The Brides Of Tombstone 01 Mail Order Outlaw (19 page)

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Authors: Cynthia Woolf

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“I heard tell Judge Blackstone married you and Lizzie last night,” said Doc Reynolds. “After I got done patching you up”

“And a fine job you did, Doc. We were in a bit of a hurry and the judge obliged us. But we are getting married again in the church this morning. Lizzie’s mother and brother will be there and until this morning didn’t know that we’d gotten married already.”

Each of the men nodded.

“We’ll be there,” said Ben King. “Normally we just go to the hotel for breakfast on Saturdays. This will break up our boring routine.”

“There’s a party out at the Cobb ranch afterward, which I hope you’ll all come to.”

“Wouldn’t miss it, Malcolm. You can count on Ben, the Doc and me,” said John Peterson.

“Good. Good. Now I best be going before I’m late to my own wedding. My wife would kill me.”

All the men laughed.

Mal went outside, mounted Satan and cantered to the church on the other side of town.

Horses, buggies and wagons surrounded the little white building. Seems everyone in the area wanted to come see little Lizzie Cobb get married.

Mal walked to the front of the church, glancing and smiling at the people in the pews as he went, where Jamie stood with the reverend. As he approached, he fingered the ring he’d gotten from Lizzie that morning and put in his pocket. For the second time the thick gold band was going onto his beloved’s finger. He pictured her as she had been that morning, naked and dewy-eyed from lovin’ the night before.

“Jamie, here is the ring for your sister. Are you ready to be my best man?”

“Yes, sir, Mal.” He took the ring and put it in his pants’ pocket.

The organ began to play. The doors at the back opened, and Lizzie stood there with Atina, who would walk her daughter down the aisle and give her away.

Lizzie was resplendent in the canary yellow dress. It had a high collar, white buttons down the front, sleeves tight for about four inches above the wrist and then they were full and puffy. Mal had never seen her look prettier…with clothes on.

She and Atina walked slowly up the aisle until they reached Mal and Jamie.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” began Reverend Fox.

Mal reached over and took Lizzie’s hand. If it was something he wasn’t supposed to do, the reverend never said anything. He held her hand until he repeated his vows and then put the ring on her finger.

“Elizabeth Jane Cobb, do you take this man to be your lawful wedded husband…” the reverend said all the right words.

“I do.”

“Do you have a ring?”

“Yes sir.”

Atina handed Lizzie a silver ring with a light blue stone. Turquoise, it was called. The Indians had been using the stone in their jewelry for as long as anyone could remember.

Lizzie put the ring on Mal’s finger. It was just a little big, but would do for now. “With this ring, I thee wed,” she said the words while looking up at Mal.

Tears shimmered in her beautiful brown eyes, but she also had a smile on her face so he knew they were tears of joy.

“I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride,” the reverend said.

Mal didn’t waste any time. He wrapped his arms around Lizzie’s waist, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. Their lips met in a kiss to carry them through until night fell and they could make love again. Mal didn’t think he could wait that long. He wanted to take her to bed now. She was his. His wife. Forever. And no one could ever take that away.

He looked skyward. “Thank you, God,” then he added silently, “and thank you Malcolm Brandon. Without you, my dreams would never have come true.”

“What is it, Mal?” asked Lizzie.

“I was just thanking our benefactor for his sacrifice and for our happiness.”

“Yes.” She looked skyward. “Thank you.” Then she looked back at Mal. “Let’s go home.”

“We have a party to attend first.”

They turned together and walked down the aisle, out into the morning sun.

Lizzie, Atina and Jamie, arrived at the church in their two-seat buggy. This time Mal would take the reins, after tying Satan to the back. He rode with his family into his future, unable to wipe the wide smile from his face.

EPILOGUE

Eight years later.

Atina came out of the house, the screen door slamming behind her, carrying a platter full of glasses of iced tea.

“Don’t you find it hard to run both ranches while Jamie goes to school?”

“Mama, we’ve been doing it for almost nine years.” Lizzie took one of the glasses of iced tea and set it on the next to her. “A few years longer won’t matter. Besides, since you have Butch Patrick as your foreman, we don’t have much to do. The man is a god-send. Jamie will be able to study the sky and still be a rancher with Butch helping him.”

Lizzie sat in a rocking chair with her youngest child on her chest. She was rocking and patting the baby’s back trying to get her to burp. The three month old was the light of her papa’s eyes, being his first daughter. She had dark brown hair like her mother and her father’s green eyes. They’d named her Becky, after Mal’s mother.

Her two older brothers looked like their mother, too. Both had her dark hair and brown eyes. Roy, age eight, was named after his grandfather and was riding his horse around the yard. When he was a little older, his pony would be given to his little brother, Adam, age four, who played in the front garden, safely surrounded by the picket fence.

Mal walked up the garden path from the barn. He was still tall and lean, with a little gray in his dark brown hair.

Lizzie’s heart turned over every time he smiled at her. They were so lucky to have found each other.

He came over, gave her a kiss and then took Becky into his arms.

“How’s my Becky? How’s my baby girl?” he cooed to the baby. “Is she talking yet? Saying Dada”

“Of course she’s not,” laughed Lizzie. “She’s only three months old.”

“So? She’s very smart. I can tell. She’ll be talking soon, before either one of the boys did.”

“She is starting to teething, so watch out if you let her chew on your knuckle like you usually do, it could hurt.”

“Noted.”

“And ignored.” Lizzie rolled her eyes.

“Mama,” Mal asked Atina. “Are you glad you moved here with us while Jamie is in school?”

“I am glad to be of use. Being by myself in that house would have been lonely.” Atina took a sip of her tea.

“Well, I’m sure Mrs. Patrick and her six children were happy Butch found a job with a house.” Lizzie shook her head. “I can’t imagine how she managed to raise such a big family in the usual foreman’s little houses.”

“She’s a very resourceful woman.” Atina pointed at Lizzie. “You’re lucky she’s also a good cook and was willing to take on that position or I could not have come live with you.”

“We know we’re lucky.” Mal kissed his baby girl. “I’ve been lucky since the first day I met Lizzie.”

“As have I, my love,” agreed Lizzie. “As have I.”

THE END

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Cynthia Woolf
is the author of six historical western romance books and one short story with more books on the way. She was born in Denver, Colorado and raised in the mountains west of Golden. She spent her early years running wild around the mountain side with her friends.

Their closest neighbor was one quarter of a mile away, so her little brother was her playmate and her best friend. That fierce friendship lasted until his death in 2006.

Cynthia was and is an avid reader. Her mother was a librarian and brought new books home each week. This is where young Cynthia first got the storytelling bug. She wrote her first story at the age of ten. A romance about a little boy she liked at the time.

Cynthia loves writing and reading romance. Her first western romance Tame A Wild Heart, was inspired by the story her mother told her of meeting Cynthia’s father on a ranch in Creede, Colorado. Although Tame A Wild Heart takes place in Creede that is the only similarity between the stories. Her father was a cowboy not a bounty hunter and her mother was a nursemaid (called a nanny now) not the ranch owner.

Cynthia credits her wonderfully supportive husband Jim and the great friends she’s made at CRW for saving her sanity and allowing her to explore her creativity.

Connect with Cynthia Online

www.cynthiawoolf.com

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OTHER TITLES AVAILABLE

NELLIE

The Brides of San Francisco 1

ANNIE

The Brides of San Francisco 2

CORA

The Brides of San Francisco 3

JAKE