I looked to James and I was overcome with a sudden understanding. I was here for him just as much as he was here for me. I reached out and touched his arm gently, my delicate, pale fingers curling around his leathery arm.
He turned to look at me, one eyebrow cocked, expecting me to say anything, but I just smiled softly. “I forgive you,” I said simply.
I’d never told him I forgave him before now, but I think he knew there was no bad blood between us. He opened his mouth to thank me, but I silenced him before he could say anything and instead pressed my lips to his, smiling into the kiss.
Chapter 7
That was the beginning of a wonderful romance. James finally let his guard down and let me in. He wasn’t putting up the wall around his heart anymore and that made me happy. It made me hopeful. Those first few days were spent in a kind of romantic limbo. We would run into each other in the hallways, our cheeks red with embarrassment when he put his hands on my hips. We shared a few kisses those first days, but our romance was still quiet and budding.
Now that we were more comfortable with each other and our own limits, we found ourselves kissing at every opportunity. He would wrap his arms around me and hold me close as the fire crackled. It really was a dream.
James was everything I could have ever wanted in a man. He was strong and brave, but he also had such a kind heart. He loved working with the animals, while Louise mostly worked with the land. The kindness and tenderness he showed me was also offered to the creatures that occupied the farm.
Darkness was starting to set and a rainstorm had come through earlier in the day. The air smelled fresh and the damp air cooled my face. It felt wonderful to be outside, watching Louise scamper up trees. She was such a free spirit and part of me envied the fact that she didn’t seem to care what society expected from her. I wish I’d had that kind of bravery when I lived in Richmond.
James put his arm around me and smiled down at me. I looked up at him and he pressed his lips to mine, holding a hand to my warm cheek. I sighed into the kiss, only parting when the need for air was too strong. As we pulled away we gazed into each other’s eyes, smiling as our free hands tangled.
“I’m so glad you came my way,” he whispered, pressing his forehead to mine. “I thank God every night that he brought you here.”
I smiled and brought his hand to my lips, kissing his open palm. “There is a reason for everything. I believe that with all my heart,” I whispered, looking up at him. “We were meant to be together and that’s why we’re here. We were meant to heal each other.”
He smiled and kissed my cheek. “Well, you have done a fine job of that. Even the people in town tell me I look happier,” he said with a chuckle.
I smiled and leaned into his shoulder as he held me close. “Are you sure you’re going to be alright while Louise and I go into town?” he asked, looking down at me.
Billings was still a small town and the trading outpost was a half day’s ride away. It would be the first time I was left on my own, but I wasn’t scared. Our house was sturdy and I was leaning more and more about the land every day. I smiled and took his hand, kissing the back of it this time.
“I’ll be fine. You don’t have to worry about me,” I said softly.
“You know I’m going to worry about you no matter what,” he said, cupping my cheek.
I rolled my eyes playfully, smiling and nudging him. “I’ll be alright. I know there are things you can’t get here.”
He nodded and looked down at his own hands for a moment. “Yes, I had something I had to order from the city.”
I cocked my brow. “The city? There are cities around here.”
“Of course not. Chicago. I ordered it from Chicago,” he said with a cocky little smile.
I leaned back and crossed my arms over my chest. “What in the world did you have to order from Chicago?” I asked, hardly believing him.
He grinned and pushed me onto my back gently, leaning over me with that same playful smile on his face. My cheeks burned as he tangled our fingers and leaned down to steal a kiss.
“You’ll see,” he hummed, kissing me again, though it was deeper this time.
My eyes widened just a little but I returned the kiss, freeing one of my hands and tangling it in his hair, my eyes fluttering closed for a moment. This felt so right. I lost myself in that kiss, my heart thudding harder and harder in my chest with every minute that passed. I held him close, never wanting that kiss to end. Unfortunately, it had to eventually.
“Ewww! What are you guys doing?!” Louise called from the tree.
James couldn’t hold back his barking laughter. Our lips were still touching as he laughed to himself and pushed himself up into a sitting position, looking at Louise who was hanging from one of the branches.
“Kissing!”
“That’s gross,” she said, sticking out her tongue and shaking her head back and forth.
“You’ll find someone you want to kiss one day, child!” I called towards the tree.
She looked horrified at the idea and rolled her eyes, pulling herself up onto the branch. “I don’t think so. It looks messy. I don’t want any part of that!” she grumbled, scampering higher into the tree.
I laughed and just shook my head, leaning against James. I didn’t want him to leave, but I knew he had to. This was just part of living in the west. I knew the only reason he hadn’t invited me to go with them was because he was worried about my safety. Traveling to trading posts could be extremely dangerous. The land was flat and offered no cover whatsoever. It made me worry for their safety, though they’d made this trip plenty of times. They knew how to handle themselves, though it didn’t bring me much comfort.
The moonlight illuminated his face and I knew I couldn’t let him leave without telling him how I felt. I wrapped my arms around him and pulled him close, kissing him deeply, sighing into the kiss.
“I love you, James.”
His eyes widened, but he smiled into the kiss and held me close, uttering the words I so desperately wanted to hear.
“I love you too, Madison.”
Chapter 8
Louise and James left early in the morning, saying goodbye before heading off. The sun had barely rose above the plains by the time they headed down the road. I stood in the doorway, sighing and watching them until I couldn’t see them anymore. When they were out of sight I closed the door and went to the bookshelf in James’ room. We weren’t married so we still slept in different beds, but I had spent some time with him in this room, mostly reading to him. He wasn’t quite as literate as his brother, but he was learning quickly with my help.
I picked up the book I’d been working on for the past few days and carried it to the chair beside the fire place, curling up to read. The clouds were already starting to collect over the farm, signaling rain, so it seemed like a good day to read.
The time passed so slowly when I was alone and as the heavy drops of rain came down on the metal roof, I found my eyes growing heavy. The rain always did this to me, and before I knew it, the book had slipped out of my hand as I fell into a rather deep slumber, lulled into a dream by the pitter-patter of the rain.
I wasn’t sure how long I was asleep, but when I woke up it was because cold drops of water were dripping onto my pale cheeks. The storm was raging outside and a clap of thunder jolted me from my sleep, my eyes wide.
When I jumped up I nearly collided with a very familiar face. Jeremy stood over me, a sharpened knife in his hand. His eyes were wild and his fine clothing was tattered and ruined from days spent traveling. He looked a mess and I knew he must have come here with a wagon train or on horseback since the trains still weren’t running from Richmond to Billings.
I scrambled back into the chair, ducking down and trying to escape, but he was too strong and too quick. He snatched my arm and yanked me back to his chest, grinning down at me as his grip tightened to the point of being painful.
“You thought you could get away from me,” he whi
spered, his eyes alive with anger and rage. “You thought you could run away and I’d never find you, didn’t you?” he snapped, shaking me.
I screamed and twisted, trying to get out of his grasp but it was too firm. I was trapped and there was nothing I could do. I had no neighbors close enough to hear my screams, and as I realized that, the panic began to swell in my chest.
“I’m going to make you regret leaving Richmond,” he whispered. “You thought I wasn’t going to get that money?” he snapped. “I need a body to claim my fortune, and trust me: they’ll get a body,” he growled, dragging me down the hallway towards James’s bedroom.
My heart began to slam in my chest as I realized his intentions and I let out a sob, my fingers digging into the skin of his arm, pleading for him to stop. “Don’t do this, Jeremy! You can have the money! I’ll sign it over to you! I don’t want it!”
He tossed me onto the bed without any hesitation and kicked the door closed so hard it rattled the frame. I tried to scramble off the bed, clinging to the quilt as Jeremy grabbed me by the ankle and yanked me across the bed. I screamed and tried to kick him, managing to catch his arm. He yowled in pain and stumbled back, holding his injured arm for a moment.
I used the few seconds I had to scramble for the window and throw myself out of it. I landed in the soft mud with a thump, though it was soft enough that I wasn’t hurt, aside from a few scrapes and bumps. I jumped to my feet and started across the field, knowing if I could get to the barn I could get to a horse and escape.
Jeremy was hot on my trail, following me across the field and closing the distance between us fast. I managed to get to the barn but realized the second I got there that all the horses were gone. Jeremy must have unlatched all of the stables and let them loose.
I spun around, my eyes wide with fear as a flash of lightning illuminated the figure standing in the door of the barn. I pressed my back to it, knowing I had nowhere else to go. My heart was slamming in my chest and terror began to fill every nook and cranny of my body. I stood with my body flush against the barn and closed my eyes tight. All I could think was at least I’d told James I loved him. It was the only relief I had.
I could hear the sound of his footsteps snapping hay as he moved closer and closer. I began to shake and then I heard the sound of a gun being cocked. Oh, God. He was going to shoot me. This was it. There was no way out. Tears began to stream down my face, and then I heard a familiar voice.
“Stop where you are or you’ll be dead before you hit the ground.”
The rough, growling voice belonged to James. My eyes snapped open and I stared just past Jeremy. James stood behind him, the barrel of his gun pressed against the back of Jeremy’s skull. I’d told James about Jeremy and about the plot to kill me. James’s eyes were narrowed and he looked up at me.
“Is this they guy?” he asked.
I nodded slowly as Jeremy lowered himself to his knees, the knife clattering to the floor. Jeremy stared up at me, eyes wide and pleading. James cocked the gun and looked up at me. “What do you want, Madison? I can kill him right here,” he hissed through his teeth.
The anger in James was more than understandable. I was feeling it too, but I also knew that this wasn’t what God wanted. It wasn’t our place to judge him.
I swallowed thickly and shook my head. “Let’s call the sheriff.”
Chapter 9
We waited in the barn for hours. Louise had already gone to fetch the Sheriff but it took him a while to actually make it out to us. The story seemed far too scandalous for the sleepy little town and the sheriff seemed convinced that someone had had a little too much to drink and was making a mountain out of a mole hill.
When he arrived and the story was verified, he seemed a bit shocked but took Jeremy away anyway, ignoring the cursing and spitting the man did all the way out the door. He was thrown into one of the carts used to transport prisoners and taken to the city jail where he would sit until the authorities from Richmond could retrieve him and investigate all of the accusations that had been made.
I wasn’t sure what was going to happen to Jeremy, but I knew he wouldn’t be able to get anywhere near us for a very, very long time and that was all the comfort I needed. Louise, James and I waited, watching as he was taken away and James pulled me close.
I looked up at him, my eyes wet with tears as I wrapped my arms around him and buried my face in his chest, my finger’s digging into his firm back.
“H-How? Why did you come back?” I managed to choke out, shivering against him. “How did you know?”
“We stopped in town for some traveling supplies and the clerk told us there was a man asking about you,” he said softly. “I remembered you telling me about the man back in Richmond and I got worried. We headed back as soon as we could, but we got slowed down by the rain. Louise noticed that the horses were out of their stalls and we got worried,” he said, holding her close. “I’m so glad I made it in time. If something had happened to you, I’d never be able to forgive myself,” he whispered.
I clung to him, shivering against the cold wind. Louise was in the doorway, chewing her lip and obviously worried, though she figured she should probably leave us alone. She disappeared into the storm and I assumed she was going to collect the horses.
James didn’t let go for a long time. He held me tight, his eyes closed as he rubbed my back, clearly trying to comfort me. I shook in his arms, afraid and unsure of what was going to happen next. The longer he held me, the more I knew everything was going to be okay. As long as he was here with me, nothing bad was going to happen. I had to believe that. I relaxed in his arms, and for a moment, neither of us said anything. I normally dreaded silence, but this time I welcomed it.
After a long moment he pulled away and took my hands, looking into my eyes and reaching up to stroke my cheek. “Madison, I need to tell you why I was going into town,” he said softly.
I blinked at him and cocked my head to the side. “I thought it was supposed to be a surprise?” I asked softly, wiping my eyes.
He nodded. “It was, but I realize now that I can’t wait another minute. I have been thinking about this for a long time,” he said softly, looking down at our joined hands.
“What is it?” I whispered, gazing up at him, my own eyes bright and curious.
He smiled softly and slowly lowered himself down to one knee, his eyes never leaving mine. My heart started beating faster and I stared down at him for a long time, my bottom lip shaking. I could hardly believe this was happening.
“I was going to the trading post to get your ring. I had it ordered from Chicago but they couldn’t bring it all the way out here. I’m sorry I have to do this without some kind of ring or gift, but I need to do it now.”
My breath caught in my throat and I put a hand to my chest, wide-eyed as I stared down at him. “James…”
“Madison Monroe, the second you came into my life you’ve been a whirlwind force. You turned everything upside down and changed the way I saw everything. To say I was anything other than utterly terrified would be a lie,” he said with a soft smile. “I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to do with you. You just tore down every wall I’d managed to build up over the years and at the time, I thought that was the worst thing in the world. I thought you were going to come into my life and destroy me. But you didn’t. You built me up and you made my life good again. God brought us together and I thank him for that every moment of my life. You were right when you said everything happens for a reason.”
Tears started to come to my eyes as I stared down at him, my own hands shaking with the anticipation of what was to come. I swallowed thickly, trying to force the tears down. I couldn’t believe this was actually happening. I wiped my eyes and kneeled down as well, wrapping my arms around him and holding him tight.
“You’ve changed my world, Madison. I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not for a very long time,” he whispered, his arms wrapped around me, cradling me and keeping me safe. “I never th
ought I’d ever be able to love anyone else ever again, but here you are. I love you. I love you so much, Madison, and I’m here to ask you if you would do me the honor of being my wife.”
A sob forced its way from my chest, a sob I’d been holding back since the beginning of his speech. I nodded quickly and held him tight, tears streaming down my face.
“Of course! Of course I’ll marry you, you idiot!” I laughed.
Chapter 10
I fled Richmond out of desperation. I fled because I was afraid of what would happen if I didn’t. My life was in danger so I ran in order to assure my own safety. I never would have guessed that by running I would find my purpose for living. I never could have imagined that I would fall in love and be happy for the first time in my life.
What awaited me in Billings was more than I could have ever imagined or hoped for. It made my chest swell with happiness to think how far I’d come from that first day and how far James had come. When we first met, he was a lost cause. He was a man on the brink of depression. He was someone who never would have recovered on his own. I don’t mean that in a mean way, or in a way that suggests I don’t think he could have made it on his own. He would have lived. He would have survived, but he never would have thrived.
Now we were happy, still living on the same little plot of land from before, though we’d managed to expand it with the money I inherited. Thanks to Jeremy’s plan he was locked away in jail for a very long time and this meant I was given complete control of my own inheritance. I used it to buy a bigger plot of land and build a second house near the one James and I lived in. It was going to be for Louise when she finally settled down with her own family.
While it was being built, she argued the entire time, insisting that she wouldn’t ever fall in love and want children. Just as the house was being finished, she met a young blacksmith in town and the two began courting. They were planning on getting married as soon as Louise turned seventeen. I remained humble, refusing to point out the fact that I had indeed been right. The blush on her face when she looked at her handsome blacksmith was more than enough for me.
Romance: Western Mail Order Bride Bethany's Love -Clean Christian Historical Romance (Western Mail Order Bride Short Shorties Series) Page 167