“I carried you in here, though I doubt anyone saw us, to a rather secluded yet entirely respectable place to find shelter from the storm. It’s the perfect starting point for us to further our acquaintance,” he said thoughtfully, then nodded. “It makes for a good story.”
“It isn’t real.”
“It certainly isn’t a lie. I’ll tell people I found myself charmed by your beauty, and you can tell them my unexpected kindness helped you see me in a new light.”
“That isn’t a lie?” She sent him a doubtful glance, then shook her head. “I don’t know about this.”
His arm slipped to the back of the pew, and he leaned toward her intently. “You don’t know about the story or you don’t know if you’re ready to play along?”
She shifted away nervously. “Both.”
“Listen, we’re supposed to make this as believable as possible. That means you have to commit to this. If that’s going to be a problem, then maybe we should just come clean and let the town do with us as they please.”
“No,” she protested. “I said I’d do it and I meant it.”
He leveled her with a measuring stare. He nodded slightly. “All right. We’ll take this one step at a time. Just follow my lead and do as I say. We’ll be fine.”
Her eyes narrowed. “What do you mean ‘do as you say’? I hope you know I have no intention of—”
The door to the church opened, and excited chatter erupted from the foyer. She sprang to her feet as Sean rose next to her. They both turned toward the door together. She swallowed as she recognized a few of the women considered to be the pillars of Peppin society. When Mrs. Rachel Stone, Mrs. Amelia Greene and Mrs. Susan Sparks caught sight of them, their chatter slowly died.
Mrs. Stone, the retired sheriff’s wife, was the first to speak. “Well, hello, Sean, Lorelei.”
Reverend Sparks’s wife surveyed them with concern. “Are you two all right?”
Sean glanced down at her and smiled. “Perfectly.”
She felt herself blush from the regard his warm smile implied. The warmth in her cheeks only heightened as she caught the women’s speculative looks. She was overcome by the need to explain. “I was on my way here and ran into Sean. The rain came pouring down so unexpectedly! We ran in here to find shelter.”
The thoughtful quiet that descended on the group was disconcerting. She glanced to Sean for help. He reached down for the blankets they had abandoned. He held them out to Mrs. Sparks. “I’m afraid we soiled your clean blankets, ma’am. We were soaked and cold, so I borrowed them.”
Lorelei reached for the blankets. “I’d be happy to have them washed for you.”
Mrs. Sparks took her blankets and smiled. “No need. I keep them here for people who find themselves in need of them.”
“Thank you,” Lorelei said, then sent a sideways glance at Sean. “Well, I suppose I should go.”
Mrs. Stone shook her head. “Don’t leave on account of us. We just needed to gather a few things from the storage closet.”
“We were only waiting the storm out,” she said as she began to edge toward the door.
“It’s almost over now,” Mrs. Sparks added. “Be careful out there. The rain has caused a dreadful amount of mud. I’m practically covered in it.”
Mrs. Greene, who had remained quiet the whole time, finally spoke up. “We all are, except you, Ms. Wilkins. How do you reckon that?”
Lorelei realized the ladies’ dresses and even Sean’s boots were all six inches covered in mud. Her skirt alone remained pristine…if somewhat damp. Her eyes widened. She glanced at Sean who had the gall to look amused. She sent him an impatient glare before turning to face the ladies. She lifted her chin and raised her brows slightly to give just a hint of daring to her words.
“There is actually a very simple explanation. Despite my protests, Sheriff O’Brien was kind enough to carry me into the church. He saved my new skirt,” she said, turning to Sean with a half-gracious smile, “which of course leaves me eternally grateful.”
A smile pulled at his lips. “As I said before, Miss Wilkins, no thanks is necessary.”
Lorelei almost ruined the whole thing with her disbelieving laugh, but she quickly turned it into a delicate set of coughs. Sean stepped closer. “Sounds like you could use a strong cup of tea for that cough.”
“You’re right. I think I’d better get home.” She turned to the women with a smile. “It was wonderful to see you.”
They each nodded to her. Mrs. Stone tilted her head as she looked at Sean. “Perhaps you ought to see Miss Wilkins home.”
Lorelei shook her head. “That’s hardly necessary.”
“Now, now,” Mrs. Sparks said. “Those mud puddles can be dangerous.”
Sean smiled. “Would you mind, Lorelei?”
“I suppose not.”
The women moved toward the storage closets, but Mrs. Greene held back to whisper, “I’ll take it from here.”
They murmured their thanks to her, then made a quick exit. Sean stayed close to her side as they walked across the muddy grass toward the sidewalk. Her heel sank into a deep mud puddle. They had to pause for her to yank her foot out of it. “They weren’t kidding about the mud.”
Sean smiled wryly. “Mrs. Greene is extremely observant. I’ll give her that.”
“I can’t believe she thought to ask about my skirt.”
“It’s a good thing she decided to be on our side in this. I don’t know how your mother managed that, but I’m grateful.” He led her toward the sidewalk. “At least, we won’t have to tell people the story of our being at the church alone together. By this afternoon, the entire town will know.”
She sighed. “If not the surrounding counties.”
“We’ll just have to make the most of it,” he said.
Dread settled in her stomach. It had begun. There was no turning back now.
But she would be fine. She would! She just needed to maintain her boundaries. She lifted her skirt to step carefully from the dirt to the sidewalk, and his hand supportively caught her arm, then immediately released it. Her gaze met his for a moment. They had barely made it away from the measuring eye of the women in the church, and he’d already slipped back into his normal demeanor. He looked closed off again. Distant. Slightly disapproving. In other words, the same as always. Yes, she’d definitely have to work on keeping up her boundaries. She doubted she’d have to worry about him maintaining his.
* * *
Sean intercepted Kate’s skeptical gaze as she stood across the churchyard talking with her best friend, Mrs. Stone. He felt a dull heat crawl up his neck and forced himself to refocus on what his brother-in-law was saying. He could easily guess what story Kate was hearing. He didn’t have long to wait for a confirmation. Kate walked across the grass to stand beside Nathan. She met Sean’s gaze questioningly. “Well, is it true?”
Nathan’s arm slipped around Kate’s waist. “Is what true?”
She glanced up at her husband, and Sean was grateful to watch her face soften into a smile before she turned to Sean again. “There’s a rumor going around that our little brother might be taking an interest in Lorelei Wilkins.”
Surprise lit Nathan’s eyes even as a cautious smile pulled at his mouth. “Is that right?”
Sean shrugged. He couldn’t outright lie to his family, but this wasn’t the place to tell them about his true relationship with Lorelei. For the time being, it would be best to talk around it. “You know how unreliable rumors can be.”
Kate pinned him with her thoughtful gaze. “So are you saying you aren’t interested in her?”
He flew to where Mrs. Greene held court with a few of her cronies. He swallowed. “No, I’m not saying that exactly.”
“I don’t understand.” Nathan tilted his head skeptically. “What does that mean?”
Sean cast about for something to say that wouldn’t be an outright lie. Squaring his shoulders, he settled for a portion of the truth. “It means I’ve realized that Lorelei
Wilkins is a beautiful, intelligent, maddening woman.”
Kate exchanged a glance with Nathan before turning back to Sean. “This sounds serious. What are you going to do about it?”
He shifted uncomfortably and glanced around the churchyard until he spotted Lawson joking with a few of their friends. Nathan must have followed his gaze because he quietly asked, “Have you mentioned this to Lawson?”
Sean nodded. “He seemed fine with it.”
Kate bit her lip thoughtfully. “Well, it has only been three weeks since the wedding. Maybe it would be best to take it slow.”
Suddenly, Ellie appeared at his side. “Take what slow?”
“Sean is thinking about courting Lorelei,” Kate supplied.
His little sister’s eyes widened for an instant, then she smiled knowingly. “I’m not surprised.”
“You’re not?” they all asked in various degrees of surprise and confusion.
She eyed Sean as if he’d been living under a rock. “I always thought Lorelei liked you more than she liked Lawson. Don’t you remember? When we were children she had an awful crush on you. She always said she was going to marry you when she grew up. Then you were mean to her and she left you alone.”
“That’s true,” Kate agreed.
He frowned. “Sure it is, but that was a long time ago.”
She shrugged indifferently. “Maybe so, but then you liked her before she started courting Lawson.”
He narrowed his eyes. “What makes you think that?”
“You’re my brother,” she said as if that explained it all, then added, “Also, I’d catch you staring at her every once in a while and you’d always stand a little taller when she walked in the room.”
“I did not,” he protested when Kate’s eyes flew to Sean’s, and she bit her lip to keep from laughing.
“You did.” Ellie nodded and continued to stare at him as if concentrating on a puzzle. “Oh, and you were really depressed once she and Lawson starting courting. You tried to hide it, of course, but you were still living with us so I noticed. Right now, your face is turning red. The only reason you’d be embarrassed was if it were true—”
Nathan tried to hide his chuckle as Sean held up a desperate hand. “Ellie, please stop talking. I get it. Thank you.”
She sidled closer to him. “I could help you, you know. I’m a very experienced matchmaker.”
“Ellie,” Kate groaned. “I don’t think this family can survive another round of your matchmaking.”
“Nonsense! It’s because of my matchmaking this family has survived. Need I remind you of how you met Nathan?”
A general groan filled the air.
Ellie took that as a yes. “If I hadn’t convinced Sean we needed to mail order a husband for Kate—”
“—and then proceeded to marry us by proxy without my knowledge,” Kate reminded with the lift of her chin.
“Y’all never would have had the chance to meet,” Ellie continued as if Kate hadn’t spoken.
Nathan gazed down at his wife with a smile. “Or fall in love or really get married or have three beautiful children.”
Kate grimaced as her shoulders gave a little shiver. “Now, that’s a scary thought.”
“See?” Ellie poked Sean in the side, causing him to jump. “Don’t worry, big brother. I can help you, too.”
“Please, don’t.” He ignored her calculating smile to ask Nathan, “So I have your approval if I decide to court her?”
“I’m not sure you need it, but you have it.” Nathan smiled. “You have always been a responsible person. We trust you.”
Maybe you shouldn’t, he immediately thought. He looked at Ellie, Kate and Nathan. They looked so cautiously hopeful and so unsuspecting of what was really going on. He could tell them now. He should tell them now, but he didn’t want to utter the words that would shatter their perception of him. He’d spent most of his life convincing everyone that he was the strong, dependable one who had everything figured out. Now he was the one who’d messed up, and there was no way to fix it. Finally, Kate left to round up her children and the moment was lost.
* * *
Sean had almost forgotten his offer to help out the telegrapher with his problematic customer when Peter stepped into his office the next afternoon. Sean motioned to the chair across the desk from him. “That fellow giving you trouble again?”
Peter nodded, then shook his head. “Not exactly. I just thought you should know I found out the reason the other fellow hasn’t responded to any of Calhoun’s telegrams. He was a wanted criminal who was caught and placed in jail. He’s been accused of murder and robbery.”
Jeff rose from the deputy’s desk to join them. “That sounds like your customer is keeping some pretty bad company.”
“It sure does. I found out today that the man escaped from jail. That marauder, murderer and outlaw is on the loose, and he already has a contact here. He may be headed this way. You’ve got to protect the citizens of Peppin.”
Sean was quiet for a moment, then he nodded. “That’s my priority, Peter. I don’t have any jurisdiction outside of this town, so I can’t keep that man from traveling toward us on the rail line. Should he come here, I promise I’ll arrest him. Unless that happens, the only thing I can do is keep my eyes open.”
The man nodded. “I guess that’s all I can ask.”
“I’d like to see a wanted poster of the outlaw. Can you ask them to send one to me?”
“Certainly.”
“Let me know if you come across any other evidence, and I’d be happy to take a look at it.”
“Oh, don’t you worry.” The man grabbed his hat to leave. “I’ll let you know the minute I hear anything slightly suspicious.”
“Do you think this is serious?” Jeff asked as he took the seat Peter had just vacated.
“I don’t know, but we need to treat it as such.” Sean went over the notes he’d taken while talking to Peter. “We need to find out more about this Alfred Calhoun fellow. If they were communicating, they might have been trying to coordinate something other than just an escape—especially since Calhoun clearly wasn’t expecting his friend to be arrested. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been so angry that his messages had gone unanswered.”
Jeff seemed to catch the direction of his thoughts. “I wonder if Calhoun has any other contacts already in town that might be of interest. If he does…”
“Then we may be dealing with a gang.” Sean nodded, having already realized the danger. “In that case, there’s only one target in town that’s big enough to attract an entire band of outlaws.”
“The bank,” Jeff murmured.
A sober silence permeated the room. Sean leaned back in his chair to think. It made sense. The First Bank of Peppin was also the only bank in Peppin. Even people from the surrounding counties used the bank because Mr. Wilkins had a reputation for fair business practices. A lot of money went in and out of his doors which made it the perfect draw for undesirables. Now that he thought about it, Sean was surprised there hadn’t been a threat on it before.
“What’s the plan, Sheriff?” Jeff asked.
Sean smiled because Jeff knew he’d already have one. “I’ll talk to Mr. Wilkins to find out how we can shore up any of the bank’s vulnerabilities. We’ll study that wanted poster when it comes in. We’ll also keep an eye on Calhoun to see what he’s up to.”
If someone succeeded in robbing the bank, the community would be devastated and so would the Wilkins family. Oddly enough, the Wilkins family now included him. That made the threat personal. He might not always get along with Lorelei, and he didn’t agree with her rather impulsive approach to life, but she was soon to be his wife. He wasn’t about to allow anything to happen to her or her parents.
Chapter Eight
Lorelei caught in a short gasp, then let out a loud sneeze that exploded into the silence of the millinery shop. It sent scads of feather particles floating into the air, compounding her problem. She held her breath until the
feathers settled back onto the worktable, then cautiously pulled in a small breath. When her nose didn’t begin to itch, she turned back to the bonnet in her hands.
She eyed it carefully. Selecting a large peacock feather, she trimmed it down and attached it to the bonnet. A smile lifted her lips. Perfect.
She turned the bonnet around in her hands, then frowned. Or not. The hat was definitely missing something. As she glanced around the worktable for something to add, she heard the little bell above the door give its cheerful jingle to signal the arrival of a customer. Mrs. Cummings had gone upstairs for lunch, leaving Lorelei to face her first costumer alone.
She set the bonnet aside and dusted away the feathers clinging to her fingertips before hurrying out of the workroom. A cheerful greeting stalled at her lips, and she paused in surprise as she realized the customer was Sean’s youngest sister. Ellie lifted one of the store’s most elaborate hats from the shelf for a closer look. Lorelei allowed an amused smile to pull at her lips. She could hardly imagine Ellie wearing such an ornate creation.
Lorelei cleared her throat delicately. “Would you like to try it on?”
Ellie abruptly spun to meet her gaze with wide green eyes. “Oh, no. I wouldn’t wear it. I’d like to think I am not as complicated as all that.”
Lorelei met Ellie’s self-deprecating grin with a smile of her own, then glanced around the shop searchingly. “I can find you something simpler. We have a straw bonnet that I think would suit you perfectly.”
Ellie carefully placed the hat back on the shelf. “That’s quite all right. You don’t have to bother. I heard you started working here, so I just wanted to come in and say hello.”
“Oh,” she said, then wished she hadn’t sounded so surprised when Ellie began to blush. Honestly, though. What an odd thing for her to do. She’s never sought me out before.
After an awkward moment of silence, Ellie smiled. “You played so well on Sunday. Did it take you very long to learn the music?”
“I already knew most of the hymns from when I practiced as a child.”
The Runaway Bride Page 8
