by Kit Morgan
Beryl patted Katie’s leg. “There, see? And you were worried.”
Katie managed a lopsided smile. “That’s because I have a lot to worry about.”
“Well?” Mrs. Pettigrew said. “What do you think?”
Katie sighed. What choice did she have but to run away to who knew where? She wanted to get married, just not to Ronald Finch. “Where do I sign?”
Mrs. Pettigrew smiled, pulled another sheet out of the pile and handed it to her. “Let me get you a pen.”
Chapter Two
Ten days later …
It took some time to make all the arrangements, but soon Katie was not only on her way, she was almost to her destination.
Beryl had talked about nothing but the adventure of her journey. Katie talked about everything that could go wrong and with her luck probably would. What if Sheriff Diamond was cruel? What if he didn’t like her? What if she didn’t like him? Could two people who’d never laid eyes on each other really fall in love, or would they have to learn to love each other? She feared the latter, and that it might never happen.
But she knew she could never love Ronald. He was boorish, self-centered and, well, wimpy. If Ronald wanted something done, he hired others to do it. Money and privilege allowed for things like that. But who would want to live with it?
She wished she’d had time to write Mr. Diamond another letter, but Mrs. Pettigrew said if she wanted to get out of Denver in a timely fashion (a nice way to say “skip town in a hurry”) then there was only time for one. She’d be gone by the time he was able to respond.
Katie watched the Oregon landscape out the train window. There was no help for it: she’d made her choice and now she’d have to live with it. And if things didn’t work out, hopefully the town would have a library.
Another worry occurred to her: should she tell her new husband who she was? Would he have heard of the Haverdash family of Denver? Or Haverdash Textiles, the Haverdash Mining Company (not very impressive nowadays), the Haverdash Steelworks her father owned with Uncle Harv from Philadelphia, and the family’s other sundry ventures?
The Haverdash fortune was her reason for staying silent – unless Father had disowned her, she was technically an heiress. She didn’t want a man to fall in love with what he could get from her, but for who she was. That might be all he’d get if her father wrote her out of his will for pulling this stunt, after all. If only he would listen!
She wiped away a tear as the train passed more farms and houses, a sure sign they were getting closer to a town. This was a risk, a huge one. She hoped it would be worth it. If not, she might never speak to Beryl again.
“Independence!” the conductor called as he entered her car. “Coming into Independence!” He continued down the aisle and disappeared into the next car.
Katie’s stomach churned and she shivered with nerves. “You can do this. You know how you can be,” she whispered to herself. The train ride had been a lonely one – there had been other people on the train, just none that bothered to speak to her. It made her feel insignificant for a time, but it also gave her time to think about a backup plan should Sheriff Diamond turn out to be a cad.
The train came to a screeching stop and a few passengers began to gather their things – most stayed put, heading for Portland or other, larger points north. She looked out the window at the station platform but didn’t see a man wearing a silver star. Would he wear a jacket? No, it was too hot at this time of year.
She took a deep breath, stood and gathered her hand luggage. Beryl was supposed to send the rest of her things once Father and Mother found out where she was – and had recovered from the shock. Had Beryl told them already? No, she’d said she would wait for Katie’s letter. Still, her parents had to be worried sick. “What have I done?” she asked as she held tight to her carpetbag and headed down the aisle.
Once off the train, she searched the platform and still didn’t see a man wearing a star. “I do so hope they have a library,” she mumbled. She’d need to get a job if this went sour. She took another deep breath and turned a full circle. Nothing. Where could he be? Well, lawmen had certain responsibilities. He might’ve been called away to arrest some drunk or break up a fight at a local saloon. Good grief, what if a bank was being robbed at this very minute and he was caught in the middle of it? What if he were shot? Wouldn’t that just figure …
She spied the ticket office and headed that way. An old man sat on a stool behind the caged window. “May I help you?”
“Yes, can you tell me where the sheriff’s office is?”
“Certainly.” He pointed to his left. “Three streets over, just past Main Street. Sheriff Diamond’s office is on the right – you can’t miss it.”
“Thank you.” She turned away, took one last look around the platform, then decided to take matters into her own hands. This was a small town, so she was bound to find him eventually. But Plan A was to march into that sheriff’s office and find out why he hadn’t shown up to meet her.
Katie crossed the platform and took the stairs to the street behind the train station. Other passengers were meeting family or friends amidst parked wagons and buggies, or walking toward another street that led deeper into town. She followed the latter, constantly scanning the area for a lawman and finding none. With each step she grew a little angrier. Granted, the man had to take care of business if there was any to take care of. Still, he could have sent someone to meet her!
She found herself behind a couple that had obviously been separated for a time. The woman talked of a visit to a maiden aunt while the gentleman told her of his parents’ visit with a cousin. She smiled at their talk of family and friends and wondered if she’d make any friends here. She wanted friends, family, children, love.
Her heart squeezed at the thought. Would she have love? Would she have any of the things she wanted with Sheriff Jace Diamond? She could’ve had family, friends and children with Ronald, but there would be no love, and she could never live like that. It was why she took this risk.
With each step her mind tossed up everything that could go wrong. If she returned home, what would her parents do? She ran away to marry another and ensure she wouldn’t wind up with Ronald. Would her father force her to marry the bore anyway? Would he badger her until she gave in to family duty? So far he’d been most adamant, which had forced her hand.
She reached the street and watched the other people leaving the station go in different directions. Some headed for what looked like a café, others for a general store. She noticed a bookshop next to the café and smiled. She’d definitely have to check that out later.
She took a shuddering breath when she spied the sheriff’s office and headed over, her heart beating faster the closer she came. It skipped a beat when she stepped onto the boardwalk and reached the door. When she put her hand on the doorknob a chill went up her spine. She closed her eyes, said a quick prayer, then turned the knob and went inside.
The sparse office was neat, orderly, not a thing out of place from the looks of it. “Hello?” No answer. She set her carpetbag down. “Sheriff Diamond?” Still nothing.
With a sigh Katie glanced around the office, found a chair near the window and sat. She’d have to wait. She just hoped she wouldn’t be waiting too long.
Jace Diamond’s head reeled from the horrific blow he’d been dealt. He shook it to clear his vision, then gaped at the big man that had delivered a right hook without warning. “What was that for? I thought the test was done.”
Mr. Markhel almost smiled. “A test of reflexes. You did not hit me back. Why?”
“Because I thought we were finished.” Jace shook his head again. The man was tough – and, if his guess was right, holding back. “Done is done.”
“It is never done.” Mr. Markhel reached into a satchel he’d brought with him and pulled out some papers. “Here are the details discussed. Do consider the offer to join our organization. A man of your skill set would be an incredible asset.”
&nbs
p; Jace rubbed his jaw. “Uh-huh. Are you sure you’re not looking for men more like you?” Mr. Markhel was huge, at least six-seven, broad, muscular and strong as a locomotive with long silver hair he kept tucked under his hat. He probably kept it hidden because it was an easy identifier – along with his height, breadth, crystal blue eyes and odd accent.
Mr. Markhel smiled. “We have a few like me. But let us face facts, Sheriff Diamond – men like me don’t blend in well.”
“No, they don’t.” Jace moved his jaw experimentally. “They punch well, though.”
Mr. Markhel smiled. “That they do.” He returned the remaining papers to his satchel. “I will grant you time to think about our offer. You will see that the pay is generous. There is, of course, one stipulation.”
Jace stared at the papers in his hand. “What’s that?”
“You cannot marry.”
His head came up. “I gather the work doesn’t lend itself well to matrimony?”
“No,” he said with a shake of his head. “It does not. To join the Knights of the Prairie you can have no personal attachments. We suggest you refrain from even having a pet. A horse, on the other hand, is necessary. For now.”
“For now?”
“Man is advancing, Sheriff. The automobile is an interesting invention.”
Jace nodded. No one in Independence owned one as yet, but he’d heard about the contraptions. He offered the big man his hand. “Thank you for the interview.” He flexed his jaw again – it didn’t feel permanently damaged. “I think.”
“A test of physical strength is necessary.”
“I suppose so.” He held up the papers. “I’ll take a good look at these and will have an answer for you when you return.”
Mr. Markhel bowed, turned and opened the door of his hotel room.
Jace took the hint and left. The first thing he’d do was send a telegraph to some friends in Texas. He wanted to make sure this “Knights of the Prairie” group checked out. He’d never heard of it before, not even when he was a Texas Ranger, but being a sheriff in an isolated place like Independence, Oregon, didn’t give him the access to news he’d been privy to as a Ranger.
He wondered if Professor Hamilton at the bookshop had ever heard of them. The man was well-educated, knew an awful lot about goings-on across the country and kept in touch with a lot of folks back east - friends of his, he told Jace one day. Some of those friends worked for the government in Washington or at fancy eastern colleges.
Jace strode past the bookshop on his way to his office, but his rumbling stomach kept him from stopping. Besides, after the physical test he just undergone in Mr. Markhel’s hotel room, he wasn’t sure his eyesight was clear enough to read anything the professor might show him. Instead he continued down the boardwalk to his office, tipping his hat in greeting as he went.
Independence was quiet, undisturbed and, until recently, boring. He liked that, and part of his job was to keep it that way. Was he ready to give up this life of peace and quiet and return to one of action? If part of the job meant he couldn’t get married, that told him the assignments would be dangerous, the kind that turned wives into widows on a regular basis.
Did he want a family? He hadn’t given it much thought until he had to solve the murder of Jasper Munson a few weeks ago. That was the most excitement he’d had during his tour of duty in Independence. It reminded him of his days as a Ranger and, he had to admit, he missed that. When Jasper’s mail-order bride showed up moments after he was stabbed on the train platform, Jace got a taste of the old days.
Not that there were many old days. He’d joined as soon as he was old enough, put in some good years, then gave into the pleading of his family to come home to Independence and take the sheriff position. His mother was ill, and she and Pa wanted to see him marry, settle down, have a family. So much for that if he joined Mr. Markhel’s organization.
He entered his office and abruptly stopped. “Hello. I hope you haven’t been waiting long.”
The young woman stood, looking upset. The large carpetbag at her feet told him she’d either just arrived on the train or planned to catch the afternoon stage out of town. Considering he’d never seen her before, probably the former. She looked him over, eyes wide, but didn’t speak.
“Can I help you, ma’am?”
Her eyes locked on the star on his vest. Late July was hot, so he hadn’t bothered to put on his jacket. “Are you Sheriff Diamond?” she asked in disbelief.
“Yes, ma’am. How can I help you?”
She gaped at him a moment. “Help me? What do you mean, help me?”
He shrugged. “Well, I am the sheriff.”
“And I’m your mail-order bride!”
Jace froze. “I’m sorry … what?”
“You heard me. And I must say I think it’s rude not to meet me at the train station.” She took a few steps toward him. “I hope no one was hurt.”
“Hurt?” What in blazes was she talking about?
“Yes – I assume you were off about some lawman business, stopping a bank robbery or arresting cattle rustlers or the like. Why else wouldn’t you have met me at the station?”
Panic raced up his spine. Great Scott, were all those stories of a mystery matchmaker creating havoc in town true? He’d heard them while growing up, but always thought his friends were exaggerating about how their parents met. Whose father was the first to receive a mail-order bride out of the blue … was it Morgan Tindle or Julian Smythe?
“Well?” She sounded as frightened as he felt.
“Who are you?”
Her eyes got wider and her lower jaw trembled. Oh great, was she about to cry? “You mean you don’t know?”
“No, ma’am, I’m afraid I don’t.”
“I’m … I’m Katie Haverdash. Your mail-order bride.”
Jace rubbed his face a few times. This couldn’t be happening, but it was. “I’m sorry, ma’am, but I didn’t send for a mail-order bride.”
Miss Haverdash’s entire body shook, just before her eyes rolled back and she fainted.
Chapter Three
Katie’s eyes fluttered open. “What happened?” Not that she couldn't guess, considering she was lying on a cot. She glanced around and realized she was in a jail cell, which alarmed her momentarily. But where else would there be to lie down in a sheriff’s office?
“You fainted,” a deep voice replied.
Oh, that must be why I fainted. But just to make sure: “Sheriff Diamond?”
He put a warm hand on her shoulder and helped her sit up. “Would you like to go into the front office?”
She had to admit, lying in a jail cell was a little unnerving. “Please.”
“I thought as much. I’ll make some coffee.” He smiled, but it looked forced. He had to be in as much shock as she was. It was one thing to have your mail-order bride show up unannounced. But to not know one had even been ordered for you? That meant all sorts of problems – for both of them.
“Can you stand?”
There was genuine concern in his eyes. She’d fainted, but had she hit her head or something? “I believe so.”
“Good.” He offered her his hand. She took it and let him pull her to her feet. “How about that coffee?”
She smiled weakly. They’d have coffee, then he’d probably tell her to leave, since he had no idea she was coming. Or had the man gotten cold feet and was lying to her? A flicker of anger sparked, and she frowned as she followed him into the front office, returning to the same chair she’d occupied before. “Sheriff Diamond …”
He held up a hand to stop her. “Coffee first.”
She opened her mouth, closed it. Did he really think caffeine would help the situation? But at least he hadn’t reached into a desk drawer and pulled out a whiskey bottle.
She waited as patiently as she could as the coffee boiled. The office was hot – iced tea would have been a better choice. But that would likely mean going to the café she’d seen earlier, and if they had their discussio
n there and came to blows … well, he was smart to avoid a scene. But she was far from comfortable, physically or emotionally.
The coffee done, he handed her a cup. “Now who are you and what are you doing here?”
“I told you before …”
“I know, but I want to hear it again.”
She sighed. “My name is Katie Haverdash. I’m your mail-order bride.”
“From?”
“Denver.”
He nodded to himself and paced a few times. “All right. I’m Jace Diamond, and I didn’t send for a mail-order bride.”
She shook her head in resignation. “Mr. Diamond, if you’ve had second thoughts you can just say so. At least be honest.”
“I am. I haven’t had second thoughts about marriage, or even first thoughts. And I did not send for a mail-order bride.”
“But … if you didn’t, who did? I read your application. I sent you a letter.”
His eyes narrowed. “I never filled out an application, or received a letter. What did it say?”
“That I accepted your proposal, was on my way and would arrive today.”
“Today,” he clarified, running his hand through his dark hair. When she first set eyes on him, she couldn’t believe her luck – he was gorgeous! But tall, dark and handsome with mesmerizing blue eyes didn’t count if he didn’t send for a bride.
Katie shook herself, trying to concentrate on the problem at hand. “My, but this is a pickle.”
“It’s more than that.” He went to his desk and opened a drawer. She half-expected the whiskey to come out, but instead he pulled out a file and began to leaf through it.
“What’s that?” she asked out of curiosity.
“A case I thought was closed. Now I’m not so sure.”
“Excuse me?”
He looked at her. “We had a murder here recently. It involved a mail-order bride.”