Grooms with Honor Series, Books 10-12

by Linda K. Hubalek

  Was the impromptu wedding ceremony fate for Violet and him, or another stupid prank that had gone awry? Tully had a lot to think about as he headed back down the stairs. Besides retrieving his luggage from the parsonage, he needed to buy bedding and linens for the apartment. He wasn’t going to borrow them from his mother, although she’d press him to do so.

  Was this a way to consider the apartment as his home longer than a week? Maybe. But was he going to share it with Violet? That was a question he didn’t have an answer for yet.

  Chapter 10

  “Wait! I need a ride home!” Violet called to her brothers as they turned their horses toward the road leading out of town.

  “Thought you were staying in town with your husband,” Anton answered as he turned his horse back toward her. Apparently, her parents had told her brothers about her marriage.

  “Change of plans,” Violet answered through gritted teeth. She was mad at Tully for letting her leave, but that was the situation for now. She had no doubt he’d visit her at the ranch tomorrow, no matter what he decided to do. Tully may be impulsive at times, but he never went back on his word.

  “You can’t ride horseback wearing your black funeral dress,” Anton continued to bug Violet. Of the twins, he’d always been the worst tease, and stubborn.

  “Oh, shut up, Anton, and get off your horse. I’m riding Wally home. You can ride double on Jumbo with Luther.”

  “Come on, Anton. Can’t you see our sister is upset? Help her up on Wally and swing up behind me,” Luther chided his twin.

  Anton grumbled something Violet couldn’t hear as she bunched up her dress and waited for her brother to lean over and to cup his hands in front of her. As soon as Violet put her foot in his hands, he vaulted her up so she could swing her right leg over the saddle.

  “Not going to ride side-saddle like a lady?” Anton snipped, and Violet swung her foot in the direction of his jaw.

  “No. Adjust the stirrups up for me so we can leave…please,” Violet answered.

  “Sorry, Sis. I shouldn’t tease you when you’re noticeably upset,” Anton said as he went to the other side of the horse to adjust the stirrup for her.

  Violet nudged her heels in the horse’s side, anxious to get out of town without looking back to see if her brothers were following. It was embarrassing to stay in town with her legs showing, let alone the gossip that was sure to be spreading about her and Tully.

  “Slow down, Violet!” Luther yelled fifteen minutes later above the pounding of the horses’ hooves.

  Violet let out her pent-up breath and pulled slowly back on the reins to order her horse out of his gallop. She’d urged her gelding into a run out of her frustration, but it was time to let the animal get his wind back.

  “Want to talk about it?” Luther asked as the horses finally slowed down to a walk.

  It struck Violet how much her brothers had matured since she’d left home for school. At age twenty, her twin brothers were now men, matching their father in height and looks. The only difference was her brothers didn’t have the maturity and bulk of Rusty on their bodies yet.

  “How much did Papa tell you?” Violet reluctantly asked. That was the best place to start the conversation.

  “Before you came home, Pa said you were visiting here for a spell, then going back to Chicago to marry a banker. Pa and Ma were excited by the fact you’d be taken care of, wedded to a rich man.

  “Then before our folks left to head home a bit ago, Pa said you and Tully got married in Chicago, but we could tell he was upset about it. He didn’t explain why though,” Luther replied as they now rode side by side.

  “First off, I didn’t know Mr. Westin had written Pa for my hand in marriage, and that our father had agreed. Westin was an older acquaintance from the church I attended, and I brushed off his request to court.

  “Tully and I were married by one of his newly ordained friends, but now we find out it wasn’t quite legal,” was all Violet wanted to share at this point. “The folks don’t know it yet, but after showing our marriage certificate to Pastor Reagan, he said since it was never filed at City Hall, we’re married in the eyes of God, but not by the government.”

  “So now what?” Anton leaned to the side of his brother to ask Violet.

  “I’m not sure,” Violet said, then bit her lip, trying not to tear up in front of her brothers,” but you’re sworn by sibling oath that what we just talked about doesn’t get repeated to anyone, not even our parents. Got that?”

  “Sure, I swear I won’t repeat it. Have Pastor Reagan perform the ceremony again, file it at the county seat, and you’re good,” Luther said, shrugging his shoulders as if that was all it took to make things right. Life was always black and white for the older twin.

  “But Tully’s not sure if he wants to marry me now,” Violet blurted out.

  Luther grabbed her horse’s bridle and pulled both horses to a stop.

  “Violet, that can’t be true. You’ll make an excellent preacher’s wife. Want us to talk to him about it to set him straight?” Luther threatened.

  “Actually, he took another job as a travel writer. He doesn’t plan to lead a congregation.”

  “A travel writer…does what?” Anton asked.

  “Travels to an area, explores it, then write about it, Anton. Don’t you ever read a newspaper?” Luther jabbed his elbow back at his brother.

  “So, what does a travel writer’s wife do?” was Anton’s next question.

  “I had hoped to travel with him to take notes and photographs as his assistant. He’s supposed to be leaving soon for Yellowstone.”

  “And you’d get to ride astride a horse, dress in trousers like Mrs. Hilda Hamner, and camp out under the stars. Which you’d be more suited for, Sis, than being a preacher’s wife,” Anton summed it up nicely.

  The role of a travel companion would fit Violet perfectly at this stage of her life. Things would change as she became a mother, maybe, but right now, she wanted to investigate the west with Tully.

  “I’d tour with Tully if he doesn’t want you along,” Anton teased. “I’d love to head out of Kansas and see mountains, forests, and oceans.” Anton spread his arms wide and leaned back on the horse’s rump.

  “Quit fooling around before Jumbo bucks us off,” Luther chastised his brother.

  “Oops. Sorry, Jumbo, “Anton said as he aligned his back with his brother again to ease the weight shift on the horse.

  “Truthfully, Violet, we’ve missed you, but what you decide to do is up to you, not our parents. I know how Pa and Ma have always been sensitive about Ma’s background, but that was twenty years ago,” Anton confessed.

  “They are thinking about your reputation and your future though, Violet. Please consider what they say,” Luther added. Her brother was like-minded with her father, wanting to protect their family, and Luther was right. Violet was so lucky to have a loving family, compared to how her mother grew up.

  The buildings of the Cross C now loomed in the distance. She was fortunate to have grown up on the ranch and was happy to be home again.

  If she married Tully, they would visit a few times a year if they traveled or had a parish. If she married Mr. Westin, he’d have the money for her to travel home for extended periods, but would she be too busy maintaining his home and hosting parties?

  “You can always marry James Matthews and stay right here on the ranch,” Anton teased.

  Was her brother reading her mind? Violet had thought about James after leaving town, but there had been absolutely no spark between her and the ranch hand when they’d kissed on two occasions. Violet felt more emotion when kissing one of her favorite horse’s nose.

  “Although he’s a nice man, I’ll pass on James. What about you, Anton? Are you sparking a girl and ready to settle down?” Violet asked to change the subject.

  “He’s ‘sparking’ alright, but Ma would be upset if she knew it’s any girl who will smile at him in an Ellsworth saloon,” Luther tattled on Anton.
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br />   “Hey, I’m a young bachelor enjoying my youth. It will be years before I’m ready to settle down. I’ve been thinking about taking off to work on a ranch in Montana. Nolan Clancy and Elof Lundahl talk about how majestic the area was when they were in the military up there.”

  “Why aren’t you already up there then?” Violet teased.

  “Because my brother, Mr. Cautious, doesn’t want to go with me.”

  “Luther? If you don’t want to travel with Anton, what do you want to do?”

  “I’m fine right here working for the Cross C brand. No woman or far-off place is pulling me away from this land. I’m staying loyal and right here,” Luther said resolutely.

  Violet didn’t say anything else, but she knew a woman could change Luther’s plans for his future, whether he liked it or not. That’s just how love worked.

  The building storm clouds threatening in the western sky promised a storm was brewing before nightfall. As Violet eased off the horse in front of the cabin, she felt the same tension of impending trouble awaiting her. Like it or not, she’d explain her marital situation to her parents and listen to their advice. If she took it or not depended on what Tully had to say when he rode out tomorrow to talk.

  Chapter 11

  “Hey, Tate. Got a minute to talk?” Tully asked as he wandered into the back room of Shepard and Sons Saddlery.

  “Sure. I planned to see when we could get together for an evening, but didn’t want to bother you yet,” Tate replied as he laid down his leather punching tool. Looks like his friend was working on the detailed trim of a piece of leather that would eventually go on a saddle as the skirt. The stack of cut pieces all needed to match in the tool work design.

  “Good job on Dan’s service today, Tully. He would have liked it. I’m still in shock he’s gone, but at his age, I guess we should have expected it down the road sooner rather than later.”

  “Thanks. I think I’m still in shock,” Tully said as he ran a hand over the closest piece of leather on the table. He’d always liked the smell and feel of a newly tanned hide.

  “I planned to spend a few hours visiting with him and Edna this trip, instead of giving his eulogy.”

  Tully glanced around the room. Leather hides, ready for use, lay in a stack across a rack on the far end of the room. Three saddles in various stages of completion were on waist-high wooden stands. Leather punching and cutting tools were lined up in the middle of the work table, handy to grab when needed. In other words, the room was chaotic and organized at the same time.

  “I talked to your folks after the service and walked by your pa now in the front as he was talking to a boot repair customer. What’s Gabe and Iva Mae up to these days? I didn’t get a chance to visit with them.”

  Tate and Gabe became brothers when their parent’s married, and both worked with their father, Reuben Shepard in the family business. Just as with the Clancy Café, Tully had spent time in this shop with Tate as they grew up together.

  Tully reached for one of his favorite punches, a flower stamp that reminded him of Violet’s namesake. As a boy, he’d made bookmarks for Christmas gifts, stamping designs on scraps of leather. Did he ever give one to Violet? He didn’t think so, not liking girls when he was seven or eight years old when he was into making bookmarks.

  “One of their children threw up after the service, luckily after they had left the church building. Iva Mae’s about ready to have the next little one and the vomit smell was setting her off, so Gabe’s staying home for the rest of the day.”

  For some reason, he hadn’t thought that far ahead of having a family with Violet. Her going through the stages of her belly growing with their child, and then the act of giving birth made Tully queasy but excited at the same time. But he had no doubt Violet would be a good mother.

  But how would that work if they traveled with young children?

  “Have you ever wanted to do something other than work in the family business, Tate? Move away from Clear Creek?” Tully blurted out, then quickly looked behind him, hoping Tate’s father wasn’t standing in the doorway listening to his questions.

  Tate cocked his head to one side a second before answering. “No. Never crossed my mind. Pa started the business when he and my ma wed when I was two years old. He called the business Shepard and Sons even though I wasn’t his own child. I’ve always looked up to that sign and felt part of the family and business.

  “Probably ruined a few tools before I knew what to do with them and pushed Pa’s limits, but I’ve never thought about learning another trade, although I’ve been learning silversmithing from Kiowa Jones. We want to offer silver trim on the bridles and saddles we make.”

  “Kiowa works with silver? I thought he just did blacksmithing,” Tully asked because it was a new development to him.

  “Sorry, I said anything. It’s not public knowledge, so keep it under your clerical collar, okay?”

  “Oh, sure. No problem.”

  Tully had grown up keeping parishioners secrets his whole life, probably many more than his parents realized he knew.

  Thunder rumbled from the western sky into the workroom, causing them both to look out the west window in the room. Tully hoped Violet beat the storm while traveling to the ranch. He hated she left Clear Creek, but he was tongue-tied as to what to say to stop her.

  “Hope people get home from the funeral before they get caught in this storm. Sounds like it would be violent. Maybe you could pray for a steady inch rain instead of lightning, Pastor Reagan?”

  Tully scoffed. “Don’t know how much good that would do, considering I don’t feel like being a preacher,” Tully said before he could bite his tongue.

  “Say what?” Tate looked back up from the stamp he’d started to make. “You went to school to be a preacher, although I’m sure you could perform every ceremony anyway because you’ve heard them so many times.”

  “I went to the seminary because it was expected of me, not because it was my calling as everyone points out.”

  Reuben just stepped in the workroom, crossed his arms across his chest and stared at Tully. Oh, Romans. Now, Tate’s father would give his opinion.

  “Your folks know this, Tully?” Reuben asked, but not in an accusing way as Tully expected.

  “I told them after the funeral. Yesterday I was blindsided with the news Dan died, and I was conducting his funeral as soon as I stepped off the train so I couldn’t tell them then.”

  “Well, you handled the situation very well. I was proud of you. Who knew—"

  “Yeah, who knew the rowdy preacher’s kid could amount to anything. Right?” Tully interrupted Reuben.

  “No, Tully, I was going to say who knew Dan would die from a freak accident instead of old age,” Reuben corrected him.

  “Sorry, Sir. My trip home has me on pins and needles.”

  “I heard you had some other news that might have surprised yours, and Violet’s, parents,” Reuben quietly added.

  Tate’s head shot toward Tully, but he waited for Tully to tell him instead of guessing. Which version should he tell his friend?

  The one he truly hoped it would be, and hoped Violet agreed with tomorrow.

  “Violet and I were married in Chicago before we came home.”

  “Congratulations. It doesn’t surprise me in the least. You two have always had a special friendship,” Tate confessed as he held out his hand to shake Tully’s. Tate automatically shook it in his stunned state.

  “Your family upset you didn’t want to be married here in town?”

  Tully took off his hat and scratched his head, trying to figure out what to say.

  “Yeah, Faye wanted the thrill of planning a wedding with Violet. Da suggested we renew our vows in church and have a reception at the Paulson Hotel before we leave for Wyoming.”

  “Wait! Back up. Leave for Wyoming?” Tate leaned forward as if he didn’t hear Tully’s words right.

  Tully could feel his face turn beet red as Reuben shifted his stance and stared at
him.

  “I was hired by the Chicago Tribune as their travel writer. My first assignment is to tour and write about the new hotels in Yellowstone.

  Tully hastily added, “I’m not going to be a pastor for a congregation, but I will conduct services and ceremonies wherever I can.”

  “You’ll be good at both jobs, Tully. Be sure to send the newspaper articles home to your folks so we can pass them around to read your stories.”

  Reuben approved his profession, as apparently, Tate did too, by the way, he was nodding his head.

  “Why am I surprised everyone thinks this writing job fits me? I thought everyone would be upset because I went to school to be a preacher, but made other plans,” Tully questioned them, hoping they’d be honest with their answers.

  “Not that a person can’t grow up and change, but—pardon my choice of words—you’ve always been a hell-raiser, Tully. Being a preacher never seemed like it would fit your personality,” Reuben said matter-of-factly. “I thought you’d grow up doing demolition work…or robbing banks.”

  Tate hooted and loudly clapped his hands together. “Yep, you got that right, Pa. You never confessed, Tully, but I always thought you were the one who blew up Mrs. Benson’s outhouse on Halloween night when we were about fifteen.”

  Tully stared daggers at Tate for squealing on him to Reuben. Tully shoved his index finger towards Tate. “Maybe I wouldn’t have done it if my friend wasn’t hiding elsewhere kissing Luella Paulson.”

  Tate laughed. “Yep, I’m sure I was that night. And I’m still kissing Luella any chance I get. As soon as I get enough money saved up, I’m buying a house, and asking for her hand in marriage.”

  Tully looked between Tate and Reuben. Both were smiling, apparently pleased that Tate’s future was already planned out with Luella.

  Well, as always, he, the “wild preacher’s kid,” didn’t surprise anybody in town. Tully decided right then and there he’d do what he wanted. If Violet was still game, they’d have the wedding and reception Faye wanted to plan, then he and Violet would leave and explore the world.