The Sheriff (Historical Romance)
Page 25
“Rest awhile,” Travis coaxed. “We’ll talk later.”
As if he hadn’t spoken, Melisande confided, “After learning that Kate VanNam had inherited the mine, Winn killed Gregory to get him out of the way. You see, we had proof that there was gold in the Cavalry Blue. We stole the report from a noted San Franciscan assayist and then…then I—I killed the poor man while he was in the hospital. And I took the assay from his files.”
Travis said nothing. He showed no emotion. But he recalled reading about the murder of a prominent assayist in the crime journal.
The dying woman continued, “Winn’s plan was to come here to Fortune and marry Kate VanNam. When she was his wife, he would have her sign the mine over to him. Once he legally had his hands on the gold, he would divorce her and marry me.” She began to sob, “I was in love with Winn. I’d have done anything he asked.”
Feeling compassionate, Travis placed her hand back on the table at her side and patted her shoulder. “You get some rest. You’ll feel better tomorrow.”
But the woman’s wounds were fatal.
She died with the last glimmer of light.
Travis returned to his quarters and the anxious Kate. He told her of the pair’s failed scheme to get their hands on the gold.
Then he took her in his arms and, as gently as possible, informed her that her brother, Gregory, was dead.
Forty-Eight
“We’ll get the executioner over from Hangtown to take care of Kelton and Spears,” Doc Ledet said the next day.
Travis nodded, but frowned slightly. The doctor caught Travis’s expression and said, “Kate doesn’t want to see them hanged, does she?”
Travis shook his head. “She’s a sweet, charitable soul, Doc. She hates to have any more bloodshed.”
Doc Ledet rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “You could let the pair go. Warn them, under the Committee of Vigilance’s threat of death, never to set foot in California again.”
Travis looked at the white-haired doctor. Doc Ledet smiled and said, “Have Jiggs guard them tonight. He’ll fall asleep. He always does.”
Travis frowned and said, “The town’s expecting a hanging. They’ll be disappointed if there isn’t one.”Eyes twinkling, the physician said, “Not if there’s a wedding.”
Travis finally grinned. “That’s true. All they’re looking for is an excuse to celebrate.”
Everyone turned out for the festive wedding celebration.
Chang Li was there. The loyal Chinaman who, thanks to Kate’s generosity, was a five percent owner in the gold-rich Cavalry Blue Mine, was almost as happy as the bride. He sipped French champagne for the first time in his life and looked eagerly forward to the day his wife and child would arrive in Fortune.
Doc Ledet was there. The smiling physician had agreed to give the bride away, and he couldn’t have been more proud if Kate had been his own daughter. He told anyone who would listen that he had known all along that the town sheriff and the new heiress were “meant for each other.”
The deputy, Jiggs Gillespie, was there to stand up with Travis. The well-scrubbed best man almost held up the ceremony when he couldn’t remember which pocket he had put the ring in.
Fortunately, Kate’s glowing matron of honor, the reliable Alice Hester, remembered exactly where her shy beau had put the ring. She remembered because she had helped Jiggs dress, and she had placed the ring in the inside breast pocket of his dark frock coat. With an almost imperceptible nod of her head, Alice motioned to Jiggs, and saw the light of recollection appear in his eyes.
H. Q. Blankenship was one of the many guests. The old sourdough, whom Kate had contracted to oversee the restoration of the mansion, had a new lease on life. It had been so long since anyone had needed him or his services, he felt almost like a young, vibrant man again. He stayed busy these days drawing up plans to turn the run-down house back into a grand mansion.
Clifton Barton of Barton’s Emporium was there, taking great delight in commenting on the weather. “Why, it’s as cold as a whore’s kiss,” he was fond of exclaiming.
Everyone in Fortune had been invited to the 10:00 a.m. wedding, and a majority of the population had shown up. Once the brief ceremony was over, Travis kissed the bride and led her onto the dance floor. The happy newlyweds whirled about for a few minutes before pausing and inviting everyone to join them in the dance.
The liquor flowed in the Eldorado Hotel’s large dining room and spacious lobby as the wedding crowd celebrated.
“Think they’d miss us if we leave?” Travis asked, his arms locked around Kate’s narrow waist.
“We’d better slip away soon if we’re to catch the noon riverboat,” Kate replied.
The pair had booked a cabin on the Golden Swan to take them downriver to San Francisco. There they would honeymoon in the bridal suite of the city’s finest hotel.
“Then let’s go, sweetheart,” Travis whispered.
“There’s just one thing I need to know,” Kate said, her arm looped around his neck.
“Anything, Kate.”
“You don’t mind being married to a rich woman, do you, Travis?”
“No, but I like being sheriff of Fortune. Rich wife or no, I don’t want to give it up.”
“Good,” Kate said with a smile. “I like seeing that silver badge on your chest.” She looked into his beautiful dark eyes and added, “Arrest me anytime you please, Marshal.”
Travis grinned. “How about right now, baby?”
“I’ll go peacefully, Sheriff McCloud.”
ISBN: 978-1-4603-6397-3
THE SHERIFF
Copyright © 2006 by Nan Ryan.
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