by Barbara Goss
He held her for the longest time before whispering into her ear, “Can I see you again, Ellen?”
“You may!” She and her eyes twinkled with her smile.
“I guess we'd better put you back where you were. It wouldn’t look good if your mother or father saw us ride in like this,” Ned said with a grin.
“I could stay like this forever, Ned.”
“Someday, maybe we will.”
Now that his betrothal to Libby was over, Travis tried to think of a romantic way to tell Evaline and to propose. His first idea was to stop at the jewelers to buy a ring, a real ring. His second idea was a stop at the general store for a bouquet of flowers.
Sadie had cooked chicken and dumplings for supper and after they’d eaten, Travis approached Evaline.
“Instead of sitting on the porch after dinner as usual, I'd like you to come to the stable and see my new colt,” Travis said.
“You have a colt?”
“I do. I didn’t expect its arrival until next week, and the mother had it all by herself. I walked out into the stable this morning and there it was, standing on wobbly legs, looking around in awe.”
“I’d love to see her.”
“Let’s go, then.” Travis led her to the stable. After Evaline had seen the colt and baby talked to it, Travis led her around to the back where the straw pile was.
“Travis, I thought we weren’t supposed to get tempted. You know that straw pile gives me ideas,” she said.
“I want you to throw yourself into the straw,” he said in a seductive voice.
She gave him a sideways look. “Are you sure?”
“I’ve never been surer,” he said.
She stood in front of the pile and let herself fall backward. "Aren't you going to join me?" she asked, lying there amidst the stalks.
“Not yet,” he said.
She looked at him, puzzled.
“I want you to fish around in the straw and see if you can find something I hid in there as a surprise,” he said.
“Oh, I love surprises!” She fished around to her left and right but couldn't find anything. “Am I going to find that pitchfork?”
“No. Try near your feet.”
She bent and felt beneath the straw at her feet and found a small box. She fished it out and picked the straw from it. “This?”
He joined her in the straw, taking the box from her. “Now, fish around near your other foot.”
She pulled out a bouquet of flowers and smiled at him as she picked the straw from between the blossoms. “They’re beautiful! How thoughtful. Thank you!”
Travis lay flat on his back in the straw with the small box on his chest.
“What is it?” she asked, eying the box with curiosity.
“Lay the flowers down, kiss me, and I’ll show you.”
“Oh, Travis, you’re being so mysterious tonight.” She lay next to him and leaned over to kiss him—not passionately, but just a quick smack.
He grabbed her, rolled her over on top of him, and handed her the box.
As she opened it he asked, “Will you marry me?”
Evaline gasped. “Oh, Travis! This is beautiful.” She grabbed it and tried to put it on her finger, but Travis grabbed it back.
“Oh, no you don’t. The ring isn’t free. You have to answer the question first.”
“I can’t imagine myself ever marrying anyone else in the world. I love you, Travis.”
He took the ring from her and placed it on her finger part way. “Do you promise to marry me as soon as Reverend Moran can schedule it?”
“I do,” she said.
“Do you promise to let me make passionate love to you for a whole week without stopping after the wedding?”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
He slipped the ring onto her finger and kissed her. “Now, get off of me before I’m tempted to celebrate my weeklong romance early.”
She smiled and rolled to his side but kept her arms around him. “What about Libby?”
“We're no longer betrothed. God has answered our prayers. She’s in love with her doctor.”
“When did you find that out?” she asked.
“Today,” he said, tapping her cute little nose. “And I went from her house straight to the jewelers.”
She put her head on his chest. “How soon can we be get married?”
“We can go see Reverend Moran tomorrow,” he said. Travis yearned for more than a quick kiss. He leaned over, took her lips with his, and kissed her passionately. When they were both heated and breathing a bit abnormally he said, “To be continued…” and stood, brushed the straw off of himself, and pulled her up from the pile. “Let’s go tell my father the news.”
Chapter 17
Four days after the proposal, Travis and Evaline stood before the altar in Faith Church, and while Reverend Moran pronounced them man and wife. Travis’s eyes lit up when he faced Evaline as she said her vows; tears rolled down Evaline’s cheeks as he repeated his.
In attendance were Ned and Ellen who were witnesses, Edward Grayson, Sadie, and a few other church friends.
Ellen informed Robert Radcliffe of the nuptials, and he sent them a message along with a generous wedding gift. Ellen explained that her father feared he'd have to hear about it from his wife for years had he went to the wedding. He’d have to pretend to be surprised when word got out.
After Travis and Evaline settled into the hotel, they bathed, and unpacked. She put on her new nightgown in the small closet, while Travis undressed and climbed under the quilt. He couldn’t take his eyes from her as she walked toward him. He could hardly believe his luck‒he corrected his thinking and thanked God for giving him the most beautiful bride.
She slipped in beside him, turning the lamp off as she did. Curling up to him, he put his arms around her.
“What would you like to do now, wife? We could read, or—”
“I don’t believe you for a moment, Travis.”
“I really wanted to finish the book I started…where is it?” He felt around under the quilt, found her waist, and drew her to him, closer than ever before.
“Travis,” she said breathlessly, “I can’t believe we’re finally at the moment we’ve been waiting for.”
“Me either.” He pressed his lips to hers and knew he was home. Those were the familiar and comfortable lips he’d be kissing for the next fifty or so years. Seconds before taking the final step of consummation, Travis said aloud: "Lord, please bless this union.” As the passion between then grew to heights they’d never reached before, they moved with the rhythm God created for married couples.
“Amen,” Evaline whispered.
After four days of marital bliss, they decided it was time to face the outside world again. They went to Rosie’s for breakfast after checking out of the hotel. Evaline broke the bad news to Travis as they sipped their second cups of coffee.
“I have to let my mother know I’m married. They can’t make me marry Roger now.”
Travis rolled his eyes. “Maybe Ellen has already told your mother.”
“I don’t know, but she's still my mother. It’s only right to go there and tell her we’re married,” she said.
“Do I need to put on my gun belt?”
“No, silly,” she said
That very afternoon they pointed the buggy toward Victoria. Evaline sat beside her husband with her head resting on his shoulder. They were both nervous and didn’t talk much on the way.
Travis would rather chop wood than pay a visit to her mother, but he supposed that along with marriage came in-laws‒it was inescapable.
As the buggy pulled into the yard of the Radcliffe home, Travis saw Robert in the newly built barn.
“Let’s go see your father first. Maybe he can pave the way for us,” Travis said.
“All right, but don’t bet on it.”
Travis helped Evaline from the buggy and they walked into the barn. The smell of fresh wood scented the inside of the building.
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“I like it,” Travis said, gazing around the barn.
Robert came over to where they were standing, hugged them both, and whispered, “We’ll pretend you just told me the good news.”
“Ev-a-line!” her mother shouted as she rushed into the barn. “Where have you been?” She looked at Travis. “And who is this?”
“Mother. This is Travis Grayson.”
“Grayson? Not the Grayson’s from Lancashire, I hope.”
“No, Travis is from Kansas and—”
Travis interrupted, “I’m her husband.”
Emma Radcliffe held her chest and gasped. “Husband?”
Travis put his arm around his wife’s waist. “Pleased to meet you, ma’am.”
“Husband! How dare you marry when you’re already promised? We’ll have it annulled, that’s what we’ll do.” Emma turned to Robert. “Well…do something!”
“Mother, it’s already been consummated. We married four days ago,” Evaline said.
“What about poor Roger?”
Evaline shrugged.
Emma looked Travis up and down. “I’ll never accept you as a son-in-law! You aren’t from a good bloodline.”
Travis thought his blood was just fine, but he simply kept quiet and let the woman make a fool of herself. No one could undo the marriage; Evaline was his.
His new mother-in-law huffed, turned, and went back into the house.
Evaline hugged her father and started to cry. Robert handed her off to Travis. “They’re your tears now, son,” he said, with a wink.
Travis pulled her into his arms. “Don’t cry, sweetheart, things will work out. We’ll pray for it.”
Evaline wiped her tears. “See you in church Sunday, father. Come, husband, I want to go home.”
Roger Fairfax stopped them abruptly on their way back to the buggy. Travis studied the man as he walked toward him, a look of purpose on his face. He was wearing glasses, his hair was parted in the middle, and he looked arrogant.
“So, you’re the one who stole my bride,” he spat. Then he removed his glove and slapped Travis in the face with it.
Though the slap wasn’t a hard one, Travis’s automatic response was to punch him in the face, so he drew back his arm, but Evaline grabbed it.
“No, Travis! He’s challenging you to a duel. “ Evaline turned to Roger. “Duels aren’t done here in Kansas. You apologize right now!”
“Duel?” Travis said. “I’d rather hit him.”
“Pick your weapon,” Roger sneered.
“Roger, it’s no use. This isn’t necessary,” Evaline cried. “Even if you killed Travis, I’d never marry you. You’re wasting your time and jeopardizing two lives for nothing.”
“I’ll have the satisfaction that I killed the man who stole the wife that should have been mine, by legal contract. If I can’t have Evaline, I want the man she married dead.”
Robert had come out from the barn by then. “Roger don’t do this.”
“Pick your weapon!” he said to Travis.
“What are my choices?”
“Guns, sabers, knives, or bare hands.”
“Guns,” Travis said. “Gunfights are illegal in Hays. We’ll have to do it right here, in Victoria.”
“Pick your second,” Roger said.
“Second?” Travis looked at Robert.
“I’ll be Travis’s second,” Robert Radcliffe said, stepping to his side.
Emma Radcliffe ran out of the house. “What’s going on?”
“Oh, Mother, it’s terrible.” Evaline began to cry. “Roger has challenged Travis to a duel.”
“That’s outrageous, Roger. Call it off. I told you, you could marry Ellen,” Emma said.
“He will not marry Ellen unless she agrees to it,” Travis said. He turned to Roger. “Meet me here tonight at six with your second.”
Roger looked confused. “Mrs. Radcliffe, I don’t have a second.”
“Then call this off immediately. This is barbaric. It's against the law, even in England. Call it off, Roger. Killing someone is not the answer,” Emma said.
Ellen stepped up. “I heard everything. I don’t want anyone to die.” She looked at Roger, cringed a bit, and said. “I’ll marry you, Roger.”
“What?” Robert, Evaline, and Travis said in unison.”
“No,” Travis said, looking at Ellen. “You’re just saying that to stop the duel. You don’t want to marry him, I can tell.”
“I said, I’ll marry him,” Ellen said, her arms crossed over her chest.
“Six sharp,” Travis said as he helped his weeping wife into the buggy.
Evaline cried all the way back to the ranch. When Travis stopped the buggy in front of the house, Evaline grabbed his arm.
“You can’t do this, Travis. What if he kills you? I can’t take the chance of losing you. Please, call it off,” she begged.
“Do you want your sister to marry him just to stop the duel? That’s what she’s doing. And no one slaps my face,” he said with fire in his eyes.
He jumped down from the buggy, walked to his wife, and helped her down by picking her up by her waist, but when he set her down on the ground she refused to let go of him. Her arms were wrapped firmly around his neck.
“Please, don’t do it!”
“You would want me to back out and be a laughing stock? No, I’ll go through with it, but I won’t kill him. I’ll aim for his shoulder.”
“Are you a good shot, Travis? Please tell me you are.”
“I’m a very good shot,” he said, hugging her to him. “I love you,” he said and kissed her lips, which only served to make her cry harder.
“I’m scared, Travis.”
“I want you to stay here. The whole time I’m gone I want you to pray,” he said. “And we'll not mention this to either my father or Sadie, all right?”
Evaline nodded. She watched her husband pull the buggy into the barn. How she loved him! What would she do if Roger killed him and her life were forever changed? Why did this have to happen? Why did her mother have to bring him to Kansas?
She kissed Travis passionately and tearfully in their room upstairs before he picked up his holster and left her.
“Pray,” was all he said as he went down the stairs.
She watched him ride away and got to her knees to pray like she’d never prayed before.
Chapter 18
Travis stood beside Robert adjusting his holster.
“Are you a good shot?” Robert asked, wringing his hands.
“Good enough,” Travis asked. “Is Roger?”
“I don’t know. I think swords are his preference. If someone dies today, I won’t forgive myself.”
“Why?”
“I should have stood up to my wife like a man. Instead, I cowered, just to keep peace in the family. Mostly, I wanted a peaceful home life for myself and the girls. This is all my fault.”
“It’s no one’s fault, and I’m not going to shoot to kill,” Mr. Radcliffe.
“Roger will be shooting to kill, so I pray you’re fast out of the holster.”
“Ned and I used to have fake gunfights all the time and I won eighty percent of the time.”
“It’s the other twenty that I worry about,” Robert said. “And gun fights are done differently in England. There are no holsters. The two men walk with their guns out, turn, and shoot.”
“Then the advantage is mine. In Kansas, we do it the Kansas way.”
“Dear Lord, help us. Look!” Robert said.
Trudging toward them was Roger and another man. Roger was carrying a black case.
“What’s in the case?”
“Two guns. That means you have to duel his way. He doesn’t own a holster or a six-shooter. Those are professional dueling pistols. They're loaded with just one bullet each,” Robert said.
“Do I have a choice, then?” Travis asked.
Robert shook his head solemnly.
“Who’s his second?”
“Horace Greenlee. He's
one of the hired hands here.”
Travis suddenly felt unsure of himself. He’d counted on his being the fastest draw and shooting the man in the shoulder before he would be able to fire, but now he was at a disadvantage.
Both seconds, Horace Greenlee and Robert Radcliffe, stepped up and examined and loaded the guns. They nodded to each other and then gave the duelers the rules.
“You'll both take ten steps, and when I say, fire, you both turn and fire. May the good Lord bless you both,” Robert said.
Travis and Roger nodded and took their guns. They stood back to back, each of them took ten steps, and then halted. Travis was nervous. He knew Roger would shoot to kill and he no longer had the advantage of being faster out of the holster. Now he had to concentrate on turning, aiming, and firing, all in just seconds. He didn’t know what to do about the situation, but being a Christian, he knew there was only one thing left to do: pray. No matter how the duel ended, he was sure to be a winner. He’d either be alive or he’d be with God in heaven, of that he was sure.
“Fire!” Robert yelled.
Each man turned and fired—click, click. They both fired again—click, click.
“Now, both of you forget this duel, it’s against the Bible to kill, and this land is mine and protected by God himself,” Robert said. He turned and walked away, his arm around Horace's shoulders.
Travis threw the gun down and walked back to the house behind Robert and Horace.
When they reached the house, more confusion broke out. A buggy pulled up with Ned and Evaline in it. They both jumped down and met them.
Evaline threw her arms around Travis’s neck. “Thank God we got here in time. Ned said he’d take your place.”
Travis looked at Ned standing there, wearing his gun belt with two .45s sticking out of it. He gave Ned a manly hug. “Thank you, my friend, but it seems Roger wanted an English duel with pistols that held just one bullet. You also missed it; it’s over with.”
