by Lydia Olson
“Certainly,” Wilson confirmed, tipping his hat. “Congratulations to the both of you.”
“And what of the both of you?” Dillion said. “I heard talk of future children just a moment ago; has something happened that I should be aware of?”
“Daddy!” Eloise cried. “Why are you so obsessed with getting grandchildren out of me? We haven’t even been married yet, and you know it hardly ever happens right away.”
“Ah, so you have discussed being married!” Dillion teased playfully. “If that’s the case, there’s no need to wait up for our return to wed. I’d like you to get started on giving me grandchildren right away!”
“Daddy!” Eloise repeated, fuming. “You shouldn’t say such things.”
Wilson laughed, but was distracted when Lawson scurried toward him and waved him over to the corner of the saloon. Eloise wasn’t sure if it was a private matter, but her curiosity got the better of her.
She wandered after them, catching up just in time to hear Lawson muttering something about Wilson being a little too kind. Eloise furrowed her brow, sat just out of sight, and leaned in to listen.
“Yes, but it’s not about how he takes it; it’s about how the town will take it,” Lawson was saying. “I’ve just spoken with him again, and he feels absolutely no remorse for what he did, even knowing we’ve succeeded at proving to the whole town that he did it and he’ll never be allowed back here.”
“I don’t really care about that,” Wilson said. “I’m not gonna sentence another man to death, no matter what he’s done. Especially when it’s the same man who falsely accused me. I’d rather have the town look at me as too compassionate than too vindictive and fueled by revenge.”
“It’s a power struggle here, Will,” Lawson patted his shoulder. “If we wanna weed out the wolves, we’ve gotta show them what happens when you act a wolf. You let the king of the pack loose in the world to take over another town, and the guys he left behind will get all sorts of ideas about ya.”
“Like I said, I’m willing to risk it,” said Wilson.
“Okay, there, but keep in mind you’re gambling for more than just you this round, and the loser don’t just lose money,” Lawson said, leaping to his feet. “Any word on the other thing?”
“Uh, yes, I talked to our connection about filling some more long-term work,” Wilson said. “He’s concerned that too many people here will recognize him for what he used to be, but I assured him that we’d fix him up with work clothing that would send a different message.
“He says he knows a few other guys who don’t particularly fit into the crowd, and they’ve all been talking about finding something different to do. He’s going to the next town over for a few days, and then he’ll be back with a few more people to patrol the streets at night.”
“Great work,” Lawson said. “And good idea, giving the job to people who know the mind of the criminal better than anyone. I wish I had thought of that before I paid him for his information.”
Lawson rushed away just as quickly as he had come in. As he passed, he tipped his hat and winked at Eloise, as if he’d known she was listening the whole time. Wilson, too, remained in his seat, but looked over his shoulder toward her. Shyly, Eloise stepped out of her hiding place, smiled awkwardly, and came to sit across from him at the table.
“I take it you’re a bit confused what that was about?” Wilson asked.
“I think I’ve put a lot of it together, but it sounded like good news,” she replied.
“Yes, we won’t be sending Ryan to the hangman’s noose. I’ve decided to kick him out of the town with the understanding that it will be a death sentence if he returns,” he said. “I’ve also hired the same bandits who used to work for him to help keep watch and keep him and others like him out of the town.
“Lawson went into it a little bit this morning, but it’s no surprise that most of the bandits that worked for Ryan were cheated by him in some way or other. A lot of them are willing to work, but they haven’t known where to go, and Ryan promised them better pay to play the part. I’ve paid them more not to.”
“I’m confused about if these guys were ever real bandits or not,” Eloise admitted. “Also, bandits killed my brother, and I’m scared to learn that call was made by Ryan, too.”
“They’re real bandits, yes,” Wilson assured her. “I can’t say if Ryan had anything to do with Edison, but I’ll see what I can find out. The thing you’ve gotta consider here is that not all bandits want to steal if they can provide for themselves without it... but most of them can’t provide without it. I wanna give these men an opportunity to do some real work, the same way your father did for me and my father.”
“Not to put this on you all at once,” added Eloise, sighing, “but do you still want to leave Cayenne?”
“Strange that you should mention that,” Wilson said. “The first part of my conversation with Lawson, the part that you missed, was to tell me that he looked into the ownership of the St. George Hotel for me, because I’m thinking of buying it. I decided what’s the point of leaving, when all I really had to do was make some changes around here and build my own little piece of heaven?”
Eloise tried not to show it on her face, but she was glad to hear Wilson wasn’t planning to marry her and then take her away from her home in the near future.
She knew that as long as Wilson was with her, she would be happy, but she had hoped that she wouldn’t have to leave the ranch behind. She’d fought her whole life to keep it running, and now it was finally there to stay.
“Are you planning to make any changes to the ranch, now that it’s yours?” Eloise wondered.
“Oh, my sweet, sweet Eloise,” he said, taking her hand and kissing it. “I didn’t claim ownership of the ranch because I wanted to make it mine. The ranch is your home, and with every new need for change, you’ll have just as much say in what happens to it – as my wife – as I will.”
“Your wife,” Eloise repeated, smiling. “That sounds so strange, but so wonderful to say.”
“I like it,” Wilson agreed. “My happiest days were spent on that ranch, and I plan to have many more years to come, just being there with you... as husband and wife.”
Epilogue
Eloise stared out the window of her room in the Saint George hotel, reflecting on the last few hours of pure bliss. It had been two months since Wilson saved the town, and his work continued toward making Cayenne a better place to live. The town still viewed Wilson as a hero, so when he announced his engagement to Eloise, everyone acted fast to help prepare their wedding.
Bakers made wonderful pastries, the men from both ranches worked together to rebuild the barn in time for the ceremony, and the women sewed an extravagant dress for Eloise.
On the day of the wedding, a large crowd gathered at the Hastings ranch to participate in the beautiful ceremony. Now, in their room at the Saint George, Eloise waited anxiously for Wilson to return so they could spend their first night together as husband and wife.
Eloise remembered the feeling of the warm air against her face as she stood in front of the new barn that morning, and the brightness of the sunlight hitting Wilson’s face as he promised the rest of his life to her. She remembered the scent of wildflowers, and the applause of numerous new friends, people Wilson had saved from ruin since his return to Cayenne.
She remembered watching her father tear up in the crowd as he watched his daughter grow up in an instant.
The procession was everything she’d ever dreamed of. Even a tomboy as she was, she’d still secretly envisioned her wedding many times while she lay awake at night. After the ceremony, as everyone sat around the yard chatting, Dillion had approached Eloise as the rest of the women ran off to fetch more to drink.
“Ellie,” Dillion had said, as he stood beside her. “I’ve always said I see a little too much of myself in you... but today, I want you to know that I looked up at you, and I saw your mother in your smile. I know you’ll make a wonderful wife, and I k
now she must be so proud of you.”
“And I think you’ll be a great grandfather one day, too,” Eloise had said. “Though you’ll have to stop pestering me about it, because I’m gonna get there in my own time.”
“Yes, quite right,” Dillion had said. “And, although I had my reservations at first, I do think you’ve chosen a fine man.”
Eloise smiled, and turned around to look for Wilson, who was laughing a few feet away from her with Henry and Lawson.
Her first instinct when he looked back at her was to not let him catch her staring, but in that moment, she reminded herself that she could now admire that dashing smile until death do they part. That was no longer the smile of her childhood crush, that was the dazzling gaze of her husband.
A group of Whiskey Girls lingered nearby, staring at Wilson and whispering to each other with a villainous look in their eyes.
Eloise glared at first, but then took it as a reminder that she was the luckiest girl in the world to have a man like this love her as he did. There was not young available woman in the town who didn’t envy Eloise for her place in Wilson’s heart.
“No, not yet – wait until the end!” she’d heard Wilson yell, as Lawson and Henry dragged him to the front of the crowd and pulled him up onto a small platform.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” Lawson had said, stumbling to the side slightly.
Wilson and Eloise looked at each other, raised their eyebrows, and pursed their lips. This was the first either of them had seen Lawson in an actual inebriated state, as he tended to use his time in the saloon listening for clues rather than drinking much. Neither of them knew what to expect.
“Excuse me,” he continued. “We all know Mr. Pace is filled with wonderful surprises, and after two months of tracking down leads, and negotiating with frauds and businessmen alike, I am happy to turn the time over to Wilson Pace, to announce his newest endeavor for the people of Cayenne.”
The crowd clapped and hollered and Lawson shoved Wilson forward, almost causing both of them to fall over the edge of the platform. Henry caught Wilson by the arm and stopped him from falling, while the crowd’s applause turned to laughter. Wilson rubbed the back of his head and smiled uncomfortably into the crowd, pausing to wink at Eloise.
“Looks like Lawson’s had a bit too much to drink,” Wilson had said.
“No, it’s time to give your speech, Will,” Lawson muttered, unaware of the laughing crowd.
“I know, I know!” Wilson had said, patting Lawson on the back. “Well, I want to start by thanking my beautiful wife for everything she’s done for me. Wow, it’s the first time I’ve been able to call her that, by the way – my wife. Anyway, Eloise, will you come join me up here?”
Eloise gasped and placed her hand over her heart. She knew Wilson and Lawson had been planning something, and somehow, Henry always ended up involved, but she hadn’t expected it to require her to get up in front of everybody. The ceremony itself had been quite enough for her.
“What am I gonna have to do?” Eloise had yelled. “I don’t got a speech prepared!”
“You don’t have to do anything except stand here and look pretty,” Wilson had promised. “And we all know how easy that is for you to do. I just want you standing beside me when I make my announcement.”
Eloise rolled her eyes and slunk to the platform. As she approached, Wilson wrapped his arm around her, which made Eloise slightly uncomfortable. They had only just been made husband and wife, so it hadn’t yet hit her that he was no longer discouraged to be affectionate like this in front of others.
“Just look at her,” Wilson said. “Isn’t she beautiful?” The crowd murmured in appreciation.
“All right, as Lawson said, I have a speech I’ve prepared,” Wilson continued. “When I was young, my father was a ranch worker like many of you. He’d take me to work with him, where I met this fiery girl named Eloise Hastings. Eloise was a natural example of courage, compassion, confidence, and strength.
“Ten years ago, I left this town, but I couldn’t shake the memory of that spirited girl from my mind. I’d see someone hurt, and I’d think of what Eloise would do. I’d see an animal in danger and imagine the scolding Eloise would give me if I didn’t help it. Even in distance, she taught me how to be better.
“One day, I made a name for myself in another town, and decided to take my earnings back to Cayenne to see if that girl had turned into a woman of the same strengths. Needless to say, I returned to find a beautiful, loving, kind woman, so much alike yet so different from the girl I’d left behind.
“As much as I tried to repay her for her kindness, she always had something better, something more genuine to give. Without Eloise, I don’t know where I’d be. That is why I’ve decided to buy the Saint George Hotel, as of today, and use it as a wedding gift to this wonderful woman. Now, if you’ll excuse us...”
“Hold on!” Miss Maudie yelled from the crowd. “Ellie, honey, you can’t just let him give a speech like that and not give one in return!”
“I don’t know how to give a speech!” Eloise had shouted over the cheering crowd.
“That’s fine, sweetheart; just say what’s in your heart!” Miss Maudie said. “He’s just said so many lovely things about you, and now it’s your time to tell him how you feel, too.”
“All right, um,” Eloise started, taking a deep breath. “Well, Wilson has always believed in me more than anyone. I was too young and dumb to understand it for what it was, but he was always kind and good to me. So, when he came back and people didn’t think he was good, I knew they were wrong.
“None of you knew the Wilson who was sweet and compassionate to me when I was struggling my hardest to be a tough little girl. But now, you’ve got to see the hero he’s always been to me. So, I dunno, I can tell you that... I’ve always loved him... and I love being able to call him my husband.”
Miss Maudie smiled and nodded in approval, as the rest of the crowd cheered. Even the jealous Whiskey Girls in the back seemed to loosen up a bit, imagining a love like that of their own. Lawson hooted and threw his hands in the air, standing between Eloise and Wilson as if he were presenting the new couple to the crowd for the first time.
“Mr. and Mrs. Pace!” he yelled, gesturing at the couple.
“All right, now, if you’ll excuse us, we have an entire hotel to ourselves for the evening,” Wilson said.
A decorated stagecoach pulled up to the house, and the crowd stood on either side of the road as the couple waved goodbye and approached the doors. Again, Eloise noticed Dillion brushing tears from his eyes, pretending that the redness was from the pollen in the air. As the door to the coach closed, Wilson took Eloise’s hands in his and stared into her eyes.
“Looks like I have you to myself for the rest of the night,” he said.
“It’s been too long since we’ve had a moment alone,” Eloise admitted. “With everything you do here, there’s always someone trying to talk to you or ask your assistance.”
“Yes, well, I promise you that the only person I’ll be answering to for the rest of this weekend is you,” he assured her. “Now, when we get there, you go pick whichever room you’d like, and I’ll see if I can find us something to drink from the saloon.”
“I think I know the one,” she said. “It might be silly, going to the same room I cleaned your wound in that night, but it holds a special place in my heart.”
“Well, I’m sure this time will be a much better experience, and we can leave it with new memories,” he said.
The stagecoach pulled up to the hotel and Wilson disappeared into the saloon, but Eloise paused to look back at the spot in the alley where they’d had their first kiss. She slowly walked up the stairs to the rooms, thinking back over the first time she’d been alone with Wilson. Butterflies filled her stomach, thinking about how this time wasn’t going to be quite the same.
