by Linda Ford
He held her gaze, allowing her to see nothing. She did her best to do the same.
“What I do best is open a can of beans with my pocketknife. Peaches, too. I can stir up a batch of biscuits if I have to but I’ll be the first to admit they aren’t very good.”
“Might be as good as anything I make.” For all you know.
He continued to look at her and she kept her expression bland.
Annie chuckled. “I can assure you, you won’t starve to death.”
“I could say the same about my own cooking.”
Carly laughed at the wry note in his voice. Good to know he could express some feeling, though food might be the only reason he did so. “What more can you ask?”
He swirled the contents of his tea cup round and round, stared at them and gave a little sigh. “I guess it’s too much to hope for crispy fried chicken, sweet berry pie and melt-in-your-mouth biscuits.”
Carly decided she’d let him wonder about her cooking ability until he got a chance to see for himself. “I don’t recall cooking being part of our agreement. You going to start adding in things now?”
“No.” One shoulder rose ever so slightly. She wouldn’t have noticed had she not been paying close attention. And likely closer attention than one normally would as she tried to figure out what sort of man she was about to marry. Hopefully he wouldn’t turn out to be the demanding type that wanted meals served by a gal who had prettied herself up.
Annie shook her head and Carly knew she would abide no more teasing.
Carly shrugged, grinning and feeling rather pleased with herself. It had been fun to try to get some sort of reaction from Sawyer.
A cry from outside jolted all three of them to their feet and they rushed for the door.
Annie was the first into the yard and yelled, “Evan!”
Evan stood in the middle of the yard, pointing toward the tree in the back corner.
Three pairs of eyes followed the direction he indicated.
Jill perched in a branch a goodly distance from the ground, holding Happy, who shivered and whined.
Annie rushed to Evan to console him. “Don’t worry. We’ll get him down.” She turned to Sawyer, her meaning plain. She expected him to settle this problem.
Already Sawyer had crossed to the bottom of the tree. “Jill, come down immediately.”
She shook her head.
“Right this instance.”
“Can’t.” She sounded quite certain.
“You must.”
“Can’t,” she yelled.
“Can’t or won’t?”
Carly went to Sawyer’s side. “Can you go up there and get her to hand you the dog?”
“I don’t think the branch will take the weight of both of us.”
He was right. Only one thing to do. She pulled the back of her skirt up and fixed it at her waist forming a pair of loose trousers. Not for the first time and certainly not for the last, she wondered at the impracticality of women’s wear. Thus girded up, she quickly climbed the tree until she came alongside Jill and reached for the dog. “Let me hand him down before he falls.” She managed to pluck the animal from her arms and shinnied down far enough to hand Happy to Sawyer.
“Are you coming?” she called up to Jill.
“No.”
“Do you want us to leave you here?”
“You can’t leave her,” Annie protested. “It isn’t safe.”
“I’ve climbed lots of tree. Never got hurt. Besides, she got up there. She can get down.” She jumped to the ground, freed her skirts and shook out the wrinkles as best she could. Then she faced Sawyer. If seeing her like this was going to shock him to the core, best they all find out now.
“Thanks for getting the dog.” He put Happy in Evan’s arms.
Carly headed for the house. When she realized no one followed, she turned. “Anyone coming?”
The two adults remained rooted to the spot, watching Jill.
“I can’t leave her,” Sawyer said. “What if she falls?”
Carly slowly retraced her steps. “I don’t think someone who climbed a tree with a pup in her arms will have any trouble getting down with her arms empty.”
Sawyer gave a low sound of disagreement that could be best described as a grunt. “I have no desire to stand by and do nothing and then see harm come to her.”
“Me, either. But I simply don’t think Jill needs help.” Was the child playing games with them? Perhaps testing them to see if she could make them jump to her tune? Like Carly had done when she was younger. Before she learned it was easier to do what needed to be done without waiting for or expecting approval.
“Then why isn’t she coming down?” Sawyer moved closer to the tree and looked up through the branches and spoke to his sister. “You can get down easily. Just lower your foot to the branch below you.”
Jill kept her gaze locked on the distance.
Carly studied the child. There was something about her expression that made Carly change her opinion. Jill’s knuckles were white where she clung to the branch. Her lips were pressed into a narrow line. Perhaps the bump on her head had affected her balance. Whatever the cause, Carly knew the child feared to climb down and she nudged Sawyer aside. “I’ll help her down.”
“I should be the one.”
“As you already pointed out, the branches aren’t strong enough to take your weight.” Already she had her skirts tucked out of the way and began to climb. Again she came alongside Jill. “Can you let go of the branch?”
“Not going to.”
Even though Jill tried to sound tough, Carly caught the thread of fear in her voice. “Okay then, let’s try something else.” She edged closer to Jill, pushed herself to her tiptoes. “Climb on my back and I’ll give you a ride down.” If she made it sound like fun, maybe Jill would forget her fear.
“Don’t want to.”
So she wasn’t going to let go of that branch. Praying the branch would hold the weight of both of them, she hoisted herself up beside Jill. “Will you let me carry you down? It will be fun. Just like when I carried you off the street.” She pried open the fingers of one hand as she talked, hoping her conversation distracted Jill. She freed the hand and pulled one arm about her neck. Then talking softly to Jill, as she would with a frightened colt, she pulled the other arm about her neck. “Hang on.” She needn’t have told Jill to do so. The child’s arms about her neck almost choked her.
Carly began to inch toward the trunk.
The branch upon which she sat, creaked, cracked and bent.
*
Sawyer held his breath when he saw the branch under Jill and Carly bow. He would not stand here and be a spectator. He couldn’t live with that sort of memory to add to another he could not erase. He reached the trunk of the tree in seconds and pulled himself upward from branch to branch, ignoring the way they creaked under his weight. He drew even with Carly’s foot and clamped his hand around her ankle. He would stop her from falling no matter what.
“I have you,” he called.
“I’m on my way down.”
They hadn’t fallen. His lung released a gust of spent air.
“You’ll have to get out of the way.” Her voice sounded a little thin but then he had no way of judging whether that was normal or otherwise.
“I’m easing down.” He moved one branch at a time, staying close enough he could catch the pair if they fell. He didn’t jump from the last branch until Carly and Jill were safely on the ground and then he stood face to face with Carly, Jill still clinging to her. He touched the back of Jill’s head. Felt her twitch. Dropped his hand. Did his sister find his touches objectionable? He wouldn’t let himself care about anyone else but this little girl. It pained him to think she resisted his affection. Though he knew he wasn’t good at showing it.
“Everyone is safe and sound.” His voice seemed calm and steady. That was good.
Carly eased Jill to the ground. “Go with Mrs. Arness.”
Jill hesitate
d, then sauntered toward the woman.
Mrs. Arness took each child by the hand and led them inside.
Carly shook out her skirts, then stood straight as a post, her arms crossed. “I’m trying to decide if I should thank you or be angry at you.”
“Angry? Why?”
“For treating me like I couldn’t manage on my own.”
A shudder snaked through his insides but he remained impassive and unemotional on the outside. “Didn’t you feel the branch give under you?”
“I did and knew I had to grab the tree trunk. Which I did.” She tipped her head from side to side. “I didn’t need help.”
“I didn’t know that. All I could think was I wasn’t about to stand by and do nothing. I know how awful that feels.”
Her interest sharpened. “Perhaps you’d care to explain.”
“Not really.”
“Then let’s be clear that I need no mollycoddling.” She leaned closer. “I can manage fine on my own. I don’t need a man. That’s Father’s idea.”
Something about her anger lit his own and he stuck out his chin. “I watched our house burn down with my brother and mother inside. I didn’t do anything to help. I was afraid to move. To this day, I live with regret over that and I’ve vowed I will never stand by and do nothing when I think someone is in danger.”
She continued her solemn study of him. Something soft flickered through her eyes. “I’m sorry you experienced that and I accept your explanation as apology.”
He choked back a sputter. “It wasn’t meant as apology. Or even explanation.” He reached for his hat, then realized he’d left it in the house and had to settle for scrubbing his hair back. “And you can forget I said anything about the fire. I don’t want to talk about it ever again.”
She smiled ever so slightly but it was enough for her brown eyes to darken to molten chocolate and make him wonder if he was about to step into a vat of the warm, sweet liquid.
He scrubbed his hair again and wished he had his hat so he could slap it on his head. He needed something physical to release the tightness in his chest as he stared at Carly.
“Then why did you mention it?” she persisted.
He stepped back and shifted to look toward the house. Anywhere but at her warm expression. “So you’d realize that my actions had nothing to do with you. I only reacted because of my vow.” He turned back to scowl at her. “And because you made me angry.”
Her smile grew. “There goes your certainty that you feel nothing.”
He rumbled his lips. “Won’t happen again.”
The preacher rode into the yard and dismounted. He approached them. “Carly, your father gave his go-ahead. Don’t know what you put in that note but he chuckled when he read it and said, ‘Let the lassie marry that man. It might prove interesting.’”
The preacher glanced from Carly to Sawyer. “Have I interrupted an argument?”
Neither of them answered.
“Perhaps you’ve changed your minds about this marriage?”
Sawyer’s heart bounced against the walls of his chest. He should have been more careful of how he spoke. Not that it was something he usually had to concern himself with. But now, having seen a glimpse of his soul, Carly would have cause to refuse this marriage.
But to his surprise, she took his arm and marched him toward the house. “Nothing’s changed. We both have reason for this and I think we understand each other well enough.”
Sawyer firmly dismissed any doubt he had. As far as he could see, he didn’t have much choice. Besides, how hard could it be to have a pretend marriage, a job on a ranch and a home for Jill all with the same agreement?
Chapter Four
Carly had it all figured out in her head. Marry the man. Go home and life would go on as it had since she’d started working the ranch when she was fifteen. Against her father’s wishes, although she had done plenty to help before that. His protesting noise meant nothing as he clearly needed the help. He didn’t like riding the range, didn’t like pushing cows out of coulees or roping an ornery steer to tend a hoof. She did like it and she did it well, so they had settled unto a comfortable routine. He farmed the few acres he had plowed to raise feed and wheat for their flour. She did the cow stuff.
The roles were perfectly clear.
Sawyer would help her maintain those roles. He could take Father’s place in the way the ranch was run.
But if he thought she’d agreed to marry him because she needed him—
Well, she hoped she’d set him straight on that matter.
She resisted an urge to bend down and rub her ankle where he’d grabbed her. Indignation rose within her. Even if he’d promised himself to not stand by when he saw someone in danger, it didn’t give him the right to be so indiscreet.
But marriage would.
She shook her head to dismiss the idea. They’d agreed on the terms of their marriage and it did not include any privileges.
At least Father had given his permission. She ducked her head to hide her smile as she thought of the note she’d written to him.
You said we needed a man at the ranch. I found one. He’s strong. Has a little sister. They need a home. So we’re going to get married. I think you’ll like Sawyer. He appears to be a lot like you—stubborn, a man of his word and when he speaks, he means what he says. Though I doubt he is as stubborn as a Scotsman. I’ve made up my mind and intend to do this but I would appreciate your blessing.
She hadn’t added that Hugh might refuse to marry them without Father’s approval.
Her thoughts returned to the present when Hugh asked Annie to be witness to the exchanging of vows. “I’ll call Augie East to be the other witness.” Hugh left to go ask the blacksmith who also served as undertaker to join them.
When the door closed behind him, Annie broke into tears, trying to wipe them from her face before the children noticed.
“You two go play with Evan’s toys on the hearth,” Carly said and waited for the children to settle down in front of the cold fireplace to play before she pulled Annie aside. “What’s wrong?”
Annie sobbed her reply. “I always dreamed of you walking down the aisle in a lovely white gown as I stood up front to share your wedding day with you.”
Carly glanced over to Sawyer, saw that he watched them but he might have been deaf for all she could read of his expression.
She turned back to Annie. “We could get married in the church if it means that much to you.” Though she preferred not to take vows before the pulpit. Not that she didn’t mean to keep the vows but not in the sense of marriage as God had instituted.
“It’s not the same.” Annie wiped her tears on the corner of a kitchen towel. “But I know you won’t change your mind.” She looked past Carly to Sawyer. “She’s stubborn like that.”
“Hush, Annie, do you want him to change his mind?” Some men saw stubbornness as contentious.
“Better now than to have regrets later.”
“I’m not about to change my mind,” Sawyer said. “I’ve given my word and I stand by it.”
Annie sniffed. “You’re as stubborn as she.”
“Not stubborn, ma’am. Just going to do what has to be done.”
Hugh returned with Mr. East. He looked from Carly to Sawyer and back again. “I can’t say as I like this but it seems you’ve both made up your minds. Do you want to get married in the church or—”
“Can we just do it in the front room?” Carly knew it didn’t make any difference in God’s sight where they spoke their vows but she did not want to do it in the church.
“That will be fine.” They went into the next room. Hugh stood with his back to the fireplace.
Feeling as awkward as a newborn foal trying to find her legs for the first time, Carly faced Hugh, with Sawyer on one side of her, Annie on the other and Mr. East at Sawyer’s far side. She’d never envisioned herself as getting married and if she had, it would not have been like this. But as Sawyer said, they were only doing wha
t had to be done.
Hugh opened his black book of ceremonies. “I will ask yet again, are you sure of this?”
Carly nodded as did Sawyer. The children sat on the hearth, watching. Somehow, seeing Jill in her soiled dress with her hair tangled about her head made Carly straighten her spine. This was the right thing to do.
“Very well,” Hugh said. “Even though the circumstances of this marriage are unusual, the vows are the same. You are about to enter into a union which is most sacred and most serious. It is most sacred, because it is established by God himself. You are swearing before God to uphold the tenants of this holy institution.” He paused long enough to give them a chance to withdraw their request.
Neither did.
“Very well. If you would face each other.” He waited while they slowly turned. “Take each other’s hands.”
Neither Carly nor Sawyer moved.
Hugh sighed a little. “How do you expect to be joined in marriage if you can’t even hold hands?” He half closed the book. “I don’t know if I can go through with this.”
Carly and Sawyer reached for each other. She was not surprised to learn his hands were work worn and his grasp firm. She tightened her fingers and gave him an equally firm hold.
“Good. Now let’s proceed. Sawyer, repeat after me.” Hugh spoke the wedding vows and Sawyer repeated them, his voice strong and sure.
And then it was Carly’s turn. She met Sawyer’s gaze without flinching and echoed Hugh’s words. Every word a promise to be forever united to this man.
“You have exchanged vows before God and these witnesses. Those whom God hath joined together, let no one put asunder. You may now kiss the bride.”
Carly couldn’t say if Sawyer dropped her hands or if she dropped his but they faced each other with their hands at their sides. She was not going to kiss him. For one thing, he was a stranger. And more important, they had agreed this was purely a contractual union for mutual benefit. Not for romance or any such thing.
Sawyer moved back. “That’s not necessary.”
She also took a step back. “I agree.”
Hugh sighed. “Why am I not surprised? Everyone needs to sign the register.” Hugh led them into his office where the necessary paperwork was completed.