Leah Bryant appeared on the front porch, wiping her hands on her apron. Her face brightened when she saw him. "You brought Miriam home?" Her gaze flitted over the horse, then drifted around the yard. "Where is she?"
He felt like a heel. "Sorry, ma'am. She said she had too many things to take care of in town. And I wasn't sure her knee was ready for so many hours on horseback to get up here. She sends her love though."
Mrs. Bryant worked hard to cover her disappointment. "Well, please come in Doctor Donaghue." Her southern accent crept out as she stepped to the side and held the door for him. "I was just taking sweet rolls out of the oven, and I have coffee warm. You couldn't have come at a better time."
The three of them chatted in amiable conversation over coffee and cinnamon rolls that melted on his tongue. Gideon was a bit reserved, occasionally eyeing him, as Alex answered one of Mrs. Bryant's questions. The man was plainly curious about his business here, but he didn't seem hostile. Had Alex expected him to be? Still, Alex's palms were damp as he drained the last sip of his coffee—and not just from the heat of the mug.
"I have a mare in the barn that should be foaling soon. Care to have a look at her, Doc?" Gideon leaned back in his chair, watching Alex.
Alex met the man's gaze. "Be happy to."
They strode along the well-worn path to the barn. Alex clenched and un-clenched his fists as he tried to find a way to raise his question. The inside of the barn was dark, and Alex blinked as his eyes adjusted to the dimness.
A mare nickered to them, and Gideon met her at the stall door, taking her large head in his hands as he crooned. "Howdy, girl. You feelin' okay today? Brought the doc to see how close you are."
Alex slipped into the stall, and ran his hands down the mare's neck, over her distended abdomen, and across her hindquarters. He bent down to peer at her udder, then eased his hand under to feel of its firmness. A drop of white milk appeared on the tip when he touched it. Lastly, he raised the mare's tail and eyed the loosening of the muscles underneath. He turned to Gideon, resting a hand on the horse's back. "Gideon, to be honest, you've probably seen more pregnant mares than I have. She looks close to me. Today or tomorrow."
The other man nodded, approval reflected in his eyes. Was it because of his diagnosis? Or the fact that he'd been honest about his experience not equaling Gideon's?
Alex let himself out of the stall and draped an arm over a rail as Gideon continued to stroke the mare. Now was the time.
He cleared his throat. "I, um, would like to ask you something."
Gideon didn't answer. Didn't turn, just kept running his hands down the horse's jaw as she dozed. He wasn't making this easy.
"I'd like to marry your sister, Gideon. I'd like your blessing, if you're willing to give it." There. It was out. But he couldn't take a breath as he watched Miriam's older brother.
The man's gaze rose to somewhere in the distance. Farther than the stall wall where his eyes landed. His expression was impossible to read. Finally he spoke a single word. "Why?"
Alex swallowed. No, not making this easy. "Because I love her. She's the most amazing woman I've ever met." How did he put into words how he felt about Miriam? Especially to her brother.
Gideon nodded, then stood quiet for another moment. At last he sighed. "It's all right with me." He turned to look at Alex dead-on. "But the final decision is Miriam's."
Relief coursed through Alex. He wanted to let out a whoop, but settled for a grin. "Thank you." Reaching into his coat pocket, Alex pulled out a paper, folded and sealed. "Miriam said I had to wait until after I asked to give you this."
Gideon raised a brow, but took the paper, split the wax seal, and started reading.
Alex licked his lips as he eyed the man, but it was like watching an expert cardsharp. No facial expression except for a single raised brow, before he refolded the paper and slipped it into his pocket.
After a final pat on the mare's neck, Gideon turned to Alex and rested a hand on his shoulder. "I reckon' it's settled then. Let's go tell Leah the good news."
Chapter Twenty-Seven
"Did they say when they're coming down for the wedding?" Miriam tugged Alex's arm as they strolled on the road skirting the edge of town.
Alex had returned from Gideon and Leah's late last night, and he'd left Bryan in the clinic again today while Alex saw to "business" around town. Now evening had come and the clinic was closed, so she'd finally stolen him away to hear the details of his conversation with her brother.
"Two weeks. He tried to convince me to wait until spring, but I held my ground." Alex shot her a grin that warmed all the way to her toes.
"Two weeks is good." She turned her face up to absorb the last few rays of the setting sun.
They walked in silence for several minutes, until Alex spoke. "I talked to the sheriff today."
She jerked her gaze to him. "What'd he say?"
"Wanted to move Langley to a cell. I told him he needed to stay at the clinic for a couple more days at least."
She studied his expression. Having the man there where she worked still sent a tingle of unease down her spine. But he was so sick, barely strong enough to feed himself. They couldn't send him away just yet. And Bryan had taken over the man's care completely, so she didn't have to spend time around him.
Alex stopped walking and searched her eyes. "Would you rather I have him moved to the jail?"
She forced her face into a smile, but it wasn't so hard. "No. He's where he needs to be."
The line of his mouth eased. "You're amazing."
Miriam couldn't hold his gaze as warmth crept up her neck. "Did the sheriff say what he'd do with Mr. Langley when he's better?"
"He's working on an idea. I thought it a good one myself."
She raised her brows.
"Since Langley's mental state is…questionable, he thought it best the man leaves this part of the territory. He's sending him back to Kansas. That's where the brothers hail from, and apparently Tad still has family there. The local sheriff there has a work program for his long term inmates, to make them into responsible citizens."
Relief sank through her, relaxing the muscles in her shoulders and neck. "That sounds like a great plan. Do you think he'll be well enough to work?"
"I asked the sheriff to make sure he'll be under the care of a physician in Kansas."
Warmth washed through her chest as she stared into Alex's eyes. "You're a good man, Alex Donaghue. The best."
He looked away, red seeping into his cheeks. He started walking again.
They strolled for several minutes, passing the edge of town on their left and tall grass on their right, as the hills prepared to give way to the mountains. The church yard appeared up ahead. Even though they hadn't had a preacher for over a year, someone still tended the building and the rose vines crawling along the fence. Would they ever have a pastor again? How wonderful it would be to join with other Christians each week, and study the Scripture under the direction of a man called by God.
"You know, you never answered my question."
Miriam's gaze found Alex again and searched his face. "Which question was that?"
"Where you want to live. I promised you could decide, m'lady. Boston? New York? Paris?"
He shot her a smile. The corners of his mouth tipped, but the grin didn't light his eyes like usual. Instead, there were tiny creases at the outside corners where his lashes met. Did he really think she wanted to be anywhere other than here? Working alongside him to make a difference in other people's lives.
She stopped walking, and Alex paused, turning toward her. His jaw tightened, and his face lost all hint of a smile. "M'lady?"
"Alex, it matters not to me where we go. I'd just as soon stay here, as long as we can keep helping these people."
His brow puckered. "Stay here? But you want to travel. I'll need to settle down and work somewhere, but I have a little money saved to get us there."
She raised her hand to smooth the wrinkle in his brow. "I us
ed to think I wanted that. But I finally realized that I hadn't given that part to God. Hadn't asked Him to show me exactly what He has planned for me. And when I finally put my future in God's hands, you know what I discovered?" She removed her hand from the crook of his arm, and lifted both his hands to her waist. Alex's arms moved reluctantly, as if he were trying to distance himself. Afraid of what she would say?
"What?" He finally met her gaze and tightened his arms around her. His eyes read uncertainty. But there was resolve there too.
Miriam's heart swelled. Would he leave this place where he'd established himself, just to make her happy? How did she deserve this man? Thank You, Lord. Your ways truly are higher than mine.
Slipping her hands around his neck, she smiled. "I realized God had something better planned for me all along. It's not seeing new sights that will make me happy, it's finding His plan for me. Finding my purpose. What He created me to do."
Alex's eyes widened, a tiny spark igniting them. "And what's that?"
"Working with you. Helping these people. Making a difference, no matter how small. Being His tool."
A myriad of emotions played across Alex's face. So much that he seemed to struggle to contain them all. His grip tightened at her waist, and he lowered his forehead to rest on hers. His breathing grew labored, and the tickle of its warmth caressed her skin. "You can't imagine how happy that makes me. It won't be easy. I can't promise it will. But I can promise I'll love and cherish you with every ounce of my being."
She fingered the thick hair at the nape of his neck, as moisture clogged her throat. "That's more than I ever dreamed of."
Her eyes drifted closed as his mouth claimed hers.
~~~
"Shall we head to the church?"
Eyeing herself in the mirror of her room at the boarding house, Miriam twisted a curl falling around her face. It still wouldn't lay right. But better this time. Stepping back, she pressed her hands down the front of her skirt.
"You're beautiful, Miri. The loveliest bride I've ever seen."
She turned to Leah, nibbling her lip as she tried for a smile. "Do you think I look all right?"
Leah's eyes shimmered as she took Miriam's hands and held them out. Her gaze roamed from Miriam's hair all the way down to the hem of her pale blue muslin gown. "You're amazing. So beautiful it makes me want to cry."
A rush of moisture stung Miriam's own eyes, and she stepped forward into Leah's arms. "Thank you."
Leah clutched her tight, and Miriam squeezed her eyes against the rush of emotion churning in her. "Thank you for everything."
Leah finally pulled back, gripping Miriam's upper arms. "I'm only going to say this once, because neither one of us should walk into your wedding all red and puffy-eyed. I’m so happy for you, Miriam. I have total peace that Alex is the man God has planned for you. But I'm going to miss you more than I can say. Please don't be a stranger."
Miriam sniffed, but it didn't stop the moisture filling her eyes. "I love you, too. I'm sorry I won't be able to go with you on our trip this summer. But my place is here."
Squeezing her hand, a funny look came into Leah's eyes, and her mouth spread into a grin that lit every part of her face. "Of course it is. But I may have needed to back out of the trip anyway."
Miriam raised a brow. Was Leah…?
Her friend's pretty white teeth flashed as she giggled. Her hand crept to her midsection. "Gideon and I have good news."
Miriam squealed and pulled Leah into a tight hug. "Oh, that's wonderful! Oh, Leah, I'm so happy for you." More tears stung as Leah clutched her tight and they both laughed and chattered.
"When will it come?"
"Doc Bryan says May, most likely."
Stepping back, Miriam eyed her. "Bryan knows about it before me?"
Leah shrugged. "He's the doctor. We've been hoping…" Her cheeks bloomed pink and she dropped her gaze. "I mean it's been so long."
Miriam couldn't help a chuckle. She'd wondered more than once why two years had passed since Gideon and Leah's marriage, without any sign of Leah's being "in the family way."
"Well I’m so happy for you I could burst." Miriam took Leah's hand and turned toward the door. "That's exactly the news to make my wedding day perfect."
Leah gasped, tightening her grip on Miriam's hand. "Your wedding. We have to get you to the church."
~~~
Alex shuffled from one foot to the other as he stood in the front of the church. What was taking so long?
A chuckle drifted from Bryan, who stood beside him. "She's coming, man. Relax."
Of course she was coming. Alex adjusted the string tie at his neck. Right? Miriam wouldn't back out now. He scanned the crowd. It was amazing how many people had come for their little ceremony. So many of their patients. The sight sent a warmth through his chest. Ol' Mose sat in the second row beside Mrs. Malmgren. The old freighter had his hair slicked to the side, and a grin split his face like a proud tom cat. What was going on between those two?
The back door opened, grabbing his attention and tightening every muscle in him. Leah Bryant slipped through, a smile lighting her face as she stepped down the aisle and stopped across from him. She gave him a secretive grin.
Anticipation tightened his stomach as he focused his attention on the back door. Miriam had to be next, right?
At last, the wood hinge creaked as the door opened. Gideon was the first over the threshold, and on his arm walked a woman so beautiful she took his breath away. Miriam's hair was coiled high, revealing the slender grace of her neck. A few loose curls hung down, framing her heart-shaped face. Her lips formed a gentle smile. Even now, his own mouth remembered their taste and feel.
As she strolled toward him, Alex's eyes roamed up to hers. His breath caught. The love in her gaze. The devotion. The purity. It flooded his soul, swelling his heart to overflowing. Lord, help me deserve her.
A peace washed through him. Yes, with God's help. He would love this woman with every fiber of his being.
As Miriam reached the front of the church on her brother's arm, Alex was barely aware of the judge speaking beside him.
"Who gives this woman in marriage?"
"My wife and I do." Gideon's deep voice rumbled the words as he shot a glance at Leah on Miriam's other side.
Miriam reached up to kiss her brother on the cheek, murmuring something in his ear. He smiled into her face, then glanced up at Alex. For a moment, their gazes locked. It was the transfer. Gideon was entrusting one of his most precious possessions—his sister. Alex accepted the offer, the gift. The treasure.
As Alex received Miriam's hand, his gaze drifted down to his bride. How could she be more amazing? Radiant. He brought her fingers up and pressed a kiss on her knuckles.
They turned together to face the judge, and Alex squeezed her hand. Miriam's responding pressure sent another surge of gratitude through his chest. With Your help, Lord.
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Dedication
To my Mother.
For the love you show in every action, word, and prayer.
You are appreciated and loved more than you know.
This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are the product of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.
Copyright © 2015 Misty M. Beller
All rights reserved.
The Lady and the Mountain Fire
Mountain Dreams Series, Book 3
Misty M. Beller
And he said unto me, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness
.” Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
2 Corinthians 12:9 (KJV)
Chapter One
June 22, 1877
Butte City, Montana Territory
Claire Sullivan hated fire, but the magnificence of this flaming sunset took her breath away. Hues of crimson, amber, and magenta lit the evening sky as they outlined the towering peaks of the Rocky Mountains. Such a far cry from the green rolling hills of the North Carolina home she'd left two months ago.
She stood on the front porch of the café where she'd stopped for directions and scanned the area. Everything about this mountain town loomed wild and larger than life. Not just because of the peaks easily seen beyond the buildings on all sides, but also because of the rough-looking men in workers’ garb filing in and out of the café door beside her.
Claire inhaled another deep breath. The woman in the café, Aunt Pearl, had said Gram's house stood just two doors down, facing the street behind the little restaurant. Gripping her skirts, Claire gingerly descended the two stairs to the dusty road. She nodded to a man who'd stepped aside, waiting to climb those same steps. "Good evening, sir."
His head bobbed a single nod. Her gaze flicked to his face, then skittered away before he could mistake her for staring. A layer of black soot covered his strong features, and the muscles in his jaw flexed as he waited for her to move out of the way. Claire straightened her shoulders. Apparently, he couldn't be bothered for a simple greeting. Were all the men in Butte so rude?
Mountain Dreams Series: Books 1 - 3: Mountain Dreams Box Set 1 Page 44