Hidden in a Whisper (45 page)

Jeffery couldn't contain his smile. “I see.”

“So unless you want to be in very big trouble with me—and with Simone,” Rachel stated flatly, “you'll do as I asked.”

Just then the back door opened and Simone stared openmouthed at the trio. “What's going on?”

Jeffery pushed his way past Rachel and Braeden and opened the screen door. Taking Simone in hand he said, “I'll tell you later.”

“But—” Simone protested as Jeffery pulled her inside and promptly closed the door behind them.

Rachel looked up at Braeden and met his amused expression.

“Now, before any more interruptions come …” Inside the house Simone let out a shriek, causing them both to laugh out loud.

“Well, now you have to say yes,” Braeden teased, pulling Rachel back into his arms. “No doubt Mrs. O'Donnell is already making plans.”

She carefully tried to avoid hurting his arm and maneuvered to wrap her arms around Braeden's neck. “So you were going to ask me something for the third time.”

He grinned. “Okay, but this is it.”

She nodded. “Absolutely.”

“Marry me, Rachel. Promise to love me forever, as I will love you.”

She sighed and answered in a whisper, “I will marry you, Braeden Parker, and I will love you forever, with all my heart.”

He lowered his mouth to hers, touching her lips gently. She felt his hands in her hair and thought that nothing had ever felt so right or so good. Melting against him, reveling in the very strength he emitted, Rachel felt as though she had finally come home. The passion she had buried within her for six long years surfaced in that kiss. She wanted nothing more in life than to marry Braeden Parker and be his wife. And she wanted it very soon because she had already wasted a good portion of her life running from the love she felt.

Pulling away, Braeden looked at her very seriously. “Can we get married soon? Like maybe even tomorrow?”

Rachel shook her head. “No, Mr. Parker. I will not marry you tomorrow.” She laughed at the stunned look on his face. “Unless, of course, Pastor Johnson can't do the job today.”

Braeden grinned from ear to ear. “You're supposed to be off of that ankle, but I'll hit the road and find Johnson, wherever he may be. And whether he has the time or not—I guarantee you, he'll marry us.”

Rachel watched him jump over the side of the steps and hurry off in the direction of town. Smiling to herself she looked heavenward. “Thank you,” she whispered. “Thank you for making my dreams come true, even in the wake of such devastation.”

Opening the door, Rachel hobbled inside to find Jeffery and Simone waiting rather impatiently.

“So what happened?” Simone asked, looking behind Rachel. “Where's Braeden?”

“I sent him away.”

“You what?!” Jeffery and Simone questioned at once.

Rachel laughed. “You two are worse than a couple of mother hens. I sent him off to get the preacher. We're going to have a wedding.”

“Now?” Simone questioned. “Here?”

“Well, seeing how the church burned down, and how I have no desire to get married at the saloon or the depot, or even Doc's house, I figured this would be the best place.”

Simone instantly flew into action. “Well, come on, then. We have to get you ready. You'll need a dress and we have to fix your hair.”

Rachel laughed and let Simone lead her away.

  
EPILOGUE
  

TWO HOURS AFTER their impromptu wedding beside Morita Falls, Rachel and Braeden found themselves in a private railroad car, courtesy of Fred Harvey.

“It seems the least I can do after all you've done for us, Miss Taylor—Mrs. Parker,” Fred Harvey said as the conductor called the final “all aboard.”

Rachel threw a small bouquet of wild flowers from the platform and laughed with joy as Gwen Carson, seated on the back of a twowheeled cart, caught them.

The train gave a lurch forward and then another. The jerky movement caused Rachel to grab hold of the railing as Braeden took a possessive hold of her waist. They waved good-bye as the train pulled out of the station and headed north toward Lamy.

Rachel couldn't help but notice the blackened destruction of the town as they passed by. In the background she could barely make out the charred remains of Casa Grande. Shaking her head, she turned away from it and let Braeden draw her into their home on the rails.

“I'd say we made out pretty well, Mrs. Parker,” Braeden declared, motioning to the room.

“It was kind of Mr. Harvey to offer us this car,” she said, suddenly feeling very shy. It was the first time they had been alone, truly alone.

Sensing her change of mood, Braeden drew her into his arms. “You look absolutely terrified, Mrs. Parker. Our future isn't that bleak. We may be temporarily unemployed and without a home or wardrobe, but it could be much worse.”

She shook her head. “Yes,” she whispered, reaching her hand up to his face. “I could have lost you in the fire.”

“Or I could have lost you to Worthington.”

She laughed. “No. There was never a real chance of that. Once he had me, he didn't seem to know what he wanted to do with me anyway. He never even touched me.”

Something akin to relief seemed to wash over Braeden's expression. “I'm so glad. I would have hated for him to have hurt you.” He put his hand over hers and pressed both to his cheek.

The uneven rocking of the tracks seemed to ease with a rhythmic flow as the train moved up to full speed. Rachel reached up to pull Braeden's face closer to her own.

“He only inconvenienced me,” Rachel said seriously. “But losing you would have devastated me.”

“You'll never lose me, Rachel,” Braeden said before his lips caressed her mouth.

The future held many questions for them, but their love was the one thing that Rachel knew she could count on. Never again would whispered lies come between them. She would turn to truth and trust, and she would count on God's direction for their happiness. A longawaited and hoped-for happiness that had come like an unexpected gift.

As Braeden lifted her in his arms, Rachel buried her face against his neck and sighed contentedly. She remembered a verse in the Bible about perfect love casting out fear and thought it very true. God had given her a perfect love through His Son, a love so sure and so complete that her spirit could never want for more. And then God blessed her with a perfect love in the form of a man named Braeden Parker.