Deadwood, South Dakota 1876
ELAINE
A bullet rips through the air just past my right ear. Three more loud bangs ring out as Jacob grabs my hand and pulls me off the street and into a small shop. His strong arms wrap around me and he pulls me close.
Jacob says, with a strong Irish accent, “Sorry ‘bout that, darlin’ ‘tis a bit early on a Saturday night for such action, but not all-together different than any other one.”
Jacob McAllister wrote me twelve letters and in the last one he asked me to come to Deadwood to be his bride. I accepted and here I am in the arms of the man only minutes after I met him.
He’s taller than I thought he’d be and much more muscular. Shoulder length, auburn waves he has with a beard to match. He reminds me of a lumberjack I saw in a picture once in a magazine.
A white button down shirt he wears with a shiny gold badge on the front of it. Black pants and boots match nicely with the black cowboy hat he has on. He’s pulled me in tight to him, his full lips inches from mine and I find his deep green eyes staring at my lips then they dart up to mine.
He smiles and lets me go. “Seems to have calmed down out there.”
“Do you need to go arrest someone?” I ask as I run my hands over my long, black skirt and make sure all of my buttons are still clasped on my light blue shirt.
“Not me, not today. It’s me wedding day after all.” He looks me up and down with a wide smile on his face. “I dare say I’m mighty glad to finally lay me eyes on ya, Elaine. I’m pleasantly surprised by ya.”
“And I you,” I say with a giggle.
His accent will take some getting used to. I find it absolutely adorable though. He extends his arm in a gesture for me to take it. I do and he walks us back out of the shop and onto the street.
The people in the gunfight have left the scene, and the street is quiet and void of people. “So this is normal for Deadwood, is it?”
“Oh yes, this place is like none other I’ve ever seen. One minute it’s laughin’ and drinkin’ and then the next, Boom! Someone shoots their gun off and another may lay dead or dying or nothing may happen at all.” He steers me into a small building and a little old woman sits at a table looking over some papers.
She peers up at us over her glasses. “There you are. With the gunfire I wasn’t sure if you’d make it here to do this today.”
Jacob looks at her as if she’s crazy. “Are ya kiddin’ with me? ‘Tis me wedding day, Miss Lola. This is me beautiful bride, Elaine Crosby, soon to be Mrs. McAllister. Is he in?”
The old woman gets up and opens a back door. A white haired, old man is just outside of it, pulling on a bottle of whiskey. “Reverend, Jacob and his lovely lady, Elaine, are her to be married. I have the paperwork done, you just need to sign it.”
Jacob smiles at me. “Ya ready for this?”
I give him a nod, but my stomach is fluttering with thousands of butterflies. Since I stepped off the train it’s been non-stop excitement and by the way this man is looking at me, I think it’s bound to continue.
Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, the old man comes inside and picks up a pen and scribbles his name at the bottom of the page. He hands the pen to Jacob who scribbles his name on it then he hands it to me and points to where I need to sign mine.
The old man looks at us and says, “I know pronounce you man and wife.”
“That’s it?” I ask feeling somewhat disappointed.
“Do you want me to go through all the words?” The old man says with a long sigh punctuating his sentence.
I shake my head. “No, I just didn’t know a marriage could be done without them.”
Jacob picks up the paper and shows it to me. “The words are on here. See what all it says above the place you signed your name.”
My eyes roam over the words. A few pop out at me, love, honor, obey. The usual words in a marriage ceremony.
“Well, okay then,” I say, a bit bewildered.
“Oh! I almost forgot,” the old reverend says and opens a cabinet. He pulls out a dark brown bottle of whiskey and hands it to Jacob. “A gift to you both, to make the wedding night easier.”
Jacob accepts the bottle and gives me some waggling eyebrows. “I think it’ll be easy enough, but thanks all the same.” He extends his arm and I take it then he takes us back out the door.
I walked in one woman and walked out a whole different one in the matter of a few minutes. Another deputy crosses the dirt street and waves. “So, it’s official?” the man calls out.
“It is, Levi.” Jacob says as the man comes to us. “Allow me to introduce you to my wife, Elaine McAllister. Isn’t she a lovely little thing?”
The man, apparently named Levi, tips his hat and makes a slight bow. “A pleasure to meet you, Mrs. McAllister.”
I courtesy. “You as well.”
“I’m takin’ her to dinner and then for a drink at the number 10 saloon. You should bring Nora and join us for a toast to our new marriage, Levi,” Jacob says.
“We’ll be there.” Levi waves as he walks away.
Jacob’s muscular arm wraps around my shoulders as he moves us along. Every person we pass gives a nod and a congratulations. It seems every soul in town he’s told about our marriage.
“I hope ya like steak, Elaine.” Jacob opens the door to a small building and I see people sitting at tables.
“I do.”
Everybody in the whole place looks at us. Jacob smiles and waves. “Allow me to introduce you to me wife, Elaine McAllister.”
The group of people holler out congratulations and such as I blush like I never have before. I bury my red face in Jacob’s broad chest as he takes me to a table.
A young woman rushes out and brings two wine glasses and a bottle of wine. “As you requested for your special day, Deputy.” She turns to me with a smile. “Such a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. McAllister. I’m Debbie.”
“Hello, Debbie. It’s nice to meet you. Everyone seems so nice here.”
“Most times,” she says. “I’ll be back with your meals. You do like steak, don’t you?”
“I love it,” I say and she rushes off.
Jacob pours us each a glass of wine and slides mine to me. He holds his glass up. I lift mine as well. “To a long and happy marriage.”
I smile then repeat his words. We take a sip of the wine and set our glasses down. “Was the train ride taxing to ya?”
“Actually I was able to sneak a bit of a nap in the last couple of hours.”
His hand runs along the table’s top and he slips his hand over mine as my fingers are touching the bottom of the stemmed glass of wine. “Good, I’m glad you’re rested then. I have many plans for tonight, my darlin’ and if you were tired it’d be a pity.”
A sparkle in his deep green eyes catches mine and I shiver with the raw intensity I find in them. This man seems to have a bit of an animal in him and soon enough I’ll be all alone with him when the animal comes out.
JACOB
The pretty young thing across the table from me is captivating. Long, brown hair with hints of gold running through it hang over her narrow shoulders. So delicate she seems with thin features which flourish at her bosom and backside. A true beauty she is and I cannot wait to make her mine.
I must though. A pleasant meal then a drink or two at the saloon then I’ll whisk her off to my home. Our home now.
Her pretty brown eyes have flecks of gold in them and her smile makes my heart wobble in me chest. The lass will have me wrapped around her finger in no time.
Her lips are full and the color of cinnamon and I’m having a hard time looking away from them. They move and I realize she’s said something. “I’m sorry, what did ya say?”
“I said, that the people here seem nice.”
Her chest heaves up a bit, catching my eye. “Oh yes the people are nice, mostly.” I scoot up, wanting to be as close to her as possible. I want to feel her skin beneath me hands and inhale her scent.
<
br /> I look back to see if our food is coming. I need to hurry this along. It’s taking an eternity and I just want to get the gorgeous thing in front of me, home and undressed and in my bed.
“Tell me about your mother,” she says with a smile.
“Me mother is the last person I want to talk about right now, darlin’ Tis you I want to talk about. Tis you I want to find out what makes happy.”
“Happy? Me? Well, simple things, really. I’m easy to please, Jacob. You’ll see.”[JG1]
I will see and very soon. Debbie brings our steaks and I grin as I’m one step closer to getting my wife home.
Two bites into my delicious steak and someone throws open the door and shouts, “Quick, they have Adam held hostage!”
I run my hand over my face and huff. “Not today!”
“Oh my!” Elaine shouts.
I get up and pull her chair out and take her hand. “I’ll get you to my place then go see what I can do about Adam.”
Her hand I take and pull her along with me as we make our way out through the crowd who all seem to want to go where the danger is, the fools. We finally make it out the door and I make my way to my home at the end of town.
“Who is this Adam?” Elaine asks.
“Another deputy. He’s a little older than the rest of us. Not as fast or agile. This is bad, he has a bride coming to him on next week’s train.”
“I’ll pray as I wait for you, Jacob.” Her hand runs over my arm. “Please, promise me you’ll be careful.”
Her words make me grin. It’s been years since anyone cared about my safety. My mother the last one. I walk her up on the porch and open the door. “Make yourself at home. Get comfortable because when I get home, I’m stayin’ home.”
She turns to leave, and I get an urge to leave her with an idea of what it will be like to be my wife. I pull her back to me and turn her around. Her brown eyes go wide as I put my lips on hers.
Her arms go around my neck as I pull her as close to myself as I can get her. Her breasts on my chest send heat right through to me toes. Her lips taste sweet and I have to have more.
My tongue I touch her lips with and she parts them for me. My tongue slides past hers in a gentle stroke. I moan and know I have to end this sweet kiss and go to help my fellow deputy before it’s too late.
Pulling from her slowly, I hold her in my arms. “Something for you to think about while ya wait for my return, sweet, Elaine.”
She rests her weight against my body and looks up at me with pure desire in her eyes. “You be careful, I want you back in one piece, Mr. McAllister. Then we can finish what you started.”
Reluctantly, I let her out of my arms and she goes inside the house. I turn and have to adjust my pants as I walk away. Murmuring curse words that I can’t go inside with her and strip her bare and take her nine ways to Sunday.
ELAINE
As I wait for Jacob, I listen intently to the sounds outside. So far all has been quiet, no gunfire. I suppose that’s a good sign, I have no idea really.
If something happens to Jacob I don’t know what I’ll do. He laid a kiss on me that took my breath away. Seems I have me a passionate husband. Lucky me!
Jacob told me to get comfortable and I guess he meant get into my nightdress. His current situation has me hesitant to do that just yet. He has confidence he’ll be back to me, unscathed, and I pray that’s how it goes.
I’m startled as six shots ring out, then three more and I can hear screaming from down the street. My body starts shaking as I open the door and peek out to see if I can see anything.
A short man on a horse comes speeding down the street, then I see Jacob on a horse coming right after him. I step back and hide behind the door as the man gets closer.
A gunshot rings out and I hear a loud grunt. I peek again to find Jacob on the ground not far from the door. He’s not moving and I can’t help myself. I run out.
Just before I get to Jacob, I hear horse’s hooves pounding the ground near me and I’m picked up. I wiggle and scream, but can’t get out of the man’s grip.
“Let me go!” I scream as the man takes me out of the town and into the brush.
The last sight I see is more deputies riding towards us then nothing but brush.
JACOB
The bastard took my wife! As I dodged the bullet he sent my way, I fell of me horse and knocked the wind out of myself. I suppose Elaine saw me from the house and ran out. That’s when the man who had taken Adam hostage grabbed my wife.
If anything happens to her, I swear I’ll find the man and rip him apart with my bare hands. Levi, Adam, Josh, and I are all on the trail. Steve, the man who had Adam held hostage, is wanted in several other towns. He’s a thief and a murderer, now we can add kidnapper to his list of crimes.
That’s how Adam got himself into the mess he did. He tried to take Steve in and Steve wasn’t having any of that. Once we got Adam freed, Steve took off and now here we are, chasing after him as he’s taken my Elaine.
She must be terrified. I feel terrible she’s in his clutches because of me. If I just hadn’t fallen she’d be safe at home right now. Now I may never see her alive again.
“Look,” Levi says as he points to a tree and a piece of material on a branch. “He went this way.”
We go in that direction and find the brush getting thicker. A few long, brown hairs are caught in a thorny bush and renewed heat rushes through me. They must be Elaine’s, and it makes me furious.
“I’m going to kill that bastard! We don’t let him get out of this alive. Do ya hear me, men?” I shout.
They shout their approvals and deeper into the thick brush we go. Long thorns brush my shirt sleeve and blood is on them. It better be his and not hers.
Levi holds his hand up and we all stop and listen. “Please, just let me go,” Elaine cries. “I’ll do anything you want. Just let me go.”
“I’m not letting you go and you should shut your mouth before I shut it for you.” Steve says.
It’s dark already, and the moon is half-way full, lending some light to the night. A silvery glint in the clearing has me looking at it and my eyes focus and adjust to the darkness. He’s holding a knife to Elaine’s throat. He has her tied to a tree.
I want to run out and grab him, but she might get hurt or worse if I do. I have to wait until the others get into place so we can all jump him at once.
“Please don’t hurt me, sir. Please. I’ll shut up,” Elaine begs.
“You’re beautiful,” Steve says as he touches the blade to her neck. “I’d hate to cut your sweet tongue out, but I will if you don’t do as I say.”
She nods but doesn’t say a word. His hand runs over her dress and he reaches to the ground, to the bottom of the dress and hitches it up. His hand is so close to her leg and I know what he’s about to do and I will not let that happen.
I can’t wait any longer, so we climb off our horses and make our way through the thick mess and towards the small clearing that Steve must’ve made as a hideout.
Levi and Adam move in silence through the brush so we can surround Steve. One of them makes a sound like a bird and we spring into action. We all fly out into the clearing and pounce on Steve, knocking him away from Elaine.
“Jacob!” she shouts, relief threaded through her delicate voice.
I give her a quick glance then look back at Steve and focus on getting him down and out. Steve manages to wiggle out from under us somehow.
He scrambles for his gun, but Josh has it out of his holster and tosses it away so he can’t get to it. Elaine yells out, “He has a knife in his left boot!”
Reaching for him, I yank his leg up and jerk the knife out of it. Levi looks at me. “Get her out of here and we’ll take care of him.”
I nod and take the knife I pulled from his boot and cut the rope holding Elaine to the tree. She falls into my arms, sobbing. “It’s okay, love. I have ya now.” A kiss I place on her forehead then pick her up and take her to my horse.
One shot rings out and she jumps in my arms, her eyes go wide. “Oh, God! What if he shot one of them?” she asks as her body shakes.
“Nah, It’s him who met his end, not one of the deputies. Don’t ya worry ‘bout that. That man will never harm anyone again,” I tell her and kiss the top of her head. “Are ya hurt anywhere?”
“Not really, just some scratches from all the thorns, but I’ll be fine. I ran out because I thought you were shot,” she says. “I guess I shouldn’t have done that. And what happened to you anyway? Why were you lying on the ground?”
“I fell off the horse, dodging the bullet he sent my way. It winded me and I couldn’t get up for a second. I sat up only moments after he grabbed ya.” I pull her close to me and hug her tight. “I thought I’d lost ya and it tore me heart apart.”
“That’s how I felt when I saw you on the ground. My mind went to another place. My body took over and ran to you, it was all instinct. Then I was pulled up and away from you. I thought I might never see you again, and it broke my heart.” She buries her head in my chest and holds me as if she might lose me any second.
The edge of town we finally hit and I head towards my house. The door still wide open, I ride up and get off the horse and take my wife back inside. Her body cradled in my arms, she’s cold and shaking.
“I’ll fetch some water and get those scratches cleaned up so they don’t become infected.” She rests her head against my chest as I carry her in.
“I’ll do it, you shouldn’t have to do that, Jacob.”
“I’m goin’ to do it and you’re goin’ to let me. It’s one of my jobs as your husband to keep you well.” I sit her down on the edge of the bed and unbutton her light blue shirt.
As I pull it off her, she looks up at me. “Thank you.”
“I’d do anything for ya, lass. I was never goin’ to just let that man take ya.” I push the shirt from her shoulders, revealing a few long scratches on her arms. My heart aches that she was harmed at all. “Let me get some water and a cloth and clean these up well.”
A Fall From Grace. Mail Order Bride Western Page 9