Midnight Marriage

by Victoria Bylin

  “Can you set the leaves to dry?” Susanna asked. “I need to talk to Mr. LaCroix.”

  “Sure.”

  As the girl ran off, Rafe turned to Susanna. He intended to share a smile, but instead he had a sudden vision of her blue dress baring her shoulders. He blinked and she was dancing with Duke. He’d come to talk about Nick, but the boy could wait a few minutes.

  Rafe gave Susanna a stern look. “That advice goes for you, too. Two dances with one man and that’s it.”

  “Absolutely not,” she countered. “I’ll dance as much as I want and with whom I please.”

  Rafe didn’t care for the idea at all. “If you look half as pretty as you do now, every man in Midas is going to be waiting in line.”

  She smiled at him. “Isn’t that the idea?”

  Yes, but Rafe didn’t like the pictures in his mind. Old men. Young men. Every one of them enjoying her company while he read stories to Nick. Needing to think, he ambled to the stream and watched the current batter the rocks. If she was going to the dance alone, maybe she wasn’t as keen on Duke as he’d thought. From the moment he’d walked into her bedroom, he’d sensed a loneliness about her. But neither was she the kind of person who’d compromise.

  She stepped to his side and stood with her arms crossed. “You’re starting to sound like my father. He’s a bit too protective.”

  Rafe gave a dry laugh. “A preacher with a shotgun—now there’s a picture.”

  “He’s not shy about it, either. The talk goes something like, ‘Treat her right or you’ll be answering to Smith, Wesson and me.’ After one Sunday dinner at the parsonage, most men are gone for good.”

  Rafe huffed. “If a man’s too pitiful to stand up to your pa, he’s not worth spit.”

  “Maybe so.”

  Rafe saw an opportunity and took it. “If the old goat talked to me like that, I’d tell him to butt out of my business. Then I’d invite you for a walk so we could smooch.”

  Rafe gave her his best smile. She didn’t look bored this time, but neither did she seem impressed. “And do you know what I’d say?”

  “Yes?”

  “No.”

  But her eyes were bright and he didn’t believe her. Before he could say so, she turned back to the bush with the purple flowers and then glanced along the edges of the meadow. “I was hoping to find autumn crocus,” she said.

  “Horace Little is sure to find me at the dance and ask about his gout.”

  The shift in topic jarred him. Then he realized what she’d said and scowled. “No man should do that. I don’t care if he’s ninety years old.”

  Susanna kept her back to him. “I’m used to it.”

  “You shouldn’t be.”

  “It comes with being a doctor.”

  But Rafe had seen her long legs and he’d tasted her lips. Sometimes he thought of her as Dr. Leaf, but right now, she was just Susanna—the woman who’d been haunting his dreams with bare skin and wicked requests. She deserved to know that she had that power over him, so he ambled up behind her and tugged gently on her braid. As her head tilted up, she faced him with her mouth gaping.

  “What was that for?” she said.

  “To show you that not all men are Horace Little. I’d finish the job by kissing you, but that’s not why I came out here.”

  Rafe tried to read her expression, but she’d put on her doctor face—the blank one that looked at facts and made decisions.

  “So why are you here?” she asked.

  “You told Duke that Nick could be moved today. I’m hoping you’ll take a second look at the leg and change your mind.”

  “Why?”

  “I need a place to stay for a few weeks. If you decided that Nick can’t be moved after all, Duke might let us stay.”

  “But it’s not true,” she answered. “He’d be fine in the surrey, and I can take better care of him in town. It’s been three days. I have to get back.”

  Rafe held in a cuss word as he stared at the pines. Colder weather was coming, but the cave seemed like the only place they could go. “I guess I’ll have to borrow your buggy, but just for a day.”

  “Where are you going?”

  “Back to the cave.”

  “Absolutely not!”

  “Do you have a better idea?”

  “As a matter of fact, I do. My parents are back East, which means the parsonage is empty. They boarded the horses before they left, so I’m the only person with a key. It’s very private, but you have to promise something.”

  Rafe wanted to hope, but experience had taught him to be doubtful. He narrowed his eyes. “What’s the catch?”

  “No smoking in the house. My mother hates tobacco.”

  Rafe liked a cigar as much as any man, but he could do without them and not think twice. “Are you sure about this?”

  “No, but it’s best for Nick. I’ve seen how you are with him, so I’m trusting you.”

  Even so, her eyes held questions. Where are you from? Why are you on the run? Rafe didn’t understand how a poultice drew an infection from the body, but he felt that pull on his soul. He wanted to tell her the truth, a dangerous urge because he’d learned never to trust anyone with his secrets.

  “I don’t know,” he said. “Being in town is risky.”

  “For you, maybe. But not for Nick.” Dr. Leaf put on her sternest expression. “The house is stocked with food and wood and has a water closet. Unless you’re careless with the lamps, no one will know you’re there.”

  “But what about Nick? People will see you coming to the house.”

  “I could visit at night, but I’d rather keep Nick with me.”

  The benefits of the arrangement outweighed the risks. In addition to privacy, he’d have a soft bed, clean sheets and a room all to himself. Even better, the house would be filled with Susanna’s secrets. A late-night visit could lead to something fun, maybe a late-night rodeo. Rafe gave her a sincere smile. “Thank you, Doc. I appreciate what you’re doing.”

  “It’s for Nick.”

  “Of course.”

  “Are you packed? We can leave this morning.”

  As ready as he was to see the last of Duke, Rafe shook his head. “We’ll go this afternoon. I want to arrive in town after dark.”

  Curiosity filled her eyes, but she didn’t waste her breath asking why. “I guess that’s all right. There should be a full moon tonight.”

  He was hoping for clouds but said nothing. As they turned up the trail that cut through the grass, he thought of holding her close and the way she moved, the look in her eyes and Horace Little’s gout.

  Rafe wasn’t cautious by nature. If he cut his hair and wore a suit, he could take Susanna to the dance. People would assume he was a visitor from out of town. He’d be hiding in plain sight where he could listen for news of the Bentons and his guardian angel. But even better, he’d have a night with Susanna.

  When he turned in her direction, he saw the sun bright on her face. Her cheeks glowed as if they were dancing again. “I enjoyed dancing with you,” he said. “How would you like to do it again?”

  She blushed. “Now?”

  As tempting as it was, Rafe was hoping for bigger things. “I was thinking of that dance you mentioned to Duke. I’d be happy to take you.”

  Her expression froze. “I can’t. Tim asked last night and I said yes.”

  Well, hell. Rafe didn’t like that turn of events at all. “So tell him you changed your mind and go with me.”

  When she looked up at the trees, he knew she was thinking about it. Good, he thought. Feeling naughty would make her blood race. But instead of turning to him, she shook her head. “I won’t go back on my word.”

  Rafe decided to push. “If Duke has to wear a neck tie, he might be glad to get out of it.”

  “It is formal,” she answered. “The Santa Fe Railroad picked Midas for their new headquarters. The new train station is opening and so is a hotel. The railroad’s shipping in everything—the food, the music, even flo
wers. It’s the biggest thing that’s ever happened in Midas.”

  Rafe held in a curse. He knew the brand of champagne that would be served and how the flowers would be shipped. The train would take on ice near Raton and arrive exactly on time. A railroad depot was the last place he wanted to be seen. But instead of being relieved, he felt cheated. Susanna in blue satin would have been a vision—one that Duke wouldn’t appreciate.

  He toyed with the idea of talking to her about the man, but the house was in sight and the rancher was standing on the porch with his hands on his hips. That talk about men would have to wait…but not too long.

  Chapter Eleven

  Three hours later, Susanna was sitting next to Rafe in the surrey with Nick in the back seat. The temperature had dropped by twenty degrees, and the clear sky had turned to silver. She smelled snow in the air and huddled under the blanket Rafe had offered from his things. Behind her, Nick was wrapped up in a wool cocoon and talking so much that she wished she’d given him a dose of chamomile to make him sleep. It was painfully obvious that he wanted a mother, and he’d figured out a way to make that happen.

  Rafe, tell Dr. Sue about how you captured Frank Benton….

  Rafe, tell her how you found me….

  Dr. Sue? Did Rafe show you the engraving on the carbine? He draws roses.

  Her heart ached for the boy, but she’d endured enough matchmaking to last a lifetime. Every time an eligible bachelor showed up at church, her mother jabbed her in the ribs. As annoying as Abbie could be, Susanna didn’t mind. Her parents had worked hard for their marriage and they wanted her to have the same happiness.

  “Dr. Sue?”

  She clenched her teeth. “Yes, Nick?”

  “Did you know that Rafe can recite whole poems?”

  “Is that so?” She tried to sound disinterested, but she glanced at the man sitting next to her. He’d turned up his collar against the cold, but she could see a hint of a smile. Far from being annoyed, he was enjoying Nick’s matchmaking. He’d even winked at her, a sign that he knew what Nick was up to, and that had made her even more uncomfortable.

  But why? Rafe LaCroix was all charm and no substance. Never mind that dancing with him had been a joy and his kiss still burned inside her. She had to forget the way he made Nick laugh and the shiver she’d felt when he’d tucked the blanket around her hips. There was no point in losing her heart to a man destined to leave. Except he’d already taken a piece of it. She’d yearned to say yes when he’d asked her to the dance, mostly because she understood the offer for the gift it was. He’d been willing to risk himself for her. It was far more than Tim would ever do. Solid and steady, the rancher would never change.

  But Rafe could if he wanted to. It was a matter of facing the past. Her parents had done it, and like them, Susanna believed in a God who offered second chances. If Rafe would tell her the truth about who he was and what he’d done, she could help him set down the chip on his shoulder. It was time to ask a few questions of her own.

  “Which poems do you know?” she asked.

  Nick piped up. “Do ‘Charge of the Light Brigade.’ That’s my favorite.”

  Rafe shook his head. “I’ve got something better for Dr. Sue.”

  “Go right ahead,” she said.

  “It’s Shakespeare. Sonnet One Hundred and Thirty.” He gave her a long look. “Do you know it?”

  “Not offhand.”

  With his gaze locked on hers, he made his voice low.

  “‘My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun; Coral is far more red than her lips red; If snow be white, why then her breasts—’”

  “Talk louder,” Nick insisted. “I can’t hear you.”

  But Susanna had heard every word. “That was rude.”

  Rafe put his hand over his heart in feigned shock.

  “What? Shakespeare? It’s poetry, Dr. Leaf. The finest kind.”

  “You’re trying to annoy me. Stop it.” As soon as the command left her lips, she knew he’d take it as a challenge to do the opposite. She needed to turn the tables. “Where did you go to school?”

  “Here and there.”

  “New York?”

  He sealed his lips.

  “Was it Boston?”

  His expression hardened. Boston meant something to him but what? Before she could probe, Nick piped up again. “Dr. Sue? What’s your favorite book?”

  She answered without thinking. “Huckleberry Finn.”

  “I ain’t read that one.”

  “Haven’t read,” Rafe said. For the first time, he’d snapped at Nick.

  Susanna wanted to ask more questions, but she wouldn’t get anywhere as long as the boy was awake. She turned and tucked the blanket higher on his chin. “We can read some of it tonight.”

  “I’d like that.” Nick snuggled down in the blanket and took a deep breath. Susanna hoped he’d fall asleep, but instead he wrinkled his brow. “Rafe?”

  “What is it?” The man glared at the road.

  “Did you know that Dr. Sue doesn’t like peas?”

  Heat crept up Susanna’s neck. She and Nick had spent hours talking about nonsense. What else would he blurt?

  She glanced at Rafe, who seemed relieved to be talking about vegetables instead of himself. “As a matter of fact I did.”

  Susanna frowned. “How did you know?”

  “Last night at supper. You took a bite to be polite, but that was all.” Rafe gave her a wily smile. “Do you know what else I’ve figured out?”

  “I’m afraid to ask.”

  “Blue’s your favorite color.”

  He was right and it irked her. “That was a lucky guess.”

  “Not at all. I saw your ball gown in the wardrobe.” Rafe’s gaze lingered on her face, but he spoke to Nick. “It’s your turn, kid. Can you name Dr. Sue’s favorite candy?”

  “Peppermint.”

  “No, it’s Tootsie Rolls. I bet she has some in her pocket right now.”

  She’d taken a handful for the trip. That knowledge meant that he’d been watching her, noticing things that shouldn’t have mattered but were somehow important. Tim didn’t even know how she took her coffee,

  Rafe smirked at her. “Am I right?”

  “I brought them for Nick.” She reached into her pocket and gave the boy a piece of candy. She would have taken one for herself, but she didn’t want to share with Rafe.

  The boy was wide-awake and looking for more questions. “You both saw the angel, didn’t you?”

  The man hesitated. “I saw Dr. Leaf’s shadow.”

  “It was an angel,” Nick insisted. “She had dark hair like my ma, but her eyes were blue like yours.”

  “I don’t know, kid.”

  When Nick sighed, Susanna turned and adjusted his blanket. The sadness in his eyes broke her heart. “Your ma’s still with you, Nick. She’s in your heart and she’s in heaven. So is the angel.”

  “Then you believe me?”

  “Absolutely.” In Susanna’s experience, medicine and miracles went hand in hand. When Nick’s eyes closed, she faced forward and saw that they had crested a hill. Clouds filled the valley below them, but she knew the mist hid a line of pines and the stream that led to the parsonage. It was a lovely place, but none of that beauty was visible. Susanna had no difficulty in believing in things she couldn’t see.

  But now we see through a glass darkly…

  She loved the old Bible verse. She felt that mystery when looking at a sunset or feeling the sun on her face. A mother giving birth filled her with the same awe, and so did looking into Rafe’s eyes. How many bounty hunters could quote Shakespeare? Not many, she guessed. Nor had she ever seen such fine engraving on a gun. Beyond the chip on his shoulders, he had an agile mind and a good heart. Who was he fighting and why? Even hunkered against the weather, he looked like a man staring down an enemy.

  “Jeez, it’s cold,” he muttered.

  Susanna didn’t want to give him ideas, but she felt bad about hogging his blanket. “If y
ou keep your hands to yourself, I’ll sit closer. We can share the blanket.”

  “You’ve got a deal.”

  Being careful to keep air between their hips, she positioned herself next to Rafe and opened the blanket so it would reach across his knees. He took the edge and tucked it under his thigh without saying a word.

  They had come a long way since he’d dragged her out of the clinic. Instead of wanting to push him off the seat, she had to resist the urge to scoot closer. His body heat was building under the blanket and curling around her hips. If she touched him, sparks would fly and light a fire. But that couldn’t be. She wanted a husband and a family. Rafe LaCroix wanted a night in her bed.

  But God help her, she was tempted to touch him. What would it be like to feel his hands on the secret places of her body? To lie with him on a dark night? Susanna had come to grips with her longings back in Baltimore. Sex was natural and necessary, but she also believed that it was meant to be special. As her father once told a blushing congregation, “Animals mate. People make love. If you don’t know the difference, I can’t help you.”

  A smile curled on Susanna’s lips. He’d created quite a stir that Sunday. But what about a woman like herself? The hope of marriage faded a little each day, while her desire for a man grew stronger. She felt it most at night when the moon was full and spilling through her window. She wanted to be kissed and held, cherished…possessed.

  Rafe’s voice cut through her thoughts. “Nick sure can chatter.”

  “Nick?”

  Rafe gave her a peculiar look. “The kid in the back seat. Remember him?”

  “Of course,” she said, blushing. “Yes, he talks a lot. Most kids do.”

  “What do you make of his angel?”

  Considering her mind had just been in bed with Rafe, it wasn’t easy to focus. The moist heat of her thoughts was spreading through her middle and his hard thigh was close enough to touch. She could imagine her fingers on the muscle, traveling from his knee to his… Swallowing hard, she concentrated on the cold mist clinging to her face.

  “It could have been the fever,” she said. “But I’ve seen too many miracles to be a skeptic. If Nick says he saw an angel, I believe him.”