The Outlaw Bride Read online

  Strong like Miss Rachel. Jacob smiled. The boy was right. Rachel was a strong woman. She knew what she wanted and she went after it. They needed supplies, she had said, though from what he could tell they still had plenty. In a few more days they’d reach the fort, where they could replenish their stores, but she had insisted on riding to the trading post with the others. She never made an issue of it, but he understood what she was doing. She was protecting him. A trading post was less of a threat to a man who didn’t know who he was. A fort was bound by laws.

  But the post was isolated and there were Indians about. “Isn’t Brother Joshua worried about Indians? I heard one of the other men say that some of them are still pretty unhappy with our invasion of their land.”

  “Brother Joshua says the Lord will protect us. Me? I’m plenty scared of ’em.” Eli reached into his back pocket and pulled out a sling made from a piece of leather attached to a rope. “But I got me a weapon. I just put a rock in here, twirl it around, and let go. You got a gun?”

  “No, I don’t. But I’m thinking I might need one.”

  The sun was straight overhead now, beaming down like a hot hickory fire upon the travelers. They moved slowly across the arid plains, which had only shadeless shrub trees and a smattering of thick, tall grass. Jacob tugged the old felt hat Rachel had given him lower over his eyes and looked down at his hands. He wore leather gloves that spoke of use, but it was not the kind of rough, hard work a trained hand or a driver might subject his gloves to. His boots were scuffed and worn, although still in good shape. But a gun? He had no recollection of owning one. Had he lived an easier life than some of the men on this trip?

  Easier than Rachel’s?

  The wagon train had decided to travel slowly and eat on the move. Refilling their water kegs was becoming a concern, and the Green River was just ahead. Rachel had left biscuits and salt pork in a flour sack. Jacob shared the food with Eli, who sipped warm water from the keg to wash it down. The boy was so thin that he looked half starved.

  Jacob was beginning to worry about Rachel, until he heard her singing. In the open spaces her pure and angel-like voice reached him long before he saw the line of horses that announced the return of Brother Joshua and his party.

  The scout and Brother Joshua peeled off at the front of the train, leaving Jacob’s wife to find her way to the back.

  His wife? That was a thought he’d forced himself not to dwell on. They were married in the eyes of God, but until he knew who he was, it could be no more.

  Still, he was aware of her quiet beauty, her kindness, the brightness in her eyes, and her optimism. He couldn’t imagine what she must have been through with a husband who was sick. Jacob suspected he used that sickness to avoid work. A healthy man might go out west on his own or with his family, seeking a better future, but Jacob couldn’t understand a crippled man forcing a tiny woman to endure such risks and unknown hardships.

  As Rachel approached the wagon, her gaze caught Jacob’s, and for a moment he felt a connection. He knew she felt something, too.

  As if she’d revealed too much, she dropped her chin and slid off Eli’s horse. Her dusty travel dress caught for a moment on the stirrups and exposed trim, shapely legs that sent a spasm of desire up Jacob’s spine.

  Rachel removed her packages and carryall and handed Eli the reins, along with a packet of folded brown paper. “This is for you, Eli,” she said. “It’s rock candy, for a fine young boy, the kind I wanted to have.”

  The boy’s eyes lit up. “Candy? For me?” He glanced around, fearful that someone would take his prize, then crammed it into his pocket.

  “Thank’ee, ma’am,” he said, taking the horse’s reins from her and leading the animal down the train at a trot.

  “That was a nice thing you did, Rachel,” Jacob said.

  “He’s a nice boy. And I don’t think he gets much loving attention. His mother’s ill. And the father, well, I don’t think saving souls in Oregon is where he belongs. God must have easier work somewhere for a man like him.”

  Jacob climbed down, leaving the oxen to plod along behind the wagons in front. He placed Rachel’s packages in the back of the wagon. When he reached for the carryall, Rachel shook her head and scrambled up to the wagon seat, where she placed the carrying case beneath her feet.

  “You must be tired,” she said. “I’ll drive for awhile if you want to stretch your legs.”

  There was something odd about Rachel’s gesture. He stood for a minute, puzzled, as she gave the reins a snap and the wagon moved forward. “Rachel. What did you learn? Is there word about a missing man? What’s wrong?”

  “I’m sorry, Jacob. I wish—” She shook her head and finished. “Nothing’s wrong. The Green River is at least another day ahead. Once we cross it, we’ll head south. My land isn’t more than thirty miles downriver.”

  Part of him had hoped she’d learn something—anything—even if it was bad. But the other part was almost happy to keep going. “Your land is that close?”

  “Yes.” She hesitated for a minute and added, “Once I leave the wagon train, I’ll find myself a man who’ll work for room and board. I have no right to keep you with me. I know you need to find out who you really are, and I’ve held you up long enough. So if you need to leave, I’ll understand.”

  “I do need to know who I am, Rachel. I won’t rest until I do. But I can’t go off and leave you out here alone. Suppose you don’t find someone to help you? God would strike me dead if I did such a thing.”

  She let out a deep sigh of relief. “I know it’s selfish of me, but I thank you, Jacob Christopher, for worrying about me.”

  Jacob climbed back up to the seat. Rachel had already started to hum when he heard another sound, a low whimper, coming from beneath Rachel’s feet. “What’s that, wife?”

  “What? I don’t hear anything,” Rachel said playfully. She couldn’t help but smile. She wasn’t sure if it was from the excitement she felt about her surprise or because Jacob called her wife.

  He leaned down, lifting Rachel’s skirts, and peered beneath her feet. “Your carrying case appears to be moving.”

  “You didn’t think I’d bring Eli a treat and not bring one for you? You can stop looking at my legs, and see what’s in the case.”

  “Well, if you give me the choice, I might just prefer looking at your legs.”

  At that moment a black shiny nose poked out of Rachel’s carryall. The nose was followed by two sad black eyes, a pair of long ears, and a thin brown body. “A dog?”

  “I thought we—you needed a companion. And he needed a home.”

  Jacob picked up the scrawny half-grown puppy and felt him snuggle close to his chest. “Do you take in every stray that crosses your path?”

  “Just the ones who need help. He doesn’t look as bad as you did, but he sure comes close. When we make camp for the night I suppose I’ll have to cook for three now instead of two. What are you going to call him?”

  “I don’t know. I never had a dog before.” As the words came out, he knew they were true.

  Jacob closed Rachel’s carrying case, his efforts resulting in a crinkling sound. He started to reopen the strings. “I think I may have crumpled something.”

  “No!” Rachel grabbed the case and shoved it back beneath the seat. “I mean, it was just my list of supplies. It isn’t important now.”

  The sun was slipping over the mountains in the distance. Rachel glanced at the darkening horizon, hoping that the inky blur didn’t signify an approaching storm. She’d heard enough about what a storm meant out here. A shallow river could turn into a raging torrent.

  She was afraid that Brother Joshua’s God would send a rainstorm to punish her for her dishonesty about Jacob’s identity. He still could. She’d prayed that God would send her a man like Jacob, but now she’d committed a sin by lying to him.

  She could show him the paper. It would tell Jacob who he was and give him a name—Ben Callahan.

  But that paper could also
take him away.

  “So, report,” Perryman demanded, leaning back in his chair and puffing on his cigar.

  Jerome smiled. “They got Callahan in jail.”

  “I know that. The sheriff sent for me last night to make certain nothing was missing. What about the girl? She’s the one who can ruin my plans.”

  “She’s at the hotel with her ma and pa. They come in on the morning stage.”

  “Dan Miller is here, in Sharpsburg? Why wasn’t I told?”

  “I’m telling you now. I just got back from town. He made a deposit at the bank too. Seven thousand dollars. Reckon she was serious about paying for them cows and them mortgage payments too.”

  “He brought the money. Damn! They might not have believed the girl, but Dan Miller, that’s another story. And you haven’t found any trace of the other brother?”

  “Not a trace. There’s been talk that a missionary wagon train picked him up. I put the word out that there’s a reward for his return. Wouldn’t hurt to have a little help running young Ben down. We could still—”

  “Too late,” Perryman said. “It’s become much too public. All on account of that Josie Miller. I’m thinking she started it, maybe I’ll just let her finish it. Send somebody to watch her. I want to know every move she makes. Why don’t you put a little scare into her?”

  “How little?”

  “Did I say little? Let’s make sure she understands how serious I am.”

  Jerome smiled.

  Callahan paced the small room where he’d been locked, growing angrier with each minute. He’d never felt so helpless, even when he’d been in the Kansas prison. At least then he’d had nothing at stake. Now he had Ben, the ranch, and—Josie.

  He drew in a sharp breath. For most of last night he’d relived the day they’d spent together—at a time when he should have had Ben foremost in his mind. He remembered how she smelled, her touch on his bare skin, the way she’d responded to his kisses. His gut clenched at the way she’d let him love her, at her wild and free response. But all that was physical. That was all they shared, all they could share. She was the most aggravating, stubborn woman he’d ever encountered. Nothing he said made any difference to her.

  What she’d done last night to save his life was beyond justification. What gave her the right to promise those ranchers that she’d repay the money they’d lost? It was his problem. He and Ben were responsible, and he and Ben would find the answer. The truth was, he felt as if she’d taken off his trousers, and it was time he put them back on. If he could just get out of this room.

  A knock on the door shattered the silence.

  “I’d let you in, but the door appears to be locked,” he snapped.

  There was a smattering of smothered conversation. “Mr. Callahan, we’re Josie’s grandfathers. I’m Teddy Miller.”

  “And I’m Roylston Sinclair,” a more somber voice added. “We’d like a word with you.”

  “You can have several. But you’ll have to yell for me to hear you through this door.”

  More muted words. Then, “Josie seems to be smitten with you. How do you feel about her?”

  “That’s private!” he roared.

  “He’s in love,” Teddy Miller said confidently, then added, “She says you’re innocent of the charges.”

  “I am.”

  “If Josie says you’re innocent, that’s all we need,” Sinclair added. “Shall we break you out?”

  Teddy snorted. “And how are we going to do that, Sinclair? We don’t even have an ax. And if we had one I doubt either of us could chop down a door.”

  “You’re right, Miller. Mr. Callahan, perhaps we’d better find help.”

  Callahan groaned. It was clear that Josie had not learned her expertise from her adoptive grandparents. “Just send Josie over here. Tell her I want to see her—now!”

  “Oh, I don’t think we can,” Mr. Sinclair said. “I never thought she was anything like my wife, but in the middle of all this trouble, Josie’s shopping.”

  “Shopping? Josie? What’s she buying, cattle?”

  Teddy Miller let out a deep laugh. “Nope, she’s buying a ball gown, if they even have one in this one-horse town.”

  A ball gown? Perryman’s party. “When is the ball?”

  “I believe it’s tomorrow night,” Teddy answered.

  She’d told him she was going, but Callahan couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He was in jail, still charged with stealing the ranchers’ money, and his attorney, the woman he’d taken into his heart—then changed it to his bed—was going to a ball being hosted by the mastermind of the crime of which he was being accused. He didn’t know what she was going to do, but it had to involve the jewelry. And it had to be dangerous.

  And Callahan didn’t believe for one minute that she was taking him along.

  If Josie went through with her plan to repay the ranchers’ money and advance them funds for their mortgages, Perryman wouldn’t be able to foreclose on the ranchers. He stood to lose a lot of money. Worse, if she found any trace of the jewelry, he’d go to jail. Josie held all the cards. She could ruin Perryman.

  Callahan knew that Perryman would have to get rid of Josie.

  “Mr. Sinclair, Mr. Miller, I know I’m a stranger to you, but you have to listen to me. Josie could be in danger.”

  “Danger?” they both repeated at the same time.

  “Perryman will find a way to stop her from making good on the ranchers’ loans. You have to get me out of here.”

  “Maybe we’d better tell the sheriff,” Miller said.

  “Damn it, man, he can’t stop Perryman by himself. He’ll be outnumbered. There were at least five men in the gang that held us up.”

  “And there’s four of us, counting Teddy, Dan, the sheriff, and me,” Sinclair said confidently.

  Callahan could just imagine how much help the grandfathers would be. “Just get Dan Miller and Will Spencer over here!” Callahan shouted. “Get them all over here, including Josie.”

  The grandfathers agreed and left the stable.

  Callahan considered their options. He hoped Sheriff Spencer and Dan Miller could be convinced of the danger. Even so, the chances of two men taking Perryman weren’t good. He had to get out. If the sheriff wouldn’t release him, then the grandfathers would have to do it.

  An hour later, he was still wondering where the hell Josie was.

  Josie stared at the only dress left in the general store. “What am I going to do, Ellie? There isn’t a ball gown in the store.”

  Ellie studied the garments hanging on the rack. “You’re right. They’ll send you to the servants’ entrance. Unless …” She pulled a blue embroidered shawl from the shelf and held it against a blue and white striped walking dress which was several sizes too small for Josie. “I can take the bodice off, and I believe there’s enough material in this skirt to let the waist out. If I can find needles and thread and some ribbon, I think I can make it fit.”

  “I’m not sure even you can stretch that into a ball gown that will fit me. Why didn’t I bring more clothes?”

  Ellie grinned. “I think it’s because you had your mind somewhere else.”

  Her friend was right. She had barely thought of anything but Callahan since that first afternoon when she undressed him and treated his wounds. Even now she blushed, remembering the man—not just his body, though that was something to remember. “He is hard to forget,” she admitted.

  “A real scandal,” Ellie said. “Josie Miller’s fallen for an outlaw.”

  “What am I going to do, Ellie?”

  “About Callahan? Prove his innocence and marry him.”

  “About a dress, I mean,” Josie said. “Besides, Callahan isn’t interested in marriage.”

  Ellie laughed. “Don’t be too sure about that. I have an idea where we might find a dress. There’s a saloon at the edge of town. Maybe that’s the answer.”

  Josie frowned. “I want a dress, not a drink.”

  “Exactly. Let me
pay a little visit to the girls there. I’ll bet we can come up with something.”

  Josie turned around. “Fine, let’s go.”

  Ellie followed her outside. “Not you, Josie,” she said firmly. “You don’t belong in a place like that.”

  “Neither do they,” Josie said, “but they’re there.”

  Before Josie could argue, the grandfathers were bearing down on them like a runaway train.

  “Where are you going?” Grandfather Sinclair asked.

  “To the saloon,” Josie answered without slowing her pace.

  Trying to keep up, Papa Miller stumbled, dropped his cigar, then picked it up and stuck it in his pocket. “Callahan thinks you’re getting him out. He wants to see you. We’ve come to take you to him.”

  Josie was stunned by the announcement, but she was resolute. “Not now.”

  “But he thinks you’re in danger,” Teddy said.

  That stopped her. “Why?”

  The two old men came up beside Josie. Each held her arm while they caught their breath. Finally, Grandfather Sinclair spoke.

  “Callahan believes that Perryman will stop you from making good on your offer to pay the mortgage payments. He thinks you’re in danger. But don’t worry. We’ll protect you.”

  “Thank you,” Josie said, thinking furiously about Callahan’s wild idea. He could be right. Perryman knew she was in the bank with Callahan. He probably knew she’d helped him break out of jail, and he certainly knew that she’d announced their impending marriage and the formation of the cattleman’s association.

  At the same time, she reasoned, if something happened to her, Perryman had to know that he’d be in trouble. Dr. Annie and Dan wouldn’t stop until they got to the truth. And the truth was exactly where she was headed—at a fancy ball.

  “We’ve bought firearms,” Papa Miller added confidently.

  She managed not to laugh at that idea. “Tell Callahan I’m working on the problem. Right now, I’m going to visit some ladies of the night.”

  The saloon was almost empty. Two cowboys were leaning against the bar, talking to one of the women. When Ellie and Josie walked inside, the girl looked up, her eyes wide in surprise.