Western Night Series Collection (Mail-Order Brides)

by Rosie Harper

  Chapter Six

  Edward could hardly believe that this was happening. After all this time, after everything he had done, and to be finally back in Annie’s arms was too much. His body was ablaze. Her lightest touch had ignited a fire inside that he had only ever known with her. She was so perfect, so soft, so yielding. Her lips under his melded to his kiss, her body was soft and warm. He didn’t want this moment to ever end, but he knew it had to. Annie was caught up in the moment. Her tender heart would harden as soon as she had time to think about what he had just told her. Now she felt pity for him, for his ordeal, but she would remember the pain he had caused her and her family all too soon.

  Yet he couldn’t bring himself to let her go. Once again he was failing her. But she felt so perfect in his arms. He stroked the pale skin of her bare arms, and thrilled with pleasure as she ran her hands across his chest. She let them drift aimlessly, the kiss taking all of her attention, until they rested on his buttocks. She caressed him boldly, the shock made him pull away. “We shouldn’t do this Annie. And I will not do this. I have made so many mistakes, have wronged you so many times. I will not do it again.” He got to his feet and ran to the stable where he had left his horse. He leapt onto his back and rode out into the darkness.

  The terrain around Stephenville was wide, and open. He gave Pinto his head, and let the wind dry the tears from his cheeks. He would leave town the next day. He couldn’t ruin Annie’s life again. He wanted her to be happy, wanted her to have the chances she deserved to have a wonderful life. She would never get that if he stuck around. He couldn’t deny the spark of attraction still burned hot and bright between them, but physical attraction would never be enough. No relationship could ever be built on the foundations he had unwittingly laid for them. The dishonesty, the betrayal could never be forgotten or forgiven.

  Pinto stumbled, and the next thing he knew he was on the hard ground, flat on his back. He stared up at the star filled skies, and wondered how on earth he had made such a mess of his life. He had started off with such good intentions, such good prospects. If only he hadn’t wanted to make a difference, hadn’t gotten caught up in the youthful foolishness of his friends to change the lives of everyone around him. He should have just stuck with changing his own life, getting married to the most perfect woman in the world and raising a family.

  “Hey buddy, you okay?” Hardy’s voice broke his reverie. “Annie sent me out to follow you. Said you might do something stupid.”

  “She knows me far too well,” Edward said wryly, as he tried to sit up. Every bit of him ached and he knew he would be covered in bruises when he woke the next day.

  “So, you two know one another then?”

  “We were engaged.” Hardy sat down next to him heavily as he nodded his head berating himself for his foolishness.

  “And you let her get away. Ted you are more idiotic than I once thought. As if shutting yourself up with that noisy press wasn’t enough!”

  “I know, I know.”

  “She seemed to be genuinely worried about you. Maybe it isn’t too late,” Hardy said hopefully.

  “No there’s no hope. I’m seven years too late to ever make amends. We’d best get back. I don’t want Mariette getting angry with me too.”

  “Mariette would forgive you anything but leaving, but she tells me you intend to do that anyway,” Hardy said with a sad look in his eyes. Edward knew how much he would miss them, so could understand how they would be hurt at his intention to leave town.

  “I can’t stay, much as I want to. I couldn’t ruin Annie’s life further.”

  “Haven’t you ever wondered if Annie herself should be the one to make that decision?” Hardy asked curiously. “Maybe, even if you can’t forgive yourself for whatever this is that is causing you so much pain – and I will not pry my friend – she can? She strikes me as a very good woman, one who could forgive the man she loved almost anything.”

  “That’s the problem, what I did fell way outside of that. Nobody could forgive me, should forgive me.”

  “I still think you should let her make up her own mind. Now, come on let’s get you back home to your bed. You’re going to hurt like hell tomorrow!”

  “I deserve it,” Edward said as he accepted Hardy’s help to get on Pinto’s back. He could already feel the discomfort in his buttocks that told him how badly they would be tomorrow. He shifted his weight a little in the saddle in the hope he would relieve the pain, but found no relief.

  “I’ll tell Mariette you won’t be in tomorrow, get some rest,” Hardy said as he helped him into his tiny house. Edward grinned at him weakly.

  “Thank you.” He hated being so dependent on anyone, but for once he accepted the assistance his friend was giving him to get up to his bed. Every bit of him was already stiffening up and he could barely move his legs or arms. He sank onto his bed gratefully and barely even noticed Hardy taking off his boots and lifting his heavy legs up onto the bed for him.

  The sunlight glared down onto him suddenly. He shook his head and tried to get up, wondering why his drapes were open wide. Then the pain hit him as if he had just fallen off Pinto all over again. He groaned as he realised he couldn’t move a muscle. “You stay right where you are,” Annie’s sweet voice said firmly.

  “What on earth are you doing here?” he demanded. He didn’t want her to see him like this. Didn’t want her to have to see him ever again. Who had told her about his fall, and then been crazy enough to let her come to nurse him. It could only have been one person – Mariette. She was the only person other than himself who had a key to his home. Hardy must have told her, and they must have decided to take things into their hands and try and push them together. Why couldn’t they have just left them alone?

  “Hardy told me you fell off your horse. I knew you would be black and blue, so I came here last night. Mariette gave me her key. I would have broken windows if I’d needed to though so you can take that black look off your face, and stop blaming your friends for something that has nothing to do with them.” He glared at her, hating that she could still read his mind even after all these years.

  “Why would you bother? I don’t deserve your care,” he said turning his face away from her in shame.

  “Oh stop feeling so sorry for yourself,” she said impatiently. “I have spent the last seven years listening to a man feel sorry for himself, I’m sick of it. Whatever has happened is done. Move on from it, learn from it, but don’t dwell on it and let it rule your entire life.”

  “But how do you do that? After everything that my actions have put you through, how can you say it is just in the past?”

  “Because there is nothing I can do about it David. Feeling sad will not change what happened. Feeling hard done by because I never got the chance to marry and have my own family will not make those things happen. My Mammy always taught me that life goes on. You make the most out of what you have. I got to see my brothers and sisters grow into wonderful young people. They make me so proud and I know they would have made Mammy proud too.”

  “You were always a better person than anyone I knew. I am amazed you still are despite everything. I am so sorry, so sorry,” he said bitterly ashamed.

  “I know you are, and as I said last night, you didn’t shoot her. Gable walks his own line, and it was always going to end badly. I lay blame at the foot of the man who did the deed – not the one who found himself in a situation he could never have anticipated.”

  Annie left him alone for a moment, and he found himself mulling over her words. If only he could just leave everything in the past. He had learnt so much from his mistakes, had learnt that the best way to bring corrupt politicians, and powerful men to change their ways was to expose them. It was why he had taken so well to the life of a newspaperman. Being a part of an organisation dedicated to exposing the truth had given him pride in himself once more. Maybe it was time to think about all the people his journalism, his printing had brought to justice – rather than dwelling on one
terrible moment that changed him forever.

  He heard the clank of a tray, and managed to find a smile to greet Annie with as she came in. She had brought him breakfast. A steaming cup of coffee, a large bowl of oatmeal and 2 boiled eggs sat on the tray. She helped him to sit up, he winced with every movement, and she grinned at him. “Come on you big baby,” she coaxed him. Once he was fully supported by his pillows she brought the tray to him and let him tuck in.

  “You always were the best cook,” he said gratefully.

  “And you always had a good appetite.” She winked at him cheekily, and it was as if nothing had ever happened between them for one moment. “Now, are you going to get up and come for a walk with me?”

  “I can barely move and you want me to go for a walk?” he said indignantly.

  “Movement is the best thing for bruised limbs, stops them from seizing up. Now stop being such a namby-pamby!”

  She helped him up, and with his arm across her shoulder she helped him down the stairs. He didn’t want to let her take all his weight, but the weakness in his body gave him no choice. Being so close to her was such sweet torture, and he longed to have the strength to pin her against the wall and kiss her until she knew he was no weakling. “Annie,” he said cautiously. “Do you think there could ever be any hope for us again?” As soon as the words had left his mouth he knew it was too soon, he was asking too much of her.

  “David, I have loved you my entire life. I have just been waiting for you to grow up,” she said with a grin. “Now, do you think you have managed that at last?” He laughed and gazed at her. He knew he should ever be surprised by her capacity to live life, to make the most of any situation and to do it with such love, such compassion and such forgiveness in her heart – but he was.

  “Will you marry me then?” he asked boldly.

  “Well, we have been engaged for twelve years now, we just need to set a date my love,” she said practically. She kissed him, crushing his lips with her own.

  “Could we maybe save the walk until later,” he asked flirtatiously.

  “Why are you feeling too tired?” she asked looking at him anxiously. He tried to hold back a chuckle.

  “No, I just wondered if we might find a way to do some exercise here!” She slapped him playfully, and looked at him with a fire behind her brown eyes.

  “Are you trying to ruin my reputation? Get me into trouble!” She said in mock horror.

  “I promise I’ll make an honest woman of you once I can stand up unaided – and I promise you no trouble ever, ever again.”

  “Well, I don’t think I will ever be able to get you back up those stairs again, so I hope you have a couch somewhere down here!” she teased.

  “No couch, but I do have some very soft sheepskin rugs and a warm stove,” he said gazing at her longingly. She helped him to hobble to the front room, and assisted him as he collapsed onto the rug. The drapes were still pulled across the window, and so she sank down beside him, suddenly his aches and pains seemed irrelevant. He kissed her neck and felt her body shudder under his lips. He traced a finger over her collarbones, kissing each inch following his fingers in lazy exploration. She sighed and arched her neck, and he traced his finger from her lips to the top of her gown.

  When he finally claimed her lips she was quivering with desire, her body pushing towards his. He could feel her slender thighs as they pressed against his, her pelvis gently jutting up against his, pushing his own desire to the very limits. Her hands fluttered at his chest, pushing up his shirt and caressing his belly. Impatiently she ripped at the shirt, revealing his chest. She traced a finger around his muscles, circling towards his nipples which she squeezed gently. He had never known them to be so sensitive, and he gasped at her touch.

  Wanting to feel her skin against his he began to fumble with the buttons on her blouse, she took over when one of the tiny pearl buttons skipped across the wooden floor. She stood and stepped out of her skirt, then quickly loosened her corsets. Not looking the slightest bit ashamed, or shy she stood in front of him naked. He sucked in his breath, he had imagined her body and how it would look free of all the stays and petticoats. But his dreams had never given her such perfect creamy breasts, such raspberry pink nipples, or such a perfectly rounded belly. Her hips swelled gently and her legs were long and slender. He ran his hand up her calf, finding the skin soft and silky. She lay down beside him once more and he cupped the soft mounds of flesh, kissing and sucking lightly at her nipples. She moaned and clutched at his shoulders. He let his hand drift down over her belly, and down towards the apex of her thighs. He found her hidden folds moist and ready, and he gently moved on top of her, parting her thighs so he could enter her slowly, and smoothly. He felt her gasp, and saw her face crinkle with pain. “I’ll be so gentle,” he assured her.

  “I know, it has passed,” she said, her voice filled with wonder and amazement. He eased inside her gently and she enveloped him fully as if they had been made perfectly for one another. She pushed up towards him impatiently. He increased his rhythm, and soon he was lost in the sensation of moving together as one, lost inside one another. Her face was lost in passionate abandon. He kissed her, she bit at his lip and suckled at his tongue. He felt himself about to lose all control, but realised as he felt her contract around him that she was too. She began to pant, and he let himself go. “David, I love you,” she cried out as their climax came in perfect harmony.

  “I love you more than anything you little minx,” he said playfully as he shifted over onto his side, and gazed adoringly at her satiated face. “Now, we need to set a date before you take advantage of me again!”

  Epilogue

  Annie sat on the porch of their new home. The ranch was only small, but it had enough land to raise pigs, and have a small herd of dairy cows. It was what they both knew best, and both in their hearts loved most. David had decided to come clean, to tell his story to their closest friends, but he would always be Ted to them all. He didn’t mind one bit. Ted had a new life, one that was full of love and hope. He had handed his notice into Mariette, had helped her to find a new printer. But he hadn’t been able to give up his passion to put right the wrongs in the world, and he wrote articles for her still. But most of his time was spent here, on their farm.

  Their wedding had been planned as a small and intimate affair, but Mariette, in her usual generous manner, had decided to ensure that they had the wedding she thought they deserved. She had taken Annie off to her dressmaker in Dallas, and they had returned with a beautiful cream gown that showed off the warmth of Annie’s creamy skin, and the richness of her chestnut curls. It had been adorned with hundreds of tiny seed pearls, and was quite the most expensive thing she had ever owned. David had for a moment felt guilty that he had not been the one to buy her such a luxury, but he knew Mariette thought little of the money. For her it was about showing her love.

  He walked up the steps onto the porch and moved towards his beloved wife. She put her finger to her lips, quietly shushing him as she continued to rock the cradle with her foot. He knelt by her side and gazed at the perfect baby boy, wrapped up warmly against the cool air. He had no clue what he had done to deserve to have such perfection in his life. He knew he was so very blessed, so very lucky that Annie had forgiven him. With her help he had even begun to come close to forgiving himself, and that was the biggest miracle of all.

  Annie looked at her husband. Though she had been the one to lose her Mammy all those years ago, she had only lost the shell that had held her. Her thoughts, her words of wisdom had all stayed in Annie. As she moved through the days, she knew that she had always been the lucky one. Poor David had been plagued with fear and doubts for too long. But he was finally becoming whole once more, and she was so happy for him.

  “Hey darling’” her Daddy’s voice called from inside the house. “Can you get the door for me?”

  “Sure Michael,” David said as he moved to the screen door and opened it. A sober and clean Michael walked through t
he door carrying a large cake.

  “Is our little boy all ready?” he asked excitedly.

  “He’s fast asleep Daddy,” Annie said as her brothers and their wives, Katie and Brandon, then Margaret joined them on the porch. “And David’s family aren’t here yet either.”

  “Mariette did say she would pick them up from the station,” David said with a mischievous grin. “She’s probably turned that damn carriage of hers over rushing to get them here!”

  “Don’t you malign her, she may be fast, but she’s the safest driver I have ever seen. Now, everybody settle down, while I make us all some coffee.” Annie walked into her kitchen, and put the coffee on almost absentmindedly. The clattering of hooves as Mariette finally arrived had her rushing to the door. This would be the first time David had seen his family since his disappearance, and she knew he was nervous about it. His Mama had buried him, had given up hope of him ever coming home. She prayed everything would go well.

  She stopped in her tracks, and rested against the door frame. Mrs Evans was cradling her son, sobbing her heart out. David was in tears too. Within moments she could no longer see her husband, as he was surrounded by his Father, brothers and his little sister Carrie. She wiped a tear from her own eye as Daddy came to stand beside her. He put his arm around her waist, and chucked her under the chin. “I am so sorry my darling girl. You deserved better than me, I let you and your Mammy down. She would have been so ashamed of me.”