“You lying swindler,” Cora called out through clenched teeth.
Nathaniel’s arm around her waist tightened. Despite the tension in the air, she leaned into his secure strength, relief washing over her that he was there.
Ted leered and laughed coldly. “I have a certificate that says she’s my wife, woodsman. The law’s on my side.”
“Really?” Nathaniel asked casually. “The law’s a bit scarce around here, and the only legal marriage certificate this woman has is the one she signed when she married me.”
Cora’s head shot up to Nathaniel. Her forehead scrunched. Nathaniel met her stunned glare for the briefest of seconds, then returned to Ted. “And there’s no disputing it’s validity,” he added.
Ted’s eyes widened. Surprise, then hatred blazed in his gaze, but he backed up. He pointed a finger at Cora.
“This isn’t over. You owe me. I made it possible for you to come out here. You and I are far from through.” He yanked his horse’s reins from where it stood tied to the wagon, mounted, and rode away from camp.
When Ted was out of sight, Cora spun and faced the man whose arm was still around her waist, holding her against his hip. Why would he bluff like that and say she was married to him? She faced him squarely, looking up at him.
“Nathaniel, what –”
She had no chance to finish. Nathaniel dipped his head and touched his lips to hers. He dropped his rifle and pulled her firmly into his arms. Cora’s legs faltered, refusing to hold her up. She leaned into him as heat rushed through her.
Nathaniel folded her into his arms, drawing her fully up against him, and deepened the kiss. Her lips parted beneath his and her arms crept up along his chest to grip his shoulders as if of their own will. His whiskered cheek scraped against hers while he intensified the kiss. Cora melted fully against him, her limbs weak and her heart pounding faster than it ever had. Nothing had ever felt as real or right as this.
When Nathaniel eased his head back slightly, Cora sucked in a quick breath, then another. Her chest heaved as she stared up at him. His dark eyes matched hers in passion, refusing to let her look away. Her mouth opened slightly.
Nathaniel touched a finger to her lips. “Before you say anything, I need you to listen, and hear me out.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
N athaniel eased away from the soft woman in his arms. Kissing her had been the biggest mistake he’d made in a long time. It was an impulsive act, meant to keep her quiet so that he could tell her what he’d wanted to suggest earlier, before the Walker brothers had interrupted them.
He cursed silently. Who was he kidding? He’d wanted to kiss her since the very first day he’d laid eyes on her. This just seemed like a harebrained excuse to finally do it. It had surprised the hell out of him that she’d melted against him and kissed him back.
Hope sprang to life that, just maybe, she’d be agreeable to his proposal, even if this definitely was the wrong way to go about it. This wasn’t playing out the way he’d planned at all, not even when he’d started to ask her earlier, before Lucas Walker had interrupted. Seeing Ted Miller in her camp had changed the game even more. He’d had to act.
“What are you playing at, Nathaniel?” Cora stepped away from him, her eyes round with surprise, but also dark with passion. Her lips glistened in the aftermath of his kiss. Nathaniel reached for her hand.
“I’m trying to look out for you.”
“By lying that we’re married?” Confusion filled her eyes. All her fears of betrayal at the hands of men she’d trusted sprung to life in her gaze. She pulled back. “Why would you lie about such a thing?”
“Cora, listen to me.” Nathaniel stepped up to her and firmly took her hand in his. Would she believe his motives?
“Whatever Miller’s reason is for being here, he’s not going to leave you be unless he sees that he can’t get to you anymore. You said yourself you don’t believe a word he says.”
She shook her head, her eyes still wide. “I can’t go along with another charade and pretend you and I are married. You said you weren’t going to Oregon.”
Nathaniel clenched his jaw. “I don’t plan to go to Oregon, at least not right now.”
Cora’s brows drew together. “Then what good will it do me that you’re willing to pretend to be my husband, if it’s not to get us on that wagon train?”
He ran a hand through his hair and cursed silently. This wasn’t working out the way he’d planned. The beginnings of trust that he’d seen in her eyes earlier had vanished, replaced with confusion and suspicion.
Watching Cora go back to her camp alone had given him an uneasy feeling after seeing how the trappers they’d encountered had leered at her. He'd kept an eye on her until she'd walked out of his line of sight, but had become increasingly uncomfortable the longer he'd stayed away. He’d exchanged a few more words with the Walker brothers, talking about news of people they knew and what they were up to. When Lucas had pressed again about going to Oregon, Nathaniel had told him of his plans where Cora was concerned.
“Well, good luck with that.” He’d slapped Nathaniel’s shoulder and shook his head. “I don’t know what all the fuss is about with getting hitched. I’d much rather go exploring.”
Nathaniel had nodded at his friend and a grin had passed over his face.
“I'd agree with you, Lucas, but not this time. You know I'm usually the first one to jump at the chance to head out into the mountains with you, but there's something special about Cora that I can't quite shake.”
“There’s a preacher with the wagon company that’s camped along the creek,” Joseph had said before his brother could get another word in. “Good luck.”
Nathaniel had nodded and said his quick goodbyes to Lucas and Joseph, then rushed to follow Cora. Good thing that he had. Not since his folks’ deaths had he wanted to hurt someone as badly as he wanted to do harm to Ted Miller for grabbing her.
Surprised to learn this was the man who had duped her into a false marriage and then abandoned her, Nathaniel had eyed the gun strapped to his hip and wondered how good of a shot the man was. At first glance he’d looked like one of the countless unsavory characters he’d met at various trading outposts over the years. Months on the trail had obviously been hard on him, judging by his tattered clothes and unkempt appearance.
Nathaniel had done the only thing that came to mind, short of physically hurting the man, and told him that Cora was already married to him. Ted had been right. Even with a fake marriage certificate, people would take his word over Cora’s, so he’d called the man’s bluff. If he had his way and if he could convince her, Cora would be his wife before this day was over.
The wagon creaked behind them and Nathaniel glanced up. Caroline and Josie climbed out of the bed, looking at him. Anna emerged from around the other side of the rig. Nathaniel’s eyes traveled between them. His proposal was going to affect them, too. His eyes returned to Cora.
“Can we go talk by the fire? I think what I want to say needs to be said in front of your family and Anna, as well.”
Cora blinked, then slowly nodded. Nathaniel held tight to her hand even as she tried to pull away, and led her toward the wagon and her sisters. He waited until everyone sat on something around the fire.
“Is Ted gone?” Caroline asked. “I don’t like him. I don’t think I ever liked him.”
Nathaniel lowered his head to conceal his smile at the girl’s words. Caroline was usually quiet, with her nose in a book, but she obviously had a strong opinion about Ted.
“Me neither,” Patrick chimed in. “I want Nathaniel to go with us.”
Cora sat on an overturned bucket. Her mouth was set in a grim line while she watched him. Dammit! Had he shattered the little bit of trust he’d built? Whether it was his impulsive kiss or the lie he’d told that scum, Ted, to get him to leave before he beat the tar out of him, Cora seemed suspicious again. Come hell or high water, someday she was going to trust him completely.
“What’s go
ing on? What did Ted want?” Caroline looked at each of her sisters before resting on Cora.
“Apparently, heading to California and his gold mining plans didn’t pan out.” Cora scoffed. “Seems like he decided we’re a lot easier pickins.”
“He told me he was sorry that he left, and wanted you back, that he made a big mistake by leaving us at Fort Laramie,” Anna said quietly. “He tried to tell me that you were wrong about the marriage not being legal.”
Cora shook her head. She fisted her hands in her lap. “He didn’t deny that we weren’t legally wed a few minutes ago. He simply said that no one would know, that the certificate looked legitimate enough to fool anyone.”
She lowered her head and stared at her lap. Nathaniel cursed under his breath and fisted his hands at his side. He should have punched Ted Miller for the way he’d deceived Cora. Right now, she looked as vulnerable as she had the other day by the river.
“How did he find us?” Anna looked at Nathaniel.
“He saw me at the fort,” Cora said quickly. “He must have figured we were desperate enough that I’d take him back with open arms.”
“And now he wants to go to Oregon as planned?”
Cora stared at her friend, the familiar spark that made her so alluring back in her eyes. “Well, he’s not going to get his wish. He’ll abandon us again once we get there.”
She glanced at Nathaniel. Their eyes met and held. By the look on her face, she wanted to say something else, but clearly held back. Finally, her back straightened.
“He’s well aware that we have the means to start a nice farm on the land the government will give us once we get there. He’s asked me about our finances once already, before we were married. The day he left, he wanted money, saying it was his share.”
“You gave him your money?” Anna’s eyes widened.
“Of course not,” Cora said heatedly. “I told him he’s not going to get his hands on anything that belongs to me.”
“And that’s why I’m trying to protect you,” Nathaniel cut in. “Men like that want what’s easy. He’s not going to disappear.”
In fact, he was probably more of a threat now than before, but Nathaniel kept his thoughts to himself. Ted Miller had seen Cora as an easy means to get his hands on some money. He smiled inwardly. He might have realized at Fort Laramie that she was too headstrong and wasn’t going to simply hand over her property, so he’d left when he’d thought an easier opportunity had come up. It didn’t matter why he’d shown up again, but it was even more important to keep an eye out for Cora and her family.
Nathaniel locked his eyes on Cora. “We haven’t seen the last of him unless he realizes that he has no chance to get what he wants from you. It’ll be your word against his about the marriage. If Ted’s waving a legal-looking document under someone’s nose, they're not going to check back with the preacher in Independence to make sure it's real.”
Cora returned his stare. “Your lie isn’t going to deter him once he sees you aren’t going with us to Oregon. We’ll always be grateful to you for bringing us to Fort Hall, but you’re not going any further, so how can you keep him from bothering us again?”
Nathaniel shifted weight, standing in front of the women and the boy, who all looked at him expectantly. He ran his hand through his hair, then took a step toward Cora. The disappointment on her face was obvious. When she raised her chin to look his way, he locked his eyes on hers.
“I don’t think you should continue on to Oregon, either,” he said slowly.
Cora sprang to her feet. Her eyes grew wide as saucers. “What? Where are we supposed to go?”
Nathaniel moved toward her. He stopped inches in front of her, close enough for her dress to brush up against his legs.
“Stop getting your hackles up for once, and just listen.”
He stared at her. How was he going to knock some sense into her head without getting her all riled? She was worried for her family’s safety, but she was out of options. Her eyes shimmered with hurt and apprehension. Nathaniel raised both hands, easing his fingers around her upper arms to keep her from moving away. He inhaled deeply.
“Marry me, and come with me to Harley’s Hole.” His voice dropped to a low whisper.
Cora stiffened. “I beg your pardon?” she breathed. The disbelief in her eyes grew. “I can’t just abandon all my plans and go with you.”
Behind him, the girls whispered, and Patrick cheered. Anna quickly shushed him. Nathaniel’s grip on her arms tightened. The flash of uncertainty on her face went straight to his heart, even though he had expected it. She was afraid of another betrayal, that he would be no different than the other men in her life who had abandoned her. He honed in on the small glimmer of hope in her eyes when she held his gaze.
“I’m not asking you to stay. It’s so late in the season, getting over the mountains before you reach Oregon will be dangerous. What if you run into snow? I’m asking you to come with me, all of you.” Nathaniel broke off and looked over his shoulder at four pairs of eyes staring back at him. “Come with me and stay for the winter. Next spring, I’ll bring you back here to Fort Hall when the first wagons come through, and I’ll take you to Oregon if you still want to go.”
“I like that idea,” Patrick chimed in. “I want to stay with Nathaniel.”
Nathaniel straightened. He grinned at the boy’s outburst before easing up on Cora’s arms. Taking a step back, he glanced over his shoulder again at the others. Anna studied him intently while Caroline and Josie whispered to each other with their heads together. Cora was apparently at a loss for words. When he turned his head back to her, she still stared up at him, a confused frown on her pretty face. He could almost see the wheels spinning in her head.
She peeled her eyes from his and looked at her siblings and at Anna. “Are you agreeable to this?” she asked with a slight shake of her head.
Patrick nodded vigorously. Caroline joined him. Even Josie nodded slowly in agreement. Nathaniel smiled at the girl.
“Anna?” Cora stepped around Nathaniel and walked up to her friend. “What do you think?”
Anna stood and placed her hand on Cora’s arm. She smiled tentatively. “I think we may not have any other recourse at this point. If Nathaniel is willing to bring us back next spring and take us to Oregon, this might be our safest option.”
Cora’s eyes lingered on her youngest sister before she spun around to face him again. Nathaniel held his breath. His heart pounded against his ribs. What the hell was he doing? He’d just made a promise that he would honor, no matter how much it might tear into his heart later.
“I need to speak to Nathaniel, in private.” She looked at Anna. “The rifle is under the wagon seat. If anyone comes near this camp, fire off a shot.”
Josie jumped to her feet and headed for the front of the wagon and pulled the rifle out from under the seat. Nathaniel raised his brows at the girl.
Cora stepped around the fire and headed toward where the horses grazed. She continued to walk along the creek bank until they were well out of sight of the wagon, her pace increasing with each step. Nathaniel followed. How far was she planning to go? If she wanted privacy to talk to him alone, she’d already gone far enough. He called out to her.
“Since when do you run away from something? Or is it me you’re running from?” he challenged. Her behavior was uncharacteristic. Even if she had reservations about putting her trust in him, she would tell him to his face, not rush off. What was she afraid of?
Cora’s back straightened. When she finally stopped, she wrapped her hands around her middle and gazed out across the narrow creek that meandered through the grasses. Nathaniel approached and waited. Best to let her do the talking first.
“Why do you want to marry me?” she asked softly, lifting her gaze to his. Something glistened in her eyes. Hope? Nathaniel studied her eyes. Hope for what?
“I told you, to protect you from Ted Miller.” Nathaniel took a step closer and drew up alongside her. Crickets chir
ped loudly and a chorus of frogs croaked noisily along the water.
“You’re not the kind of man who wants to settle in Oregon as a farmer,” she continued. “Why would you do this?”
“I’m offering you a safe place for the winter, Cora, and my name to protect you.”
Her forehead wrinkled. She stared at him with disbelieving eyes, as if the idea that he’d do this for unselfish reasons was beyond her comprehension. He reached out and touched her arm.
“It’s the only way I can think of to keep you from running off to Oregon on your own, this late in the year. You won’t make it over the mountains. Marrying me will also keep your property safe from Ted Miller. And in case you’re wondering, I’m not interested in your valuables.”
He smiled in response to her frown. It probably wouldn’t be a good idea to tell her that his interest was in her. He hesitated. “Next spring, if you still want to go on to Oregon, we’ll hitch up with one of the wagon outfits and I’ll make sure you get there. No strings attached.”
Cora tilted her head, her eyes roaming every inch of his face. He didn’t look away. She was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen, even if the fire had gone out of her eyes for a moment. He’d bring it back somehow.
“So, if I agree to marry you, and go with you to your home, you promise to bring us back and take us to Oregon? And then what?”
Nathaniel inhaled a deep breath. He forced his next words from his mouth. “Once you’re settled, you can have the marriage annulled, and we go our separate ways. You’ll have your land in Oregon.”
Her eyes widened. “A marriage in name only?”
He nodded. “You have my word,” he said. “I won’t make any demands on you.” This would surely be the most difficult promise he’d ever made to anyone.
Cora shook her head, an incredulous look on her face. “Why are you doing this?”
Nathaniel raked a hand through his hair. He curled his toes in his moccasins to keep from stepping closer and pulling her into his arms. If he did, his promise would become a lie in less time than it had taken him to say the words. He’d be no better than the men who had failed her.
Cora's Pride (Wilderness Brides Book 1) Page 12
