Grooms with Honor Series, Books 10-12

by Linda K. Hubalek

  Well, Chronicles. Was Violet going to tear up the paper, use it against Horace…or him?

  Chapter 1

  Tully stuck his finger in his clerical collar, trying to loosen its tightness around his neck. Right now, it felt like a noose instead of a sign of his profession.

  He glanced at Violet, staring out the train car window as they passed through the Kansas countryside. They’d traveled together, civil and more silent than usual, on their way home to Clear Creek, Kansas, the next stop on the train’s schedule.

  “Violet, I need to know what you’ve done with the certificate,” Tully pleaded to her one last time before their families met them at the depot.

  Violet turned to smile sweetly, but mockingly at him.

  “You couldn’t find it could you? I know you looked through my bags when you thought I was in the washroom,” Violet glared at him as she folded her arms around her waist.

  Drat…caught in the act. He was losing his touch at being sneaky. A trait he best remember he couldn’t do now that he was a preacher.

  “And I didn’t dare leave it in my trunks for fear my stowed baggage might get placed off at the wrong depot. Or…. you’d telegraph ahead to have Angus, your oldest brother—who’s the depot manager—check my trunks for dangerous explosives, or an important paper about his little brother.”

  Tully rolled his eyes, knowing Angus was too dedicated to his job to do something illegal as that. But it was something Tully would have done in his youth, without a second thought.

  Of course, that’s why he was sent out to the Straight Arrow Ranch during his early teenage years to work with his brother, Seth. Nothing like solitary ranch work with his quiet bachelor brother to keep a young boy out of mischief, at least according to his parents.

  It was only when he relented that he’d attend seminary school as they wished that the pressure had been released. But Tully’s most recent decision was going to make his father explode when Pastor Patrick Reagan found out what Tully did before he left Chicago. And it wasn’t the wedding ceremony that may or may not have him married to Violet either. Oh, his other secret was a much, much worse sin.

  Tully’s parents were wonderful people and parents, but it had been hard for Tully to live up to the reputations of his five brothers.

  Angus had been a traveling train marshal until he settled back home as the depot manager. His wife, Daisy, owned the pharmacy in town. Angus and Daisy had grown up together because Daisy, and her brother Nolan, had been raised by their grandparents, Dan and Edna Clancy, who owned the town café back when Tully was younger.

  Next, in line, Seth, rescued and married Lily, a Swedish horse trainer while at a livestock show in Chicago. They now worked together at the Straight Arrow Ranch training horses.

  His widowed father moved to Clear Creek to start the church in this community when Angus and Seth were quite young. Needing a wife, he ordered a mail-order bride from his old town in Ireland.

  His mother Kaitlyn arrived, towing two orphan brothers, Fergus and Mack, along.

  Fergus, and his wife Iris, who he’d met in Nebraska when he was photographing pioneer homesteads, had a successful photography studio in town.

  Mack was the town construction builder and his wife was the town’s physician, Dr. Pansy.

  And last in line for Tully to compete with was Cullen, his postmaster brother, and his wife, Rose, the town’s librarian. Cullen joined the Reagan family when his soiled dove mother died. He’d heard Cullen had a hard time accepting the family’s inclusion at first, but it was while Tully was a toddler and he didn’t remember those days.

  Oh, and all the brothers’ wives were giving Pastor and Kaitlyn Reagan a constant supply of new grandchildren too.

  Yep, Tully was the little tag-a-long brother, the only son born to his parent’s union. They had high hopes for him, and he’d rebelled every chance he could growing up in town.

  “The certificate is safely hidden for protection,” Violet patted her chest, to hint to Tully it was under several layers of clothing.

  Tully sighed. When they were little kids playing together, he wouldn’t have thought twice about wrestling Violet to the ground to grab the paper from her shirtwaist. Of course, he could have lost and had the paper shoved down his throat just as easy too. For a girl, Violet didn’t always play fair, thanks to her brothers and cousins. She learned from the best to defend herself…and play dirty if need be.

  No, to get that piece of paper now he’d have to go under Violet’s jacket, dress, chemise, corset cover, corset…

  Oh, Romans. Now the collar was getting even tighter.

  “Tully, your face is redder than a ripe tomato. Don’t worry about anything. No one will know about our…a…union. It’s our secret.”

  “Except you showed it to Westin,” Tully pointed out.

  “Tully, I didn’t want to be chained to that old man until he died, which, with my luck would have been later than sooner,” Violet whispered. “It would feel like I was selling myself like my mama had to do.”

  Violet’s mother, Faye, had worked in a Kansas City brothel until escaping to her step-uncle, Isaac Connely’s Cross C Ranch in Kansas when Violet was an infant.

  “Let’s hope your folks don’t hear from Westin then, or our secret will be out.”

  “Trust me, he won’t be bothering us again. I might have embellished a few more reasons why he shouldn’t contact my parents or me again.”

  Good thing there are a lot of books in the Old and New Testaments because he’d be saying them all until he and Violet parted ways once they arrived home.

  “Wait…embellished what reasons? Since I bet I’m involved, you better let me in on your lies, so I don’t blow your cover.”

  Violet pursed her lips and twisted them to the right of her face, a sure sign she was going to ignore him.

  “Violet…I have plenty of stories to tell your folks about your antics at the boarding school.”

  “That’s blackmail!” Violet hissed, jutting out her jaw in defiance.

  “Then tell me. We’re almost to Clear Creek…”

  “Fine. Besides being married to you, I’m already with child.”

  Tully flopped his head back against the seat. Of all the things to lie about, Violet came up with a whopper.

  “You can’t be pregnant with us only kissing…once.”

  Tully’s head snapped back up in shock. “Have you already been with a man and you’re really—?”

  “No!” Violet interrupted him. “I just made that up,” she dismissed with a wave of her hand. “And it worked too. He ushered me directly to the door as if I had the plague.”

  “Next stop! Clear Creek!” the conductor called from the end of their car. “We’ll be here thirty minutes to load coal and water. Get out if you want to stretch your legs.”

  Tully took a deep breath and silently said a pleading prayer. If only he could stretch his legs, then get back on the train for his destination.

  How was he going to tell his parents about his assignment? No matter how much he wanted to, he couldn’t lie without getting struck by lightning. He was a preacher now.

  “Oh, Lord. We’re in trouble now,” Violet whispered as she turned her face away from the window.

  “What?” Tully leaned across Violet to look at the people standing on the depot platform waiting for the train to stop.

  Tully couldn’t even utter a word as he gaped at the reception of people waiting for them.

  Violet’s parents, his parents, and every one of his brothers was scanning the windows for him and Violet, and every single person had a frown on their face.

  “How’d they find out about our marriage? What’s your story now, Violet?” Tully demanded as he stood and pulled their bags from the overhead shelf. “And it better be that we were practicing marrying each other for the fun of it and we’re not married to each other!”

  “Don’t jump to conclusions, Tully. We don’t know why everyone looks…upset with us.”

&
nbsp; For her calm words, Violet was sure fussing with her hair and hat though. That and pinching her cheeks so she’d have a little color in her now pale complexion.

  “Violet, I want the absolute truth. Did you have Rollie marry us on purpose?”

  The combative tomboy stance said it all before she acknowledged it.

  “Yes, I did, because I don’t want to marry that old man in Chicago, nor do I want to stay home, stifled sewing indoors in my parent’s cabin, when I’d rather be outside riding the range.”

  “So, you married me, a preacher, because…”

  “Because I know your secret and I plan to go with you, husband.”

  Oh, Deuteronomy. If his collar didn’t choke him, then Violet’s father—or his father—would.

  Chapter 2

  Smile. Chin up. Shoulders back. Look polished because that’s what your parents sent you to Chicago for.

  “Hello, Mother. Hello Father. It’s so good to see you,” Violet did her best to look and sound regal as she met her parents with a flourish and tight hugs.

  “Good to see you too, Violet. Welcome home.” Her father didn’t relax his stance or take his eyes off Tully as he gave Violet a quick hug.

  “Oh, Violet, it’s so good to have you home. I missed you so much,” Faye, Violet’s mother whispered, and then pulled her toward the Reagan family reunion. Tully’s family had taken turns hugging him, but then stood back as if waiting for something.

  Pastor Reagan cleared his throat. “Tully and Violet, I’m sorry to tell you that Dan Clancy died this morning.”

  “Oh no. Not sweet old Dan,” Violet cried in shock as she looked at Tully. He met her eyes with disbelief too.

  Now Violet could see it was sadness marring the family’s faces, not news that she and Tully were married. The old man had been a good friend of the Reagans and the whole community.

  Although his son, Nolan, ran the Clancy Café now, Dan and his wife, Edna, first opened the eating place when the railroad was being built through town back in ’68.

  “What happened?” Tully’s voice was rough with grief. “I know he was old, but…had he been sick?”

  Doctor Pansy, Tully’s sister-in-law, cleared her throat. “He was eighty-two, but he died from a fall off a chair. Two days ago, Dan climbed up on a chair to get something off a top shelf in the kitchen for Edna. Dan fell, breaking his hip and some ribs, which caused internal injuries. He died early this morning.”

  “Oh, poor Edna, she must be beside herself,” Tully shook his head, showing grief in his watering blue eyes.

  Violet wanted to wrap her arm around Tully’s waist to offer him comfort, but this wasn’t the time or place for it now.

  Pastor cleared his throat and turned to Tully. “Dan was still conscience last night, although he was in a lot of pain. Dan knew he wasn’t going to recover from his broken body and he knew you were on your way home.

  “Tully, Dan asked that you perform his funeral service and burial.”

  Violet jerked her head to see Tully’s shocked face. His first funeral would be for a special family friend? Could Tully do it?

  “What? No! I haven’t been ordained a week yet. I can’t do Dan’s service!”

  Pastor laid a hand on Tully’s shoulder and gently squeezed it.

  “Duty calls, son. Being a clergyman was your calling. You should consider it an honor to conduct the funeral for a dear friend.”

  Violet watched Tully’s fists flex at his sides. The two of them had had long discussions in the past about why he was attending the seminary.

  Tully became a minister because his parents had expected it, not because Tully believed it was his true calling. None of Tully’s brothers had followed into their father’s profession, so it was up to Tully to do so.

  “Da, I can’t. I simply can’t,” Tully pleaded.

  “Your ma and I will help you through it, Tully. Service is tomorrow afternoon, so you have time to visit with the Clancy’s to ask for their choices of hymns and Bible verses for his service.

  “Jasper Kerns has been the unofficial undertaker since he’s been building caskets in his workshop. He’ll have Dan’s body set up for viewing in Clancy’s parlor after lunch today.”

  “Should you stop to visit Edna and the family before you come home, Patrick?” Kaitlyn asked her husband, the perfect helpmate for her husband’s profession. Could Violet be a pastor’s wife, if their wedding certificate was revealed as official?

  “Yes, I’ll accompany Tully to call on the family.”

  “What about my luggage?” Tully asked, valiantly trying to stall meeting the Clancy family in an official capacity.

  Pastor waved at Angus. “Your brothers will take care of bringing your trunks home to the parsonage.”

  “Tully, you haven’t said where you’ll be serving your first church. Where are you going and how long is your visit here before reporting to your church and parsonage?” Kaitlyn asked as she wrapped her arm around her husband’s elbow.

  Tully’s eyes met Violet’s as if to find the answer but all she did was give a slight shake to her head. She probably didn’t think it was the best time to spill his secret either.

  “I’ll be heading north, but I have a few weeks before I need to leave.

  “Violet?” Tully changed the subject. “Do you want to go with me now to give your sympathies to the Clancy’s, before you drive out to the Cross C?” Tully’s hand slightly trembled as he reached out to Violet.

  “Yes, I—”

  “Let’s let the pastors perform their duties, Violet. We’ll be back for the funeral tomorrow,” Violet’s father interrupted. “Let’s get your trunks and head home. Your brothers are anxious to see you.”

  Violet looked back at Tully one last time before linking her arm in with her mother’s. She wanted to stay with Tully for support, but his family would take care of that, as they always did. Hopefully, his training would get him through his first funeral. Violet wished she could sit in the front pew by Kaitlyn Reagan, as a pastor’s wife to support Tully.

  But Tully didn’t want to be a preacher. Nonetheless, he’d do it because Dan asked him too.

  *

  “I can’t believe Dan’s gone, Mama. He counted me as one of his grandkids, just like every other kid in town,” Violet said as she wiped her nose with her lace handkerchief. She teared up just thinking of her old friend.

  Mother and daughter stood together as they watched Rusty load the wagon with her luggage. Violet had two steamer trunks of clothing plus her personal items she’d taken to Chicago and accumulated over the two years at the school.

  Personally, she could have left most of the fancy dresses in Chicago, but her mother would love to wear them. And Rusty had spent hard-earned money to buy them for her.

  “I know, Violet. He was a foster grandfather to so many,” her mother reached around Violet’s shoulder and gave her a hug.

  “He always had the cookie jar in the café kitchen filled for kids to raid if they were hungry.” Or needed someone to talk to. The Reagan boys spent a lot of time in Dan’s kitchen as their parents worked on their ministry to the congregation.

  Was that one of the reasons Tully didn’t want to be a minister? Did he feel neglected growing up, and fear his children would feel the same way?

  “I’m sorry Dan’s passing ruined your homecoming, Violet. Kaitlyn and I had planned a family picnic this evening to welcome you both home, but we’ll have to do that another time before Tully leaves for his first congregation.”

  Violet squeezed her eyes to stop her tears. But they weren’t all for Dan, but for Tully too. What would his parents say when Tully told them he wasn’t heading north to be a pastor at a church? And why did she want to be with him when he spilled the truth and left?

  Because she wanted to go with Tully.

  “Rusty!” Angus Reagan called to her father as he walked from the depot to the baggage loading dock. “I just got a telegram for you. Glad I caught you before you left for the ranch.”
<
br />   “We would have been back tomorrow for the funeral,” Rusty shrugged his shoulders, not worried about when he got the telegraph.

  Angus glanced at Violet while handing the piece of paper to Rusty.

  “I think someone might be excited to get this news now, instead of later,” Angus said with a tip of his hat before returning to the station.

  Rusty read the telegraph and smiled before handing it to Violet’s mother.

  “Good news, Faye. Our daughter is getting married,” Rusty broke into the first smile Violet had seen since arriving home.

  “Oh, I’m so happy for you, Violet!” Violet’s mother raised her arms to praise the heavens and then gave Violet a tight hug.

  “What are you two talking about? Who’s the telegraph from?”

  Surely Rollie or one of their friends didn’t send word of hers and Tully’s fake marriage. Plus, her parents seemed happy about it. She didn’t think that would be the case of her marrying a poor preacher.

  “It’s from Mr. Westin. He’ll be here this weekend,” Rusty explained as if Violet knew what that meant.

  Panic surged through Violet. She’d shown Westin the fake wedding certificate.

  “Why?” One word was all Violet would squeak out.

  “Two months ago, Mr. Westin asked to court you, and I wrote back permitting it. He wrote again two weeks ago asking for your hand in marriage, and I gave him our blessing. This telegraph says he’s traveling here to wed you.”

  “Oh congratulations, honey. With all the bad news, we didn’t give you the chance to tell us your good news.”

  “You said I’d marry him?” Violet asked incredulously. She had shown the certificate of marriage to Westin four days ago. He must have thought it was a fake. And what about the other thing she’d told him?

  “Mr. Westin didn’t propose to me, nor would I ever accept if he did!”

  Rusty looked at the telegraph and handed it to Violet to read. Sure enough. The scant words said it plain and clear.

  “TO RUSTY TUCKER. WILL ARRIVE SATURDAY FOR WEDDING. HORACE WESTIN