by West, Everly
"How many times have I told you I'm not interested in getting married. The man could be wealthier than the king of England and still I would not want to walk down the aisle to him. Mother, when are you going to listen to me and hear what it is I want?"
August peered out from behind the drapes and stared at the woman whose face radiated red. The beautiful woman didn't want to ensnare a husband? How unusual.
"Cora, you don't understand. A woman must find a man who can take care of her or she could live the worst life ever. Believe me, you come from a poor Irish family. Because I married your father, your life is much better than mine was. This way you will never have to work for a living."
Typical debutante mother. Pushing her daughter on some unsuspecting man because she thought he was rich. Never before had he considered the woman's side of courtship. Especially one who didn't want to rush to the chapel.
"Maybe I'd like to have a job. Maybe I want to be a designer."
Why would she want to hold a job? What kind of designer was she talking about?
The mother didn't respond but stood facing her daughter. "I'm giving you five minutes to get out there and flirt with that young man. When you come out, I want to see you smiling and laughing and teasing. By the end of the night, I want Mr. Moonlite to approach your father and ask to court you. Do you understand me?"
Silence. And he knew the obstinate woman was digging in her heels, not ready to acquiesce.
"If not, I will not let you go into town and visit Madame Danielle."
"You wouldn't," she hissed.
When they rode down the main street to the hotel, he'd seen the shop. The woman was upset about not being able to go to a dressmaker? Maybe she was like all the other debutantes. Maybe she wanted pretty dresses at any costs.
"I can be as obstinate as you," the mother said almost gleefully. She whirled around and walked out the door.
The beautiful young woman stomped her foot almost roaring her frustration. For a second, he watched her mini temper tantrum, then he stepped out from behind the curtains, laughing.
"Don't worry," he said grinning. "The girls tell me I'm good at flirting, and I don't want to get married either."
With a quick swivel, she turned and faced him, her forehead and brows frowning. "You were there the entire time?"
"Heard it all," he said, sipping at his drink, enjoying her obvious embarrassment. "August Moonlite, at your service."
"Grimany," she said, holding her hand up to her mouth in shock.
"We'll make your mother happy. We'll flirt and laugh and even dance several times. But I'm not going to ask your father if I can court you. That would be carrying our flirtation just a little too far."
The expression on her agitated face as he tried to hold in his laughter was priceless. The woman did not appreciate him hiding as she stood across the room, staring at him.
She picked up a book and hurled it at him.
He ducked. Good thing the woman didn't want to marry; she had a temper.
"Of all the humiliating things to happen in my life, this is the worst. A gentleman would have made his presence known."
No way would he have come out while her mother scolded her. No telling what the woman would have said or done.
"Nobody said I was a gentleman. And listening to someone else's parent yell at them besides mine, I found very enjoyable. For once I'm not on the hot seat."
That remark earned a second book thrown at him, which clipped him on the shoulder. "Ouch."
Hands on her hips, she glared at him, her emerald eyes flashing with anger. "Do you think I wanted you to know my mother insisted on me flirting with you."
Of course not, but it was the first bright spot in a long dreary evening. A chuckle escaped him as he grinned at her. "No, but it's kind of funny. At least one woman here is not coming after me. We should spend the night dancing and making tongues wag since we both agree marriage is not for us."
The woman threw her hands up. "That's it."
Lifting her silk skirts, giving him just a glance at a trim ankle, she hurried out of the room.
As she left, he raised his glass to her. "Now, honey, you are a woman I would enjoy pursuing since I'm not what you want. We'll never know if there was the possibility of something between us."
Chapter 2
Cora's face felt flushed, her blood rushed through her veins like the river after the snow melted. Never had she experienced such embarrassment and humiliation in all her life. How could she banter with this man after he heard her mother insisting she flirt outrageously with him or lose the things that made her the happiest, her fashion catalogs.
Fleeing the library, she saw her mother greeting people at the door. She couldn't return to the ballroom, she couldn't run out the door, so she headed up the stairs, lifting her silk skirt and all but running. Maybe Kelly was still in her room. Maybe she would help her escape this insane situation.
On the second floor, she threw open the door to Kelly's empty bedroom. Where was her friend?
At this moment, she needed Kelly's quiet reassurance as she paced the rug. The man's taunting words echoed through her brain. Now he knew she didn't want to play ballroom games. All she wanted was to go to school in New York. Leave the ranch and experience life, not become someone's wife.
And her mother would never accept that a rich man taking care of her wasn't enough. Maybe the time had come for her to go out on her own. After all, she was twenty years old, she had a little money saved and her father would send her more once she reached New York.
If she left now, she wouldn't be forced to face August Moonlite or her mother again. Drawn to the window, she glanced out at the trellis that Kelly and she had climbed many times when they were children.
The roses were no longer in bloom, but the thorns remained on the leafless vine. Darkness greeted her, but she wasn't afraid. As a child, she had walked or ridden to visit Kelly many times.
Even in the inky black of night, finding her way home would be easy. From there, she would go into town and catch the train.
Determination roared through her as she raised the glass, and a cold blast of frigid air hit her. A quick glance down at the ground had her reconsidering if she was being foolish. But then the memory of her mother and that horrid man had her throwing her leg over the frame.
Raising her dress, she prayed the tulle fabric would not get snagged on a thorn as she found the first rung. Just like when she was a kid, she could do this and soon would be on a train heading out of Wyoming. Away from marriage, to the life she desired.
For a moment, she sat there trembling before she finally let go of the house. Her hand gripped the railing as she took another step down and then another. On the fourth rung, a thorn sank into her hand and she released the railing, shifting her weight to the side.
A cracking noise alerted her just as the wood beneath her foot gave way and the trellis swayed away from the house.
Panic seized her chest, as screaming, she plunged from the trellis, falling through the air and landing with a thump into a man's arms. Anxious, she slowly opened her eyes and gazed into the bluest eyes this side of the United States scowling at her.
"You," he said with a growl, "are nothing but trouble."
Embarrassed, she realized the hem of her full skirt was around her neck exposing her pantaloons and his hand lay on her thigh.
The door to the house flung open and several men ran outside with a lantern, along with one woman. Her mother.
"Cora," her mother said. "What have you done?"
Not are you all right, are you hurt, or you could have died, but what have you done? Really?
Yanking her skirt down, she tried to stand on her own two feet, but he held her fast. This was not what she wanted her mother to see.
"Nothing."
"John," her mother screamed. "John, get out here and defend our daughter's honor."
Cora's feet landed on the ground and she turned to her mother. "No, Mother. Nothing happen
ed. I fell from the window and Mr. Moonlite caught me."
Her mother ran to her side, she grabbed her by the arm. "Your dress was above your head. What did this scoundrel do to you? Your father will make certain he makes an honest woman of you."
"No, Mother, no," Cora cried, looking at August, pleading for him to help her.
In the dark, his blue eyes appeared colder than ice. "Very clever, Miss O'Brian. It seems you wanted my attention after all."
* * *
"John, you know what you must do to save your daughter's reputation," the old witch said, and August immediately disliked this pushy woman. At this point, he wasn't certain of anything except that he'd been tricked.
Stepping outside to clear his head of what had just transpired in the library, he walked right into this woman's plan to snag her daughter a husband.
When he heard the scream, he ran around the corner, in time to catch Miss O'Brian from seriously injuring herself in a fall. While he didn't wish her harm, he also had no intentions of marrying the woman.
"Mother, nothing happened. Mr. Moonlite saved me from hitting the ground. He caught me."
"Dear, it may seem innocent to you, but your dress was above your head when we all came outside to see who was screaming. And his hands... Your reputation has been ruined and now this scoundrel must marry you. I insist."
The old witch could insist all she wanted, but he would never marry their daughter.
"Minnie, stop," her father said before he looked at Mr. Moonlite. "While I think that nothing untoward happened with my daughter, I'm going to insist that you marry her."
"Papa," Cora said with a cry, "you know this is not what I want. You promised me I could go to New York. You said you would help me."
The woman began to softly cry, and August had an incredible urge to comfort her. The two were being railroaded into something neither of them wanted. Or was it? Twice now, she said she didn't want to marry and yet the mother was demanding they say I do.
"What?" the girl's mother said. "Absolutely not. My daughter is not leaving the state. I forbid it. We insist you marry Mr. Moonlite."
With regret, August turned and gazed at his father, hating asking for his assistance. "Are you going to help me?"
His father sighed. "Son, this might be for the best. After all, the girl's reputation is ruined. How many times have I told you to stay inside and tend to business? Not go out in the garden gallivanting with a young woman."
August clenched his fists, anger surging through his body like a flash flood of pure hate. Because he stepped outside to get away from the pimping mothers, he would now be forced to marry a woman he saved.
"If I hadn't gone outside, she would have fallen to her death from that second-floor window," he said and then glanced at her. "Why were you crawling out the window?"
"To escape you," she said with an angry retort.
A groan escaped his throat. Her choice of words did not help them.
The window rattled from the force of the wind as a storm now raged outside, much like August inside. As he stared at the people in the room, he knew there was no getting out of this. They had circled him like a group of wagons, pinning him down.
Glancing at Cora, he saw tears streaming down her cheeks. For saving the troublesome woman, they would be tied to each other for eternity.
The room was silent as all eyes stared at him, pressuring him to make a decision.
"All right, I'll marry the girl," he said, thinking how they could ever make this into a happy union. The woman was beautiful, daring, and yet she stood next to her mother crying and shaking her head.
"Noooo," she cried. "I'll get the marriage annulled," she said, her voice turning defiant. "This is not what I want."
Neither one of them wanted this, but both sets of parents seemed determined they would marry.
With a smile, her mother patted her on the arm. "Cora, put aside your childish dreams and accept this is your destiny. You're going to be the wife of the governor's son. The preacher is here. Your friends are here, I think we should do this tonight."
Great, they weren't even going to give them time to sleep on it. The wedding would happen tonight, right now.
"No," Cora cried. "Mother, I will never forgive you for what you're doing."
Her mother tried to wrap her arm around her daughter, but she pushed her away.
"Dear, someday you'll thank me for saving your reputation."
The girl turned away from her mother and August realized this would be a tense night.
The preacher stepped forward. "We can perform the ceremony, right now."
"Papa, stop them," she cried.
John O'Brian sighed and shook his head. "Let's do this right away, hopefully before the storm becomes too bad, so we can be on our way."
August wanted to laugh. Why in the world had he agreed to come with his father to Laramie? Once again, he made a bad choice and instead of staying back when he should have, he let his father talk him into coming. Now, because of his moment of weakness, he would become a married man.
* * *
Cora felt like she was in a bad dream, and any moment, she would awaken. Rising, she looked around the room. "Everyone out."
Her mother and father rose. "Except for you two. Stay right where you are."
A surge of power from deep within her spurred her on. Maybe her mother was right, she was an obstinate child.
After everyone left, she whirled to face her parents. "What are you doing? Don't you know that you are forcing me into a life I don't want?" She turned on her father. "Papa, you promised to speak with mother and tell her my plans were to go to New York City to fashion designer school."
From the expression on her mother's face, the way her eyes flashed and her lip snarled, Cora knew her father had not spoken to her mother.
With a whirl her mother faced her father. "John, you've been keeping secrets from me."
"No, I've been trying to help our daughter, hoping she'd come to her senses and decide to stay home. Now, she has no choice. The man's hand was beneath your skirt on your pantaloons. No man gets away with disgracing my daughter."
In shock, Cora stood there so disappointed in her father, disbelief clutching her stomach into a painful knot.
"So, you had no intention of helping me reach New York?"
With fury, she watched his face scrunch into a frown as he scratched his head. "Someday you'll understand. The thought of my daughter on the other side of the United States, so far away from me, I couldn't help you. The more I tried, the more I didn't want you to go anywhere. I didn't want you to leave."
What about her needs? What about her dreams? How could they not consider what she wanted in her life?
"And you think marrying me off, I'm going to be right here at your side?"
If they weren't careful, hell would freeze over before she forgave them for ruining her life forever.
With a show of unity, her mother walked over and laid a hand on her father's shoulder, standing behind him as he sat in the big parlor chair. "Your father is protecting your honor. Your reputation. We're both insistent that you marry August Moonlite."
Together her parents nodded, and she understood she had no choice. With a sigh, she groaned.
"So, my wishes, Mr. Moonlite's wishes, don't matter. Nor the fact that we don't love one another. In fact, I'm pretty sure I hate the man right now and wish he would have let me fallen. At least dead, I wouldn't be marrying someone I don't love."
Like a lioness protecting her young, her mother all but growled. "Stop being so dramatic, Cora. Mr. Moonlite comes from an excellent family. You'll have everything you ever desire."
What about love? Would she have love from a man who didn't want to marry her? How could her mother say such rubbish when she didn't know or understand what she desired? Being in fashion, that was her dream. Now that dream would no longer be possible.
"Except a career in fashion. But I'll have a good reputation and a husband I don't love. Sound
s like a wonderful life. Thank you, Mother," she said with sarcasm dripping from her lips.
With a growl, her father stood. "Enough. It's time. Get Mr. Moonlite and the preacher. This will soon be settled."
With a glance at the door, Cora considered running, but a storm raged outside the windows rattling the panes, snow hissing against the glass. Of all nights for a blizzard to trap them at the Quincy's ranch.
The doors flung open and Fiona marched in. "Minnie, what is this nonsense I hear about your daughter and Mr. Moonlite?"
Cora's mother's lips turned up in a smile and she realized her mother had planned this marriage all along. Falling out of the window played right into her plot.
"Oh, Fiona, the best news ever. They are going to be married right here, in just a few minutes."
"What?" the woman asked, stunned, turning to Cora. "Is this true?"
Cora stared at her parents. "Mother is getting her wish. I'm marrying Mr. Moonlite, though nothing happened between the two of us. Where's Kelly? If we're having a wedding, then I want my best friend at my side."
"That's why I was searching for you. We can't find Kelly," Fiona said tearfully.
"Then we must wait," Cora insisted. "My best friend will be by my side."
Minnie frowned. "Regardless, the wedding must go on." Like a queen, she turned to her husband. "John, find the governor, his son, and the preacher. Let's get this done before anything else goes wrong."
Once again, her wishes were being denied. Once again, she could not delay the vows.
With a scowl, her father rose, but before he walked out the door, he stopped in front of Cora. "You're a Wyoming girl. Your place is here in the state with your family."
Cora turned her back on him. The one person she believed had been on her side had betrayed her and she wasn't ready to forgive him, just yet. The life she had wanted was no longer possible and the fact he had never planned on helping her was what hurt most of all.
Chapter 3
