Her Prairie Knight

by Kit Morgan

  The rope coiled, she picked up the hook and began to walk. She was heading west and probably planned on going into town from a direction where no one would see her. Mr. Van Cleet’s men and workers had set up a camp northeast of town. The girl would probably approach from the northwest.

  Belle sat and tried to collect herself. Who was this woman? Colin had referred to Belle as ‘his angel’ and Belle smiled at the thought despite her circumstances. Now it seemed, Belle had her own.

  Colin!

  Belle gave the horses a slap with the reins and quickly headed back to town.

  * * *

  Colin fought like a savage. Duncan couldn’t hold him and finally the tall trapper who’d carried him from the burning building, dealt Colin a horrific blow to the jaw. Colin fell into Duncan’s arms as Mrs. Dunnigan continued her hysterics just feet away, Mr. Dunnigan trying to calm her the best he could amidst his own grief.

  “Noooo, my Belle! My Belle! What have I done? Ohhhh what have I done?” Mrs. Dunnigan continued to wail.

  Duncan dragged Colin away from her. He didn’t want his brother to hear any more of it. He had no idea why Mrs. Dunnigan had the door barred or why Colin was unable to get into Belle’s room. All he knew was that his brother was safe. Thanks to the French trapper Duprie. He’d come out of nowhere and raced into the building just as Duncan was dragging a kicking and screaming Mrs. Dunnigan out. It was all Duncan could do to hold onto her. Like Colin, she tried with everything she had to run back into the burning mercantile to find Belle.

  Colin was unconscious when Mr. Duprie emerged but he came to well enough and quickly turned into a madman. It took several men to hold him, however they were called away by Mr. Mulligan to help with the fire. That left Duncan on his own to hold his brother back. That is until Mr. Duprie returned to them after stepping away for a brief moment. Now he was nowhere in sight.

  Colin sank to his knees and screamed in rage at the fire that now completely engulfed the mercantile. Duncan held him as Colin’s tears began to fall, his screams of anguish fading. There were no words to give comfort, nothing he could say. All he could do for his brother was hold him.

  Mr. Dunnigan was trying to do the same for his wife, who like Colin, was now on her knees weeping.

  Men ran here and there as they tried in vain to put out the fire but it was no use. The mercantile was lost. Mr. Van Cleet’s men also tried their best as soon as they saw the flames. With the manpower in town it would have been easy enough had they caught it in time. But no one knew until it was too late. And now the town would mourn, for it was not only the mercantile they had lost.

  Duncan closed his eyes as Colin’s sobs began to subside. His own threatening when he noticed some of the men’s faces held a shocked look. Several men stopped in mid-stride as they stared at something behind Duncan and Colin. Duncan turned his head as best he could while he held his brother’s spent form.

  Duncan’s mouth dropped open along with the rest of the men.

  Mr. King’s wagon, the one he and Colin had abandoned behind a building, was coming down the street. And Belle was driving it.

  “Colin!” Duncan said and shook him. “Colin, look!”

  “Shut up! I’ll not look at it anymore! Don’t you understand? She’s gone!”

  The wagon stopped and Belle barely managed to climb down. Doc ran to her but she shoved him away and kept moving toward them. Her nightdress was torn, dirty. She looked and moved like she’d just passed through a gauntlet of torture. Like the kind Duncan had suffered in prison. Blood seeped from a wound to her head. There was blood on her clothes too. Her braid was coming loose and she walked like her whole body had been beaten.

  “Colin!” came out a raspy croak as she fell to her knees not feet away.

  Colin’s head slowly came up. He looked first to Duncan, and then to the crumpled, bloodied form behind him. He took a few quick breaths out of shock then lunged toward her. “Belle!”

  He pulled her into his arms and they sat and held onto each other with everything they had until it became hard to breathe. Then the tears came and they wept together. But it was quite apparent their tears, were tears of joy.

  Mrs. Dunnigan heard the commotion and turned to look in their direction. She pushed Wilfred away and began to hurry to them.

  Mr. Mulligan grabbed her arm to keep her from breaking them apart. She wrenched it out of his grasp. “Keep away from me! I’ll not be kept from my niece!” She took two more steps and stopped.

  Colin and Belle were locked in a deep, passionate kiss. The kind women dare not speak of and men dream about.

  Her face began to contort with rage for a brief moment then slowly faded. Mrs. Dunnigan saw something. Something she’d not seen before. Love.

  Her niece and the Cooke boy were deeply and undeniably in love.

  Wilfred was at her side now. “Don’t you dare take one more step. Leave them be. He was almost killed trying to save her.”

  “But he didn’t.”

  “Only because he saved you first.”

  “That doesn’t matter. He still didn’t save, Belle.”

  “No. But the Lord did and I’m not arguing with Him. Neither are you.”

  She turned to him. “I thought I lost you.”

  “How could you? I wasn’t even there!”

  She began to cry. “No, no you don’t understand. The saloon. I saw you go into it.”

  “To play checkers. I went to the saloon to see if Harlan had set up a game. The lights better in there. Our eyes ain’t what they used to be.”

  Her mouth dropped open. “This, its all my fault. I ... I...”

  “How can it be your fault? Did you start the fire?”

  “No, but...”

  “Stop it, Irene. You’re safe, so is Belle and I can’t ask the good Lord for more.”

  She turned to look at Belle and Colin. They still sat and held each other. Colin had Belle’s head tucked under his chin and was murmuring to her.

  “I’m a fool, Wilfred.”

  “No. Just over protective of what you think is right.” He pointed to Colin and Belle. “And the two of them, well, it doesn’t get any righter than that. And I aim to protect it. How about you?”

  Mrs. Dunnigan nodded her agreement, tears in her eyes, and stepped into her husband’s open arms.

  Colin ignored everyone around them as he loosened his tight hold on her. “My Belle! Oh God I thought I lost you!”

  “Never,” she said in a voice barely recognizable. “You’ll never lose me, Colin. Never.” He looked at her then, really looked at her. “You look awful, angel. Simply awful.”

  “So do you.”

  He smiled. “But how did you escape? I couldn’t get to you!”

  “I’ll explain later. Too ... hard ... to talk.”

  “Shhhh then. We’ll get you some water and get Doc to take a look at you.” He once more tucked her head beneath his chin. “I love you, Belle. I love you so much. So very, very, much.”

  Belle smiled, her voice gone, and let him hold her. Forever.

  * * *

  Several men, including Duncan, helped Colin and Belle to their feet. Doc and Grandma pushed their way through the men surrounding them and immediately began to guide the couple toward their house. Colin, one arm around Belle, followed without question. He wanted her tended to as soon as possible. He might feel like death but she looked it; and he could only imagine what happened to her not to mention how she escaped the fire. She had to have jumped, it was the only explanation. He was shocked she could even walk. But how did she come by the wagon? And what was she doing driving it? She looked like she hadn’t the strength to climb onto it let alone guide it through town.

  “Let them alone!” Grandma ordered as the crowd of towns people followed them to the Wallers' home. “Doc will take it from here. Now you men get that fire under control so the wind don’t cause problems if’n it kicks up. The last thing this town needs is to lose another building.” Grandma took a quick look around.
“Mrs. Mulligan!”

  Mrs. Mulligan came through the crowd to Grandma. “You’d better take care of Irene and Wilfred. Doc and I will see to Belle.”

  She nodded her quick agreement, turned, and went back to help with the Dunnigans. They not only lost everything they had but many relied on the goods they sold to help them survive. There would be a lot of work to do in the next few weeks to make sure no one suffered the loss of the mercantile.

  Once inside the Waller’s home, Belle collapsed. Colin immediately bent to her, tried to lift her, coughed, and collapsed himself

  “Duncan, get Colin settled in the parlor. Then help us take Belle upstairs.” Grandma ordered. Duncan did as she instructed and soon had both where Grandma wanted them. Doc then tended to Belle while Grandma took care of Colin.

  “It’s amazing the two of you are alive,” she commented as she doctored some of the burns on Colin’s hands and arms. “Now you let Belle alone for tonight so she can rest. You’ll see her tomorrow. Can you make it home?”

  “He can if Mr. King doesn’t mind me using his wagon to get him there.” Duncan said.

  “He won’t mind. Take your brother home. He needs his rest too. He’s got some sweet talkin' to do tomorrow.”

  Colin grimaced as he got up from the settee. “Sweet talking? You mean Belle?”

  “I mean Mrs. Dunnigan. That fire did more than burn down the mercantile. I think it burned down something in that woman’s cranky ol’ heart! If’n there was ever a good time for you to ask for Belle’s hand, this is it.”

  “Why does everyone assume I’m going to ask for her hand?”

  “Well ain’t ya?”

  “Well, yes, but...”

  “No buts, Colin. Do it!”

  And he did.

  Epilogue

  Three weeks later...

  Horatio and Teresa were the first to emerge from the new church. The townsfolk cheered as the couple passed under a cascade of rice and blossoms tossed at them. Horatio and his new bride hurried to a wagon festooned with flowers and ribbon to wait for the others.

  Colin and Belle were next to come out of the church followed by Mr. King who’d just performed the first double wedding in Clear Creek. Rice and blossoms again flew in abundance as they ducked and ran through it as best they could, followed by the Dunnigans. Colin laughed in triumph as they reached the wagon and kissed his new bride. Horatio helped Teresa climb up to the wagon seat then climbed up himself. He watched as Colin took Belle by the hand and faced the crowd just as Sadie and Harrison joined them.

  “Well big brother, you’re now part of the club.” Harrison said in a teasing tone.

  “What club is that?”

  “The matrimony club! And trust me when I say, you’ll love it!”

  Colin turned to Belle and kissed her again. “I dare say I will,” he whispered in her ear. She blushed.

  “Wait until ya git her home!” Someone called from the crowd. Everyone laughed.

  “I may never leave home again.” Colin drawled.

  “You stop speaking of such things here! It’s indecent!” Mrs. Dunnigan scolded.

  “Irene, watch your tongue. I’m sure you remember what it was like when we married.” Wilfred said with a wink.

  “Well, I ... I...” She stammered then turned a furious shade of red.

  Wilfred grinned at the crowd.

  More laughter. Duncan joined them just as the remaining rice and blossoms were thrown. It was one of the happiest days in Clear Creek. And it wasn’t over. The whole town was coming to the ranch for the wedding supper.

  Horatio stood. “OK folks, time to head out to the ranch! Follow us and be sure to bring your appetites!”

  Cheers went up. Horatio Jones never did anything small. He'd brought part of his household staff to cook and serve at the supper. He was a generous man, and today, his wedding day along with Colin’s and Belle’s, would be a day they would remember for a very long time. Colin wished Jefferson was in attendance but he’d kept himself locked away in his cabin since the night of the fire.

  But Horatio Jones was determined the entire town would have a day to remember. And they certainly did. One in particular.

  For it was then the stage made an unscheduled visit and rolled up directly behind the Triple C’s wedding wagon. All heads turned as it came to a stop. No one moved, no one breathed, and no one got off the stage. Instead, who ever was inside, waited.

  All eyes were fixed on it by the time Willie climbed down and opened the door. A well-dressed man emerged. A very well dressed man. He pulled a handkerchief from the pocket of his waist coat and held it over his nose as he took in the curious stares of the onlookers. If no one in Clear Creek had ever seen a dandy, they did now. His suit was impeccable, his hat incredible, and his smell ... well ... he definitely wasn’t from around Clear Creek, that’s for sure.

  Another man got off the stage, this one not so well dressed and much shorter than the first. He fidgeted and looked nervously about before taking in the wedding party surrounding the other wagon. “I’m looking for D. M. Sayer.” He called out to the crowd.

  The townsfolk looked at each other before glancing about elsewhere.

  “I’m Mr. Sayer.”

  All heads turned toward the voice.

  The fidgety little man made his way past some of the crowd to stand before the man who’d just spoken. “Are you Duncan Mackenzie Sayer? The son of Benedict Sayer?”

  Duncan looked the nervous little man up and down. Like his traveling companion, he certainly didn’t dress like he belonged out west. And not only that, he was very English. His accent said as much. “Who wants to know?”

  The taller man approached and now looked Duncan up and down. “My, but you’re not exactly what I expected.”

  Another Englishman. “Who are you?” Duncan demanded.

  He raised the handkerchief to his face and inhaled, as if the entire wedding party stank to high Heaven. “That depends entirely on who you are.”

  “Are you Duncan Mackenzie Sayer?” The little man asked again.

  “Yes.”

  “Sayer? Gads! I thought your last name was Cooke!” Horatio huffed.

  “Legally it’s Sayer,” Duncan began. “We took on the Cooke name when our mother married Jefferson. She felt it would make us more of a family if we did.”

  “Then you claim to be he? Duncan Mackenzie Sayer, the son of Benedict Sayer?”

  “He just told you he was!” Colin put in.

  “What’s this all about? Who are you?” Harrison demanded.

  “I’m Mr. Ashford, Anthony Sayer’s solicitor.”

  “Anthony Sayer?” Duncan said, confused. “What does he have to do with me?”

  “I’m here to confirm you exist. Of course I’ll need to see your papers to give proper verification. You do have them don’t you?”

  “Have what?” Colin asked, as confused now as everyone else.

  “He’s talking about birth papers, things to identify his mother and father,” the taller man said in a condescending tone

  “Well?” Mr. Ashford began impatiently. “Do you?”

  “Of course I do.” Duncan said, still confused.

  “Bugger, I was afraid you’d say that,” the taller man said flatly.

  “Then let me be the first to congratulate you.” Mr. Ashford continued.

  “Congratulate me? For what?”

  The little man fumbled with his coat and pulled out what looked like some sort of documents. He handed them to Duncan. “Congratulations. You’re the new Duke of Stantham.”

  The three brothers' were distracted by a high-pitched wail from Mrs. Dunnigan. They turned just in time to see her faint. Several people in the crowd bent to help her. It gave Mr. Ashford’s words enough time to sink in.

  “The Duke of Stantham?” Colin and Harrison exclaimed at the same time.

  “Unfortunately.” The taller man spat.

  “Good Lord!” Harrison began. “Isn’t that the cousin who had something to
do with a... a...” He waved a hand in the air looking for the word.

  “Crocodile,” Duncan finished for him.

  The taller man moaned and buried his face in his handkerchief.

  “Right,” Colin agreed. “But I thought that particular cousin was only an Earl.”

  “He was next in line to inherit and became the Duke of Stantham some ten years ago.” Mr. Ashford told them.

  “Surely there were others in line to inherit before Duncan.” Colin said.

  “Certainly. But all met with rather tragic and untimely deaths. That left Mr. D.M. Sayer. If something were to happen to him, then his brother Colin Bartholomew Sayer would inherit.”

  Harrison and Colin’s mouths fell open. Duncan was engrossed in the documents he’d been handed. He studied the papers carefully, his lips moving as he read.

  “And if something were to happen to Colin...” Harrison began.

  “Then Harrison Nathaniel Sayer would inherit.” Mr. Ashford finished for him.

  “And if something happened to Harrison?” Sadie asked as she hooked her arm through one of her husband’s.

  “Then the title and estate would go to the Duke’s fifth cousin. Thackary Cuthbert Holmes.”

  “Who the devil is that?” Colin asked.

  “That would be me.” The taller man said calmly as he produced a snuffbox from his pocket, took a pinch, and sniffed. Some of the town’s folk nearby stared open mouthed at the man.

  “MARRIED?!”

  All heads turned. Duncan was furiously going over the documents in his hands. “This says I have to get married?”

  Mr. Ashford took a step forward. “Yes. In fact, in order to inherit, you have to get married by the date specified or the title and estate go to the next in line.”

  “But this can’t be right, this says I would have to be married no later than August ninth, eighteen fifty eight! That’s five weeks from now!”

  “So it is.” Mr. Holmes cooed.

  “Your cousin the Duke wanted to ensure his successor was married and thus able to produce an heir. He himself had only daughters and as you are probably aware, there were very few males among the cousins. Until now.”