Her Wild Journey_Seeing Ranch series

by Florence Linnington

  With their engagement only a couple weeks old, it was still only Gemma who knew about it. Cadence liked the idea of keeping the news a secret, like it was a little treasure she held close to her heart. Every night, she got to go to sleep knowing that Beau Johnson was hers; every day, they caught each other’s eyes across the dinner table, grinning over the joy they already shared. Life was perfect.

  A loud chorus of “Amen” echoed through the small church and Cadence joined in. Opening her eyes, she rose along with everyone else. Beau waited at the end of the pew. As he extended his arm, she caught sight of Mitch and Nat looking their way. Even if others did not know there were plans for marriage, they could most certainly tell things were different between Beau and Cadence. It would have taken a fool to not notice the change.

  Beau smiled over at her as they slowly walked down the aisle. Soon, Cadence would be walking this very aisle, but in the opposite direction. All eyes would be on her, but, in a rare occasion, she would not be thinking of her limp. Only the man who waited at the front of the church would matter.

  Their wedding… They had already decided, just the day before, that it would be at the church. Beau had mentioned the possibility of the ceremony being outside, but once Cadence mentioned the church, he agreed. Her parents had been married in a church and to Cadence, there was no better place to do it.

  “Cadence!” Gemma called once they had emerged into the brisk air. The townspeople had collected in small groups across the church’s lawn and Gemma was off to the side with another young woman.

  “I’ll be over here,” Beau said, letting go of Cadence’s arm. Her heart writhed in pain to have him take his touch away, but she only smiled and nodded before going to stand with the women.

  The dark-haired woman chatting with Gemma inspected Cadence with interest.

  “Cadence, this is Ida Rose Adkins,” Gemma explained.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Cadence said.

  “You as well,” Ida Rose answered.

  Gemma leaned closer in. “Ida Rose has had a terribly interesting life.”

  “Oh?”

  Ida Rose blushed. “Not that interesting, but thank you, Gemma.”

  “I am not exaggerating. You always have something thrilling going on.”

  “Oh, stop,” Ida Rose chastised, although it was clear she was not truly annoyed. Her brows raised in interest, she turned to Cadence. “I hear you are from Baltimore.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Cadence answered.

  “I hope it is all right,” Gemma interjected. “I told Ida Rose the story of your arrival here.”

  “Oh.” Cadence inspected the woman in front of her. She had strong features, but also an open and honest face. If this person was a friend of Gemma’s, then that was good enough for Cadence. “Yes, that is just fine. Thank you.”

  “I came here through an agency as well,” Ida Rose explained. “To marry my husband, I mean.”

  “You did?” Cadence stared at her with increasing fascination. “How many women...”

  “There was one more,” Gemma said. “An old hand of Mitch’s ordered a bride, but they moved to California some months ago.”

  “Gemma also told me you are our new schoolteacher,” Ida Rose said, right on the tail of Gemma’s statement.

  “Yes,” Cadence nodded. “I feel very honored.”

  “Something about you tells me you are well-suited to the position. Do you plan on teaching for long?”

  “For as long as I can. I must admit, I love it. Now that I am doing it, I cannot bear to think of spending my days any other way.”

  “Oh,” Gemma cooed. “How sweet.”

  “Then you will be teaching my children.” Ida Rose smiled.

  “That’s a million years away,” Gemma commented.

  “Or six months,” her friend slyly answered.

  Gemma’s mouth dropped open. “Ida Rose Lowry Adkins! No!”

  “Yes.”

  Gemma covered her still-open mouth with her hand and laughed. “I cannot believe this.”

  “Believe it. The doctor confirmed it this past week. He or she will be a spring baby.”

  Even though she had only just met the woman, happiness filled Cadence’s heart. She took Ida Rose’s hand and squeezed it lightly. “Congratulations.”

  A baby! Just the thought made Cadence want to sing. Another pair of bare feet to run through the grass in the Wyoming summers. Another child to attend school, to share the world’s love with.

  Standing there with the smiling women, Cadence realized what it meant to be a part of a community. Things had not been that way back in Baltimore, where people passed each other on the street without saying “hello.” Here in Shallow Springs, everything was different. Another person’s sorrows and joys so easily became your own.

  She would not have wanted it any other way.

  Within a short amount of time, Ida Rose departed, going to the wagon where her husband and mother-in-law waited. Gemma flitted off in the direction of another group and Cadence stayed where she was, gloved hands pressed against her skirt.

  A light touch on her shoulder made her turn around. Beau gazed down at her, his breath visible in the chilly air. “How are you doing? Is it too cold?”

  “I will be all right. Thank you.”

  He glanced around. “Let’s take a walk.”

  Only too happy to loop her arm through his one more, Cadence allowed herself to be guided past the church and the graveyard. They walked around the edge of town, listening to the chatter of the adults and the joyful shouts of the playing children. Margaret, a student of about ten, waved at Cadence as she ran by, chasing her friend. Cadence’s happiness dampened. There was something she needed to tell Beau. Though she didn’t want to have the conversation, she owed it to him.

  “Do you think about children?” she asked.

  Beau leaned his head back, looking up at the bare tree branches they were walking under. “About having them?”

  “Yes.” Cadence held her breath as she watched and waited for his answer. Perhaps this was something they should have spoken about before, but the matter had slipped her mind.

  Beau stopped walking and turned to face her. They were now out of earshot from anyone else. He gulped, looking nervous. “Can you… I mean...” He cleared his throat.

  Cadence’s cheeks warmed. It was an honest question; though it made her nervous, she was glad he’d asked it. “The doctor who treated me after my accident told me that it would not be the best idea… That it might be dangerous.”

  Her body became even warmer. How she hated to speak about this. “Does this change your perception of me? Or your… your mind about marrying me?”

  Beau blinked fast in surprise. “What? No.”

  “I understand if it does. Having children is such an important thing. And I should have told you sooner that it might be complicated for me, I know. It was wrong—”

  “Cadence, stop.” Beau took hold of her shoulder. “I’ve never expected children because I’ve never even expected a wife. Do you understand that?”

  She nodded, her throat painfully aching. Beau deserved the happiness children could bring. Who was she to take that away from him?

  Beau lowered himself so that he was looking straight into Cadence’s eyes. “I want you, Cadence. Nothing is going to change that.”

  She sucked in her lower lip and nodded once more, finally believing him.

  “We won’t even try,” he said through gritted teeth.

  “Perhaps we can—”

  “No.” His voice was so fierce that Cadence recoiled.

  Beau took in a long breath and straightened up. “I’m not putting you in any danger. All right?”

  “Yes,” she whispered.

  Though it did hurt to know that she would likely never have children of her own, Cadence could not curse God for that. She could have died the day of the landslide. But He chose to keep her alive. She had the children at school and they meant a great deal to her. P
erhaps she would get to watch Ida Rose’s little one sometime. Life was not completely unfair.

  Children or no children, at least Cadence had Beau. God had taken some things from her, but He had brought her to Shallow Springs.

  There was a familiar holler and they turned to see Mitch waving at them from the wagon. Gemma and Nat were also there, ready to depart.

  “You go on ahead,” Beau said. “I need to take care of something.”

  Cadence hesitated at the tight quality of his tone. Had the news she just shared bothered him?

  “What are you doing?”

  “Just an errand.” He pulled his hat low, hiding his eyes. “I’ll see you back at the ranch for dinner.”

  A queasiness rolled through Cadence. Something was not right.

  But what could she do about it? If her testimony had bothered Beau, she could not drag a confession out of him.

  “Come on.” He jerked his head in the direction of the wagon and she allowed him to accompany her to the wagon once more. Once there, she could feel all eyes on them as he helped her into her seat. Yes, everyone most certainly knew about the change in their relationship.

  “See you all at home,” Beau said, patting the side of the wagon. For a brief moment, his eyes caught Cadence’s, then he turned away.

  Cadence could nearly feel Gemma’s giant frown before she saw it. “He is not coming home with us now?”

  Cadence could only shake her head. She turned her eyes to her lap, not wanting to look at anyone. She had spoken the truth and it was plain and simple. There was nothing she could have done differently.

  Despite what he’d said, perhaps Beau had changed his mind. If that was the case, there was nothing to be done about it. Once more, Cadence’s future was in the hands of destiny and God.

  Chapter Eighteen

  18. Beau

  Chapter eighteen

  Underneath the table, Beau’s leg twitched. All through supper, it had been bouncing up and down. He didn’t know why he was so nervous. He had already told Cadence he planned on marrying her, plus had shown her the land he would build their house on.

  Something was different about this next step. It made what was going to happen more real. And Beau sure did like that, but gracious, it had his stomach twisting into all kinds of knots.

  He glanced down the table, at where she was standing up. After his business in town, he’d arrived near the very end of dinner. After that, Cadence had been too busy in the kitchen to talk. Tasks in the field had called to him, and before long, it was supper. Like often happened, they’d been forced to go the entire afternoon without being able to sneak a moment alone.

  “Here you go, Beau.” Clara set a thick slice of pumpkin pie in front of him. At the far end of the dining room, Cadence disappeared on the other side of the kitchen’s swinging door.

  “Uh, no, thanks,” he answered, dropping his napkin on the table and getting up. “Not tonight.”

  “Since when do you not like dessert?” she called after him.

  Too busy pushing his way behind chairs, he didn’t answer. In the kitchen, Cadence stacked soiled plates next to the washbasin. She looked up, her eyes going wide.

  “Oh. Hello.”

  “You sound surprised to see me.”

  With pursed lips, she looked away, her hands wiping themselves on her apron.

  “Cadence.” Beau went closer. Though she still looked uncertain, she did not back off. “Is something the matter?”

  Her eyes desperately darted around the room, looking everywhere but at him. “I do not know, Beau. Is something wrong? I told you about… what my condition means, and then you left.” Finally, her gaze sets on him. “It seemed as if perhaps that changed your mind.”

  The pained look on her face made his gut convulse in pain. “What? No, Cadence. No.”

  He had his hands on her face so fast, he hadn’t even known he was planning on touching her. She gasped with surprise, her eyes snapping up to his.

  “What I told you was the truth,” he said in a low voice, conscious that there were people just in the other room. “We don’t need to have kids. Do you believe me?” He stared into her eyes, silently willing her to answer in the positive.

  Her nod came on slowly. “Yes. I do. But why did you leave? It seemed you did not want to come home with us.”

  Beau sighed in relief. “Oh, girl. This is why.”

  Digging in his pocket, he pulled out his handkerchief and unwrapped it, revealing the little object that had caused him grief all day long. Cadence gasped at the sight of the ring.

  “Beau!” she cried.

  “Do you like it?” He grinned.

  She pressed her fingers to her lips, staring at the gold band in his open palm. It was a simple ring, with an opal set in it. He wanted to give her a diamond, of course, but that would have to wait.

  “I promise you on the day of our wedding, you’ll have a diamond.”

  She violently shook her head, tears of happiness spilling from her eyes. “I do not need a diamond. This is perfect.”

  “I’ll get you one anyway.”

  “This is where you went today?”

  “That’s right. There was only one available ring in this whole town. I had to get it before it disappeared.”

  The ring had cost him a pretty penny, but it was worth it. He would spend twenty times as much on Cadence’s wedding ring, if he had to.

  “Put it on.”

  Taking her left hand in his, Beau slipped the ring on. “How does it feel?”

  “Nice,” she smiled. “Where did this come from?”

  “The general store is carrying some jewelry now. I saw this in there the other day when I went to get salt.”

  She wiggled her fingers and they both watched the opal reflect the lamplight. “I am engaged,” she whispered. “Officially engaged!”

  “We are,” Beau pointed out.

  Cadence laughed. “Yes, we are!”

  She wrapped her arms around his neck and he lifted her up with a big bear hug, her feet clearing the floor. Behind him, the swinging door hit the wall with a light bang.

  “Cadence, did you find the...” Gemma’s words died.

  His face hot, Beau set Cadence down and turned to Gemma. Her hawk-eyes were wide, set on Cadence’s ring.

  “What?” she shrieked.

  “Is it not beautiful?” Cadenced asked.

  Gemma rushed forward to inspect the ring. “Does this mean that you are going to tell everyone now?”

  Cadence looked at Beau and he shrugged. A shrill cry went up from Gemma and within a blink of an eye, she was at the door again. “Beau and Cadence have some news to announce!” she cried.

  Cadence shut her eyes in embarrassment. Beau wrapped his arm around her shoulder and gave her a squeeze. “She means well,” he whispered.

  “I know.”

  They didn’t have time to say anything else because Clara was coming through the door. And then, Mitch. Nat. Dawson. On by one, till it seemed everyone was either in the kitchen or peeking through the doorway. Nat had his plate of pie with him and was nibbling it as he looked to Beau.

  “What’s this about now?”

  Beau cleared his throat. “Cadence and I are getting married.”

  Someone let out a whoop and suddenly, there were claps and shouts of encouragement. Everyone pressed in closer, clapping Beau on the shoulder and asking to see the ring. The congratulations seemed to go on forever, with dozens of questions being asked. When was the wedding? Where would they be living?

  Beau answered only what he really needed to, feeling overwhelmed by it all. Finally, the ranch hands left the house one by one, going to their little cabins. The excitement was winding down.

  With Mitch feeding the horses and Gemma and Clara cleaning up the kitchen, Beau and Cadence idled in the dining room. With the two of them finally alone again, saying goodnight was the hardest it had ever been.

  “I do not think I will be able to sleep a wink,” Cadence sighed.
/>
  “I know.” He lightly twisted a lock of her hair. Through all the congratulations and questions, he had burned to kiss her. It had been something about the way she glowed.

  Knowing that he was the one who made her glow had him coming to life in a new way. Over the last month, Beau’s old self had been gradually dying. A new man was being born in his place, one who didn’t have the problems the old Beau did. He could love. He had hope. He was the person he had always wanted to be.