Cole's Redemption (Love Amongst the Pines) (19 page)

             
"If that's what you want, but I'd remember if I were you, that girl has lived up here on this mountain all of her life. She likely can handle a gun as well as you and me. As soon as we know for sure, you'd better tell her."

             
"I will, but if there is an armed man or men out there, then they'll be gunning for me. Maybe it would be best if we separated for a while."

             
"Somehow, I don't see Natalie taking to that idea much. When the time comes, you ask her."

             
Miriam watched as the last of her luggage was loaded onto the wagon. "How far is it until we reach Whispering Pines?" She asked the old man as he finished tying the suitcases on the wagon.

             
"About two days' hard ride from here. Are you sure you're up to it?"

             
Miriam shook her head. "Sir, I've been on a stage coach for over two months. This will be like a Sunday
drive
."

             
Melly
came up behind her. "It's all set, Mrs.
Remmington
. I've paid for our lodgings and bought us enough food for the rest of the journey."

             
"Thank you,
Melly
."

             
When Miriam turned to climb onto the front of the wagon, her companion tugged at her sleeve.

             
"What is it?" Miriam turned around in time to Wesley Greene's approach. He offered to help her up into the coach. She reluctantly took his hand.

             
"I am glad I caught up with you, Ma'am. I wanted to wish you luck on the remainder of your journey."

             
"Thank you, sir. You are most kind."

             
He tipped his hat, and Miriam nodded. As the wagon pulled away, she turned herself forward, but she could still feel his eyes watching her until the wagon turned the last bend and headed due south out of town.

             
Like dropping of a shield, Miriam relaxed. She was only two days from finding out if her son was dead or alive.

             
Greene watched the wagon pull out of sight. "For the most part, I've always considered myself a lucky man. Lucky in that, as the son of a Texas dirt farmer, I managed to carve out a successful business in cattle ranching. Lucky because I missed getting killed when I went to war back in sixty-three.   In fact, I consider myself extremely fortunate that I've missed being killed by outlaws on several occasions since I put on the badge of a Texas Ranger."

             
"No doubt about it, Boss," Bob Lucas said, ambling up behind him. He'd been Greene's hired man, and had been trailing the stagecoach since Kansas, making sure his employer stayed healthy.

             
"And now, that same luck stays with me. Learning that my son's killer had a mother leaving Boston to search for him. If

my
luck continues, she'll lead me right to the murderer's door. Then, I can take my own measure of justice."

             
"You want me to follow her, Boss?"

             
"
Naw
. I know where she's going. I've got a man already in Whispering Pines. He's watching the bastard now. We can take our time getting to Cole
Remmington
. You head back to the spread and help Billy and Abrams get ready for the drive. As it is, we're already two months behind. I need to get the cattle to market before winter sets in good. Besides, there won't be anyway for that son of a bitch to slip through the noose I'm tying."

             
Natty felt wrapped up tighter than a watch spring. It was Sunday morning, her wedding day, just before noon. She was sitting in the back of the church waiting for the ceremony to start. For the moment, the whole world seemed to revolve around her, and she was painfully separated from it all while everyone buzzed around her like crazy bees.

             
Worse yet, she'd not seen Cole, Judge, or Dermott since yesterday. Her husband had insisted she come into town and stay with Bessie Watkins Saturday afternoon. He, Judge, and Dermott stayed at the Judge's house. Even though it had been less than a day, she sorely missed her little family.

             
Early that morning she had attended Church for the first time in her life. Scared half out of her wits at the beginning, she quickly learned that it wasn't so bad, especially the singing part. She clapped heartily after the soloist sang, but was embarrassed when no one else joined in. Well, in her opinion if a person could sing that well, there ought to be clapping.

             
"Are you almost ready, Natalie?" Bessie asked her.

             
Natty nodded. "I think so. I wasn't this nervous the first time."

             
"Shame on those men from trying to rob you of a ceremony." Bessie shook her hand at the direction of the Judge's house.

             
"It was my fault, too." She stood, pulling the now weighted wedding gown around her.

             
"You are practically blameless," Bessie started tweaking bits of fabric. "Such a lovely bride. I swear my Charity was almost as pretty as you, but not quite. "

             
"Oh, Mrs. Watkins, you don't have to say that. I know what I look like. I swear; you are just about the nicest lady I've ever met."

             
Bessie looked at her with a strange expression. "You mean, you don't know?"

             
"Know what?" Natty had a twist in her gut, half from being afraid that her worst fears had come true, and the other half a new anxiety, as though something that had been wrong all of her life finally righted itself.

             
Bessie turned into a flurry of action. "Mary Margaret, Ben, quick, run to the house and fetch my Chevalier looking glass! Mind you, don't break it, or I'll have your hides!"

             
The women who were tying up ribbons for the church decoration stopped, as did Preacher Dean and his pianist, Gussie Fletcher. All looked towards Natty. She shrank away from their expectant stares.

             
In minutes, the front door of the church opened, and the two teenagers carried the precious glass between them. Setting it aright, they stood back reverently.

             
Bessie took hold of
Natty's
arm and led her to stand in front of the mirror. At first, Natty was afraid to look. She didn't want to be disappointed on her wedding day. The truth was she had been pretending all morning that she had been a beautiful fairy princess, all dressed out, and waiting for her prince to arrive. But now, reality threatened to crash into her dreams and it was almost more than she could stand.

             
"Go on, child. Take a look," Bessie whispered gently beside her.

             
Taking a deep breath, Natty stepped up to the glass. Looking downwards, she slowly took in the hem of her gown and
inch by inch
brought her gaze up the length of the mirror. The results weren't what she expected.

             
Instead of the gangly legged, big-eyed girl she'd always thought she'd been, there stood a regal young woman. She knew it was
her
, because of the surprised look on her reflection's face. Her short, blond hair curled around a soft, clear skinned face. Her wide mahogany eyes with thick lashes blinked back at her in surprise, and her too small mouth made a petite little 'o' as she stared at it.

             
"It's beautiful," she muttered looking at the way the white and lace gown fit trim to her figure. It was her mother's shape she saw as she looked at the glass, but it was her own as well. Suddenly, she felt a new sensation. Pride welled up in her. She was going to be a wonderful sight beside her handsome new husband.

             
"Oh, honey," Bessie said beside her, "you're beautiful!"

             
Cole paced the length of the small kitchen for the one- hundredth time. He'd made it through the unending church service that morning with Natty seated on the other side of the room. It had been the Christian Ladies Society who had insisted that they not be officially together until after the ceremony. When he'd turned for support from Judge and the other men of the congregation, they quickly stepped back. It became clear if he was to oppose the men's wives and girlfriends, he was going to do so alone. To make matters worse, the female half of Whispering Pines had taken it upon themselves to take over the church and make final preparations for the bride and the building.

             
"You're going to wear a hole in my floor," Judge noted, watching Cole's constant movement.

             
"This is crazy. I can't stand it. We need to march over there, get Natty, and get the hell out of town."

             
Judge smiled. "Looks like you're a bit jumpy today."

             
"Wouldn't any sane man be 'jumpy' with all this going on?" Cole shot back at him.

             
"I know I was almost as irritable as you."

             
"It's just that this all is so unnecessary. We're already married! Natty and I don't need all the pomp and fuss to make our marriage."

             
"True, you don't need it. But, Natty does." He paused a moment, "I think women don't always get a fair deal. They do all the cooking and cleaning, work from dawn 'til dusk, while men do their jobs, stop at the saloon for a few drinks, and then go home to a warm dinner and a soft bed. I've been without
Tildy
for five long years now, Cole. I never considered how much she did for me until she was gone."

             
Cole sat on the chair across from Judge. "I love Natty. I would walk through the fires of hell for her."

             
"Then you can walk down one flowered church aisle, too. It's a might less uncomfortable."

             
Suddenly, the front door opened, and Sheriff Watkins stuck his head in. "You gents best come on. Bessie says they're ready to start. She wants us to go round to the back door of the church so you won't see Natty in her gown."

             
Cole barely breathed. His limbs were frozen, and he couldn't summon the strength to rise from his chair.

             
"Come on, son. A few minutes, and this part will all be over." Judge stepped over to Cole's left side and helped him stand.

             
"You know," Watkins stated seriously as he move to take Cole's right arm, "I don't think he was this
scairt
' walking out of the jailhouse on the way to his hanging!"

             
"When you think about it, a wedding and a death sentence are likely the most frightening thing in a man's life," Doc Evans said as he joined them outside the house.

             
The somber group moved towards the church. "Come on, Cole. A few more steps and this'll be over." Judge told him.

             
"I can always run and get
Steff
Geary and tell him to bring his hammer," Watkins supplied helpfully.

             
"I don't know that he'd even feel it this time," Judge laughed.

             
Cole listened to their banter beside him and knew there would come a time later on when they would all laugh about it.

             
But the specter of the Whispering Pines Memorial Church loomed before him, like some medieval dragon waiting to swallow him whole. Instead of scales and teeth, he saw the whitewashed building with polished wood doors, window frames, and a steeple so high that it literally pierced the clouds. In a few minutes, the gaping doors opened, and he was half pushed, half drug inside. A mortal lunch for the voracious appetite fueled by the Ladies Church Society inside.

             
His feelings of anxiety and fear rising with every passing moment; Cole was led to his place beside the altar. He looked up at the intricately carved figure on the wooden cross and reckoned that of all of life's trials, this one was maybe not the most harrowing. Close, but not the worst.

             
Suddenly, the large doors to the front of the church opened and the processional began. Beside him, Mrs. Fletcher began playing the wedding march that sounded a lot like the hymns they'd sat through early that morning.

             
"Hang on there, Son. Not much longer now," Judge whispered beside him.

             
Cole could have sworn his heart was near to stopping. His hands and feet were as cold as ice in winter as he watched the long line of women enter. Each one took her seat, until finally two small flower girls carrying baskets entered the building. Behind them, two other women marched in single file. They held their heads high, and stepped in formation with more precision than an army company on drill.
             

Behind them, Cole could make out a veiled white figure, a slender fetching girl, clutching Dermott's arm like a woman fixing to go down for the third time in sea of
white
.

             
"Natty," Cole whispered when his sluggish brain realized that the woman who hung onto Dermott's arm was his bride.

             
"My God, she's sure a picture, isn't she?" Judge said beside him.

             
Unable to speak, Cole only nodded. In the scheme of his world, everything just shifted and righted itself once and for all. He suddenly knew that this was the moment he'd lived for his whole life. This one woman was all his dreams were made of, and the life he'd lived before vanished in the span of those few moments. Maggie and Zachary would always be a part of him; there was no denying their existence. That was the past, and there was no changing it. For the first time in almost two years, the thick chains of depression and anger that had held him prisoner suddenly broke loose. As the darkness left his soul, Cole found hope for his future. From that moment on, Natty would be the best part of his life, and Cole thanked God for it.

             
Finally, Natty reached the altar, her eyes wide under the lacy fabric.

             
"Beloved," he said in his strongest voice as he peered through her lacy veil. The congregation gave a twittering response to his endearment but Cole heard none of it. His entire being was focused on the woman before him. In those seconds, he searched her expression. The dirty-faced little street urchin had vanished, and yet, a part of her still existed. He'd been wrong for thinking she was a half-grown child. He realized that the vision before him was a woman complete, and he was the luckiest man on earth to have her as his own.

             
"Cole," she said back. It was the last word he was aware of, not hearing the Preacher speak, the piano play, nor the crowd

clapping
its approval. When the exchange of vows had come this time, Cole had called out his "I do," and had been a completed man when Natty had given her consent as well. With Judge's help, he slipped a gold band on
Natty's
finger.

             
"That's my wedding present, Natty," Judge stated quietly beside them.

             
"That's my Ma's ring!" It was the very same one she'd traded for Cole's life so many weeks before.

             
He held up his bandaged right hand and gave Natty a quick wink.

             
"I guess you sort of marked me already," he whispered. Natty blushed a rose color that was visible through the lace.

             
"I said I was sorry about that," she whispered back.

             
"I'm not." Beside them, Preacher Dean cleared his throat noisily, and took both of their hands in his. "I now have the pleasure of announcing before God and the citizens of Whispering Pines, Mr. and Mrs. Cole
Remmington
."

             
Cole took Natty in his arms and gave her a deep, heartfelt kiss. It was a promise of what life between them would become. A cheer rose around the church, ladies swooned, and men whooped and hollered. In the center of it all, Cole held Natty close and thanked God that he'd been spared the hangman's rope and given a wife instead.