Page 207 of Conveniently Wed
She couldn’t take her eyes from him. Didn’t want to. Was she really about to marry this man? Her dreams finally coming true? Moisture threatened her eyes again. But when Gideon took her hands, everything faded away but him.
The pastor addressed them, but Leah couldn’t pull her focus to his words. And then Gideon began to speak in his rich baritone.
“I, Gideon Jacob Bryant, take thee, Leah Marie Townsend, to be my lawful wedded wife. To have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy ordinance, and thereto I plight thee my troth.”
His eyes held hers as he spoke, and the love there took her breath away.
As she made it through her part of the vows, a sense of peace and rightness overwhelmed her. Each promise to love, cherish, and obey this man settled deeper in her spirit, giving her strength.
“I now pronounce you man and wife. Gideon, you can kiss her now.”
Heat flooded Leah’s face before she found the nerve to meet her new husband’s grin. He brought his lips to hers in a sweet kiss, but the promise of passion was there. A hoot from Ol’ Mose ended the moment too soon.
Gideon slipped a hand around her waist and turned to their little party. “What say we celebrate? Lunch at Aunt Pearl’s for us all?”
Ol’ Mose only chuckled and slapped him on the back.
37
Leah snuggled deeper into Gideon’s side, relishing his warmth as the wagon wound up the mountain road. How different this trip was from the stony silence of their ride down to Butte. On this return trip, not only was Gideon speaking to her, but she was hiswife. She was Leah Bryant. Mrs. Gideon Bryant. Her dream had come true.
“When did Ol’ Mose say he would bring Miriam home?” She raised her face to catch her husband’s expression.
“Tomorrow before noon.”
Since they weren’t planning a wedding trip, Ol’ Mose and Gideon’s sister had conspired to give them time alone at the cabin. But the thought of the night ahead set off the butterflies in her middle. It would be nice to have Gideon all to herself, if only for a day. Better not let her mind drift too far into that topic.
“Did I tell you what the sheriff said when you were gone to get the wagon?”
Gideon shifted his weight to look at her. “No, I didn’t know you saw him.”
“He came by to tell us about the wire he received from Richmond.”
“Another one?”
“Yes. They found Simon hanging in his cell at the prison…dead.” Leah swallowed. As much as she’d feared the man, it was hard to think about anyone ending their life in such a way.
Gideon’s hand tightened on her knee. “Oh.” The word came out in a rasp. Was he angry? Or sad?
“Such a tragedy. The whole situation. I just keep thinking it could have turned out so differently.” Leah watched Gideon’s face, willing him to understand her words. His Adam’s apple bobbed. She kept going. “If he hadn’t been so selfish, none of this would have happened.”
They rode in silence for a long moment, then Gideon finally spoke. “You’re right about it being sad the way he ended. I can’t say I like anything I’ve heard about the man, but no one should get to the point he takes his own life.
“But Leah.” He turned so he could look her square in the eyes. His gaze was soft but fervent. “If he hadn’t threatened your life, you never would have left Richmond. You wouldn’t have made it to our ranch.”
Leah smiled at his wisdom, but she couldn’t help teasing. “So you think God gave Simon such an evil heart in order to bring us together?”
His mouth curved in acknowledgment. “I think God used the situation to bring you into my life, but he didn’t make Simon evil. If that man hadn’t threatened you, God would have brought us together in a different way.”
How had Gideon become so wise? Leah sent up another prayer of thanks for this husband the Lord had given her. And then she remembered the final part of her conversation with the sheriff.
“I also asked him to send a telegram to my father’s steward, letting him know my location and news of our marriage.”
Gideon nodded. “That’s good.”
“I asked him to keep running the business for now, but we’ll need to decide what to do with everything.”
Gideon’s chin lifted as he eyed her. “What do you mean?”
