Lily felt Aldrin stiffen as a deep voice behind them said, “Give me your pistol, or you’ll have a hole in your head. I’m Marshal John Blair, and you’re under arrest.”
Thank goodness for western cowboys and their guns, Lily thought as Aldrin slowly lifted his hands in the air. She slid down to the floor and quickly crawled between and underneath the nearest two bench seats.
Lily heard the shouts of more people entering the car and then saw the feet of the two kidnappers stumble past where she stayed hidden. Now that Lily knew she was safe, she started shaking and crying, realizing she could have been shot dead mere minutes ago.
The marshal got down on his hands and knees to get to Lily’s level. “I’m looking for a Mrs. Seth Reagan, ma’am. That’s you, I assume?” the marshal asked as held out his hand to help her to rise.
She took a deep breath and nodded to indicate she was, indeed, Mrs. Seth Reagan. She was going to be all right.
Chapter 17
It was the longest train ride Seth had ever taken. He’d wanted to hold Lily and be sure she was all right. When the telegram came through to Clear Creek that Lily was safe, Seth sank to his knees and thanked God. He had never been so scared in his life.
She would not be out of his sight, or a brother—or someone with a gun—until he knew Hardesty was in prison and Lily was finally safe from that lunatic.
The train was slowing down, and he was ready to jump off the car’s steps as soon as it was slow enough he wouldn’t break a leg.
“Mr. Reagan?” a man with a star on his coat called and waved at him. Seth sprinted to the man.
“Where’s my wife?”
“She’s all right and waiting for you at the Railroad Hotel. I’ll take you over there,” the deputy said as they quickly weaved through the passengers getting off the train and the people waiting for them.
“Are the men who took her, in custody?” Seth demanded to know as they walked down the boardwalk.
“Yes. Then men are in jail and have been questioned. You can go to the jailhouse and talk to the marshal once you’ve seen your wife.”
“I want them charged with stealing a horse and saddle, too, in case they weasel out of the kidnapping charge.”
“Your wife already thought of that when she gave a statement to the marshal. She was livid about losing her horse.”
“She’s been in the jailhouse with those men?”
“Oh, she talked a good hour, telling what has happened to her since she arrived in Chicago. She’d make a good Pinkerton detective with her good memory for details and getting out of dangerous situations.”
“Don’t even think of suggesting it to her. We’re going home to the ranch and staying there,” Seth growled.
Seth saw Lily through the hotel window as he reached for the doorknob. She pushed out of her chair and was in his arms before the door closed behind him.
“Lily, I thought I’d lost you,” Seth whispered in her hair as he hugged her close, then kissed her forehead, her cheek, and settled on her lips for a long kiss.
“Did they hurt you?” Seth pulled her to arm’s length to look her over.
“I’m fine, Seth, but I’m upset about Britta …”
“Britta’s all right. The man at Brookville’s livery stable recognized the Straight Arrow brandmark on the saddle and wondered if she was a stolen horse. Then he found your reticule and realized you might have been in trouble, so he sent a telegram to Marshal Wilerson.”
“Are the dogs dead? They were poisoned so they couldn’t bark to warn me.”
“They’re fine, but still moving a little slow,” Seth admitted to her.
“I didn’t get home until after eleven o’clock last night. You weren’t downstairs, Lily, so I thought you decided you didn’t want a real marriage. I hate to admit it, but it was eight o’clock this morning before I realized you weren’t upstairs. I’m sorry I wasn’t home to protect you,” Seth hugged her to his chest again.
“It was bad luck…but it’s in the past now.” Lily took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. “I love you, Seth, and I want to stay married.”
“I love you, too, Malena Lilya Reagan, and I plan to be your loving husband until death do us part, which better not happen until we’re at least great-great-grandparents.” Seth gave her another long kiss to show his love to his wonderful wife.
The deputy cleared his throat. “Mrs. Reagan knows where the jail is. Please come over there when you’re done talking.” The deputy tipped his hat and walked out the door. Seth was so glad to have Lily in his arms he’d forgotten the man was with him.
“We need to go over to the jailhouse to finish up this nightmare with Hardesty. I heard you already gave a statement to the marshal?”
“I did. It really scared me when the man held a gun to my head…”
“What? Who!”
“Remember the two men, Aldrin and Humphrey, we met on the train going to Kansas City? They asked if they could stop by the ranch on their way home from Denver to visit.” Lily placed her palms on Seth’s chest to calm him down. “They weren’t horse breeders, and I’m sure they weren’t using their real names either. They were following me on Hardesty’s orders.”
“I never would have guessed their plot when talking to them,” Seth stared at Lily, shocked at her revelation.
“After I calmed down, I was furious at Hardesty and everything which had to do with him. I told the marshal everything I could think of, hoping he can send a telegram to Chicago and press charges against him for ordering my kidnapping.” Seth liked seeing the spunk back in Lily’s eyes.
“Sounds like you’ve acquired the Wild West attitude of getting things done, ma’am,” Seth teased her.
“That’s another thing. I want my own pistol before I get back on the train. When I yelled I needed help, almost every man in the car—who wore a cowboy hat—drew a Colt on the kidnappers, and several women pulled peashooters from their reticules, too,” Lily waved her index finger in the air to make her point before setting her hands on her hips.
“You need to learn how to take care of and shoot guns and rifles before you carry a firearm, Lily. I’m sure it won’t take you long to become a sharpshooter, like most of the women in Ellsworth County.”
“Yes, I’ll be a good shooter, too, because I need to protect our home, livestock and our family,” Lily firmly stated.
“Mrs. Seth Reagan, I believe you’ll make a fine rancher’s wife,” Seth grinned and pulled Lily back into his chest.
“Okay, let’s get over to the marshal’s office and get the interview over with. Good thing those two are behind bars, or else my fists might have done some talking of their own,” Seth said in a whisper while looking around the hotel lobby.
“Then you might end up in jail, and I don’t want that to happen on our honeymoon,” Lily said over her shoulder as Seth helped her into her coat.
“Yes, I believe this is our official wedding night, Mrs. Reagan. I think we need to enjoy a nice steak dinner, then check into this hotel. There’s no reason to go home late tonight,” Seth grinned, squeezing Lily’s hand as they stepped outside.
“But tomorrow’s Thanksgiving. We should go home to be with your family. I won’t have time to make anything in the morning, though.”
“I think our first Thanksgiving can be just ourselves, seeing we’re starting our own family now. The train runs tomorrow, and we can be at the parsonage by midafternoon,” Seth suggested.
“There’s a chocolate shop farther down this street. Could we buy a box of chocolates to bring home to your family?”
Seth guessed she’d love her own personal box of treats, too, so he’d be sure she’d pick out her choice of chocolates.
“That’s a great idea. We’ll get a big box, so everyone gets a least one piece.”
“Oh, but who’s taking care of chores tonight, and milking Daisy?” Lily stopped to ask.
“Mack went out this morning to take care of the animals, and will stay overnight to do t
he morning chores, too.”
“Can Mack sing Swedish songs to Daisy? Otherwise, he’s going to have a terrible time milking her.”
“Mack’s big and strong enough, he can tie her up and get Daisy milked whether she wants it done or not.”
“Then I don’t have to worry, do I? I bet Manurva will keep his feet warm in bed, too,” Lily laughed, linking her arm in his as they strolled to the marshal’s office.
Seth’s heart swelled with pride because Lily was finally his wife, and he was the lucky man to be this beautiful woman’s husband. He would never be lonely on the ranch now with Lily working and singing, by his side.
Chapter 18
Saturday evening, December 8, 1888
Seth beamed at Lily standing at the back of the church, holding onto Dagmar Hamner’s arm. Seth had asked Dagmar to walk Lily down the aisle to represent her father. He was honored and requested Lily to call him Uncle Dagmar because she was now officially part of their Swedish family. The two were ready to begin walking down the aisle as soon as the organist started playing the Wedding March.
Lily was a vision of silk, happiness, and love, all wrapped together and topped with a white tulle veil. Lily and his mother went to Mary Jenkin’s dress shop last week to pick out a new dress for today. Lily chose a midnight blue silk dress, with white lace at the neck and down the bodice front. Lily excitedly went into more detail explaining the features of her dress to him, but it was beyond his comprehension of women’s fashion.
After the ceremony, Fergus would take a formal portrait of them in their wedding clothes. Besides Lily’s new dress, Seth had bought a new black suit for the service. Seth was happy Lily wanted a copy of the portrait to send to her parents. Hopefully, her family ties would reconnect, because Seth wanted Lily to have good, new memories of her family.
When they were at his parents’ house on Thanksgiving, Seth asked his father to renew his and Lily’s wedding vows. Besides making their vows stronger, Seth’s family and friends could be a part of their wedding celebration. After the ceremony, the congregation would walk over to Paulson’s Hotel to enjoy wedding cake and refreshments. Seth wanted his bride to have a special wedding with all the trimmings and traditions because Lily had missed out on so many life celebrations due to her family’s circumstances.
The organist began playing, and Lily and Dagmar started walking down the aisle toward Seth and his father.
Seth thought of the words in the Wedding March, which Lily had playfully sung to him last night.
Here comes the bride dressed all in light, radiant and lovely she shines in his sight.
Gently she glides graceful as a dove, meeting her bridegroom her eyes full of love.
Seth never dreamed he’d find his true love in a Chicago saloon, all because Lily responded to a mail-order bride advertisement. Lily was his radiant bride, and her eyes shone with love and happiness for him.
***
Asking God’s blessing as they begin life with new meaning, life shared as one.
Entering God’s union, bowed before His throne, promise each other to have and to hold.
Lily sent a prayer of thanks up to heaven for her new life in Kansas with Seth, his family, and friends. Seth was a good man who would always love, respect, and protect her, and the children they hoped to have. She’d never have guessed her love of singing would draw her to Chicago, or that Seth would arrive at the same time for a horse sale.
Lily locked eyes with Seth as she walked toward the altar, ready to renew her promise to love and cherish him forever. Answering a mail-order bride advertisement turned out to be the best thing she’d ever done.
Seth was a groom of honor…and Lily knew he’d always keep his promises to her.
~*~*~*~*~
Who falls in love next? Be sure to watch for Adolph’s Choice when Adolph Bjorklund chooses Poppy Beavers.
~*~*~*~
Dear Reader:
I hope you enjoyed reading Seth’s Promise, the sixth book in the Grooms with Honor series. Please help other readers discover my books by either recommending them to family and friends, by word of mouth or writing a review. I’d appreciate it.
The historical romance series setting, based near the famous old cowtown of Ellsworth, Kansas, is renowned for its cattle drive days in the 1870s. The town of Clear Creek though, is fictional, based on the many little towns built alongside railroads across Kansas.
This area is now the current Kanopolis State Park in central Kansas. Being local to where I live, I've hiked the park’s hiking trails where it’s easy to visualize what the area looked like in the 1880s—as it remains the same now—as then.
If you see any errors or typos, please email [email protected] about them. Even though this book was professionally edited, things can slip through which I want to correct for the next reader.
For more information on this series, you can go to www.LindaHubalek.com, or go online to your favorite retailer, or ask your local library to order them for you. These are standalone stories, but I recommend reading the books in order to get the full benefit of the storyline.
Please sign up for my newsletter at www.LindaHubalek.com to receive a free short story, and to hear about the release of future books, contests and more. And I love to connect with my readers, so please contact me through one of these social media sites.
Author website | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest
Many thanks from the Kansas prairie!
Linda K. Hubalek
Historical Romance Books by Linda K. Hubalek
Grooms with Honor Series in order (available and future titles)
Angus’ Trust (Angus and Daisy)
Fergus’ Honor (Fergus and Iris)
Gabe’s Pledge (Gabe and Iva Mae)
Mack’s Care (Mack and Pansy)
Cullen’s Love (Cullen and Rose)
Seth’s Promise (Seth and Lily)
Adolph’s Choice (Adolph and Poppy)
Tully’s Faith (Tully and Violet)
Grooms with Honor “Friends” Series in order:
Montana Sky: Nolan’s Vow (Nolan and Holly)
Montana Sky: Elof’s Mission (Elof and Linnea)
Montana Sky: Jasper’s Wish (Jasper and Julip)
Brides with Grit Series in order:
Rania Ropes a Rancher (Rania and Jacob)
Millie Marries a Marshal (Millie and Adam)
Hilda Hogties a Horseman (Hilda and Noah)
Cora Captures a Cowboy (Cora and Dagmar)
Sarah Snares a Soldier (Sarah and Marcus)
Cate Corrals a Cattleman (Cate and Isaac)
Darcie Desires a Drover (Darcie and Reuben)
Tina Tracks a Trail Boss (Tina and Leif)
Lorna Loves a Lawyer (Lorna and Lyle)
Helen Heals a Hotelier (Helen and Ethan)
Faye Favors a Foreman (Faye and Rusty)
~*~*~*~
Historical Fiction Books by Linda K. Hubalek
Trail of Thread Series
Trail of Thread
Thimble of Soil
Stitch of Courage
Butter in the Well Series
Butter in the Well
Prairie Bloomin’
Egg Gravy
Looking Back
Planting Dreams Series
Planting Dreams
Cultivating Hope
Harvesting Faith
Kansas Quilter Series
Tying the Knot
~*~*~*~
About the Author
Linda Hubalek grew up on the Kansas prairie, always wanting to be a farmer like her parents and ancestors. After earning a college degree in Agriculture, marriage took Linda away from Kansas as her husband worked on engineering jobs in several states.
Meanwhile, Linda wrote historical fiction books about pioneer women who homesteaded in Kansas between 1854 to the early 1900s, especially her Swedish immigrant ancestors.
Linda Hubalek and her husband eventually moved back home to Kansas, where they raised
American buffalo (bison) for a dozen years.
Linda currently writes sweet historical western romance and an occasional contemporary western romance.
Seth's Promise (Grooms With Honor Book 6) Page 13