Penelope sat down and put her hand over her belly and realized that she'd need to get a dress that was looser in the waist. Her corsets and dresses were no longer fitting.
Humming to herself, she started to make a list of things she'd need. She wasn't going to go too crazy. A few flowers, a pretty dress, and maybe a small after party for the town to celebrate their wedding. They could have it at the church.
She wrote a letter to the pastor to ask him what dates would work for him and was feeling quite content with the situation.
Chapter 5
Finished putting the last few pins in her hair, she grabbed the flowers that she was using for her bouquet and went to meet her husband-to-be down where he and the pastor were waiting for her. The entire town had showed up for the wedding. She was a little shocked, but he was well liked so maybe she shouldn't have been so surprised.
Walking down the aisle, she wished her mother was here, but at least she'd gotten a letter from her mom about the wedding before it took place. She was still small enough with her pregnancy that the dress with a princess empire cut was able to hide her growing belly.
Feeling blessed and assured that today would go without a hitch, she held her head high and went to meet her husband.
She should have realized that the family she used to work for would cause a scene, but she didn't think they'd do it at the wedding, or in front of the Sheriff.
When she got down and put her hand in Dave's, he smiled big at her, happy to see her.
"You look beautiful," He whispered to her, just loud enough only she could hear.
They turned to the pastor and when he asked if anyone had any issues with the wedding or could forever hold their peace her old Master stood up and protested.
Dave looked angry and turned to face him.
"She's nothing more than a servant. You have no business marrying her." The man told Dave angrily.
"I'm free to marry who I want. If you don't like it, leave the church." Dave told him. The people sitting in the pews were whispering loudly.
"She's pregnant with our child, and won't give it to us," Her old Mistress announced loudly, trying to humiliate her. She glared at Penelope.
Penelope was shaking in embarrassment and wished she'd realized that they might have created a scene to get back at her for denying them the baby.
Dave leaned over and spoke to one of the deputy's and asked them to escort them from the church if they wouldn't leave willingly. Nodding, Travis went to do as Dave asked.
"No, you don't understand. She is having our baby. It's mine, she has to give it to me," The woman protested and started to cry. The sympathetic looks that were tossed her way full of pity and realizing that she was falling apart in front of the entire town.
Travis forced them to leave and then stood guard at the church entrance to make sure they couldn't come back in. The pastor was waiting for the scene to be over and then cleared his throat.
"Does anyone else want to protest, or can I get on with the wedding now?" He asked loudly and waited a moment. "Okay, good."
"Thank you," Penelope mouthed to him and the pastor gave her a gentle smile as he started his sermon.
When it was over and Dave had kissed Penelope, the crowd cheered for them. The church had a buffet style of food that was setup in the other room for the reception after the ceremony. Dave escorted Penelope there and kissed her temple, telling her he was happy she was his wife.
"I'm sorry they caused a scene," Penelope whispered to him. It was a moment she'd never forget and it's not how she pictured her wedding day.
"Don't be sorry. You're not the one who chose to make a fool of yourself at someone else’s wedding. They brought this on themselves and there's a good chance that they will be shunned by many of the townsfolk after this. People don't like drama, and she's showing signs of brain sickness."
"I could almost feel bad for her, if she wasn't so aggressive about the pregnancy. I understand wanting a child. I even understand wanting her husband's child. But you can't just take someone's baby." Penelope told him quietly and slipped her hand in his as they walked into the reception room.
"She'll get over it. I plan to go have a long talk with her and her husband later about knocking this off. We deserve to have a good life, and I won't let them interfere with it anymore." Dave told her and then let the women pull Penelope away from him to socialize and visit before they headed home for their wedding night.
"Are you really pregnant?" The innkeeper asked her. She was a round lady, but she was usually sweet. Her name was Melly, and Penelope and she had chatted a few times in the past.
"Yes." Penelope admitted.
"Is that why you quit working for them and left to be with Dave?" Melly whispered to her, wanting the latest gossip first hand from Penelope.
"It's complicated and I really don't want to talk about it at my wedding." Penelope disengaged from the conversation as politely as she could and then searched the room to find her husband. He was standing over with two deputies that were at the wedding and she made her way to him.
"I think I've about had it. Their scene at the wedding is making everyone ask me questions that I don't want to answer." Penelope told him and gave him a pleading look to get her out of here.
"We can do that. Let me just tie up a few loose ends first and we'll go home." He told her and brought her hand up to his mouth to kiss it before doing what he promised.
Penelope made her way outside to the back where their wagon and horse waited for them. Lucille was waiting for her and had a big stick in her hand. Penelope hadn't been prepared for her to be there, and she didn't have her gun with her. Backing up slowly she ran into Marvin's chest and he grabbed her arms hard and then put his hand over her mouth before she could cry out for help.
"You broke Lucille's heart," Marvin whispered hatefully in her ear. "Now she's going to break yours."
Lucille came at her with the stick as if she was going to hit her and Penelope struggled hard in Marvin's arms, trying to get away from them. Her intention clear as Lucille stared at her belly and went to swing the stick at her.
A shot fired out, in the air and both Travis and Dave stood there. Travis had a rifle pointed directly at Lucille and Dave was glaring at Marvin.
"Let go of my wife, or I will shoot you both." Dave growled at them. The look on his face would have traumatized Penelope if she knew it was directed at her, but in her defense it had her sighing in relief. His timing couldn't have been any better.
"She deserves this," Lucille screamed and lunged at Penelope to attack her. Dave fired and shot her in the shoulder, making her drop the stick. She fell to the ground whimpering, holding her shoulder.
"Marvin, let go of my wife, or I will shoot you." Dave told him, threatening him.
Marvin let her go with a look of disgust on his face and stepped back from Penelope. He didn't immediately attend to his wife on the ground, he was too busy glaring at Dave and Travis.
"You are both under arrest," Dave told him and nodded to Travis who slung the rifle on his back and grabbed some rope out of his pouch on his belt. Tying both their hands up he made Lucille get to her feet.
"It's a superficial wound, I'll have the doc come around at the jail to dig out the bullet and sew her up. You're lucky Dave didn't do worse to you," Travis hissed at Lucille when she whined that it hurt.
"I'm taking my wife home now. I don't care what you have to do, make sure they stay in jail, and when you talk to the judge, I want them out of my town for good. They can't be trusted here." Dave told Travis and then wrapped his arms protectively around Penelope.
Watching Travis get his horse and force them to walk behind it with tied wrists to the jail downtown Penelope wanted to feel bad for them, but she couldn't.
"Thank you. You saved my life and most likely that of our baby." Penelope whispered when he helped her up into the carriage.
"I would do anything to keep you safe Penelope, I hope you never doubt that." He leaned ove
r and kissed her passionately. If there was any doubt about his feelings before, she didn't doubt it now, even if he hadn't said the words yet.
"Are you ready to start the rest of our life together?" Dave asked her quietly when they pulled into their yard and started unhitching the horses to put them away.
"I couldn't think of anything I'd like more," Penelope told him and put her hand on his arm for a moment. "I love you Dave, I'll be inside waiting for you."
Dave smiled at her and nodded watching her walk to the house.
Penelope went inside and worked on getting out of her dress, she laid on the bed and waited for him. This wasn't exactly how she pictured the start of her marriage beginning, but with Dave at her side, she could handle anything.
She waited for him to join her.
THE END
The Renegade Angel’s Mail Order Husband
Chapter 1
"What do you mean my grandfathers will stated that I had to be married to collect my inheritance? He never told me about this." Mercy couldn't believe it. "I've been doing all the work since I was knee high."
Mercy Hamilton stood in front of her lawyer Tom Pinken, with the parchment clutched into her hand.
She was glaring at him in frustration.
Mercy resisted the urge to stomp her feet, knowing that giving in to childlike reactions wouldn't help her situation right now.
Her grandfather had died last month; she'd lived with him her entire life.
Mercy's parents had died in a carriage accident when she was a small child, and he'd raised her. She couldn't understand why he would have put that clause into his will. She had no desire to marry. She liked to be her own independent woman and having a husband could put a kink in that.
Her husband might want to take over and control the business her grandfather had built from the ground up. She'd been running it by her grandfather's side since she had to stop wearing breeches and wear dresses and corsets in public around other people.
He had bred and raised thoroughbreds; she had done most of the training and riding since she was small enough to ride them. She loved her horses and she wouldn't allow a man to tell her she couldn't ride.
It was the only time she got to wear pants when she was on the back of a horse, she wouldn't give that freedom up for anything.
Her horses were the only thing that mattered to her. The stable her grandfather had built had produced many champions, and her horses were highly sought after.
Tom cleared his throat. "Perhaps because a woman trying to run a business is unheard of, and he knew you'd need the support and figurehead of a man to continue the success he saw while he was alive. Everyone knows you've done most of the work the last few years, but you are a woman."
Mercy was aptly named; she had a temper that suited her redheaded personality, and a tongue of a shrew. She was a tiny package of claws and teeth and no filter. Very few people could be around her for long, because she always spoke her mind, no matter how offensive it would be.
"Men are so stupid. Men all need to be beaten upside the head with a riding crop until some sense has been knocked into them. A woman can run a business just as well as a man can." Mercy said as her fists clenched into a ball.
"Listen, all you need to do is get married. No one even said you had to like your husband or spend time with him." Tom swallowed hard when he saw Mercy narrow her eyes. "Just pick a man to be your husband who won't get in your way. One who will allow you to get your inheritance and continue on with life as you know it. You don't even have to know he's there."
Mercy leaned back taking a deep breath, watching the lawyer for a moment, and then nodded her head.
"Fine. You're in charge of finding me one." She ordered him, pointing a finger at his chest. "He can't be ugly, or feeble-minded, no horrible vices, and one who won't embarrass me by flaunting his mistresses every time he talks to another male."
"I will see what I can do." He muttered feeling relieved when Mercy got up and stalked towards the exit.
"By the way, you have one week to produce this so-called perfect husband of mine, or I will make your life a living hell." She told him.
Tom nodded frantically.
If anyone could live up to that threat, it was Mercy. Tom let out a breath that he hadn't even realized he'd been holding when she shut the door and was out of his office. But he knew he'd better get to work. Mercy didn't make idle threats.
Chapter 2
"No." Mercy said. "Every candidate you've shown to me is worthless."
"Why?" Tom Pinken said, confused, he rubbed a hand to his temple, trying to bite his tongue.
She was impossible.
Mercy picked up the files and started going through them one at a time, tossing them on his desk as she described them.
"This man is a gambler; I work with racing horses for god's sake. He'd ruin me or get himself banned from the tracks, and I couldn't trust him not to dope the horses, gamblers are bad news." Mercy pointed out.
"But he likes horses!" Tom protested weakly.
"And this one? He's fat and has buried three wives in five years. What's to say I wouldn't be number four? I don't trust any man who can't keep a wife alive." Mercy said throwing another folder on his desk.
"I'm doing the best I can, but you didn't give me much time."
"Oh, and this one is just great. He's barely reached manhood and is already known locally for spending most of his time with the whores in the brothel, and you'd put him on my list? Even I have heard of him." Mercy didn't even bother to look at the rest of the folders; she threw them at the lawyer, hitting him in the face with the papers.
Tom looked stunned for a minute and then pushed all the papers off his lap onto the floor. Tom would pick them up later; right now he had to get this girl out of his office before she killed him.
"Mercy, look, you're nineteen, and you have a mouth that can flay a man's skin off. You worry about their reputation, but YOU have a reputation. They hear your name and they either laugh until they realize I'm serious, or they look like they are going to have a panic attack and run screaming in the other direction."
Mercy crossed her arms defensively. Her grandfather had always loved and encouraged her forthright nature, she knew it scared a lot of people off, but if they couldn't handle it, she didn't want to be around them anyways.
People should be able to handle it.
"You're an idiot then." Mercy told him. "You are asking all the wrong people. Ask someone who's never heard of me, play up my good traits, and that this would be a business arrangement."
He shook his head. "Everyone has heard of you Mercy. Your shrew-like tongue is that notorious around here. Maybe if you learned to speak a little nicer to people you'd be able to find a decent human being who'd be interested in you. People think of their life spent with you, and they would pay to avoid a marriage to you."
Mercy blushed; feeling slightly upset at being called a shrew and just tapped her foot quietly. She reminded herself that throwing anything else at his head might make him quit. She couldn't afford to have him quit.
"I don't care how you do it. Find me a man that fits the bill. Don't call me back into this office until you have the right candidate." Mercy said, leaving his office in a huff.
Tom sat back in his chair and put his hands over his face, taking a deep breath. Mercy would be the death of him. Every time she came into his office, he felt like he was going to die of a heart attack. He really needed to retire.
"Louis?" Tom finally called to his assistant in the other room.
Louis stuck his head in the door. "Yes, Sir?"
"Is your cousin still single, and need money?" Tom asked.
"Yes, he just retired from the military, from what my mother told me, he's been living at his mother's small farm repairing stuff since his Dad died last year. I guess it's fallen into debt." Louis told him. "Military pensions just don't make enough."
"Send him a letter and see if he'd be interested in living on a horse
farm. Tell him it includes a young wife, horses, and all the green grass a man can see. Tell him we can arrange a monthly stipend, which would help his family's debt." Tom said, pausing a second. "Don't you dare mention Mercy's personality, or her reputation around here, if he agrees, let him learn that himself. She needs a husband and I can't find anyone here to take her on."
Louis grinned. "If anyone can handle her, Vincent probably can."
Chapter 3
Mercy was waiting for Tom to bring the man he said would be perfect. He'd come out earlier in the week, showed him the file he put together on him and explained the situation.
The man was single, ex-military, never been married, no bad vices. He was trying to help his mother save her farm, but his pension just didn't pay enough to do it. Mercy was rich enough to pay for his family's farm and give his mother some living expenses, in return for his role as her husband. He wasn't a big spender and had lived comfortably on his pension when he retired until his mother needed help.
He was in his mid-thirties, so old enough to have gotten all his youthful indiscretions out of his system, and young enough he could still help out with the horses. While Mercy had hired hands, her grandfather and her prided themselves on being active with the animals, and in the middle of everything.
Her husband would be expected to participate, or no one would believe their marriage was real. Since image had been important to her grandfather when it came to the success of the business, Mercy would at least honor that.
A carriage finally pulled down her long driveway and pulled up to the house. Tom got out and wiped his forehead with a piece of cloth from his pocket.
"I'm sorry it took so long, one of the wheels broke and we had to wait for them to fix it," Tom told Mercy.
Mercy shrugged, pretending like she hadn't been sitting here waiting for him.
The Highlander's Taken Bride (Scottish Highlander Romance) Page 33