But she was doomed to a loveless marriage with a man she could barely tolerate. A man who couldn’t find it in his heart to take in her sister.
She thought of the happy faces of the Hart woman and longed for the joy they had. No, it was more than that, she wanted to be one of them. Part of the large, supportive family. She wanted to share in their excitement of the babies that were soon to come and the announcements of more on the horizon.
She wanted to wake up every morning in the arms of the man she loved and to grow old with him. She wanted to be Austin’s wife.
Tears burned her eyes, and she didn’t have the strength to fight them. She despised feeling sorry for herself, but this time she couldn’t help it. Tears dropped in her lap, darkening the blue of her skirt.
What was she going to do? Could she return home and marry a man she didn’t love? Live her whole life with Herman Riggs? The thought of it made her stomach churn. She could have settled for him before, but now that she’d met Austin and grown to care for him, she realized how dreadful her marriage to Herman would have been. No love and affection. Little happiness. It seemed wrong to marry Herman now.
She rose and walked to the window, looking out at the small town. Was there any hope she could find work here? If so, she would still be able see the Hart women at times and be friends with them. She shook her head. That would make things so awkward, especially if Austin never married and lost his land. Would he blame her?
The thought of it all made her groan. What a fool her sister was. Why couldn’t Jenny see what a good man Austin was? How could she settle for a poor cowboy instead? Her only comfort was knowing her sister wouldn’t hang for being a horse thief. But what if things didn’t work out with Cody? What would Jenny do?
Worrying about her sister did no good. There was nothing she could do about Jenny now. Her sister had made her own choices and would reap the consequences.
Rebekah needed to decide if she was going through with her marriage to Herman. Now that she was alone, it might be possible for her to stay with a friend for a short time. Perhaps Leona or Thelma Lou wouldn’t mind taking her in until she could find some kind of employment.
What she needed was some guidance and direction. She removed her Bible from her satchel and sat at the desk. She turned up the lamp and thumbed through the pages, hunting for something to encourage her and show her what to do.
After reading for thirty minutes with nothing jumping out at her, she decided to go downstairs for a bowl of soup. She doubted she could eat much, but the nourishment would help her get through the long night ahead. Tomorrow, the stage would take her out of Hartville and home to an unknown future.
Chapter Nine
Rebekah gave Annie a farewell hug then climbed into the coach. She was grateful most of the Hart women had come to town this morning to try to talk her into staying. Only Emma, the one with child, hadn’t come. Rebekah waved good-bye, knowing she’d disappointed them. But staying simply wasn’t possible. Still, she deeply appreciated that they had cared enough to try. Her friends gave a final wave then walked down the street. Rebekah had promised to write to Annie, but she didn’t see what the point was. She wouldn’t return to Hartville or El Regalo.
The coach door slammed shut and Rebekah settled back in her seat. She was thankful no other passengers were on the stage today. She wanted to be alone and ponder her future. Ponder what might have been.
She thought she’d be leaving here with her sister safe in Austin’s capable hands, but instead, Austin’s hopes and dreams had been dashed, as well as her own desire to see her sister happily married. She was returning home not even knowing where Jenny was, and that left a deep void. Would she ever hear from Jenny again?
She yawned, leaning her head against the window as the driver walked past. He winked at her, then shinnied up the side of the stage, and settled on the bench seat. Her whole body felt heavy, as if right on the verge of sleep, but sleep had refused to come. She’d been restless most of last night. She’d doze for a few minutes then jerk awake, and each time she’d awakened, she had prayed. Prayed for guidance and direction. For wisdom. But when morning dawned, she still had no answers.
Now she was headed home, while her heart stayed here in Texas. More than likely, Herman would meet her at the depot. What would she say to him? How would she find the words to explain why she couldn’t marry him?
She hated hurting him, just because she’d changed. But she wouldn’t marry one man when her heart belonged to another. Maybe in time, what she felt for Austin would fade and she might be free to marry. She doubted that would happen for a long while.
“Wait!” someone yelled. A man ran down the street toward them, waving a paper in the air. “Wait!” He paused on the boardwalk, breathing hard, and stared up at Fred, the driver. “Is a Miss R. Evans in there?”
“Yep.”
“Got a letter for her.”
Rebekah’s heart jumped. Had Jenny written her again? “Here!” She leaned out the window and held out her hand.”
“Whoo-wee! I just caught you in time.” The man grinned and passed her the missive. “I heard you were leaving today, but I just stumbled across the letter a few minutes ago as I was sorting the mail.” He tipped his hat. “Have a safe journey, ma’am.”
“Thank you.” She sat back, frowning at the masculine handwriting. Was the note from Jenny’s beau? Had something happened to her sister? Her heartbeat thundered as she tore into the envelope and shook open the folded page.
Dear Miss Evans,
It has come to my attention that your sister has led a somewhat greater immoral life than I had first realized. After discussing her improprieties with my mother, some of which I have just recently been made aware of, I have decided that I cannot in good conscience sully my family name by marrying you. While I do realize you are not at fault, the close connection with your sister casts suspicions your way. Mother’s heart is simply not strong enough to endure the gossip and scandal surrounding your sister’s escapades.
Please accept this letter as a formal withdrawal of my marriage proposal.
No longer yours,
Herman Gilbert Riggs III
The stage lurched into motion, throwing Rebekah back against the seat. She gasped as she read the part about suspicions being cast on her. She’d done nothing to deserve them, other than perhaps not be stricter with Jenny, but then she wasn’t Jenny’s mother. Her sister had resented her trying to make her see reason.
She drew in a deep breath. Herman no longer wanted to marry her. The thought should upset her, but instead, it brought a freeing release she couldn’t have explained if asked to. She may not have a place to live when she got back home, but at least she wouldn’t be stuck with a man she didn’t love for the rest of her life.
Austin was a coward—no doubt about it. He’d spent the night in town so he wouldn’t have to fend off questions or sad looks from his family members. But attempting to sleep in a bed other than his own had been a waste of time. He’d tossed and turned all night and then paced since sun up, making the leg he wounded in the war throb. Several times, he’d wanted to march downstairs, rap on Rebekah’s door, and tell her that he finally realized he loved her. But he hadn’t.
Instead, he stood there, watching out the window as the stage rolled out of town with the woman he loved on it. For the first time in his life, he felt brokenhearted. All his hopes and dreams were on that stage. It suddenly dawned on him that all the land in the world meant nothing without Rebekah.
And he just let her go.
He heard a commotion in the hall, and a loud knock at his door jolted him from his morbid thoughts. He didn’t want to see anyone so he didn’t respond.
“Austin, we know you’re in there, so open the door.”
We? It sounded like Coralee. What did she want? Had something happened to Houston or maybe his pa when the men were out searching for Jenny? The knock sounded again, longer this time. With a loud sigh of resignation, he padded across the
room in his socks and pulled open the door.
Annie, Coralee, Jane, and Caro stood there, each with her hands on her hips, four pairs of eyes flashing.
Annie stepped forward. “Are you just going to stand here and let her go?”
“Who?” He eyed the women, knowing exactly whom she meant. Emma was the only Hart woman not in the hall. She must have stayed home since her baby was due fairly soon.
“Rebekah, of course.” Coralee swung her head, sending her ringlets flying behind her. They bounced up and down as they returned to their normal position.
“Yes, Rebekah. You cannot let her go.” Caro stared solemnly at him.
Jane nodded. “She cares for you.”
“She’s engaged. There’s no reason for me to go after her.”
The man from the room across the hall returned from breakfast and stared at the crowd. He opened his door and stepped inside but then left it open two inches. Austin cleared his throat, drawing the man’s gaze over the heads of the women. He narrowed his eyes. The man’s Adam’s apple lurched as he swallowed. He slowly shut the door.
“What if I told you that she loves you?” Annie lifted her eyebrows as if daring him to deny the fact.
His heart bucked. “Did she tell you that?”
“No, you dunderhead. We can tell by looking at her.” Annie glanced at the other women, who nodded in unison. “It’s clear she doesn’t want to leave.”
“She knows she can stay. I tried to get her to stay at the big house for a few more days, but she wouldn’t.”
Annie tossed her arms to the side, slapping them loudly against her skirts, Caro and Jane jumped at the sudden action. “Well, of course not. Think how awkward that would feel with you supposed to marry her sister who ran away with one of the ranch hands.”
Austin narrowed his eyes and leaned against the door frame. He didn’t need them to rub in what had happened. “So, what’s your point?”
“Go after her.” Coralee reached out and jiggled his arm. “Ask her to stay.”
“But—”
Annie lifted her hand. “No buts. That woman is in love with you. Don’t let her get away. You need her.”
“She needs you,” Jane said.
He forked his hand through his hair. “Are you sure?”
“Positive.”
“Definitely.”
“Of course.”
“Sí.”
All four women responded at once. Could they be right? Was it possible Rebekah loved him? It was almost too much to comprehend. How had that happened? When had it? What did that matter if she truly did love him? A slow smile pulled at his lips.
Annie crossed her arms. “Well, I’m glad to see you’re finally understanding things.”
“You’d better hurry up if you plan to catch her.” Coralee wagged a finger at him.
He spun and crossed to his bed. Sat down and tugged on each boot. He buttoned up his shirt and marched to the door. Annie handed him his hat, and Coralee held up his gun belt by two fingers. He snatched them as he headed out the door. Outside the hotel, he pulled up short at seeing Travis standing in the road holding Austin’s saddled horse.
“Howdy, big brother. Looks like that posse of females made you see things clearly.”
Austin grinned. “You could say that.” He grabbed the reins, hopped up on his horse, and tipped his hat at the women as they walked out the hotel door.
Reining his horse around, he tapped his heels into its side. “He-yah!”
The sound of someone yelling jarred Rebekah from her sleep. She glanced around and moaned. She was still on the stage. Not that she’d been on it all that long, because they hadn’t even reached the first town.
Now that she’d awakened, she didn’t hear anyone, just the sound of horses’ hooves pounding the dirt and the creaking of the stage. Had she merely dreamed someone was hollering at her?
“Stop!”
She jolted. There it was again. She scooted to the window and peered out, but all she could see was the landscape whizzing past.
“Halt!”
She clutched her bodice. Was the stage about to be robbed? She had precious little to hand over to a thief. Only her mother’s cameo and the coins she’d planned to use for her meals. “Please, God. No.”
“Fred! Pull over.”
The voice came from the other side of the stage. She slid across the seat. Surely they weren’t about to be robbed if the thief knew the driver’s name. Suddenly a man flew from his horse and banged against the side of the stage. Rebekah jumped back. The door flew open, and the man ducked his head, showing only the top of his hat, and climbed in as the stage finally slowed.
Rebekah’s heart nearly burst from her chest.
The man’s head lifted as he dropped on the seat beside her.
“Austin? What are you doing here?”
He tugged off his hat and tossed it across to the other bench, his grin tentative. “I couldn’t let you go without telling you how I feel.”
Her heart, which had barely begun to slow, sped up again. Dare she hope? “How you feel about what?”
“You.”
“Me?”
He nodded. “I tried to fight my feelings, knowing that you’re engaged, but I can’t let you go without a battle. Somehow, you sneaked in and stole my heart.”
“I did?” Tears burned her eyes.
“Yes, ma’am. Do you think you could stay a bit longer and give me a chance to win your heart? I mean, I know it’s not fair to that man you’re engaged to, but I really do care for you, Rebekah.”
“Is this because of your land?”
“What?” He blinked. “No! I don’t want the land if I can’t have you there to share it with.”
Rebekah smiled. If he was willing to give up the land he loved for her, his feelings must be strong. “I care for you, too. And I have something to show you.” She pulled the crumpled letter from her handbag and handed it to him.
He smoothed it against his leg, read it, then glanced up, his expression sober. “The man is a fool. You’re not at fault for the choices your sister made.”
“That’s true.” She knew he was right. “Maybe in this instance, I’ll benefit from her bad choice.”
A wide grin spread across his handsome face. “That is my wish, too.” His sober expression returned. “Although, if I had loved Jenny the way a woman deserves to be loved, maybe I could have made her happy.”
Rebekah touched his cheek. “I’ve spent a lifetime trying to make my sister happy and failed most of the time. It’s not your fault. You did all that you could to make Jenny comfortable, but she wanted something you couldn’t give her.”
“What about you? What do you want, Rebekah?”
It wasn’t a woman’s place to mention marriage before the man did, but she wasn’t about to let her one chance at love and happiness slip away. “I want to stay here and be your wife and spend the rest of my life making you happy.”
Austin’s grin returned, and he tugged her into his arms. His mouth pressed against hers, igniting her whole body with sensations. She wrapped her arms around his neck, returning his delicious kisses.
Someone cleared his throat. They jerked away from one another and stared at Fred. Rebekah hadn’t even realized that the stage had stopped. The driver leaned in the open door, grinning. “I take it that another Hart brother is about to get married.”
“Close the door and drive.” Austin sounded gruff, but the smile on his face belied his tone.
“Drive to where? Back to Hartville?”
“No. Take us to San Antonio.”
“What about your horse?”
Austin leaned out the window and whistled. His black gelding trotted up to him. “Tie him to the back.”
Fred nodded and closed the door.
Austin sat back in the seat and looked at her. Rebekah’s heart still thumped a frantic beat. He took hold of her hand, brushing his fingers over hers.
“Why are we going to San Antonio?”
“You don’t need to woo me. I already told you how I feel.”
He studied her for a long moment. “How would you feel about a quiet wedding with just the two of us?”
She could understand him not wanting all his siblings and their wives making a big fuss about him getting married. “If that’s what you want, it’s fine with me.”
He nodded. “So, Rebekah Evans, will you marry me? Be my wife and the mother of my children?”
Her cheeks warmed at his pointed questions, but she couldn’t help smiling. “I would love to.”
The stage lurched as it started forward. Austin gave her a quick kiss then wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close.
She sat back and closed her eyes. Could this really be happening? She’d come to Texas to attend her sister’s wedding, but God had other plans for her. A verse from Jeremiah came to mind. “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”
God had given her the happy ending she’d dreamed of but dared not hope for. Not the ending she expected, but rather, an unexpected one. At least in her mind. Perhaps her coming here had been part of God’s expected ending all along. And if that were true, she could entrust her sister to God’s hands. God would watch over them both.
She smiled at that thought and rested in the arms of the man she loved. After a few wonderful moments, she pushed up and looked Austin in the eye. She nibbled her lip, hating to ask for something so soon. “Could I ask one favor of you?”
His dark eyes sparkled with love. “Of course. What is it?”
“Could we perhaps stop at a store in San Antonio so I can buy fabric to make Emma’s baby some gowns?”
He stared at her for a long moment, his gaze lovingly roaming her face. Then he smiled and said, “Yes, dear.”
Bestselling author Vickie McDonough grew up wanting to marry a rancher, but instead married a computer geek who is scared of horses. She now lives out her dreams in her fictional stories about ranchers, cowboys, lawmen, and others living in the Old West. Vickie is the award-winning author of more than forty published books and novellas. Her novels include the fun and feisty Texas Boardinghouse Brides series and the Land Rush Dreams series. Vickie has been married forty-one years to Robert. They have four grown sons, one of whom is married, and a precocious ten-year-old granddaughter. When she’s not writing, Vickie enjoys reading, antiquing, watching movies, and traveling. To learn more about Vickie’s books or to sign up for her newsletter, visit her website: www.vickiemcdonough.com.
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