by Ana Leigh
“At this moment, I never want to see even a puddle of water again,” Jed declared.
“I never expected to hear that from you,” Clay said. “I think the ambulance has arrived.” He nodded toward the buckboard rumbling toward them, with Howard Garson driving and Caroline and Stephen Berg seated beside him.
Caroline jumped off the buckboard as soon as it reached them and rushed over to Garrett, who was throwing up into the river.
When he sat up again, she hugged him fiercely. “Do you feel better now?”
“Kinda.”
“Whatever were you doing in that water, Garrett?”
“Me, Buffer, and Saddle were just walking along the bank, skimming stones into the water.”
“How did you end up in the water?” Clay asked.
“There was a mud slide, kinda like the one Granddad has at the sawmill—”
“Good Lord, Garrett! You didn’t try to slide down it, did you?”
“Sure did. But it wasn’t long like Granddad’s. It was just a little one. I slid right into the water and couldn’t get up. Then I started to float away and this big tree came along and almost banged me in the head. I grabbed a branch and held on ’til Jed swam out and got me.”
Caroline glanced up at Jed in surprise. “That’s the third time you’ve saved Garrett’s life, Jed.”
“So the little rascal’s down to six more remaining.”
“This is no joking matter, Jed,” Caroline said. “I’m indebted to you.”
“All my brothers helped.”
Caroline looked around for the first time and saw their sodden clothing.
“Thank you. Thank you all. I’m eternally grateful to you men.”
“We couldn’t have done it without the dogs,” Garth said. “That dog of yours stayed with the boy, which made it easy for us to locate him. Then Saddle went for help.”
“See, Mama, dogs do talk to each other.”
“I guess they do, sweetheart.”
Jed lifted Garrett into the bed of the buckboard, and Caroline climbed up to the seat. The two dogs jumped up and joined Garrett in the bed. Then the other men mounted their horses.
As soon as they returned, the buckboard became surrounded by the relieved people who had remained behind. Caroline noticed a minister’s collar among them. The men all went to their homes to get out of their wet clothing, but Garrett remained behind to relate his harrowing experience until Caroline insisted he come into the house to clean up and change.
With the morning excitement behind them, the residents of Fraser Keep returned their attention to the anticipated event of the day.
With everyone’s attention concentrated on the wedding preparations, only the two dogs noticed the rider approaching the house. They got up and wandered out to investigate.
Rory was in the middle of a sentence when she saw the rider. “Rico!” she shouted.
He waved and dismounted. “iHola, mis primos y primas hermosas! ”
They all broke into wide smiles and gathered around him. Caroline stood back with Garrett, observing the family’s welcome of the cousin they never knew existed until two years ago.
With his back to her, he was hard to distinguish from the other Fraser men; like them, he was long-legged, broad-shouldered, and slim-hipped.
When he turned toward her, Caroline saw that a dark mustache curved down below his lower lip. She thought he looked menacing, until she looked into the warmth of the most beautiful brown eyes she had ever seen on a man, tipped with long dark lashes that any woman would envy.
When he removed his hat, his straight dark hair hung almost to his shoulders.
“Rico, this is Caroline, who’s about to become Mrs. Jed Fraser, and her son, Garrett,” Rory said.
Rico’s teeth glistened against the dark bronze of his Spanish ancestry. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Caroline,” he said in perfect English. “And the same to you, Garrett. I know you will come to love this family as much as I have.”
Rory said, “Rico not only saved me from being mauled by a bear but later prevented us from being murdered by a band of outlaws on that Montaña del Diablo. Mountain of the Devil!” she said dramatically.
“Mountain of the Devil!” Caroline shuddered. “Sounds frightening. I definitely want to hear that story.”
Rico laughed. “I suggest you hear it from someone other than Rory. She tends to embellish it each time she repeats it.”
“Well, I was there, darlin’,” Paddy O’Grady said to Caroline. “And the lass is not exaggeratin’. We’d all have been killed up on that devil mountain had it not been for this lad.” Paddy slapped him on the shoulder. “If you don’t have a taste for the wine, laddie, I’ve a bit of Irish at me place.” He winked at Rico, then sashayed away.
“I think Pop’s been sampling that ‘bit of Irish’ already,” Rory said.
Rico chuckled. “He’s just having a good time. You know how much he enjoys it when the family gets together.”
“Hey, Rico, come on over and join us,” Garth called to him. “We’re about to have a toast before Jed gives up his free life as a bachelor.”
“Excuse me, Caroline; I’ve been summoned.”
“He seems very nice,” Caroline said when Rico left.
“He’s wonderful,” Rory said. “His mother is the same way—beautiful inside and out. We all adore her. Her brother is a priest, and Father Chavez married us. I wore Aunt Elena’s wedding gown.” Rory held out her hand to show Caroline her small gold wedding band. “Uncle Henry made the ring himself. Aunt Elena said she knew he would want it to be passed down in the family, so she gave it to Garth for us to pass on to our children.”
“How thoughtful,” Caroline said. “Is she still alive?”
“Oh, yes. So is Father Chavez. They live in Hope. Actually, the proper name of the town is Tierra de Esperanza —Land of Hope. But everyone just calls it Hope. Father Chavez runs a mission there, and married Garth and me there. That’s also where Uncle Henry is buried.
“Listen, honey, I could talk about this all day, but aren’t you supposed to get dressed for your wedding? That husband of mine has been pouring wine down Pastor Renfrew for the last couple of hours. He’ll end up as tipsy as Pop if we don’t get this wedding started.”
“Hey, when is this wedding taking place?” Cassie asked, joining them. “Somebody’s going to have to hold up Jed if his scheming brothers don’t stop refilling his wineglass.”
“That’s all we need, a drunken groom,” Becky declared, coming over in a snit. “So help me, I’ll kick Clay out of the house tonight if he pops the cork on another bottle.”
Lissy came hurrying over to them. “Girls, don’t you think we should start the wedding? I’m getting worried; the men are trying to get Jed drunk. Let’s get you dressed, Caroline, and fast.”
“Garrett,” Becky said, “I’m putting you in charge of telling everybody to get inside and sit down. The wedding will be starting in ten minutes. Lissy, start playing the piano; that will attract their attention.”
“What should I play?”
“How about a lively version of ‘Dixie’?” Becky said. “That bunch of Johnny Rebs will snap to attention when they hear that.”
“Or start crying in their beer,” Cassie said with a droll glance.
“Now, let’s get you dressed, Miss Caroline,” Becky declared.
Within minutes, the three women had stripped off Caroline’s gown and camisole, redressed her in clean undergarments, and pulled her blue gown over her head. Becky pinned Caroline’s hair to the top of her head, and Rory tucked in several sprigs of lilies of the valley at the back of her head, then crowned it with a strip of white lace.
“We need something borrowed,” Cassie said. “Becky, how about the string of pearls Clay bought you in San Francisco?”
“Perfect!” Becky raced out of the room and came back seconds later carrying a string of pearls.
Cassie gave Caroline a small nosegay of red poppies and white lilies of the
valley, trimmed in the same lace as that on her head.
“You look gorgeous, honey,” Rory said.
“Now, as soon as Lissy starts the wedding march, you come out of this room,” Becky instructed.
They kissed her on the cheek, then left to take seats next to their husbands.
At a nod from Becky, Lissy struck the chord and Caroline walked into the room.
She wanted to turn and run back when she became aware they were all staring at her, including Jed, who was standing up in front with the preacher. When she looked at her son, sitting next to her father, Garrett was grinning from ear to ear.
I’m doing this for your sake, sweetheart. That thought gave her the strength to take the remaining steps to Jed’s side.
Lissy finished the song, sat down next to her husband, and the preacher began to speak.
Caroline found it hard to concentrate on what Pastor Renfrew was saying. Was she actually getting married? Wake up, Caroline. This is not a dream.
“Who giveth this woman to this man?” Pastor Renfrew asked.
Her father and Garrett stood up. “We do,” they said in unison.
“Well then, who giveth this man to this woman?” the pastor asked, the question no doubt suggested by one of the partly inebriated Fraser men.
“We do,” Jed’s brothers called out from all sections of the room and followed it up with whistles, hoots, and applause. Caroline was certain she heard some women’s voices, too.
At the proper time, Jed slipped a gold band on her finger with a tiny pearl inlaid on each side of a larger pearl in the center.
Surprised, she glanced up at him, and he said softly, “I bought it in Sacramento.”
The preacher said, “And now, by the power invested in me, I pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride.”
And Jed had had enough to drink to do just that. It was long, it was passionate—and it curled her toes.
By the time he broke the kiss, her legs were trembling. Amid another round of whistles, hoots, and applause, he grinned as she stared at him in astonishment.
“Seems you missed the twelve-hour deadline, Mrs. Fraser.”
CHAPTER
18
After all the congratulations to the newlyweds, the furniture was shoved against the walls and the carpet rolled up. Then with the applause of the assembly accompanying them, Jed led Caroline to the floor.
“You’re a lovely bride, Mrs. Fraser. Are you enjoying your wedding waltz?” he asked as they danced.
“Yes, I am. I think I’ve danced more in these last few days than I have the rest of my life.”
“I never would have suspected that. You’re an excellent dancer, Caroline.”
“I declare, sir, it must be due to the skill of my dancing partner.”
“You’re being very flirtatious, Mrs. Fraser.”
“Fiddle-faddle, sir. What need would I have to flirt with my own husband? Especially on our wedding day.”
“My very thought, madam.”
“I do have a favor to ask of you, Jed.”
“Ah-hah! The plot thickens.”
“It’s about our wedding night.”
“You can’t wait to get to it, either!”
“Please be serious, Jed. If you remember, last night we agreed not to be intimate again.”
“I remember no such thing, Caroline. I do remember, though, that you released me of any previous agreements. What is the favor you want?”
“Please don’t let your family know we won’t be sharing the same bed tonight.”
He began to reply hotly, and she said, “Let’s discuss this outside.”
Jed followed her out. “Why do you care what my family thinks if we don’t sleep together tonight?”
“We’re being so deceitful to all these people. They’re all so in love…they believe in love, Jed. You and I are merely playing roles.”
He tried to remain patient. “Caroline, we had this discussion last night; you’re feeling guilty because we made love, and you enjoyed it. I can’t see how that affects anyone here.”
“So you don’t think deceiving your family is wrong? I had hoped by now that you’d have enough common sense to acknowledge I’m right.”
“You’re wrong. Dead wrong. Why should a woman with your passion deny herself a God-given pleasure? That was His intention. So what are you trying to prove: God is wrong; you’re right? I believe the world has already had one Blessed Virgin, Caroline.”
“Oh, you have a nasty tongue, Jed Fraser.”
“It’s intentional. I’m trying to jolt you into facing reality.”
“Well, you’ve failed miserably and have only succeeded in making me feel more upset. As for any future God-given pleasures, I’m standing by what I said last night. No marriage bed. No more intimacy.”
She spun on her heel and went back inside.
The moment she entered, Clay grabbed her by the hand and led her to the dance floor. For the next hour she was passed from one brother to the other, until she finally plopped down exhausted next to Garrett and Rory on the couch.
“You must be pretty much done in, honey,” Rory said.
“Totally. When is it proper for a bride to leave her wedding? This has been a strenuous day.” She slipped her arm around Garrett’s shoulders. “What about you, sweetheart? You about ready to go to bed?”
“Me and Aunt Rory are having a good time watching all of you dancing. It’s like when I’d watch Granddad and Grandma, ’cept a lot noisier. Did you know, Mama, that Aunt Rory used to work in a saloon and it cost twenty-five cents to dance with her? She sure must have been a good dancer. That’s how she met Uncle Garth.”
Rory winked at Caroline. “And he was my best customer.”
“And just think, Mama, if you charged twenty-five cents each dance tonight, you could have made a lot of money.”
“Hey, that’s my specialty, young man,” Rory said.
“You and Uncle Garth sure did exciting things together. Working in a saloon, discovering gold, fighting off outlaws—nothing that exciting ever happens to me.”
“What are you talking about, Garrett Fraser?” Rory declared. “Didn’t you almost drown this morning?”
“My name’s not Garrett Fra—That’s right; my real name is Garrett Fraser. ’Specially since my mama’s name is Fraser now, too. Is Granddad a Fraser now, too, Mama?”
“Only in spirit, son,” Nathan said, patting him on the head in passing.
“Honey, I don’t want to spoil your fun, but you should get to bed. We’ll be leaving early tomorrow.”
“Good night, love,” Rory said. “Give Aunt Rory a kiss.” She leaned forward, then suddenly clutched her stomach and gasped in pain.
“Rory, what’s wrong?” Caroline asked.
“I think the baby’s coming.” She tried to get to her feet, then fell back again in pain.
“Garrett, run outside and get your Uncle Garth!”
Lissy and Cassie had noticed Rory’s reaction and came hurrying over. “Is she in labor?”
Caroline nodded. “I think so.”
“Why don’t you ask me?” Rory cried. “I can guarantee I’m in labor. Laboring to get some help to get off this couch.”
Garth rushed into the house, followed by all the men.
“Get that bunch of gawking males out of here!” Rory declared. Then she gasped in pain again. “Are you going to help me get off this couch, Garth Fraser, or are you just going to stand there with your mouth open?”
Garth picked her up, and she slipped her arms around his neck, still in pain.
“Where are you going with her?” Becky said, when Garth headed for the door.
“I’m taking her home.”
“Then what? You going to deliver that baby yourself? She can stay right here. Stephen, will you go for the doctor?”
“I’m halfway there,” he said and ran out.
Helena and Etta came hurrying into the house. “Stephen just told me. Let’s get her undressed and in
bed.”
“Put her in my bed,” Caroline said. “Garrett can sleep with Jed tonight.”
They all paused momentarily and looked at her with surprise, until Becky said, “I’ll put some towels down.” She hurried from the room.
“Danny—somebody take care of Danny,” Rory cried out as Garth started to tote her away.
“Don’t worry, honey,” Cassie assured her. “We’ll take care of him.”
Paddy O’Grady came in, huffing and puffing. “Rory! Where’s me Rory?”
“The baby’s coming, Pop,” Cassie said.
“God be with you, darlin’,” he called out to her.
“Thanks, Pop,” Rory yelled back before Garth kicked the bedroom door closed.
“Take your party outside, boys,” Cassie announced. “There’s a baby to be born here.”
“What can we do to help?” Colt asked.
“Stay out of the way,” she said.
One by one they filed out, until only the women and Garrett remained.
“Time for you to get into bed, Garrett,” Caroline said.
“Can’t I stay up until the baby is born?”
“That could take hours, honey. You can sleep in Jed’s bed tonight.”
“It’s a good thing somebody is, since his bride won’t be there,” Cassie said.
It broke the tension among them, and they all laughed and relaxed.
Caroline didn’t see any humor in the remark and took Garrett by the hand into the bedroom. “Get undressed, honey, and I’ll be back to tuck you in.”
He sat down on the bedside and took off his shoes and stockings. “My nightshirt’s in the other room.”
“You can sleep in your drawers tonight.”
“Mama, how long does it take for a baby to be born?” he asked again as she pulled his shirt over his head.
“Some are born very quickly, and sometimes it can take hours—even days.”
“I sure hope it doesn’t take that long. Will Aunt Rory be okay, Mama?”
“I’m sure she will. And once she holds that baby in her arms, she’ll forget all about the pain.”
“How long did it take me to be born?” he asked as he crawled into bed and lay back.
“About twenty-four hours, you stubborn little dickens.” She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.
