by Cora Seton
Love for him shone in her eyes, and something in Jericho eased. He pulled the small box from his pocket—he’d been carrying it now for weeks. He opened it up to show her the fancy ring Win had helped pick out, and asked, “Savannah, will you do me the great honor of becoming my wife?”
Heart in his mouth, he waited for her answer.
Savannah couldn’t take her eyes off the ring in Jericho’s hands. It was beautiful. Really beautiful. Far more lavish than she’d imagined Jericho would choose. He wasn’t a man who valued expensive things for their own sake. “It’s lovely,” she breathed. “Jericho, it’s too expensive.”
“Answer the question,” he growled. “You’re killing me.”
“Yes! Yes, of course I’ll marry you!” The ring forgotten, she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him soundly on the mouth. “I thought you’d never ask!”
He slid the ring on her finger, and frowned when it nearly fell right off again. “I guess we’ll have to get it resized.”
“Later. Right now all I care about is you.” She put the ring carefully back in its box, tucked it in Jericho’s pocket and tugged him close. “Make love to me.”
“Now?” He looked around. “Here?”
“Not here. Up at the manor.”
“No one’s filming us.” Jericho thought it over. “Let’s go for it.”
Savannah laughed when he tugged her toward the track that led up the hill. Jericho was right; no camera crew was haunting them at the moment. Kai and Greg would cover for them if their absence was discovered. “Hurry. It’s been too damn long since we’ve done this.”
“That’s one thing we agree on.” He picked up the pace and they ran the rest of the way up the hill. When they finally reached the top floor of the manor and let themselves into her bedroom, Savannah was happy they had the house to themselves. She didn’t want to hold back.
She pulled him inside the room, shut the door and turned the lock, then laughed when Jericho palmed both of her breasts at once through the fabric of her gown.
“I’ve missed these,” he told her.
She led him toward the bed. When she felt the mattress against the back of her knees, she sat down and let him urge her to lie on her back.
“They’ve missed you, too,” she said truthfully. Jericho’s hands on her breasts always felt so good. As he climbed onto the bed, too, straddled her and lowered his weight on top of her, he hesitated.
“I don’t want to hurt you.”
“You aren’t,” she assured him and pulled him closer. Kissing him was like coming home, and for a long time they reacquainted themselves with each other. As his kisses grew more ardent, Jericho sighed and pulled back.
“You need easier clothes. Or you need to wear them less often.”
“I’ll see what I can do.” But she chuckled as he turned her over and got to work on the fastenings of her gown. She knew Jericho was resourceful enough to eventually get her out of it. Meanwhile she’d enjoy the feeling of his fingers working at the ties of her gown and then her stays after he peeled her top garment off.
Jericho took his time, pressing kisses along each inch of skin his hands exposed and soon Savannah was almost wriggling in her desire to turn over and pull him close. When she was finally unclothed, she did so, pushing his unbuttoned cotton shirt off his shoulders and arms and helping him peel the T-shirt he wore underneath up and over his head.
As they lay back against the pillows, the tenderness in Jericho’s eyes nearly undid her. There was so much love there. So much wonder, too.
“What?” she asked when she grew self-conscious under his gaze.
“You are beautiful. I don’t know how I thought I could stay away from you under any circumstances.” He ran his hand down her body, over one breast and across her stomach. He traced a finger over her abdomen and pressed his palm down again. “Our baby.”
“That’s right.” She lay her own hand on top of his. “Ours.”
“You really didn’t miss a Pill? I’m not accusing you,” he added, holding her gaze with his own. “Just curious.”
“I really didn’t,” she told him.
“Then this must be meant to be.” He cupped her belly with both hands and bent down to kiss her abdomen. “Grow big and strong,” he whispered to the baby.
“But not too big. Not until after you’re born,” she added with a grin. She tugged Jericho back up. “Make love to me.”
“All right, all right.” Jericho pulled her over on top of him, and when she straddled his hips and settled on top of him he groaned, a smile tugging at his lips. “You’ve made me wait for this far too long. I’m not promising finesse.”
“You don’t need finesse. You just need to hurry up,” she told him. As she bent to kiss him, her breasts grazed his chest and the sensation sent shivers of desire through her.
She wanted this man. “Are you really going to be my husband?”
“Absolutely.” Jericho gathered her closer. Savannah rocked against the long, hard length of him, unable to stop her body from demonstrating what it wanted. Jericho lifted her up and poised her over him. “I don’t think I can wait any longer.”
“I don’t think I can, either.” She moved into place and sank down, taking him inside and gasping with the sensation. As they began to move together she knew he was right: this wouldn’t be fancy and it wouldn’t be long. They would do what it took to take the edge off their desire so they could spend the rest of the night exploring each other.
Loving each other.
Savannah arched back as they moved in tandem, biting her lip to hold on at least a few more moments. As she rocked above him, she felt the care Jericho was taking. He didn’t want to hurt her. He wanted to protect her—and the baby, too. Forever.
He was right, she thought as the sensations built up to the point where thought became difficult. They would have to stop trying to control everything. They would have to give in to what life gave them, accept it and keep moving on as best they could.
“Jericho—” She crashed over into ecstasy as pulse after pulse of her release blazed through her, sensations rushing through her until she lost herself among them. Jericho followed her swiftly, his groans mingling with her cries until they both subsided, breathing heavily.
Afterward, he cradled her tenderly and stroked her hair.
“Are we still going to do this when I’ve got a belly out to here?” She demonstrated with her hand.
“We’re going to do it all the time,” he assured her. “Every chance we get.”
“I’ll be so big you won’t even be able to reach me.”
Jericho chuckled. “I’ll reach you one way or the other.” He tightened his embrace. “I’m not letting you go again. When I think of how I nearly lost you out of my own stubbornness.” He shook his head. “What an idiot.”
“What a man trying to do what he thought was best,” she corrected him and stole a kiss.
“Only a couple of weeks until our wedding. Boone’s going to be happy to hear about this. He was starting to look for a backup bride.”
“Oh, God; not another one of those. Someone needs to stop that man.”
Jericho kissed her. “I’ll let you handle that.”
“Fulsom’s happy,” Boone announced when he entered the bunkhouse early the next morning. Jericho had parted from Savannah a half-hour ago with yet another kiss, glad no one had come to give them hell for spending the day—and night—up at the manor rather than tending to their work. He’d already begun to spread the news of their engagement, and without fail everyone he told was both relieved and unsurprised he and Savannah had been able to work things out.
“You two were meant for each other; anyone could see that,” Kai had said. Boone had gone to phone Fulsom with the news. Now people were gathering at the empty fire pit, waiting for breakfast to be served.
“I wonder who will be next?” Jericho said. “Maybe you, Angus. Win must be getting sick of waiting.”
Angus shrugged.
>
“Hope it’s not me. I haven’t met a woman since I’ve arrived here,” Anders said.
“You’ve got to work harder. I think I’ve met every woman within a hundred-mile radius,” Curtis said.
Jericho didn’t doubt it; ever since Harris had stolen the bride Boone had found for Curtis, the man had been tireless in his pursuit of women. He was at the Dancing Boot in town several nights a week, and Jericho had heard he even traveled to Silver Falls on occasion to try his luck there, as well.
“Meet anyone suitable?” Anders asked him.
Curtis gave a sharp shake of his head. “Not yet,” he said darkly.
“What about you?” Anders asked Kai, when he stepped out of the kitchen to announce the meal was ready. “Have you met a woman you’d like to marry?”
“I’m going to trust the Universe to provide me a wife at the right time,” Kai said serenely. “I find when I fight the current, all I do is make waves.”
Angus turned to Boone. “Since you’re the one who finds the backup brides, I guess that makes you the Universe. Found Kai a wife yet?”
“Not yet, but I’ll get on it now that he’s put me in charge.”
Kai put up with their good-natured teasing and everyone headed inside for breakfast. Jericho spotted Savannah approaching from the direction of the manor.
“Good thing you sent Riley up to help me dress,” she said.
“Figured Riley would know what to grab from your tent for you.” He took her hand in his and kissed it. “No second thoughts?”
“No second thoughts,” she assured him.
“Good, because everyone knows already—including Fulsom. Boone called him right away.”
“Ah, the couple of the hour,” Renata announced as she approached them, followed by a bevy of cameramen. “Let’s get a brief statement to post on the website. We’ll have a rough cut of the next episode by the end of the day.”
Jericho groaned. He knew what that meant. There’d be a screening tonight.
“Can’t this wait until after breakfast?” he complained, but he and Savannah submitted to her instructions good-naturedly. Nothing could spoil this morning, he decided. Not as long as he was by Savannah’s side.
Once they finally got their meal, they settled on one of the logs near the fire pit, and one by one the other members of Base Camp stopped to congratulate them—both on the wedding and Savannah’s pregnancy. Jericho basked in their happiness, finding it harder and harder to remember why he’d fought against this so hard.
“There’s Win,” Savannah exclaimed. “I was beginning to wonder where she’d gotten to this morning. She’s the only one who hasn’t come to wish us well.”
“She going somewhere?” Jericho asked. Win had a suitcase with her, and it looked heavy. Sam had already gone to talk to her and the two women were deep in conversation.
“Not that she mentioned to me.” Brow furrowed, Savannah set her plate aside and stood up. Jericho followed her. They reached Win and Sam just in time to hear Win say to Angus, “Could you drive me to the airport?”
“Is something wrong?” Savannah asked.
Win nodded, her face pale. “It’s Mom; she’s in the hospital. I’ve been called home.”
Savannah reached for her. “I’m so sorry. Do you want me to come with you?”
“I can drive you to the airport,” Sam said. Jericho knew the two women had gotten close during Sam’s time at Base Camp.
“I’ll drive her,” Angus said firmly and the rest of them nodded, understanding his wish to have a moment with her before she left.
“You need to plan your wedding. Don’t worry; I’ll be fine.”
“Tell her to get well from me. I’ll send a card as soon as I can.” Savannah hugged her again.
“Thank you.”
Soon Angus had driven her away, leaving the camp in a far more somber mood than it had been just minutes earlier.
“I guess it’s time to get to work,” Jericho said.
Savannah nodded. “Guess so.”
“Nope,” Nora said. “You’re coming with me to Two Willows, Savannah. You don’t have much time before the wedding; you need to commission your gown.”
“And later we’ll go get that ring of yours fixed,” Jericho promised.
“You’re going to be a beautiful bride,” Alice Reed said two hours later when they’d gone over wedding gowns and she’d taken all the necessary measurements. All of Savannah’s friends had come with her to Two Willows, and now they were climbing into James’s barouche to head home again. Savannah felt she was floating on air as she walked; Alice’s initial designs for her wedding gown were wonderful.
“Thank you so much—for everything,” Savannah told her. “You’d better make the dress big enough for an alteration or two. I’m putting on weight—and not just up top anymore.”
“You’ll look like a princess,” Alice assured her. She’d sketched a Regency style gown with a fitted bodice and straight skirts that would hide the small baby bump Savannah had begun to sport and emphasize what had become an imposing bosom, as Alice had put it. She’d shown Savannah several elegant fabric choices and they’d decided on one that suited her perfectly. What was even better, Alice had sketched her hair done up with a trailing veil and a small but beautiful tiara.
“Where are you going to find a tiara?” Savannah had asked her.
“I have my sources,” Alice said. “Just you wait and see.”
“A tiara!” Avery exclaimed when she saw the drawing. “I want one of those, too, when I marry. If I marry,” she added glumly.
“You’ll marry.” Savannah had given her a squeeze. “Meanwhile, I think my bridesmaids deserve tiaras, too. Don’t you?”
“Absolutely,” Alice had said.
Savannah said her goodbyes and climbed into the barouche, took a seat next to Riley and leaned back as James clucked to the horses and they began to move. She sighed with contentment, but remembered that Riley wasn’t having nearly as easy a time of it as she was. She took her friend’s hand and squeezed it. “You all right?”
“Yes.” Riley squeezed her hand back. “Boone says we’ll keep on trying. He says it’s going to be okay.”
“I’m sure it will be.” But the ride home wasn’t quite as happy as she’d hoped it would be. Savannah was worried for Riley. Despite the brave face she’d put on the situation, she knew her friend was hurting, and she longed to comfort her. She was worried about Win, too. She’d never seen the woman so distracted and upset as she’d been this morning.
“Uh oh, something’s wrong,” Nora said when they pulled up back at Base Camp some time later. Savannah shook off her reverie and craned her neck to see. Men stood gathered at the fire pit instead of working. Savannah and the others climbed down from the barouche as quickly as possible to see what had happened. A few moments later they joined the semi-circle of men standing around Angus.
“I don’t think she’s coming back,” Savannah heard Angus say.
“Did she tell you that?” Boone demanded. He reached for the envelope in Angus’s hand, but Angus passed it to Savannah instead.
“This is for you. I told Win I’d deliver it.”
“For me?” Suddenly cold in the warm September day, Savannah took the envelope in fingers that had lost their strength. She opened it and pulled out a note. Savannah recognized this type of formal stationary—her mother had bought some once they had begun to rise in Silicon Valley’s society—even though as a programmer she disdained snail mail, as she called it.
She opened the letter and read:
Dear Savannah,
Don’t think of me too harshly as you read this. You’ll understand far better than anyone else why I’m doing this, since you know my background. You may have turned your back on your family, but I find that I can’t. Mom isn’t just ill—she’s got cancer—and she’s not going to recover. And her wish is that I take my place back at home where I belong. She’s backed up this threat with a big stick, just in case appealing t
o my daughterly guilt isn’t enough—
Win’s handwriting grew wobbly here and Savannah had to squint to make it out.
She’s threatened to write me out of her will. In fact, she’s already done so. I’m required to leave the show permanently and spend the rest of the year in California before she’ll think of reversing her decision. She wants me to miss the deadline to marry Angus, so that he’ll have to marry someone else. She says it’s because he’s against everything my family stands for, but I know that’s not it: she thinks I’ll be unhappy with him.
I can picture your reaction—your confusion. You thought I’d already given all that up. That my love for Angus would overcome everything else.
You’re right; I love Angus. More than anyone I’ve ever loved before.
But not enough; it turns out it’s one thing to leave your money behind—and it’s another thing altogether to have it taken away irrevocably.
At the end of the day, it turns out I’m just as shallow and selfish as everyone ever thought I was. I can’t do it. I can’t be poor. I’m not clever like Angus, or talented like you. Wealth is all I’ve had. It’s all I know.
I hope you won’t hate me too much. I hope you’ll realize what this is costing me. Please tell Angus—tell him I love him. I really love him. But he’s better off without me.
And please, please—marry Jericho with your heart high. Don’t worry about me. I’ve made my bed and I’ll sleep in it. Be happy, Savannah. For my sake.
Love,
Win
Savannah looked up and met Angus’s stricken gaze.
“They’ve taken her from me,” he said, his accent even thicker than usual. “They didn’t have to do that—I didn’t want her money. I’ve plenty of my own. Maybe not a fortune, but—”
“I know.” Savannah reached for his hand. “Don’t give up on her, Angus. She doesn’t mean this. She can’t.”
He nodded, but his eyes told a different story. “Thing is, lass, I think she does.”
Chapter Thirteen
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“Riley—would you and the other women excuse us for a minute?” Boone said.
