A shot rang out. Aileen clutched her breast and fell to the ground. Zac leapt to Holly’s side and shoved her under the boardwalk. He rolled to his feet and fired his gun, bringing a cowboy to the ground. Three shots rang out from somewhere close by. Three more of the outlaws fell.
Vomit spewed out of her mouth. She thought her head would explode. As she peered out the cowboys had scattered, except for those lying in the dirt. She struggled to her knees. Zac holstered his gun, leaned down and helped her up. He took his coat off, and wrapped it around her shoulders.
Holly glanced up, coming toward them, a gun in either hand was Gus Moncrief.
“Oh, Gus thank you.” Holly shook like a leaf. “Why wouldn’t anyone else help Zac?”
“Sniveling cowards,” Zac said. “Mighty glad you arrived on the scene, though.”
Gus grinned. “You would have handled it yourself. Where’s the sheriff?”
“Hiding under his desk most likely,” Zac growled.
Holly couldn’t believe that the sheriff hadn’t come out to help. The Vermonts were wanted men.
The sheriff suddenly put in an appearance.
“You lily-livered sonofabitch,” Zac snarled.
“Now look here,” the sheriff blustered. “I can’t be everywhere.”
“Here’s my badge.” Zac threw it at the sheriff. “I won’t be working for the gold company in the Black Hills, either. I’ve a hankering to take up ranching with my soon to be wife.” Zac put his arm around Holly’s shoulder and gave it a squeeze.
Gus gave the sheriff a ferocious stare. “I’ll be in to collect my reward money. Have it ready.” He turned his back on the sheriff.
Ignoring the commotion around them, Holly, Zac and Gus walked down the main street without looking back.
By the time they got to Flo’s place, Holly was starting to recover from the shocking scenes she had witnessed. Did Zac really want to marry her?
“How do you know I’ll be your wife?”
He grinned. “You will, even if I have to fling you over one shoulder, and carry you to the preacher. I’m sure Flo will take great pleasure in helping me.”
“I’ll help, too,” Gus said.
“I love you, Holly O’Leary.”
“I love you, Zac Goodman, probably from the first time I ever saw you.”
Gus coughed to remind them of his presence.
Zac lifted Holly up, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. “It’s a bit premature, but I’m carrying you across the threshold, Mrs. Zac Goodman to be. And no arguments.”
“You won’t get any arguments from that gal,” Flo appeared like a magic genie. “Come inside quickly, before the baby wakes up. We’ll have a celebratory drink. I’ve been keeping a special malt whiskey for such an occasion as this. You too, Gus Moncrief, I can see you skulking around behind them.”
“And howdy to you, too, “Gus said with a grin.
“I might have known, if there was trouble afoot, you’d be part of it.” Flo smiled at him, and he gave a soft, intimate laugh.
As they sat at the kitchen table, Holly drank a cup of Flo’s rich, fragrant coffee, while the rest of them drank the whiskey.
“Was I ever glad to see you Gus,” Zac clapped his friend on the back. “I’m taking yours and Flo’s advice. I’m giving all of this away, and if Holly agrees to marry me, and lets me be a daddy to Merry, I’ll become a rancher.”
“Yes, yes, a hundred times yes,” Holly said, leaning over to stroke his cheek. “You’ve made me the happiest woman in the whole of South Dakota.”
***
They were married the next day at the preacher’s house with Gus and Flo as their witnesses. As Zac placed a simple gold band on her left ring finger, Holly felt like bursting with happiness.
Flo held the baby who slept throughout the short ceremony.
“How about I baptize the young one while you’re here?” the preacher suggested.
“Good idea.” Zac surprised Holly by agreeing so readily. “I’m not a church goer, Reverend, but if you ever need help, call on me.” Zac grinned. “For timber and building purposes only, of course.”
“You know,” Gus mused as they stood outside the preacher’s gate. “Maybe getting hitched isn’t such a bad idea. How about it Flo? I have to go to Deadwood to tie up a few loose ends.”
“Don’t propose if you don’t mean it, I might say yes.” Flo wagged her finger at him, but she gave him a delighted smile.
“I mean it. Zac’s offered me a job as foreman at his ranch when he gets things going, and I’m going to accept. We discussed it last night. I don’t mean for you to leave your house in town, but I could easily ride there and back each day, only staying overnight at busy times.”
“Oh Gus,” Holly had to stop herself from dancing with glee. “I think you and Flo getting married would be lovely.”
“Looks like it’s all settled,” Zac said. “Now, if you’ll excuse us, I need to get my two gals home.”
Gus and Flo walked off arm in arm.
Zac lifted Holly, who held the baby, into Flo’s buckboard, and they drove out of town to start their new life together.
~ The End ~
About The Author
Margaret Tanner is an award winning multi-published Australian author. She loves delving into the pages of history as she carries out research for her historical and western romance novels, and prides herself on being historically accurate. No book is too old or tattered for her to trawl through, no museum too dusty, or cemetery too overgrown.
As part of her research she has visited the World War 1 battlefields in France and Belgium, a truly poignant experience.
Margaret has won numerous writing awards including the 2007 and 2009 Author of the Year at AussieAuthors.com. Frontier Belle, with a title of Frontier Wife, won the historical romance section of the 2010 Readers Choice Award. With a title of Wild Oats, Allison’s War, was a 2011 Finalist in the EPIC awards. With a title of Ruthless Seduction, Fiery Possession was short listed in the 2012 Find An Aussie Star Unpublished Manuscript Award from ChocLit Publishers, U.K. In 2015, Falsely Accused, won the historical romance section of the Easy Chair Literary competition.
Rawhide ‘N Roses, a Western Anthology is a 2015 Rhone Award Finalist.
Margaret is married with three grown up sons, and two gorgeous little granddaughters.
Outside of her family and friends, writing is her passion.
Over the last few months, with the encouragement of her friend, Western Romance author, Susan Horsnell, Margaret is writing Western Romance.
All Margaret’s books are available in various formats at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo and most other on-line book stores.
Contact Margaret Tanner at: [email protected]
Margaret Tanner’s Website: http://www.margarettanner.com/
Margaret Tanner’s Amazon Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/margarettanner
Other Books by Margaret Tanner
Western Romance:
Western Romance Anthology – Rawhide ’N Roses (short story)
American Mail Order Bride Series:
Edwina Bride Of Connecticut (novella)
Published by Books We Love
War Romance:
Daring Masquerade
Lauren’s Dilemma
Make Love Not War
A Mortal Sin
We Never Said I Love You (novella)
Allison’s War
Haunted Hearts
Daddy Dilemma
The Loves We Left Behind (WW1 Special Centenary Edition)
Australian Frontier Romance:
Fiery Possession
Savage Possession
Frontier Belle
Falsely Accused
Dangerous Birthright
A Wicked Deception
Published by Amazon Encore:
A Rose In No-Man’s Land
Dear Readers,
Our sincere appreciation for taking time from your busy schedule to read Silver Belles an
d Stetsons. We hope you enjoyed the stories and will take a moment to visit some of the author websites to see additional books they've written.
We love readers and never take lightly your dedication to reading and your love of the written word.
Wishing you many happy future reads,
The Authors of Silver Belles and Stetsons
Silver Belles and Stetsons Page 78
