by Indiana Wake
Susan got Mrs. Jenkins their housekeeper to fetch water and a bowl and then to put on some food. Gently Susan cleaned Gina’s face and eye. “I want you to know that you can stay here as long as you want,” Susan said.
Fresh tears came from Gina’s eyes. “But your husband’s?”
“They are both working, but they will understand. Our father is away with his wife, but they too will understand. You can stay for as long as you need, even if that is years.”
Chaney came back into the kitchen, took off his hat and hovered behind the table.
“But I do not think it will be that long,” Susan said throwing a meaningful glance at Chaney. The handsome cowboy squirmed beneath her gaze.
Chapter 10
Over the next week or so, Gina settled into her new home. The sisters made sure she spent a couple of days in bed. At first she complained but once the fear left her she was exhausted and fell into a deep sleep. She slept through the arguments when Bill Epperson came to claim her back. Chaney was not there, which the sisters thought was a good thing. But their husbands Lawton and Jarrett made it very clear that he was not welcome and that if he did not go quietly that he would leave with a few bruises of his own.
Chaney found some reason or other to visit Gina most days. At first it had been because he had felt sorry for her. She was abused and disrespected and Chaney couldn’t bear to see that. But after spending those first few days with her, he knew that there was so much more to her than that. Much more to his feelings. Many a time he would daydream about bringing up her child, about them being a family but what would she say? He would push the thoughts aside and just enjoy his time with her.
She was lively, funny, smart and beautiful. When she laughed, the entire room lit up or so it seemed to him. She was never far behind when it came to debating something and he found her point of view to be a rather interesting one. He loved to start a topic and see her passion, as she was always her brightest then. She had even sung for him on occasion and her voice was entrancing. How Mr. Epperson could ever hit her was beyond him.
He knew that she was still hurting and he had never been the sort to push himself forward. Gina was still unsure what to do. She knew she could not go back to Mr. Epperson but she also felt she could not stay where she was. When he heard her saying this, he would go into a rage. All the hurt she had been through and he could not prevent it. What if he had done something different? It filled him with guilt and made him moody. On more than one occasion, he had got up and walked out before he could say something wrong. That animal did not appreciate her, nor did he deserve someone as radiant and amazing as Gina. These were the thoughts that came into his head and refused to leave.
It was one such day when he had taken Gina and Susan into town. The three of them sat drinking coffee and laughing about some trivial thing or other when suddenly there was a cough behind them. All three of them turned towards the noise and were shocked to see Mr. Epperson standing there. His eyes blazed with fury.
Gina felt the cold hand of fear stroke down her back. Was there no escape? She said a little prayer and one hand went to the cross at her neck; the other began stroking her stomach. It was as if she were protecting her child.
Chaney felt cold, hard fury and knew that seeing, Mr. Epperson chilled her to the bone. Her eyes looked spooked like an animal caught by a hunter. Seeing her looking so panicked didn’t sit well with Chaney. He stood up and placed a smile on his face. He walked toward Mr. Epperson, squaring his shoulders.
Mr. Epperson took one look at him and punched him in the face. Chaney stumbled back, shocked. He rubbed his jaw and stood up to see Mr. Epperson still coming towards him.
“What is the meaning of this? Who do you think you are, sitting with my wife, laughing with her?”
Chaney felt rage boil inside him and he had to rein it in like a wild horse. “She’s not your wife,” he said indignantly.
Mr. Epperson came very close to his face and spat at him, “She will be soon enough and no amount of time you spend with her is going to change that.”
That just made Chaney even angrier. “No, never?” he growled.
Gina stood up, still rubbing her belly and standing at an odd angle, her face screwed up. “As you are well aware Mr. Epperson, I broke off our engagement. I have no wish to talk to you, please leave.”
Mr. Epperson looked at her furiously and barked, “Shut up, woman. I will deal with you later.” He turned to Chaney and said, “If you align yourself with this loose woman, what does that say about you?”
Chaney was now shaking with anger. He stepped right up to Mr. Epperson and the other man’s eyes filled with fear when he saw the look on Chaney’s face. “Don’t talk about her like that. Don’t ever talk to her like that again. Do you understand me?” He said in a deadly tone.
Before Mr. Epperson could respond, there was a cry and Susan said, “Chaney, she’s hurt.”
Chaney felt his heart turn to stone. What had he done? Had he caused this? As he turned, Bill grabbed hold of him as if to stop him from leaving. Like a wild horse, he bucked and kicked and threw the other man away. Then he ran to Gina and picked her up. Holding her gently in his arms he carried her over to the midwife and laid her gently on a bed.
“Are you the husband?” she asked.
Those words cut through Chaney and made him realize that was what he wanted. More than anything he wanted to marry her and he nodded even thought it was a lie.
“Wait outside.”
It was a half an hour later before they heard anything. Chaney paced the floor and ran his hand through his hair. Susan tried to calm him down, but it was no use.
“I should have asked her before,” he said. “Do you think she will have me?”
“I know she will,” Susan said. “Anyone can see the two of you were meant to be together. We have all been amazed that it took this long.”
Chaney nodded and paced and pulled on his hair until eventually the mid-wife came out.
“She is fine, and so is the child. I think it was just a little too much stress.”
“Can I have a moment alone?” Chaney asked.
“Go ahead,” Susan said.
Chaney had his hat in his hands as he walked into the room. Gina looked pale and drawn as she sat up in the bed. “How are you?” he asked as he got down on his knees next to the bed.
“I am fine and so is my baby,” Gina smiled. “But I have been thinking. Maybe I should go back east. Get away from this awful man and all this stress.”
“You could do that,” Chaney said as he took hold of her hand. Love flowed from his eyes and he tried to let her see it. Something shone in hers, maybe he was getting through. It didn’t matter he knew God meant him to protect her and whatever she decided he would. “I want you to be safe, more than anything, but there is more… The very first time I saw you… I felt a connection to you. By the second time I saw you, the connection turned to love. Ever since then my love has grown by leaps and bounds. You are kind, sincere, lively and courageous and I love you with all my heart. Will you marry me, Gina? Will you do me the honor of being my wife and will you give me the joy of raising your child? Of making it our child?”
“Yes,” she said but the words were barely a whisper.
“I cannot imagine my life without you and I promise you will be safe with me. I am not as well off as the Treherne’s, but I have enough to support you and to raise a family.”
“Yes,” she said again but still he did not hear.”
“I will never let him touch you again and I will be happy to live with you and just protect you until you are ready to be my husband in more than name. I will give your child my name and raise it as my own and I will love you with every breath that I take.”
Gina shook his arm and grabbed hold of his fingers. “Yes,” she said. “A thousand times yes, I love you too but never dreamed that I could be so lucky a second time. There is just one thing that I need to ask.”
“What is it, my love?�
�
“Can we be married before I have the baby?”
Chaney pulled her close and hugged her tight. “Yes,” he whispered into her ear. “We could be married now if it was possible.”
Chapter 11
Chaney ran back into the other room with a huge grin on his face. “Can she be moved? Can she stand? We have so much to arrange and I don’t know where to start.”
“Slow down,” Susan said. “Tell us what is happening?”
Chaney took a breath and saw that Ellie, Jarrett, and Lawton had arrived in the room. A hand went to his head and he rubbed his brow. “We are going to be married.”
A cheer went up around the room.
“What is the rush?” Susan asked.
“She wants it to be before the baby is born,” Chaney managed through tears of joy.
Lawton picked him up in a bear hug and spun him around and Jarrett patted his back.
Then they all turned to the midwife. She had been stood quietly and now she stepped forward.
“Let her rest today. You can take her home tomorrow and as long as all is fine she can stand for her wedding. But no heavy work, no lifting until after the baby. Are we clear?”
Chaney nodded. “I won’t leave her here alone, just in case he comes back.”
“You can sleep on my sofa,” the midwife said. “Now shoo, go out of here for a least a few hours. Let the girl rest.”
They all piled out of the small house and met in the street outside.
“I’m gonna stay here,” Chaney said. “I don’t trust Bill.”
“I will stay with you,” Jarrett said.
“Fine,” Lawton rolled his eyes as if it was a great imposition, but then he laughed. “I will see to all the stock and make sure your horses are taken care off. The ladies can bring you coffee, food, and a bedroll. Now we have a wedding to plan.”
Susan took over from there. “It will be perfect. We can do it on the way home tomorrow or come back in a day or two. Which would you prefer?”
Chaney felt a smile come over his face. “I’m going to be married.”
“Yes you are,” Ellie said beaming a smile and hugging him close.”
“What do we need to do?” Chaney asked this time there was a look of terror on his face.
Susan and Ellie linked arms. “We can arrange it all,” Susan said.
“Gina will look amazing in either of our dresses. Do you think she will mind?”
“No,” Chaney said. “I think she would be honored.”
And so Susan and Ellie planned the wedding and Jarrett and Chaney kept guard over Gina. They both ended up sleeping under the sun outside the door and woke at the first crack of dawn.
Chaney was about to knock when, Maureen, the midwife invited them in for coffee and breakfast. Chaney ran through to see Gina.
She was still sleeping and looked so sweet that he wanted to kiss her forehead. Instead, he gently lifted a lock of hair from her face. Sleepy eyes opened and she smiled up at him.
“Good morning,” he said.
“Good morning.”
“How are you feeling?” he asked.
“Much better. I think my strength is coming back. It was just a shock.”
“Do you remember what we spoke of yesterday?” Chaney asked the wedding band in his pocket grew warm against his chest.
“What was that?” Gina asked, but there was a slight smile on her lips.
Chaney felt all his joy fall away. What if she had changed her mind? What would he do? A sense of calm came over him. It did not matter he would dedicate his life to keeping her safe.
"What happened yesterday?" She asked with only a wry smile.
Chaney's face dropped his mouth wide open. "You… Me… We arranged… Er…"
She smiled a little wider. "Did I forget something?”
NO! She has forgotten. Could he risk asking again?
Gina giggled. "The look on your face will keep me smiling for a week."
Chaney slowly realized he had been taken in. "My heart is beating out of my chest you little tease."
She laughed gently. "You are my savior, my real life hero." As tears of joy appeared in her eyes, she giggled.
It was a beautiful sound and it was the start of her healing. If she could laugh like that, then she had a future. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I do remember and I love you and want to marry you. Do you think it would be possible to be married before the baby comes?”
Chaney smiled and let his love pour out of him. “How would today or tomorrow suit you?”
Gina laughed. “Really?”
“If you want it, then Susan and Ellie have everything arranged.”
Gina felt her tears start to flow. They poured down her face and she sobbed gently.
Chaney fell to his knees and took her hand. “I am sorry,” he said. “It can be later… I did not mean to make you cry.”
Gina took his hand and brought it to her lips. “These are tears of joy. My baby will be born with a father, and I will have a strong and honorable husband. I am so happy. Today my love, I want to be married today.”
So it was that just a few hours later Gina and Chaney were wed. She was wearing a borrowed gown and he was in his best clothes. An old jacket and clean buckskins. They said the words and proclaimed their love in front of God and all their friends.
When they came out of the church, Bill Epperson was stood waiting for them. He stood before the crowd of people. “This is a fallen…”
Chaney let fly with one punch. It knocked Bill off his feet and he flew backward landing in a sprawling heap. No one offered to help him. No one paid any attention to him. Instead, the crowd gathered around the big, beautiful and very pregnant bride and gave their hearty congratulations.
Epilogue
Susan decided that Gina and Chaney should stay at the Lazy T. until after the baby was born. They made sure that Gina was pampered and cared for and that she wanted for nothing. All the time Susan was getting bigger. The two women were often found sewing baby clothes or talking about what it would be like. Ellie would join in, but she was impatient and wanted a child of her own. “When will it be my turn?” she would ask.
“Soon,” they would say. “In God’s good time.”
One morning as they sat and sewed Ellie got up. Her face turned green and she ran from the room. The two older women shared a glance.
A few minutes later, Ellie came back in. “I’m sorry, she said. “I don’t know what came over me.”
“I think your prayers have been answered,” Susan said.
Ellie looked up confused and Susan and Gina giggled together. At last it dawned on Ellie.
“Do you really think so?”
“Yes we do,” Susan said.
It was two days later when Gina’s labor began. A rider was sent to fetch Chaney and the midwife and the women boiled water, prepared towels and waited. Susan and Ellie held Gina’s hand and helped her breathe through the pain.
After a few hours of being in labor, Gina finally had a baby, girl. She was the sweetest little thing, with eyes that looked just like her mother’s but hair dark like her father’s had been. Gina looked down at the little angel in her arms, fast asleep. She couldn’t believe that her daughter and she were finally free of that wretched man.
There was a knock on the door and she looked up to see Chaney hesitantly coming into the room. He stopped at the door and waited for her to invite him inside. Her face lit up in a huge smile when she saw who it was and she gestured for him to come see their daughter.
He came and looked down at the sleeping baby. His face lit up with wonderment and love the minute he looked at her. Silently, he extended his arms and Gina handed the baby to him. He hugged her to himself and cooed at her, telling her how beautiful she was just like her mother and how happy he was that she was in the world with them.
Looking at him, Gina couldn’t help but feel the full force of all the things she had been suppressing. This man had stood up for her, fought for h
er. He was funny and smart. He didn’t get mad when she argued; rather he seemed to enjoy it. He was caring and considerate and he was looking at her daughter as if she were his own. Her heart melted for him and she knew that her feelings for him were more than she had ever expected to feel.
Chaney looked at her then and what he saw in her eyes made his entire body stiffen. Nervously, he approached her and she waited, holding her breath, for what he was about to say. He sat in the chair next to her and looking deep into her eyes, he said, “Gina, I am the happiest man alive. What are we to call our daughter?”
“Hope,” she said. “If you like it, I want to call her Hope, for that is what you have given me.”
Tears formed in Chaney’s eyes and he hugged her close. Making sure that he did not squash baby Hope between them. “I think it is wonderful,” he said. “I can’t wait to take you and Hope home for we have a wonderful life ahead of us. I promise I will give you all I have and as much joy as I can. I love you and I love Hope more than I can say.”
Gina hugged him close and then somehow their lips found each other. Their kiss was an affirmation of love and also a new beginning. Gina could not imagine the life that was to come. Susan and Ellie would soon have children and she had everything she had ever wanted. A wonderful husband, a healthy baby, a safe place to live and some really good friends. As she hugged her new husband, she closed her eyes and said to herself. I miss you Lambert and I will always love you, but I think you would be happy with where I am now.
Chaney pulled away from her. “I want to say something, but I don’t want to upset you.”
Gina nodded for him to go ahead.
He dropped his eyes and then raised them to look at her. “If we have a boy, I would like to call him Lambert. Would that be okay?”