by Kit Morgan
Percy and Adele walked in silence across the street to his wagon. “We can walk to the mercantile if you want. You might like to stretch your legs before having to sit for hours again.”
She glanced at him. For someone who hadn’t expected her, he was being very considerate. “Yes, that might be a good idea. At least we’re not going to your place on a train. I think I’ve had my fill of them for a while.”
“Understandable,” he said with a smile. “The mercantile is this way.” He placed his hand at the small of her back and gave her a nudge. Her heart sped up at the contact, but she didn’t flinch. After what she’d been through, she wasn’t sure how she’d react around him. Thank the Lord none of the men that kidnapped her weeks ago had …
“There you are, Percy!” a voice called from the train station’s platform. Adele looked up and saw a preacher descending the steps to the street. “Been looking all over for you!”
“Preacher Simmons?” Percy said in surprise as the man reached the bottom of the stairs and came to where they stood. “What can I do for you?”
Adele watched as Percy’s left cheek twitched a few times. A nervous tic?
“I think it’s the other way around, son.”
Percy gave Adele a sideways glance. “I don’t understand.”
The preacher gave him a wide smile. “Why, I’m here to marry ya!”
Percy’s body went rigid. “Y-y-y-you are?”
Adele looked between the two in shock. What was going on? If Percy Blue had no idea she was coming, how did the preacher know? Then it hit her – whomever sent away for her must’ve arranged for the preacher to meet them at the train station.
But why didn’t that person have the good sense God gave a goose and inform the groom?
“Sorry I’m late – I got tied up at a funeral. Should’ve been through over an hour ago, but all those women, they kept talking and talking …”
Percy’s eyes were glued to the preacher. “Do tell.”
He sounded more than a little panicked, Adele thought. She sighed. At this point she was pretty upset with the jokester responsible for her having traveled all the way out here for nothing! She wondered what the preacher would do when Mr. Blue told him he had no intention of marrying her.
“Who told you to meet me here, Preacher Simmons?” Percy asked.
“Well, you did! Got the wire yesterday.”
Percy groaned, pinched the bridge of his nose and appeared to be concentrating on something – like not screaming. “Nate and Hank went to town yesterday,” he muttered. “One of them must’ve sent it.”
“Well, at least I got here in time and caught ya before ya left! Shall we head down to the church? My wife’ll be the witness.”
Percy let his hand fall to his side and looked between Adele and Preacher Simmons. “There seems to have been a misunderstanding …”
“Misunderstanding?” the preacher echoed.
“Yes. You see, I didn’t send you that wire yesterday. Nor was I the one who sent away for Miss Brown here.”
She knew he was going to say it, felt it coming, yet it didn’t make her feel any better about it. She didn’t want to be handed off to “some other man” to marry just to keep her safe from the evil men back in Beckham. She’d decided over her pie that she rather liked Mr. Percy Blue, and was looking forward to getting to know him better. Now she wasn’t sure she’d have the chance.
“Excuse me, gentlemen,” a man said from behind them. “But I couldn’t help but overhear your discussion of this fine lady here.”
All three looked at him. He was well-dressed, middle-aged and, from the dust on his clothes, had obviously been traveling.
Percy looked him up and down. “Excuse us, sir, but any discussion of the lady is between Preacher Simmons and myself.”
“Of course it is,” the man replied. Adele noticed his slight Southern accent and wondered where he was from. Unconsciously, she took a step toward Percy. He noticed, and took a step toward her, closing the distance.
“Now, if you don’t mind, we have business to attend to.” Percy put his hand on Adele’s shoulder and gently guided her way from the man.
The stranger was undeterred. “You seem to have a dilemma, son. I can help you with that.”
Percy looked over his shoulder at him. “I have no dilemma, sir. Now please –”
“You have a bride you don’t want to marry. I, on the other hand, want to marry … and have no bride.”
Percy looked like he had had just about enough of this interloper. “I’m sorry to hear it, but I can’t help you.”
“But you just said you didn’t send away for this girl,” Preacher Simmons reminded him.
Adele watched Percy’s body stiffen as he turned to Preacher Simmons. “None of that is this … gentleman’s business, either.”
“Well she’s got to marry somebody,” argued the preacher. “Poor girl came all this way, after all, and she can’t very well survive on her own.” He turned to Adele. “Do you have any money?”
“Um … well … no,” she answered.
“You see? How’s she gonna get along?”
The stranger stepped forward. “I can take care of her. The woman I was to marry unexpectedly … passed.” He took off his hat and held it over his heart, then shoved it back on his head. “I’d hate to go back empty-handed.”
Percy balled his hands into fists and slowly turned to face the man. “Go back empty-handed to where?”
The man smiled. “Missourah.”
Percy took Adele by the hand and pulled her close. “I’m afraid we still can’t help you.”
“Come now, boy – I heard you tell the preacher you didn’t send for her, and from what I’ve also heard a few minutes ago, you want nothing to do with her! I find myself in need of a wife, and this girl will do as well as the next.”
“One,” Percy told him, “I do not appreciate being called ‘boy’. Two, I did not say I wanted nothing to do with her. Three, this young lady has gone through enough without having to marry someone who would say something as callous as ‘this girl will do as well as the next’! If that is your attitude, then I invite you to ‘do’ with some other one. Good day, sir, and goodbye.” He began to pull Adele away.
“At least let the girl think about my proposal,” the stranger said, suddenly changing his tune. He looked at Adele. “I have a fine farm back in Missourah. You’ll have to work hard, but I promise I’ll take good care of you.”
Adele was enjoying the novelty of someone being willing to stand up for her. Before Percy could reply, she did. “I have thought about it, sir – no thank you. Good day.”
“So you intend to marry the girl after all?” Preacher Simmons asked.
Percy was still steaming from the stranger’s importunate remarks. “I think I have the right to decide that in my own time, don’t I?”
The stranger wasn’t giving up. “I have documents identifying who I am, and it would save me a heap of trouble finding another wife –”
“Is that it?” Percy yelled as he spun on him. “You just don’t want to have to go through the trouble of locating another woman to marry?”
“Of course! Would you if one fell into your lap?”
Adele suddenly realized she had her own fists clenched. Who was this twit, and why didn’t he know when to shove off? “I have not landed in your lap, sir!”
The stranger smiled at her. “Why don’t you let us menfolk discuss what’s best for you, my dear?”
Percy’s eyes narrowed. “How dare you, sir – how dare you! Now I highly recommend you go find yourself a woman someplace else, before I’m tempted to render you incapable of doing so! This one is not available!” A thought suddenly struck him, and he grabbed Adele by the hand as he turned. “Come on, Preacher Simmons, let’s go.” Without a backward glance, he marched off down the street.
Adele stumbled along behind him. “Wait a minute! What are you doing? Where are we going?”
Percy stopped short, cau
sing Adele to run into him with an “mmph!” He turned and eyed the stranger who trailed behind them a few steps. “We’re going to the church. To get married.”
“But … but I thought you said earlier …”
“That was earlier.” His eyes darted between her and the stranger again. “It’s my name on that marriage contract, is it not?”
“Well … yes, but …”
“And you don’t want to have to deal with louts like –” He tossed his head at Mr. “Missourah.” “– that, do you?”
Fire lit her eyes. “Absolutely I don’t!”
“Then I guess we’d better get this done.”
“But a moment ago …,” she began.
“Never mind about a moment ago,” Percy snapped. “I apologize that this is not the most romantic gesture, but I believe it’s a necessary one.”
He was right on both counts, she decided. “Well, all right … but what made you change your mind?”
Percy glared back at the stranger, who stood there dumbfounded. “He did.” Without another word he tightened his grip on her hand and led Preacher Simmons to the church.
*
A few minutes later they were seated in Preacher Simmons’ small office. Percy had glanced over his shoulder several times on the way to see if the dust-covered dandy would follow them, but thankfully he’d disappeared. Maybe the man was telling the truth and he really was some farmer from Missouri in search of a wife. But what farmer from Missouri comes all the way to Texas to look for one?
It didn’t make sense, and the heavy feeling in Percy’s gut had reappeared the moment the man had looked at Miss Brown like she was a well-done steak. With everything he and his family had been through, he wasn’t about to chance it. For all he knew, this newcomer worked for Deacons Belafonte, Smith and Jackson. This was the most obvious way to make sure she would be kept safe from them and the Mr. Missourahs of the world.
“I’ll just go get the wife,” Preacher Simmons said. “Wait right here and we’ll have the ceremony as soon as I get back.” He glanced at Adele. “Did you have a dress you wanted to change into?”
Adele stood in shock. “No,” she said weakly. “I don’t.”
Preacher Simmons nodded and hurried out.
Percy looked at her and sighed. “I’m sorry I was so abrupt. But I don’t think that man was anything near what he said he was.”
“What would you care?” she asked as she turned away.
Percy laid his hand on her shoulder and gently turned her around. “Believe it or not, I do. I know we’ve gotten off on the wrong foot, and I’m sure I’m a great disappointment to you. But the truth of the matter is, I don’t want you to go away – you seem very nice to me.”
“I … I do?” Adele said, blushing.
“I simply had no idea you were coming, that’s all. I … well, hopefully my brothers will explain everything to you … to us … once we get out to Dalton.”
“You mean your ranch?”
“It’s not my ranch – it’s my brothers-in-law’s – but we all live out there. It’s kind of like having our own little town.”
She shook her head and rubbed her temples with her fingers. “I still don’t understand … you didn’t send for me, you don’t want to marry me –”
“I didn’t say that! I did not say I didn’t want to marry you …” He realized he was yelling again, and stopped. “Sorry.”
“But you didn’t say you did, either – and you weren’t prepared for me to arrive. Yet here we are in the preacher’s office at the church about to be married! What is going on?!”
Percy sighed. There was no help for it; he was just going to have to say it. “My guess is you’ve had a run-in with three gentlemen back in Beckham that go by the names of Belafonte, Smith and Jackson. Am I right?”
Adele went pale. “I … I’ve heard of them, they attended the same church I did … Miss Miller told me some things …”
Percy nodded. “I’ve watched them go to great lengths to get what they want, Miss Brown. That man we ran into that was so eager to marry you? He could well be working for them.”
“Oh!” Adele swallowed hard. “I see what you mean about needing protection. Miss Miller told me the same, and after what I’ve been through … I believe it.” She stiffened with the effort not to cry.
Percy closed his eyes a moment as he tried to pull his wits together. He didn’t want to upset her further, but it was by nature an upsetting situation. She was in danger and they both knew it. There’d be no one she could trust except him and his family. If the demon deacons had sent a man after her, he had to protect her – his conscience gave him no other option. His name was on those documents, so she was his responsibility.
That didn’t mean he wasn’t going to let Benedict and Hank take her off his hands once he got back to the ranch, but until then at least, he’d need to look after her. And maybe after … he hadn’t had much involvement with his brother’s “other business” up until now. Maybe this was their way of saying it was high time he did.
He sighed again and said as gently as possible, “I can only imagine what you’ve been through before coming here, and I know Miss Miller sent you for your own protection. I aim to see you are protected.”
She glanced around the church office. “Even by going so far as marrying me?”
“Yes,” he said firmly. “I know I’m no prize, but I will keep you safe. I give you my word on that.”
Adele was too shocked to respond – and didn’t get the chance, as just then the preacher came back with his wife in tow. “All right, everything’s in order. Shall we proceed?”
Percy took Miss Brown’s hands in his and gazed at her. “Don’t worry, ma’am – I’ll see you get what you came here for.”
She looked up at him, tears in her eyes. “I came to get married.”
He closed his eyes a moment before he looked at her again. “Then let’s see it done.”
And then they were standing in front of the preacher, his wife off to one side, listening to their wedding vows. Percy recited his with firm resolve, knowing that by marrying her their chances of running into trouble on the way back to the ranch would be much less. It was the best protection he could offer her at the moment, and he knew he could get it annulled after he was sure no one had followed them or was sneaking around the ranch looking for her. Any woman those three devil deacons had their eye on was much less likely to be hunted by the slavers if she were married.
Of course, he still had to get her to the ranch unharmed, and hoped there was no one lying in ambush along the way. If the slavers were indeed here and bold enough, they could easily kill him and take her somewhere between Weatherford and home. He wondered if Hank and Nate had thought about that when they’d arranged this fiasco.
He listened to Miss Brown numbly recite her vows, and noticed her hands had gone cold. Was it from fright, or something else? He couldn’t tell. Her head was down and she wouldn’t look at him.
Compassion overtook him and he gave her hand a gentle squeeze. She looked up at him and their eyes locked, just as she said the words “I do.”
“Then by the power invested in me by Almighty God and the state of Texas, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride,” Preacher Simmons concluded with a smile.
Percy stared at her as the realization of what he’d just done sank in. She looked numbly back.
“Well? Ain’t ya gonna kiss her?” asked the preacher.
Percy gave Miss Brown a look as if to say I’m sorry, then bent down and gave her a peck on the corner of her mouth.
“Congratulations!” cried the preacher’s wife. “Now if the two of you will just sign here, you’ll be all ready to go!” Percy and Adele both looked at her as she happily dipped a pen in an inkwell, then practically shoved it into Adele’s hand. “I’m sure you’re going to love living out at the Dalton ranch!” she told her. “Why, it’s become its own little town.”
“Not quite yet,” said Percy. He
was used to saying that; people often made the comment about the rapid growth of the Dalton spread. “But give it time.”
“Of course,” agreed Preacher Simmons. “Before ya know it, you’ll have a bank out there!”
That snapped Percy out of his stupor. Money. It drove the slavers and their whole nasty business. It was also the reason he was now married. But it wasn’t a real marriage, not in the conventional sense. It’s not like he’d be taking her home, putting her in his little cabin, having her set up house. There would be no consummation, no getting to know each another, no wondering if she could cook. He’d deliver her to Hank and Benedict and let them work out the details of where she’d go next.
He watched her scribble her signature on the marriage license, took the pen from her and did the same.
Preacher Simmons beamed at them. “There you are, Percy – signed, sealed and about to be delivered!”
“Delivered?” Adele repeated weakly.
Preacher Simmons laughed. “Take her home, son, and take good care of her.”
Percy looked at Preacher Simmons and his wife, then at Miss Brown … no. Not Miss Brown, but Mrs. Percival Blue.
Five
At least an hour had passed in silence since they left Weatherford, and Percy was beginning to wonder if his new wife was ever going to speak to him. She’d stared at him in shock after he’d kissed her, the only word to escape her lips a repeat of something Preacher Simmons had said. She certainly didn’t come across to him as being dull; he knew she was smart enough to know he’d married her not because he wanted to, but because he felt it was the best thing to do at the time. “We can get the marriage annulled just as soon as we’re able.”
She turned her head toward him – for the first time since they left town. “Annulled?” she echoed. “Oh, I see.” She turned away again.
“I didn’t want that stranger to get the wrong idea.”
“About what?” she said, her voice terse. “That you actually wanted to marry me?”
“I don’t think that man was who he said he was.” He turned to look at her. “Miss Brown …”
“Oh for Heaven’s sake, call me Adele!”