An Unexpected Groom

by Nerys Leigh

  It was all she needed to hear. Breathing out, she sank to her knees beside him, not caring at all that she would likely get dirty, and took both his hands in hers. “Then will you marry me?”

  His mouth dropped open. “I thought you...” His eyes flicked between hers and she watched his astonishment turn to wonder and then happiness. “Isn’t that my line?”

  She smiled. “Is that a yes?”

  Eyes sparkling, he pressed his lips together and looked up at the sky. “Hmm, I may have to think about it.”

  Gasping in mock outrage, she rose to her feet and turned as if to go. “Well, if that’s your answer...”

  He grabbed her waist, just as she knew he would, and pulled her, laughing, into his lap.

  His beautiful green eyes gazing into hers, he whispered with a smile, “Yes. Yes yes yes. With every part of me, yes.” His expression sobered. “But what if your parents say no?”

  She lowered her eyes to his chest. “They already did. Their letter arrived yesterday morning.”

  “And... you still asked me to marry you?”

  She raised her eyes to his again and brushed her fingers down his cheek. “They don’t know you. They don’t know what an amazing, wonderful, strong, courageous, incredible man you are. And they also don’t know how completely and utterly and absolutely I am in love with you. If they did, I think they’d understand why I want more than anything in the world to be your wife.”

  She wasn’t entirely sure about that, but it didn’t matter. She was a grown woman who could make her own choices. And for the rest of her life, she would choose Jesse.

  His mouth was hanging open. “Could you repeat the part about being in love with me?”

  Instead of saying the words, she slid her fingers into his silky hair, pulled him to her, and kissed him with the force of all the love in her full heart.

  What did it matter that the town was small or that Jesse couldn’t walk or that she wouldn’t be the social butterfly her mother wanted her to be? God had given her everything she could possibly want, and that was more important than anything.

  When their lips parted a very long, blissful time later, Jesse kissed the tip of her nose. “How about today?”

  “How about today what?” she murmured, contemplating the beautiful golden flecks in his eyes. She wondered if, fifty years from now, she’d be tired of gazing into those remarkable eyes. She decided she wouldn’t.

  They crinkled in a smile. “How about today we get married?”

  They were just the perfect shade of green and... “Wait, what did you say?”

  “Let’s get married today. I don’t want to spend another day without you as my wife.” His smile widened. “Or night.” He waggled his eyebrows.

  She ignored the tingly feeling that blossomed in her stomach. “We can’t get married today, there’s too much to do! There’s the dress and flowers and inviting the guests and arranging the church and food and...”

  She stopped abruptly when he placed one finger onto her lips.

  “Do you love me?” he said.

  “With all my heart,” she replied around his finger.

  He lowered his hand. “And do you want to marry me?”

  “Yes.”

  “And is there any reason, other than all those easily taken care of things you just listed, why you don’t want to marry me as soon as humanly possible, meaning today?”

  She pressed her lips together to stop her smile and looked out over the garden, pretending to consider it. The truth was, when she really thought about it she knew she would marry him that second if Pastor Jones had been there.

  Except all those things mattered. They were what was done. You couldn’t ignore them and just get married.

  Could you?

  Letting go of the final repressive piece of her upbringing, she let the smile through. “No, there isn’t any real reason why we can’t get married today. If Pastor Jones is free.”

  He kissed her again and, smiling against her lips, said, “Then let’s go find out if the pastor’s free.”

  Chapter 28

  As it happened, getting married right away turned out to be more difficult than either of them had anticipated.

  Pastor Jones was out visiting far flung members of the congregation and didn’t return until late, and what with everything that happened to Louisa and Jesse’s friends the next day and over the weekend, it was the following Wednesday before they were able to finally get everyone to the church.

  Jesse endured the delay with good natured exasperation, but Louisa knew he would never have got married without Adam at his side. The two of them were about as close as two friends could be. And Louisa didn’t want Amy or Lizzy to miss the occasion either.

  The extra few days also gave Jesse time to help sort out the mess Rotherford Ransom had left. Mr Vernon made a start on the enormous task of meeting with each customer who’d taken out a loan from the bank to find out the exact details of what had happened. He’d had no choice, Jesse told Louisa. Word was getting round. Jesse said he’d be going through old ledgers for weeks to check if Mr Ransom had done anything else in the seventeen years he’d worked at the bank.

  Mr Ransom himself wasn’t talking, and the day after the robbery he and the gang were fetched by the federal marshals to be taken to the prison in Sacramento for trial. Lem’s body was buried in a corner of the town’s cemetery with little ceremony and marked with a simple wooden cross.

  Louisa had wondered if maybe the delay would weaken her resolve to marry Jesse against her parents’ wishes, but to her delight every day that passed made her want to marry him more, her love growing stronger with each moment they spent together. He was going to be her life from now on and she had not one single doubt it was exactly what she wanted. She’d had it all wrong before. Now she knew the only thing that truly mattered was love, and she had enough of that to last her a lifetime. A lifetime she would spend blissfully in Jesse’s strong arms.

  On the Saturday morning she wrote to her parents. Despite her unshakable resolve, it still took her several attempts to produce a letter she was happy with. Or if not happy, at least something she didn’t want to tear into pieces.

  Dearest Mother and Father,

  I hope you both are well, and Jemima and Isabella too. How is the weather there in the east? It seems to be constantly sunny here, with only sporadic cloudy days, although Jesse assures me there will be rain in the fall and winter.

  I received your letter. Thank you for your advice and thoughts on the matter of me staying to marry Jesse. I understand your reasoning and I know you only want what is best for me, but the truth is, I’ve come to realise in the two weeks since I arrived that what’s best for me isn’t what I thought it was. I thought having the life you want for me, marriage to a man who could improve my social prospects, was what I needed, but it isn’t.

  These past two weeks I have been happier than I ever remember being. That isn’t to say I was unhappy with you. You gave me a good life and I’m thankful for all you’ve done for me, and for all your sacrifices. But here, with Jesse, I’ve found true contentment, something I never had before. I’ve come to understand that God doesn’t look on outward appearances and He doesn’t care about status.

  Jesse is a good, wonderful man. He’s kind and strong and capable and loving and generous and everything I could want. He truly loves me, and I love him too, with all my heart. I never even knew it was possible to feel this way. God has blessed me so much.

  I know you will be unhappy about my decision to stay and marry Jesse, but please know that I am very, very happy. This is what I want and I hope you can be happy for me.

  Give Jem and Belle my love.

  All my love to both of you,

  Louisa

  She prayed that they would understand her decision. It wouldn’t change her mind if they didn’t, but she wanted their approval. Despite everything, she loved them. They’d raised her the best way they knew how.

  When it finally came t
o the evening before the wedding, Louisa and Jesse were sitting in his back yard. He’d moved onto the bench so they could cuddle together while watching the sky change colour as the sun touched the horizon.

  “You know, tonight will be the last time I have to say goodbye to you when the sun goes down,” Jesse said, his voice low and soft against her forehead in the hush of the evening.

  “I know.” She’d been thinking about it all day.

  “Are you all right about that?”

  A smile tugged at her lips. “Very all right.”

  “Then can we agree I won our wager?”

  She tried to think what he was talking about. “What wager?”

  “The day after you arrived, remember? We were sitting at the table and I bet you that in two weeks I’d be seeing the real you. I’m pretty sure I am.”

  “You are.” And she was more than grateful for it. “But we didn’t agree on what you’d get if you won.”

  He pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. “You. My prize is you. I don’t want anything else.”

  Chapter 29

  “You look so pretty!”

  Louisa smiled at her soon to be sister-in-law where she sat on her bed. Rather, her former bed since she’d no longer be using it after today. “Do you like the dress? My friends and I made it together.”

  Mr Lamb hadn’t had any suitable white fabric in his general store so Louisa had opted for pale blue instead from which she, Jo, Amy, Sara and Lizzy had created a simple, fitted gown accented with cream coloured lace and a matching ribbon tied at the waist. She loved it, not just because of how it looked, but because so much love and laughter had gone into its making.

  “It’s beautiful.” Nancy jumped from the bed and walked up to her. She touched her fingers to the lace edging the square neckline almost reverently. “Ma, don’t you think it’s the most beautiful dress you’ve ever seen?”

  “I think Louisa is the most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen,” Malinda said. “And I couldn’t be happier that she’s about to become my daughter-in-law.”

  Louisa fanned her face with her hand, blinking back sudden tears. “Stop or I’m going to cry and have to get married with red, puffy eyes.”

  “Could I try the dress on sometime?” Nancy said, fingering the ribbon. “I promise I’ll be careful with it.”

  Louisa walked over to the wardrobe. “I think I can do better than that.” She reached in and withdrew a similar dress, this one in peach and sized for a ten-year-old girl. “Because we made you one too.”

  Nancy’s eyes opened wide. “For me?”

  Louisa handed it to her. “Just for you.”

  Nancy held the dress against herself and looked down at it. “It’s the prettiest thing I’ve ever seen.” Her eyes shimmering with tears, she threw herself into Louisa’s arms. “Thank you. You’re the best sister-in-law in the whole world.”

  Louisa looked at Malinda to see her smiling and wiping at her eyes. She mouthed Thank you and Louisa smiled back, her own eyes burning. Having been raised to be pragmatic in everything, she certainly was turning out to be an emotional soul. Not that that was a bad thing.

  “Can I try it on now, Ma?” Nancy said, bouncing from Louisa’s embrace and twirling round with the dress held against her.

  “As long as you’re careful if you eat before the service,” Malinda replied. “You don’t want to get anything on it.”

  Nancy squealed and rushed to the bed, laying the dress out carefully before starting to undress.

  Malinda walked over to Louisa. “How about your hair? Do you need any help with it?”

  She turned to look in the mirror and imagined Jesse’s reaction when he saw her. “I think I’ll leave it down.”

  ~ ~ ~

  She was surrounded by friends and loved ones and she adored them all, but the moment Louisa walked into the church her gaze was only for Jesse.

  Sitting in his wheelchair on the platform at the front of the church with Pastor Jones, his eyes widened when she stepped through the door and didn’t leave her for the entire walk along the aisle to join him. As she stepped up beside him, his gaze went to her hair and he gave her the smile that sparkled in his eyes. She had the sudden urge to laugh. She’d known he would like it.

  He took her hand and they faced the pastor together.

  “Friends,” Pastor Jones began, “we’re gathered here to celebrate the joining in marriage of two very special people who my wife and I couldn’t be happier have chosen to spend their lives together. Watching their love for each other blossom and grow over the past weeks has been a joy and a privilege I know many of you have shared. And had a hand in.” He winked at Nancy and she giggled.

  The ceremony was perfect and would only have been better if her parents had been there to share her joy. But she was certain they would be happy for her if they could see her now, the assurance so strong she knew it was from God.

  She said her vows with conviction, meaning every word, and she could see it was the same for Jesse. There were no more doubts. She was exactly where she wanted to be. Where she was meant to be.

  “I now pronounce you man and wife,” Pastor Jones finally said.

  Adam and Peter immediately rose from their seats and stepped up onto the platform. Standing to either side of Jesse they slid their arms beneath his, and Louisa gasped as they pulled him to his feet in front of her and held him upright.

  She gazed up at him. And up.

  All she could think to say was, “You’re so tall.”

  “Told you I was,” he whispered with a smile.

  “Jesse,” Pastor Jones said, “you may kiss your bride.”

  Stepping closer, she placed her hands on his chest and pushed up onto her toes, he tilted his head down, and their lips met in a soft kiss, sealing their promises to each other.

  When Peter and Adam had lowered Jesse back into his chair, Pastor Jones began, “Ladies and gentlemen...”

  Jesse raised his hand, his eyes fixed on Louisa. “Just a moment there, Pastor. We’re not quite done.”

  Only realising his intentions at the last second, she squeaked in surprise when he grasped her waist and pulled her into his lap.

  Then he pushed his fingers into her hair and kissed her.

  It was a kiss filled with adoration.

  A kiss that promised a lifetime of love and laughter and joy.

  A kiss that flooded her with warmth and left her gasping for breath.

  Right there in front of everyone.

  And Louisa didn’t mind one single bit.

  ~ ~ ~

  Following a celebration held in the Jones’ garden filled with music and dancing and delicious food, Louisa and Jesse returned to his home.

  Their home, he reminded himself. He’d never be alone here again.

  He led the way into the bedroom and swept his hand to encompass the array of travel trunks his father and brother had moved while the rest of them enjoyed the festivities.

  “My pa and Luke brought them over. I want you to know this is your home now and you can do whatever you want in it, including putting anything you’ve brought with you wherever you’d like.” He wheeled over to the closest trunk. “Would you like some help unpacking? I don’t know if we’ll have space for everything, but if we don’t I can get some more furniture. Anything you want. What do you have in all these anyway?”

  Louisa walked over to stand beside him and he looked up at her. She was stunning with her hair cascading loose and free over her shoulders and down her back. He’d barely been able to take his eyes from her since she had stepped into the church. Other men may have had full use of their legs but only he had Louisa, and that made him the most blessed man in the world.

  “They were so kind to bring them all here,” she said, looking uncertain. “If I’d known they were going to, I would have said something first.”

  “Said something about what?”

  She unfastened the trunk and opened the lid to reveal a scrunched up hessian sack. She pulled it
out and he leaned forward to see inside.

  “Bricks?” Jesse stared at the blocks fixed to the bottom of the trunk. “Um...”

  “Mother said I should appear as though I had lots of possessions and we were wealthy, even though we weren’t. To make a good impression. The bricks are to make them heavy, like there’s something inside.”

  He looked over the pile of trunks. “So how many of these have your actual clothes and such in them?”

  She drew her lower lip between her teeth. “Three.”

  He glanced at her then back at the eight trunks. “Three?”

  “I feel so guilty that Peter moved them all,” she counted on her fingers, “four times.”

  He stared at the trunks for a couple more seconds. Then he burst into laughter.

  “Why are you laughing?” she said, giggling.

  “Just, the idea of Pa carrying a load of bricks back and forth. I shouldn’t laugh, I know, but it is funny. I can’t wait to tell him.”

  Her smile vanished. “Oh no, please don’t do that.”

  He sighed in mock resignation. “All right, although I promise he’d think it was funny too. Can I at least tell Malinda? She’d probably laugh for a full day.”

  She swatted his shoulder playfully. “You’re terrible.”

  He caught hold of her hand and pressed a slow kiss to the back, his heartbeat speeding up at the feel of her soft skin against his lips. “So would you like help with unpacking your bricks? Or could we put it off until tomorrow?”

  He waggled his eyebrows and the most adorable blush grew on her cheeks, making him want to do so many things other than unpacking the trunks.

  She looked at her luggage, a small smile on her lips. “I think I can do without my bricks for now.”

  He didn’t need any more encouragement. Grasping her waist, he pulled her into his lap and gazed into her beautiful blue eyes. “I love you so much.”