by Kit Morgan
It was then Elle realized there might be no turning back, for her heart that is. Spencer Riley had captured it.
* * *
What had he been thinking? He’d kissed his mail order bride! Not a bad thing mind you, but up until now he wasn’t so sure. He ran out the door with the taste of her sweet mouth lingering in his and quickly walked to the barn. The moment the cold wind hit him he should have snapped out of it and had the livestock on his mind. But let’s face it, there was no way his horse could compare with kissing Elle Barstow.
But had she been ready for it? That was the main question running through his mind. Sure, she didn’t protest, but he hadn’t exactly given her a chance to do so either. She didn’t bite him or step on his foot or slap him. All encouraging signs … but she didn’t say anything. Of course he didn’t know what she would say, but he was hoping for a sigh of contentment, a slight swoon, a buckling of the knees, something to indicate she’d enjoyed it as much as he did! All he remembered was her shocked mumbling of “Oh God” right before he kissed her.
Oh God …
Well she wasn’t saying “Oh God” at the moment and she hadn’t stepped on his foot or slapped him or any of that sort of thing. She only pulled away slightly for propriety’s sake. Which of course made him wonder. Should he kiss her again?
Spencer’s entire body warmed at the thought.
Elle pulled away as he mused and stared at the stove a moment before turning her attention back to him. “What are you smiling at?”
“Nothing, really,” he said then gave her body a small squeeze. “Except this.”
She swallowed and quickly looked to the stove again.
He hooked a finger under her chin and pulled it up to so she’d have to look at him. His eyes began to roam her face. “Are you warming up?”
She swallowed again. “Uh huh …” she said softly.
Her mouth was perfect and it was all he could do not to ravage it. He licked his lips and closed his eyes. He wanted her, wanted her like he’d never wanted anything before in his life. She was beautiful, she was strong, and if things worked out right in a matter of days she’d be his.
Just how long did it take to sew together a wedding dress?
“Where … where do you suppose the others are?” Elle all but whispered, pulling him from his thoughts.
“I have no idea, upstairs perhaps? Ma has a fireplace in her room. Maybe she and Summer are trying to get a fire going up there.” His head bent lower, his finger still hooked beneath her chin.
She made a small movement with her head, as if trying to turn away yet not wanting to. He cupped her face with his hand to hold her in place and bent his head even lower. “Are you warm now?” he whispered.
Her breathing hitched and she shivered. “I … I …”
Spencer drew her closer, bent his face to hers, and kissed her again. But this time it was not the chaste kiss of the front hall. Yes, that one had been much more than a mere peck on the lips. He’d tasted her then, it was true. But now, he savored his future bride and to his sheer and utter delight, she ever so slowly, returned his kiss.
She was obviously inexperienced and he quickly gathered that the kiss he gave her in the front hall had been her first. She tentatively pulled one arm from between them and wrapped it around his neck. Her fingers entwined themselves in his hair and he deepened the kiss in response. If he didn’t stop he’d be in big trouble and might find himself sleeping out in the barn!
Spencer broke away from her and stood to his full height. Elle’s hand was still in his hair. He reached up and pulled it from him to place it at her side before he again held her against him. “I don’t know about you, darlin’ but I’m plenty warm now. We’d best go get a fire going in the parlor. Ma and Summer should be down soon.”
She looked up at him, tears in her eyes.
Spencer frowned. What was this about? “What’s wrong, sugar?”
Elle let go a sob, shook her head and pushed herself away from him. She then, much to Spencer’s dismay, ran from the kitchen and straight up the stairs. He listened as a door slammed shut, most likely Summer’s, then heard the sound of raised voices, also Summer’s, followed by a set of angry sounding footsteps descending the stairs. His mother.
Spencer gulped.
“Spencer! What have you done?”
He tried to speak but nothing came out. He was still confused over Elle’s sudden retreat. “I … well … I …”
“If you mess this up so help me… Ohhhh, just apologize for what ever it was you said to that poor girl!”
“I didn’t say anything!”
His mother took a step back and looked at him, her face in shock. “Then what did you do?”
Spencer shrugged. “All I did was kiss her!”
“What? Then why in Heaven’s name is she so upset?”
“Upset? All I did was kiss her for crying out loud. Myself… I thought it … nice.”
His mother looked to the stairs in the hallway, and back again. “Then why on Earth did she come running up the stairs and tell us she can’t marry you?”
“What?”
“Those were her exact words. I. Can’t. Marry. Spencer.”
Ten
“Elle! What is wrong with you? What did Spencer do?”
Elle sniffed back her tears. What did Spencer do? There was nothing wrong with what Spencer did! There was everything wrong with what she’d done, or not done in this case.
She was going to have to tell him.
Elle would never be able to keep what happened in New Orleans to herself while waiting for Mrs. Ridgley to send word about Jethro and the man she’d shot. It was one thing to hear Spencer talk of honesty between them. Quite another to feel it emanate from every fiber of his being as he kissed her in the kitchen. Spencer Riley was a good, honest man, there was no doubt about it. He was true to his word and would make an excellent husband for someone. Unfortunately, Elle didn’t think that someone was going to be her.
“Oh Summer! I’ve done such a terrible thing!”
Summer sat on the bed next to Elle and wrapped her arms around her. “What happened?”
“He kissed me! He kissed me and it was… it was wonderful!”
Summer pushed them apart and looked at her in shock. “And you’re upset about it?”
Elle shook her head. “You don’t understand, before I came out here something happened, something awful! I couldn’t tell him, I couldn’t even tell you!”
“We are talking about Spencer aren’t we? The kissing part I mean?”
“Yes, yes … of course. That’s the problem. I can’t marry Spencer, he deserves better than …”
“What are you talking about?” Summer said as she took Elle by the shoulders and gave her a shake.
Elle looked her square in the eye. “I … I kind of… sort of… well, I may have …”
Summer leaned toward her, eyes intense. “You did what? What did you kind of, sort of, do?”
Elle stiffened, closed her eyes tightly shut, and pushed out. “I kind of sort of shot someone.”
“You did WHAT? Oh my God! Elle!”
Elle opened her eyes, put a hand to her mouth, and did her best to stifle a sob as she suddenly stood and began to pace about the room. “It all happened so fast, I was running and Jethro kept pushing me and then I tripped and then this man…” Her words poured out like water. She suddenly stopped her pacing and turned to Summer. “He was a very bad man I want to point out!”
Summer stared at her in open-mouthed shock. “Elle,” she began slowly. “Tell me the part about when you shot him.”
Elle twisted a section of her skirt in her hands. “He shot Jethro first.”
“Jethro …” Summer began in recollection. “I remember Jethro! He works for Mrs. Ridgley.”
Elle nodded as she twisted a much larger section of her skirt in her hands and continued her pacing. “Jethro said the man chasing us probably worked for someone called Slade.”
“
Slade? Oh no!”
“I don’t know who he is but Jethro told me he was bad, very bad. He sent a man after us when we left the orphanage for the train station. He chased us and shot Jethro when we were trying to get out of an alley.” She once again spun to Summer. “He fired as soon as he entered the alley, saw Jethro go down, then started for us. He acted like he wasn’t in any sort of a hurry and it was then I knew couldn’t leave Jethro. That man was either going to shoot him dead or let him bleed to death! I had to do something!”
Summer’s face calmed as she stared into the fire she and Mrs. Riley started in the hearth earlier. “And so you shot him …”
“Kind of.”
Summer looked to her. “What do you mean, kind of?”
“Jethro was holding his gun in his hand. I helped him get it out of its holster you see, but he was too weak to lift it and take aim. So I helped him.” She looked away. “But it was still my finger on the trigger, or over Jethro’s finger. Ok, so maybe my finger was helping Jethro’s finger pull the trigger. The fact is we shot him!”
Summer lifted both her hands to her temples and began to rub them. “Let me get this straight. Mr. Slade had someone come after you to keep you from getting on that train and bring you back to him. The man he sent chased you into an alley, shot Jethro, and then you and Jethro shot him.”
Elle took a deep breath. “Exactly.”
Summer took her hands from her temples and placed them in her lap. “And how does this make you unable to marry Spencer?”
Elle went to the bed and sat next to her friend. “Don’t you see? When I tell Spencer what happened how could he marry me? I don’t know if that man lived or died. I don’t even know what happened to Jethro!”
“This is why you were so adamant about getting to the telegraph office.” Summer said to no one in particular as she again stared into the fire.
Elle let go a weary sigh. “Yes. I was hoping to find out from Mrs. Ridgley what happened before I consented to marry Spencer. I didn’t want this hanging over my head and … and tired to avoid feeling anything for him … in case … I can’t marry him.”
Summer looked to her. “Elle, you said yourself Spencer’s an honest man. Don’t you think he’d listen to you just as I’m doing? You obviously shot that man in self defense, even if he is dead, that won’t stop Spencer from wanting to marry you.”
Elle shook her head, fresh tears in her eyes. “But I left Jethro there, I don’t know what happened to him! What if he died because of me! He made me run! Told me to run straight to the train station!”
“Was anyone else there, did anyone see what happened?”
Elle was crying now. It took her a moment to compose herself before she answered. “There were … other men … I didn’t see them, but they were coming. They must have heard the shots. Jethro and I heard them getting closer and that’s when he told me to run straight to the station. I don’t know if they were more of Slade’s men, or men who would help.”
Summer let go a low whistle. She looked at Elle, reached out, and pulled her into her arms. “We’ll find out what happened, don’t you worry. And don’t worry about Spencer either. Telling him is the right thing to do. He’ll love you all the more for it.”
Elle sobbed against Summer’s hair. “He’s not going to arrest me?”
“No silly! He’s not going to arrest you!”
Elle sat up straight and looked at Summer. “I’m so glad you’re here. I’m sure I’d never be able to get through this if you weren’t.”
“I don’t think I have anything to do with you making the right decision. But I will tell you this. The Riley men are good men, honest men, and they’ll always do right by you. Give them a chance to prove it. I was glad I did.”
Elle sniffed back the last of her tears. “I will.”
Summer smiled, “I’m glad.” She then once again pulled Elle into her arms, and hugged her.
* * *
The next morning Elle came downstairs with a determined gleam in her eye. She spent the night in Summer’s room as it had a fireplace and was much warmer than the small one she occupied downstairs near the kitchen. It was an office Clayton and Spencer converted into a bedroom for Summer when she arrived with her injured foot and left it set up as one knowing Elle was on her way.
She entered the kitchen, went to the stove and poured herself a cup of coffee. Summer had come down earlier and got breakfast started. She was standing next to the stove frying eggs. “Can I help with anything?” Elle asked.
“Slice some bread, will you?”
Elle went to a sideboard where the bread was kept, got out a loaf, took a knife, and began to slice it. “Where’s Spencer?”
“He’s out at the barn. He should be in any minute. Are you going to tell him this morning?”
Elle stopped her slicing. “I’m not sure. I want to, but think I should wait for the right moment.”
Summer smiled at her, then turned back to the eggs. “I’m glad you told me first.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know, because we’ve always told each other everything. It won’t be the same when we’re both married. I suppose we’ll be telling all our secrets to Clayton and Spencer first.”
Elle put the bread on a plate and set it on the table. She secretly prayed she was still going to get married! The voice of doubt had screamed all night that once Spencer found out what she’d done, their wedding was off. There would be no happy ending to her tale of woe. No pretty wedding dress or flower strewn alter. Only a cold jail cell with her inside of it watching as Spencer turned the lock and threw away the key. The image had hounded her all night and she’d hardly slept a wink.
The back door to the kitchen suddenly opened letting a chill into the room. Spencer stomped his boots on a small rug to get the fresh snow off of them before he looked up into Elle’s eyes. She froze, her heart in her throat, and stared back.
“Morning,” he said as he took off his coat and hat and hung them on a peg near the door. “Breakfast ready?”
“Sit down and I … Summer began then suddenly stopped. “And Elle will fix you a plate,” she finished as she looked Elle in the eye then silently mouthed, “Tell him!”
Elle waved her away just as Spencer turned around and made for the nearest chair. She went to the stove and dished him up some fried eggs and potatoes as Summer placed a plate of bacon on the table.
“Thank you, Miss Barstow,” he told her as she set his breakfast plate in front of him. She sighed at the way he addressed her. So, it was back to Miss Barstow was it? After the way he kissed her last night? But then Mrs. Riley did hear her say she couldn’t marry him and must have told him as much. What if he decided that was fine and dandy and to send her back? What then?
Elle stood slightly behind him and raised her face to the ceiling in a silent prayer. Oh Lord, what a mess I’ve created. Make this work out, because … She looked to Spencer and watched as he bowed his head over his plate in his own silent prayer before he began to dig into his breakfast. Because Lord I don’t want to go back. I can’t leave him. I … I think I’m falling in love with him…
But did he feel anything at all for her at this point? And after she told him what she’d done, how much more reason would he need to send her back? None. She was sure her news would be quite sufficient.
Summer walked by her and snapped her with a dishrag to get her attention then once again silently mouthed, “Tell him will you?”
Elle gave her a helpless shrug along with a lopsided look. “Not now!” she mouthed back.
Summer rolled her eyes and began to dish herself up a plate. Elle put a hand to her forehead and began to massage it. She couldn’t tell him over breakfast! Let the poor man eat! She’d tell him when he was done. Yes, that’s what she’d do. Just as soon as he was done!
The front door suddenly opened and closed. Spencer’s head snapped up at the sound and he immediately got up from the table. “Clayton? Is that you?”
“Sure is,�
�� Clayton said as he strolled into the kitchen. “Where’s my sugar?”
Summer turned to him and smiled. He went directly to her, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her soundly.
Elle felt a tremendous blush creep into her cheeks and she had to look away. Not because of the way Clayton was kissing Summer, but the memory it brought up of the kiss she shared with Spencer last night. Her body broke out with gooseflesh just thinking about it.
“How’s Doc doing?” Spencer asked.
“He’s awake! Must’ve woke up about three o’clock this morning. He always was an early riser!”
“Thank the Lord!” Spencer said in relief. “What about Milly?”
“She’s fine. Plumb tuckered out, but fine. Mrs. Quinn showed up with some muffins and coffee and took over my watch. She was nagging Milly something awful when I left.”
“That’s good news,” Summer agreed.
“Where’s ma?” Clayton asked as he looked around the kitchen.
“Right here, dear,” Mrs. Riley said as she glided into the room in her usual cheery manner. She went straight to Clayton. “Doc Brown?”
“He’ll be fine. Got a nasty bump on the side of his head, and his vision is a little fuzzy he says, but Milly told me it should clear up by this afternoon.”
“She’ll most likely make him stay in bed for a day or two,” Mrs. Riley added. “Poor man. Certainly hard to be treated by the doctor after an accident like that when you are the doctor!”
“You can say that again!” Clayton exclaimed as he stole some bacon off of Spencer’s plate. “Milly’s sure no peach when she’s in the role.” He bit into the bacon and ignored Spencer’s scowl.
“I’m afraid Doc and Milly aren’t getting any younger. Matthew Quinn is going to have some mighty big shoes to fill.”
“Matthew Quinn?” Spencer began. “What does he have to do with anything?”
“Didn’t you know? He’s to come home from college soon,” Mrs. Riley said happily.
“Yes, but what does that have to do with Doc and Milly?” Clayton asked.
“Now you boys should both remember Matt Quinn went to school to learn how to doctor folks,” their mother explained.
