“And I’ll not break it if you say so.” He held up his empty tumbler to appease her. “But I was just about to ask you to join us, Trudy, in a toast to the lovely bride.”
Trudy’s eyes filled and she sniffed before she walked toward him. “All right. Just one.” She watched as he filled it halfway. Instead of picking it up she merely looked at him, and after a moment’s hesitation, he filled it to the top, before filling the others.
“To our sweet, fragile Sidney.” Frank’s voice faltered for just a moment before he managed to add, “I must stop saying that. Here’s to our brave, courageous Sidney, who deserves, more than anyone I know, a lifetime of happiness.”
Trudy sniffled before tipping up the glass and emptying it in one long swallow.
Hearing the door open upstairs, and the nervous laughter of the women, Trudy efficiently collected all the empty tumblers and set them on the tray before disappearing toward the kitchen. Over her shoulder she grumbled, “I still don’t see why we couldn’t have held this wedding at the Willows. I’d have had a much easier time in my own kitchen.”
Adam looked up expectantly at the sound of footsteps on the stairs and felt a wave of disappointment when it wasn’t Sidney, but Bert.
She paused halfway down the stairs. “All right. You men have to clear the room now. Step outside so the bride can come down.”
“Wait.” Adam paused at the foot of the steps. “I want to see Sidney.”
“It’s customary to wait until the ceremony to see the bride, Adam.” Bert turned away.
He started up behind her.
Below, the Judge rolled his eyes and pulled open the front door. “Come on, gentlemen. I say we get out before the fireworks begin, or we might get hit by a rocket or two.”
As he stepped out onto the porch, he waved at the crowd before saying in an aside, “Poor Adam. I’d hate to go up against Bert, Charley and those four little women. He doesn’t know what he’s in for.”
“Oh, I don’t know.” Jason took up his position beside his brothers-in-law and winked at the two little boys who looked as if they’d rather be chasing after squirrels than standing at attention, holding satin pillows. “Adam’s been through wars and uprisings, and faced down an international terrorist. I’m betting he can hold his own against the Brennan women.”
Ethan nodded in agreement. “I’m with you, Jason.”
Just then they caught sight of the women streaming down the stairs.
Blair chuckled. “They’re all there except Adam and Sidney. Looks like our guy won.”
Jason clapped the Judge on the shoulder. “I never had a doubt.”
It had been decided by the women that the light tower would be used as a dressing room for the bride and her attendants. Several tables had been set up to hold the dozens of bottles, jars, tubes and sprays that women need for such a day. Chairs were draped with bits of clothing. Half a dozen pairs of shoes littered the floor.
In the midst of it all stood Sidney, wearing a simple column of white silk that fell in soft folds to her ankles. She wore no jewelry. No veil covered the waist-length spill of autumn hair.
She heard the hurried footsteps as Adam raced up the stairs, and felt the sudden quick tug at her heart as he stepped into the room.
“Look how handsome you are. Bert said you wanted to see me before the ceremony. Having a change of heart, Adam?”
He shook his head, unable to speak over the constriction in his throat. For the longest time he merely stood there, waiting for his heartbeat to steady and his world
At last he gave a long, deep sigh. “Sidney, you take my breath away.”
“Good.” She smiled, and he wondered that he wasn’t blinded by the brilliance of it. “I hope you still feel that way fifty years from now.”
“You can count on it.” He took a step toward her. Only a step, afraid that if he moved too quickly, the vision would fade and he’d discover that this was all a dream.
“Are you sorry that our small, intimate wedding has grown into this elaborate affair?”
“I guess I was, for a minute or two. But now, I wouldn’t mind if the whole world witnessed this.” He stepped closer and framed her face with his hands. As he stared down into her eyes, he felt such a welling of love, he wondered that his heart didn’t simply explode. “I love you, Sidney Brennan.”
“And I love you, Adam Morgan.”
“I received a wedding gift from WNN today.”
“Really?” She looked up into his eyes. “What is it?”
“They refused to accept my resignation. Instead, when they heard about the book of wildlife photos I’m planning in conjunction with the historical society’s almanac, they offered to publish it, as long as I’d expand it into a television special that they could air next year.”
“You can live here and work here, and never have to leave?”
He nodded. “They said, though they’re sorry to lose a good field operative, they’re willing to do whatever is necessary to keep me on the staff.”
“That’s quite a compliment, Adam. But I’m not surprised. I knew the minute we met that you were rare and special.”
“You’re the one who’s special, Sidney.” He brushed her lips with his.
Hearing the sound of music drifting up, they walked to the wall of glass to peer at the crowd below. The entire Brennan family was gathered on the center platform, awaiting the bride and groom.
Sidney touched a hand to Adam’s arm. “Look at this perfect day. I’m so glad the weather cooperated. I was afraid we might have snow. Instead, this is one of those rare autumn days that seems to glow in sunlight.”
“You’re the one who glows, Sidney.”
She tucked her arm through his. “Ready?”
He caught her hand and lifted it to his lips. “More than ready.”
Together they descended the stairs and walked out into the afternoon sunlight. As soon as they stepped out the door, Danny and T.J. steadied their satin pillows and moved along ahead of them to the delight of the crowd.
Sidney smiled at Carrie Lester and her daughter, Jenny, who were seated with Prentice Osborn and his brother, Will.
Adam winked at Marcella Trowbridge and couldn’t help flexing his muscle a bit as he passed by, much to her delight.
Sidney mouthed a greeting to keeter Hilton and another to Claire Huntington, whose waiters from The Pier would be helping Trudy serve the wedding buffet that had been prepared by The Pier’s chef.
Adam gave a thumbs-up to Mrs. Maddox and the members of the historical society, who were beaming their approval at the way their lovely jewel-of-a-historical lighthouse was being showcased by what many in town considered the wedding of the year.
As Adam helped Sidney up the steps of the platform, she paused to kiss her mother and grandmother and to hand each of them a single, long-stemmed rose. And then she was standing with Adam before her grandfather, who looked every inch a formal judge in his flowing robes.
They spoke their vows in clear voices, and sealed them with a kiss that earned the applause of everyone in attendance. They endured the handshakes of all the well-wishers and words of wisdom from their elders. They sipped champagne during the endless toasts and nibbled The Pier’s fabulous trout, white-fish, prime rib and lemon chicken.
Watching them, Frank Brennan touched a finger to the tear that trickled from the corner of his wife’s eye. His own eyes were a bit misty, as well. “We did it, Bert. Lived to see them all happily settled.”
She nodded and looked around at their big, noisy family, laughing and dancing, hugging one another and thoroughly enjoying the celebration.
As the bride and groom stood in the center of the platform for another toast, Adam leaned close to whisper, “You know what I’m thinking about?”
Sidney gave him an impish grin. “Dessert?”
He drew her close. Against her mouth he muttered, “Absolutely. And I don’t mean The Pier’s cheesecake.”
“Oh, Adam.” She linked her arms arou
nd his neck and moved to the music they’d requested. Show tunes from Camelot. “I want to grow old with you.”
“You’ll be as wise and calm as Bert.”
“And you’ll be as tenderhearted and doting as Poppie.”
He thought of the accident that had brought him here, and realized there were no accidents in this life. It had all been part of some grand, heavenly plan. He’d been destined to meet the most beautiful, courageous woman in the world, who would open her home, and her heart, to a stranger and would teach him the greatest lesson of all.
Sometimes the simplest things in this world, done out of love, can fill all the empty places in a heart the way nothing else can. And what could be simpler than a man, a woman and a place called home?
ISBN: 978-1-4268-7766-7
RETRIBUTION
Copyright © 2004 by Ruth Ryan Langan
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the edal office, Silhouette Books, 233 Broadway, New York, NY 10279 U.S.A.
All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.
This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
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§ The Wildes of Wyoming
** The Sullivan Sisters
‡‡ The Lassiter Law
Δ Devil’s Cove
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Epilogue
Retribution Page 17
