Abducted at the Altar

by Charlene Sands

  “Oh, how lovely,” Helene offered once Dorie had finished her tale. “You two appear to be very happy.”

  Dorie forced a smile.

  Shane bent over to place a kiss on her cheek. “We are. Very happy.”

  Dorie nodded and stole a glance at Jeremiah, who had kept his head down the entire time she’d been speaking.

  Oliver leaned in and spoke with quiet regard this time. “We feel very fortunate that you have taken such good care of Jeremiah. When we found out we had a grandson, well… Helene and I were astonished at first. We’d thought we’d lost our Steven for good, but it seemed that we hadn’t. Jeremiah is a part of Steven. And a part of us now. Naturally, we’d been concerned about the boy’s welfare. We had to come here to meet him. We simply couldn’t let another day go by. And it seems that he’s a fine healthy boy.”

  “Actually, what Oliver is trying to say is that…well we would so much like to get to know Jeremiah better,” Helene said. “We have a lovely home, far too big for just the two of us. We thought that Jeremiah might want to come stay with us in New York, for a time.”

  Heat flamed Dorie’s face and anger curled her stomach. She opened her mouth to protest, but then she clamped it shut, counting to three. She remembered her manners and thought best to formulate her thoughts first.

  “I think Jeremiah would like to get to know you both better, as well,” Shane said. Dorie kicked his leg from under the table. The darn man didn’t flinch. He went on, “That’s why we’re here, isn’t it? Why don’t you take some time now, spend the day with Jeremiah. The boy doesn’t know you at all. I think it best for the three of you to get acquainted. My wife and I will meet up with you later this evening.”

  Dorie burned Shane a look.

  “Well, if it’s all right with you, I think that’s a fine idea,” Helene said.

  Oliver nodded. “I can’t agree more. But it’s up to you, Jeremiah. Would you like to spend some time with your grandparents?”

  He hesitated, making his point clear. “I don’t want to leave Silver Hills.”

  “Oh, no. We’d never force you to leave your home. But we…we had hoped you would spend time with us now. Today. We can see some of Virginia City together. Would you like that?”

  Jeremiah smiled at his grandmother. She had a soothing voice and seemed so…sweet. Dorie hadn’t planned on being separated from him. What if he forgot himself? What if they plied him with questions he couldn’t answer?

  The entire table waited for Jeremiah’s reply. He hadn’t so much as granted her a look so she could signal him that it wasn’t a good idea. In his hesitation, Helene laid her hand over his and squeezed. Jeremiah smiled at the woman, giving her the answer Dorie had feared. “Yes, I’d like that.”

  Oliver spoke with his commanding voice again. “Great, then! Let’s order dessert while Dorie and Shane give us an idea of the sights we need to see in Virginia City.”

  “Shane, how could you send Jeremiah off alone with them?” Dorie paced the hotel room rug, her hands on her hips, her face red as a tomato.

  “It couldn’t be helped, Dorie. They came here to spend time with their grandson.”

  “But they’re gonna try to convince him to live with them in New York. They’re gonna fill his head with notions of a better life. They’ll entice him, that’s what they’ll do. They’ll have his head spinning by the time he returns.”

  Shane figured this the best option. The Parkers wanted to get acquainted with their grandson. He’d judged them to be fair-minded people. He didn’t for a second believe that they’d try to entice Jeremiah away from his home. He shook his head, disagreeing. “I don’t think so, Dorie. The Parkers won’t want to tear Jeremiah away from…uh, us. They can see that he’s had a good life here.”

  Dorie stopped her pacing, her expression thoughtful. “Do you really think so?”

  “Yes,” Shane said. “I do. I think you’ve done a great job so far. They believe us. And Jeremiah is a smart boy. He won’t slip up. Didn’t you see his expression when Helene took his hand? Jeremiah deserves some time with his grandparents, you must admit. He’s not being disloyal to you. He just found a part of his father in his grandparents. Naturally, he’d want to get to know them, too. I thought it best for Jeremiah’s sake.”

  “Well, I’m not putting a thing past them. We’ll still have to keep up the ruse. Keeping Jeremiah with me is too important to let down our guard now.”

  Shane walked over to her. He lifted her chin and planted a soft chaste kiss to her lips. “We won’t. I promise.”

  Dorie’s blue eyes softened on him and Shane immediately stepped back, away from the tempting woman who had created chaos in his life.

  “I’ll hold you to that, Shane,” Dorie said softly.

  “Do that. Besides, we have another worry. We need to get this trunk over to the…uh, house on C Street.”

  Dorie took a look at the leather trunk filled with the gowns she’d sewn. “I know.”

  “Well, we only have the afternoon. I figure I’ll load up the trunk in the buckboard and drive it over myself. You stay here, where it’s safe.”

  Dorie began shaking her head immediately. “No, that won’t work. I have to go, too.”

  “No.” Shane didn’t want Dorie anywhere near the brothel. “There’s no need for you to go.”

  “I have to go. If there’s a problem with any of the gowns, I’ll have to make the adjustments. You said it yourself that we don’t have much time. A few hours at best. I have all the sewing supplies I might need in the trunk. It’s the only way, Shane. I need that money.”

  Shane raised his brow and realized he’d been backed in to a corner; Dorie had a good point. There wasn’t time enough to make several trips back and forth if they indeed needed Dorie’s expertise. “I hate when you’re right.”

  Dorie grinned.

  “Okay, I’ll get the buckboard and we’ll get on over there now.”

  “We can’t go marching up to their front door.”

  “We’ll use the back door. It’s a slow time now. They won’t be overly busy.”

  Dorie’s head snapped up. “How do you know that?”

  Shane didn’t answer. That was one foxhole he wasn’t willing to jump into with her.

  Twenty minutes later, Dorie knocked on the back door of Mrs. Miniver’s House. Shane hated to see Dorie anywhere near the brothel but, as she’d pointed out, she really needed to be here with him. He set the trunk on the steps and waited behind her.

  A young woman wearing a silk wrapper answered the door, her eyes going bright when she recognized Dorie. “You’re here with the gowns! I remember you from the last time. Oh, we’ve been waiting for these.”

  “Yes, they’re all ready,” Dorie said, raising her chin a notch. “I’ve got a trunk full of new gowns for you.”

  The woman peeked behind Dorie and Shane winced when she’d recognized him. “Hi there, Shane. Long time, honey.”

  Dorie whipped her head around, stunned. With accusation in her eyes he felt her immediate silent condemnation.

  “Ginny.”

  The woman ran a hand down her long dark hair and studied them. “You two together now?”

  “No!” Dorie blurted ungraciously, forgetting all of Mrs. Whitaker’s teachings in that one moment.

  Shane raised a brow and smiled. “Dorie is my wife. We’re newly married.”

  Ginny appeared confounded, eyeing them with curiosity. “Oh…that is sweet.”

  Shane lifted the trunk and ignored Dorie’s heated glare. “Where should I put this?” he asked.

  “Both of you come inside. Cook’s just fixing us some afternoon dessert. Have a seat. I’ll get the girls.”

  “No, uh, let me bring the trunk on up,” Shane said with a smile. “The girls can try on the gowns and let us know what they think.”

  Dorie gasped.

  Ginny glanced Dorie’s way first, then stared at Shane. “You want to bring it up?”

  Shane nodded, then turned to Dorie
. “I’ll set it upstairs and come back down to wait…with my wife.”

  Ginny chuckled. “Yeah, I suppose it would have to be that way, honey. Okay, follow me. Don’t you worry,” she spoke directly to Dorie now, “I’ll be sure to send him down right away.”

  Dorie smiled sweetly, but he was certain he’d heard her grumble something about not worrying at all. He could stay as long as he liked.

  Shane had to smile at that.

  His heart shouldn’t be flipping over itself that she was jealous.

  But it was.

  If that didn’t beat all.

  The two molasses cookies Dorie nibbled while waiting for Shane to return went down like sawdust, but the cook insisted and she had to do something to keep busy. Where was he? Dorie half believed him when he said he’d be right down. The thought of Shane upstairs with those women didn’t set right. When the cook turned her back to stir soup for the evening meal, Dorie peeked out the kitchen door. Upon hearing voices, she stepped into the parlor meant to entertain the gentlemen callers. From there, she heard females chuckling and the sound of one deep familiar male voice at the top of the stairs.

  Dorie’s skin prickled. She moved quietly to the base of the stairs and looked up. Surrounded by prostitutes, Shane wore a smile wider than a fat cow’s behind.

  “Are you really married to our little seamstress?” one lady asked.

  “Too bad, Shane, honey,” another lady purred, touching Shane’s sleeve.

  “Doesn’t mean you can’t stop by to see us now and again.”

  “That’s if our little Dorie isn’t enough woman for you.”

  “Maybe I will,” Shane said, grinning. “I’ll stop by again sometime soon.”

  Dorie watched the scene play out, her heart beating hard, her eyes misting up. When she’d seen enough, she stomped out the front door, unmindful to the noise and calamity she caused. Anger and injury fueled her desire to get out of that house, before she heard another word.

  Shane was married to her!

  Or at least, he pretended to be.

  For all the times he’d denied them both, pushing her away until she questioned her own femininity, he’d readily agreed to visit the prostitutes.

  Our little Dorie isn’t woman enough for you.

  Dorie marched down C Street wiping her eyes, ignoring the curious glances of miners and businessmen alike entering into the whorehouses.

  “Hey!” Shane ran up beside her, grabbing at her arm to halt her movement. “What’s gotten into you?”

  Dorie yanked her arm free of him. “Don’t touch me, Shane Graham!”

  Shane’s eyes widened with surprise. “Don’t touch you? I’ve been trying not to for the past two weeks, in case you haven’t noticed.”

  Dorie spit back. “Oh, I’ve noticed. But it doesn’t seem to bother you that you’d break your marriage vow to have…your way with those prostitutes.” Dorie pointed her finger at Mrs. Miniver’s house. “Go back there, if that’s what you want!”

  Shane suppressed a smile, angering Dorie all the more. “Don’t you laugh at me, Shane!”

  “You overheard that conversation, didn’t you? You little eavesdropper.”

  “Yes, I heard. And if you want one of those women, don’t let me stop—”

  Shane covered her mouth with his hand. “Shhh. You’re making a spectacle of yourself. And you shouldn’t be seen on C Street. Let’s get out of here. Keep your voice down now and I’ll let up my hand. Agreed?”

  Dorie hesitated, burning her gaze into Shane’s, the only way to convey her hurt and anger at the moment.

  “Agreed?” he asked again.

  Dorie couldn’t stand in the middle of the street all day, so she nodded her head.

  “Fine, then. Let’s get out of here. I’ll explain later.”

  “Hah! What explanation is that? That you find me so lacking as a woman that you agreed to come back here for—”

  “Keep your voice down. I’m warning you,” Shane said through gritted teeth. He grabbed her hand. “Let’s get to the wagon. We’re through here.”

  “Jeremiah, isn’t that your sister, Dorie, with Shane?”

  Shane and Dorie instantly froze, turning slowly to the sound of Helene’s voice.

  Before Dorie could form a rational thought, Helene, Oliver and Jeremiah marched up the street to face them.

  “Oh, dear heavens, what an awful place,” Helene said. “We took a wrong turn looking for the theatre. I swear we’ve been in the heat too long.” She fanned herself.

  Oliver seemed more astute as to what kind of neighborhood they’d accidentally ventured into. He glanced at the sign above Mrs. Miniver’s house, just yards away, and arched thick white brows in acknowledgment.

  Jeremiah simply studied the ground.

  “Seems you two got lost, as well,” Oliver said suspiciously. “Or did you come down here for a purpose?”

  “Oh, uh,” Dorie hesitated.

  Shane wrapped his arm around Dorie’s waist. “Tell him why we’re here, sweetheart.”

  Dorie’s heart raced as fast as her mind. She couldn’t lie quickly enough and no useful thoughts entered her head. She hadn’t expected to get caught in the center of the Barbary Coast of Virginia City.

  “It’s okay. Tell them why we were visiting the cemetery,” Shane said quietly.

  “Yes, uh, that’s right.” Dorie remembered about the cemetery at the far end of town. It was a good excuse. “We always visit the cemetery when we come here.”

  “Oh, dear,” Helene said. “Is this where your mother is buried?”

  “No!” Jeremiah blurted. “Our mother is buried at home, in Silver Hills.”

  Dorie looked at Jeremiah, aching for him. She wouldn’t have lied about that. She wouldn’t have brought her dear deceased mother’s memory into her deception. “Yes, that’s right. Mama is buried close to home. Jeremiah and I put wildflowers on her grave every Sunday.”

  Oliver continued glancing around, realizing that this was indeed a most sordid part of town. Dorie had to come up with something in a hurry. “It’s where Shane’s first wife is buried.”

  Shane took a quick breath, loud enough for Dorie to hear. Then he lowered his head. She’d shocked him. She’d probably shocked them all. Jeremiah’s expression changed to utter disbelief, while Oliver and Helene cast Shane sympathetic looks.

  “We don’t come here often and, well, Shane doesn’t like talking about it. But I know it’s important to him. And heavens, I got so tired of walking in this heat that we decided to take the shortcut home. Otherwise, we’d have never come into this part of town.”

  “Oh, dear. Yes, this is an ungodly place,” Helene said, darting quick glances at the row of brothels along the street. “Maybe we should all walk home together and have some refreshment.”

  Shane finally raised his head and smiled softly. “No, that’s not necessary. We’ll be fine. We don’t want to cut short your visit with Jeremiah. Go on. Dorie and I will head back to the hotel and meet with you for dinner, just as planned.”

  “If you’re certain, then we’ll find our way to the theatre,” Helene said. “There’s an afternoon show with dancing dogs. Jeremiah is curious, aren’t you, dear?”

  Jeremiah smiled at his grandmother. “I’ve never seen a dog dance, before. I’ve seen ’em sit and lay down and howl at the moon, but I’ve never once seen a dog dance.”

  Dorie plastered a smile on her face. “Well, then you’d best all hurry up. The theatre is up three streets, then two more to your left. Keep walking until you see a life-sized hourglass outside. That’d be the Hourglass Theatre.”

  “Fine then. Off we go. See you folks later.” Oliver nodded to Shane, then added. “Better get Dorie off this street as soon as you can.”

  “I will. We’re heading back right now.” Shane snuggled Dorie close and kissed her cheek, the quick brush of his lips making her knees buckle, but she hadn’t forgotten his betrayal at the brothel. Her heart wasn’t up to much more of this.

&n
bsp; “Enjoy the show!” she called out, waving to all three of them.

  With that, she turned on her heels and strode quickly toward the buckboard wagon, leaving Shane in the dust.

  Chapter Thirteen

  “You’d better get out of your mood, Dorie. The Parkers will be here any minute with Jeremiah.” Shane pulled out a chair for Dorie in the hotel dining room, watching her take her seat gracefully but for the ramrod stiff set of her spine.

  “My mood will be just fine when the Parkers get here.” She placed her hands in her lap and hoisted her chin in a haughty manner. Shane almost wished for the old Dorie, the one he sort of knew how to figure out. “I don’t have a thing to say to you right now, so let me be.”

  Shane took his seat beside her on a velvet-trimmed chair. “You’re still angry even though I explained what happened up there at the—” he lowered his voice “—brothel.”

  Dorie lifted her napkin and fanned herself, turning away from him. “I know what you said.”

  “You don’t believe me?” he asked incredulously.

  Dorie turned to him with eyes sparking blue flames. “You humiliated me.”

  “We’re not really married,” he said through tight lips.

  “Even so, you told them we were, then you stayed up there with the ‘ladies’ letting them touch you.”

  Shane huffed out a breath. “I told you. Mrs. Miniver told me to wait so that she could give me the payment for the gowns. She told the ladies to entertain me while I waited.”

  “You liked being entertained.”

  “No. I didn’t. Why would I want anyone of them when I had a pretty new wife waiting for me downstairs?”

  “I’m not your wife.”

  Shane rubbed his forehead. “Hell, woman. Are you trying to confuse me?”

  “You said you’d go back there, even though they think we’re married.”

  “I was willing to agree to anything to get out of there.”

  “They all seemed to know you.”

  “I haven’t seen the inside of that place for a long time. I have no plans of going back there, Dorie.”