by P. Creeden
Afterward, she followed Galena down the steps. At the bottom of the stairs, Marcus stood waiting. His brown hair had been neatly combed and he wore a smart suit that fit him well and accentuated his broad shoulders. The way that he looked at her made her heart flutter. Did he look at everyone that way? Kindness and gentleness filled his eyes and maybe something a bit more. It was the “bit more” that she was most interested in and feared that she only imagined.
As Bethany started down the stairs, Marcus’s heart skipped a beat. He’d never seen anyone look so beautiful. The lilac accents in her white dress reminded him of the way that she smelled when she’d sat next to him on the wagon ride home. When she reached the bottom of the steps, Marcus offered her his hand, which she took without hesitation. He squeezed her warm, gloved hand lightly and then led her to the parlor where the justice of the peace stood by the fireplace. All the cowboys in the room stood as they entered, and one of the maids began to cry. Another of the maids handed Galena the small bouquet of hot house flowers that Marcus had ordered.
When Galena handed her the small bouquet, Bethany took it and then looked up at Marcus in surprise. She leaned in toward him. “Where did they get these?”
He smiled. He knew that it was an awkward situation for his new wife, fresh off the train, to have a wedding first thing, so he wanted to make it as near to the real thing as possible. “Don’t they have hot houses in New York?”
She shrugged one shoulder. “I suppose they do. I’m just surprised, I guess, that they have them here.”
“I think Oklahoma is going to be full of surprises for you—good ones. I’ll do what I can to make our marriage that way, too. Even though this is a marriage of convenience and we can have it stay that way—on paper only. It’s all up to you,” he whispered, catching another whiff of lilacs as she moved and smiled up at him.
“Thank you,” she mouthed, as they reached the justice of the peace.
The ceremony was a quick one. Marcus was surprised that he wasn’t as nervous as he thought he was going to be. Nor was the situation as unpleasant as he’d expected. The feeling of Bethany on his arm was comfortable and even delightful. Everything about her so far had been better than he’d expected. She was prettier, kinder, more open and innocent than he’d expected from a widow from the big city. He hoped he would continue to find out surprising things about her, and he determined that he would keep his own word and try to find as many ways to surprise her as possible.
Then the justice of the peace said, “You may kiss your bride.”
And the nervousness that Marcus had been expecting came down on him all at once. His knees locked and his body stiffened. Slowly he turned toward his new bride. She met eyes with him, for a moment looking as nervous as he felt, then her face softened. Her eyes became half-moons as she smiled, and that smile melted his defenses. With it, she encouraged him that it was okay to kiss her. He swallowed, his throat feeling suddenly dry as he put his hands upon her shoulders and leaned in.
When he was a fraction of an inch away from her lips, he hesitated. He’d never kissed a girl before, and his heart raced at the prospect. Her eyes were half-lidded and her lips slightly parted. A fire coursed through his veins in a feeling unlike anything that had struck him before. And those nerves from before began to make him freeze up again. Then she leaned toward him, and pushed up from her toes and made the small distance between their lips disappear.
Her soft, warm lips touched his, adding fuel to the fire that was already raging in his core. Then she pulled away just as quickly, and he was tempted to step into her and take her lips back. But instead, he pulled his hands from her shoulders and straightened. All the cowboys in the room began whistling and hooting and hollering, and heat rushed to Marcus’s face in response. Even though he felt the urge to kiss Bethany again, he suddenly felt shy. What if she didn’t feel the same?
An embarrassed smile tugged at his lips, and he rubbed the back of his neck as the cowboys came over and patted him on the shoulder. The justice of the peace grinned and shook his hand. Then Galena announced to the room, “We have prepared some refreshments and cake in the dining room. Let’s celebrate!”
As his new bride followed the lead of the maids, Marcus hung back to watch her walk with that feminine grace that she held. His heart still raced in his chest when he memory of the feel of her lips on his.
Wilbur clapped him on the shoulder. “What was the hurry Marcus? Why didn’t you want to get to know your new wife before marrying her?”
Marcus blinked at him and then shrugged. “It’s what the families had arranged for. Since we were going to be getting married anyway, might as well get it over with.”
“I suppose,” said Freddy. “At least the two of you seemed to hit it off pretty well on the ride home. She’s definitely a handsome woman.”
“Are you looking at my wife?” Marcus said, lifting a brow.
Freddy’s eyes went wide. “I... I wasn’t trying to say. I mean... She’s much too young... I mean.”
Marcus punched Freddy lightly in the shoulder. “I was only kidding.”
Then the cowboys laughed and joined him in following the ladies toward the dining room. Marcus’s shoulders relaxed for the first time in weeks. Ever since his grandfather had died, he’d felt the tremendous burden that he needed to hurry and get married or he’d lose the farm and everyone would suffer because of his inability to get things done the way his grandfather had outlined in his will. But now that the deed was finished, Marcus felt even better than just relieved. He felt elated. Happy. And as he peered over at his new bride, her laughter quickened his heart, and he hoped that he could make her feel the same way, because she was better than he’d hoped for.
The justice of the peace came over and clapped him on the shoulder while Mr. Brown, the lawyer, shook his hand. Mr. Brown smiled. “I’m glad we were able to bring this estate to a close. You are now the official owner of the ranch and everything that goes with it. I will send over the paperwork in the morning for you to sort through and begin an accounting of everything that you need in order to make the ranch run as efficiently as possible.”
Nervous tension tightened Marcus’s stomach again as he nodded. “Thank you, sir.”
The justice of the peace shook his hand, too. “This was a lovely ceremony. We’re all sad to see your grandfather’s passing, but much of the town is wondering. Will you and your new bride still have the Christmas party that your grandfather hosted every year? Much of the town would like to look forward to it.”
The sixteenth of December had been significant for Marcus’s grandfather as it was his grandmother’s birthday. Because it was a time that could have been one of sadness for his grandfather after she passed, he’d made a smart move and made it one of celebration for her, instead. Marcus glanced at Bethany, understanding his grandfather’s motivations just a little bit better than ever before. Slowly, he nodded. “Yes, we’ll still have the Christmas party on the sixteenth. Let people in town know, will you?”
Both the lawyer and the justice of the peace nodded, smiles widening on their faces. In unison they agreed to let everyone know. As they left the small gathering, the weight on Marcus’s heart began to lift, and it helped that Bethany’s heavenly laughter filled the air again. The desire to be next to her became irresistible. With a smile on his lips, he went to find her.
Chapter 12
The next morning, Bethany lay in bed as light filtered in past the gauzy, white cotton curtain that hung over her south-facing window. The night before had felt like a welcoming party. She got to know the names and faces of the maids who worked in the house as well as the cowboys and stable hands. It was nice to have a celebration where all of the working people on the ranch attended. And when they’d eaten the refreshments and cake, Marcus had insisted that Bethany be allowed to get some rest for the night after her long journey. She had to admit that sleeping on this luxurious wool-flocked mattress was much better than in the train car or even the two inns
she’d stayed in during the ride there. It wasn’t a typical wedding night that she and Marcus had had, but it wasn’t exactly a usual wedding, either.
A gentle knock sounded at her door as she swung her legs over the side of the bed and sat up. “Who is it?” she called.
“It’s me, Mrs. Young. Galena.”
Bethany’s heart fluttered. It was the first time anyone had used her new married name. After pulling her robe off the bedpost, Bethany pushed her arms through and then wrapped it around herself before answering the door.
The maid stood on the other side with a pot in her hands. “I brought you some warm water to wash up with this morning. It helps stave off the cold.”
Blinking, Bethany nodded and stepped off to the side to allow the maid entry into the room. Galena poured some of the warm water from the pot into Bethany’s basin on the chest of drawers. Once finished, she started for the door again. “Breakfast can be served as soon as you’re ready for it. Would you like to eat here in your room or downstairs?”
A frown tugged at Bethany’s lip but she did her best to fight it. “I won’t be eating with Mr. Young?”
The maid smiled and shook her head. “No, Mrs. Young. Mr. Young has already eaten and is presently meeting with the lawyer in the study to go over the business of the ranch. It’s their first time having such a meeting, and it’s been going on for about a half an hour already.”
“Oh,” Bethany said, suddenly feeling like she’d been lax in her duties by staying in bed longer than she should have. “I’ll get ready then and take my breakfast downstairs if that’s all right?”
Galena nodded. “Would you like me to help you dress, Mrs. Young?”
As much as Bethany liked being called by her new husband’s name, it still wasn’t comfortable for her yet. “Actually, no. I’m fine. And please just call me Bethany.”
“All right, Ms. Bethany. I’ll let the kitchen know that you’ll be down for breakfast momentarily.”
“Thank you,” Bethany said as she closed the door and then got cleaned up and dressed as quickly as she could. Once finished, she raced down the stairs, feeling as though she were missing something important. But instead of heading toward the dining area, she searched down the hallway, following the deep timbre of male voices until she found the study. For a long breath, she stood just outside the door, to the side and listened.
“I’m not quite sure I understand. We buy these supplies each month for the animals and the people who live and work here. And then through the winter, we don’t have any income, so we have to budget for the leaner months. So, I’m going to need to subtract grandfather’s expenses from the supplies each month now that he’s not here, but then add in the fraction that Bethany will now expend. Which expenses should I take out?” Marcus asked, his voice trailing off as though he were thinking.
“Yes, Marcus. That’s the question. And though I might know the answer, it’s more important that you figure this out now on your own,” the lawyer said in a patient voice.
“I’ve never had much of a head for numbers. Counting heads of cattle isn’t a problem, but this stuff is not only time consuming, but it makes my head hurt.”
“That’s going to be a problem,” the lawyer said in a sad tone. “Your grandfather isn’t around to do this part of the business anymore, and although I could do it for you, I have other clients I need to serve and it would be another expense that the ranch doesn’t need right now.”
After taking a deep breath, Bethany rounded the corner. “If you trust me with the math, I can do it. I have always had a head for numbers, and I’m used to budgeting expenses for families. Although a ranch is a much larger scale than I’m accustomed to, I’m a fast learner if you’re willing to teach me, Mr. Brown.”
The two men blinked up at her as if she’d jumped out from beside the door frame and said “Boo” at them. They’d both been leaning over the desk, but after she made her announcement, Marcus straightened and put his hands up in surrender. “I trust you to do a better job then me, Bethany, if you’d like to give it a go.”
On the other hand, the lawyer lifted a brow and shook his head. “It’s highly unusual for a woman to do this kind of work for a ranch, but if Mr. Young says to give you a try, here.” He turned the papers around so that she could read them from her side of the desk. “What changes in the budget will we be able to make now that the elder Mr. Young is no longer with us?”
Swallowing hard, Bethany picked up the papers. She read over them slowly taking into account all that she’d learned the day before about the number of people that she’d met and how the ranch needed to take care of all of their needs and pay them each small salaries. Then she found some expenses that seemed unnecessary for those she’d met. “Here. There are weekly doctors visits on the expense sheet. I imagine those were for the elder Mr. Young?”
Marcus smiled. “That’s right. I never actually saw the doctor when he came, but no one else around here would need to see him so often.”
“Correct,” said the lawyer. “Anything else?”
She frowned and looked at the sheet again. “There’s both an expensive pipe tobacco and a cheaper one. I understand that some of the cowboys may smoke or chew, but chances were that the expensive kind was used as a treat that the elder rancher used for himself. In fact, I know this brand from my cousin in New York when I stayed at her house a few days. Her father smoked it, and I can smell it in this room. I haven’t smelled that particular flavor anywhere else in the house or on the cowboys.”
“You’re right again,” the lawyer said, a smile beginning to spread across his lips. “All right then. I agree to train the new Mrs. Young in how to handle the expenses and books instead of you, Marcus, if that’s what you’d prefer?”
Marcus’s face lit up with something like pride when he peered down at her. He nodded. “That would be my preference. Thank you, Mr. Brown. And thank you for saving me from all of this, Bethany.”
The sound of her name on his tongue sent a shiver through her. She swallowed hard and then smiled up at him. “I just want to help any way that I can.”
“Well, when would you like to get started on this?” the lawyer asked.
Just as Bethany was getting ready to say there was no time like the present, her stomach growled loud enough for everyone in the room to hear. She wrapped her arms around her stomach and her face heated up as she said, “How about after breakfast?
Chapter 13
Over the next few days, Marcus watched as Mr. Brown taught Bethany how to budget the ranch, make orders for supplies and make sure that the employees got their weekly salaries on schedule. He even taught her how to determine what the size of everyone’s Christmas bonus should be based on the yearly schedule and income that the ranch made and percentage that Grandfather used for determining that. The servants bustled about the house each day, preparing for the annual Christmas party as well. Most of Marcus’s day was spent out on the ranch acting as foreman, just the way he preferred it.
Perhaps this was what Grandfather had had in mind all along. Marcus had to admit that a helpmeet was just what he’d needed, and Bethany was fulfilling the role beyond any expectations that even his grandfather could have had. That evening was the night before the party and Marcus sat down at dinner with Bethany just as he used to sit down with his grandfather. It was the one meal that they had alone together, since they often took their breakfast at different times, and lunch was usually something that he ate with the cowboys in the barn. Now it was the only time he spent with Bethany too. “How are things going with Mr. Brown?”
“Actually, today was the first time that he didn’t come. He said my lessons were over and that he believed I could run the business side of the ranch on my own. He still suggests, however, that if I have a problem with one of the suppliers or need to meet with someone directly that you handle it since some suppliers will respect you more as the man of the ranch,” she said with a little frustration coloring her voice.
; “I understand. I trust you to handle things as you see fit, but if you need me for anything, I’m there for you. Don’t hesitate one moment to ask.”
She let out a slow breath and nodded. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
For a long moment, they both ate their meals, then Bethany looked up again. “So, this party is tomorrow?”
“Yes. Most of the town will be coming. They usually do.”
“Is there dancing or anything like that?”
“We usually push this dining table against the wall there and then have more open space for people who would like to dance. A band will be in the parlor and the music is easy to hear from here. The food will still be on the table, it just won’t be accessible from both sides, and the chairs will all be moved to various places around the house to provide more seating for guests beyond the dance floor.”
“I see,” she said, looking back down at her food.
“Is something the matter?” he asked, tilting his head.
She shook her head. “No, it’s just I”m not really accustomed to parties like this. And... I don’t know how to dance.”
A smile played on his lips. “That’s not a problem. Other than greeting everyone when the arrive and then saying our goodbyes, there’s really nothing more for you to do. The servants will take care of the food and keeping things clean, and the party pretty much runs itself from there. As far as dancing, I can teach you. There’s no need for you to fret about it.”
