Читать книгу A Baby For Christmas - Linda Ford - Страница 11

Chapter Two

Louise returned to her chair and studied Nate. He’d said yes without much of an argument. Why was he so agreeable? But she wasn’t about to guess at his reasons so long as he got them safely to their destination.

A fear clawed at her brain. He was in a hurry. Would he escort them all the way or leave them in some little way station to fend for themselves? After all, he was good at leaving. Seemed all the important men in her life were. Though Pa had made her be the one to leave, and Gordie and his parents had died. Each case was different, yet in her heart she viewed them the same. She’d been left before, so it wouldn’t surprise her if it happened again. Best she could do was be prepared for it.

She pressed her palms to her stomach. The funds she had would not last long and she’d have a new baby to care for besides watching over Missy. Resolve flooded her being. She could and would take care of herself. Had been since she could remember. Pa had expected it. When it got too much for him, he’d shipped her off to Aunt Bea, who likewise made it clear she didn’t care to bother with Louise. Only while the Porter parents lived had she found the sort of welcome she longed for. But Eden Valley Ranch promised refuge while she sorted her life out and decided what to do next.

Would she be refused refuge at the ranch for making a mockery of the wedding vows?

Please, God, just let us get away from Vic, then I’ll manage somehow. With or without Nate. Doubt again tugged at her heart. Would God refuse to help her because she meant to be untruthful about the wedding vows? As always, when doubts flared, she reminded herself of all that the Porters had taught her about God’s love and faithfulness. Surely God would understand, given the circumstances.

She realized she still gawked at him. “What now?” she asked.

He laughed, his blue eyes flashing with amusement. “This was your idea. Shouldn’t you be the one with things figured out?” Their gazes locked, just as their futures were soon to be bound together for a short time.

She jerked her attention to a worn spot on the table. “It’s a rather new idea and I hadn’t given the particulars much thought.” She paused a moment. “The stage leaves tomorrow.” After another hesitant beat, she added, “Early.”

“Then I suggest you get on with your wedding plans.” His eyes still twinkled.

“I think you’re enjoying my discomfort.”

He sobered. “No. But you must admit, it is a little amusing. A spur-of-the-moment wedding. The bride—” His gaze darted to her belly and he chuckled. “Some would think this is a shotgun wedding.”

Heat rushed up her neck, but she would not turn from giving him a steady look. “It’s Gordie’s baby. I don’t expect you to take care of it.”

His smile turned into a scowl. “Of course.” His gaze went beyond her and grew distant.

She wondered what he was seeing. Maybe someday she’d feel comfortable enough to ask. Right now all that mattered was he’d given his word and they were to be married. All she wanted from this relationship was to get away from Vic and gain safety for herself, her baby and Missy.

She didn’t expect anything more from him.

Nate got to his feet. “Seems we have a wedding to arrange. Why don’t I take you to Aunt Bea’s and you can tell her your plans.” He held out a hand to help her to her feet.

She might have refused, but it was getting harder and harder to get up gracefully.

He squinted at her. “When is this baby due?”

She understood the question he meant to ask. Was she going to deliver on the journey? Please, God, let me go a little longer. One week until they reached their destination. One week of pretend marriage and then the joy of her little son or daughter. She couldn’t think of a better Christmas present.

To Nate she gave a dismissive shrug. “Not for a while.”

His eyebrows rose. Then he let the subject go and opened the door his mother had closed a short time ago. “Ma, I’m taking Louise home. I’ll be back in a bit.”

They left the house and went to Aunt Bea’s house, pausing outside the door.

“I’ll wait until you inform her, then take you to your house,” Nate said.

“That won’t be necessary. Missy and I took what we needed when we left yesterday.”

He caught her shoulder and brought her around to face him. “You’ve left your house? Why?”

“Because Vic moved in.” The words were soft, disguising the anger that burned through her at being forced from her own home.

Nate dropped his hand from her shoulder and pushed a fist into his palm. “The louse.”

“Snake,” she corrected. “He’s a slithering snake.”

“You won’t have to worry about him much longer. Marriage will protect you. Listen, it’s best if no one knows it’s only pretend. Vic might see that as an opportunity.”

“Agreed.”

“Let’s go tell your aunt.”

She knocked. “I told Missy to bar the door when I left.”

Nate’s fists balled at his sides. “That will end before the day is out. He won’t bother you any longer.”

Good to know. Whatever lay ahead of sorrow or joy, she would at least be free of Vic.

Missy opened the door and Louise slipped in with Nate at her side. She welcomed his support. “I have good news,” she said, including Aunt Bea, who sat in her customary upholstered chair. “Nate and I are getting married.” Before either of the women could speak, she rushed on. “Missy and I will go north with him.”

“We’ll be safe?” Missy asked.

“We’ll be safe.” Louise patted Missy’s arm as the girl let out a long gust of air.

“Well, I hate to see you go.” Aunt Bea sounded as if it couldn’t be too soon to suit her. “When are you planning to marry him?”

“Today.” At the stunned look on Missy’s face, she choked back a giggle. Aunt Bea’s eyes widened. Louise tried to think if she’d ever surprised her aunt before.

If so, she couldn’t remember it.

Aunt Bea managed to get to her feet in record time. “Today? There is much to do to get ready.”

Louise could think of nothing except the need to sign a document. But if Aunt Bea, with her unbending opinions of proper conduct, knew it was to be a temporary marriage, she would likely raise enough objections to create a stir, maybe even persuade the preacher to refuse to marry them.

“I’ll go see to the details,” Nate said. “Lock up behind me.” He hurried out the door.

Louise turned the key, then faced Aunt Bea. “Tell me what I need to do.”

* * *

Nate stood outside until he heard the key turn, then tested the knob. The lock held and he strode away as fast as his legs would take him. His insides burned with fury.

Vic had moved into the Porter house? Seemed he thought he owned the house and the family. Well, the family would be leaving. The family would say goodbye to their home and learn, as he had, that nothing lasts.

Not even marriage, it seemed. What they planned was only pretend. A convenience. He pushed aside the guilt stinging his thoughts.

So far as he could tell, nothing was forever, but at least he could get Missy and Louise and Gordie’s unborn baby away from Vic.

He stepped into Ma’s house. She stood at the stove, tending a pot of something that smelled mighty fine. “Making soup?”

“Cream of potato. Thought I’d make your favorite while you’re here.”

“Ma, sit down. I need to talk to you.”

She pushed the pot to the side of the stove and pulled out a chair to sit. “That sounds like a warning.”

He didn’t know what he’d call it. Nor how to explain what he meant to do except to come right out and say it. “Ma, Louise and I are getting married.”

“Good.” She patted his hand. “I’ve always thought you two were suited to each other.”

“You did? But she married Gordie.”

“She was hurt and confused. The poor girl had lost so much and was trying to recapture it.”

He stared at his ma. “How do you know all this?”

“I’m a mother, even though I haven’t been the kind I wanted to be.” Her eyes looked past him into the distance. “If only your father hadn’t died.” She shook her head. “So you’ll be staying around a few months? That’s good.”

Let her believe this marriage was for real. The more who thought that, the better for them. “No, I’m leaving tomorrow.”

“I see. When will you come back for the wedding?”

“We’re getting married today. As soon as I can make arrangements.”

Ma stared at him, her hands limp in her lap. “Today?” Her voice squeaked. “That hardly seems—”

“Proper?” He knew many would think the same, but he didn’t care what anyone thought except perhaps Ma.

“No. It hardly seems enough time to plan a wedding.”

“How long does it take to find the preacher, say the vows and sign the papers?” Vows. He’d be vowing before God and man to stay with her until death parted them. God did not take lightly a man making vows, then breaking them.

“Are you sure about this?” Ma asked.

No, he wasn’t sure. At least not about pretending the vows. But he was sure about the reason for it. “I can’t leave them here.” He explained the way Vic treated Louise and Missy, and hoped she agreed the wedding had to be immediate.

“That’s very noble, son, but it hardly seems enough reason to marry.”

Likely it didn’t to anyone but himself and Louise. “We’re of a like mind.” Their reasons were enough to satisfy him. “I’m going to buy a ranch and it will be nice to have a home and family, too.” His insides coiled at purposely leading her to believe forever was part of their plan. He’d told her of the place he hoped to purchase. His journey home would be slowed by having to accompany Louise on the stagecoach. He wouldn’t have any time to spare if he hoped to get back to Edendale in time to meet the mountain man. “You could come too, Ma.”

“Thank you, but no. This is my home. I’m too old to start over again.” She wiped a tear from the corner of her eye.

“You’re thinking of Pa, aren’t you?” Nate could barely recall his father. A man who laughed a lot, roughhoused with Nate and kissed Ma often.

“I never got over him. You are so much like him.”

“In what way?” It seemed important to know, seeing as he was soon to become a husband, if only for a week.

“You look like him. He wasn’t much older than you are now when he died. You are like him in other ways, too. He was ready and willing to help those who needed it.” Nate knew the story. He’d been killed helping a neighbor put up a barn. A beam had fallen and crushed him.

His mother stood up. “But enough of that. I need to get ready for a wedding.” She was halfway out of the kitchen before she stopped. “Help yourself to the soup.”

“Yes, Ma.” He didn’t have time to eat. There were details to take care of now.

“Make sure you eat. The day will be even busier as it goes along.”

When he didn’t move, she hustled to the stove, filled a bowl and set it before him. “Eat.” She waited until he put a spoonful in his mouth.

“Mmm. Good.”

“Now I must get ready. Will you come and get me when it’s time?”

“Yes, I will.” He ate the soup hurriedly, then trotted over to the house next to the church where he found the good preacher. A man he hadn’t met before who introduced himself as Pastor Manly.

Nate took that to be his name, certainly not a description. The pastor was slight, pale and fidgety.

Nate explained he wanted to get married. “This afternoon.”

“Fine. Fine. Bring your bride here.” The man had thin white hair. Its thinness likely not helped by the way he ran his fingers through it.

“Is there some reason we have to get married here?” Perhaps there was some law saying where people could wed.

“It’s convenient.”

“Could you marry us at Miss Williams’s house?” he asked, naming Aunt Bea.

Did the pastor blush? He certainly tapped the tips of his fingers together rapidly. “Yes, yes. What time?”

He hadn’t asked Louise what time suited her. He’d have to guess. “Would five o’clock suit?”

“It will be fine. You will need two witnesses of legal age.”

“Miss Williams and my ma, Mrs. Hawkins?”

“Yes, yes. Now, let me get ready.” He waved Nate away.

Nate hurried from there to the stagecoach depot and checked on tomorrow’s departure of the stage.

The agent consulted a schedule. “Be here by seven-thirty. The driver will want to be on his way by dawn. Days are short.”

“Thanks.” Nate didn’t hang about to see what else the man had to say but hurried to Aunt Bea’s to inform Louise of the time of the wedding.

At his knock, she pulled him inside and closed the door. “Vic’s been hanging about out back.”

“I’ll take care of him.” He eased Louise aside, intending to dash out the back door. Louise stopped him.

“Leave him be. What did you find out?”

He told her the arrangements for the wedding.

“I’ll be ready,” she said.

“You haven’t changed your mind?” Seemed now was the time to do so if she wasn’t sure.

“I’ll do what I have to to get away from him.” She jabbed her thumb over her shoulder.

He studied her, recognized the look on her face. It was the same one she used to get when he and Gordie said she couldn’t join them in some activity. Didn’t matter if it was playing ball, climbing a cliff or rowing a boat on the river. She always insisted she could do whatever they did even though she was a girl and a year younger.

He chuckled.

“What’s so funny?”

“I remember how you always had to prove you could do whatever Gordie and I did.”

Her fierce gaze didn’t falter. “Seems I did it, too.”

“Except rowing the boat.” He chuckled again at the memory of her tipping over her boat and falling headfirst into the river. “I pulled you to safety or you’d likely have drowned.”

Their gazes riveted together, full of memories of a happier time. It had come to an end, of course.

She smiled. “Guess it’s up to me to prove again that I can face a challenge.”

He held her gaze. Or did she hold his? “I guess it’s up to me to rescue you again.”

He saw the protest in her eyes, but before she could voice it, the look faded to acceptance.

“You won’t regret it. I promise. You’ll be free as soon as we get there.”

From somewhere down the hall, Missy called Louise.

“I have things to prepare.” She held the door for him and locked it when he left. He stood on the step a moment, wondering how she could promise there’d be no regrets.

Then he hurried back to Ma’s house.

She must have been watching for him, for she met him at the door wearing a dress he hadn’t seen before. Dark blue taffeta with tiny fabric-covered buttons on the bodice. Not that he’d normally notice such things, but he was smart enough to recognize this as a special dress. Likely her best.

“When is the wedding?”

He told her the time.

“Good. That will give you time to bathe and put on your finest duds.”

“Me?”

“Of course. You want to look and smell your best.”

He sniffed. “Smells like you’ve been cooking.”

“I made some goodies for tea afterward. It’s customary.”

He wanted to protest. After all, this was only a pretend marriage. But of course he couldn’t tell his mother that. He had to go along with her plans.

“Get at it, son.” She pushed him toward the kitchen.

He looked at the galvanized tub in the middle of the kitchen floor. Ma was serious about the bath. Moreover, his best shirt and trousers hung freshly ironed and waiting.

He pulled the blinds and took a quick bath.

Besides his own clothes, there was a vest in gray pinstripe that he’d never seen before. From the mothball smell, it must have been in storage. He put it on. A little short, but wearing it turned his plain white shirt into something a little fancier. Ma had also left a black tie, which he tried to knot.

“Are you decent?” Ma called, and entered at his grunted yes. “I’ll do that.” She quickly fixed his tie and patted his shoulders. “That vest was your pa’s. He wore it for our wedding. It looks good on you.”

“Thanks, Ma.” He kissed her cheek, then dumped out his bathwater and put away the tub.

Ma stood ready. He took her arm and together they crossed the street to the Williams house.

He was about to take part in a marriage ceremony that was a mockery to the vows he would be asked to speak. He could only hope and pray God would understand and forgive because Nate did it for a noble reason.

When he knocked at Bea Williams’s house, Missy answered the door. Ma hurried inside and greeted Aunt Bea, then the two disappeared into the sitting room.

He hadn’t seen Missy in a year. “You’re all grown up.” It surprised him to see she was no longer a child.

She lifted one eyebrow. “So are you. All grown up and about to marry. Sure you can handle it?”

Could he? All his life he’d wanted something to last forever. He’d planned to find that on his ranch. Yet he felt as if he was mocking the idea of forever with a pretend marriage. Could he handle the falseness of it?

Before he could argue himself out of going along with this farce, he stepped inside.

As they said on the ranch when things got tough, he’d have to cowboy up. Well, he was about to cowboy up like never before.