by Kit Morgan
Millie couldn’t believe what she was hearing. The woman was telling her it was okay to marry Justin! Providing he felt the same about her as she did about him, of course. Was that what she’d been waiting for – permission? And didn’t his kiss mean something? Or was she again being just a foolish, inexperienced girl? After all, one kiss didn’t mean the man had to marry her. “I understand,” she said, her voice trailing off.
“Why don’t you speak with him tomorrow? Then you’ll still have time to decide what to do.”
Millie nodded slowly, still trying to take it all in. Her heart leapt in her chest at the thought of seeing Justin, but also clenched with fear at what he might say. Either way, she needed to know. It would be easier to move on and marry Mr. Whitbey if she knew Justin had no interest in her.
And should it turn out that he did love her … then she could tell him how she felt, and they could marry her as soon as he was able. He might still balk at the idea, thinking their difference in social status as too big of a gap to cross. But things were different here in Texas – perhaps he would ignore their backgrounds. “I’ll speak with him,” she finally said.
“Good. And I’ll speak with Nate. I’m sure we can work this all out to everyone’s benefit.”
“Except for maybe Mr. Whitbey. I’d feel terrible if he came all this way for nothing.”
“You’d feel more terrible if you married him knowing Justin loved you.”
She couldn’t argue with that. “Tomorrow, then. I’ll find out which way fate will take me.”
“Tomorrow you’ll decide which man you want to marry,” said Libby. “Fate has nothing to do with it.”
But Millie wasn’t so sure about that yet.
Thirteen
Millie awoke the next day with butterflies in her stomach. Today was the day she’d find out if Justin felt anything for her or not. Libby was right, she had to ask him. If he didn’t, she could marry Mr. Whitbey without any trepidation … all right, with less trepidation. And if he did …
… well, she’d spent much of the night imagining what it would be like to be at his side. To one day have a little house somewhere, maybe even right in Dalton. At the rate the ranch was growing, it’d be its own town soon – it was considered one already by outsiders. To her that didn’t matter. What did was Justin Weaver.
She dressed quickly in her prettiest dress – a blue day dress she’d been saving as her wedding dress – fixed her hair and hurried to the kitchen for breakfast. She wanted to look beautiful for him. She wanted to be all sorts of things for him! Her imagination had run wild through the night, and she’d come up with all kinds of scenarios where the two of them professed their love for one another.
But she had to find out if it was true first.
“Are you ready? Do you want me to go with you?” Libby asked after they’d done the dishes.
“Would you?” Millie asked. “It’s not that I couldn’t go myself, but after Nate scolded him for kissing me, he might not speak with me if I’m alone.”
“True. Nate wouldn’t even talk to me about it, so who knows what he told poor Justin.”
Millie nodded. “Besides, I’m sure he’d like to see Hattie.”
“I’ll just run a comb through her hair and we’ll go.”
Millie went out to the front porch. The morning air was chilly, so she went back inside and grabbed her shawl. Moments later, Libby and Hattie joined her and they were on their way to the bunkhouse.
“Where’s Nate this morning?” Millie asked.
“Up at the main house having a meeting with the other men. I’m not sure what about. He said he’d tell me later.”
“Good, I’d hate for poor Justin to get another talking-to.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll straighten it all out with Nate when I see him at lunch.”
Millie relaxed at her words and didn’t feel as nervous. Hattie skipped all the way, happy she was going to see her friend. She’d pouted all day before and kept asking Libby when she could see him. But Libby kept telling her she didn’t know. And it was true, she didn’t – until now. Whether Millie stayed or went, Hattie would have her Justin back.
The thought made Millie wonder what Hattie was going to be like when she was older. Would she be as passionate about a future beau? Before she could think of the possibilities, they reached the bunkhouse. “What if he’s sleeping?” she asked Libby.
“Then wake him up!” Hattie said as she lifted her arms in the air and began to spin in a circle.
Millie laughed.
“She’s right, but we’ll have Abel do it. I’m sure he’s around.” Libby went up the porch steps and knocked on the door.
Abel answered. “Mrs. Dalton! Somethin’ wrong?”
“No, we just came to see Justin. Is he sleeping?”
Abel frowned, confused. “But … he ain’t here.”
“He’s not? Is he still out working? Did he stay out again?”
He peeked around her and stared at Millie, eyes wide. “Aw no …”
Millie looked alarmed. “What do you mean? Is something wrong with him? Is he ill?”
“No, he … I mean … I thought ya knew!”
Libby glanced at Millie who immediately joined her at the door. “Knew what? What do you mean?”
“He’s gone! Left the day before yesterday!” He looked at Libby. “Nate didn’t tell ya? He’s the one what fired him, after all …”
“Fired him?!” Millie cried.
Libby looked as mad as a hornet. “Why on Earth would he fire … oh no!”
Millie’s hands flew to her mouth as she gasped. “He was fired because of me?” she said through her fingers.
“Well …,” Abel stalled, not wanting to lay blame – especially since it looked like Libby was about to go on the warpath.
“Where’s Justin? I want to see Justin!” Hattie yelled.
“He … he ain’t here, darlin’,” Abel said nervously. “Yer pa … well …” He looked helplessly at Libby.
“Say no more, Abel – it’s not your problem. I’ll explain it to her – after I’m done with my husband.”
“Maybe ya oughta let him do the explainin’,” Abel suggested.
Libby’s expression was flat. “Oh, he will do some explaining!”
Millie was oblivious to their exchange, too busy trying not to sob. All the things she’d imagined the night before had just vanished into thin air. Her heart breaking, she turned before she made a fool of herself, went down the porch steps and fled back to the house. She knew Libby and Hattie followed only because she heard them tell Abel goodbye.
She needed a few minutes to collect herself. She wanted to cry, to let out her anguish – but anguish over what? If the man had felt anything for her, wouldn’t he have said something before he left?
She reached the house and went inside. So, that was that – her mind had just been made up for her. She’d go to Weatherford tomorrow, marry Mr. Whitbey and be on her way to San Francisco. She’d never lay eyes on Justin Weaver again. But even knowing that didn’t quell the ache in her heart.
* * *
The rest of the day passed in a fog. Millie went up to the main ranch house to try on the wedding dresses, and one of them fit quite well. She’d save her blue day dress for traveling, as the dress she’d arrived in wasn’t as nice, and her wardrobe was limited. She stayed at the main house for lunch while Libby went home to deal with Nate and find out why he hadn’t told her about firing Justin. Libby apparently stayed out of ranch affairs for the most part, but his actions involved Hattie too.
At least she got to meet Adele and Percy, the newest married couple on the ranch, and listen to Adele tell how Percy married her to protect her from harm, slept out on the prairie to protect her virtue (even if they were married, he wanted her to want him because she loved him) and their adventures involving the three deacons from Beckham, who the Blue sisters were to marry in the first place – marriages forced on them by their father out of desperation, they later
found.
Millie could sympathize. At least two of the deacons were no more, and the third hadn’t been seen or heard from since. She certainly hoped the trouble was over for the Blue family and shared with the couple her own woes that had brought her to Dalton.
“That’s quite a story. I hope the deacons didn’t have others working for them,” Percy commented as he picked at his pie.
Adele wolfed hers down in minutes. “Me too. I barely escaped before I came here. I can’t imagine the horrors they’re inflicting on innocent women if they’re still in business.”
“I’ll go with you to Weatherford tomorrow and wire the sheriff in Beckham, let him know to keep an eye out,” Percy said as he watched Adele devour his pie.
“I see you’re feeling better,” Gwen commented as she too watched. “Was it a false alarm?”
Adele looked at her sister-in-law and smiled. “Oh, no – I’m surely in the family way. But it’s just the mornings I don’t deal well with – by lunch time I’m starved!”
Everyone laughed except Millie, who did her best to fake a smile. She was trying to appear happy. After all, she was getting married tomorrow – they all expected her to be overjoyed. But there was no joy in her.
Would she feel this way when standing before the preacher tomorrow? It wouldn’t be fair to Mr. Whitbey or, she concluded, to herself. She had to convince herself that if Justin had wanted her, he’d have said something, stayed, carried her off even. But he’d done none of those things. All Justin Weaver had done was steal a kiss, then leave.
* * *
The next day arrived too soon, and Millie had to fight to keep her breakfast down. Mr. Whitbey was arriving on the noon train. They’d be married by one and leave on the four o’clock train west.
To meet her husband, marry and begin her new life’s journey on a locomotive all in one afternoon was overwhelming. At least she wouldn’t have to worry about the wedding night – how much of one could there be in a train car? That would no doubt come once they reached El Paso. She cringed at the thought, but, once married, wouldn’t have much to say about it.
But she’d had no qualms about the wedding night, or any night after, when it had involved Justin. His kiss had certainly not been unpleasant – quite the opposite …
No! She couldn’t think of such things! Why torture herself further?
“Are you ready?” Libby asked from the other side of the bedroom door.
Millie took a deep breath. “As ready as I’ll ever be,” she muttered, then louder: “Yes.”
“Good, so are we. I’m going to take Hattie up to Gwen and Walton’s. As soon as I drop her off, we’ll go.”
“Okay,” Millie called back and reached for her reticule. She stared at it, her mind numb. She still felt sad, even betrayed by Justin. How could he leave without even saying goodbye? But then, he hadn’t really been allowed to. Libby had explained to her last night that Nate did what he did so that none of the other men would get the same idea. He liked Justin, hated to let him go, but was willing to sacrifice him to keep order among the others. Now the news was all over the ranch and everyone knew to steer clear of any bride brought in, lest they too lose their job.
Would things have turned out any different if she’d shoved him away? Or would it have made things worse? Could it be any worse than it currently was?
“Oh, Millie,” she said aloud. “Pull yourself together … and forget you ever met Justin.” She turned, picked up her satchel and left the bedroom.
The drive to Weatherford was uneventful and seemed to take less time getting there than it did traveling in the opposite direction to the ranch. Millie hoped she didn’t start having second thoughts in front of the preacher and tried not to think about anything. She’d done enough pondering the night before.
Nate helped her and Libby down from the wagon as Percy jumped out and headed for the telegraph office. He’d meant it when he said he was going to wire the sheriff in Beckham and let him know to keep an eye out for any unusual activity.
Nate and Libby watched him go, then turned to the stairs that led up to the station’s platform. Nate pulled out his pocket watch and checked the time. “The train’ll be here any minute. Let’s go.”
Millie followed them, her feet feeling as if rocks had been tied to them. A sick feeling began in the pit of her stomach. Dread filled her, and she had to keep telling herself over and over she was just being foolish, that she was doing the right thing. But her heart remained stubbornly unconvinced.
Within a minute the train came into view. It pulled into the station in a cloud of steam and screeching brakes, then came to a complete stop. As did Millie’s breathing. She could hardly bear it.
The three of them watched as passengers began to disembark, with Nate keeping an extra sharp eye out for Mr. Whitbey. It didn’t take long to spot him. A tall, well-dressed man got off the train, glanced around a moment or two and spotted their little group. He was handsome even from a distance, with blonde hair and a strong chin. When he got closer, Millie saw his eyes were a startling blue, and for the first time that morning she relaxed a little. At least he was nice to look at.
“Good afternoon,” he said to Nate with a tip of his hat. “You must be Mr. Dalton.”
“I am,” Nate said. “May I introduce my wife, Libby.”
Mr. Whitbey tipped his hat again. “Mrs. Dalton.”
“And this is your intended, Miss Millie Porter,” Nate informed him with a sweep of his hand to Millie.
He turned, looked her in the eye, then took one of her hands in his. “The pleasure is mine,” he said, then kissed it.
Millie’s eyes widened. This was no rough cowhand – this was a true gentleman. “How do you do?” she asked as he straightened.
“I’m about to marry a beautiful woman, how do you think?” he asked with a smile.
Nate smiled as well, in relief. Millie wondered if he’d thought she might bolt. After all, she’d wanted to run from the last marriage, not to mention the one back in Beckham that started this nonsense. But it was nonsense no longer.
“Shall we?” Mr. Whitbey asked as he offered Millie his arm.
She gave him a blank stare. “Shall we … what?” she heard herself ask.
He laughed. “Get married, of course. Then I could do with a bit of lunch. How about the rest of you?”
“Yes, of course,” Nate said. “But first let’s take care of business. Where are your bags?”
“My man will bring them.”
“Your man?” Libby asked and glanced at Millie, impressed.
“Yes, my valet. He came with me and will see that my things are put on the outbound train. Yours too, my dear,” he added to Millie.
“I … I don’t have much to worry about,” she said.
“Less to fret about, then,” he said, his smile locked in place. “Now, let us to the preacher.” He held out his arm again.
She looked at it, forced a tiny smile, then wrapped her arm through his. So this was it. She was about to become Mrs. Marcus Whitbey. There was no turning back now.
They left the station’s platform and Millie caught herself glancing this way and that. She’d heard that Justin had headed for Weatherford, but he’d left days ago. Who knew where he was now? All she knew was he wasn’t with her … and never would be again.
They reached the preacher’s house and Millie squared her shoulders. It was time to move onward and upward. Mr. Whitbey was handsome, well-dressed, had made polite conversation on the way from the station and asked intelligent questions. She could do a lot worse. The man was right – it was time to get married.
Fourteen
Millie’s mind was numb as she said her vows, and her knees knocked beneath her skirts. What was she doing? But before she knew it, she heard herself say, “I do.”
“You may kiss the bride,” the preacher told Mr. Whitbey – Marcus. She might as well get used to calling him by his first name.
He turned to her, her hands in his and smiled. He
certainly was handsome, but … but what? Not as handsome as Justin? Oh good grief, was she ever going to be able to get that man out of her head?
Marcus leaned toward her and lightly brushed his lips across hers. Nothing. No spark, no emotion. She still felt nothing.
Libby started to clap, and Nate joined her. Percy was nowhere to be seen and hadn’t been since he left them at the train station, Millie realized. Maybe a mail-order bride’s nuptials were too commonplace for him at this point.
“I’m so happy for you!” Libby said, giving Millie a hug.
“Congratulations, Mr. Whitbey, Mrs. Whitbey,” Nate told them with a smile. “How about some lunch?”
“Sounds fine,” Marcus said and took Millie by the hand. “But you’d better change first,” he told her.
“Yes, of course,” she mumbled. She had to get a hold of herself! This was for the best, after all. It was either become Mrs. Whitbey or Mrs. Toilet Tissue.
She followed Libby to the room they’d used before the ceremony and changed back into her blue day dress. They’d have lunch, maybe do a little shopping if there was time, then at four o’clock she’d be on her way to a new life in San Francisco. What could be more wonderful? Just keep telling yourself that, Millie. Just keep saying it, she thought as she and Libby returned to the men.
“There’s my new bride!” Marcus exclaimed happily. “Let us to lunch then, shall we?” He offered her his arm and she took it, but this time she didn’t even try to force a smile. She should be elated, overcome with joy, but instead just felt empty. You’re going to have to get over him! She told herself as they exited the church and headed for the café. He was just some cowboy, a half-blind one at that. He’s nothing compared to this man. Stop thinking about him!
They reached the café, sat, ordered, and the others made small talk. Nate asked Marcus about his business in San Francisco. He was an exporter, had been for the last ten years. When Libby asked what sort of goods he exported he smiled and simply said, “Sweets.”
