“Yes, sir!” Daniel gave him a military salute, probably something he’d learned from a movie. Conner dismissed a tug of misgiving. Maybe he should have refused to let Megan’s brother sit with him on the driver’s bench. But Megan had allowed it. Besides, the kid looked so damned happy.

It will be all right, Conner told himself. Last year, in the Christmas parade, Rush’s little girl had sat beside him, in that very spot. She’d been just fine. Daniel would be fine, too.

Conner rocked the sleigh one more time to make sure the runners were free. Then he clasped the handle and swung up to his place on the bench.

Glancing back over his shoulder, he gave Megan a wink and a smile. She was bundled in the quilt, with one arm around the dog. Her mouth smiled back at him, but he caught a glimpse of worry in her eyes. He would take no chances with the safety of her precious brother, Conner promised himself.

“Ready?” He glanced at Daniel. “Hang on tight. We’re off!”

Conner gave the reins the barest flick against the horses’ broad rumps. Moving as one, Chip and Patch leaned into their heavy collars. With a gentle creak of straps and buckles settling into place, the sleigh glided forward over the snow.

“We’re moving!” Daniel whooped with elation. Conner urged the horses to a brisk, steady walk. Their motion set the bells to jingling. The air was brisk, the sky sapphire blue, the snow a glistening white carpet. A flock of crows swirled above the horizon, then settled somewhere out of sight.

Conner glanced back at Megan, giving her a quick smile. When she smiled back at him, an unaccustomed glow seemed to steal around his heart. It had been a good idea, inviting Megan and her brother to the ranch. Everything was working out exactly as he’d hoped.

Daniel began to sing in a slightly off-key voice. “ ‘Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way . . .’ ” He paused, turning to look back at his sister. “Sing with me, Megan. It always sounds better when we sing together.”

There was a moment of silence from the back of the sleigh. “I’m too cold to sing,” Megan said.

“I’ll sing with you.” Conner didn’t have much of a voice, but he didn’t want to spoil the day’s happy mood. “Come on. From the top. ‘Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way . . .’”

What they lacked in musicality, they made up in volume. When Bucket began to bark and howl along with them, Daniel could barely contain himself. He doubled over, helpless with laughter.

That was when disaster struck.