Page 369 of Conveniently Wed
Convinced Ashton had completely lost his mind, Garrett changed the subject. “Why do you think there’s gold in the creek?”
“I met an old miner before I moved here who talked about striking gold north of Pendleton. He showed me some of the nuggets he found and made a crude map before he met a most unfortunate demise. His landmarks drew me to the creek that runs through the Erickson farm and Nash’s Folly.”
Garrett let out a derisive laugh and shook his head. “Just so you know, Ashton, that gold you were willing to murder for isn’t real. Ever hear of pyrite?”
Ashton hung his head as Kade led him down the drive to the waiting horses.
“Pyrite?” Aundy asked, watching the men mount the horses. Kade threw Ashton across the back of his horse on his belly then tied him on. It would be a rough ride to town, especially with the wound to his thigh.
“Fool’s gold. Looks like the real thing, but isn’t,” Garrett said. The description suited Ashton particularly well.
“That seems quite fitting,” Aundy said, shaking her head.
“That it does.”
She watched the other men ride away. “Do you suppose we’ll ever know what devious enterprises and activities Ashton’s undertaken?”
“Probably not. We’re most likely better off not knowing. I’m just glad this is over and you’re safe.” Garrett walked toward his horse with an arm around Aundy’s shoulders. “I think I’d better see you home.”
“I think that’s a very good idea.” She stretched up to kiss Garrett’s cheek. “I’m anxious to get back to Nik. I’m really worried about him.”
“I am, too, but I have a feeling he’s going to be fine.” Garrett mounted Jester and held out a hand to help Aundy swing up behind him. “We’ve got a lot to discuss.”
“We do?”
“Yep. We sure do, like what you’d think of sending Nik to school this fall and hiring someone else to watch the sheep. And of course, we need to talk about how soon you’ll marry me and where you want the wedding and who all you plan to invite.” Garrett turned to grin at Aundy. She stared at him, dumbfounded. “You will marry me, won’t you?”
“Yes,” Aundy whispered, wrapping her arms tightly around Garrett’s waist and squeezing. “Oh, yes, Garrett.”
19
“Ready, honey?” Nora asked as she poked her head around the door and smiled at Aundy.
“More than ready.” Aundy gave one last glance in the mirror before lifting her veil to cover her face.
As she ventured out of the bedroom, Aundy grinned at her soon-to-be mother by marriage and strolled to the front door of Nora’s house.
Dent waited to walk the bride down the aisle and gave Aundy an approving smile as she approached him.
“You’re just beautiful, Missy.” Dent kissed her cheek through the thin material of the veil.
“Thank you, Dent.” Aundy noticed his suit and tie. “You clean up well.”
Dent laughed and glanced down at his “fancy duds,” looking uncomfortable in them as he escorted Aundy outside. “Maybe, but I’ll be glad enough when this shindig is over to get back into my regular clothes. I can’t believe you invited that old goat Marvin Tooley to your wedding. I also can’t believe he came and actually looks and smells like he took a bath.”
Aundy was glad the man accepted her invitation. She thought part of Marvin Tooley’s problem was that he had no one to careabout him. She’d taken him muffins one morning and invited him to their wedding. He still grumbled at her, but not nearly as vehemently as he had in the past.
“Everyone deserves to have a friend,” Aundy said, grinning at her foreman. “Even that old goat.”
“If you say so,” Dent chuckled. “At least he won’t make the flowers wilt with his stench.”
Since it was late spring and Nora’s yard was full of beautiful flowers bursting with vibrant blooms, Aundy and Garrett decided to hold their wedding at Nash’s Folly.
Although they both would have preferred a small ceremony, as Aundy peeked around the corner of the house, it looked like half of Umatilla County was there to watch them exchange vows.
The only dark spot in Aundy’s day was the fact that her sister had not been able to come. As soon as she and Garrett set a date for the wedding, Aundy sent Ilsa a telegram. She was thoroughly disappointed when the girl replied, saying their aunt wouldn’t let her leave so close to the debut of her summer line of fashions.
Since there was nothing she could do beyond going to Chicago and stealing her sister away, Aundy resigned herself to not having any of her family at the wedding.
