Lawfully Matched (Texas Lawkeeper Romance)

by Lorana Hoopes

  “Well, there is one other option,” Ellen said.

  “What’s that?” Kate inquired.

  “You could still get married.”

  “Didn’t you hear what I said?” Kate asked, confused. “The man I was going to marry is a thief and a murderer.”

  “I didn’t mean him,” Ellen said, waving her hand. “But this is the West. In case you haven’t noticed, there are far more men than women. Maybe you could find another man looking for a bride. It would be worth at least checking the papers before you head back.”

  Kate bit her lip. Could she do it? What if she chose another outlaw like Bill? Surely the odds of that happening again would be unlikely, but with her luck?? Of course, it might be better than admitting to her brother she was wrong. She could just imagine his reproachful look when he learned she had lost all the money.

  “You’re right,” Kate said with a sigh. “I guess there’s no harm in at least looking.”

  * * *

  Jesse left the cemetery with a sense of purpose. It wasn’t how he had planned his life to go, but he felt at peace with his decision.

  The lanterns at the inn were still lit when Jesse arrived. After a deep exhale, he dismounted Molly, tied her to the post, and knocked on the inn door.

  “Deputy Jennings?” Martha asked as she opened the door. “Is everything alright?”

  “Yes ma’am,” he said, removing his hat. “I was just wondering if I could speak with Miss Whidby for a minute?”

  “Let me tell her you’re here. Why don’t you go have a seat in the parlor?” Martha pointed to her right, and Jesse walked that direction as she turned to go up the stairs.

  No one else was in the parlor, so Jesse chose a straight-backed chair near the entrance and sat down. His hands curled and released the brim of his hat as he waited for Kate to arrive.

  “Jesse? To what do I owe this visit?” Kate stood in the doorway, her dark hair down and framing her face.

  Jesse stood and cleared his throat. “I’ve come with a proposition for you, Kate. I know we don’t know each other well, but I also know you have no money to keep paying your room here or to purchase a ticket home.”

  “I was planning to wire my brother and ask for money to make the trip home which wasn’t a perfect scenario as the whole reason for me coming out here was not to burden him, but Ellen gave me the idea of looking for another man in search of a wife...”

  “The thing is...” Jesse interrupted, holding up his hand to stop her rambling. “I need you to stay here since you’re the only one who knows what Bill Easterly looks like. Which brings me to my solution; I could use some help at the homestead. You tasted my cooking.” A nervous laugh bubbled out of his throat, and he cleared it again. “I guess what I’m saying is I have a proposition that would help us both out.”

  He paused and glanced at Kate for a reaction, but her face was stoic. He got the feeling she didn’t like being interrupted. “We could get married,” he said quickly before he lost his nerve. “That way you’d have a home, and I could protect you in case Easterly showed up again, and if we ever find him, you would be able to identify him.”

  Jesse forced his mouth shut to stop the flow of words. He needed to give her time to think and process. He continued curling and uncurling his hat brim as he waited for her to answer.

  Kate tilted her head and stared at him. “I knew coming out here I wasn’t marrying for love, but I hoped I would at least find a decent man and a nice home. While my time here hasn’t gone as I’d hoped, I would prefer an alternative to returning home and burdening my brother again. Since I am limited in my options, and it seems this arrangement would benefit the both of us, then yes, Jesse, I accept your proposal.”

  “Okay,” Jesse said with a nod. “I’ll speak with Pastor Lewis and set it up for tomorrow afternoon.” He glanced at her attire, which was a simple cream top and navy-blue skirt. “Do you need time to get a dress for the wedding?”

  Kate shook her head. “The sheriff dropped off my trunk of clothes a few hours ago. I can find something which will work for the occasion.” She gave him a tentative smile. “I appreciate all of you going after him and returning my possessions, even if it wasn’t the sole reason.”

  “You’re welcome,” Jesse said as he stood and replaced his hat. “Have a good evening, Miss Whidby, and I’ll see you tomorrow.” As he left, Jesse wondered what he had gotten himself into. Kate Whidby was nothing like his docile Pauline had been.

  Chapter Ten

  Kate stood in front of the mirror inspecting her appearance. It didn’t matter whether she turned left or right, the pale blue dress felt far too plain to be getting married in. If only her mother’s wedding dress hadn’t been torn and dirtied.

  A knock sounded at the door and Martha stuck her head in. “Good morning. Mr. Davis told me the good news, and I thought maybe I had something that might help. Can I come in?”

  “Certainly,” Kate said. “I don’t look like much of a bride anyway.”

  “Maybe I can help with that,” Martha said as she entered the room and shut the door behind her. “Mr. Davis and I never had a daughter, but I kept this anyway.” She held out a long cream dress with a lace neckline and ruffled sleeves. “I think I was a little bigger than you, but we could tie the sash tighter and add a few carefully hidden pins.”

  Kate’s eyes flooded with emotion. “Why are you doing this for me? You barely know me.”

  Martha smiled. “That may be, but we know Jesse. He has always treated people fairly and done what he can to help, just like he’s doing now. You both have had a rough patch starting out, but maybe you can find a greener pasture together. Besides, here in Sage Creek we take care of our own, and since you’re about to be one of us, I can’t have you getting married in a blue dress, pretty as it is.”

  “Thank you,” Kate said, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye. “I hope you’ll come to the ceremony. It would mean a lot to me.”

  This time it was Martha’s turn to sniff. “Of course Mr. Davis and I will be there, and I have a feeling we’ll see a lot more of each other. Now, let’s get you into this dress.”

  * * *

  Jesse stood at the front of the chapel rocking back and forth on his heels. When he’d told Clark about his decision to marry Kate, the man had offered to bring her to the church at the appointed time and serve as a witness. Yet, the church bell had just finished ringing two o’clock and there was still no sign of them.

  Jeb and Sheriff Johnson looked at him with raised eyebrows from their position in the front row. Clearly, they thought he had been stood up. Jesse swallowed his apprehension and shook his head. Maybe this had been a big mistake.

  “I’m sure they’ll be here shortly,” Pastor Lewis said as Jesse looked toward the front doors once more.

  A few moments later, the doors opened, and Martha hurried in, waving her hands. “I’m sorry we’re late. We had to do a quick change.”

  Kate stepped in next, and Jesse’s breath caught in his throat. Her dark hair was pulled back with combs except for a few tendrils that framed her face. The cream dress she was wearing showed off her slim waist and made her eyes appear even more blue. There was no denying she was a beautiful woman.

  * * *

  A nervous smile pulled on Kate’s lips as she stepped into the small chapel. A blond man with small spectacles in a black suit and white collar stood at the front near Jesse. In his hands was an open book. Kate assumed he must be the pastor.

  Next to him, Jesse stood in a similar black suit only without the white collar. Instead, he wore a high collared white shirt with a black tie. His dark hair was combed, and his face appeared even more chiseled without his hat.

  As she walked up the aisle, she realized the sheriff and Jeb were sitting in the front row as guests for Jesse. She was glad Mr. Davis and Martha had come with her.

  “I hope you don’t mind me saying so, miss, but you look beautiful,” Mr. Davis whispered and patted her hand in a fatherly gesture
before joining Martha in the front row.

  A light pink covered her cheeks as she stopped beside Jesse.

  “Hello ma’am, I’m Pastor Lewis,” the pastor said softly. He had a kind voice and seemed much more with it than the last pastor who had almost married her. “What’s your full name?”

  “Mary Katherine Whidby,” Kate said. “But everyone just calls me Kate.”

  “That’s fine,” the man said with a smile. His gaze shifted from her to the people in the pews as he began. “Dear friends, we are gathered here today to join Deputy Jesse Jennings and Mary Katherine Whidby in holy matrimony. Jesse, do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife? To protect until death do you part?”

  “I do,” Jesse said.

  The pastor turned to Kate. “And do you Kate take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband? To cherish until death do you part?”

  “I do,” Kate said.

  “Do you have rings, Jesse?” Pastor Lewis asked.

  Kate was surprised when Jesse dug in his coat pocket and pulled out two gold bands. She’d had no idea he had purchased wedding rings.

  “Very well, place the ring on Kate’s finger and repeat after me.”

  Jesse clasped her hand and put the ring on her finger as he spoke, “With this ring, I thee wed.”

  A tingle ran up Kate’s arm and she glanced up to see if Jesse had felt it, but he was focused on placing the other ring in her palm.

  “Kate, if you’ll put the ring on Jesse’s hand and repeat after me,” Pastor Lewis said.

  Kate fumbled with the ring but managed to secure it on Jesse’s hand and repeat the words.

  “Then by the power vested to me by God and the great state of Texas, I now pronounce you husband and wife.”

  * * *

  As they exited the hotel after gathering up Kate’s things, Jesse turned to her and said, “I know this isn’t what we both imagined for our futures, but we can make the best of this situation if we both agree to try. I promise I will be a loyal and kind husband.”

  A smile formed on her lips as she nodded. “I want to make this work as well. I will do my best to be the kind of wife you need.”

  “Alright then,” he said and held out a hand to help her into the wagon.

  She settled on the seat, and he climbed up beside her and pointed the wagon toward his homestead.

  Kate wasn’t sure what she had expected in marrying a near stranger, but as she stepped down from Jesse’s wagon, the enormity of her decision landed on her shoulders. She would now be sharing a house with a man she barely knew, and they hadn’t discussed intimacy. Kate assumed as this was more a marriage of convenience that they would wait until they knew each other better, but she realized they should have discussed it.

  “I’d give you the tour,” he said with a small smile, “but you’ve been here before.”

  It did Kate’s heart good to see him nervous as well. “That’s alright. You could give me the tour anyway.”

  Jesse smiled and opened the door. “Well then, come inside and while you get situated, I’ll come back out and get your trunk.”

  Kate inspected the house from a woman’s standpoint as she entered. It was nothing grand, but it did have a homier feel than Bill Easterly’s place had. The kitchen was clean and everything appeared to have a set place. The main room housed a few chairs and a small couch. Beside the bedroom was another door which Jesse pushed open to display a wash basin and a freestanding tub.

  “You have a tub in a separate room?” Kate asked with surprise. Even in Boston, only the rich had a separate room for tubs.

  “I saved up for the tub and added the room as I was building. It was going to be my wedding present to Pauline,” Jesse said with a sad smile.

  “Oh, I’m sorry.” Kate felt awful for reminding him once again of Pauline but was glad to know he had cared enough about his future bride to do something nice for her. Another stark difference from Bill Easterly.

  “It’s fine.” Jesse cleared his throat and continued the tour. “You can sleep in the bedroom, of course, and I’ll take the couch in the main room,” Jesse said. “I’ll grab your trunk and be right back.”

  Well, at least that answered the question of whether he expected intimacy or not. Kate wandered into the bedroom while Jesse returned to the wagon. A wrought iron bed covered in a quilt sat squarely in the middle. She wondered briefly if Pauline had made the quilt. There was a dresser with a mirror and a small table beside the bed, and on top of the table, Kate was delighted to find a Bible. If Jesse were a believer, then perhaps this could be a happy marriage after all.

  She had just picked up the book when he re-entered with her trunk. “I’m sorry,” she said, dropping it back on the table.

  “Don’t be,” he said. He set her trunk on the floor and crossed to her. “Are you a believer?”

  “I am,” she said. “I was worried I might not marry a Christian man, but I guess God was watching out for me after all.”

  “Would you like to go to church with me on Sunday, then?” Jesse asked.

  “Yes, I would love that.”

  As they shared a smile, Kate began to feel that maybe everything would be alright after all.

  Chapter Eleven

  Kate woke early the next morning. Though it had been nice sleeping in a real bed, it still wasn’t a bed she was used to.

  She pulled a dress on and opened the bedroom door quietly but was surprised to see Jesse already awake and reading at the table. “I’m sorry. I thought I would be up before you,” she said, stepping into the kitchen area.

  “I’m always up early to read,” Jesse said with a smile. “I feel it’s my best time with the Lord.” He gestured at his mug. “I made some coffee; do you drink it?”

  Kate shook her head. “No, I’m afraid I never developed a taste. Do you have any tea?”

  “Fraid not, but as it’s Saturday, we can go into town and get some. The sheriff gave me a few days off to help you get situated.”

  “That would be wonderful, thank you. Have you eaten?” Kate asked, feeling like she should be doing something. “I could make breakfast.”

  “Breakfast would be nice,” Jesse said.

  After a few moments of fiddling with the stove, she managed to light the burner and set a skillet on to warm. In the icebox, she found eggs and bacon and added them to the skillet. Soon the sound of sizzling bacon filled the room. Kate found a bit of bread left and added it to the skillet to warm.

  When everything was ready, she loaded up two plates and brought one to Jesse and set the other down for herself. Before he picked up his fork, he closed his eyes and Kate followed suit.

  “Lord, thank you for this food you have provided for us. Help keep us safe and help us to keep our focus on you. Amen.”

  “Amen,” Kate echoed. She watched with bated breath while Jesse took a bite of his food, hoping it would meet his standard.

  His eyebrows arched up as he glanced up at her. “This is really good, Kate. Much better than the fare I was making myself.”

  “I wasn’t going to say anything,” Kate said with a smile, “but you could use some cooking lessons.”

  “I’m sorry you had to wake up to your first day in Sage Creek to my cooking. I’m glad you’re taking over that chore, as I might very well end up poisoning the both of us,” he said with a chuckle as he returned her smile.

  It was amazing how much it changed his face. The hard lines disappeared, and tiny crinkles appeared at the corner of his eyes. Kate wasn’t sure how, but she was determined to bring that smile around more often.

  * * *

  Jesse glanced at Kate as they pulled into town. While she wasn’t Pauline, she had a charm about her, and her cooking was definitely an improvement on his own.

  “I need to stop in and talk to Sheriff Johnson for a bit. Are you good to get the food items you need on your own?” Jesse asked as he pulled up in front of the general store.

  “I think I can manage,” Kate replied.

>   Jesse helped her down from the wagon and placed a few bills in her palm. “Get whatever you need, and I’ll be back in a minute to help you load it up.” Jesse watched her walk into the general store and then turned toward the sheriff’s office.

  “I see you couldn’t wait to replace Pauline,” James said as he stepped out of the saloon and into Jesse’s path. The smell of alcohol filled the surrounding air.

  “It’s not like that, James. Kate is the only person who knows what the man who killed Pauline looks like, and she needed a home. I had one. It’s as simple as that.”

  “You can tell yourself that all you want,” James said, poking a finger in Jesse’s chest, “but it looks like you’ve replaced her to everyone else.”

  “James, go home and sleep it off,” Jesse said, stepping out of the way. “We can talk more when you have a clearer head.”

  “This isn’t finished, Jesse Jennings,” James roared, but he lumbered the opposite direction, using the sides of the buildings to keep himself upright.

  Jesse sighed as he continued to the sheriff’s office. James was another problem he would have to deal with soon, but his most pressing concern was still Bill Easterly.

  The sheriff was seated at his desk, scanning papers.

  “Any word on Easterly, sheriff?” Jesse asked as he sat across from the sheriff.

  “He hasn’t returned to his house, but a few nearby towns have telegraphed they have seen him, so apparently he’s still in the area. Unfortunately, they are out of my jurisdiction, and we can’t just go mounting up without an invitation.”

  “So, are we still just waiting and hoping he shows up again?” Jesse tried to contain the frustration in his voice.