“Probably got one of the carriage horses,” Braeden said with a smile. “So what about the others?”
“I let Tomas go on his pledge to show up for the trial. I have your Englishman ranting and babbling on one side of the cell, while Smith is muttering and cursing on the other side. Guess if we’re going to have this kind of activity, I’m going to have to build a bigger jail.”
Braeden shook his head. “From the looks of this mess, I’m not so sure it’d be worth the effort.”
“Yeah, I kind of figured that myself,” the marshal said, glancing back over the town. “I might just be out of a job once everything is said and done.” He seemed to consider this for a moment, then tipped his hat. “Well, just thought you’d like to know about Smith. I’ve had Mr. O’Donnell wire the necessary folks, and now it’s just a matter of getting all the facts in place. Oh, and I talked with Miss Carson. She told me how you tried your best to save Miss Brooks. I don’t think there’ll be any problem with folks assuming otherwise.”
Braeden nodded. “That’s good news.”
“I’ll be seein’you around,” Schmidt said, moving off in the direction of the depot.
“Do you suppose anyone would have actually thought you capable of leaving Ivy in that fire?” Rachel asked.
Braeden shrugged. “Sometimes folks believe whatever they want to—whatever seems to fit their logic at the time. Facts don’t always matter.”
Rachel felt the full weight of his words. “Of course, you’re right. I guess no one knows that better than I do, especially after what I did to you—to us.”
Braeden held her close and maneuvered her down the steps. They walked in silence as they made their way back to the O’Donnell house. Pausing on the back steps, Braeden turned Rachel in his arms. “That’s all in the past. I want us to start fresh. I want us to share a complete trust in each other, no matter what the circumstances.”
Rachel nodded, losing herself in his steely blue eyes. “I want that too. I’m so sorry for the way I wronged you. I’m so sorry for the wasted years. I put myself into a self-imposed prison, then prayed to find a key to let myself out. I was very foolish, and I can only hope that you will forgive me.”
Braeden raised her hands to his lips and kissed her fingers. “You could never do anything so bad that I would refuse to forgive you. I love you, Rachel. I always have and I always will. Nothing about the past matters anymore. Only the future. I want us to be together always, and I’m hoping you want the same thing.”
Rachel’s heart felt as though it might pound right through her chest. Touching his cheek gently, she saw all the longing in her soul reflected in his eyes. She drew a deep breath and opened her mouth to answer, when Braeden’s proposal was interrupted for a second time.
“Braeden! Rachel!”
It was Jeffery O’Donnell, and Rachel could only sigh, letting her breath out in an anticlimactic way. “Hello, Jeffery,” she said, wishing she could say good-bye instead.
“Jeffery,” Braeden said, his voice edged with the slightest hint of irritation.
Jeffery looked at them both for a moment. “Am I interrupting?”
“Yes,” Rachel replied quickly. “Yes, you are, Mr. O’Donnell, and I’d appreciate it if you would go inside and keep your wife company. I don’t need her to come out here as well.”
Jeffery seemed a bit taken aback by Rachel’s instruction and Braeden just laughed.
Leaning over to Jeffery, Braeden whispered loudly enough for everyone to hear, “I’ve asked her a rather important question twice now, and if I don’t get an answer the third time, I’m not going to ask again.”
Jeffery couldn’t contain his smile. “I see.”
“So unless you want to be in very big trouble with me—and with Simone,” Rachel stated flatly, “you’ll do as I asked.”
Just then the back door opened and Simone stared openmouthed at the trio. “What’s going on?”
Jeffery pushed his way past Rachel and Braeden and opened the screen door. Taking Simone in hand he said, “I’ll tell you later.”
“But—” Simone protested as Jeffery pulled her inside and promptly closed the door behind them.
Rachel looked up at Braeden and met his amused expression.
“Now, before any more interruptions come …” Inside the house Simone let out a shriek, causing them both to laugh out loud.
“Well, now you have to say yes,” Braeden teased, pulling Rachel back into his arms. “No doubt Mrs. O’Donnell is already making plans.”
She carefully tried to avoid hurting his arm and maneuvered to wrap her arms around Braeden’s neck. “So you were going to ask me something for the third time.”
He grinned. “Okay, but this is it.”
She nodded. “Absolutely.”
“Marry me, Rachel. Promise to love me forever, as I will love you.”
She sighed and answered in a whisper, “I will marry you, Braeden Parker, and I will love you forever, with all my heart.”
He lowered his mouth to hers, touching her lips gently. She felt his hands in her hair and thought that nothing had ever felt so right or so good. Melting against him, reveling in the very strength he emitted, Rachel felt as though she had finally come home. The passion she had buried within her for six long years surfaced in that kiss. She wanted nothing more in life than to marry Braeden Parker and be his wife. And she wanted it very soon because she had already wasted a good portion of her life running from the love she felt.
Pulling away, Braeden looked at her very seriously. “Can we get married soon? Like maybe even tomorrow?”
Rachel shook her head. “No, Mr. Parker. I will not marry you tomorrow.” She laughed at the stunned look on his face. “Unless, of course, Pastor Johnson can’t do the job today.”
Braeden grinned from ear to ear. “You’re supposed to be off of that ankle, but I’ll hit the road and find Johnson, wherever he may be. And whether he has the time or not—I guarantee you, he’ll marry us.”
Rachel watched him jump over the side of the steps and hurry off in the direction of town. Smiling to herself she looked heavenward. “Thank you,” she whispered. “Thank you for making my dreams come true, even in the wake of such devastation.”
Opening the door, Rachel hobbled inside to find Jeffery and Simone waiting rather impatiently.
“So what happened?” Simone asked, looking behind Rachel. “Where’s Braeden?”
“I sent him away.”
“You what?!” Jeffery and Simone questioned at once.
Rachel laughed. “You two are worse than a couple of mother hens. I sent him off to get the preacher. We’re going to have a wedding.”
“Now?” Simone questioned. “Here?”
“Well, seeing how the church burned down, and how I have no desire to get married at the saloon or the depot, or even Doc’s house, I figured this would be the best place.”
Simone instantly flew into action. “Well, come on, then. We have to get you ready. You’ll need a dress and we have to fix your hair.”
Rachel laughed and let Simone lead her away.
EPILOGUE
TWO HOURS AFTER their impromptu wedding beside Morita Falls, Rachel and Braeden found themselves in a private railroad car, courtesy of Fred Harvey.
“It seems the least I can do after all you’ve done for us, Miss Taylor—Mrs. Parker,” Fred Harvey said as the conductor called the final “all aboard.”
Rachel threw a small bouquet of wild flowers from the platform and laughed with joy as Gwen Carson, seated on the back of a twowheeled cart, caught them.
The train gave a lurch forward and then another. The jerky movement caused Rachel to grab hold of the railing as Braeden took a possessive hold of her waist. They waved good-bye as the train pulled out of the station and headed north toward Lamy.
Rachel couldn’t help but notice the blackened destruction of the town as they passed by. In the background she could barely make out the charred remains of Casa Grande. Shaking her
head, she turned away from it and let Braeden draw her into their home on the rails.
“I’d say we made out pretty well, Mrs. Parker,” Braeden declared, motioning to the room.
“It was kind of Mr. Harvey to offer us this car,” she said, suddenly feeling very shy. It was the first time they had been alone, truly alone.
Sensing her change of mood, Braeden drew her into his arms. “You look absolutely terrified, Mrs. Parker. Our future isn’t that bleak. We may be temporarily unemployed and without a home or wardrobe, but it could be much worse.”
She shook her head. “Yes,” she whispered, reaching her hand up to his face. “I could have lost you in the fire.”
“Or I could have lost you to Worthington.”
She laughed. “No. There was never a real chance of that. Once he had me, he didn’t seem to know what he wanted to do with me anyway. He never even touched me.”
Something akin to relief seemed to wash over Braeden’s expression. “I’m so glad. I would have hated for him to have hurt you.” He put his hand over hers and pressed both to his cheek.
The uneven rocking of the tracks seemed to ease with a rhythmic flow as the train moved up to full speed. Rachel reached up to pull Braeden’s face closer to her own.
“He only inconvenienced me,” Rachel said seriously. “But losing you would have devastated me.”
“You’ll never lose me, Rachel,” Braeden said before his lips caressed her mouth.
The future held many questions for them, but their love was the one thing that Rachel knew she could count on. Never again would whispered lies come between them. She would turn to truth and trust, and she would count on God’s direction for their happiness. A longawaited and hoped-for happiness that had come like an unexpected gift.
As Braeden lifted her in his arms, Rachel buried her face against his neck and sighed contentedly. She remembered a verse in the Bible about perfect love casting out fear and thought it very true. God had given her a perfect love through His Son, a love so sure and so complete that her spirit could never want for more. And then God blessed her with a perfect love in the form of a man named Braeden Parker.
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