Katie’s head was spinning. Surely this couldn’t be happening. Any moment now she would wake up in her bed and find that their entire conversation had been a dream.
“But all I ask,” Jack continued, running a fingertip along Katie’s jaw and sending delicious shivers racing down her spine, “is that you think about what I’ve said for the rest of the morning. You can give me your answer when we all meet at the church this afternoon.”
She tried to digest his words. “I’m not sure I understand. Are you asking me to be your... mistress?”
Jack stared for a moment, startled, then threw back his head and laughed. “God, no! Did I forget to mention marriage?” Amused, he dropped to one knee and clasped her hands. “Kathleen, I am asking you to be my wife.”
A knock at the door interrupted them. “Who is it?” Katie called, her voice cracking.
“It’s Mrs. Barnstaple, my dear. I thought I ought to check the hem of your gown one more time, just in case.”
Alarmed and confused, Katie tugged at Jack’s hands. “Get up,” she hissed. “You’ll have to go out the back door. I could never explain the two of us, with me in my nightgown, to her!” Turning her head, she called again, “Wait just a moment, Mrs. Barnstaple—I’ll be right there!”
The absurdity of the situation did not escape Jack as Katie rushed barefoot across the kitchen and opened the door for him.
“Go!” she urged.
Jack grinned. “Is this any way to treat the man who has just knelt before you and offered you not only his heart, but all his worldly goods as well? Shall I interpret your behavior as a hint to brace myself for rejection later in the day?”
“Will you go? I can’t even think straight right now—we’ll have to discuss it at the church,” Katie replied, feeling utterly crazed. When he had stepped into the backyard, a thought occurred to her and she stopped in the midst of closing the door. “Wait! I just want to know one thing. Does your sudden desire not to leave me behind in Columbia have anything to do with Aaron Rush?”
Jack met her suspicious gaze unflinchingly. “My dear, if you imagine that I am chivalrous enough to propose marriage to every damsel in distress whom I encounter, you are giving me far too much credit. Believe me, I am no knight in shining armor!”
“Of course. How could I have forgotten?” she murmured dryly. Still, watching Jack saunter across the yard and vault lightly over the picket fence, his lean-muscled body outlined against dungarees and a faded red flannel shirt, Katie felt the familiar waves of desire wash over her. To say the least, the decision that faced her would necessitate a tug-of-war between her head and her heart....
Chapter 21
October 27, 1864
The fragrance of pink and ivory hothouse roses enveloped Katie as she held the bride’s bouquet together with her own. Abby stood in front of her, clasping Gideon’s hands as they listened to the minister.
For the most part Katie was far away, her thoughts a jumble. But there remained a quiet corner of her mind that attended to the moment, enjoying the occasion and all its trimmings. She felt quite beautiful in her gown—a lavender-blue silk taffeta with goffered flounces around the hem—and she had been surprised and pleased when she’d first glimpsed herself in the mirror. Wrapped in a sash of fringed white silk, her waist looked tiny. Her breasts were high, and her creamy neck and delicate features were set off perfectly by the simple, rose-studded chignon at the base of her neck. The events of the morning left her with pink-smudged cheeks and bright, thick-lashed blue eyes that were accentuated by the pale violet of her gown.
Abby, too, looked radiant. Because this was her second marriage, she had opted for a dress of cream-colored muslin in the same style as Katie’s, with a fringed sash of pink silk. Her golden curls were cunningly adorned with a garland of pink and ivory roses that matched the bouquet Katie now held for her. Abby’s soft doe eyes were clear as she repeated after Pastor Hitchcock:
“I, Abigail, take thee, Gideon, to be my wedded husband, and I do promise and covenant, before God and these witnesses, to be your loving and faithful wife, in plenty and in want, in joy and in sorrow, in sickness and in health, as long as we both shall live.”
Katie heard the words and held them close to her heart. How serious it all was! Gazing past the bride and groom, she saw Jack, his profile burnished by the light that filtered through the stained-glass windows. He was tanned and handsome in his gray suit and blue silk cravat, accented by a white rosebud pinned to a lapel. Katie stared at his roguish features, which were sober yet softened by affection for his two friends. There was a great deal that she didn’t know about Jack. For instance, what had become of the woman he had told Abby was waiting for him? However, what she did know was important. In spite of their quarrels, he was a good man and a loyal friend. He was intelligent and witty, and he seemed to be honest. He wanted to take her away from Columbia, which both frightened and excited her. Katie was stimulated by his company; she couldn’t imagine being bored by Jack, unlike nearly every other man she had met. And last, there was the matter of the intense physical attraction between them and the deeper feelings that she could no longer deny were in her heart.
There had been a certain detachment on Jack’s part, even as he proposed marriage, that worried her. There were a great many risks involved if she agreed, but even that thought sent a thrill through her body. The more she considered Jack’s proposal, the more she realized that a new life in San Francisco as Jack Adams’s wife held the possibility of great happiness and fulfillment.
Pastor Hitchcock was saying, “By the authority vested in me as a minister of the Church of Christ, I now pronounce you man and wife.”
As bride and groom kissed, Jack glanced sideways and met Katie’s eyes. It was apparent that she had been looking at him; now she blushed tellingly. He suppressed a smile. Caught up in the challenge of convincing her to marry him, Jack had kept his own fears at bay. Now, as they threatened to rise again, he made a conscious effort to suppress them. The thought of committing himself to a lifetime with any woman was disquieting, to say the least. But Kathleen MacKenzie was not just any woman. His heart told him that there were good reasons to take her as his wife: she was intelligent, lively, and beautiful. Thoroughly unique. And she excited him physically to an extent that he had not believed possible in the past. But was that a qualification for a wife? Jonathan Wyatt, self-contained editor of the Morning Star, had his doubts. Katie was nothing like the woman he had long ago decided would make the best sort of wife. When it had become clear that he was reaching the age at which a family was desirable, Wyatt had thought that an orderly sort of marriage would be best. Passion, in and out of bed, would be less complicating if sought outside the home.
Well, it was no use having second thoughts now. He’d already proposed. As the organ sounded the recessional and Gideon and Abby walked back down the aisle, Jack went to meet Katie and offer her his arm. She gave him a guileless smile that bespoke her own mixed feelings and softened his heart.
Emerging from the church into the cool, drizzly afternoon, they found a congratulatory crowd already forming around Gideon and Abby. Pastor Hitchcock came over to shake Jack’s hand and then he turned to Katie, smiling.
“I have to tell you, my dear, how very beautiful you look today. I confess, as I watched you come down the aisle, I worried for a moment that you might outshine the bride!”
“I appreciate the compliment, Pastor, but I don’t think there was any danger of that,” Katie replied, laughing. “Abby was the loveliest, most radiant bride I have ever seen.”
“Yes, it’s a wonderful day, isn’t it? Romance is in the air!” The old man breathed deeply and sighed. “This occasion must be the stuff of dreams for you, my dear.”
“Actually, it’s more the stuff of fear!” She laughed again, nervously. “Marriage is a very serious step, isn’t it?” Katie felt Jack’s sharp glance but kept her eyes on the minister.
“That’s very true, my dear, but that’s where th
e magic of love steps in. Love allows us to take risks and meet challenges that we might otherwise shy away from if...”
“We were in our right minds?” Jack supplied helpfully.
Katie shot him a reproving look, while Pastor Hitchcock chuckled uneasily. “Well, I see that the crowd is thinning, so I suppose I should go over and congratulate the happy couple. Thank you for being part of the ceremony, Katie.” He clasped both her hands, then turned to Jack and shook his hand again. “You, too, Mr. Adams.”
When the minister had walked away, Jack saw his chance and took Katie’s arm. “You and I need to talk.”
“But we can’t just leave!” Panic rose in her.
“This won’t take long.” He drew her along beside him until they were behind the church, sheltered between two oak trees, their orange leaves spangled against the slate-colored sky. “Have you made up your mind?” he asked bluntly.
“I don’t know!” she cried, confused by his manner. “This is all so sudden, I haven’t had a chance to adjust to the idea—”
“Kathleen, there isn’t time for you to adjust. I have to leave today.” He stared at her for a moment, then his mouth curved slightly in an ironic smile. “Look at it this way: do you think you’ll get a better offer from the men you meet here in Columbia? Setting your feelings for me aside, this is a rare opportunity for you to enrich your life. You have too many gifts to waste them slaving your best years away in that saloon. Columbia is fading; we both know that. San Francisco is in full bloom. Come with me. You can have a home, children, interesting friends, all the books and culture you could possibly desire...” Jack paused, gazing into her eyes. “And you can have me. I’m not so bad, am I?”
Katie blushed again, dropping her eyes when he reached out to take her hand. His fingers were warm as he stroked hers, one by one, up to her fingernails. “No... of course not. It’s just that I’m—afraid, I guess.”
“Kathleen,” he whispered, “look at me.” Tipping up her chin, Jack caressed the delicate line of her jaw with his forefinger. He could feel Katie melting beneath his touch. “There is risk involved for both of us, but I’m a bit tired of playing it safe where my personal life is concerned. I’d rather be married to a warm-blooded woman than a porcelain doll.”
Katie gasped when his lips grazed hers. Then Jack was kissing her passionately, holding her chin with one strong hand while his free arm rounded her back to press her body against the length of his own. His mouth was a brand of fire, burning her doubts away, extinguishing all thought. Katie trembled in his embrace, surrendering to his touch with uncontrollable desire.
At length, he lifted his head and commanded roughly, “Say yes.”
Katie’s senses swam, and she held on to him for fear her knees would give way. Desperately, she sought to retain a measure of control over the situation. “Just a moment. First you must promise me one thing.”
Jack lifted his eyebrows quizzically. “Indeed?”
“You have to promise me that you won’t try to rule me. As your wife, I will not be your possession. I have been independent too long to take orders from anyone. Even my husband!”
He grinned, enjoying the light that flashed in her eyes. “All right, I promise not to attempt to rule you.”
“Then, yes, I’ll marry you.”
If Katie had been expecting Jack to fall to his knees with relief, declaring his love for her, she was doomed to disappointment. “Well, good. That’s settled,” he said, looking distracted. “There’s a stage at three o’clock, and we must be on it. We’ll be married in Sacramento tomorrow, and go on to San Francisco by riverboat the next morning.”
“Three o’clock!” she exclaimed. “But I have to pack!”
“You won’t need much. We’ll have new gowns made for you in San Francisco. Just toss the possessions that mean the most to you in a trunk, say good-bye to your friends, and we’ll be off. Oh, and don’t tell anyone—not even Abby or Lim—where we’ll be living. You can write to them later, but for the time being, I’d rather not have it get back to Aaron Rush.” Jack’s tone was casual.
He was already steering her back around the church, and Katie felt as if she were jumping off a cliff into the vast unknown.
* * *
“Are you going to tell Katie that you’re the Griffin?” Sam Clemens asked Jack as they walked toward the MacKenzie Saloon.
“Of course not! I haven’t even told her yet that I’m Jonathan Wyatt.”
“Really!” Sam’s thick brows jumped at this intriguing bit of information.
“Don’t worry, I’ll find a way to explain that part. I can almost tell her the truth—that I was bored with my respectable existence in San Francisco. She already knows that I have a different sort of life there, with a stable income and a home—”
Clemens laughed. “That’s rather an understatement, my friend.”
“Do you imagine that Kathleen will be disappointed?” Jack shot back dryly. “As for the Griffin, I’m leaving him behind for good this time. I’ve done all I can under that guise, and can only hope that Rush will take the Griffin’s advice to heart—and the townspeople will stand up to him on their own.”
“What will happen to the saloon?”
“Kathleen doesn’t want it sold yet. I suppose she half fears she might need to return one day if marriage to me proves too unbearable.” His voice was laced with irony. “I spoke to Gideon, Abby, and Lim after the wedding, while Kathleen went home to pack, and they’ve agreed to run it for her. She has no desire for any share of the profits, only that the place be maintained as in the past, and continue under the MacKenzie name. I’ll supply them with the needed funds.”
The wedding reception, which had been held at the saloon, was ending, and Jack and Sam had to wait for a stream of guests clad in their Sunday best to pass by on their way out before the two men could enter. Inside, the scarred tables were covered with white linen cloths, plates with half-eaten slices of cake, and empty wineglasses. The table in the center of the room held the wreckage of the magnificent tiered wedding cake that Katie had labored over for days. Abby, still clad in her bridal gown, stood near the bar with Gideon, while Katie and Lim were emerging from the kitchen, talking animatedly.
“Hello, Mr. Adams.” Maggie Barnstaple approached, resplendent in a gown of sea-green silk, its neckline and hem flounces edged with black guipure lace. Holding out her hands, she clasped his and leaned forward to peck his tanned cheek. “It seems that congratulations are in order for you as well as Mr. and Mrs. Henderson. What a rascal you are, conducting your courtship of Miss MacKenzie in secret!”
“Yes indeed,” said Victoria Barnstaple, stepping up beside her niece. Her birdlike features were pinched with suspicious disapproval. “I find it rather curious myself. I would have hoped, since Katie’s dear parents are both deceased, that she might have come to me for a few words of advice. But then she tells me that your proposal was rather sudden.”
“But no less sincere, I assure you, ma’am,” Jack said with all the sobriety he could muster. He introduced Sam to the two women, then continued, “If it will help to allay your concern, Mrs. Barnstaple, I can promise you that Katie will want for nothing as my wife. I’ll be good to her.”
“She won’t even tell me where the two of you will be living!” Victoria protested, her voice rising.
“May I speak to you frankly, trusting that whatever I say will go no further?” Both women nodded, and he continued, “I’m a bit worried about Kathleen’s safety. Because of her outspokenness, certain people in Columbia bear her ill will, and I’m anxious to take her away from here. Perhaps I’m merely overreacting like any man in love, but I’d rather wait a while before telling anyone where we’re living. It may seem to you that I’m exercising too much caution—”
“Not at all,” Mrs. Barnstaple said, her face softening considerably. “Darling Katie’s safety must come first, and it pleases me to discover that you share my concern for her welfare. I suppose that there’s nothing for
me to do but wish you both well, say a prayer, and wait for a letter.”
“I appreciate your understanding, ma’am.” Jack gave her his most sincere smile and turned to Maggie. “Miss Barnstaple, may I say that it has been a great pleasure knowing you? You are a delightful young lady, and I wish you all the best.”
“Thank you, Mr. Adams. Your friendship has meant a good deal to me, too. I shall miss you.”
Looking back over his shoulder at Sam, Jack winked slightly. “Mr. Clemens will be in town from time to time. He’s been a great friend to me, and I’m sure he’ll be glad to drop by and visit with you.”
“It would be my pleasure,” Sam affirmed with a grin.
The women bade them farewell then, and Jack turned his attention to Katie. She was behind the bar, dusting the jars of brandied fruit with a wistful expression on her face.
“Look at her,” Jack murmured, scarcely aware that he spoke the thought aloud.
“It would be hard not to love such a beautiful creature,” Sam observed. “She’s glorious to look at, but a good portion of that is radiated from within. In her own way, Katie is untamed, yet also more civilized in her views and values than most people I’ve known.”
Staring at her, Jack felt the familiar rush of desire, admiration, affection, and fear, but he was becoming used to it. He braced himself and waited for it to pass. Then, as if reading his mind and heart from across the room, Abby came over. Jack didn’t see her until she put her hand on his shoulder.
“Everything will be fine,” she whispered. “Try to relax and trust in God.”
Brighter than Gold (Western Rebels Book 1) Page 22
