"I've held out as long as I can. You're forgiven!" Dashing across the room, Clara flung herself into his arms, and he swung her up and in a wide circle before he set her on her feet and wrapped his arms around her.
"I understand why you couldn't tell me…" She smothered his words with kisses.
Ben swept off his hat in front of Juliette. "I was angry and I said it all wrong. I don't give a damn if some garbled story gets out and creates a scandal that rocks San Francisco. And I don't care about Villette. The only thing that matters in my world is you, Juliette. I love you and want to spend my life with you. Can you forgive me for not seeing the situation from your viewpoint?"
"Oh, Ben. I'll always forgive you, and I'll always love you." A joyous smile lit her expression, and she rushed into his arms. "I've missed you so much!"
Tom gazed down at Zoe. "I love you, and I believe you love me. We can work out everything else."
"I lied to you, Tom."
"I know it, and I don't like it. So don't do it again."
"I won't." She tilted her head and gazed up at him, loving the sharp handsome angles of his face, the twinkle in his green eyes. "It took you a week, huh?"
He laughed and pulled her against his body. "You never saw three more miserable men in your life. Lord, I've missed you, darlin'! Are you going to forgive me for not trusting that you had reasons for doing what you did?"
"I forgive you," she whispered as his lips came down hard on hers.
"Ladies? Gentlemen?" The man who had ridden with them cleared his throat and led a somewhat dazed Mrs. Wilson into the dining room. "Take your places, please."
"Who is that man?" Clara asked in a breathless voice. Her lips were swollen and her skin glowed.
"Maybe we're presuming a lot…" Bear said, anxiously examining her expression.
"He's Reverend Wainwright." Ben smiled down at Juliette. "We hired him to bury Villette and marry us."
Tom pressed his lips to Zoe's forehead. "Our plan was to ride in here, get rid of Villette, then marry you before you could say no. We're about to commence the marrying part."
Reverend Wainwright waved them forward. "Mrs. Wilson has agreed to act as witness. Will the brides stand here, please, and the grooms over here."
"I'm not certain we've discussed everything that happened in the detail it deserves," Juliette said. But her gray eyes flashed and danced.
"Darling, we have the rest of our lives to discuss anything you wish to discuss." Holding her arm to his side as if he would never let her go, Ben led her forward.
"Honey girl? Tell me you love me." Bear pressed Clara's hand against his big barrel chest. "I've waited all my life to hear a woman like you say those words."
"I love you," Clara said softly, gazing into his brown-bear eyes. "I've loved you from the minute I saw you."
"There is going to be some house-wrecking tonight," he promised gruffly, gazing happily into her eyes before he led her forward.
"Zoe? I've wanted to marry you for half of my life." Tom clasped his hands behind her waist. "But you have to know—no matter where we end up, I'm Newcastle through and through. I'm not a prince promising you a rainbow."
"Oh, yes, you are," she said softly, blinking at tears of happiness. "I'm Newcastle, too, Tom. Nothing more and nothing less."
"That's all I ever wanted."
"Me, too. It just took me longer to know it. Oh, Tom. I love you so much!"
He kissed her deeply. Then, grinning broadly, he led her forward to join the others.
Reverend Wainwright smiled at three radiant brides and nodded to three impatient grooms.
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today in the presence of this witness to join…"
"Do you, Juliette March, take Benjamin James Dare to be your lawfully wedded husband?"
"I do!"
"Do you, Clara Klaus, take Bernard T. Barrett to be your lawfully wedded husband?"
"I do!"
"Do you, Zoe Wilder, take Thomas John Price to be your lawfully wedded husband?"
"I do!"
* * *
"If you like to hoot with laughter and have your heartstrings twanged, don't miss… Maggie Osborne."
—Catherine Coulter
SILVER LINING
by Maggie Osborne
As scruffy and rootless as the other prospectors searching for gold in the Rockies, Low Down wanted nothing in return for nursing a raggedy bunch through the pox. But when pressed to reveal her heart's wish, she admits, "I want a baby." Not a husband, not a forced marriage to the proud man who drew the scratched marble and became honor bound to marry her.
To be sure, Max McCord was easy on the eyes, but he loved another woman and dreamed of a different life. Yet they agreed to a temporary marriage that could end only in disaster. But can this strange twist of fate lead to the silver lining that both have been searching for?
Ask for SILVER LINING at your local bookstore.
* * *
Published by Ivy Books.
Coming in Fall 2001...
BAND OF GOLD
by Maggie Osborne
Ten years ago Sam Holland had wanted Angie Ballard but couldn't have her. Now he's stuck with her, a wife he doesn't know and doesn't want. Angie has been waiting a long time for her life to begin, but first she must deal with Sam, his betrayal and a marriage that never should have happened.
Only Sam isn't the boy she loved and impetuously married. Now he's a man—rugged and handsomewith two children to care for. And soon their irresistible attraction blazes anew, and Sam and Angie are faced with a terrifying choice—can they risk making their ready-made family a reality after all?
Published by Ivy Books
I do, I do, I do Page 33
