The Lassoed by Marriage Romance Collection

by Bell, Angela; Breidenbach, Angela; Carter, Lisa

  Noah paused and leaned against the corner of a store. He needed to pray these burdens be lifted from him.

  A shadow moved in the alley between the store and blacksmith’s shop. A dim light from an upstairs window threw the silhouette of a man and child against the building.

  Worry niggled at Noah’s mind. Molly had mentioned that Tom lived in a lean-to somewhere back there. He stepped carefully down the wooden steps. With his back to the side of the building, Noah inched along the wall, staying in the shadows.

  He stopped before he reached the end of the building’s outer wall so he could remain in the shadows. Tom faced his way. He didn’t appear scared or worried. The man’s head was bent. He held something in his hand. Noah wished their positions were reversed. Then the man spoke. Noah didn’t need to see his face.

  Noah knew.

  It was Cass.

  Cass reached into his pocket, drew out a pencil, and scratched on the paper he held. “I’ll be back in three days for those supplies. Give this to Molly.”

  Tom nodded and retreated to his shanty.

  All of this time Molly knew Tom had contact with Cass. She’d sent him a message. Of warning, no doubt. Could she be in on this scheme? Had she really been captive and forced to sing those songs?

  There was one way to find out. Noah stepped from the shadows while Cass mounted his horse.

  “If it isn’t the happy groom.”

  The venom in Cass’s tone raised the hair on the back of Noah’s neck.

  “My sister needs to go back to the saloon owner. That is her life now.”

  “No, it’s not. She has a better life with me in a loveless marriage than what she’s lived the past five years.” The moment the words left his lips, Noah’s heart rebelled. He’d lied. Their marriage wasn’t loveless. He loved Molly.

  The evil lilt in Cass’s laughter sent a shiver up Noah’s spine. Confirming the friend he’d once known was gone. “Send her back.” Cass pulled his gun and cocked it. “And tell your brother to stop trailing me or you’re gonna be performing a funeral.”

  Froze in place, Noah watched Cass ride away.

  The next morning as Noah watched Molly bustle around the kitchen, he wrestled with his inaction. Should he have done something to stop Cass from leaving town? No matter what scenario he played in his head, the answer always came around to yes.

  Maybe he was a coward hiding behind the pulpit. Shame shuddered through him. He hung his head. He imagined the ridicule he’d hear when Seth arrived today.

  The door to the living quarters squeaked.

  “’Morning.”

  “Good morning, Tom. You are just in time for breakfast.”

  No footsteps scuffed across the hardwood kitchen floor.

  Noah raised his head. Tom wore a somber expression and stayed planted on the threshold.

  “I need to talk to you, Molly.” His gaze darted to Noah. “By ourselves.”

  Molly’s brows knitted together. She sat a bowl of lumpy oatmeal in front of Noah.

  “Wait in the chapel. I’ll be right there.”

  Noah opened his mouth to tell Molly husbands and wives had no secrets, but since they were husband and wife in name only, did he have a right? Besides he knew why Tom wanted to see Molly alone. The little scamp needed to give her Cass’s note. Had Cass been using him for more than supplies? Did Tom help Cass to avoid the law?

  After their conversation last night, Noah had a good idea what the note said. His heart clenched at the thought of Molly being disappointed by Cass. Cass had shown Molly the stark realities of life at a young age. Tom, too, for that matter.

  The need to protect the two he’d grown to love grew so strong in Noah, he pushed back from the table and strode to the door separating the living quarters from the chapel car. No more being a coward, he needed to tell Molly the truth. He’d fallen in love with her.

  Noah planned to burst through the door until he saw Molly embracing Tom through the cracked opening. Tears smattered both of their cheeks.

  “Please, don’t go away.” Tom’s plea sent a shiver of fear down Noah’s spine. He’d never considered Molly wouldn’t stay here with him.

  Molly pulled Tom to arm’s length. “I don’t want to.” She swiped at her tears with the back of her hand. “But I can’t let Cass hurt Noah or Seth.”

  “Don’t you love us?”

  “That is the reason I have to leave, because I love you both very much.” Happiness lurched inside of Noah. He needed to proclaim his love to Molly. He opened the door wider and stepped into the chapel car at the same time Seth entered the outer door and scuffed up the aisle. While Molly and Tom looked Seth’s way, Noah closed the door making his presence known.

  “You must have ridden all night.” Noah greeted his brother.

  “I did.” Seth glanced around the room, slightly frowning when his gaze settled on Tom. “You need to run along now.”

  Tom gave Seth a wide berth, like he was diseased, and scurried down the aisle.

  Molly narrowed her eyes and glared at Seth.

  Noah hated the tone Seth used to send the boy away, too. Yet he didn’t know if Tom was an innocent pawn or if his loyalty lay with Cass. Noah couldn’t take a chance on the latter.

  Chapter 8

  Molly huffed from the train’s sanctuary with Tom’s dismissal.

  Seth shot Noah a lopsided smile and rubbed his chin. “I chafe against your wife’s grain.”

  “Yes, you do. Try being nice to her.”

  Seth’s brows arched. “Well, fancy that. I made a good match after all.”

  He had, not that Noah would ever admit it to Seth. “You could have taken your time. I saw Cass last night. He won’t be back in town for three days.” Noah paused, placing his hand on Seth’s shoulder. “He plans to kill you.”

  “Comes with wearing the star, but thank you for your concern.”

  For once, Seth didn’t look at him with contempt in his eyes. Noah gave Seth’s shoulder a small squeeze before he dropped his hand.

  “Do you have a gun?”

  Noah shook his head.

  Seth pulled a six-shooter from a holster on his hip and stuck the pearled handle out.

  After a moment of hesitation, Noah drew a deep breath and took the gun.

  “I have a room at the hotel with a window facing Emmanuel’s entry door, so I can watch the comings and goings. You won’t see me again until Cass comes to town.”

  “Okay.” Noah stuck the gun barrel in the waist of his breeches. He’d stash it under his bunk when Molly wasn’t around.

  Molly’s emotions had rolled like train wheels for the past two days. Noah acted like he had something important to say. Every time he looked at her, a new appreciation shone in his eyes. Her heart soared, thinking he returned her love, until her head reasoned a good man like Noah would never love her because of her past and her family. Cass’s note confirmed in her mind that Seth was right. Her brother was an outlaw.

  She wanted to run away. The only thing that stopped her was Tom. She couldn’t leave him behind, and she had no way to support him without Noah. So she stayed put, failing at cooking, and assisting with service, which was almost over for tonight.

  At Noah’s “Amen,” she started playing the last hymn of the evening. The congregation stood and raised their voices. Molly’s gaze roved the sea of faces in the chapel car; her eyes locked with those of a cowboy leaning against the back wall who still wore his hat in church.

  Molly’s fingers continued to press the organ keys, but her voice faltered as the familiar eyes narrowed, sending a threatening shiver up her spine. Cass. She knew by his stance and his eyes; nothing else about him looked like the brother she once knew.

  Scraggly blond hair hung to his shoulders. A scar ripped across his cheek. She should alert Noah, yet she couldn’t break their stare, and as usual Noah had walked down the aisle to the back of the chapel car.

  She held the last chord until it faded. Noah gave the benediction, and the congregation
started to file out of their seats. Cass didn’t move. With her gaze still fixed to him, Molly rose from the organ bench and made her way around the pulpit to the aisle.

  Tom started to rise from a seat in the second row. The movement pulled her gaze away from Cass. “Stay there.”

  Warning threaded her command. Tom’s eyes grew wide. He turned around.

  Cass let the last congregant pass then stepped into the aisle to block Molly’s path.

  “You’re going back to the saloon.” He grabbed her arm. His tight grip pinched her skin. She bit her lip to keep from crying out as he started to drag her toward the back of the chapel car.

  “Leave her alone, Cass.” Tom ran toward them and pulled at Cass’s grip.

  Cass shoved him hard, sending him reeling into the nearest pew. His soft whimper when he hit the hard wooden seat broke Molly’s heart and raised her ire. She flailed and twisted her arm in an effort to escape. Where was Noah?

  Cass’s grip tightened.

  “Let go of me!”

  “No.”

  “Let her go.” Noah’s voice was soft but authoritative. He’d come back into the chapel car after shaking the last congregant’s hand. Surely Cass would respect a man of the cloth, who was once his best friend.

  “Can’t.” Cass pulled a gun.

  Noah raised his hands.

  “Get over there with the boy.” Cass jerked his head in Tom’s direction.

  Slowly, Noah walked around them.

  “Help me.” Molly reached her free hand out to him. Noah kept backing away. The pinch of her heart was ten times worse than the pinching on her arm where Cass held her. She’d been wrong. Noah didn’t care for her. He’d married her out of respect to her mother and nothing more.

  “Help her, Noah,” Tom pleaded.

  But Noah kept backing away from them until his boot thudded against the raised altar; then he turned and quickly entered the living quarters, slamming the door behind him.

  A sob caught in Molly’s throat. She’d have to save herself. She beat a fist against her brother’s hold until the cold barrel of his pistol poked into her side. He pushed her through the outer door and down the wrought-iron step. Fear’s chill goose-fleshed her skin.

  “Leave her be. She’s my friend. I’m not gonna help you anymore.” Tom jerked on Cass’s sleeve, causing him to stumble as he stepped from the train stair.

  Molly jerked her arm hard to free herself. It didn’t work. Cass’s grip tightened. He dragged her around the side of the train car to where his horse was tied. Tom ran along behind them.

  A clear image of her parents’ faces popped into her mind, bringing her comfort and strength. “Cass, what’s happened to you? Don’t you remember our loving family? What our parents taught us about God? Why are you being so hateful to me?”

  Cass paused a moment. His face remained hard. “Are you going to get up on the horse, or do I have to throw you up there?”

  “You’re not going anywhere.” Seth stepped from the shadows, rifle aimed at Cass.

  In a swift move, Cass pulled Molly and Tom in front of him. “I’m not afraid of you, Seth. Especially now. Your aim isn’t sure enough to miss Molly and Tom. If it was Noah holding that rifle, I’d take pause. I saw him shoot a wolf off the back of a deer it was attacking without harming a hair on the deer.”

  A click behind them silenced Cass.

  “I’m glad you remember something about your past.”

  Cass turned, bringing Molly and Tom with him.

  Noah. Hope filled Molly. Yet he didn’t seem to see her or Tom as he walked closer to the trio.

  “Remember your upbringing. Let them go. You don’t want to harm your family. Surrender to Seth.”

  Noah’s words snapped something inside of Molly. “I’m not his family. I haven’t been since he dropped me off at the saloon. Why did you do it, Cass? Why did you abandon me?”

  A guttural laugh burst from her brother. “I didn’t abandon you. I lost you in a poker game the same way I lost our farm.” Cass shook Tom’s shoulder. “I’m not claiming this one, either.”

  The hurt on Molly’s face at Seth’s confession broke Noah’s heart. All he wanted to do was drop the gun, wrap her in his arms, and love her for the rest of his life. He couldn’t though, not yet. Seth had been creeping up behind Cass while Noah distracted him.

  Seth was in arm’s reach when he kicked a rock and startled Cass. Molly saw an opportunity. Instead of saving herself, she shoved Tom out of harm’s way. Cass wrapped his arm across her chest while Molly struggled to free herself and turned toward Seth. The barrel of Cass’s pistol pointed at Molly’s head.

  Noah set his jaw. He knew he could shoot Cass and not harm Molly. At this moment that was all he wanted to do. However, his vocation was preaching God’s Word not upholding man’s law. He couldn’t shoot Cass. Noah turned his gun, took two quick steps, and rapped Cass’s head with the six-shooter handle.

  Cass dropped to the ground. Noah caught Molly in his arms so she didn’t fall. Shivering, she nestled close to him and buried her face in his shoulder. Tom ran over and hugged Noah.

  He’d done it. He’d protected the family he loved.

  Seth kneeled down, handcuffed Cass’s still body, and rolled him over faceup. When he stood, he smiled at Noah. “Good job, brother. You’d have made a good lawman.”

  Noah drew a deep breath and braced for his brother’s criticism.

  “But you make a better preacher. You’re a brave man going against family tradition.”

  Emotion clogged Noah’s throat. He swallowed hard before he smiled at Seth. “Thank you.”

  “I owe you and Molly an apology.”

  Molly lifted her head and looked at Cass.

  “I knew Molly’s presence would lure Cass out of hiding, but I also wanted her protected. I knew you were the perfect person to keep her safe. I didn’t mean to force you into marriage. I can talk to a judge.”

  Molly’s gasp echoed through the silent night. Noah’s heart dipped. He’d never be happy without her, even if it meant he had to change his occupation.

  “No.”

  Molly turned and searched his face at his firm refusal.

  When her pretty blue eyes locked to his, he saw a flicker of hope and knew it was time to reveal his heart.

  “I love you, Molly. I want to be married to you.”

  “You don’t care about my past and the reputation it brings?”

  Noah pursed his lips and shook his head.

  A sheen of moisture covered Molly’s eyes. “We’ll be husband and wife in every way?”

  “Yes.” Noah pulled her closer to him. “Will you continue to be my wife?”

  “I’d be honored to stay married to the man I love.”

  One month later, Molly and Tom stood outside the entry door of the chapel car Emmanuel.

  “Stop being so antsy.” Molly placed a hand on Tom’s shoulder.

  “The suit’s scratchy.” Tom started wiggling again.

  “Well, you look handsome.” Molly smiled at the nephew that she and Noah would raise as their son.

  “You look pretty, too.”

  Molly looked down at the white lace wedding gown that Noah insisted on buying for her to wear when he told her she deserved a proper wedding.

  “There’s the music.” Tom opened the door and allowed Molly to step inside. Once inside, Tom slipped his small hand into hers. She couldn’t have been happier to have her nephew escort her down the aisle and become part of their family.

  She paused in the entry while the small congregation stood.

  Pastor Glass sat behind the organ with a welcoming smile that erased all of his sternness. He’d been pleased to officiate their wedding, again. Although it was hard, they’d lived chaste while waiting for Pastor Glass. Noah and Molly only recited their vows the first time. This time they’d mean their pledge.

  Upon his arrival, Pastor Glass praised Noah for the fine job of spreading God’s message in the first stop of his railroad mini
stry, and also credited Molly’s assistance as part of the success. He planned to put Noah’s name in for a transfer to a railroad car with bigger living quarters to better house his growing family.

  Noah waited in front of the altar railing looking handsome in his new brown suit. Emotion formed a lump in Molly’s throat when her eyes found Noah’s. The tender love that emanated from his brown eyes assured her she was loved and erased all the pain and shame of her past.

  Molly longed to race down the aisle and into Noah’s arms but took deliberate, slow steps for propriety’s sake. She’d never do anything to besmirch Noah’s vocation. The world needed more brave men, like her intended.

  Once they reached the altar, Tom placed Molly’s hand in Noah’s. Pastor Glass finished playing and came to stand before the lectern. Tom sat beside Seth in the first pew to bear witness to their vows along with the town congregants. Molly listened close and took to heart the Bible verse the pastor chose. It wasn’t her and Noah’s favorite, but a very appropriate scripture for two people joining their hearts and lives. When he asked them to take their vows, Molly stared deeply into Noah’s brown eyes and allowed herself to revel in the love she saw there and hoped her love for him shone in her own.

  When Pastor Glass instructed Noah to kiss the bride, he tenderly gathered Molly in his arms. His soft lips found hers. Powerful emotions swirled through Molly, weakening her knees and making her glad Noah’s strong arms held her close. The congregation clapped when Noah ended the kiss.

  “That was the first of many kisses I plan to give you, Mrs. Manning,” Noah whispered.

  “I will accept them all.” Molly smiled through happy tears.

  Feeling safe and loved, Molly sent a silent thank-you to God for blessing her with a husband who knew His laws and upheld them in the same way she did.

  Multi-published author and RITA finalist, Rose Ross Zediker writes contemporary and historical inspirational romances and has over eighty publishing credits in the Christian magazine genre for children and adults. Rose works full-time at the University of South Dakota and writes during the evening or weekends. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America.