by Leah Atwood
Jesse spun her around, so she was eye to eye with him. His arms gripped her shoulders tenderly. “This is your home, Faith. Everyone works, yes, but you don’t need to earn your keep—you’re not an employee. You are my wife, part of this family. Being in the boss’ family has some advantages. The chores will still be here tomorrow. Allow me to indulge you in a day of recreation,” he urged.
She gave him a hesitant smile. Her entire life had been filled with long days of hard work. Even with the Wallace family, while the work had been pleasant, she rarely had an entire day off, let alone one to use for leisure. It would be a hard habit to break. “Alright.”
The smile that lit his eye with approval closed the last fissure of doubt about leaving behind her chores. He held out his hand, assisting her in mounting Mollie before he took his place on Blaze. They traveled at a leisurely pace, ambling along the prairie. The two horses kept pace beside each other, permitting their riders conversation along the way. Several hours later, Jesse called them to a halt and slid off Blaze.
“Come look.”
Faith looked out, surprised to see a large portion of the earth indented. Despite what she’d been told, she’d had a hard time believing there really were hidden canyons in the prairie, but here she was, viewing one with her own eyes. It was magnificent and awe-inspiring, a true work of the Lord’s hands. The vista spread out wide below her was unlike anything she’d ever seen.
Lush greenery covered the floor of the landscape and a creek, lined by cottonwoods flowed lazily at the bottom. Small trees of juniper and other shrubs jutted out from the canyon’s sandstone walls.
“Can we go down into it?” She was intrigued and awed, an unknown sense of adventure expanding within her.
“Yes. Let’s eat first and then I’ll show you my favorite spots. There’s a natural staircase that can be a mite tricky, but I’ll help you.” Jesse opened Blaze’s saddlebag and pulled out a blanket and foodstuff.
Faith took hold of one end of the blanket, helping Jesse to spread it over the ground as a barrier between them and the dirt. She eased herself down to the blanket and sat, spreading her skirts evenly around her. Jesse placed the food in front of her then took a seat at her side.
“It’s nothing fancy, but I wanted this to be a surprise. Anything more and I would have had asked for help since Pa nor I are much for cooking. Shorty does the cooking for the hands, but he’s not known for keeping secrets.” He unwrapped a biscuit with a slice of ham between it and handed it to Faith.
“I’ve never cared too much for fancy,” she assured him, moved at his efforts. “How often do you come out here?”
“Not as often as I would like. Days free from work are rare so unless we have reason to come up this end to check on things, not very often. Every few months or so.”
She swallowed a bite of food, thinking how wonderful it would be to see this place more often. Some things lost their special touch after a while, but she imagined the view of this canyon would never lose its aesthetic beauty.
She leaned back, her arms bracing her from behind. A yellow wildflower brushed her forearm, causing a tickling sensation. Jesse’s eyes traveled to the flower when she shifted to avoid its prickling. He plucked it from the ground, only leaving a short piece of the stem remaining on it.
He spun the greenish brown stem between his thumb and forefinger. Abruptly stopping, he looked up at her through a penetrating stare. Heart fluttering, Faith refused to tear her eyes away. The intensity with which he gazed at her surpassed even that of the first moment he saw her in the illustrious party gown as she stood on top of the staircase. With the lightest touch, he placed the flower behind her ear, allowing his fingers to linger. Boldly, pushing aside inhibitions, she reached up and covered his hand with hers.
Time stood still as they gazed at each other until Jesse spoke. “I love you. I love the way you looked beyond who I was, the way you’re always willing to help, the way you press on even when uncertain, the way you sing in the house when you think no one is in there.”
Faith inhaled deeply. “Oh,” she gasped. Her heart beat wildly against her chest.
Jesse lowered their hands, clasping both of hers tightly in front of him. “I understand if you don’t love me in return, but I had to tell you. Because of you, I’m a better man—you are the wife I’ve always dreamed of.”
“But I do love you,” she confessed earnestly. “Marriage was a contract I never wished to enter. For years, I watched the abysmal failure of my parents’ marriage and vowed never to subject myself to that sort of misery. Even after spending years in the Wallace’s employ, witnessing a positive union, I still believed my lot was to become a spinster. And then I traveled here to marry you, a man I’d never met. When I discovered your past, I was sure I’d made a huge mistake, but I knew there was more to you and I wanted to know the real you. And do you know what I found out about you, Jesse West?”
“Tell me,” he uttered in a whispered need for validation.
“You are a good man, who values his family above all else. You’re a good brother, a good son and a good husband. One day you will be a good father, as well.”
“Do you really believe that?”
“Absolutely.”
Jesse’s lips curled in a smile. “I never thought an ultimatum could be a good thing.”
“Did you know your Pa never intended for you to marry Elsie?” Faith figured it was fine to reveal that information at this point since nothing could be gained or lost by the disclosure.
“I never would have married her anyway, but I should have given Pa more credit to see her true personality. Regardless, it worked out for the best because it brought you to me.” His gaze shifted to the westward sky. “I think we might need to reschedule our exploration.”
A small pang of disappointment touched Faith, but when she looked toward the sky she understood. The sky had darkened considerably just in the last few minutes and deep, gray clouds were moving quickly to them.
“We need to move with haste. These storms come out of nowhere and can be brutal.” Jesse jumped to his feet before assisting her in standing.
Faith gathered the remaining food and blanket, rolling it instead of taking the time to fold it into a tidy square. Faith mounted Mollie, and Jesse mounted Blaze with a final look backward. “We’ll need to move fast. Are you comfortable riding Mollie at full gallop?”
Swallowing hard, Faith shook her head yes. The idea frightened her, but the sky was even darker now and scattered raindrops were falling on her.
“I’m sorry about this.” Jesse looked truly contrite, but concerned about the approaching storm.
“No one can control the weather. We have a lifetime to come back.”
“Let’s get home.”
They took off, riding like the wind across the prairie. The rain came down harder and the gusts increased. Behind them, lightning flashed and thunder cracked. Faith was afraid the horses would spook, and she gripped Mollie’s reins with a tight fervor.
“We’re almost there. Just a little longer,” Jesse yelled out through the pounding rain.
Lightning surrounded them, and Faith had never known such fear. The storm violently exploded all around them. Murmuring prayers, she breathed a sigh of relief when the main buildings of Circle W came into view. Just as she had the barn within her range sight, a loud clap of thunder boomed across the landscape. Blaze spooked, reared up, then came down, spinning before bucking wildly.
“Jesse,” she screamed as she saw him hold on for dear life.
He yelled back a response, but the words were unintelligible through the raging wind and rain. She stared, horrified at the scene she was witnessing, unable to move. To her manner of thinking, there was no way Jesse could hold on much longer.
“Barn… Now… Meet… There…” Jesse shouted again—this time his meaning was clear.
She nudged her heels into Mollie’s flanks, and the faithful mare took her straight to the barn. Faith dismounted and struggled, us
ing all her might, to open the door. Only once Mollie and she were inside, did she realize that was the first time she’d dismounted with no assistance. The small burst of pride was quickly overshadowed by the knowledge that Jesse was still out in the storm, being thrashed around on a horse. Visions of him thrown off and trampled flashed before her.
Worried mindless, she had to remain occupied. She began to untack Mollie, following the process that Pa West had shown her. Still, there was no sign of Jesse. Brushing down Mollie, she refused to contemplate anything beyond Jesse returning unharmed. The mare nuzzled up to her, giving her hope and comfort.
A loud gust of air blew through the barn and the storm grew louder. It took a minute for Faith to realize the barn door had opened.
“Faith, are you in here?”
Her heart jumped to her throat. “I’m here.” She ran toward his voice, profound relief rushing through her when she saw him. He was covered in mud, from his head to boots, but a more handsome sight she’d never seen. Not caring about his state of filth, she threw her arms around his neck and peppered him with questions. “I was so worried. Are you okay? Where is Blaze?”
“I’ll be fine. Blaze ran out, but it won’t be the first time. He’ll be back when the storm’s over.” The way he spoke so casually amazed Faith.
“How did you get down from him without getting hurt?”
“Rolled as fast as I could.”
Faith felt him tense under her arms and realized the incident hadn’t been as harmless as he was attempting to make it appear. “Where are you hurt?”
“It’s nothing a good night of sleep won’t fix,” he answered, shrugging it off. “Your dress is probably ruined,” he pointed out, regretfully.
“It was an old one anyway. We’re safe and that’s all that matters.” That was the truth since she’d put on her oldest dress this morning, anticipating a day of laundry. When Jesse showed up to surprise her, she hadn’t had the time to change.
“I feel terrible about today. All I wanted was to give you a special day, to show you how much you’ve come to mean to me. Instead, you got caught in a vicious storm and are soaked to the bone. When I think about what could have happened…”
She put a finger to his mouth to shush him. “Today was perfect. You gave me the gift of your love and nothing, not even this storm, can take away from what that means to me.”
“Do you hear that?”
“Hear what?”
“Silence. I think the storm has passed. Come here.”
Together they walked outside to see the storm’s status. The clouds were lightened, and no lightning flashed. Distant thunder sounded and only a few sporadic drops of rain fell.
“I’ll have to gather the men and go check on the cattle.”
“Should you clean up first? You’re a walking mud pie.”
He laughed heartily. “I’ll be just as dirty when I return.”
“Let’s walk to the house first. I’ll pack you some food and a fresh canteen of water. Your father will probably be worried about us.”
“That’s true.” He slipped his arm around her waist and they began walking toward the house. “How does it feel to have survived your first big storm on the plains?”
“It was scary and I’m glad it’s over, but it was mysteriously invigorating.”
“You’re going to do alright.” He squeezed her to him, his tone giving his approval.
“Look over there. A rainbow,” she exclaimed, full of excitement, pointing her finger toward the spectrum of colors in the sky.
“Amazing,” Jesse uttered. “A sign for us, that we’ll weather any storms life hands us.”
“That sounds lovely,” Faith answered, leaning her head on his shoulder.
All other thoughts were pushed aside. For that moment in time, they were alone in the world. Imperfect in their soaked and mud covered clothing, they watched the rainbow until it faded away. It was their promise of a lifetime of love, which would see them through the tides of life.
Epilogue
One year had passed since Faith came into his life. There were days Jesse still couldn’t fathom all the turns his life had taken since that day she arrived. He held the tiniest one in his arms, rocking his newborn son, Jonathan.
“My first grandson.” Pa came up behind him, staring over his shoulder at the little bundle. “He’s a strong one, that boy. He’ll be a true West man.”
Pride reflected on his face, matched only by Jesse’s own pride for his son. Edwin and Mark soon joined them on the verandah, holding their own infants—Sally and Ellen had each given birth to a baby girl several months before Jonathan was born. A frazzled Jason came out moments later, carrying his daughter, Mary. The toddler was fighting and struggling to be put down.
“Josie told me under no circumstance, am I to let her get her dress dirty,” he explained.
All the men laughed, understanding the near impossible feat. “Guests will be arriving shortly. I’m sure one of the ladies will be willing to help,” Edwin offered.
The women were upstairs, preparing for a wedding. After all these years, Pa and Marta had fallen in love and were getting married. Seeing Marta as his father’s wife would take some adjusting, but he was happy for them. His own marriage had given him a soft spot for love.
Pa nudged Jesse, indicating he wished to speak with him privately. Excusing themselves, they left and went to Pa’s office. George West walked to his desk, opened a drawer and pulled out an envelope.
“This is for you,” he said, handing it to his son. “Go ahead and open it.”
Jesse took the envelope and opened it, taking a little longer since he still had Jonathan in his arms. Inside was a document that, officially and legally, listed him as a joint owner of the Circle W. “Thank you.” His voice was overwhelmed with sentiment, and he kept staring at the words on the page.
“You deserve it. I’m very proud of the man you’ve become, son.” Pa’s own words sounded forced, and Jesse imagined it was from a similar lump in his throat, not from insincerity.
Shifting the baby onto his other arm, memories of the past year flashed through Jesse’s memory. “Thank you,” he repeated.
Pa nodded, and they both understood the gratitude was for so much more than the land. “I never thought I’d be getting married again, especially not at this age.”
“Marta is good for you. The girls have enjoyed planning this day for months.” Jesse grinned, remembering all the times Marta attempted to tone the girls’ ideas down, but they insisted this day be special for her.
Josie stuck her head through the door. “It’s time,” she announced.
Behind the house, a lovely wedding area had been arranged. Reverend Anderson stood front and center, with George West taking his place beside him. Jesse and his brothers-in-law stood with him. Across from the men, stood Marta with Josie, Ellen, Sally and Faith as her attendants.
The ceremony began. Though he tried his best to concentrate on the reverend’s words, inevitably his gaze traveled to Faith. She must have sensed his regard and her eyes shifted, connecting with his. Discreetly, he mouthed the words I love you. He was rewarded with a smile and turned his concentration back to the vows being recited. As each word was spoken, he repeated them silently, reaffirming his love and commitment to his ultimatum bride.
Dear Reader,
Thank you for joining me on another journey back in time. Jesse and Faith’s story has been my favorite one so far to tell. In addition to creating a family dynamic, I enjoyed seeing them grow and overcome their pasts by drawing near to each other. Against all odds, they came together and found a lasting love.
One of the best things about writing, is learning new things during research—in this case it was discovering the wonders of the hidden prairie canyons. While I’ve heard of them before, I’d never really looked into them. Visiting one is now on my ever-growing bucket list. Just reading about them and looking at pictures is fascinating.
I hope that your spring is full o
f the freshness of life and blooms of joy!
Until next time,
Leah
Other Titles from Leah Atwood
Contemporary Romance Novels
Come to Me Alive *
Come to Me Free
Come to Me Again (August 2015)
*Also available in the Summer of Love Boxed Set
Brides of Weatherton
After the Rain
Fire and Ice
Winds of Change
Texas Wildflower Noveletter Series (With Susette Williams)
Free to Love
Mail-Order Short Stories and Novelettes
The Ultimatum Bride
A Man to Be Proud Of
Their First Noelle
The Not Quite Mail-Order Bride
The Mail-Order Bride’s Quilt
Riches of the Heart
Unlikely Substitute
The Most Wonderful Bride of the Year
Social Links:
Website
Newsletter
Facebook
Email: [email protected]