Western Kisses – Old West Christmas Romances (Boxed Set) (35 page)

"Well, Elijah said that's not quite true. Apparently he and your father went way back. They lost touch, but when he found out your parents died and you were looking to go west, he leapt at the chance. I think he didn't quite mean to make me get married, but don't tell anyone, he has a very romantic heart."

Heloise couldn't help but laugh, and she said, "He knew my father, so that was a basis for making you marry me? You could have ended up with Lavinia, my terrible brat of a younger sibling."

"Well, I guess he was right in the end, because here we are, two peas in a pod." He nuzzled her cheek, enjoying the warmth of her body against his, and said, "I have a slight confession." She froze in his arms and he squeezed her. "No, nothing like that, it's just, I'll do it forever, if it means being with you, but, are you happy here?"

"Happy? I'm happy with you, in your arms, building a life together."

"I mean, are you happy being a farmer's wife? It's a hard life."

Heloise thought back over the months of backbreaking hard work. She rubbed her toughened hands together and knew no matter how much she tried to protect them, they would never be soft again, with all the work that the farm required.

"I...I don't want to seem ungrateful. And I like how strong I am, how I know I can do anything, but...if I never milked another cow again? That would be completely acceptable."

He whooped in her ear, and said, "I have to confess, I hate it. I love Elijah, and I love watching the land blossom, but my god, do I want to sleep in with my beautiful wife. Because even though it's Christmas Day, the animals want my attention, and all I want is to pleasure you, until you are limp in my arms, like last night."

She sat up, pushed him away from her laughing, and said, "Sadly, we both have chores that will not wait."

He slipped around her, dropped to one knee in front of her and said, "Heloise, will you please be my true bride, my one love, who will muck stalls and dig gardens with me if we have too, will bear our beautiful children, and who will come back east with me, and build a life together?"

Her eyes shone as she clasped his hands to her bosom.

"Jonathan, I would be honored and delighted to follow you to the ends of the earth. Ideally never having to chase a chicken again."

"This is the most perfect gift I could have ever been given."

She smiled at him, decided to tell him one last secret and said, "Actually, I have another gift for you." She put his hands over her belly and smiled at him.

He looked at her, confused, until his thoughts caught up, and he said, "You mean?"

She nodded, stood and pulled him up into her arms. She gave him a resounding kiss, almost distracting them until the distinct lowing of a neglected cow drifted through the air. They broke away, giggling.

"Go, tend the animals, I'll have a good breakfast ready."

"Then we'll go into town for services. There is some sort of supper planned after. And...Albert. We will have to deal with Albert."

She sighed and stroked his face.

"What about Elijah? We can't just leave him here, alone."

"Well, in fairness, we will probably have to wait til the spring thaw anyways. I don't even know how Albert got through. But Matthew's lands abut ours, and I'm sure we can work something out."

~*~

They cheerfully rode their wagon into town, wrapped up snug under heavy fur blankets. The skies were clear and crisp, as they drove up and stabled the wagon. The sheriff came up, and clapped Jonathan on his back.

"Good to see you. Our little friend is secure in the jail. We won't let him ruin Christmas for anyone."

Heloise interjected, "Please don't hang him."

The sheriff rocked back on his heels, and said, "Well, aside from what he did to you, that is up to the man whose horse he stole. You know we don't abide horse thieves, and I am not going to allow our womenfolk to feel unsafe."

"I know, I just...he was once a friend."

The sheriff nodded slowly and said, "Well, we will talk after services. We won't be letting him go, he will be punished."

"I understand," said Heloise.

Jonathan said, "I had a thought on that. At the very least, I plan on horsewhipping him for laying hands on Heloise. But, well, let's talk after church. Might as well work him to our benefit, rather than having to dig a hole for him."

Heloise shuddered at the crudity, but felt a faint hope that Albert might get out with his life, if not his skin intact. Not that he deserved much more than that. She still couldn't shake the memory of him as a young man, before the greed of his father infected him.

They walked into the church together, settling in a pew next to Elijah. Heloise looked around her, smiling at the various neighbors and townsfolk. She felt an ache in her heart, she would miss this place and these people.

Jonathan and Elijah talked in low voices, until Elijah gave a loud guffaw, clapped Jonathan's shoulder and said, "Well done, boy. Don't you worry, that all sounds about right to me. We'll just talk to Matt after the service. Although I don't like you chancing the weather."

~*~

Everyone milled about after the service, reluctant to leave the cozy space, but chatting cheerfully and full of holiday cheer. The distinct sound of a stagecoach thrummed into town. Heloise turned to Jonathan and said, "Who on earth would be taking a stage on Christmas?"

Everyone streamed out of the building, their curiosity far stronger than the desire to linger. The driver leapt out, and helped a young, well-dressed woman out of the carriage, while his compatriot threw down her trunks. She turned on them and started gesticulating her displeasure. The men ignored her and drove off as if they were on fire.

Heloise stood still, watching in disbelief, until Jonathan finally roused her. She just turned to him and said, "Oh my god, that's Lavinia."

"That...that creature is your sister?"

Heloise just nodded, and Jonathan said, "I have never seen those drivers not stop at the saloon."

The sheriff finally strode over to the woman. She turned to him, sniffed and said, "I'll need my bags brought round. I am here for my sister; Heloise Cushings."

Heloise finally pushed to the front of the crowd, and her sister caught sight of her.

"Finally. Heloise, have my bags brought to your home."

"Hello, Lavinia. I'm afraid I don't quite understand."

Lavinia snorted at her and said, "Don't be ridiculous. You left me to be embarrassed, and now I am here."

"Oh, I see that you are here." Heloise felt a surge of anger flood over her. She had protected Lavinia all these years, given her every comfort, and this was what it got her. A miserable brat of a sister. A faint smile curved along her lips, and she said, "Oh Lavinia, I think I know exactly what you are going to get here."

Jonathan slipped up behind her and said, "Ladies, they have set aside a room at the hotel for you to talk in private. Unless you'd like to continue this talk in front of the whole town."

He took Heloise's arm and led her, while Lavinia finally followed up behind them. Heloise whispered quickly to Jonathan, who handed her off to Elijah and moved off. Lavinia caught up to Heloise, and said, "You didn't even introduce me."

"Oh, that is my husband. We have a judicial matter to clear, before we can talk. An unfortunate side effect to your bad behavior."

"My bad behavior? You abandoned me on my wedding day! Left me to be jilted on the altar!"

"You mean your wedding to a man who had been my fiance? That same man who just tried to kidnap me? All over a stupid piece of land!"

Lavinia stopped. "What are you talking about. Albert said...but then he just left me. Kidnapping?"

Heloise grabbed Lavinia and shook her shoulders. "You little idiot. I did everything for you, and you repaid me by being an awful, selfish brat. And when Albert discovered you lied about the land, that's why he left, because the only thing he wanted was that land."

Lavinia's eyes filled with tears.

"Don't." Heloise dropped her hands from Lavinia and said, "Don't you dare. Albert almost killed me last night. And he stole a horse. Do you know what they do to horse thieves here, Lavinia? They hang them."

Lavinia pressed her hands to her mouth, and mumbled, "I don't understand. Albert said you rejected him. I just...I just wanted a place of my own." Her shoulders slumped and she dropped her hands. "But hanging? I...oh god, now?"

Heloise nodded her head. "If they decide to, yes. It will be now, where everyone can see what happens to thieves."

Lavinia dropped her voice, her eyes wide. "Do we have to watch? I don't want to do that."

Heloise shrugged, although bile rose up her throat. "No, I doubt it, Elijah?"

Elijah looked back and forth between the women and cleared his throat. "If they were gonna hang him, you wouldn't have to be there. But they ain't gonna. Turns out, he actually paid for the use of the horse." Both women relaxed, and he continued, "but he's still gonna get what's coming to him, for last night. Sheriff had a thought. Oh, actually, looks like it's getting started. Come on Heloise, and uhm...Miss."

Lavinia followed them, dejectedly, while Heloise put on a pleasant face, not really looking forward to the spectacle. Elijah led them to the front of the crowd and whispered to Heloise, "Folks don't know exactly what happened, other than he hit you and you knocked him off his horse. Figured they don't need to get too excited about the details. And seems like yer little sis could use a strong dose of frontier education."

Albert had been stripped to the waist, and bound to a post. The sheriff stepped forward, with Jonathan next to him, nodding grimly as Jonathan talked.

"This man's punishment, as decided by the jury, is 10 lashes, and a year's hard labor. I'm going to administer the lashings."

The tall man slipped out of his jacket, letting his breath stream hot into the frigid air. Lavinia shivered and leaned against Heloise. This was not what she expected. She looked at Albert, the fear and rage in his eyes, burning as he stared a hole into her. He kept the eye contact for every lash, his eyes burning harder and colder, and Lavinia shivered. Heloise put her arm around her sister, and spoke quietly in her ear, "I know, he's not the man we thought he was."

The last crack of the whip rang out, and blood ran down Albert's back. After a moment, a deputy reached out, breaking his gaze from Lavinia's, and took him back to the jail, and Heloise turned to her sister and said, "We will flesh this out inside, and know that I do love you. But I'm doing this for your own good."

~*~

They sat perched on the edge of stiff, horsehair furniture, sipping tea and waiting. The men finally shuffled in, and Lavinia watched them all with wild eyes, hiding the shaking in her hands. Jonathan nodded at Heloise, who set down her tea, turned to her sister, and said, "Lavinia, your turning up was unexpected. I honestly thought you were well married to Albert, and thought that he would treat you well. I was clearly mistaken. However, I've done you a grave disservice. I've gotten you out of all of your scrapes, and not let you face the consequences. That is my fault, but that makes this all the harder. In the spring, Jonathan and I are going back east."

Lavinia perked up, hoping they would put her on a train back east immediately.

"We're about to be storm bound, and we don't want to be trapped."

Lavinia put down her tea cup, and frowned. "But that means I can't leave before then either."

Heloise nodded and said, "You are my sister, but you bullied your way here, putting people at risk. I came here, to be a mail order bride. It's not quite the proper order, but there is no reason you can't marry a good man."

Lavinia nodded slowly, her brain churning. There were plenty of men, and very few women. Despite her less than ideal entrance, she could easily find the richest man in town and bend him around her finger. She smiled at Heloise and said, "I think you might be right. It's a lovely area, and a nice town. Fertile land?" Heloise smiled, Lavinia might be a brat, but she had good instincts. "I don't see why I couldn't find a worthy spouse by the time you go east."

Heloise reached over, "Oh dear, no, you see, we've already picked him for you. I know you need someone who can support you, and since he's going to work Elijah's land, it doubles his farm. He'll be the richest man in town, and he needs a wife."

Lavinia frowned, and shook her head. "I don't understand. You just picked someone for me?"

Heloise nodded, "Oh yes, we know everyone in town, and he's the only one that would take you. I mean, could. Besides, if you agree, we can have a Christmas wedding! How romantic."

Lavinia felt trapped, but as angry as she thought Heloise was, she didn't think she would have her marry a bad man, or anyone who would hurt her. And, the richest man in town was what she'd been wanting. She found herself nodding, hoping he was at least very old, so it could be a short and tidy marriage, and she could head back east.

"Well, fine then, do I at least get to meet him first?"

"Oh, how silly of me. Of course." She swiveled and turned to the sheriff. "Lavinia, please meet Sheriff Matthew Felding." Lavinia's eyes grew in her eyes and she looked up at the huge man. He was the one who wielded the whip against Albert. She shook a little and looked at Heloise for rescue. Heloise leaned over and whispered, "This is your only chance. Grab it."

Lavinia pulled herself up and glared at him, she was an Adams woman, and wasn't going to let some two-bit, small-town lawman intimidate her, "Please do stop glowering over me." She picked up her teacup and sipped it slowly while the silence in the room grew. She enjoyed the prickly tension and said, "As soon as I am done with this cup and have a moment to freshen up, I see no reason why we can not be wed."

The man just nodded at her and turned and walked out of the room, leaving Lavinia to wonder what on earth she'd gotten herself into.

Flora Dare lives in Durham, NC in a cute little pink house, with her husband, Scott and their hellion of a puppy, HaliToes. She writes love, lust and mayhem in almost every flavor, and like The Pirate Movie, she wants a happy ending, every time!