“You? The best cook in the nation?” He shook his head. “You could get a job anywhere, at any time.”
She’d never considered that idea. Of cooking to make money. It was what she’d been doing, but what would Maggie do then?
“I’m serious, Mary,” Steve said. “Peddling that snake oil is only going to keep getting you in trouble.”
Although a part of her knew that was true, another deeply embedded sore spot had her saying, “It’s not—”
“Fine. Tonic.” He sighed heavily. “I’m sorry. It’s all the same to me. After my mother died, my father drank it all. Whatever it was labeled, as long as it made him not feel, not think about the pain inside him, he drank it. Drank it until it killed him.”
Mary’s heart tumbled and she laid a hand on his arm. She knew his entire family had died years ago, from different causes and incidents, but not that his father had died in that way. “I didn’t know,” she whispered.
“Because I didn’t tell you,” he said. “I didn’t tell anyone.”
“I’m sorry. I should never have hid it from you.”
“It’s not your fault, it’s mine. I should have just been honest. Told you why I didn’t want it around.”
Glancing toward the bottles she’d set aside, she sighed. She hadn’t wanted to believe it, but the sheriff in Ohio had been right. The tonic had been why Da died. “I’ll get rid of the rest.”
Steve grasped her waist to prevent her from moving. “No. You don’t have to. But I was honest when I said you don’t have to keep selling it.”
She laid a hand on his cheek. “That’s kind of you to say, but I—I’m not a cook. Not a real one. Not one people would hire me for.”
“Yes, you are. I hired you.”
The sincerity on his face made her insides warm. She’d come to know him so well the past few weeks—knew he’d give the shirt off his back to someone. Unable to continue looking at him, she bowed her head. “You hired me because there were no other options.”
He placed a finger beneath her chin, forcing her to look up at him again. “Maybe that first day, but I kept you here because your cooking is the best I’ve ever tasted.”
This time the look in his eyes made her insides melt faster than butter in a pan. Her heart started racing too, as he tilted her chin higher. He was going to kiss her, something she wanted more than anything else in the world.
“What’s all the commotion? I heard a gunshot.”
Nelson Graham’s voice was the last sound she wanted to hear right now.
“What do you want, Nelson?” Steve asked, sounding as unfriendly as she felt.
“I have something for Mary,” he said, holding up an envelope as he stepped closer. His gaze took in the bottles and jars, broken crocks and the dead snake. “That’s a rattler. Anyone get bit?”
“No,” Steve answered.
As she took the envelope the doctor held out, he glanced toward the ground again. “What’s in those bottles? Is this where your sister—”
“Nothing that concerns you,” Steve interrupted.
“I need to speak with you as soon as you’ve read that, Mary,” Nelson said. “Privately.”
Mary made no promise as she pulled a single sheet of paper out of the envelope. Seeing Maggie’s handwriting, her heart skipped a beat. Then fear, dread and a splattering of disappointment rose inside her as she read the note. “Oh, fairy dust and horse shit,” she muttered.
As Steve grasped her arm she realized she’d cursed aloud, but this was a curse-aloud situation.
“What is it?” he asked.
“Maggie’s been arrested,” she said.
“For what?”
She glanced to the bottles, the full ones, still sitting on the ground.
Chapter Fifteen
The note didn’t say much more than what Mary had said. She’d handed it to him and Steve had read it word for word. Maggie was in the Oak Grove Jail for selling their tonic. He could have told Mary that had been bound to happen, but she didn’t need to hear that.
“If we could speak privately now, Mary,” Nelson said.
Knowing full well that Nelson had read the note, Steve asked, “Why? You going to offer to get her sister out of jail?”
Nelson’s face puckered. “As a matter of fact, yes, that is exactly what I can do.”
“How?” Steve challenged.
Puffing out his chest, Nelson said, “Once we are married, Mary will be the doctor’s wife and—”
“Once you are married? Are you daft? How many times do you have to hear she doesn’t want to get married?”
“Perhaps we should let Mary speak for herself,” Nelson said.
Steve’s temper had boiled at finding Rex drunk, but Nelson’s attitude was enough to explode the top of his scalp right off his head. Tightening his hold on Mary’s arm, he said, “Come. I’ll hitch up the wagon and we’ll go get your sister.”
Nelson stepped in front of them. “That’s only half the issue. As soon as Mary steps foot in town, they’ll want to know who she is marrying. The weddings are set for this Saturday.”
“I’m not marrying anyone,” Mary said.
“I’m afraid you have no choice,” Nelson said. “You signed a contract. It clearly stated the town will pay for your trip West and—”
“The town didn’t pay for my trip West,” she said. “I did.”
“You did?” Steve asked.
“Yes.” She grimaced slightly. “Not in cash. We sold what we could, but no one was interested in buying our horse, so I traded him to the sheriff in exchange for the tickets.”
“According to the mayor, you either marry someone on Saturday or the sheriff will see you are escorted back to Ohio to serve your jail time,” Nelson said.
Shock appeared on her face. “Jail time?”
“Do you have a receipt from the sheriff?” Steve asked.
“No, but...”
The way she looked up at him made Steve cringe. She knew she’d been duped and so did he.
She shook her head. “The contract never said they could force me to marry someone.”
“There was fine print on the bottom of the contract stating exactly that,” Nelson said.
Steve had never wanted to punch someone as badly as he did Nelson Graham right now. Mainly because the doctor was right. Blowing out a breath, he nodded, “Nelson’s right. Melbourne will make you marry someone.”
“But...”
The quiver of her bottom lip was Steve’s undoing. He grasped her arm and started toward the house.
“Where are you taking her?” Nelson asked.
“To speak to her privately,” Steve answered, still moving them both forward.
“You can’t—”
“Yes, I can.” He didn’t stop until they were in the house, alone. Then he twisted her so they stood face to face. There wasn’t another solution. He’d known that for weeks. Furthermore, it was what he wanted. Looking her straight in the eye, he asked, “Will you marry me?”
She gasped so hard she coughed. And again. He released her to fetch a glass of water. He was still pouring it when she said, “You don’t want to get married.”
“Neither do you.” He carried the glass to her. “We might as well not want to together.”
She took a sip and then set the glass on the table. “That’s no reason to get married.”
The reason was because he loved her. Because he didn’t want her to leave, not ever, but wasn’t sure how to tell her that. Not in a way she’d believe, so he pointed to the two sets of eyes peeking over the top of the crate. “Then marry me because Spit and Spat are going to think you abandoned them, or because my cowboys are going to quit if they have to start eating Rex’s cooking again.”
She
put both hands on her hips. “Raccoons and cowboys? That’s the best you can come up with?”
The stars in her eyes told him more than she was saying. The love he’d been afraid to admit filled him completely as he gently grasped her shoulders. “You could marry me because you want to.”
She bit her bottom lip as a smile started to form. “Why would I want to marry you?”
He ran his hands down her arms and then around her waist. “For the same reason I want to marry you.”
“You—” She pinched her lips together as she settled both hands on his chest. “And what reason would that be?”
“Love.”
* * *
Mary’s heart was beating so hard she could barely breathe. She wanted to shout yes and jump into his arms, but couldn’t. Not until he understood a few things. “I didn’t come here to become a bride. I honestly traded Buck, our horse, for the train tickets.”
“I believe you.” He pulled her a bit closer. “I didn’t make that contribution to the Betterment Committee in order to pick out a bride, but I’d have paid ten times that amount if I’d known you were one of them. Still would.”
It was growing harder and harder not to smile. Not to shout for joy. Not to beg him to kiss her. “I’m not a weak person,” she said, perhaps for her own justification. She wanted him to know she wasn’t like those other women that had come out here to be brides. “I don’t scare easily and I’m not afraid of hard work.”
“I’ve already witnessed that.” His gaze became soft and tender. “If there ever was a woman who made me believe they could live out here, it’s you, Mary. But if things do get too tough for you, we’ll move to town.”
His words, though they were meant to offer comfort, hit her with a realization she’d never had before. She shook her head. “Not this time.”
He frowned slightly. “Not this time what?”
“I’m done moving. Done running. That’s what my family’s always done. When things got tough, we left. But you didn’t. You’ve never run from anything. And that’s what I want.” Tears stung her eyes as she glanced around the kitchen. “Because of you, the life you’ve created by not giving up, by not running...” Sniffling, she looked into his eyes. “I have never felt so safe as I have while living here. I’ve never had food so plentiful, such stability. Nor have I ever seen such kindness and generosity, determination and love. You love your life out here, and I’d be honored to share it with you for the rest of my life. Live, right here, with you, forever, but only if it is what you truly want.”
His lips were soft as they pressed against her forehead. “It is what I truly want,” he said. “My life has never been so wonderful, so full, since your arrival. I’ll buy you a buggy and you can go to town as often as you’d like. Every day if need be. And you can make all the tonic you want.”
She grasped his face with both hands. “There will be no more tonic.”
“No?”
“No.” Smiling, for she’d never been so happy, she shrugged. “I won’t need it for anything. Not when I have you.”
He pulled her forward so fast their bodies literally collided as their lips connected. The kiss was wonderful, and filled her so completely she wrapped both arms around his neck, hoping it would never stop.
When their lips parted, it was only so they could catch a breath of air before kissing again. That happened several times, and each kiss made her happier—if that was possible.
Her entire body was alive and so full of joy that when Steve did end the kiss, she laughed. So did he. And they kissed again before he grasped her hand and tugged her toward the door.
“Come on.”
“Where are we going?” she asked.
“To town. To get your sister out of jail.”
Mary slapped a hand over her mouth. Removing it, she said, “Fairy dust, for a moment I forgot all about Maggie.”
“Don’t worry,” Steve said. “As the potential wife of the most prominent citizen in Oak Grove, your sister will be released immediately.”
She had no doubt he was telling the truth, and loved him all the more for it. They hurried out the door. Upon seeing Dr. Graham standing near his buggy, she asked, “Should we tell him that things often don’t work out like you thought they would in the beginning?”
Steve gave her a wink. “He’s a doctor. If he hasn’t figured that out, we’re all in trouble.”
As they walked past Nelson, she said, “I’ll be getting married on Saturday, just as the contact says.”
“Thank goodness,” the doctor said. “I was starting to worry you two wouldn’t figure out you’re perfect for each other.”
As her eyes met Steve’s, they both laughed.
“You always were a smart one, Doc,” Steve said. Then as they arrived at the barn, he asked her, “Saddle horse or wagon?”
“Saddle horse,” Mary answered, her joy momentarily slipping. “Maggie’s probably fit to be tied. She believes we paid our own way, too.”
He pulled her into another hug. “Don’t worry. We’ll get it all worked out.”
With his arms around her, she couldn’t believe otherwise and stretched on her toes to plant a brief kiss on his lips. “I do love you, Steve Putnam.”
“And I do love you, Mary McCary,” he whispered before he turned her brief kiss into a far more exciting one. When it ended, he added, “And I can’t wait for Saturday.”
She couldn’t, either.
* * * * *
If you enjoyed this story, you won’t want to miss
these great full-length reads from
Lauri Robinson:
THE FORGOTTEN DAUGHTER
SAVING MARINA
HER CHEYENNE WARRIOR
UNWRAPPING THE RANCHER’S SECRET
THE COWBOY’S ORPHAN BRIDE
Dedicated to my friend Cheryl,
who is every bit as fun as Maggie McCary.
Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Epilogue
Chapter One
The steam engine’s large wheels emitted an ear-grating squeal as the brakes locked down hard to slow the train. Maggie McCary clamped her hands over her ears. She should be used to the loud noises associated with pulling into a station. How many had she experienced over the past three days?
She looked out the window, hoping against hope that she would see something resembling a town. A bush would be nice. Perhaps a tree. Anything but the empty prairie that had surrounded them for the past three hundred miles.
“I won! You owe me a penny!” Anna cried out delightedly, sitting opposite her.
Maggie dropped her gaze to the makeshift board balancing on her lap. “Why so you did!”
She couldn’t begrudge her new friend the win, considering that during her travels she had gathered a small collection of spoils from the other passengers. Anna had made the trip fun. She always had a story to tell or was willing to play a game to pass the time.
“Would you look at that?” Anna said, focusing out the opposite window. A half second later, she rushed over to stand beside Sadie and Rebecca.
“Pssst! Maggie!”
Maggie blew out a breath, recognizing her sister’s voice behind her. Mary probably wanted to argue. Again. Just because her twin was a few minutes older she thought she knew everything. She blamed Maggie that t
hey missed their last chance to get off the train in Salina, saying that Maggie had been too busy gossiping and playing games. Well, maybe she was, but that just meant they had to figure out another plan. Things always had a way of working out when they put their minds together. Mary didn’t give her enough credit.
Maggie twisted around on the bench seat and stared at blue eyes that matched hers for all the irritation in them. “What?”
“We have to go. Now. It’s our last chance.”
“I want a bath. I want a decent meal. The girls say that the town is supposed to have hotel rooms for us and everything.”
Mary frowned. “We’re not staying in this dusty cow town.”
“Well I want to enjoy it while I can. Nothing is wrong with a little pampering.”
The glare in Mary’s eyes could have sparked a fire. “Pampering! We need to find jobs and I need to find a place to make more tonic.”
Maggie raised her chin. She wasn’t about to let Mary bully her into seeing things her way. “The tonic needs another week before it’s ready to bottle. What does it matter whether we are comfortable at the hotel?”
“It matters. We’ve got to show them right from the start we aren’t going to marry anyone and they can’t force us. You know how it is...how it’s always been with our business. We need to be ready to leave town if necessary. That’s why you need to come with me. We have to stay together.”
“We won’t make it. That conductor has eyes like an eagle. Besides, I heard the sheriff talk to him in Bridgeport. They won’t give us a permit to sell it here anymore than they would in Ohio.”
“Then we will just have to be more careful. Anyone who tries the tonic is happy enough with the results. It will only be for a few weeks. By the time the authorities find anything out, we will be gone.”
Maggie frowned. “Where will we go after this town?”
“I don’t know. Maybe Denver. Somewhere big enough to make a good profit. Somewhere far enough west that selling permits aren’t a problem.”
Maggie didn’t want to hear it. She was tired of Mary’s bossing, tired of thinking about the tonic and tired of traveling. She wanted a bath. And a meal. And a soft bed. In that order. Mary said they had to stick together. Well, then she could stick right here. With her. For once, her sister could just listen to her. “We can talk about it at the hotel.”
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