by Maggie Ryan
Chapter Thirteen
After walking through the town, Jeb spent an hour in the jail, filling out the necessary paperwork. Though Gabriel had stated that Gutherson was a loner, he penned a letter announcing the man's death and would include it in the pouch sent on the next mail run. Thousands of men had flocked to California with the discovery of gold, most leaving any loved ones behind in the hopes that they would be sent for once a fortune had been made. It was a hard, solitary life to work in the mines but perhaps there was someone, somewhere who would grieve for Gutherson's passing.
He walked over to the doc's to check on Zeke only to find Gabriel had beat him to it. "Jewel insisted I come over and inform Doc that there is a bed waiting for his patient. She is certain that recovery will go much faster if the poor man is attended to by everyone at the saloon."
Jeb was grateful to see Zeke's grin though it looked pained. "Hmmm, I'm not too sure about that. After all, with those beautiful ladies waiting on him hand and foot Zeke just might decide he needs even more time to recover. Maybe he's better off staying right here. I'm sure the doc can toss him a bit of bread and water occasionally."
"Hell no," Zeke managed. "I need to get my strength back and Miss Nettie's cooking will see to that. Quit joking and help me up."
Though they didn't exactly help him up, Gabriel and Jeb formed a seat by linking their arms and with Doctor Norwood's help, they soon had him in his new bed. The men stood back as Jewel fluttered around, tucking the sheets in around her new patient though he'd drifted into sleep again with the jostling required to settle him under her roof.
Leaving the sick room, John joined the men. He volunteered to accompany Jeb and left to get the horses from the livery. "I also need your help, Gabriel," Jeb said. "I'd like you to accept the position of deputy."
"Jeb, I've got a lot to oversee here," Gabriel said, shaking his head.
"I know and I'm not asking you to take it permanently. Just until we get a new man. I'll need some help occasionally and don't want to leave town knowing there is no lawman to take care of things."
"What do you mean, leave town?" Jeb turned to find Red standing behind them. "You promised…"
"I'm not leaving, Red," he said, going to her and pulling her into his arms. "I meant that I've got to tend to some things which will take me out of town for a few hours."
"What things?"
"Just things."
"Fine, you go do your things, and I'll do mine," Rebekah said, pulling away. "It's about time I began practicing and learning new skills. After all, I'll be a real gem soon…"
He had absolutely no desire to allow those budding thoughts to blossom but was determined that she be allowed to set aside the horrors of the previous day. "Red, I'm asking for you to trust me." Dropping a kiss on top of her head, he turned to Gabriel. "Thanks, I'll feel better knowing you are keeping an eye out on things." Turning back, he said, "Be good, Red. I'll see you later." It took effort but he managed to ignore the stomping of a foot that he was willing to bet belonged to a certain redhead.
***
"I'm not some little girl who needs to be told to behave!"
"Of course not," Gabriel said. "Why, I see grown women stomp their feet and pout hundreds of times. Of course, that was generally moments before they found themselves studying either the pattern of the wallpaper or the designs of the carpet."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"You are a smart girl, Ruby. Smart enough not only to figure that out but to figure out why Sheriff Justice has to disappoint you today." He walked away before she could demand an explanation, leaving her to lift her foot again. This time when she brought it down, she blushed and prayed no one had seen her. It was exactly what a spoiled brat would do after her behavior chased everyone away.
***
It was very late by the time Jeb entered the saloon. He braced himself to see Red sitting at one of the many felt covered card tables, surrounded by men who'd be torn between looking at their cards and ogling their beautiful dealer. Relief flooded through him when he saw only two tables had players and Dottie and Amy were keeping the men entertained. He continued towards the dining room though it had already closed. He probably should have just collapsed on one of the beds in the jail but he had promised to be back. Red still might be angry, but it would do him a world of good just to be able to hold her and know she was fine.
"I'm so sorry."
Jeb saw a form rise from one of the chairs at a table. "I acted like a fool when all you were doing was trying to protect me… again. It must have been so awful for you."
"I won't lie," Jeb said, walking to her and pulling her into his chest. "It was hard but I had to do it."
"I know," Rebekah said. "I'm so proud of you Jeb. You are such a strong man with a soft heart. When is the burial?"
"Tomorrow. We don't know who to inform but Mr. Gutherson will have a proper burial."
"I want to be there," Rebekah said. "Please, I feel the need to say goodbye."
"We'll attend together," Jeb promised. They stood silently for a few moments before she spoke again.
"Hungry? Miss Nettie left you a plate."
"I could eat," he admitted, taking her hand and walking into the kitchen. He sat at the table as she withdrew a covered plate from the oven and brought it to him before pouring him a cup of coffee.
"Thank you for coming by," she said, taking a chair across from him. "When John came back hours ago, I-I thought you were mad at me. Not that I blamed you."
"I was never mad," Jeb said, pushing aside his plate and moving around the table. Lifting her from the chair, he seated himself and arranged her on his lap. "I just didn't want you to spend the day thinking about sad things."
"I know," she said, her fingers toying with the tin star pinned to his chest. "I was just being childish."
Jeb smiled and kissed her cheek. "I was later than John because I went back up into the hills to talk to another man. …"
"You don't have to explain," Rebekah said.
"I want to tell you, because this visit not only involves you, I'm hoping it will make you happy."
"Oh? Who did you go see?"
"Lawrence Black."
"I don't think I know him," Rebekah said. "What does he have to do with me?"
"Well, it's really the both of us," Jeb said, his heart beginning to pound. "He's a man of the cloth but doesn't really preach any more. He lives deep in the foothills and doesn't make it down very often. I wanted to see if he'd be willing to make a trip this weekend."
"Oh, I see. You want him to officiate at Mr. Gutherson's funeral. That's a nice thought, Jeb."
He couldn't take credit for something he'd never even considered. "I would have been, if I'd thought of it. No, the mayor is going to preside over the burial."
"Then why do you want Mr. Black to come down?"
Jeb sighed and shook his head. "I'm going about this the wrong way." Lifting her off his lap, he knelt onto one knee and took her hands in his. "I love you, Red." Shaking his head again, he started over. "Rebekah Grace McTavish, I love you with all of my heart. I can't bear to think of spending the rest of my life without you at my side. Please do me the honor of becoming my wife."
"You… you want to marry me?"
"Of course I do. Hell, I think I wanted you to be my wife the first time I chased you out of the barn when you tried to sneak into our secret clubhouse. You always were a pesky little redhead but, God, I will die if you don't say you'll be my wife, Red."
"Yes!" Her scream pierced the air and the force of her body slamming into his knocked over the chair they'd sat on, had him falling back to land on his rump and then his back as he wrapped his arms around her, grinning as she captured his face between her palms and began planting kisses all over his face.
"Who's in my kitchen!"
They both turned their heads to see what appeared to be a ghost standing in the doorway. A woman dressed in a voluminous white gown and a white kerchief tied around her head co
uld have been anyone but the wooden spoon waving in the air only to stop and point at them told of her identity.
"You sleep with a spoon?" Rebekah asked, giggling.
"Never you mind that. Child, what are you doing rolling around on the floor?"
"Practicing," Rebekah said, "after all, don't men like it when a woman tries to show her love by kissing his face all over?"
"Red," Jeb said, his stern tone disappearing as she bent forward and kissed the tip of his nose. Determined to regain even a modicum of decorum as others began to fill the kitchen, he shook his head, struggling to sit up. "What she means, Miss Nettie, is that she has just accepted my proposal. This little honeybee is going to be my wife."
"That's wonderful!" Jewel said. Her congratulations were repeated by the others who'd come to investigate the scream. It took another few minutes before he was allowed off the floor as Red refused to relinquish her seat as she was wrapped in hugs by her friends. By the time he stood, Nettie was passing out cookies she'd baked that afternoon along with glasses of milk.
"Congratulations, Jeb," Gabriel said, lifting his glass. "You're a lucky man."
"I am," Jeb agreed, "the luckiest man alive."
The kitchen began emptying as one by one the gems slipped away. There were still cards to be dealt, songs to be sung and men to entertain. After giving them a hug, Nettie returned to her room, Rebekah giggling again when she noticed the woman did indeed pick up the spoon to take it with her.
"Don't giggle," Jeb said. "Until I've got you under our roof, do I need to remind you…"
"If you put even one little pinky toe on those stairs, I'm going to turn your ass red, Red," Rebekah said in a voice that sounded absolutely nothing like his own but he couldn't deny the words were those he was about to say.
"Funny girl," he said, pulling her into his arms again. "Just don't forget that I will be your one and only client, young lady."
"I won't," Rebekah said, "but, Jeb, I do want to work. I can deal cards and serve meals. I can't just sit around at the cabin all day while you work in town. I'd go crazy."
Jeb sighed. "I'll make you a deal. You can still work until we begin filling that cabin with our children. I'm thinking a dozen or so should be enough to keep you occupied and out of trouble."
"A dozen?" she repeated and then smiled. "Remember you said it when you've got a dozen redheaded little terrors running about your legs."
"For now, I'm interested in just one," Jeb said, bending to press his lips to hers and all thoughts of the future disappeared as the infinite joy of the present filled his soul.
***
The crowd slowly dispersed after paying their respects to Mr. Gutherson as well as Harry March. No one mentioned the other two graves that had been prepared across the way. The men responsible for the deaths of citizens of Culpepper Cove would be buried without witnesses.
Happier hours were spent in preparation for the wedding. Nettie bustled about the kitchen, humming and singing as she chopped, diced, dressed chickens and kneaded dough. The entire town had been invited to the wedding which would be held in the front room of The Red Petticoat.
"Are you sure you don't want to wait until Clay and Maria can attend?" Jeb asked as he and Rebekah walked hand in hand through the town.
"No, it would take far too long to send word and then to wait for a reply."
"I can't say I'm unhappy. I want to make you mine as quickly as possible." He paused and kissed her, drawing a chuckle from a customer exiting the mercantile. Rebekah blushed but only squeezed his hand tighter as they continued his rounds.
"I hate not being able to take you on a proper honeymoon, though," Jeb said. "Until we find a new deputy, I just can't leave."
"That's fine," Rebekah assured him. "I don't need a honeymoon, Jeb; I just need you."
"When things are settled, we'll take a trip south. I would love to see Clay again and show him that he was wrong."
"Wrong?"
"Oh, yeah. Remember when we all used to play cowboys and Indians?" At her nod, he grinned. "Well, even back then I always insisted on being the sheriff. Clay always complained because he thought my last name gave me an advantage."
"Well, it did," Rebekah said. "I mean, seriously? How many men can be named Justice and not go into keeping the peace? But that still doesn't explain how Clay was wrong."
"Oh, once he got over the name thing, he decided that I only wanted to be Sheriff so that I could lock you up and throw away the key. He said he'd never meet the man who could tame you."
"Hmph, that sounds like him," Rebekah said, tossing her hair. "Why is it that men think women need to be tamed?"
"I never said I agreed with him, Red. Believe me, I love the fact that you have just enough wildness in you to promise that life will be interesting. Besides, as Miss Nettie says, what's life without a little spice?" He looked down to see her smile which made his heart sing. "And, little one, she also said that the honey is so much sweeter even if it did come with a few stings."
Her laugh rang out as she shook her head. "How come I'm thinking the only one feeling any stings will be me?"
"Because, little one, you've got a man who will make it his life's goal to make you feel happy and loved even if he has to sting your little bottom every once in a while." At her second huff, he stopped and drew her into his arms, lifting her chin with his fingertips. "Besides, I can't wait to show my wife that after a necessary stinging, there is a great deal of loving to be made."
***
Their wedding day arrived and the weather was perfect. The air was crisp but the skies were an unbroken blue. Rebekah listened as birds sang and smiled to hear Nettie joining in their tune. She was no longer a child. She was eighteen and was going to be a wife in just a few short hours. After breakfast, which she wasn't allowed to help serve, she smiled when Della and Jewel asked if she was ready.
Nodding, she joined them in the bathing room and sank into the steaming water. "You are going to be so happy," Della stated, pouring lavender oil into the water.
"Is there anything you need to ask?" Jewel said as she reached for the bar of soap and a cloth.
"Um, I don't think so," Rebekah said, feeling heat move into her cheeks. "Opal and Amy sort of came by last night…"
"Ah, I see," Jewel said, her lips twitching. "Well, I'm sure they were more than happy to answer any questions you might have had."
"Oh, believe me, they were more than happy to answer ones I never even thought of," Rebekah said, submerging long enough to wet her hair. Resurfacing, she wiped the water from her face and smiled. "However, I finally cut them off. I didn't wish to hurt their feelings but since I'll never be a true gem, I…"
"You want Jeb to be your teacher," Jewel suggested, gathering coppery strands of hair and beginning to lather them. "I think that's a perfect plan."
Rebekah shivered and not from the bath. Her heart raced every time Jeb kissed her and she wondered if it would fly out of her chest when he made her his own. She closed her eyes and allowed the women to bathe her as she fantasized about the evening to come.
Hours later, Opal and Amy, Dottie, Della and Jewel all stood in Jewel's room where they'd gathered to help the bride dress. Rebekah had been honored when Opal had presented her with a gown of soft yellow and thrilled when Della had helped her tailor it until it fit like a glove.
"You look so beautiful," Jewel said, making a final adjustment and then turning Rebekah towards the cheval mirror.
"I-I don't even look like me," Rebekah said softly, reaching a hand to her neck where a borrowed set of pearls encircled her throat. Her hair lay in soft waves, the reddish copper curls blazing like fire to set off the shining emerald green of her eyes.
"You look like an angel," Della said.
"And, tonight you'll look like something far different," Opal teased, causing Amy to giggle and Rebekah to blush. "You aren't going to chicken out, are you?"
"No. I can't wait to see Jeb's face when he sees me…"
When a kn
ock sounded, they all knew the sheriff would be seeing her in just a moment. "Thank you," Rebekah said. "Thank all of you. You made me feel like family…"
"That's because you are family," Jewel said, giving her one last squeeze before going to the door.
"It's time," Gabriel said as the girls slipped from the room to take their places in seats that had been set up in the front room. "You look stunning, Rebekah," Gabriel said, taking her hand and slipping it through his arm. "Are you sure you don't want to make your entrance from the stairs? I'm sure Jeb would understand."
"No, this will be fine," Rebekah assured him. "Thank you, Mr. Gabe, for everything."
"No need for thanks, little one," Gabriel said, bending to kiss her cheek. "Being there for each other is just what families do. Now, are you ready?"
"Oh, yes."
Gabriel nodded to Jewel, who in turn nodded to Charlie. He began to play and everyone turned in their seats before rising when Gabriel paused with the bride at the doorway. Though all eyes were on her, she saw only one person. He stood on the stage in his suit, his hands folded in front of him, the look in his eyes causing her legs to tremble. When his lips parted and his smile told of his happiness, all butterflies took flight and she walked with sure steps towards him. His hand took hers, lifting it to his lips before he turned them to face the preacher who had indeed agreed to make the trip.
Their vows were spoken loud and clear, not a single stumble or hesitation as each promised to love, honor and cherish the other. Rebekah promised to obey and Jeb promised to protect her until the day he died. Tears of joy slid down faces and men cheered when Reverend Black pronounced them husband and wife. Jeb lifted her off her feet, his mouth capturing hers until the crowd's laughter had him remembering where he was. Setting her down, he again took her hand and turned towards their friends.
"May I present Mr. and Mrs. Jebidiah Justice," Black said. Applause followed the newlyweds down the aisle and once they'd shared another kiss, the crowd decided that the official declaration really meant that it was time to party.
