Sleeping in the same bed.
And at that thought, he winced, aware of a new set of problems he’d best set aside for now. “Do you think we can plan on getting married tomorrow?” he asked. “I thought I’d see the preacher for sure this evening. Maybe he’d even do it for us today.”
“Today?” Ellie stiffened, the spoon held aloft, her left hand still pouring a thick white sauce into the soup. “Oh, drat!” she muttered, glancing down at the kettle, and wielding her spoon vigorously. “I’ll have lumps.”
Win attempted to stifle the smile that tempted to curve his mouth. “Lumps?” he asked. Then he backed away and made a pretense of scanning her from top to bottom.
She glanced over her shoulder. “In the soup,” she said patiently. “The flour and water need to be stirred in gradually, or it will make dumplings I hadn’t planned on.”
Properly subdued, Win settled at the table. “Shall we ask James and Kate to go with us when we get married?” he asked.
“I don’t know.” That the thought had not occurred to Ellie was obvious, but she considered it for a moment. “Do we need somebody along?”
“We need witnesses, honey.”
“Witnesses.” She pondered that thought, and then shrugged. “I guess you can tell I’ve never had anything to do with folks getting married.” The spoon she held was placed on a small plate atop the warming oven, and she paced to the back door, one hand pressed against her belly.
“At least they both know why you’re marrying me. It won’t be like having strangers there, will it?” Her fingers moved in a gentle massage as she spoke, and James caught her eye.
“Is the baby moving?”
A flush crept up from her throat to cover her cheeks. “Yes. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to call attention to it.”
“Ellie.” He spoke her name with patience, and then rose, approaching her slowly. “Do you mind if I feel it, too?”
Her eyes widened, wondering that he would seek out such a thing, but she nodded. His hand covered hers, then moved beneath her fingers, pressing more firmly against the bulge of her pregnancy. He closed his eyes and she sensed his concentration, holding her breath as the tiny life within her body responded to the pressure of his touch. It jerked once, then again, and as if the unborn child rolled over, she felt the movement radiate to Win’s hand.
“This must be old stuff to you,” she said, biting at her lip, astonished at the intimacy of the moment.
“This time it’s new, Ellie. This will be my child.”
Win’s eyes opened, and a flood of love for the man before her invaded Ellie’s very being. With those simple words, he took on the responsibility for her child. With that unvarnished phrase, he accepted her child as his own. And there was a wealth of difference in the two.
Responsibility was one thing. Acceptance, another.
“You’ll make me cry,” she whispered. “I never thought to know a man like you.”
“You’ll know me better before we’re done,” he promised.
Leaving Ellie to clean up the kitchen, Win walked to the parsonage, and spoke his plans to the minister. Aside from a startled look, that gentleman was totally accepting of Win’s solution to Ellie’s problem.
“It’s more than a marriage of convenience, sir,” Win said upon leaving. “I’ve had a chance to know Ellie a bit, and I think we’ll do well together. She needs me, and I certainly will be happy to have her in my home.”
“Will you invite her father?” Issued without any hint of the parson’s druthers, the query was met by an immediate negative reply by Win.
“No, sir. He hasn’t been kind to Ellie. I don’t want her upset.”
“I understand.” And indeed, he appeared to, not seeking Win’s compliance.
“We’ll return before dark,” Win told him. “I need to locate James Kincaid and bring him and Kate along to stand with us.”
He paused by the sheriff’s office on his way home, but found it empty. “Sheriff’s gone home early,” Harry Talbert called from the door of his barbershop. “Nothin’ much doin’ today.”
Oh, but there is. With a smile and nod, Win hastened on his way, eager to seal his intentions with vows and a ring. A ring. He halted in the middle of the road. He didn’t have a ring. Except… He looked down at his right hand, where a heavy, gold crest, signifying the degree he’d earned, decorated the band he’d worn since the day he graduated from medical school. A gift from his anatomy professor, the ring was a keepsake he’d vowed never to remove.
But for Ellie, he would give it as a pledge to his bride. It could be replaced later on, when there was time to order such a thing. For now, for this day, the ring he wore with pride would do double duty.
If Ellie was hurt by the gesture, he’d explain it to her, apologize if necessary for the lack of forethought. And yet, in the town of Whitehorn, there was no place to purchase a ready-made ring, such as he wanted his bride to wear. Cheap, narrow bands were available from Tess’s mercantile, probably not even gold, through and through, he thought.
Cheap wasn’t good enough for Ellie.
“I can’t believe you’d give me your ring,” she whispered, much later that evening, when James and Kate had made their way home, when the vows had been spoken and the sedate kiss exchanged before the kindly minister.
“I’ll get you a better one, as soon as we can order it,” he promised her.
“You’ll want this one back, I know,” she said. “But in the meantime, I’ll be ever so proud to wear it, Win.” The gold glistened in the lamplight, and she turned her hand, careful to hold the ring in place. “It’s a little big. Kate said I should wrap it with yarn to make it fit, for now.”
“I don’t have any yarn,” he said solemnly, watching as she breathed against the gold, then polished it on her bodice.
Her eyes were startled. “I didn’t expect you did, but I’m sure Kate does, or I can ask Tess for a short length.” She held the ring before her, and he was thankful for the notion that had brought such joy to his wife.
His wife. He’d thought never to speak those words. At least not in the foreseeable future. And now he was married, all legal and binding. His wife. Ellie was his wife.
“Would you have liked to have your family here?” she asked softly. “I never thought of it before, but I suspect your parents will be hurt that they missed seeing you on your wedding day.” A frown gathered her brows. “Though, I can’t imagine they’d be thrilled to death over your bride.”
“I’m the only one who needs to be thrilled over that part of it,” he said firmly. “And no, I didn’t plan on inviting my parents to my wedding, no matter when it took place. They turned their backs on me when I chose the practice of medicine instead of being in the family business. If it hadn’t been for the support of my uncle Gregory…”
She looked up at him unbelievingly as his voice trailed off. “I can’t imagine folks not being proud of a man like you, Win. And being a doctor is a fine choice to make for your life, though I doubt you’ll ever make a fortune at it.”
“I don’t need a fortune,” he said bluntly. “I’ve got money inherited from my grandparents, enough to set myself up in practice and keep me solvent for a long time to come.”
“I didn’t know you were well-to-do,” she said, her teeth sinking into her bottom lip as she considered the idea. “They’d have even more reason not to appreciate you marrying me, with them probably hoping you’d find a fancy lady someday.”
“You’re fancy enough to please me,” he told her. “You’re pretty as a picture in your new dress.” His hand touched her shoulder, then lifted to caress her cheek as he cleared his throat. “I know we kissed before the preacher and our witnesses, Ellie. Do you suppose we could repeat it now, just for ourselves?”
She lifted startled eyes to him, her mouth forming a circle, as if she thought to breathe a reply, then decided against it.
He waited, unwilling to push her beyond the boundaries she might have set in place, but a sm
all, slight nod put his mind at ease, and he reached for her. One long arm circled her waist, the other held her nape. The heavy weight of hair pressed against the side of his hand and he thought again of the length of silken tresses that would cascade down her back, should he remove several pins from place.
Fingers that were agile, that had formed stitches in torn flesh with precision, now turned to the simple task of taking down the hair of a woman. And he found, to his amazement, that those self-same hands were trembling. He tilted her head forward, resting it against his chest, and then began the mission he had set for himself.
Heavy, dark bone hairpins filled his palm…seven…eight…then the last of them. Nine in all. He reached past Ellie to place them on the kitchen table, then felt her soft, warm breath as she lifted her head and looked up at him.
His fingers separated the strands, tangling in the heavy treasure he’d managed to set loose. “I’m not very good at this,” he murmured. “But I appreciated you allowing me to indulge myself. I’ve wanted to touch your hair ever since the morning I watched you brush it on the porch, Ellie.”
She caught her breath and blinked, biting at her lower lip. “I feel almost naked, Win. I’ve never…”
“Never let another man see your hair?” he asked.
She nodded. “It’s just hair,” she said uneasily, as if she sensed his growing arousal. “I’ll braid it before I go to bed.”
“You forgot, Ellie,” he said quickly. “We were going to share a kiss.”
“All right.”
He felt the tenseness in her shoulders as he gripped them in his palms, knew she was wary of his intentions, and in that moment recognized that he could not, in good conscience, consummate his marriage tonight. But he could kiss her. In fact, he was determined to kiss her, give her a taste of his desire, perhaps incite a little of that elusive emotion in her.
He bent low, tilting a bit, meshing his mouth with hers. One hand left her shoulder and cradled her head, turning it to one side, the better to fit their lips in a soft, undemanding caress. She inhaled, her mouth opening just a bit, and her breath shuddered against his face.
Again he blended their mouths, urging her compliance as he nudged at her upper lip, then brought his teeth to capture the lower, laving her sensitive flesh with his tongue. She gasped, and, congratulating himself on his gentlemanly instincts, he took no advantage, but kept his play to the edges of her mouth, inside her lower lip and then to her cheek.
That his breath was rapid, his body tense and his manhood more than erect was to be expected, he realized. But that Ellie should lean against him so willingly was a bonus he had not anticipated. Her eyes closed as she allowed his gentle exploration, as though the pleasure of his touch was more than welcome.
Numerous kisses blessed each part of her face and throat, and against her ear he murmured soft wordless sounds. Small whimpers deep in her throat gave him the response he sought, and he held her closer, moving against her restlessly, seeking some small amount of relief from the pressure of tight trousers and a desire he’d long ignored.
At that, she stiffened, shifting away from him, and a shivering indrawn breath made him aware of taut muscles and a shudder that racked her frame.
He bent his head, pressing his forehead against hers. “I’m sorry, sweetheart,” he murmured. “I didn’t mean to frighten you.”
Ellie nodded, forgiveness implicit in the small gesture. “I just…just for a moment, I—”
She wasn’t ready for this. Her only experience with a man had not left her with anticipation uppermost in her mind for the act of loving. Tommy Jamison had much to answer for, Win decided.
Yet, he could carry her to his bed. He knew it, as surely as he knew his own name. She would not deny him, no matter that her wariness was apparent. But he would not try to persuade or force Ellie into a consummation tonight. Over the next few days he would woo her, coax her with kisses and caresses. And then when she was willing, when she came to him, he would make her his bride.
Chapter Six
“Well, it’s been almost two weeks since the big day. Do you feel married yet?” Kate asked, her tone amused as she sat beside Ellie on the back stoop.
“I don’t know how that’s supposed to feel,” Ellie admitted. “I feel like a wife, I suppose. I’m doing all the things every other woman does with her days.”
Kate cast her a sidelong glance. “I don’t think you caught my meaning, Ellie. And perhaps I have no business being so nosy, anyway.”
“Are you talking about sharing a bedroom, like you and James do?”
“That’s part of it,” Kate told her. “And I’ll have to admit, I’ve peeked over here. I’ve seen your candle lit every night this week. So either Win has moved upstairs or you’re not ready for that part of marriage yet.”
“Win hasn’t…” Ellie bit at her lip. “I don’t think he wants to do that with me. He hasn’t mentioned it anyway.”
“Oh, I’ll bet he does,” Kate said airily. “He wouldn’t be a man if he didn’t.” She patted Ellie’s hand and squeezed it gently. “He may be waiting for you to make the first move. Maybe he thinks you’re not ready to accept him into your bed.”
Ellie felt heat invade her face and she looked down at the scant leaves of grass surrounding the porch. “I’d do anything in this world for Win. I think he knows that.”
“Maybe he doesn’t want you to do it as a favor, honey,” Kate told her quietly. “He may be waiting until you decide it’s something you’ll both enjoy.”
“Enjoy?” Now that was a new idea, Ellie thought with a scowl. “I didn’t find much that was fit to talk about when Tommy—” She bit at her lip. “I didn’t mean to say that.”
“And this again is none of my concern,” Kate said, removing her spectacles, and polishing them with a fold of her dress. She pressed on, her own cheeks taking on a flush that might have been embarrassment. “Did Tommy only make love to you once?”
“I wouldn’t call it by that name,” Ellie murmured. “It was a lot of puffin’ and pantin’ and shovin’ at me, and all I got was five minutes of pure misery.” She looked down at herself and one hand pressed protectively against her belly. “And a baby.”
She looked up at Kate then. “I don’t really mind about the baby. Not now, anyway. Not since Win married me.”
Kate’s arm slid to enclose Ellie’s narrow shoulders. “Things will work out for you, honey. And by the time the baby comes, you’ll be tickled pink about having a husband and a child of your own.” She sent a look across the yard as a screen door slammed.
“Are you ladies gonna spend the whole afternoon sittin’ in the sun?” James came across from the back of his house, and his gaze was warm as it rested on his wife. “I came home early, Kate. Thought you might need some help in the kitchen.”
“I just let the children out of school,” she said with a sigh, “and then I managed to drag myself this far. I’m afraid I didn’t even go into the house.”
“We can walk over to the hotel and eat in the dining room if you want to,” he told her. “Just give me a chance to wash up.”
Ellie’s mouth opened before she thought twice. “If you’d like some pot pie, I’ve got a big one in the oven. Win will be home soon. He went out to take a look at the ranch hand with a broken leg. He’s worried about infection setting in.”
“That fella’s lucky he doesn’t have a family to support. It’s hard to collect anything on payday when you’re laid up,” James said, propping one foot on the stoop and reaching to touch Kate’s head. “You doing all right?” he asked, as she looked up at him.
“Just a backache,” she told him. “I’ve had it most of the day.”
“Did you tell Win?” He shifted, his eyes narrowing as he peered intently into her face. “Maybe the baby’s—”
“What kind of a backache?” Win spoke from inside the kitchen, and Ellie jumped at the sound of his voice.
“I didn’t know you’d gotten home,” she said, hastening to h
er feet.
“I just got here, honey,” Win said, his gaze still on Kate. “Does it come and go, Kate? Or is it a steady ache?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know, Doc. Once in a while I get twinges….” Her voice trailed off as she bit at her lip. “This is pretty personal stuff we’re discussing here.”
“Having a baby’s a pretty personal event,” Win drawled. “And I wouldn’t be surprised if you’re heading for the first stages. Might even be well on your way. Anybody who keeps going the way you have for the past months probably won’t be having a long, drawn-out time of it.”
“Do we need to go home and let you go to bed?” James asked anxiously.
Ellie thought he looked very young for just a moment, his brow furrowed, his mouth pursed. His eyes swerved to Win, and as if he must touch her, reassure himself that she was all right, he reached for Kate.
Ellie’s heart ached, sensing that James would suffer right along with Kate when the time came for her delivery. She spoke quickly, wanting to distract him from his fear. “Why don’t you come on inside, and get some supper first?”
Kate shot her a grateful look. “That sounds wonderful. James may need a good meal to fortify him if Doc’s right.” She clasped James’s outstretched hand and he tugged, giving her leverage to rise from the stoop. Once on her feet, she lifted massaging fingers to the small of her back and then eased her way to the door. “Come on, Ellie. I’ll give you a hand.”
With a fervent hope that there was more than enough food to go around, Ellie held the door for Kate, then hurried toward the big, iron stove. “It’s hot in here,” she said, fanning the air with a dish towel as she opened the oven door. The crust was browning nicely, she decided. It had turned out well, and wasn’t that a good thing, being the first time she’d had company for supper.
“There’s potatoes in the pie,” she told Kate. “I think just some tinned peaches and cookies for afters will be fine.”
A Convenient Wife Page 8