Seth (Prairie Grooms, Book Three) Read online

  “After you pay me,” Wilfred added.

  “Oh,” he said, as he stopped up short. “Sorry.”

  Wilfred chuckled again. “Better hope them women get that dress done quick-like. You have the look of a man who needs to get married!”

  Seth managed to glance at him, no small feat as he felt himself being pulled in Eloise’s direction. He let his gaze find her again and realized that Wilfred was right. He did need to get married. He’d spent enough time with her to know that he wanted her. But that was no surprise; she was beautiful, charming, and kind. But beyond that, she was something else, too. Something he couldn’t put his finger on. All he knew was that it was something he’d been missing and, now that he’d found it, he didn’t want to let it go.

  “Hello,” he said when he reached her chair. “Did you get a lot of sewing done?”

  Eloise blushed. “Well, I dare not call what I do with a needle and thread sewing; at least, not in the traditional sense.”

  Constance laughed. “You can say that again! She’s worse at it than I am!”

  Penelope rolled her eyes. “Oh, why do I bother …?”

  “Bother with what?” asked Seth.

  “Thinking either of them will stay civilized.”

  Seth glanced between Constance and Eloise. Both looked about to bust a gut at their sister’s remark. “What’s so funny?”

  “She should have given up long ago!” said Constance with a snort.

  “I’m still civilized,” stated Eloise. “At least I haven’t been reduced to wearing buckskins.”

  “Buckskins?” asked Penelope.

  “Oh, let’s not bring that up again! It’s a lucky thing I was wearing those buckskins!” Constance countered.

  “Will you two please stop!” said Penelope.

  Seth leaned against a display and laughed. “Are you three always like this?”

  “Of course,” said Eloise. “We’re sisters.”

  The other ladies sucked on their candy and tried not to giggle, but Belle could stand it no longer, and began to laugh.

  “See, they find us delightful,” Eloise stated matter-of-factly.

  “They find ya silly!” quipped Grandma. “Seth Jones, don’t you have work to do?”

  “Sure do, ma’am, and I was wondering, since you ladies don’t seem to be sewing right now, might I steal Miss Sayer for a short stroll down to the hotel?”

  “I thought you’d never ask!” said Grandma.

  Seth stared at her, his brows raised in amusement. “Ask ya what?”

  “To go with ya! Ya don’t expect to go strolling off on your own do ya?”

  “Oh, you’re offering to chaperone?”

  “Grandma …” Sadie said, her voice laced with heavy warning. “We all know how you chaperone!”

  “What? Can’t an old woman volunteer her services as a wise counselor to these two youngins?”

  “You’re going to take them somewhere and let them …” Sadie snapped her mouth shut. “Don’t … that’s all I’m saying. Don’t.”

  Seth smiled. “Heck, Mrs. Cooke, I can kiss Miss Sayer all on my own. I don’t need any help from Grandma.”

  Sadie threw her hands up in the air, groaned, and then pointed a finger at him. “No sparking!”

  Eloise buried her face in her hands as Penelope started to laugh.

  “Easy for you to say,” commented Constance. “You’re already married. Besides, August stole a kiss from Penelope, and Ryder … ah, okay, so we were married when he kissed me, but still …”

  “Are you suggesting they kiss before they’re married?” bellowed Mrs. Dunnigan.

  Seth grabbed Eloise by the hand and pulled her up from her chair. “I’m suggesting I take a walk with my intended.” He headed for the door, and reached it in three quick strides, Eloise right behind him. Before anyone could say a word, they crossed the porch of the mercantile, went down the steps and into the street. “Thank Heaven!” said Seth. “I didn’t think we’d ever get out of there!”

  Grandma was suddenly in the doorway, glaring at them. She then smiled and winked.

  “Quick!” said Seth. “Before Mrs. Cooke changes her mind!”

  “What do you mean, changes her mind?” asked Eloise as Seth turned and pulled her along behind him.

  “She’s letting us go for a walk! If she didn’t want us to go, she’d have come after us.”

  “Oh!” said Eloise.

  He slowed when he reached the bank, and tipped his hat to a man leaning against a post. “Afternoon, Levi.”

  Eloise looked at him. She’d not seen him before. He was tall, dark, and yes … handsome. Put the right clothes on him and he’d pass for an earl or maybe a viscount.

  “Afternoon, Seth,” he said, and then noticed Eloise. “Ma’am. Where you two heading in such a hurry?”

  Seth stopped, Eloise ran right into him with a little “Umphf!”

  “Just walking,” Seth told him.

  “You might try walking to the church. Maybe set a date with Preacher Jo,” Levi suggested.

  “Now that’s a right good idea! Thanks, Levi!” Seth looked over his shoulder at Eloise and grinned. “Sadie Cooke can’t say anything about us having a visit with Preacher Jo, that being respectable and all.”

  “I say, you’re quite right on that score,” said Eloise. “She certainly can’t.”

  Levi chuckled at the remark, and went into the bank. “Who was that man?” she asked as they set off again.

  “That’s Levi, he came here from Oregon City to run the bank. Nice fella, kinda stuffy, but he’s friendly enough.”

  “Must be from working with numbers and money all day.”

  “Not much of that around here.”

  “Numbers, or money?” she asked with a giggle.

  “Money, I guess. Speaking of which, I … ah … well, about a ring.”

  “A ring?”

  “I wasn’t sure what you’d like. My mother had some jewelry, but Ryder gave it to your sister as a wedding present. I haven’t got a ring yet, I know that’s plumb irresponsible of me, but with not knowing if you’d even show up …”

  “What? You mean you thought we wouldn’t?”

  “Well, to be honest, I didn’t know.”

  She stopped and pulled her hand out of his. “Mr. Jones! How could you think such a thing? Why, we traveled halfway around the world to marry you and your friends; the least you could do is have had a little faith in us.”

  “It’s not that … you don’t understand …”

  “I understand that you gave up.”

  “Now wait a minute here, I didn’t give up! How would you feel if you sent away for a mail-order bride, waited over a year to get one, and then nothing happened? Then, just when you’ve convinced yourself you’re better off alone, here comes Mrs. Cooke asking for letters to send away for another, only this time she guarantees you’ll show up.”

  “Guarantee? How can she … oh, yes, I suppose she could do it that way. Once we were on a ship, how could we back out?”

  “How did we get on this subject anyway?”

  “You brought it up.”

  “I … ohhhh, dagnabbit. I’m not gonna argue with ya! Let’s go see Preacher Jo, then talk about getting you a proper ring.” He started off again.

  “You needn’t concern yourself with a ring. I have one.”

  He stopped. “You … do?”

  “Yes, Mother gave it to me. It belonged to my grandmother, Isabelle. The duchess, herself.”

  He turned and stared at her. “You brought your own wedding ring? Did ya think I couldn’t get ya one?”

  “It’s not that at all. It was a gift from my grandmother to my mother, and then she gave it to me.”

  “Well, that was mighty generous of her …” his words drained away as he realized he was going to be married to this lovely creature in but a few days. The afternoon sun made her blonde hair glisten, and her big hazel eyes were mesmerizing. He licked dry lips to keep his control. He wanted to kiss he
r something awful, and his body tightened at the mere thought of putting his lips on hers.

  “Yes, it was. It’s very valuable. I had to keep it hidden our entire journey.”

  She stared back, as if thinking the same thing he was, but she couldn’t be, could she? He closed the distance between them. “If you want to use it for a wedding ring, then you can. I just thought you might want something I got for you.”

  She gave him a shy smile, and looked away. “Of course I would want anything you picked out for me, but why? I have a perfectly good ring we can use, and then you wouldn’t have to worry about money.”

  He sighed. “Money. Well, don’t you fret none about that. I’ve got some.”

  “I dare say, did I look worried when I said it?”

  He put his hands on his hips. “Blast it woman, you sure know how to make a fella feel like … well, like he’s done something wrong.”

  “I beg your pardon?”

  “Here I was wanting to kiss ya, then you … ohhhh, daggnabbit anyway!” He took her by the shoulders, pulled her against his chest, and kissed her.

  She squeaked at the sudden contact of his lips pressed against hers, then leaned into him, and let the kiss deepen. Seth’s eyes sprang open at the action, and he figured he’d better stop before they made a spectacle of themselves in public. Unfortunately …

  “About time!” yelled Wilfred from across the street. “I thought you’d never get around to it!”

  Seth lifted his face from Eloise’s, and stared open-mouthed at Wilfred and Mr. Mulligan. They sat outside the sheriff’s office to play a lunchtime game of checkers, both wearing a huge grin. Seth let out a heavy sigh. “Why does Sadie Cooke even worry about chaperones? The whole town is a chaperone!”

  Eloise giggled as she blushed a deep red. “Let’s away before they see us do anything else!”

  Seth did a double take at his future bride. She didn’t seem at all flustered by his boldness, and instead, appeared quite amused. “C’mon,” he said as he again took her hand and began to lead her toward the church. They reached the end of the street, passed the hotel, and continued on. The church sat a hundred yards from the town, a bright, white, beacon of friendliness. He liked the church in Clear Creek, and liked Preacher Jo even better. The man had a past, just like Seth and Ryder, and understood what it was like to want to start life over.

  He walked to the back of the church where a small house had been built as a parsonage for Preacher Jo and his wife, Annie. He and Ryder had helped with the raising of it, and remembered how Annie had cried with joy as the men of Clear Creek built their little home within a few short weeks. Seth knocked on the door.

  Annie opened it. “Well, if it isn’t Seth Jones.” She smiled as she opened the door wide. “Come in. I can only guess why you’re here.”

  Eloise blushed as she preceded Seth into the parlor. There wasn’t even a front hall. A set of stairs was at the far end of the room, the entrance to the kitchen underneath them. Preacher Jo sat at a table, a napkin stuffed in his shirtfront, eating his lunch. He got up, wiped his mouth, and came into the parlor. “Hello, Seth, Miss Sayer. To what do we owe the pleasure? Other than the obvious, of course.”

  “We need to set a date and time,” Seth told him. “You know it won’t take the women long to finish Eloise’s dress.”

  Annie looked at them both, a wide smile on her face. “So, you two are on a first name basis now?”

  “We might as well be,” Seth told her. “We are getting married.”

  “I know, I guess I just can’t get used to this mail-order bride business. Women coming out here and getting married within days after they’ve arrived don’t seem right to me.”

  “It is if the two people really want to marry,” said Seth. “Isn’t that right?” he asked Eloise.

  She started at the question. “Oh, yes, indeed.”

  He eyed her, and for the first time since her arrival, questioned whether or not she wanted to get married. The better question; did she want to get married to him. One minute she was gushing with anticipation, the next acting like she’d been dipped in doubt. The few times he spent with her before Ryder got hurt were fun-filled and happy. He enjoyed her company and knew she enjoyed his. But since her sister came into town with his brother half-dead, she’d changed. What could have happened?

  “Sit down, tell us your plans,” said Preacher Jo. “Annie, bring us some coffee, will you, please?”

  “Of course, right away. But don’t say anything good until I come back!”

  Preacher Jo chuckled as he watched her hurry into the kitchen. “Might I be the first to offer congratulations on your upcoming nuptials?”

  “You may,” said Eloise as she sat. “And may I be the first to say that your little house is quite charming.”

  “You may,” said Preacher Jo.

  “And may I be the first to say, we’d like to get married as soon as possible,” added Seth. He watched as Eloise visibly stiffened. Dagnabbit, if she wasn’t doing it again! What was bothering her? He sighed. He needed to handle this here and now. “Eloise,” he said, his voice firm.

  Her eyes widened at his tone. “Ye … yes?”

  “Do you want to marry me?”

  “Isn’t it a little late to be asking?” asked Preacher Jo.

  “No, I’m serious. August asked your sister, he told me so. He was worried that she had reservations. So now I’m asking you, do you really want to marry me?”

  Eloise sat, her back rigid, and said the first thing that popped into her head. “No.”

  Five

  Good heavens! Eloise thought to herself. Why on earth did she say that? “I mean, I … that is …”

  Seth stood. “I heard you the first time. Loud and clear.”

  “No … what I meant was …”

  “There ain’t any word clearer than ‘no’, Miss Sayer.”

  She hated the look he gave her. Not anger, disappointment. It broke her heart. But she couldn’t bring herself to say anything further. Everything had caught up to her, and in that single moment, she felt like a volcano ready to erupt. Their long journey from England, the death of Mr. Thompson, their gambling escort, the attempt on Penelope’s life—her assailant still at large, mind you. And, of course, Constance and Ryder’s own brush with death. The Sayer curse had followed them.

  Eloise was pulled out of her thoughts as Seth headed for the door. She sat, her mind a whirl, and stared at him. “No …”

  “You said that already.” With that, he left.

  “Miss Sayer?” Annie said. “Are you all right?”

  Eloise shook her head. “No. I’m not feeling well. I … I have to tell him…”

  “I’ll tell him,” said Preacher Jo as he got up and headed out the door.

  As soon as he was gone, it hit. Eloise crumbled like a sandcastle kicked apart by a child. She put her face in her hands, and wept. “Oh, bother!” she said through her tears. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me! What have I done?”

  Annie put an arm around her. “There, there, it’s all right. Your family has been through a lot since you arrived here. You need time to think, that’s all.”

  “What is there to think about? Wherever we are, no matter where we go, or what we do, it follows us!”

  “What follows you?”

  “The Sayer curse!”

  “Sayer curse? What are you talking about?”

  Eloise wiped her eyes and tried to look at her. “It started in London years ago; Charles was the first.”

  “Charles, who is Charles?”

  “Our brother, he would have been the next in line to inherit the old duke’s title and estate after our father and uncle died.”

  Annie stared at her in shock. “Are you saying someone killed your brother?”

  Eloise nodded. “Him, and we think the others.”

  “Others?” Annie said her eyes round as saucers.

  Eloise let loose a little hiccup as she tried to calm down. “All the men in our famil
y have been struck down by some horrible tragedy, including our own father! Mother said he was sick, terribly so. But we know it was more than that … hiccup … we know he had to have been poisoned!

  Annie’s hands flew to her mouth in horror. “You poor dear! I can’t imagine what you and your sisters have been through all these years!”

  Eloise nodded. “Penelope will be terribly upset with me for telling you this. But … the more I think of it, the more I see something happening to … to Seth. He’s not like August or Ryder; I’m not sure he could …”

  “What do you mean he’s not like August or Ryder?” Annie said, cutting her off.

  Eloise stared at her through her tears. “He … he seems … more civilized and … genteel.”

  “Seth Jones? Genteel?” Annie asked in shock.

  Eloise nodded.

  Annie sat back and let out a long sigh. “Miss Sayer, you have a lot to learn about the men out here.”

  “What … hiccup … do you mean?”

  “What I mean is that they aren’t always what they appear to be. Josiah and I know Ryder and Seth, and I strongly suggest you take the time to get to know them, too.” She sat up, took Eloise by the hand and smiled. “Seth might appear ‘genteel’ as you say, but trust me, I wouldn’t want to be on the opposing side if I were in a fight with either Seth or his brother.”

  Eloise’s heart sank to the pit of her stomach. “What have I done? I do want to get married; I … I don’t know what came over me.”

  “You’re not sure yet, that’s all. And you’re scared, aren’t you?”

  She’d hit the nail on the head. Eloise shuddered as another wave of tears erupted out of her. Yes, she was scared! Who wouldn’t be when someone was trying to kill them?

  She put a fist to her mouth to still her sobbing before it became uncontrollable. That was it! Yes! Someone was trying to kill them! Not some silly curse! The question was, why? Their cousin, Duncan, now had the title and estate, so why would anyone want to see her, her sisters and their new husbands dead?

  “Miss Sayer?” Annie prompted. “What is it?”

  “I … I think I need to speak with the sheriff.”

  “Yes, of course; I can take you to him right now, if you like.”