I won’t be of much assistance.”

Sarah glowered at him. “You were supposed to wake us up in ten minutes, not two hours, Kase. Do you not remember how to tell time?”

“I remember, but you two looked like you needed the rest. I had Bobby and some of the others come in to help for a while.”

“Oh, well, that was good,” Sarah said, then turned toward the door. “Come on. No dawdling. There’s so much to do!”

Kase winked at Dori, and they followed his sister into the fray.

The following afternoon, Kase sat contentedly listening to the happy chatter of his family with his belly full from an incredible meal of roasted turkey with stuffing, candied yams, cranberry sauce, an assortment of vegetables, yeasty rolls, and desserts of plum pudding, coconut cake, and chocolate cake.

His mother had been completely entranced and thrilled with the carved carousel tree stand. Dori had helped him set it up the previous evening in the sitting room after everyone had gone to bed. Kase had carved several ornaments to match the animals in the carousel, although he hadn’t gotten around to painting them. They decorated the four-foot-high tree Uncle Denver had brought back from the woods.

Dori had suggested hanging candy canes on the tree branches along with the ornaments, and they’d finished the tree with strands of silvery tinsel and a wooden star topper Kase had carved. The tree had a fun, whimsical feel to it, and his mother had clapped her hands like a little girl when she’d come downstairs in the morning and saw it in the sitting room with the animals spinning around and the music box playing. Every guest who walked in the doors throughout the day had been dragged into the sitting room to see the tree, which had made Kase pleased his mother had loved it.

His father had laughed when he’d opened the carved Santa that Kase had made for him. Old Saint Nick held a stack of books, which were painted with Brant’s favorite titles on the spines. The Santa was bigger than most he had made, and looked appropriate sitting near the fireplace in the library where Brant had placed it.

Sarah had squealed over the three-dimensional snowflake he’d carved for her and immediately hung it on a branch of the dining room tree so everyone could see it.

Dori hadn’t said anything when she’d opened the box camera ornament he’d made for her. He’d worked so hard to get it just right. She held it up, and the lights glowing on the tree reflected in its shiny finish. Rather than thank him, she’d given him a tight hug, and whispered, “I love it,” in his ear.

Kase had noticed how everyone loved the gifts Dori had given. She’d taken numerous photos of his family members since she’d arrived at Hudson House. Her gifts were framed photographs. The day she’d caught Dulcie and Denver dancing in the kitchen was one that made most everyone laugh and smile. She had a wonderful photograph of Grandpa Jack with Boston’s youngest son, heads bent together, the older man showing the boy how to tie a knot in a piece of rope. The photo she’d taken of his parents was Kase’s favorite. They stood together in front of one of the arched windows, light streaming around them. His father’s hand was around his mother’s waist, and she gazed up at him with love and adoration. It was a beautiful image from a technical standpoint, but, more importantly, it captured the love his parents shared and lived every day.

Kase thought of the photograph Dori had given him. It was an image of him bent over his worktable, knife in hand as he carved ornaments for his mother’s tree. Curls of wood littered the table, sawdust clung to his arms, and he appeared completely focused on his work. The angle of the image, taken slightly to the side, caught the light from the window as it glinted off his knife. The play of sunlight and shadows was intriguing and made it a fantastic piece of art, even if he was the central focus in it.

Before Sarah and Dori returned to California, he fully intended to get a photo or two of Dori. His cousin Danny had a camera and at least knew how to work it. Perhaps he’d ask him to take a photo of her before she left.

At the present moment, Dori circled the room with the new motion picture camera his parents had purchased as her gift. Dori had been so thrilled when she’d opened it, she’d sat with her mouth open, gaping at the box until Sarah had encouraged her to give the camera a try. She’d spent an hour reading the pamphlet that came with it, adjusting the settings, and trying it out before all the Hudson relatives arrived for the day.

As children ran and played with their gifts, and adults laughed and shared memories from past holidays, Kase felt happier than he had since before the war had started. Drake was keenly and deeply missed, but the rest of his family was healthy and happy, safe and loved.

With thoughts of love entering his mind, his gaze immediately went to Dori. She filmed Uncle Austin’s two daughters as they pretended to hang ornaments on the tree.

Kase would never have envisioned the Dori he remembered from his youth fitting in so well with his family, but she did. To him, it seemed as though she’d arrived and blended in seamlessly to Hudson House.

He would be devastated when she left, but today wasn’t a day for thinking about goodbyes. It was a day of celebration and love, and thankfulness for the gift of family and friends.

After all the gifts were opened, relatives began to leave. Some of the older cousins remained and played games in the sitting room and formal parlor until the sun began to set.

Kase bid his time until he found Dori alone in the music room, where she’d kept her cameras out of the way throughout the day of feasting and fun.

“May I show you something?” he asked, holding out a hand to her.

“Of course, Kase.” Without hesitation, she placed her hand in his. He wished she’d so easily hand over her heart to his care, but that was something he intended to win through perseverance and patience, even if he had to wait until she graduated from college. If it took two or three years to convince her of the sincerity of his feelings for her, he might be prepared for her to see his damaged leg by then.

They took the elevator upstairs, and he led her to his parents’ bedroom. He’d already asked his father for permission to take Dori in there, and it had been granted, with a warning to behave himself.

“What are we doing in Brant and Holland’s room?” Dori asked in a quiet voice, as though they were sneaking around somewhere they shouldn’t be.

“You’ll see,” he said, leading her across the expansive room to the French doors that opened onto the second-floor balcony.

Kase hadn’t thought to bring a coat for Dori, but he grabbed a woolen throw off one of the chairs by the fireplace and wrapped it around her shoulders before pushing open the doors and leading her outside.

As the sun made its final descent into the horizon, they leaned on the balcony railing and gazed into the western sky that glowed like liquid fire, reflecting the color in the water of the river below them.

“Oh, Kase! It’s magnificent,” Dori whispered, as though to speak aloud would shatter the moment. “How I wish I could capture this moment in color.”

“Perhaps someday you will.” Kase wrapped his arms around her from behind and bent so his chin rested on her shoulder. “I thought you’d enjoy seeing it from up here, with the light rippling through the water.”

“It’s absolutely spectacular.” Dori sighed contentedly and leaned back against him. “Thank you, for today. For the camera ornament, which I adore. For this.” She waved her hand toward the sunset, then placed it over one of his hands where he’d rested them at the front of her waist. “This is the best Christmas I’ve had in a while, Kase. I’m so thankful to be part of the Hudson House celebration.”

“Not any more thankful than we are to have you here, Dori. The photos you gave as gifts are priceless treasures. Everyone was talking about them, and the frames you selected were perfect for each recipient. Dad couldn’t stop bragging about their gift. I think he already has a place in mind to hang it in the sitting room by the sea otters painting.”

“Really?” Dori asked, sounding surprised.

“Really.” Kase stood silently holding her, memorizing the wildflower fragrance of her, the way her silky curls brushed his cheek, how she fit so perfectly in his arms and in his heart.

They didn’t move until the sky turned dark. The glow of the lights in the house was more than enough to see Dori’s features when she turned and faced him.

“You’re the bee’s knees, as Sarah would say,” he said with a smile, tenderly cupping her cheek.

“And you are most definitely the cat’s pajamas, or whiskers, or top hat, as your dad might say.”

Kase chuckled, then drew Dori closer to him. The frosty night air turned their breath into curling wisps that rose upward. When Dori shivered, Kase started to take a step back, but she grabbed the lapels of his suit coat and grinned.

“Not so fast. I’ve been waiting all day for a kiss. Every time I got close to the mistletoe, I thought one of your cousins might tackle you if you tried to reach me first.”

Kase laughed. “I was about ready to give Jackson a black eye, but you moved pretty fast for a girl with a bulky camera in her hands.”

“It was self-preservation, Kase. I don’t want any lips touching mine but yours.”

He offered her a rakish grin. “Then let’s make up for lost time.” His hand cupped the back of her head, but instead of immediately pressing his mouth to hers, he kissed his way along her jawline, below her ear, at the pulse wildly thrumming in her neck. Only then did he place the lightest of kisses to the single mole on her cheek.

“Kase,” she said in a low sultry tone that heated his blood more than the fire crackling in the sitting room.

“Delightful Dori. What am I to do with you?” he asked, then kissed her as he’d dreamed of doing all day. Without reservation. Without worries of what might come tomorrow. Without any fear of being pushed away.

Miraculously, she kissed him back with equal fervor, feeding the spark between them that quickly caught ablaze. Kase shifted so he could draw her closer into the circle of his arms and deepened the kiss. When he finally raised his head, fluffy snowflakes fell on them, adding a romantic element to what had been an unforgettable day.

“It’s snowing,” Dori said, holding up a hand to catch snowflakes with a look of sweet wonder on her face.

“Come on. Let’s get you inside before you turn into a snowlady out here.”

“Not a chance. I’ve got you and your kisses to keep me warm.”

Unable to resist, he lifted her off her feet and kissed her again until nothing else existed but the alluring woman in his arms.

“Kase? Your mother decided we should gather in the music room and sing carols before dinner,” Brant called as he opened the doorway to the room.

Kase hastily set Dori’s feet on the ground and led the way back into the bedroom, closing the French doors behind him.

Dori, with just-kissed lips and a red face, turned to fold the throw, as though she couldn’t quite face his father yet.

Brant waggled his eyebrows at Kase. “Are you trying to cool down the whole house by leaving the door open? Your mother has icicle feet to start with and thinks my shins are the perfect place to warm them.”

“That is far more information than we needed to know, Dad.” Kase walked over to the radiator and turned the valve to allow more heat in to chase away the chill.

Brant grinned at him, then held out an arm to Dori as she fussed with a non-existent piece of lint on the beautiful burgundy velvet dress she wore. “Might I escort you downstairs, Dori?”

“Yes, sir. Thank you.” Dori took his arm, shot Kase a helpless look, then breezed out of the room.

Kase took a moment to fork a hand through his hair, calm his breathing, and convince himself he could make it through the evening without stealing Dori away and kissing her again and again.

Hours later, as Kase walked down the second-floor hallway with Dori on one arm and Sarah on the other, he kissed both of their cheeks, wishing he had more time alone with the girl who had captured his heart.

As it was, it was probably for the best Sarah had accompanied them upstairs. Her presence kept most of Kase’s amorous thoughts in check.

“I’ll wish you both one final Merry Christmas and hope you dream of only the things that make you smile,” he said, backing away from the girls.

“The same for you, Kase,” Dori said, blowing him a kiss before she escaped into her room.

“Merry Christmas to you, Kase. I’m so glad you joined in the festivities. It was a happier day for us all to see you enjoying yourself.” Sarah caught him before he escaped and gave him a tight hug. “Thank you for the gift of your presence.”

Kase found he couldn’t speak past the lump that abruptly lodged in his throat. He nodded and hugged his sister, then gave her a nudge toward her door. “Sweet dreams, Sarah.”

She smiled and went into her room.

Kase walked into his bedroom, not bothering to turn on a light as he discarded his suit and stepped into his bathroom, where he brushed his teeth and splashed his face with cold water before climbing into bed.

When he closed his eyes, instead of the vision of a war-torn forest, he pictured Dori’s smile as they watched the setting sun reflected in the river’s surface. If only they could watch a thousand more.