Mail Order Baron (The Brides of Tombstone Book 3) (6 page)

Ben turned from the settee where he’d set Hope down to play, apparently in an attempt to keep her clean.

She kept him busy, making sure she didn’t fall off.

“You look lovely, especially for getting ready in a matter of minutes.”

“I can be fast when I have to be. Something I learned when I left my old job as a secretary at the bank.”

“Well, you learned well. Shall we go?”

“Yes. Let’s get this done. Hope, are you ready to be in a wedding?” Molly tickled the baby’s stomach.

Hope giggled.

“You seem anxious.” Ben adjusted Hope in his arms.

She smiled and let out a breath. “I am nervous and when I’m nervous I find that facing what is bothering me, head-on is the best thing to do.”

“That’s a reasonable approach.”

“I would hope I’m sensible in all my endeavors.”

Ben carried Hope and Molly walked by their side. The three of them proceeded down the boardwalk without talking. The day was sunny and the air hot. Hotter than she was used to and she felt the sweat between her breasts. She ignored the sensation. They walked like that until they reached the new courthouse and found Judge Blackstone’s chamber. The place was easy to spot since Lizzie and Mal were standing outside.

Lizzie held a baby about the same age as Hope.

I hope you don’t mind that we brought Roy,” said Lizzie.

Mal added, “Atina, Lizzie’s mother wasn’t feeling well this morning, and we didn’t think it was a good idea to leave Roy for her to watch. She needs her rest.”

“No, not at all,” said Ben. “The babies can keep each other company on the floor while the vows are said. Then we can all go back to the hotel for refreshments. I’m having a little celebration set up in my suite.” Ben looked at Molly. “I thought you would want to have a reception after the wedding.”

Molly smiled. “I think that’s wonderful and very thoughtful. By that time my stomach will have settled and I’ll be hungry again.”

“You have a good appetite. I like that,” said Ben. “Even though I may not be home that often for dinner, it’s not fun to take a meal with someone who only wants to eat the vegetables.”

Molly raised an eyebrow. “You’ll never have that problem with me.”

The clerk, a tall, wiry man with unmanageable red hair, came into the room. “The judge is ready for you now.”

They filed into the room, ladies first.

“Ben, glad to see you.” Judge Blackstone rose from behind his desk and came around to the front. “Let’s get this started shall we. I have a courtroom full of people waiting.”

“Where do you want us?” Ben set Hope on the floor next to Roy. Lizzie, bless her, had brought some toys for them to play with.

“I want you and Mal on my left, Miss McGregor and Lizzie on my right.”

They lined up where he indicated.

“Good. Now let’s begin. Do you, Benjamin Franklin King, take this woman, Molly Estelle McGregor, to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, through sickness and health, for richer or for poorer, to love and cherish as long as you both shall live?”

“I do.” Ben’s deep baritone resonated throughout the small chamber.

“Repeat after me, with this ring I thee wed.”

“With this ring I thee wed.” Ben put a lovely diamond and silver band on her finger.

“Now, Miss McGregor, your turn. Do you Molly Estelle McGregor, take this man, Benjamin Franklin King, to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, through sickness and health, for richer or for poorer, to love, cherish and obey as long as you both shall live?”

“I do.” Molly’s voice was soft but clear.

“Repeat after me, with this ring I thee wed.”

Molly pulled the plain gold band from her pocket and shoved it just past the second knuckle on Ben’s finger. She clasped his hand in hers. “You’re much larger than I anticipated, but with this ring I thee wed.”

“Then by the power vested in me by the City of Tombstone, Cochise County, and the Territory of Arizona, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

Ben placed his hands on either side of her face, bent down, and kissed her very gently. Then he pressed his tongue against her lips.

Her eyes flew open but she let him in and he gave her another of those kisses that curled her toes. Were all his kisses like these? She sure hoped so. She didn’t mind the idea of curled toes at all.

* * *

Tom Marlow tracked the woman he planned to kill to the backwater town of Tombstone. What kind of name was that for a town? He’d heard a silver boom occurred here. More silver than a man could ever want. But he didn’t want silver, he wanted revenge.

She’d sent him to prison and he’d still be there if not for some blind dumb luck. He’d happened to be on the right prison wagon with the right criminals. They had planned an escape and he got to be a part of it. He’d managed to get to his stash. The one the police never found. Plenty of money to get by on until he could set himself up somewhere. San Francisco, maybe.

But first she was here. Came as a mail order bride. That made sense. She wasn’t attractive to most men, not with her plain blonde hair. He had to admit her eyes were nice. A rich blue, like the first iris of spring.

What she looked like didn’t matter. Molly McGregor would pay for what she did to him. Pay with everything she had.

* * *

After the ceremony, everyone returned to the Tombstone Hotel to celebrate. It was eleven o’clock in the morning, and Sadie out did herself with the spread of finger foods of all kinds, fried chicken, small sandwiches made from slices of roast beef or turkey and potato salad. For dessert she made apple pie, peach cobbler and chocolate cake. Something for everyone.

Molly’s eyes widened when she saw all the food. “Oh my, there’s enough food here for an army.”

“No, by the time we finish eating, there will be just enough to sustain you for your festivities tonight.” Mal winked at Ben.

“Oh!” Molly looked away, hoping no one saw her redden.

“Don’t listen to him,” said Lizzie. “He likes to be outrageous sometimes.”

She punched Mal in the arm.

Molly excused herself to go to her room and take off her hat.

Ben followed.

“Don’t worry,” he said quietly, placing his hands on her shoulders as she looked into the mirror. “We’ll be fine. You’ll be fine. Don’t be afraid. I won’t hurt you.”

“What about Hope?” Molly asked, just as quiet, suddenly frightened of what lay ahead.

“We’ll put her crib in the living room and still be able to hear her if she cries.”

Well, he seemed to have it all worked out, much to her dismay.

Ben took her hands in his. “I promise you will like making love, and you’ll love the children we make.”

Her voice quavered and if he hadn’t been holding her hands, he could have seen them shake. “I’m scared. I’ve never…done…it…never—”

“I know, and that pleases me very much. Now, let’s entertain our guests.”

They returned to Ben’s room, Mal and Lizzie were over in a corner watching the babies play. The two youngsters got along so well together.

“Mal and I have made a decision,” said Lizzie when she saw they were standing next to her. “We’re going to take Hope home with us, so you have some privacy.”

“No,” said Ben widening his gaze and putting his hands out palm up. “I can’t let you do that. Matt and Julia left her with me and here she’ll stay. You wouldn’t want me handing off my duties of watching Roy, to someone else, no matter how well you know them.”

“You’re right.” Lizzie tilted her head then nodded. “I would expect Roy to be with you whenever I came for him. Well, it was just a thought, but I know you’ll be fine. Hope is a good baby.”

“Yes, she is,” agreed Molly and Ben together.

After everyone had left, Molly and Ben played with Hope, fed her lunch, and then put her down for a nap. She seemed so tired.

As soon as Ben laid her in the crib, she started to cry. He’d get her back up and they all would play until Hope could barely keep her eyes open and Ben would lay her down again. But the moment her back touched the mattress, her little eyes popped open and she started crying.

“She needs a nap. Regardless of what we want, she comes first. Why don’t we lie down on the bed with her between us? All three of us will get some rest that way. And when she does fall asleep tonight, we won’t be too tired ourselves.” Molly hoped she didn’t sound too anxious or standoffish. She really was trying to come up with a solution to Hope’s problem.

“She’s not usually like this. Generally, she goes right down for her nap and at night.”

“Maybe she doesn’t feel good. Is she teething? Is she running a fever?”

Ben reached up and felt Hope’s forehead. “I think she is a little warm.”

“I’ll go see if Sadie has any willow bark tea. That will help with the fever, and with the pain. She’s probably teething. Let me see.”

She went to Hope and stroked her face. “Let’s see if you’re teething little girl. Molly put her finger in Hope’s mouth and felt around her gums. She found a place where the gum was swollen, like a tooth was trying to come through. “Ah, there it is. She is teething. I’ll get her a wet washrag to chew on.”

“I should have known after helping with all my siblings, but for some reason with Hope, everything seems new again.”

“How long since you were around a baby?”

“My youngest brother is ten years younger than me, so he’s twenty-five, so it’s been that long. Twenty-five years.”

She smiled. “I’d say you’re allowed to forget how to do things in that length of time.”

Molly went to the bureau and poured some water from the pitcher into the basin. It wasn’t icy but was cool and would stay that way. The coolness would help. She put in a wash cloth in got it sopping wet and then wrung it out well so it wasn’t dripping. Then she handed the cloth to Hope.

The baby immediately put it in her mouth and chewed on it. Then she took it out, grinned, babbled a little and put it back.

Molly thought maybe she was saying thank you in baby talk.

“Do you have some whiskey?” Molly remembered another remedy her mother had tried on Molly’s little brother, Robert.

He lifted an eyebrow. “Don’t you think it’s a little early?”

“Not for me, I don’t drink hard spirits, but if we take a little and rub on her gums it will help with the pain.” She shuddered. “She won’t like the terrible taste though.”

“Let’s try the tea first and see if that helps.” Ben looked at her and furrowed his eyebrows. “I thought you didn’t know much about babies.”

“I have the one brother and I helped to raise him. I actually know a bit about babies, just not as much as I thought you did.”

“I’m sorry Hope is making us postpone our wedding activities.”

“I’m still a little nervous so I’d be lying if I said that I mind.”

“We’re just postponing it for a short time. Instead of this afternoon, as I had planned, we’ll wait until this evening when she is truly asleep.”

Molly swallowed hard. “All right.”

“Come here, Molly.”

She stepped closer and looked up into his steady gaze.

He leaned down and took her lips with his.

His kisses were heady things. They could make her forget what she was doing. She pulled back, a little dazed and definitely out of breath.

“Don’t forget to trust me. You’ll feel so much pleasure, you won’t want to stop.”

“You have an awfully big ego, to assure me that I’ll feel pleasure in coupling. My mother told me about the marriage bed. Except for making children, she said it was to be avoided at all costs.”

“Good grief.” Frowning, Ben shook his head. “No wonder you’re afraid. Let me tell you now that your mother was wrong. There is great pleasure to be found in the marriage bed, if done right.” He brushed a finger along her cheek. “And I intend to do it right. You’ll see. I promise.”

Molly had no reason not to trust him, but she was still concerned and hoped the baby would stay awake late into the night, not because of pain but just because she didn’t want to sleep. Molly would never wish pain on anyone, especially a little baby like Hope.

Only an hour passed before the tea and the whiskey did the trick, and Hope went to sleep in her crib.

“Now, we can go to our bed. Give me your hand.”

Molly placed her hand in his. His smooth, warm skin felt so good. She hoped he didn’t notice her hand was slightly damp. She was nervous as hell.

Ben led her into the bedroom. As soon as they crossed the threshold, he pulled her to him and kissed her. One of his wonderful, toe-curling kisses. When she felt him pull back, she discovered her arms were around his neck. She wasn’t ready to quit kissing him and to let him know, she eased his head down to her.

He didn’t resist. Just smiled and lowered his head, letting his lips clash with hers.

When she finally pulled away, she was breathless. “I definitely like kissing you. Want to know a secret?”

He raised an eyebrow. “What secrets could you have?”