Seth (Prairie Grooms, Book Three) Read online

  He tucked a finger under her chin, lifted her face to his, and placed his lips within a hair's breadth of her own. “Do you find it romantic? Do you have the same adventurous heart as your sister?”

  “I dare say, Mr. Jones, but I am not my sister. However, I do admire a man who is forthright, and not afraid to set aside his own wants in order to accommodate another.”

  “I'm glad you see it that way,” he said. “But does that also mean you still want to marry me?”

  She reached up and put her hand against his cheek. “Yes,” she said. “I'll marry you. But not because of what you just told me, though I'm glad you did. But because I promised I would. I came out here for you, Mr. Jones, and I will see this through.”

  His eyes filled with something she could not identify, just before his lips brushed against hers in a tender kiss. “I'll be a good husband, Eloise. Don't ever doubt that I can't protect you.”

  Her stomach pinched. Had he just hit upon her problem?

  She turned her head away and let out a breath, realizing he was right. She had doubted his abilities to protect her. Especially after listening to Constance tell stories of Ryder’s heroics, (which thrilled her to the bone to listen to) and then moments later watch Seth pour tea for the afternoon's patrons of the hotel. All men. “Oh good heavens,” she breathed. “I do believe I'm much more like Constance than I thought.

  Seth laughed. “Are you now? Am I going to have to give you my buckskin's?”

  “Good Lord, you mean you own a pair?”

  “Of course.”

  “My goodness…”

  “Personally, I think they'd look great on you,” he drawled.

  “Buckskin's! On me?”

  He pulled her close, and brushed his lips against hers. “You'd be adorable.” He loosened his hold, scooted away an inch or two, and took her hands in his. “Eloise…”

  “Yes, I know, an answer.” She gave his hands a squeeze and smiled at him. “Are you ready to get married, Mr. Jones?”

  “You know that I am, Miss Sayer.” He stood, and pulled her up from the log. With her hand still in his, he emerged from the blanketed enclosure.

  “Well, it's about time” Wilfred chastised.

  “Yeah, are we gonna have a wedding, or what?” called Sheriff Hughes over Wilfred's shoulder.

  “Let's get this shindig started!” said Mr. Mulligan.

  “Just how long have you three been out here?” Seth demanded.

  “Ahhh, since about the time you told her ya used to kill people for a livin’,” said Wilfred.

  “What?!” boomed Seth.

  Sheriff Hughes stepped forward. “Now son, the type of work you've done is no different than what I do. I've had to take down my fair share of men over the years. The only difference between me, you, and Ryder is that I wear a star on my chest. What you boys used to do helps lawmen like me. Sometimes there ain't enough of us to go around to do all the work that needs to get done, and bring in what scoundrels need to be brought in.” He looked at Eloise. “There ain't no shame in it, and you shouldn't look at it that way.”

  “Sheriff, I'll admit what Seth told me was a shock. But I don't think any less of him, because you're right.”

  The sheriff tugged on his vest, and straightened his hat. “Well then, that settles it.” He turned to Wilfred and Mr. Mulligan. “Let's have ourselves a wedding!”

  The townsfolk within earshot let out a cheer, and one of them even pulled out his gun, pointed it at the sky, and popped off a shot accompanied by a loud “whoopee!”

  Eloise screamed at the sudden sound, and Seth took her in his arms. “There now, darlin', nothing to be afraid of, I'm right here beside you.” He turned to the man who fired the gun. “Holster that thing, will ya? You're scaring my bride.”

  The man gave Eloise a sheepish look, and holstered his gun. “Sorry ma'am,” he said.

  “It's quite all right,” she told him. “A little unexpected is all.” She began to fan herself with nervous hands.

  Land sakes, darlin', we best get married before you swoon or something.”

  “Oh, there's no threat of that,” she told him. “I hear Fanny Fig and Mrs. Dunnigan are the ones who swoon at these affairs. I'm sure Fanny, at least, will do enough swooning for all of us.”

  The men around her laughed, especially Wilfred. “I hate to admit it, but she's right,” he said.

  Seth chuckled, took her by the hand, and led her to where the townspeople sat waiting. In a few moments, their wedding would begin.

  Twelve

  Chase Adams and Levi Stone reached the hotel, turned, and headed back the other way. It was the third time they'd walked from one end of town to the other as they kept watch. After all, somebody had to keep an eye on things so folks could attend the town picnic. “What do ya think we’re missing, not being there right now?” Chase asked.

  “Seth's wedding, I suppose,” answered Levi.

  “Have you told anyone yet that you had Sadie Cooke send away for a mail-order bride?”

  “Not yet. You?”

  “Nope.”

  “After watching Seth, Ryder, and August get brides, you still think we made the right decision?” Levi asked.

  “I think so. The first three that showed up sure are sure pretty,” said Chase. “Even if they are a might bit uppity.

  “I wonder if the brides we sent for will be anything like them,” commented Levi.

  “All I know is, if they are, we ain’t gonna get much cooking or cleaning out of them.”

  “Cooking and cleaning can be learned,” said Levi. “It's their attitude I’m worried about. August's wife was sure snooty when she first arrived.”

  Chase was about to add his own opinion on the matter, when they both spied a group of riders near the Wallers’ house. “Who are they?” asked Chase.

  “Don't rightly know. But we better find out, especially since we’re the only two in town.”

  The strangers watched them approach, but didn’t move toward them. A large brute with an eye patch leaned to the side, spit, then looked them up and down. “Hello, boys,” he drawled. “You got a saloon in this town?”

  Chase and Levi exchanged a quick glance, both with the same twist in their gut. These men looked like trouble. “Yes,” answered Levi. “But I'm afraid you're out of luck. It's closed for the day.”

  “Closed?” wailed one of the men. “But it's the middle of the day!”

  “Maybe this is one of them towns where it don't open until later,” suggested another.

  The man with the eye patch sneered, and then studied what lay before him. “Where is everybody?” he asked.

  “Today's the town picnic,” said Chase. “I'm afraid you're plum out of luck. At least until Mr. Mulligan, the saloon owner, comes back. Of course, you're welcome to join the picnic.”

  “I don't fancy no picnic with a bunch of sissy folk,” said the man with the eye patch.

  “But I'm hungry,” another man grumbled.

  “So what if you are?” said the man with the eye patch. He turned back to Chase and Levi. “You got a blacksmith in this town?”

  “I’m the blacksmith,” Chase informed him. “What ya need?”

  The one-eyed man looked at his companions. “At least we can get a couple of these nags tended to while we’re here.” He turned back to Chase. “My horse needs a shoe and so does Clem’s.”

  “Follow me,” said Chase as he turned.

  Levi reached out, and touched him on the shoulder. “I'll keep watch while you take care of them.”

  Chase gave him a curt nod and continued down the street. The two men followed, each glancing this way and that as they studied the buildings on either side of the street. Levi watched them go, and then turned back to the rest. “Sorry everything’s closed up, fellas. But if you hang out around long enough, you'll get taken care of.” He tipped his hat, turned on his boot heel, and headed back down the street.

  The remaining men watched him go. It wasn't until he'd almost rea
ched the saloon that one of their members urged his horse forward to the front of the group. He studied the town and let go a weary sigh. Another man beside him, laughed. “What's the matter, Cutty? Your homecoming not to your liking?”

  Cutty closed his eyes and shut his mouth before he said something that would land him a good beating by the brutes, one that might well kill him this time. The last had taken enough out of him already. Over the last week he’d been dragged, gagged, bound, whipped, and tortured, and all because they wanted the location of a gold strike he didn't even have. Unfortunately, Thackary Holmes had gotten much more than he bargained for when he played the part of Cutty and hired the miscreants to do his dirty work. He'd met some lowlifes in his time, but none like these. This lot was so mean, so heartless, that he wished they'd kill him and end his suffering. But no, they wanted to break him, beat what information they thought he had out of him. But he had no information, nor did he have any gold. At least not in the amount they were thinking. All he did have was the gold piece he'd found in the caves after the last outlaw gang he’d tangled with kidnapped the Cooke women. Too bad they’d gotten themselves arrested and hauled off to jail. Otherwise, he might have obtained more, but his plans were thwarted when the Cooke brothers, along with men from Clear Creek, came to the women’s rescue.

  “Hey, Cutty; this town got any money in the bank?” asked one of the men.

  Cutty shook his head, his jaw stiff. It hurt like the devil, and he wondered if they'd broken it. Over the last few days, as he lay in abject misery and pain, he began to look at things differently; take stock of his life. He, himself, was low, and had inflicted his share of pain on others and made them suffer, but not like this. Not to the point of wanting to die.

  “Don't matter if there isn’t any money in the bank,” said another. “I know something they do have.”

  “You talkin’ about that ranch outside of town?” asked a man behind Cutty.

  “Yep; the Triple C. Now would be a good time to take some of them steers off their hands, don't ya think?”

  Several of the men laughed. “That's a good idea,” chortled one. “Let’s go tell Spider.”

  “Let him tend his horse first,” said another. “Besides, he might have something else in mind.”

  Cutty sighed and shook his head in resignation. He'd been with them a little over a week, and witnessed them rape, pillage, and kill for the sheer pleasure of it. He finally had to admit that they were even too evil for him to stomach. Ryder had been the catalyst for that.

  Cutty took in a slow breath. He missed his friend. Ryder had treated him with kindness and respect; something he'd craved for years but never found. He also realized how greed and envy drove him to do his evil deeds, and fueled his ambition to get what he wanted at the expense of others. Until Ryder …

  It was then he thought of something he hadn’t before. He’d gone through all that trouble and expense for what? Even if he had managed to gain the title of Duke, along with the vast lands and estates that went with it, Thackary Holmes would still be very much alone. Cutty the drifter, on the other hand, because of Ryder, found a small speck of self-respect. And he liked it.

  “We ought to go down to the saloon and get us a drink,” suggested one of the men.

  “Didn’t you hear that fella say the saloon was closed?” someone barked at him. “Besides, I told you to wait for Spider. He’ll decide what we’re gonna do.

  “I'm tired of Spider always telling us what to do!” the man complained. “He never lets us stay in a town long enough to have any fun!”

  “It's because of Spider that you're still alive!” the other man countered. “We’re all still alive.”

  Cutty eyed them with the contempt. If he had his way, they'd all be dead.

  * * *

  Eloise blew out a nervous breath and smoothed her skirt. Her palms were sweating, yet a chill raced up her spine. She stood at the end of the makeshift aisle and took in the faces of the people staring at her. Sadie and Belle decided that Harrison would give her away, and so he stood next to her, a wide smile on his face. “Nervous?” he asked.

  “Were Constance and Penelope this nervous when they got married?”

  “I haven't the foggiest,” he said. “I never asked them, but isn't every bride?”

  “I suppose.”

  “Do you love him?” Harrison asked.

  “We’re about to walk down this… quilt-bordered-aisle, and you ask me if I love him?”

  “You will, you know,” he told her. “I'm sure of it.”

  “Well, it's comforting to see that one of us thinks so. But he has grown on me, that I will admit.”

  “You’re a fine match, Eloise. The two of you will be very happy, I'm sure. Sadie and Duncan have done an excellent job of matchmaking.”

  She watched as Seth took his place at the other end of the aisle next to preacher Jo. He was handsome, strong, and now that she’d thought on it, honorable. In fact, he had all the traits of a man she’d never dreamed of, but should have! How could she not fall in love with him?

  Harrison was right. She and Seth were a good match! And though she still felt unsettled by his earlier disclosure, she also felt at peace with her decision to marry him. The mystery of who and what he was had been solved.

  Preacher Jo cleared his throat. “Shall we begin?” he called over the crowd.

  “About time, preacher!” Wilfred yelled.

  “Shut up and let the man talk!” scolded Mrs. Dunnigan.

  “That's tellin’ him, Irene!” yelled Grandma.

  Harrison chuckled as he held his arm out to Eloise. “I'm happy for you, Cousin; happy for you both. Shall we?”

  She took his arm, and together they began to walk down the aisle. Children giggled as their parents admonished them to keep quiet. Mrs. Mulligan also told a child to hush, then wiped at her eyes with a handkerchief. Eloise wondered why the woman would be crying, but perhaps she cried at every wedding. It was then that Eloise noticed that Mrs. Mulligan wasn't the only one who sat and wiped at tears. Several other women were doing the same. Funny, she didn't remember seeing folks do that at her sisters’ weddings.

  They reached the end of the aisle, and Belle suddenly appeared with a sprig of wildflowers in her hand. Of all the flowers to forget, she’d forgotten her own bouquet! She rolled her eyes at the oversight, took the flowers from Belle, and then caught the look on Seth’s face. She sucked in her breath.

  “Who gives this woman?” asked Preacher Jo.

  “I do,” said Harrison.

  Harrison offered Seth her hand, and he took it, his face full of awe and wonder. Eloise stared at him as she tried to figure out what could cause such a look in his eye. She'd never seen it before.

  “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to witness the union of these two people…” began Preacher Jo.

  Eloise heard his words, but was so caught up in the way Seth was staring at her, that they became naught but sounds carried on the breeze. Oh, good heavens! She thought to herself. Could it be?

  Her heart swelled in her chest and she had an odd feeling in the pit of her stomach. No man had ever looked at her this way. She felt her knees go weak. Oh, no! I shan’t faint. I can’t! I won't!

  Preacher Jo's words continued to ring out over the gathering as Seth gazed deeply into her eyes. She was captured by the words, and her mind raced over everything that had happened since she and her sisters had arrived in Clear Creek. Within seconds she was brought back to the present, and stared at the man who so entranced her, and, dare she say, was beginning to have feelings for? Deep feelings.

  “And do you, Seth Jones, take this woman to be your lawfully-wedded wife?”

  Eloise snapped to attention. Good Lord! They were at the vows already?

  Seth took her other hand in his, and gave them both a squeeze. “I do,” he said.

  “And do you, Eloise Sayer, take Seth Jones to be your lawfully-wedded husband?”

  Eloise's mouth moved, but no sound c
ame out. Oh, blast it all! Now I can't even talk! “I do,” she finally squeaked.

  Seth’s shoulders slumped, and he made a show of sighing in relief at the words.

  She sucked in her breath, and knew he was teasing, but still had to fight the urge to gasp in indignation, something any proper English lady would do. Instead, however, she studied the twinkle in his eyes and the smile on his face, and realized she could spend the rest of her life with this man. A good thing, too…

  “I now pronounce you man and wife,” said Preacher Jo with a happy smile. “You may kiss the bride,” he told Seth.

  “Don't mind if I do, Preacher!” He pulled Eloise to him, bent her over, and kissed her soundly. The townsfolk cheered at the action and let out a few whoops and hollers, not to mention a few gunshots.

  Grandma climbed to her feet and in a triumphant voice yelled, “Now that the hitchin’s done, let's eat!”

  Another cheer went up from the crowd, as everyone got up and began to disperse. Women hurried to the tables where they'd laid out the food, and prepared to serve. Hungry men and children followed them. And, of course, amidst the commotion, Seth was still locked in a kiss with his beautiful bride. At long last they were married.

  Eloise struggled to breathe as Seth raised his head. “Hello darlin',” he whispered against her lips.

  “Hello,” she whispered back, her entire body like jelly.

  “Are ya hungry, Mrs. Jones?” he asked.

  She shook her head, words escaping her. In fact, she was surprised she’d uttered any, after the kiss they’d just shared.

  “Best to eat something anyway,” he said. “You're going to need your strength. I have a feeling this is gonna be a long day.”

  She nodded again as he stood her upright, and then held her against him. Several children gathered around them to admire her dress. Girls, no matter what the age, couldn’t resist such a beautiful frock. Eloise smiled before she ushered them toward the food and their mothers. She and Seth started to walk hand-in-hand to join the rest of the townspeople, when he stopped them, and once again looked at her with a look so powerful, she could scarcely describe it. “I meant every word I said, Eloise. I promise to be a good husband and a good father when the time comes,”