Brazen

by Bobbi Smith

  Anne's expression was troubled. "Should I be happy for you? I always thought when one of us got married, it would be because we'd fallen in love."

  Casey understood her closest friend's confusion. She felt the same way. "Yes, I want you to be happy for me. In fact, I want you to be my maid of honor at the wedding. That was why I came to see you today."

  Anne finally managed to smile at her friend. "You want me? Yes! I would love to be your maid of honor!" She hugged Casey impulsively. "Let's tell Mama! She'll be as surprised as I was, but I know she'll be thrilled with your news."

  "Welcome, ladies," Reverend Harris greeted them at the door to his office. "Come in."

  Casey and Elizabeth went in, and he peered behind them for a moment.

  "Michael didn't accompany you?" he asked.

  Casey was thinking Thank God, but Elizabeth answered for them both.

  "No. He stayed behind to take care of his father. Frank is getting a little better, but we need to have someone there at the house with him all the time."

  "I'm glad he's improving, and I'm glad we're here today to discuss your good news." Even as he said it, Reverend Harris was still getting over his surprise at this upcoming marriage. He knew how the Donovans and Turners felt about each other, and finding out that Michael and Casey were planning to wed had been a shock. True, he had prayed on numerous occasions for the two feuding families to find a way to make peace, but he had never thought it would happen this way. He supposed, smiling to himself as he directed the ladies to their seats, that it only went to show the power of prayer.

  Casey and Elizabeth sat in the two chairs before his desk.

  "Michael and Cassandra have become engaged, and they'd like to marry within the month if possible," Elizabeth began.

  Half an hour later, all the arrangements were completed.

  "So everything is settled, then," Reverend Harris concluded. "The wedding will take place three weeks from Saturday at two in the afternoon, with a reception following in the church hall."

  "That's perfect, don't you agree, Cassandra?"

  "Yes, thank you, Reverend," Casey answered. She wondered how good an actress she was, for she had been desperately trying to hide her unease over the realization that this marriage to Michael really was going to take place.

  "And Michael will be happy with this arrangement?" the reverend asked.

  "It's just what he'd hoped for," Elizabeth answered. "If there's anything else you need, let us know."

  Reverend Harris saw them out, then returned to his desk to ponder the mystery of how the two feuding families had found peace.

  It truly seemed a miracle.

  "That went very well, don't you think?" Elizabeth asked Cassandra as they left the church.

  "Yes. Everything is all set."

  "Do you have time to go to Sissy Jones's with me? I brought the wedding dress along, and I thought this would be the perfect time to see about the alterations."

  "All right."

  They got into Elizabeth's carriage, and she drove to the seamstress's shop.

  Elizabeth could sense Cassandra's confused emotions, and she understood this process couldn't be easy for her. "It's normal for you to be nervous about the wedding. I certainly was all those years ago." She smiled at the memory. "Is there any way I can help you?"

  "I don't think so," Casey answered bluntly. "I've always been so busy on the ranch, I never thought much about getting married."

  "So there's no other man in your life?" Elizabeth had worried that Casey might have been in love with someone else.

  "No, no one. I knew I'd get married one day, but I never dreamed it would be to Michael. Knowing how he feels about me, I still find it hard to believe he agreed to go along with my father's plan."

  "Michael loves the Circle D."

  "He'd been away for so long, I didn't think he'd ever come back."

  "I know. He got to see more of the world, but now he's decided this is the place where he wants to stay."

  "Even if he has to marry me," Casey finished.

  "I don't want you to look at your marriage that way," Elizabeth said gently. "Think about the ranches. You love the Bar T as much as Michael cares about our place. This union will make us the biggest, most successful spread around."

  "I am glad about saving the ranch, but I wish I could have kept living on the Bar T with Pa," she said honestly. "I'm worried about his health, and I don't like the idea of him being alone. It was frightening that day I found him..."

  "The ranch hands are there with him. They'll keep an eye on him after you're gone."

  "I hope so."

  "They will," Elizabeth assured her. "And you may be surprised. Maybe my son won't turn out to be so terrible after all."

  Casey was a bit embarrassed. "I didn't mean Michael was terrible. It's just going to be awkward for us, that's all." She was glad his mother loved him, but no matter how she looked at it, being Mrs. Michael Donovan wasn't going to be easy.

  They stopped in front of Sissy's shop.

  "Cassandra, there is one thing I want to caution you about."

  Casey looked at her expectantly.

  "Sissy is my friend, but she has been known to carry a tale or two."

  "So she likes to gossip?"

  "That's putting it bluntly, but yes."

  "Is there another seamstress we could go to?"

  "No one as good as Sissy. She's the best in town and she is a dear friend. All we have to do is be careful what we say around her. She will be surprised by our news, but so will everyone else when word gets out and it won't take tong once Sissy knows."

  "Do we have to convince her this is a love match?"

  "It couldn't hurt to try."

  Casey wanted to tell her that it would hurt to try, but she didn't. "I'll think of something. Forewarned is forearmed."

  "So you're thinking of this as a battle, are you?"

  Casey gave her a smile. "Since we just left Reverend Harris, I'm trying to think of a way not to tell a lie."

  "Good girl."

  Casey carried the box with the wedding gown as they went to the front door.

  Sissy had seen them pull up. She was surprised to see the Turner girl with Elizabeth, and wondered what they were doing together. She welcomed them warmly for Elizabeth was one of her best customers.

  "Elizabeth! What a pleasure."

  "Hello, Sissy. You know Cassandra, don't you?"

  "Of course. Come inside." The middle-aged seamstress knew Casey from around town, and she also knew that, except at church, Casey usually wore pants. She eyed the girl's old, poorly fitting dress critically.

  "We have a special request," Elizabeth began.

  "What can I do for you?"

  "Cassandra and Michael are going to be married soon and"

  "What?" Sissy was truly shocked, and she looked from Elizabeth to Casey and back, in disbelief.

  "That's right, Michael and I are getting married," Casey affirmed with a calm she didn't feel. "And Elizabeth has graciously offered to let me wear her wedding gown for the ceremony."

  "This is so..." the seamstress stuttered.

  "Unexpected?" Elizabeth finished for her.

  "Well, yes."

  "I know. Michael and Cassandra surprised us, too," Elizabeth said. "But you know how young people are. I'm just glad they didn't elope. We just spoke with Reverend Harris, and all the arrangements for the wedding have been made."

  "Congratulations, Casey," Sissy told her. "I'm very excited for you and for you, Elizabeth. We're going to have a wedding!"

  "Yes, we are," Elizabeth agreed.

  "Let's get to work," the seamstress said, thinking that there was a lot of work to do with Casey.

  An hour later, Sissy finished pinning the hem.

  "There that should do it." She rose from her kneeling position and stepped back to survey her handiwork.

  "We're done?" Casey asked, standing on a step stool.

  "Yes - I think that takes care of everything." Si
ssy looked at Elizabeth. "Does she need a few new dresses to go with this one?"

  "Yes. Do you have the time?"

  "For you, anything," Sissy told them.

  "But--" Casey said immediately, wanting to remind Elizabeth about her financial situation.

  "These will be my wedding present to you, Cassandra."

  "Oh"

  "And, Sissy? She needs new underthings, too. Do you have something pretty we could look at?"

  "I don't " Casey began, embarrassed to be talking about such things. She didn't care about her underwear. The marriage was to be in name only, but she realized her future mother-in-law didn't know that, and they were supposed to convince Sissy that this was a love match.

  "It's all right, dear. Trust me."

  "Let me show you what I have."

  Almost another hour passed before they finally finished looking through the dainty piles of lace and embroidered fabric.

  "Casey, can you come to town next week for one more fitting?" Sissy asked. "We want to make sure everything is perfect for your wedding."

  "I can do that. Would you like to be here, too?" she asked Elizabeth.

  Elizabeth was delighted that Cassandra had thought to include her. "I'd love to join you." She looked at Sissy. "We'll see you then."

  Casey, who had entered the shop carrying the box with the wedding dress, left the shop carrying almost as much. Her future mother-in-law had purchased a number of un dergarments for her and had ordered two additional gowns.

  "I left my buckboard at the general store," Casey told her as they drove away.

  "I'll drop you off there," Elizabeth said. "Was this the first time you've ever been to a dressmaker?"

  "Yes. My mother used to make all our clothes. In fact, this dress was one of hers."

  "How long has she been gone now? It's been a long time, hasn't it?"

  "Oh, yes. She died when I was five."

  "You were so young."

  "I still miss her."

  "She was your mother. You'll always miss her."

  "I will?"

  "Yes. I still miss my mother, and she's been gone for more than twenty years."

  "I don't think people should ever die," Casey said with conviction.

  "Neither do I, but there's not much we can do about it. It's part of life. We just have to come to accept it and make the best of things."

  "It's not always easy."

  "No, it's not. When I thought I was going to lose Frank, it was terrible." Elizabeth shuddered at the memory of that recent fear.

  "Michael was telling me that the sheriff still doesn't know who shot Frank."

  "No, but whoever did it is not going to get away with it. We'll find the bushwhackers. It may take a while, but they'll pay for what they've done."

  "Thank heaven he wasn't killed."

  "I know, but it's hard for Frank to accept that he'll never walk again."

  "Is there really nothing that can be done to help him?"

  "No. Dr. Murray said he's done all he can."

  "I'm sorry."

  "Thank you, dear." Elizabeth gave her a heartfelt look. "I just hope things will get better with time."

  They reached the general store, and Casey climbed down.

  "Thank you for everything, Elizabeth."

  "You're more than welcome. When will you see Michael again?"

  "I don't know. He didn't say anything."

  "I'm sure it will be soon. You be careful going home."

  "I will."

  Elizabeth drove away, and Casey went into the store to see Anne one last time before leaving town.

  "How did it go?" Anne asked, eager for news.

  "Reverend Harris was wonderful. Everything is set. The wedding will be at two o'clock in the afternoon three weeks from Saturday."

  "You're really going to go through with this wedding?" Anne was worried about her friend. "You haven't changed your mind?"

  "No, I haven't changed my mind, and I just got fitted for my wedding dress."

  "In that case, you'd better let me know what you want me to wear to the wedding since I'm going to be your maid of honor."

  "I'll be wearing a dress, so I think you should wear my pants and boots. What do you think?"

  "We'd certainly cause a lot of talk around town! It would definitely be a wedding to remember."

  It was a blistering hot afternoon. Michael, Nick and six ranch hands had been working on the new house since sunup, and they were more than ready to take a break.

  "At the rate we're going," Tom said, "the house might be ready for you to move in $bout this time next year."

  "If it's not done by the wedding, I'm taking over the bunkhouse for me and Casey, and you boys will have to camp out up here," Michael responded.

  "Casey would probably feel right at home in the bunkhouse," Harry remarked.

  "Watch out, that's Michael's woman you're talking about," Tom warned him with a grin.

  "So, once you and Casey are married, are you going to get her to settle down and start wearing skirts and have babies?" one of the men asked, chuckling at the thought of a domesticated Casey Turner.

  "You'll see," Michael answered with a sly grin.

  The men all laughed good-naturedly.

  "If anybody can tame a wildcat like Casey, it'll be you, Michael," Harry told him.

  "I guess we'd better get back to work. We don't have a whole lot of time left before the wedding, and I'd hate for you to have to spend your wedding night in our bunkhouse," Tom said.

  "I appreciate your concern," Michael said.

  "Yeah, it'd be rough for you, since all we got are bunks!"

  Again the men laughed as they picked up their hammers and saws.

  John McQueen rode into Hard Luck intent on enjoying himself in town. He hadn't had the chance to pay Rosalie a visit at the saloon in over a week, and it was time. He needed some relaxation, and she was just the woman who could give it to him.

  "Whiskey, Bill," he ordered as he bellied up to the bar. It was still early, not yet five o'clock, and the saloon wasn't very crowded.

  "How ya been, John?" the bartender asked.

  "We've been working hard out at the Royal. How've things been going here?"

  "Can't complain. It was just payday, so we've been busy," he said as he set McQueen's tumbler of whiskey before him.

  "Thanks." John paid him, picked up the glass and took a deep drink. "Rosalie here?"

  "She's upstairs, I think. You want me to get her, or you want to go on up?" Bill knew John McQueen was the only man Rosalie allowed in her room.

  "I'll go find her." He drained the last of the liquor, then went up to Rosalie's private quarters.

  Rosalie worked every night until long after closing time to keep things running smoothly in the saloon. The knock at her door roused her from a deep sleep.

  "What do you want?" she called out sleepily, irritated at being awakened.

  "I want you."

  "Ooh, John." Rosalie's mood changed as soon as she recognized his voice and heard his reply. She got up and threw on a silken wrapper that covered her lush body but clung seductively to her curves. She paused only long enough to cast a quick glance in the mirror and smooth down her hair, then rinsed her mouth to rid it of the taste of last night's liquor and hurried to open the door. She'd missed him dreadfully all week. "John I'm so glad you're here."

  "I'm glad I'm here, too," John growled as he looked her up and down.

  Her cheeks were flushed from sleep, and the tumble of her hair about her shoulders gave her a wanton look that sent heat straight to his loins. He didn't waste any more time with talk. He shut and locked the door behind him, then turned back to Rosalie and lifted her into his arms.

  They fell together on the bed, hungry for each other. They shared kiss after flaming kiss as they eagerly caressed each other.

  John was in no mood to waste time on foreplay.

  He knew what he wanted, and he wanted it now.

  After stripping away Rosalie's
wrapper and gown, he finished freeing himself from the restraint of his own clothes and then buried himself in her body. She cried out to him in ecstasy as she accepted him fully.

  John whispered no words of love. For him, this act was pure animal pure lust.

  Rosalie made love to John with all her heart, her body and her soul. She had loved him for years. He was the only man for her. She did everything in her power to please him, for she never wanted to risk losing him.

  Their desire flamed to the heights. John reached the release he needed and then collapsed on top of her, momentarily sated.

  "You stayed away from me too long this time, John," Rosalie whispered as she stroked the width of his chest.

  "There were things I had to take care of out at the ranch." He didn't want to hear any more of her talk. He was there for sex, nothing more.

  "Will you stay for a while?" she asked in a sensual purr.

  "I'm not going anywhere," he growled, moving over her again.

  "Good," she whispered against his lips.

  It was much later that John's driving passion was temporarily slaked. He lay with Rosalie in his arms, just enjoying the feel of her silken body against him.

  "What's been happening here in town? Have I missed anything?"

  "I did heard some interesting news this morning," Rosalie began.

  "What did you hear?" He was instantly alert. He'd wondered, with the reward being offered, if there had been any information about Frank Donovan's shooting.

  "Well, it seems Michael Donovan's getting married."

  "To some girl from back East?"

  "No, that's the interesting part. Supposedly, he's marrying Casey Turner."

  "What?" John had been idly fondling her, but he stopped, not believing what he'd just heard.

  "From what I understand, they're going to be married in three weeks."

  "But the Donovans hate the Turners."

  "I know. That's why it's the talk around town. Nobody can figure out why they're doing this. It's not as if the two of them have been seeing each other for a long time; she can't be in a family way."

  "That's right. The families have been feuding for years. Didn't the sheriff consider Jack Turner a suspect in the shooting of Frank Donovan?"