Shannon looked shocked. "Now you listen to me. None of these men accosted me. None of them touched me. I am just on my way home. It was safer going with them than going alone. He's right; I'd have been lost alone."
"You don't understand, you got no business being here without a man of your own to protect you. Why, he's admitted these other men are prisoners. Any one of them could get loose and cut your throat. Don't you understand this is for your own good?"
Jimmy John chuckled aloud. "Ain't none of us touched her either, not that we hadn't given it a thought, but she did us a favor by fixing Billy. We sorta owed her."
"Sure…that may be true, son." She turned to Shannon now, staring hard. "But what's people gonna say when they see you with all these men, and not a one of them a husband? Out here, women don't do things like run off with a passel of men. It ain't done. Why those respectable people in town would shun you after this. No, I'm saving your reputation. This young fella agreed to marry you; I reckon that's good enough." The old woman nodded to her boys. "Go fetch the preacher, Little John."
"But marriage isn't something you jump into, like this." Shannon protested.
"Maybe you should have thought about that."
Her tallest son nodded and mounted his horse, riding off to the northeast.
"Now wait. You can't do this…" Shannon argued.
"I can and I will. I'm saving you from yourself. Shame on you for running with these men…"
"I wasn't running with them. I came to doctor that one over there. That's all I came to do. He had a bullet in him. I got the bullet out, and I was on my way home…"
"I ain't deaf. I can hear. But we got ourselves a situation. You see, I been living in these hills for nigh on to forty years, and the law out here says you gotta marry one of them. Believe me, you go home without marrying one of them, and no one will come to see you. You won't have no patients. Got something to do with all the mail order brides that came out here. Marriage is real sacred to these people, even here in the hills. Why, if I let you go back like this, you'd be a scarlet woman. I know what I'm talking about."
"Perhaps you are right about that. I didn't give it a thought." Shannon cried. "But surely, you can understand, I don't know any of these men well enough to marry them. And I am a doctor. Doctors go where they are needed. They don't up and marry someone just to take care of a wounded man or woman."
"You may be a doctor, like you say. Maybe you really are here just to doctor that young fella. It ain't the doctorin' I'm agin. What you did wrong was to come out here in the first place, alone, and unmarried. You are forgetting one thing…You're a woman first, and you should remember that. I'm protecting you. You should be thankful. Now you settle down, and once we have the ceremony, you can go home again. It will be all legal, I'll see to that…"
"I'm not staying for any preacher. I'm going home…" Shannon started for her horse.
"I don't think so, gal. It's time you quit fighting me. I'm just trying to help you. Now get down and behave yourself. Where's your Ma?"
"She's dead…" Shannon blurted before thinking.
"I'll swan, how did she die?" The old woman sounded concerned. Shannon stared at her, amazed that a total stranger would care one way or another.
"She died of small pox." Shannon muttered miserably.
"And your Pa?" She asked.
"He's dead too."
"What happened to him?" The woman asked, her face a wad of emotions.
"Indians…He was an agent for the railroad. He went west and was killed in a raid."
"Railroad, eh? Where you from, you don't talk like no Oregonian."
"Boston."
"Never heard of it. Must be a far piece from here. So you are all alone in the world, aren't you?" She shook her head. "That explains some of it, right there. Yes ma'am it does. Well, you ain't alone any more, honey. You can call me Ma if you want to. I'm gonna see you married if it's the last thing I do. You poor little soul. Then you can travel these hills and no one will bother you. I'll see to that. Now, don't get me wrong, you don't have to live with the man, or even like him. But you do have to marry someone, now. You can do all your doctorin' and not one soul will bother you up here. Neither a critter nor man. I'll see to that."
Shannon stared at her, and for the first time realized that the woman was quite serious. She meant it. And she meant it when she said she'd see to her, too. The woman actually cared about Shannon. It was touching in some strange way.
For a moment, Shannon was swayed by her genuine concern. It seemed rather old fashioned to Shannon. Just the fact that she cared that much, made her rethink the woman.
"I appreciate your concern for me, but I've been on my own quite a while now. I don't need a man." She cried.
"You don't know what you need, child. But I do. And I’m going to see you get it. Now settle down and be still. The preacher will be here any minute now…"
Chapter Three
Preacher?
Dear God, the woman was serious!
Rainbow colors blushed against the dew-filled pines of the forest, as Shannon tried to make sense of the last few minutes. Small animals scurried through the forest as break of dawn announced itself to nature.
The woods seemed to come alive.
The preacher rode into their camp that morning like an unannounced guest. Dressed in a long overcoat and top hat he made a stunning figure with his lean hard looks. He stood out from all of them.
He nodded to Ma.
"Good to see you Ma. Heard we are going to have a wedding this morning. Ain't nothin' I like better than to bring two young souls together in holy matrimony." The preacher cracked a smile at the woman.
"Yep…glad you could make it Parson Sanders. That fella over there against the tree offered to marry the girl, I reckon he'll do…" Ma said, pointing to Darrel. "Although, I'd think better of it, if it was the Ranger over there." She pointed with her shotgun."
The preacher looked at the boy.
"Wait now Ma," He stared at the young man. He came closer and eyed him from top to bottom. "How old are you son?"
"Sixteen…" Darrel said sitting up straight and staring at the tall preacher.
"Can't marry them." The preacher turned around to look at Ma, and shook his head. "He ain't legally old enough to marry her. If we had his Ma's consent, that might make a difference. But without it, it wouldn't be legal."
"Well then, you should pick out a man because you are going to be married today…" Ma nodded to Shannon.
"I don't know any of them." Shannon found herself looking at everyone with complete shock. This couldn't be happening. It was a bad dream. But when she pinched her arm purposely, she felt the pain, it wasn't a dream.
"Which one will it be?" Ma asked her foot tapping with her impatience.
"I'm not marrying any of them…" Shannon kept protesting. "I've explained why I'm out here. I've informed you I was a doctor. I came out here, from town, from Bull Creek, to dig a bullet out of Billy's shoulder, over there. That's why I'm here. It's the only reason. And I was riding back to town, with these gentlemen, until we reached the edge of the forest, that's all. Nothing more. I'm a doctor, I must travel about to help the sick and the wounded."
"You sure do toss that idea around a lot. You mean you got papers and education, saying you are a real doctor, or are you just a mid-wife kind of doctor?" The Parson smiled at her.
"I've been to school, got my degree, and I've been practicing medicine out here for the past six months.
"Ma's right, it ain't' right. But why aren't you like other women, married with a passel of kids? Why ain't your husband here to guide you?"
"I have no husband. I've never been married." Shannon assured her.
Suddenly Jesse stepped up and looked at Shannon closely. "Look, I'll marry her, if it will fix the problems here."
"Good…I like this one best anyway. He don't stink like the others." Ma smiled. "I like clean people. I thought you might come around. You couldn't let a pretty lit
tle gal like that get away from you, could you?"
Jesse eyed Shannon closely. "I guess not."
Shannon turned away from them all, trying to get a grip on this situation before it got out of hand. Why did this woman burst into their camp insisting she marry one of these men? Of course, it wasn't lady like to ride with a bunch of men, but she had no choice in the matter. Besides, being a doctor put her in all kinds of predicaments. Still, she'd never been in this kind of fix before, with these kind of people. It was plain to see they were not relenting.
But Jesse came up to her, and leaned toward her. "Go along with it, we'll sort this out, later. It's either me or one of them. Take your pick. We could go on and on about why you shouldn't, but she's not listening. We can figure out something later."
Shannon whirled around at him, but something softened in her the minute her eyes met his. His offer was gallant, because unless she read him wrong, he wasn't the marrying kind of man.
Finally realizing that the old woman was getting restless and the boys were tired of pointing their guns at them all, Shannon glanced at the ranger. "Well, she's right about one thing. You do smell better." She cracked a slight smile.
His mouth twitched into a sexy smile as it curled around her heart for a second. Granted the man oozed with all male sex, but she had never been the type to swoon over a man. Her mind was on her business, doctoring. She didn't need a man complicating her life.
"Good, it's settled then. Parson you got the proper papers?"
"Yes, all I need to make it legal. Just need their names…"
Jesse stepped up to the parson, his glance going over him thoroughly. "The name is Jesse Eugene Cutler."
"And yours?" The parson looked at her as she wrestled with what was about to happen here.
"Shannon Lillian Greer." She muttered. "But I don't see why I have to marry anyone…"
Ma came striding up to her; her eyes looked like flaming darts as she assessed her. "Because no matter who you are, or what you be, it ain't respectable and everyone knows it. You are riding with a herd of men. Good grief woman, don't you realize when you are in danger? Anyone of these men could try something with you, and because you are with them, they might think they have the right to other things. I'm protecting you, because obviously you can't protect yourself. The law of these hills gives me the right to force you to marry. You should have thought about all of this before you went off with that cowboy kid over there. Once you are married, even these rascals will have some respect and all will be well. As it is, any of them could have their way with you and no one would blame them, 'cause you're asking for it. Women don't travel alone with a pack of rangy men. And this is as rangy as it gets. Why just look at that big dark one over there. He looks like he has the devil inside him."
She pointed to Thornton. "He's been eyeing you ever since I rode up. Now hush up and marry the man so we can all get back to our own business."
Jesse was staring at the two of them. With a frustrated shake of his head, he distracted them both. "Nice name…"
"Take hold of her hand, son. Is there a ring?" the parson asked.
"No…we weren't expecting this…" Shannon shook her head.
"I got this out of a glass of gumballs, you can use it." Ma handed it to Jesse.
Jesse took the ring. It was a worthless piece of junk, but it sufficed.
The parson read the words, slowly, solemnly, as though every word meant more than they could comprehend. Then quite suddenly pronounced them man and wife. Ma and her boys cheered.
"You can kiss the bride…" The parson suggested.
Shannon's eyes rounded on Jesse as he moved in closer.
Jesse looked at Shannon and whispered just before his lips touched hers, "Don't raise any Cain. A little longer and she'll be satisfied…"
The kiss was magnetic, the way his lips swooped down on hers, and turned from hard to soft in seconds, shocked her.
Her heart thundered, as his arms went around her and the kiss became more than either of them expected.
Shannon was shaking when he turned loose of her.
"Congratulations son. I hope you will be happy for years to come." The parson smiled and shook Jesse's hand then got on his horse and started to ride off.
"Is this legal?" Shannon wailed.
The parson smiled shyly. "As legal as it can be. I've married a lot of folks in these hills."
"Easy, don't panic now…" Jesse told her as he put his arm around her. "If we want to get out of here alive we need to cooperate." His glance went around the camp. "Hill people can be hard to deal with. They have their own set of laws, and if they are around, you have to respect them, or they'd just as soon shoot you, like she said"
"I'm satisfied now. In years to come, you'll thank me girl." Ma told Shannon as she mounted her horse and glanced around camp then looked straight at Shannon. "Let this be a lesson to you girl. Doctor or not, you were in the wrong. And I righted that wrong. Let's ride boys."
As her and her sons disappeared through the thick line of trees, Shannon let out a heavy sigh.
She turned on the ranger, "So…what are we going to do about this?"
Jesse was getting the others mounted and glanced at her with a comical expression. "Nothing right now. I must deliver these men to Texas, and I'll have to see about coming back to take care of it, as soon as I have these fellas behind bars. Then we'll see what we can do. I got the paper from the preacher. I'm sure it will be easily rectified by a judge."
"I want this settled immediately." Shannon protested.
"Immediately? That's not possible." He eyed her comically now. "Once I take care of my prisoners, I'll see what I can do to set you free…" He nodded, "Now let's go. The quicker we get you home, the better."
Shannon couldn't believe how casually he accepted what had happened. She wanted to plummet his chest with her fists and throw a fit. But he was right, it wasn't the right time. Still she had a real unease about letting this go for his convenience.
She reluctantly mounted and followed his lead. What shocked her most, she wasn't dealing with just a good-looking man, but a smart man to boot.
Like it or not, she was a married woman and that was a new experience for her.
It didn't change a thing! Except her last name!
However, they hadn't gotten over a mile through the thicket when a mountain lion cried out from the bushes. He was close and Shannon had to admit, her heart began to pound with a new fear as she moved up toward Jesse.
Jesse pulled his gun and looked around. "Let's get out of here."
They moved on, but they kept hearing the cat. Obviously, he was following them.
"He's stalking us." Jesse mumbled.
"But why?" Shannon looked about the dense forest.
"Because he can, I reckon." Jesse glanced at her.
And hour passed and they hadn't heard anything from the cat, still the tension among them ran high. Shannon moved her horse up to Jesse's once more when she lagged behind.
"Do you think the cat is still out there?" Shannon asked her eyes searching the bushes as she spoke.
"He's there."
"Is it a cougar?"
"It is." He firmed his lips and shot her a frown. "Don't be frightened."
Foolish advice when suddenly the cougar sprang from the bushes and pounced upon Jesse.
Shannon shrieked.
Unprepared there was little he could do but wrestle with the animal. But Darrel grabbed the shotgun from Jesse's horse wiggling it around in his hands until he could get his fingers on the trigger he fired at the cat and it fell dead to the ground.
Jesse rolled away and shot Darrel a quick glance.
"That was close…"
The cat had done his damage though. It had ripped a long gash in Jesse's arm.
Darrel put the gun back in its holster and moved toward Jesse.
Shannon rode up to him and saw the blood dripping from his arm.
Without a thought, she ran to him and undid his shirt
at the sleeve.
Blood was oozing down his arm and all over the shirt. She undid the buttons and pulled the shirt away.
Muscles rippled along his arms as she peeled it from his body.
"It's not that serious." Jesse fussed trying to look as though he weren't hurt.
Shannon couldn't stop her gaze from traveling his entire chest and arms, before responding. The man was built to perfection.
"It's bleeding profusely. You may need stitches."
She poured water from her canteen onto a piece of her cloth she drug from her saddlebag and washed the wound. In places, it was deep and she knew she'd have to sew him up. Infection could easily set in.
He looked at her now. There was something more than mere male interest in his eyes. Her rampageous reactions to him confused her.
"Just wrap it up, I'll be fine." His voice went suddenly husky.
A tenuous unwelcoming bond floated between them, hanging in the air, like an unspoken sigh.
She hated the vulnerability he created in her. She had never been seduced by a man with just a look.
"Hold still. I'll need to sew you up. Unless you intend to bleed to death." She told him, glancing into his eyes for the first time. He had gray eyes that sparkled with mischief as he watched her. That same infectious grin of his had her heart hammering.
"It's not that bad." He stared at her.
"Let me be the judge of that. I am the doctor, you know." She countered as she tore more of her cloth from her sleeve away to make a bandage for him. She took out her needle, thread, and sewed him up in a matter of minutes.
He watched her every move, silently not even wincing from the pain.
"Your cheeks almost match your hair," he whispered.
An alien feeling surged through her.
He grinned as though he knew.
Jimmy John watched her for a long moment, and then nodded to the others. Still mounted they kicked their horses into a run and took off.
"Now you've done it!" Jesse fumed as he jumped to his feet. "They're getting away."
"I guess you'll have to chase them another day." She smiled satisfied as she moved to finish wrapping his arm. "Now hold still."
Shotgun Bride (Book Six of the Brides of the West) Page 4
