Page 21 of The Marshal's Bride
“Does it involve me? Or Hope?”
Sam hesitated at how much he should tell her, but he didn’t want to start off on a lie. “I don’t know yet. If we can get married this morning, we’ll go see the banker right afterwards. I’ll need to go get some work done and you need to get back to Hope. Is it too much to ask you to consider dinner tonight?”
She placed her fingers delicately on his arm. “You.We. This is happening very quickly. Can we stop at June’s to get Hope on our way to the church? I’m always happy to feed you dinner, but I should warn you it’s ham and bean soup.”
He held the front door for her, thinking she was going to find that several people would be waiting at the livery by the time they arrived. Whitney was predictable like that.
“I love ham and bean soup. Will there be cookies?”
The trill of her laughter was music to his ears as they crossed Main Street arm in arm.
“There are always cookies, but I think I’ll make snickerdoodles tonight.”
“You are the best thing that has ever happened to me. I was serious, Justine. I might be bad at this husband thing, but I’m going to do my best to make you happy. I want to make you feel safe and loved.”
The memories of his father’s temper washed over him. Pa hadn’t hit his mother, but the shouting was something that if Sam closed his eyes, he could still vividly remember the fear and embarrassment. His mother would wave it off as she tucked Sam in, trying to explain his father’s sins away.
“Maybe I was a bad wife? My mother-in-law fully believes that I should have saved Jacob instead of tending to Hope. That I could make more babies, instead of letting death steal her child away. Do you know what’s different about you?” He shook his head and slowed his steps. Sam knew that what they were talking about was more important than Whitney Hartman’s schedule. “We talk to each other. I’ve watched you listen to me talk. You listen and you ask questions. We seek each other’s counsel.” Justine stopped, tugging his arm sharply. “We’ve been more connected since that very first day on the stagecoach than Jacob and I ever were. I thought he and I had been when we got married, but once I was in Grand Platte things started to change. He didn’t want to hear my thoughts. We stopped praying together. He attended services with me only to point out the flaws of the sermons all the way home. I’d rather be scared and trying with you, than live that life again.”
Sam pulled her into his arms and hugged her tight, pressing a gentle kiss on the top of her head before turning her back toward the livery.
“Let’s go get married; we most certainly have enough witnesses now.”
The announcement of their engagement was met with applause as their friends waited for them. This was exactly where he wanted to be, and he was thankful for the friends that had surrounded them. June rushed forward with a blanket in her arms.
“You gentleman go on over to the church with the children. Hannah and I need fifteen minutes to help Justine get ready.”
“That would be very kind of you.” He gave his bride a squeeze and then knelt. “C’mon Hope, let’s go be a family!” Sam wasn’t disappointed when the little girl raced toward him, quacking the whole way. “Now we have to teach you to say Mama, then you can make her cry too.” He tapped the tip of her nose and scooped her up off the ground as he stood.
Whitney, Hiram, and Ranger patted him on the back, each taking a hold of one of the children. This was the sense of community he’d longed for when he was out on the trails. It was why he’d been looking for a town and somewhere to set down roots.
Flat River was a place to call home, but Justine and Hope would be the roots that kept him here. Even if Hope never said another word but quack, his heart would still be full. He was home with the woman and child who completed him.
They just had to deal with Mrs. McGuthry and whoever she had hired.
Chapter Eight
Justine stood in the parsonage with her cousin. Sam was in the sanctuary with everyone else and Hope. The Reverend looked at her with concern in his eyes. His tone was cautious, but it held no condemnation.
“Dearest cousin, are you sure?” He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. “You are still in mourning, Justine. I won’t allow anyone to force you to do something you do not want to do, regardless of their position in this town.”
“I’m certain,” she said.Of course, she wasn’t certain at all.
There were things she was certain about and she had gone over them in her head.
“Sam is a good man. You say Marmee made the match?”
Justine nodded. “She was the one who suggested it. I know I’ve only known Sam for a little while, but there are several reasons we aren’t waiting.”
“How do you feel when you think of him?”
She took a little step back. That wasn’t a question she was expecting.How did she feel?
Justine bit her bottom lip. This wasn’t at all what she had planned for today. She just wanted to get on with the wedding, not analyze her feelings with her cousin –the reverend, no less!
A small part of her was concerned with what people would say about her not adhering to the proper mourning period. But, at the same time, would Marmee have suggested this, if it were inappropriate?
She had known Sam Davis for three months. He’d been her champion since that first day in Grand Platte. Anger still burned in her gut that Marjorie had made her accusations against Justine public, but it had been for naught. The letter only brought all her fears back to the forefront of her mind. Marrying Sam would allow her to move forward with her goals, while also bringing Hope an extra layer of protection.
