Bright Morning Star

by J. R. Biery

  “I’m small, I know, nothing like Bonnie,” she spoke, clearly embarrassed.

  He kissed her, excited by the idea of where to kiss her next. She leaned back, granting him space.

  “You’re perfect,” he breathed into her ear as he slipped the other hand to join the first. “All I can hold.” Gently, so as not to terrify her, he followed Calum’s advice and teased both until her nipples were screaming for more attention. “Claire, darling, please don’t stop me.”

  She leaned back, her body twisted so that her face was turned up to him. If she bent anymore, he knew she would break Calum’s rules.

  Softly, as gently as he could, he raised her back upright, bending so his face pressed against her, then his mouth found and claimed one nipple. Claire sighed, then when he raised up, she brought his head back to kiss the other. He drew the nipple into his mouth and suckled.

  She seemed to collapse like a rag-doll. From the other side, Henry heard voices. He pulled the cotton over the damp breasts, waited to be caught.

  “Now that we are betrothed, let us take one last stroll together, my beloved Bonnie,” Calum said.

  Henry waited, straining to listen as he heard an exultant Calum pull the other woman to her feet and help her step over the bench. As they moved away, he sighed in relief. Other than being more aroused than at any other time in his life, with a half nude girl in his lap, he knew it was going to be all right.

  A tiny voice whispered. “Is it all over then?”

  Henry put a hand over his mouth to keep from laughing out loud at the sound of disappointment in her voice. Firmly he helped her sit upright, threaded one limp arm into its sleeve, then worked on the other. As soon as he finished, she twisted on the bench so he could secure all the buttons. Without warning, she collapsed against him, just as Henry realized he had buttoned crookedly.

  “No,” he muttered. “Sit still so I can undo and redo these buttons right.

  “Good,” she whispered, complying. When he reached the last button she shocked him when she pulled the dress and undergarment down just low enough to expose the small left breast. “This side wants it to.”

  Unable to deny her, he quickly bent to suckle it, felt her fingers tug at the ends of his mustache mischievously. He released her, covered the other treasure and this time buttoned her right. Like Calum, he helped to swing her up and over the bench. Henry reached down to lift the folded corset and press it into her hands. He could tell from the way she moved that she was blushing. He hated not being able to see her skin change from porcelain white to rosy pink. She stowed it in the back of her wagon hastily.

  As they passed his empty wagon, Claire brushed against him and suddenly she was in his arms, her body pressed against him. Henry kissed her as though he would devour her, used his hands to press her against his arousal. Claire’s knees buckled and she dug her hands into his shoulders to stay upright. Henry had all he could do, not to lift her into the back of the wagon. Instead, he raised his head, and whispered against her mouth.

  “We will marry in Ogden, as soon as possible.” Claire pushed back against him and he released her. For a minute, they both stood breathing heavily into the calm night.

  “Isn’t that what you want?” Henry asked.

  “I expected words of love and...”

  He extended his hands, but she shrugged free. When they heard the voices of the other couple, both swallowed. Henry held his arm and Claire took his elbow so they could fall in step behind the others as they passed in the night. He watched the shadowy, long-legged couple leaning together, heard Bonnie’s happy voice and Calum’s grunt in answer.

  For several minutes, they walked in silence before Henry stopped and faced her. Slowly he lifted her hands to kiss one, and then the other. “Lovely Claire, will you be my wife?”

  As she stood, not answering, Henry wished the moon would appear. He could tell nothing in the dark about what she was thinking. Was she afraid, or was she going to refuse him. He recalled the teasing words earlier to Mary Anne about having no use for anything second-hand. Then it had annoyed him, but he realized when she giggled that she had been teasing. Henry waited, afraid that she had been serious.

  “Although, I had no right to, I think I loved you from the first time I saw you,” she finally said.

  “Oh Claire,” he let out his breath in a single swoosh and pulled her into his arms for another blazing kiss. “I love you. So you’re saying yes.”

  “Yes.”

  He stopped again to kiss her and heard her laugh and break free to jump around. Henry wanted to shout as well. He settled for capturing her to lift into the air and swing around.

  In minutes they were on their own excited stroll around the silent camp.

  <><><>

  The men were almost back to where they had left their sweethearts to go to bed. They began to talk in hushed voices. Henry asked, “How did your campaign go?”

  “She now wants to wait until her Da builds a boat and sails from Boston to here. Although a minute ago, she told me not to go. That we could wed in Ogden next week.”

  “Well, there you go,” Henry whispered excitedly. “We can have a double wedding.”

  “She really wants to wait, until she is sure Tarn Michaels is dead or they are divorced, until she buys her land and builds a cabin, and maybe for the rest of the clan to arrive.”

  “But you proposed, what did she say?”

  Calum looked miserable, “That she loves me and wants to be my wife, nothing more but nothing less. I’m going back to the Fort tomorrow and taking her brothers with me.”

  “I can’t believe you’re going to let her get by with that. The way she loves you, you could force her to go back with you,” Henry said.

  Calum sighed and stared, but could only see Henry’s outline. “It’s Bonnie. She’s so damned sensible, so practical. If we don’t wait, if she doesn’t get her divorce and land, she’ll always blame me. She has to want me more than all the rest.”

  “You’re going to wait a year?”

  “Or until she decides I’m the only thing she wants.” Calum smiled at his companion. “And you, not waiting for a proper year of mourning.”

  Henry laughed and Calum was certain it was the first time he had heard him laugh.

  “I had to insist she go to bed with her parents and promise to wait until we reached Ogden and a priest.”

  Calum grabbed him in a bear hug and Henry laughed and tried to muffle the sound. “She loves me and has said yes. I think asking her father’s permission in the morning is just a formality.”

  He stared up at the taller man and said. “I wish you didn’t have to go. Bonnie will miss you.”

  Calum smiled wryly. “I hope so. I tried to leave her reason to.”

  As they climbed into the Lambton wagon, Henry whispered. “I was wondering if you had any more secrets about women to share.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

  When Claire finally woke, it was to the smell of coffee, bacon, and biscuits. She saw Bonnie and Mother at the fire and waved to Bonnie. They ran into the bushes together, laughing, and whispering. “He asked me too, well first he told me we were going to wed in Ogden.”

  “Sounds like you straightened him out.” She twirled Claire again, then said, “That soon, we’ll be there in less than a week?”

  Claire laughed and lifted Bonnie’s hands. Dust blew up from the dried earth as they danced back toward the campfire.

  Bonnie stopped after a few steps. “Calum has gone back to the fort, and he took my brothers. I would have laid there in my warm bed, dreaming, if I hadn’t heard your Mother swearing at the fire. None of the three bothered to come and say goodbye.”

  “Hurry, help break the news to Mother and Father.” Bonnie laughed as they both came to the campfire and heard cries of ‘Congratulations.’ Henry was beaming and the twins were jumping up and down. Mother stood with her arms open for Claire.

  For a moment, Claire resented Henry for sharing the news without her. He m
ust have read her disapproval because he stepped up and took her hand to kiss in front of the others. “Mary Anne guessed, I was going to deny it, then your Mother looked at me, and I could not lie.”

  As her Father walked up to the gathering, Claire broke away and ran to hug him, shouting, “Henry asked me to marry him.”

  <><><>

  The day they were to enter Ogden was busy. Claire and Bonnie had complained about what to wear for the wedding. Mary Anne volunteered to decorate their best dresses for the occasion. She added lace collars and cuffs to the white blouse and attached a little lace trim to the skirt pockets and along the hem to Bonnie’s black skirt.

  Claire looked radiant in her own lace adorned gown, the light-weight purple flowered wool she had purchased in Boston. Her hair had been restored to its old style of golden ringlets and Mary Anne had created a lace scarf to tie beneath the curls but not hide their beauty.

  They spent a long time dressing and styling each other’s hair, even after the wagon train was ready to finish the last two miles into the town of Ogden. It was called Junction City by most people because the Union and Pacific railroads met here as well as the Virginia City-Corinne Road. Bonnie was glad to be at the end of the journey, but heartsick still at missing Calum.

  Both added their big brimmed bonnets to protect their hair from the dusty trail. Claire pointed out the golden leaved aspens, stark against the dark evergreens. Mary Anne ran about as usual, gathering flowers near the trail.

  They were fourth in line today and they watched town people already stopping their business to stare at this group of new pilgrims into the western wilderness. Up ahead one of the wagons stopped, and Tom and Jim stopped their own team, Jim ran up to the outside to take the other end of the oxen yoke from his brother. Bonnie and Claire stepped closer, clasping hands and looking around for the Catholic Church as they strode down the dusty street. Tyler and Tip were racing about eager to get the team back in motion as all heard a woman scream.

  Bonnie stared as a young woman in lavender screamed again. As she recognized Lynne, she heard Claire scream her name as well. Before either of them could move a tiny blur ran and leaped into her arms. Bonnie let go of Claire’s hands as they both started running for their friend. Tom and Jim left the oxen and bolted for her.

  Lynne was laughing and crying, kissing first Mary Anne, then Tom and Jim. Claire was still squealing in delight and Henry dismounted to move protectively beside his bride to be. Bonnie laughed as she heard her friend’s happy voice saying over and over again how much they had changed. In six months, their smart friend had been transformed as well.

  Lynne released her family, and the children stood back a step to let the three women embrace. Behind her short friend they saw a tall man dressed in black let his hands drop down from his guns. As his face softened with a smile, he started toward them. Claire looked at Lynne. “My, my, that little ad undersold him, he’s breathtaking.” Behind them, Father called to Henry as he dismounted to steady the oxen.

  “You look so beautiful,” all three said at the same time as they stepped back enough to see each other. Lynne laughed and whispered, “Pinch me. I can’t believe you’re here. Safe and strong and healthy just as I’ve dreamed it.”

  “It's wonderful, isn’t it,” Claire said. “Oh Lynne, Bonnie and I are engaged. She pointed to the handsome blonde man beside the gigantic oxen. Henry brushed his trimmed mustache and smiled shyly. “This is Henry Lambton, my betrothed. We’re going to get married today. Isn’t it wonderful?”

  Claire spun and looked around, “Where’s the church?”

  Lynne and Bonnie exchanged glances and all three hugged again.

  <><><>

  “There are just two in town, the Episcopal and Mormon. Phillip called on each one and this one’s minister is in town. We were married in the claims office in Helena,” Lynne said.

  “My goodness, Lynne, you were so brave. We’ve read your letters over and over. But I’ve never heard of an Episcopalian?” Claire said.

  “Be glad they’re not Mormons,” Bonnie said. “You don’t want to compete with other wives.”

  “It’s hard enough competing with Bella’s ghost,” the nervous bride said.

  “Episcopalians call themselves the Protestant Catholics. But they do have priests and a Bishop,” Lynne said. “Who is Bella?”

  “She was Henry’s wife, but she was killed by Indians between here and North Platte,” Bonnie answered. “It happened while I was living with the Indians who had captured me.”

  “You were captured by Indians? Good grief, Willow, are you okay, did they…?”

  “They treated me like a guest. The chief captured me so I could tend his white wife while she died of cancer. The army sent men to rescue me.”

  “If she were an Indian, they would have just set her off somewhere to die and let the wolves eat her,” Claire interrupted again. “This handsome soldier, Lieutenant Calum Douglas rode in to save her. He traded his favorite horse and all his guns for her,” Claire said while raising her eyebrows suggestively and giggling.

  Bonnie yelled “Goose,” and reached out to pinch Claire’s waist as though peeved. “If you weren’t the bride today.” She turned and stared at Lynne. “It’s a long story, I’ll tell you everything later.”

  <><><>

  “Am I doing the right thing girls? His wife has been dead less than a month. Maybe I should wait,” Claire whined.

  Bonnie shook her head and laughed before leaning over to tell Lynne in a whisper, “She told me she couldn’t stand the suspense of waiting. If it took any longer to get here, she was going to climb into his wagon and become a sinner.”

  Lynne laughed out loud and Claire blushed and then giggled herself. “Well, you’ve both been married. Now, I’m not sure I can.” Claire looked nervously around the simple church, nothing like any of the Catholic churches she had ever been in. Luckily, there was no confessional box. The middle aged man staring impatiently at the three giggling girls looked like an ordinary priest in his black suit and stiff white collar.

  He stepped closer to Henry, and then held out a hand toward Claire. Nervously, she whirled around, but couldn’t see Father. Henry motioned and she stepped forward.

  “He just needs to talk to us before the ceremony,” Henry reassured her. In a small room at the back of the church, Claire felt better as the priest donned a white cassock and placed a gold stole around his neck. She waited, but didn’t see the large ceremonial cross her own priest always wore for weddings.

  “A few formalities. Names, birthdates, religious affiliations, etc.” Claire gave her name and birth date, then whispered, Catholic. When Henry stated his name and Birthdate, Claire closed her eyes to try to help her remember the date. January 14, 1854 meant he was only twenty-two, just four years older than her. She expected him to say Jewish, but he said, none. “Do either of you wish to make a confession before the ceremony?”

  Claire blushed and stared at Henry. He smiled and shook his head. Claire shook hers too.

  “Now children, is this an arranged marriage, or a marriage based on love?”

  “Love,” they answered together.

  <><><>

  In minutes they were back inside the church near the front, watching the children squirm beside her mother while her friends stood in the back beside her, trying to calm her nerves. All three had shed the cumbersome bonnets and Lynne stood fussing with Claire’s hair while Bonnie repeated, “you look beautiful.”

  As the doors of the church opened, Claire turned and sagged in relief as Father entered. He looked a little flustered and she noticed Lynne’s tall gunman escorting him. Phillip Gant left him at the back of the church, and then moved to take his place on the left side for Henry. Claire knew he had been arranging a safe place for their wagons. Did Father have the heavy belt with their money on beneath his coat? What about Henry’s money?”

  Lynne and Bonnie were still talking. “Bonnie, really. Is this gallant Lieutenant your intended?” He ga
ve up his favorite horse for you?”

  “He’d had the stallion for years and told the chief it had saved his life dozens of times. The chief gave me the horses back when he released me. You should see my horse, Brown Bess, she has the cutest colt.” Bonnie raised her hand in the air to indicate the size of the strange animal.

  Claire stood frozen to the spot as Robert Wimberley dusted himself enough to move forward to the end of the aisle.

  Lynne whispered as they pushed Claire in front of them to where her father waited to hold her arm. “Good luck, goose.”

  <><><>

  Claire slipped her icy fingers into her father’s warm hands and immediately relaxed as he smiled down at her.

  “Frightened? You sure you want to do this. You always have a home with Mother and me.”

  Claire smiled and felt joy flood through her. “He is what I want, Father.”

  The girls walked sedately in front of her. On the Bride’s side of the aisle sat Mother Wimberley with the McKinney’s children. The boys wore their tight coats over their dusted trail clothes. Mary Anne wore her best dress proudly, knowing she looked pretty today. She moved to the end of the aisle and reached out to hand Claire the bouquet of Hyssop and Pye weed she had picked on the way into town. The wilting purple and pink blooms made Claire smile and her eyes water at all the love in them.

  Three dusky Indians and a couple of strange looking trail drivers, one tall and thin, the other short and round, sat on the left side of the church. She realized Lynne’s husband Phillip had brought people to fill in the groom’s side of the church. He seemed even more wonderful than Lynne had written. Now he stood by Henry at the altar. Henry was nervously waiting for her.

  Everyone was trying to make the hasty ceremony what she had dreamed her wedding would be. In front of her she heard her friends still whispering.