The Detective Bride

by Sylvia Damsell

  He looked back to smile at her. “First I want a honeymoon, a long, long one with not a villain in sight.”

  Susannah giggled. “No villains then. Maybe our first case could be finding the children’s mother, that is, if she hasn’t arrived by then.”

  “Yes. We could do that before we marry if you like while we’re waiting for your parents to come.”

  Susannah frowned in concentration. “Would you mind?”

  “No. As long as I’m with you.”

  “I want us to be together married before we go.” She blushed as he looked back at her. He leapt in the back again and held her tightly.

  “Let’s talk about it later,” he said.

  “Alright.”

  When they did discuss it they decided they would marry first, have a fortnight’s honeymoon and then go to Phoenix. Hopefully by that time, Susannah said, Mrs. Stanton would have arrived or they would have heard from Blair.

  Chapter 28

  ““If we pay for half the building Bruce and Hazel are going to build we could maybe make an apartment above the offices for us to live in.” Susannah looked across at Noah who was mixing hot drinks to go with their midday meal.

  He shook his head. “Not a good idea. One, living on the premises where you work could cause some disgruntled client to try to attack you. Two, I’m not so convinced it’s a good idea to share the property with Bruce and Hazel and they might be too polite to decline in view of their friendship and loyalty. I would still like to purchase that land I’ve been interested in and maybe do a bit of ranching.”

  Susannah pouted. “Ranching isn’t a word and every suggestion I make you veto. No!” As he walked round the table towards her. “You’re not doing that. It’s the equivalent of a woman fluttering her eyelids at a man in order to get what she wants, and it’s totally reprehensible.”

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he said, putting his arms round her and bending his head with obvious intent. His lips pressed against hers and she couldn’t resist him.

  “It makes no difference,” she said when he walked back to his mugs. “No!” This time she ran but he was too fast for her and when he finally let her go her cheeks were on fire and all she wanted to do was go back in his arms.

  “It’s my offices,” she said, pulling herself together with difficulty. “So I can do what I like, and particularly in view of the fact that you never asked my advice about the ranch. I suggest that after we’re married you live on the ranch and I’ll live in an apartment above my office.”

  “Would you really do that?” Noah asked.

  “No, but I want us to discuss things properly, not with you taking advantage of the fact that when you kiss me I turn into an emotional mess.”

  “Sorry.”

  And this time she felt he was genuine by the tone of his voice though she wasn’t at all sure. He was totally devious on occasions, she felt sure, but the fact that he did not move round the table towards her again did maybe denote his sincerity.

  “Tell me what you want to do exactly with the land,” she said.

  He looked at her thoughtfully. “I’m not sure. Firstly, I want to build a house for us so I need help with the plans, that is, if you agree to the ranch.”

  “I didn’t think I had a choice.”

  “If you don’t want it I won’t do it.”

  “I’m happy about it. Samantha said she and Joel worked on the plans for their house together. Can we do that?”

  “I wouldn’t want to do it on my own.” He placed the drinks on the tray where Susannah had put two plates of food and made his way to the living room with it.

  “I want your input concerning the offices and maybe you’re right about Bruce and Hazel being too polite to refuse. Over the mercantile are some empty rooms which Hubert wants to let out. What do you think of that?”

  “Ideal.”

  “Will you thank the Lord?”

  He put his hands out to hold hers and she held on a bit desperately. She didn’t like them being at odds over anything and the One Who should be deciding was neither of them. She dragged her mind to what Noah was saying as he started speaking. “Thank You, Heavenly Father, for Your provision and for this food. Please help us to know what to do about everything and I’m sorry for going about it the wrong way. I do want to do what You want and I love Susannah with all my heart. In Your Name, Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.”

  They looked at each other as they opened their eyes and he still kept her hands in his. Strong hands, she thought, and she loved him so much. “I’m sorry,” he said.

  “Me too and I do value your opinion. What do you think of the mercantile?”

  “It sounds okay. It would be central which is what you need. If we buy the plot of land I’ll employ people to do the heavy work because I want to be with you at the offices and go on assignments where I’m needed.”

  “When you need to be at the ranch we can employ someone in the community to keep an eye on the agency, even to work there. If it grows I’ll require staff and particularly a receptionist.”

  “Yes, you will.”

  “We’ll just have to see how finances go.”

  He dug in his pocket and brought out a rather crumpled piece of paper which he handed to her. “That’s how much money I have,” he said. “With the rewards I can pay cash for the ranch but I won’t have a tremendous amount over to put into the agency.”

  She looked at the amount and wrote one below it. “That’s what I have and Albert sent a telegram to say he’s happy to send work our way if we do the same for him. I picked up the telegram from the mercantile earlier and would have shown you eventually but I was a bit cross with you because you keep belittling my ideas.”

  She reached for the telegram and he read it. Papers would follow, it said, and he was certainly an astute businessman. He lay it down and started to eat. “I didn’t mean to belittle your ideas. I just didn’t think some of them were good.”

  “Yes, I know. I was being a bit touchy. I don’t get married every day and it’s unnerving me. Is it unnerving you?”

  He looked at her thoughtfully. “Not really. I just want you to be my wife.”

  The ladies had told her at the ladies get together that men viewed things more straightforwardly and they obviously did by his reply. Did he have no doubts at all about leaving a life of blissful bachelorhood? She wanted desperately to marry him but all sorts of emotions filled her mind. Loss of independence which would involve referring to him in everything she did. Having to share every aspect of her life. She had spoken to Hazel a bit about it and Hazel was helpful, but all ladies were different which her circumstances definitely were.

  Really it would have been easier if she joined the army of women who did exactly what they were told in a marriage, or did it just appear that they did? She looked at Noah and he had stopped eating, his expression intense as he looked at her.

  “Are you regretting agreeing to marry me?” he asked.

  She mustn’t share such thoughts with him again. This was not a matter to be discussed at this moment. She leaned forward to put her hands on either side of his face where he sat opposite her. “Never! It’s just that there are so many decisions to make, even about Albert and what he’s asking. I’ll know about that when I receive the papers from him.”

  “And I’m not being very tactful. I’m sorry.”

  She pushed her plate across the table and moved to sit next to him on the sofa. “Kiss me,” she said.

  “I do kiss okay. Do I kiss okay?”

  “You know you do. You lift me to the highest plane of emotion and I do love you so much.”

  He kissed her at some length before starting to eat again and once again she was on total fire, which, she felt, slowed down her thinking processes. “Could we do plans for the ranch house after the meal?” he asked.

  “I’d like that.” She cleared her throat and tried to concentrate on her food in order to keep her from going straight back into his arms. “Can I
have an office? I know I’ll have offices in town but I’d like to do some work at home also. What do you specially want apart from the obvious kitchen/bedroom/living room scene?”

  “No bathroom?”

  “One like Jude and Rachel’s.” She blushed as he looked at her. A double shower and really luxurious. “It’s nice and roomy.”

  He bent his head. “Yes. I’ll get paper when we’ve finished eating and we’ll draw plans.” Was he blushing too, she thought as she stole a glance at him. Did men blush? She must change the subject.

  “We still haven’t heard from Blair. You’d think he would at least contact the children if he’s found their mother.”

  “Yes. Maybe there’s more to it than we know and maybe Hazel’s friend in Phoenix got things wrong.”

  “I don’t know. It’s possible.”

  Possible, but she had never regarded Blair as particularly reliable, intuitive or enterprising. He was talented in his own way but not where detective work was concerned. They finished eating and afterwards started on the plans for the house.

  Monica, a lady from the church who was married to a rancher Wilfred and had three children, was making Susannah’s wedding dress and called in on the way home to take some measurements, along with her three children. The young people went with Dan, Becky, Larry and Tony to the barn and Noah went back to the house where he was staying.

  “I’ll call in later,” he said. “I wondered if you’d like to come with me to look at the land so we can decide exactly where to put the house.”

  She’d just like to run away and delay everything, she thought, but she couldn’t share that with him. Maybe things would be better when her parents and Jason arrived in two days. “I’d love to see it,” she replied.

  He kissed her slowly, ran across the field towards his house and she turned back into the apartment where Monica was laying out the material, plus pins and everything else needed for the fitting. “He’s a nice young man,” Monica said.

  “Yes.”

  “I’ve brought some patterns for you to choose one.”

  Susannah just stood looking at her, very near to tears and not at all sure why. Monica lay the patterns on the coffee table and put out her hand.

  “I call it the pre marital jitters,” she said, sitting on the sofa and pulling Susannah down beside her. “I rather suspect it won’t help to remind you that probably most brides to be have them for varying reasons, and you probably have more than most because of the work you do. However, I’ll throw in a few facts, though they probably can’t be counted as words of wisdom. I know how you feel to some degree because I’ve been there myself.”

  “I need something.” Susannah blew her nose.

  “Men aren’t the same as women. You know that, of course, but it bears repeating. They’re totally different, in fact. They think differently and really someone ought to write a manual on how differently which might help us females to understand them better. They sometimes throw their weight around. However, basically they’re good at heart and will love you through thick and thin. They might not be so good at showing it always but if you show love to them they will respond. A little eye fluttering helps sometimes.”

  “I accused Noah of that,” Susannah said.

  “Oh?”

  “We weren’t agreeing and whenever I disagreed he kept kissing me which reduced me to pulp. He did apologise afterwards. I want to be a good wife but I also want to carry on being independent. That’s selfish, isn’t it?”

  “Not at all. Maintain a lot of that independence but include him in your plans which will encourage him to include you in his. Mostly, pray and read your Bibles together. Once you’re actually married it will be much easier.”

  “Yes. I just have a seesaw of emotions at the moment.”

  “Which you will have, but you need to grasp that it’s normal for that to happen which will help.”

  Susannah smiled weakly. “Thank you. I’ll tell myself that.” She opened the book Monica had brought her, skimmed through it and pointed. “That one. It’s beautiful.”

  “It is. I don’t want to charge you for making it, just the materials.”

  Susannah shook her head. “I’m paying though it’s very kind of you. Well, my father will pay so you can charge as much as you like, just like he’ll pay for everything else. That’s what fathers do.”

  “Yes. I think Wilfred will be relieved he has two sons and only one daughter though he would do anything for her. He would do anything for all of them. What can we give you for a present then?”

  “The church has already given us a gift. It was what they gave me when I left.”

  “That was the church and nobody was asked to contribute towards it. Something personal.”

  “A dress to wear after we leave, well, the work that goes into it because I’ll provide the material.”

  “That’s only time,” Monica said.

  “Which takes away from other things you might do, also a shirt for Noah. I’ll get some fabric tomorrow for both.”

  “Will you be living where Noah is living?”

  “To start with until we’ve finished building a house on his ranch. He may employ people for that because he’ll be helping with the agency. I’m going to ask Hubert if we can rent the rooms above the mercantile for that.”

  “Let’s get you measured up then. I’ll need you to remove your gown so we’re totally accurate.”

  Susannah felt she had made another friend when Monica left instead of just knowing her as an acquaintance. She also looked forward to seeing the finished articles. The shirt for Noah she could have purchased herself but she knew what she wanted and she hadn’t seen it in the mercantile. A few frills, a collar in the modern style, maybe not even white.

  He called in later and she was more than happy to see him. She had been stupid worrying so much concerning losing her independence, she thought when he bent to kiss her before they made for the land he was buying. Independence was not what it was cracked up to be and she could never do without him. She put her arms over his shoulders and the kiss was extended.

  “I love you,” she said, making for the wagon. She looked back as he didn’t move. “Absolutely love you.”

  He swung her into his arms before placing her on the front of the wagon where she would sit next to him. “I adore you.”

  “Please always do.”

  “I will.”

  “Have you signed papers yet?”

  “No. I want both our names on the deeds.”

  “Thank you. Drive on then, sir, and let’s go and view our vast estate.”

  He chuckled and shook the reins. “Yes, ma’am. How did the fitting go?”

  They chatted easily while they drove and enjoyed the fresh air on their faces. A bit colder now but not excessively and they both had warm jackets. They reached a gate which led onto the land and Noah gave a little wave.

  “Our new home,” he said.

  “Impressive. How far in will the house be?”

  “We’ll have to decide. We’ll plan together.”

  “Let’s walk round. How many acres are there?”

  “A couple of thousand acres. It’s more or less square.”

  “Just over three square miles. That’s quite sizeable.”

  “Yes, it is. Is it too big?”

  “No. I think Bruce’s property is a bit larger. Let’s explore.”

  “Every inch?”

  She smiled as she slipped her hand in his. “Every inch. Has it been used for a ranch before?”

  “I’m not sure. I think cattle have grazed here though there’s none at the moment.”

  “I wonder why there’s no house on it.”

  “The owner must have lived somewhere else. He’s moved to San Francisco.”

  She looked around. “It’s quite bare, isn’t it? There’s bushes and things but hardly any trees of any size. How far are we from Lower Pine?”

  “About six miles. Is that too far?”

  “No. It’s
not too far. Where exactly do you want to build the house?”

  “We’ll decide that together.”

  “Yes, but where did you have in mind?”

  “It’s a bit further in, about half a mile. There are no trees but quite a few pretty bushes.”

  “Can we see that first?”

  “Yes, of course.”

  He put his arm round her, turned her and she wound her arm round his waist, enjoying the feel of him but also looking everywhere while they walked. “This is part of the Owens Valley, isn’t it?” she asked after a few minutes.

  “Yes. Owens Lake isn’t far. We must go and see that one day.”

  “That would be nice. How far is Owens Lake from the edge of your property?”

  “I’m not sure. The southern bit is about two miles away.”

  “Near enough to go and swim then.”

  “Yes.

  “Nice.” But she wasn’t interested in swimming at this minute and wondered how much he knew about the area. She carried on speaking. “The ground is very dry, isn’t it?”

  “Dry?” He looked down. “A lot of the ground is dry round here. Does that worry you?”

  “Not in general. No. Do you know how Owens lake was formed?”

  “No. It must have been thousands of years ago. Does anybody know?”

  “It was formed seven years or so ago by the Lone Pine earthquake. Eighteen miles of the Owen Valley dropped about twenty feet which caused a new spring to open. The water from it filled the lowland.”

  “I didn’t know that,” Noah said.

  She pointed to where Noah wanted the house. “That land is subsiding.”

  “Subsiding?” He frowned while he surveyed it. “It’s just a dent in the earth.”

  “Rather a wide dent. There are also far more cracks than there should be. If this land subsided the lake would flow over it and flood it. It could happen at any time.”

  He spun round and lifted her, turned away and started towards the wagon. She giggled as she wound her arms round his neck and began to kiss him. “Not in the next few minutes, I would imagine.”

  “You said any time.” His voice was muffled against her face.