by Jenna Brandt
The next hour was spent enjoying the food as the guests mingled and talked.
“So, Mark, do you like the town social?” Becca teased as she elbowed her brother.
“Do you mean the whole time you were supposed to be planning the social, you were putting this party together for me?” Mark asked in shock.
“Well, the majority of it was for your birthday, but we are going to have a town social at the end of the summer. We also started preparing for the Fourth of July celebration.”
“You’ve really outdone yourselves,” Aunt Claire gushed as she came up to the group. “I can tell you put a lot of thought into what Mark would like.”
“It was all Miriam,” Becca pointed out. “I just helped her when she asked.”
“I can see you really care about my nephew, and you’ve taken the time to get to know him. Some wives spend their whole lives and never know their husbands well enough to plan a party they’d actually like.”
“Thank you. It means a lot to hear you say that.”
“My sister’s right; you’re a good fit for my nephew,” Uncle Martin confirmed as he approached them. “It isn’t often I have to say this, but I was wrong about you, Miriam. Over the past few weeks, you’ve proven yourself to be exactly what Mark needs. It’s clear you belong together.”
“Thank you, Uncle Martin. Your approval is the best birthday present you could give me.”
The guests made their way into the backyard, where the garden was dotted with gas lamps and an area was set up for dancing. A band was playing music, encouraging couples to gather in the center.
“Would you like to dance with me?” Mark requested as he held out his hand to his wife.
She placed her hand in his. “I would love to.”
He pulled her into the middle of the area and gathered her into his arms. Their bodies melted together, swaying to the music in perfect harmony.
“Doesn’t it make you dizzy to waltz?” Miriam inquired as she looked up into his eyes.
“Yes, sometimes,” he replied, curious as to where she was going with the odd question.
“Well, you must get used to it. It’s the way of the whirled.”
His brows came together in a furrow as he tilted his head in confusion. “I’m not sure what you mean by that.”
“Don’t you get it? It’s my birthday present to you—the perfect dreadful joke on your special day. Way of the whirled, you know, like when you whirl someone around in a waltz.”
Suddenly, the joke clicked into place and made sense, just like their relationship. One moment, he wasn’t sure if he made the right decision marrying Miriam, and in the next, he couldn’t imagine loving anyone but her. He knew it to be his deepest truth, and he couldn’t wait another second before telling her. “I love you, Miriam. I’ve known it for a while, but I wasn’t ready to tell you until right now.”
“I love you too, Mark; more than I ever thought I could love anyone.”
The evening wrapped up and the guests trickled away, leaving them finally alone close to midnight. Miriam was busy cleaning up the mess, but Mark stopped her. “Let the servants get that. I have something I need to show you.”
Mark guided her into his study where he pulled out a piece of paper and handed it over to Miriam. She looked down at it, then back up at her husband, with shock clearly written across her face. “I can’t believe you did this. It’s more than I could have ever asked for.”
“I want you to know, I consider the baby you’re carrying to be as much mine as yours. This legal document just declares that truth to the rest of the world so no one can ever dispute it.”
“The first-born child of Miriam Bennett, my lawfully wedded wife, is to be treated as my legal and lawful heir, with every benefit and entitlement such designation deserves. He or she will share in the same inheritance as any other issue from our union,” Miriam read the words out loud. “This is an irrevocable, legal declaration that cannot be broken for any reason.”
Tears filled her eyes as she placed the document down on the desk. She reached out and placed her hand on the side of his cheek. “I never knew one piece of paper could fill my heart with such a deep well of joy. I’m so glad God brought you into my life.”
He placed his hand over hers, gripping it tightly as he let his mouth drifted, down to claim her lips for his own. It was a strong kiss, filled with the passion he could no longer contain. Like a bolt of lightning slamming down between them, it sparked a fire that had been smoldering between them for weeks. Miriam’s hands reached up and wrapped around his neck, her fingers tangling in his hair at the top of his collar. She sighed against his mouth, causing him to deepen the kiss. By the time he pulled away, they were both breathless, their hearts beating in unison, branding him Miriam’s for all time.
13
The following week, Miriam arrived for knitting club. She was ready to get a head start on the items the soldiers would need for winter, knowing that time would get away from them if they didn’t start on the project early.
Miriam entered the church, but instead of it being set up the regular way for the club, the room was decorated with paper streamers and gingham tablecloths. There was food spread on one of the tables, as well as a punch bowl with glass cups. There was also a large cake on another table with the words “Welcome Baby Bennett” scrolled across the center.
“What’s going on? What is all this?” Miriam inquired in confusion. “I thought we were making scarves and socks for the soldiers.”
“Oh, that’s been moved to next week,” June explained with a mischievous smile. “We decided that we’d much rather have a knitting party for your baby.”
“It was my idea,” Becca said with a wink. “But Julia did most of the planning. She likes it.”
“You didn’t have to do all of this,” Miriam said with shock.
“We wanted to,” Julia insisted as she joined them. “As did the rest of the women in town. It’s why they’re all here.”
Miriam glanced around the room, noting that Kate Pierce, Molly Walker, the pastor’s wife, and various other women were indeed present for the shower. The only person she didn’t see there was Aunt Claire. Somehow, that one absence diminished the happiness in her heart. It hadn’t been lost on her that though they had accepted her as Mark’s wife, they never mentioned the baby or the child’s role in the family. What was it going to take to make them accept the baby as a Bennett?
Over the next couple of hours, the women finished various clothing items the baby would need, and handed them to Miriam for inspection. Molly Walker, who was a ferocious knitter, completed about three times as many pieces as the other women, causing her pile of items to nearly topple over from the sheer volume.
“I think you’ve all given me plenty of clothes for the baby,” Miriam said with a warm smile. “Why don’t we have some cake now?”
“Do you have room for one more item?” she heard Aunt Claire ask from behind her. “I have a piece I’d like to give you.”
Miriam’s head swiveled to the side as Aunt Claire came around into her view. She held a small, white box, that she handed over to her.
“Please, open it,” Aunt Claire encouraged.
Miriam did as the older woman requested. Inside, there was a delicate white knitted gown. “Did you make this?”
Aunt Claire shook her head. “No, it was Mark’s christening gown. I thought you should have it for his baby.”
Miriam nearly gasped, surprised by the other woman calling the baby Mark’s for the first time. “Thank you. I’ll cherish it.”
“I hope you will invite me to the christening when you decide to have it.”
“Of course; you’re family.”
“Good, because I’m really looking forward to being a great-aunt.”
The rest of the afternoon passed with the women giving her advice, explaining the birthing process, and what she would need to know when the baby was a newborn. By the end of the party, Miriam was exhausted, but in a good
way.
“Thank you for a lovely afternoon, but I think I need to head home so I can rest.”
“Do you want me to walk with you?” Becca offered.
Miriam shook her head. “I’m fine on my own. It isn’t very far.”
“We’ll bring the baby clothes by tomorrow,” June informed her. “I have a few of my daughter’s outfits that she’s outgrown. I want to include them.”
After everyone said their goodbyes, Miriam took off down Main Street. She waved as various townspeople passed by, and crossed the street to avoid the saloon, and the men that often hung around outside. It wasn’t until she turned down the side street for her house that she felt a sudden sensation that someone was following her.
Quickly, she spun around to see if someone had followed her from the saloon. Her eyes darted back and forth, scanning the area around her. She didn’t see anyone, and decided that she was overreacting because she was tired.
Just as she reached the path that led to her house, she felt the same sensation again, as if someone was watching her. A shiver crawled up her spine. Despite her reservations, she knew she had to look again. Her second attempt didn’t bring any new results. The street was empty.
“Stop it, Miriam,” she chastised herself. “No one is watching you.”
Even though she said the words, she didn’t believe them. Part of her worried that her past had finally caught up with her. Had someone from the imperial family tracked her down? Were they going to ambush her when she least expected it? Should she tell Mark what she suspected?
“There you are.” The door flew open from the other side to reveal Mark standing across the threshold. “I was starting to worry about you.”
“I’m sorry; some of the women from town threw a knitting party for the baby, and it went longer than expected.”
“That was nice of them, but I’m sure you’re tired. Why don’t you rest in the parlor while Cook finishes supper?”
“I think that’s a great suggestion.”
As Miriam laid down on the couch, she tried to push the uneasy feelings away. She needed to accept that she and the baby were safe, and nothing was going to happen to them now that they were safely hidden away in Little Ridge.
14
A creaking sound downstairs startled Mark and woke him from his sleep. When he heard it a second time and it sounded like it could possibly be footsteps, he decided he had to check it out. Quietly, he climbed out of bed, making sure not to wake Miriam in the process. Just in case he needed it, he pulled out his gun from the nightstand and headed downstairs.
He made it through about half the rooms before he saw a shadowy figure in the corner of the foyer. He moved across the floor, and was about to go up the stairs when Mark shouted, “Stop right there. Who are you and what are you doing in my house?”
The man moved towards him aggressively, and for the first time, Mark could make out his features. He was tall with dark hair and a jagged scar across his right cheek. He was wearing a leather duster coat and a wide-rimmed cowboy hat pulled low over his dark eyes.
Mark raised his gun and leveled it at the other man. “I asked you a question, and if you keep coming towards me like that, I’m going to shoot you where you stand.”
“My name doesn’t matter. What does, is that I know who’s sleeping upstairs in your bedroom.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Mark rebuffed quickly, though he couldn’t help but feel his blood run cold. As he watched the other man, he knew that this wasn’t going to end well. The stranger looked ready to do whatever it took to pry Miriam from her home.
“You can deny it all you want, but I know that the woman upstairs is Miriam Novikoff, a runaway Russian princess. What I’m betting you don’t know is that there’s a bounty on her head the size of Texas, and I’m here to collect on it.”
“You aren’t taking my wife anywhere.”
“If you try to stop me, I’ll kill you,” the bounty hunter stated coldly. “I can guarantee you, I’m a much quicker shot than you, and I won’t hesitate to end you if you get in my way.”
“It would be worth it to keep your hands off my wife,” Mark growled out. “You’re not leaving here with her.”
“We’ll see about that. The bounty was enough to make it well worth tracking her down, but now that I know she’s carrying a baby that isn’t yours, I’m betting she’s going to be worth double the reward once they find out she’s pregnant with the Russian heir to the Imperial Throne.”
“If you don’t leave right now, you’re going to regret it,” Mark shouted. “You might think the Russian imperial family is powerful, but as far as Arizona goes, my family is royalty around here.”
A noise from the top of the stairs drew both their attention. Miriam was standing in her robe, staring down at them. “What’s going on? Who is that man and what’s he doing in our house?”
The bounty hunter charged up the stairs, prompting Mark to fire his gun at the other man. The rounds missed the stranger and the revolver was empty after the fifth shot, making it useless. He shoved it in his pants’ pocket as he rushed after the stranger, yelling, “Get to our room and lock the door, Miriam.”
Just as he ordered, she turned around and bolted down the hallway, the bounty hunter fast on her pursuit.
Mark knew that he had to get to the other man and stop him before he reached Miriam. When he got to the top of the stairs, the bounty hunter turned and fired his gun. Mark barely jumped out of the way in time, but continued to chase after the other man.
Mark found the bounty hunter trying to knock down the door. With him distracted, Mark took the opportunity to charge at him. He knocked the other man to the ground, causing his gun to go flying across the floor. They wrestled back and forth, exchanging blow-for-blow. Several times, the man tried to reach the gun, but Mark pulled him away from it each time.
The door to the bedroom opened and out of the corner of his eye, Mark saw Miriam come out. What was she thinking? She was much safer inside the bedroom than coming out into the hallway. He wanted to shout at her to get back inside, but he didn’t want to draw the bounty hunter’s attention to her presence.
“Get your hands off my husband,” Mark heard Miriam scream at the top of her lungs. “I have your gun, and I’m pointing it right at you.”
Both men stopped fighting and looked up at her from the ground.
“I’m betting you’ve never fired a gun in your life. I don’t think you’ll pull the trigger, Princess,” the bounty hunter challenged as he scrambled to his feet and moved towards her.
To everyone’s surprise, Miriam did just what she threatened and pulled the trigger. The bullet missed. The shock, however, gave Mark just enough time to act. He pulled the gun from his pocket and slammed it into the back of the bounty hunter’s head. The man slumped over on the ground.
There was a flurry of footsteps up the stairs as the servants came tumbling into the hallway.
“What happened? Who is that man on the ground?” Mary asked with concern.
“He’s an intruder,” Mark stated firmly. “I need you to get the sheriff, Tandy, while Cook and Asher tie up the man.”
Mark reached out and pulled Miriam towards him. She was shaking like a leaf and her eyes were bright red from crying. “I was petrified he was going to kill you,” Miriam cried out as Mark held her in his arms. “It’s why I had to do something. I can’t live without you.”
“And you’re never going to have to. I promised you, I’ll always keep you safe.”
“You can’t keep that promise—not when more men like him are just going to keep coming. If he found me, it’s just a matter of time before someone else does.”
“Trust me, I’ll take care of it. Your first husband’s family might be the most powerful family in all of Russia, but the Bennett family is a force to be reckoned with here in the West.”
Miriam nodded. “I trust you, Mark, always.”
“Good, because no matter what it takes, I’m
going to keep you and our child safe. I love you, Miriam, and you’re everything to me.”
“I love you, too,” she whispered back as she leaned up and placed her lips on his.
Despite the salty tears and the sticky sweat, the kiss did its job, comforting them both and letting them know that come what may, they would face it together as husband and wife.
Epilogue
6 months later
“I can’t believe how Nancy gets more beautiful every time I see her,” Becca gushed as she picked up her niece and held the swaddled bundle in her arms.
“She’s the most perfect thing I’ve ever seen,” Julia added as she looked over her cousin’s shoulder. “When do I get to hold her?”
“I just got her myself,” Becca argued with a huff. “Give me a few minutes with her, will you?”
Aunt Claire stood up, walked across the parlor, and scooped the baby out of Becca’s arms. “Great-aunts trump regular aunts every time.”
The rest of the group laughed, besides Becca, who stared at her aunt with a miffed look on her face. She crossed her arms and leaned back in the chair. “Somebody around here needs to have another baby so I can hold one.”
“Are you offering?” Garrett teased from beside her.
Becca’s eyes grew wide for a moment before she shrugged. “I wouldn’t object if it happened.”
“I’m glad to hear everything is in order with fixing the problem with the Russians,” Uncle Martin stated from his seat across the room.
“It helps to have enough money to pay off all the right people,” Mark confirmed. “The bounty has been officially rescinded.”
The Bennett family attorney arranged for the bounty hunter to be placed in a remote prison where he could never tell anyone that mattered about the Russian princess he nearly captured in Arizona. Once he was taken care of, Mark had a fleet of private investigators spread a rumor that a Russian woman fitting Miriam’s description was killed in a drowning accident in Oregon. Mark had one of the private investigators track down a piece of the imperial jewelry and place it with a body to verify the identity. After a couple of months waiting, it was confirmed that word got back to Russia, and the imperial family officially called off the search for the princess. Miriam and the baby were finally, officially safe.