“Good evening, Mr. Nelson.” She couldn’t help it, she giggled.
Jed tucked her arm into his, as if they were going to take a stroll like a real respectable couple. “I would like to speak with you, but we need some privacy. I asked Robert if we could use the parlor. I checked and it is empty.”
She always felt happy when she was with Jed. He never made lewd remarks to her, or treated her in any way that made her feel dirty. Like so many other men in town. She treasured his friendship and worried that when he finally got an appointment to a church he would leave Dodge City. That would be very good for him, but she was afraid his absence would leave a large hole in her life.
Now, as it turned out, she was the one who would be starting a new life. With an unknown husband. She shuddered. Life with a stranger frightened her.
“Are you cold, Mindy?” She loved the concern in Jed’s eyes.
“No. I’m fine.” They walked to the parlor and he directed her to a chair near the fireplace. The fire had long since burned out, but a little bit of warmth remained in the room. Once she was settled in the chair, her eyebrows rose when he went down on one knee in front of her, and took her hand in his.
“Mindy, what I am about to say should come as no surprise. I am once again asking you to be my wife. Although I have never before formally asked, you must know how I feel about you. How I’ve felt for years. I realized we argued this point before, but now I’m flat out serious.” He reached up and touched her cheek. “What do you say? Will you marry me?”
Mindy stared at Jed and chewed her lip as her eyes filled with tears. Lordy be, if only she could say yes. Jed had been her champion and protector since they’d been brats running around the school yard. He’d been the one to dry her tears when she received insults and taunts. He’d even resorted to fisticuffs on occasion.
Visions of a little green-eyed, red-haired girl fighting the schoolyard bully, only to have a strong, older Jed step in and finish the fight for her, brought a smile to her face. He’d wiped her tears and walked her home to the brothel where she live with her ma. How she’d appreciated him over the years. The only constantly good thing in her life.
But she would never be good enough to marry such a wonderful man. He deserved a sweet, pure lady who knew how to hold teas for friends and start sewing circles. Someone who would provide him with sweet children who would all dress up for church every Sunday, and then go visiting, taking sweets to old ladies.
“Well?” He looked at her with such caring in his eyes, the tears she was trying so hard to hold back slid down her cheeks.
“Oh, Jed. You know I can’t marry you.” She pulled her hand away and jumped up, hugging her middle. “Why are you doing this to me?
He stood and wrapped his arms around her from behind. “Because I want you to be my wife.”
She didn’t pull away, but shook her head. “No.”
Oh God, she hated saying no. Jed would leave and marry the perfect woman for him and she would go to Santa Fe and marry a stranger. But, at least that husband would not know her background. “Why are you asking now?”
Jed continued to hold her, hugging her closer. “I have been assigned a church in Trinidad, Colorado.” He turned her so she faced him, placing his hands on her shoulders. “I have to be honest with you. Marshal Jones told me you are about to join a wagon train at Fort Dodge to go to Santa Fe as a mail order bride.”
She nodded, unable to speak.
“I can’t stand the thought of you married to another man. I have to marry in order to be sent to the church in Trinidad. There isn’t anyone else I have ever wanted to marry. The timing is perfect, almost like it’s fate.”
Mindy grabbed his jacket lapels. “Listen to me, Jedediah Nelson. I care too much for you to saddle you with me as a wife. I’m disreputable, a saloon girl, a whore’s kid.”
His hands covered her shoulders and he yanked her close. “Stop!” He pressed her head to his chest. “Do you hear my heart, Mindy? It beats for you.” He used his knuckle to raise her chin and stared into her eyes. “Marry me.” His head descended and he took her mouth in a kiss like she’d never had before.
Not that she had a lot of experience. Of course, Jed had kissed her a few times over the years, and once a dirty, filthy cowboy had grabbed her and plastered his beer-scented mouth to hers at the saloon, but released her quick enough when she kneed him in a delicate spot.
This . . .this was heaven. Gentle at first, and once she responded, he took the kiss deeper, nudging her lips with his tongue. When she opened, he swept in, causing ripples in her stomach that had her hanging onto his arms for an anchor. He pulled away and scattered kisses over her eyelids, her nose, chin, behind her ear, causing her to giggle.
“Marry me.” He took her mouth again, demanding surrender, and accepting no less. This was not the Jed she’d known all her life. He’d never been so demanding, so . . . His mouth moved to her neck where he sprinkled more kisses. Her head fell back and she moaned. “Marry me,” he whispered.
His hand wandered up from her waist to brush gently over her breast, making her wonder if it had been an accident. When she thought of all the times she’d protected her body from assault at the saloon, now that it was Jed’s body pressed to hers, all she wanted was more. More touches, more caresses. She wanted to be free of her clothes so she could feel his warm hand on her flesh.
A jolt of shock ran through her. What was happening?
“Marry me.” His thumb rubbed back and forth over her lip, as he stared into her eyes. His face was flushed and his breathing ragged. In fact, both of them seemed to be panting enough to have run a race. His large hands cupped her head gently. “Mindy?”
He’d made it impossible. She couldn’t let go, couldn’t bear the thought of him leaving her forever, marrying someone else, even if that mysterious woman was perfect. She licked her suddenly dry lips. “Yes.”
Much to her surprise, he picked her up and swung her around. “Yes!” Again he covered her face with short, feathered kisses. “You won’t be sorry,” he said between kisses. “I will do everything to make your life as wonderful as possible.”
She drew back, and held her hand against his chest. It was very difficult to think clearly when he was kissing and touching her like that. “I will have to tell Miss Nellie and the marshal. I’m supposed to go with the other girls on the wagon train tomorrow.”
He grinned. “That will work perfectly because Trinidad is on the Santa Fe Trail. We’ll need to bring supplies with us, so traveling with the wagon train will make it safer.”
“Oh.” She chewed her bottom lip.
“What?” He took her hand and pulled her close, staring into her eyes as he kissed her fingers.
“When will we get married? The wagon train leaves soon and we can’t travel together. I won’t bring shame to my name. Well, no more than my ma already dumped on me.”
“I don’t want you thinking like that. Of course we’ll get married before we leave. You will be my wife, and I don’t want anyone to have reason to pass judgment on you. We can go to my papa right now and get married.”
“But . . . We need a marriage license.”
He grinned sheepishly at her and pulled out a piece of paper from his inside jacket pocket. “I, ah, might just have a license with me.”
Mindy fisted her hands and rested them on her hips. “Jedidiah Nelson, whose name is on that license?”
“My name.”
“And, who else?”
He shoved the paper back into his pocket and reached out to pull her close. “Now, darlin’ you know I always intended to marry you. I was slowly breaking down your resistance when the church board members gave me this assignment and told me I had to have a wife. And fast.”
She frowned, and stared at his throat. If she had to look into those eyes that always made her insides tingle, she would not be able to say this. “Are you sure you’re doing the right thing? I’m not good material for a preacher’s wife.”
&nbs
p; This could be a disaster. A saloon girl, with a prostitute mother? Married to a preacher? Jed must be out of his mind. And so must she for agreeing to this.
He tapped her on the nose. “You are perfect material. You’re friendly, helpful, compassionate, and I know all the ladies of the church are going to love you.”
“Oh, my.” She shivered at his words. “You know, Jed, I’ve never been real popular with the church ladies. Why, every time I go to church I have to sit in the back because of the comments they make.”
“You will be the pastor’s wife.” He held her head in his hands and stared right into her eyes. The eyes that always melted her. “You will sit right up front so I can stare at your beautiful face while I give my sermons.”
She felt the tears starting, and not wanting to embarrass herself, she sniffed and pulled away. “Very well. If we’re going to do this, let’s do it.”
Jed grinned. “Now that sounds more like my Cinnamon O’Brien.”
“Don’t call me Cinnamon,” she called over her shoulder as they headed to the door.
If Pastor and Mrs. Nelson had been unhappy with Jed’s choice of a bride, they didn’t show it. As always, they welcomed her into their home. Mrs. Nelson patted her eyes as Mindy and Jed linked hands and Pastor Nelson said the words that joined them together for the rest of their lives. Since Jed had the license with him when he’s proposed, she shouldn’t have been surprised when he also pulled out a beautiful gold band to slip on her finger. But she was surprised, and that was when the tears fell. She never expected to wear such a beautiful ring, and certainly didn’t expect to have such a wonderful husband.
“Now children, I wish we’d had more time to celebrate your wedding, and to give you both a lovely party, but with Jedidiah having to leave right away, all I could come up with was a cake from the bakery.” Mrs. Nelson—her mother-in-law—led them into the kitchen where a beautiful cake decorated in white and pink frosting sat on the kitchen table.
“Oh, this is wonderful,” Mindy said. She gave Mrs. Nelson a hug, resting her head on the woman’s generous bosom. So many times as a child and then a young woman, Mindy had supper with the Nelsons, staying to help Mrs. Nelson with the dishes. While her sons all escaped as quickly as possible, she’d always enjoyed doing the normal washing and drying of dishes and talking to a real mother.
She’d lost count of how often she’d wished Mrs. Nelson had been her mother. And now she was, in a way. Her mother had never done anything that Mindy considered mother-like. Her school dresses were usually supplied by the church since her ma said she had no idea what type of dresses a little girl wore to school. And she didn’t seem to think it was worth the effort to find out.
Until she was old enough to get a job so she could move into her own rooms, Mindy had slept on a thick blanket at the foot of her ma’s bed. Not the bed she used for work, but the one she actually slept in. Breakfast most days was cold coffee, left from the night before, and a hunk of bread, or maybe some cheese or an apple, if there was one in the brothel kitchen.
Since the ladies of the house didn’t rise until Mindy was home from school, no one saw her off for the day, handed her a lunch, or gave her a kiss on the cheek, wishing her a good day. Nobody beat her, and for the most part, she never saw the men who frequented the brothel. It had not been a terrible life, but one she was more than happy to escape. Jed had always been her escape.
Pastor and Mrs. Nelson, along with Mindy, Jed, and Jed’s older brother, Micah, sat around the cozy kitchen table and drank hot coffee and had a piece of the delicious cake. This was her family, now. She was actually a member of a family. Tears threatened once again.
“Jedidiah, when are you to report to the church in Trinidad?” Pastor Nelson wiped his mouth on a napkin and laid it alongside his plate. Mrs. Nelson poured him more coffee.
“I have a couple of weeks. But since there is a wagon train ready to pull out of Fort Dodge sometime soon, I thought I would see about getting a wagon to join them.”
“Oh, that’s a wonderful idea, son.” Mrs. Nelson just glowed. “That way your papa and I can give you some things to take with you.” She began ticking things off on her fingers. “Let’s see, dishes, silverware, linens, even some supplies like coffee, sugar—“
“—Mildred, I’m sure you will have these children loaded down with a pile of things before they leave.” The pastor smiled fondly at his wife. “What I suggest you do now, young lady,” he turned his attention to Mindy, “is go speak with your mother and let her know you’re leaving.”
“Yes, sir, I was going to do that. But it’s past the time I can speak with her today, so I will go on home and pack my things. I’ll try to see her in the morning, but she doesn’t usually rise too early.” Lord, she was embarrassed. Of course, the Nelsons knew for years exactly what her mother did, but never had it bothered her talking about it as much as it did now. In this nice, warm, clean, kitchen, with these good God-fearing people. She turned to Jed. “Will you come with me?”
“Of course.”
They both stood. “I will spend the night at Mindy’s room. Pa, I’ll be back in the morning to see about getting a wagon and the supplies I need.”
“I’ll get the wagon for you, son. Jensen over at the livery has a few for sale. And Mama will probably have it all outfitted before you even return. You go on and we’ll see you in the morning.” Mindy ducked her head in embarrassment knowing the Nelsons knew what she and Jed were likely to be doing in her room that night. But they were married, after all.
The pastor shook his son’s hand, and gave his new daughter-in-law a hug. Mrs. Nelson hugged them both, her tears mingling with Mindy’s. Then, hand-in-hand, Jed and Mindy left the Nelson home—married, and ready to start their life together.
3
Jed walked with his wife—his wife!—up the boardwalk to her room behind the hardware store. For as many times that he’d walked her as far as the door, he’d never been inside. It would not have been proper, and he didn’t want to cause Mindy any more grief than what she suffered being a local whore’s daughter, and a saloon girl.
They left the boardwalk and entered the small alley between the hardware store and the mercantile. They climbed the few worn stairs and she used a key she withdrew from her pocket to open the door. They walked inside and his stomach sank.
This is how she was living?
The only thing to be said about the room was that it was better than her bed on the floor of her mother’s room at the brothel. An iron bed that would have a hard time holding the both of them was pushed up against the wall with peeling paint. There was one rickety table and one chair. A small shelf held a few food items, and a dresser missing a drawer made up the rest of the furnishings. A brush, comb and toothbrush were lined up on the top of the dresser. A chipped bowl and pitcher sat alongside it.
Jed turned to her and immediately her chin rose. “It suits me just fine.” Two red dots appeared on her cheeks.
He felt ashamed of himself. Obviously his distaste for the room showed on his face. He’d hurt her, and that was no way to start off a marriage. He held out his hand. “Come here, wife.”
Mindy took the few steps to him and he wrapped her in his arms. “I’m sure this suited you fine. But I want to give you a life more than fine.” He placed his knuckle under her chin and looked her in the eyes. “Will you let me do that for you?”
She nodded, still holding herself stiffly. The only way he could soften her up was with some kisses. He slowly bent his head and took her lips in a soft, soothing kiss. After a minute, or so, he felt her body relax against his. She was warm, and soft, and exactly where he’d wanted her to be for years. In his arms.
Jed drew back, and regarded her. “I don’t think the two of us will be very comfortable in there,” he nodded toward the bed in the corner. “What do you say we take a room at the Dixon hotel for tonight?”
Her eyes lit up. “The hotel? Can we afford that?”
He loved that she already cons
idered them a ‘we’. “Darlin’, it’s our wedding night. I cheated you out of the wedding I’m sure most girls dream about, so the least I can do is give you a decent place to sleep.” When she started to pull away again, he realized his mistake. “Not that this isn’t decent, it’s just that we won’t fit on that bed, and I prefer to make love to my wife for the first time in a space big enough for the both of us.”
He grinned when her face flushed a bright red. She’d been raised in a brothel, worked in a saloon, and she still managed to keep herself innocent. Mindy truly amazed him. He leaned his forehead against hers. “What do you say? And yes, we can afford it. I have money saved from my newspaper job.”
“Aren’t you going to miss that job?” Mindy wanted to know.
Jed raised his head and sighed. “Yes, I surely will. But I’ve always known I would follow Papa and my brothers.”
“Why?”
His lips tightened. He didn’t want to examine all of this too closely. “It’s expected. Now, let’s look forward to the future, not the past.”
He was still wrestling with the sad little room she’d been living in. No pictures, no decorations, nothing that said “this is my home.” With the amount of food on the shelf, it was a wonder she wasn’t starving. Why hadn’t he known how hard her life was?
Two dresses hung on hooks by the door. One he recognized as the one she wore to church every Sunday. The second one was well worn. Since the dress she wore was new, it must have come from a shopping trip with Miss Nellie when the girls were ordered to travel to Santa Fe as mail order brides.
He shuddered to think how close he’d come to losing her. To another man. Never again would he allow her to live like a pauper. He would take care of her, make sure she always had enough food to eat, clothes to wear, and a decent roof over her head. And the same for whatever children God blessed them with. His family would closely resemble the family he’d grown up in.
“So, Mrs. Nelson. Shall we head to the hotel, and have a nice dinner, and a good night’s rest?” His eyes raked over her body, and he gave her a lusty smile. “Although, I don’t know how much sleep I’m going to allow you.”
Prisoners of Love Books 1-3: Adelaide Cinnamon Becky Page 13
