They trudged through the snow late into the night. Mingo had brought a horse, and Rose and Katie rode on it. They had long ago fallen asleep and he had carefully wrapped a rope around them so they wouldn't fall off the saddle. Israel trudged beside him nearly asleep on his feet. the only sound was their feet crunching through the winter snow.
"Just a little ways more." He said.
They reached an old Cherokee village, long abandoned.
"We camp here in the spring sometimes." Mingo explained. He carried the girls inside a small wooden structure and soon he and Israel had built a warm fire. Israel lay down on a pile of warm furs not far from his sisters.
"Tomorrow's Christmas Eve." Israel said. "I made a doll for Rose, but I left it at the cabin." He yawned sleepily.
"You can give it to her when you go back home." Mingo said. "Go to sleep Israel."
"I should keep watch." Israel said his eyes closing.
"I'll keep watch." Mingo said.
He led Rebecca out into the starlight saying absolutely nothing. She opened her mouth to question him, but instead he said, "There." He pointed, his long arm extended and she saw in the distance a dark figure trudging through the snow.
She ran with her arms outstretched and the figure dropped a bundle and met her halfway. Mingo smiled and went inside to wait with the children.
***DB***
"Your face is fuzzy." Rose said reaching out and rubbing Daniel's beard.
"It is, isn't it." He agreed with his daughter who sat on his lap.
"You've growed some, Rose."
"I can stir the stew now, Ma lets me." She grinned at him.
"Well, you are a right grown lady then." He kissed her. They sat together huddled in the warm structure. He had one arm around Rebecca with Rose on his lap. Israel sat beside him holding on to his arm. Katie-Grace sat across from him.
"Katie, you've every right to be angry with your Ma and me. You don't know how sorry I am. Please, don't blame your Ma. I made her do it. Neither of us wanted to. I'm sorry, girl. You can't know how sorry I am."
"She never said you were dead." Katie said softly. "Ma never lied."
"Yes, she did." Israel said.
"No, she only said they had told her he was dead. Think hard, Israel."
"You're right!" He looked at his Ma in surprise. "I'm sorry I said you lied, Ma. You didn't."
"Well, in a way I did. I let you believe it, Katie. That is the same as a lie."
"No, Ma. It is different." Katie said and smiling she kissed her mother's cheek. Rebecca sighed happily and hugged Katie to her.
"Katie-Grace, I love you." Rebecca said, and Katie smiled and turned towards Daniel, kissing his bearded cheek.
"I got room on my lap." Daniel said smiling at her and she climbed next to her baby sister.
"Pa!" Katie said. "We've missed you every single day!" She snuggled into his shoulder.
"Well, I've been just as lonesome as can be. You know how your Ma always teases me about wanting to sleep outdoors? Well, I may have finally had my fill!"
"I've had my fill of being a widow!" Rebecca said with a sigh. "I hate the color black!"
Turning towards his wife, he smiled and said, "Oh, darlin' but you look beautiful!" He kissed her despite the fact that they were surrounded by the children.
"Is it Christmas yet?" Rose asked.
"Not until tomorrow, or today? Wait, I'm confused." Israel said.
"It will be Christmas in the morning." Rebecca said. "Remember, we walked all night and it was nearly dawn when we got here, and then your Pa arrived. So this is Christmas Eve. Tomorrow morning it will be Christmas."
"If we go to sleep, will there be presents?" Rose asked.
"I think your present will be at home, waiting for you." Katie told her.
"Oh." Rose said disappointed.
"Well, Rosie girl. I bet if you climb under those covers and close your eyes, you might just find a little treat when you open them at dawn." Her Pa said.
She jumped from his arms and climbed under the covers. "I'm asleep already." She announced.
They all laughed. "C'mon now," He told them. "Bedtime." He tucked them all in.
"I love you Pa." Katie said. "Merry Christmas."
"Oh, Katie-Grace, your voice is like music. You promise me, you won't stop talking again."
"I promise." He kissed her.
"Good-night, Israel." He said kissing his son.
"Good night, Pa. You will still be here in the morning, won't you?" Israel voice was tense.
"I'll be here. I won't sneak off on you, Israel. I promise."
He led Rebecca out into the snow. They had built a small fire and he sat down on a fallen log they'd set in front of it.
"You want some coffee?" She'd asked him.
"Nope." He said reaching for her hand and pulling her onto his lap. She rested her head on his shoulder.
"I'm awfully sorry about all of this mess, Rebecca."
"I don't care about it, right this minute." She said rubbing his cheek with her hand. "You look so strange with a beard."
"I think I look rugged." He said laughing.
"You are handsome." She said with a smile.
"I'm glad you still think so. How's Mr. Halicheck?" He asked her.
"Oh, him! You'll be happy to know he's given up on me. He seems to have taken a fancy to the Widow Winthrop."
"She's ninety years old!" Daniel said. "And she's ugly as can be! He'd choose her over you?"
She laughed. "You're angry, he doesn't fancy me?"
"Well, I just think you are a hundred times better looking than Old Nancy Winthrop and . . ."
"So, I should marry him then?"
"You are married." He said firmly. "I just think he should have better sense. Anyone with eyes in their head ought to know that you are the most beautiful woman the good Lord ever made."
"You've been in the wilderness too long, Daniel. Don't exaggerate." She laughed again.
"I ain't exaggerating." He said looking into her eyes. "You think those youngin's are asleep yet?" He asked with eyebrows raised.
She shook her head. "Uh, uh."
"Maybe we should stop talking so they can sleep." He suggested with a wink. She smiled and nodded her head.
"I love you, Rebecca, you know that? Ain't no other girl in the world but you." He said and then he kissed and kissed her, beneath a bright Christmas moon.