“Thank you, chérie.” Ruby’s eyes sparkled. “Motherhood has changed you.”
“In what way?” Diamond studied her reflection in the looking glass, while the others merely grinned.
“For one thing, you are wearing a gown without complaint.”
Diamond chuckled. “You’re right. I forgot to grumble. Well, the truth is, these gowns you made me—with the buttons down the front—have made my last few weeks very comfortable.”
“You see. There is something to be said for dressing like a lady.”
Diamond shook her head. “For a couple of months. Then it’s back to buckskins for me. I’m a rancher, remember?”
Patience entered, carrying a bouquet of wildflowers. For a moment she could only stare at the three sisters in their pale pink, yellow and blue gowns. And at Ruby, in a white confection that would rival a queen’s. Then, her eyes misty, she thrust the flowers into Ruby’s hands. “Neville and I picked these. We wanted them to be as special as you are.”
“Merci. They are beautiful. Where is our town hero?”
Patience flushed, clearly pleased by the way the town had embraced Neville since his heroic actions. “My new husband...” Oh, how she loved that word. Almost as much as she loved hearing him call her wife. “Is outside. He doesn’t feel right coming into your shop. Says it’s too fancy, and he’s afraid he’ll break something. But he’s the same way in his big rooms behind the livery. Ever since I fixed them up with some pretty rugs and new chairs, he’s been skittish.”
Ruby laughed. “It’s the same with Quent. Even now, he feels clumsy and out of place in the shop.”
“Speaking of Quent,” Patience said softly, “he’s right outside the door. Pacing.”
“As he should be,” Jade said in her lilting voice. “But he isn’t alone. Our husbands are with him. And Gil and Daniel.” She turned to Ruby. “It was sweet of you to ask Daniel to carry your ring. And Gil is bursting with pride over the fact that he’s going to give away the bride.”
“And why not? They’re family. And this is a special day for our family.”
When Patience took her leave, Quent grabbed the door before it could close and forced his way through.
“You mustn’t see the bride, Quent. You have to leave.” Pearl started toward him, but at the look in his eyes, she took a step back.
“You can’t keep me out any longer,” Quent said, daring them to argue. “I need to see Ruby.”
Seeing the way he was sweating, Pearl turned to her sisters and whispered, “I think we ought to take pity on him. What do you say?”
Diamond and Jade nodded. With quick kisses on Ruby’s cheek, they slipped from the room.
Quent couldn’t stop staring at Ruby. She was a vision. Suddenly all his nerves were forgotten. This was why he’d dressed in a fancy suit. And why he’d permitted the entire town to watch him make a fool of himself in church. And why he’d allowed himself to be caught up in all the silly festivities of the past weeks. Dinner at the widow Purdy’s. Cake and lemonade with gossips Lavinia, Gladys and Effie, who acted like fussy old aunts. And elderberry wine at Millie Potter’s, who kept saying she’d known all along that he’d fallen for Ruby. When he hadn’t even known it himself.
But here she was. Still taking his breath away. And the need for her just grew every day, until all he could think about was seeing Ruby, being with her, holding her.
“Nervous?” she asked.
He stepped closer and took her hand. “I was. But not now. What about you?”
She shook her head. “How could I be nervous, with my big, brave, strong lawman beside me?” She glanced at his lapel. “I didn’t think you’d wear your badge today.”
“Why not? I’m still a marshal. Even on my wedding day.”
She lifted her hands to it and began to unpin it.
His eyes narrowed slightly. “I thought you said you didn’t mind my badge?”
“I don’t.” She slipped it off and casually tossed it down. “But that isn’t your badge.”
He looked puzzled. “I don’t understand.”
“This is.” She opened her palm to display an old, dented, badly worn badge that winked in the sunlight.
“My father’s badge.” He felt a lump in his throat. His voice was gruff. “I thought it had been lost in the scuffle with Boyd Barlow. How did you...? Where did you...?”
“Even though I am about to marry a man of the law, it is difficult to give up everything in my less-than-perfect past. I managed to slip it away from Boyd Barlow while he was...otherwise engaged. He, more than any other, deserved my petit vengeance, chéri.”
“Remind me to never get on your bad side,” he said with a laugh.
She pinned the badge to his lapel, then stood back to admire. “Oui. It looks right. Perfect.”
He hauled her into his arms. Against her cheek he muttered, “Oh, Ruby. You’re the one who’s perfect. Promise me you’ll never change.”
“Oui. I promise. And I promise something else. I will love you, my beloved lawman, for all time.”
“I remember when you called me a cochon,” he said with a laugh.
She returned the laughter. “You are a cochon. But you are my cochon. And a most loved one.”
The kiss she gave him was long and slow and deep.
A knock sounded on the door, and Diamond’s muffled voice could be heard calling them to hurry. “There’s a churchful of people waiting for you two.”
As they joined her family for the walk to the church, Ruby felt her heart nearly bursting with happiness.
“Merci, Papa,” she whispered. “For giving me my heart’s desire. The family I always dreamed of. A chance for a new life in Texas. And best of all, a man who loves me...just as I am.”
The sun slipped from behind a cloud, bathing them in golden rays. And Ruby smiled, feeling the benediction of her father’s love upon all of them. This was Onyx Jewel’s finest gift to his daughters. The fulfillment of his promise to be with them always.
IMPRINT: e-book HMB Series Specials
ISBN: 9781460870440
TITLE: RUBY
First Australian Publication 2012
Copyright © 2012 RUTH LANGAN
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