Ria instructed Jarrod to pull up at the hotel when they reached the small town. There wasn't much activity that early in the morning and the only person to be seen on the town's main street was a woman sweeping off the steps in front of the hotel.
"Ria!" she called cheerily. "What are you doing in town so early?"
Jarrod helped Ria out of the wagon as the dark haired woman approached, eyeing him skeptically.
"Good morning, Sally," Ria greeted in return. She didn't miss the older woman's appraisal of her companion and knew what her friend was thinking. Many times since she found out about Ria's condition, Sally had berated the perfidy of men and just as many times Ria had to remind her that she was just as responsible as the baby's father for her predicament.
"Sally," Ria said, confirming to her friend this was the man she thought he was, "this is Jarrod Barkley. Jarrod, this is my good friend Sally Parker. She owns the hotel and restaurant here in town."
"Pleased to make your acquaintance, Miss Parker," Jarrod said with a tip of his hat and a charming smile.
"Hmph." Sally crossed her arms and continued to regard Jarrod frostily. "I certainly hope you've come here to do right by Ria, Mr. Barkley," she stated brusquely.
Ria smiled at her friend's forthright manner as Jarrod pledged, "Rest assured, Miss Parker, I plan to marry her as soon as we find the reverend."
Sally's rigid stance relaxed and her expression softened when she saw Jarrod take Ria's hand and kiss it. "Well, better late than never, I suppose." She leaned her broom against the wall and glanced down at herself. "Oh, heavens!" she exclaimed. "I'm simply not dressed to attend a wedding. I'll just run in and find my hat and take off this apron and I'll meet you at Rev. Shaunessy's. Don't start without me!" she called over her shoulder as she disappeared inside the front door of the hotel.
Jarrod chuckled. "For a moment there, I thought she might take that broom to me. Do you think she'll come back with a shotgun?"
Ria joined him with a laugh of her own. "Why, do you think she needs one?" she teased Jarrod, putting her hand on his arm. "Maybe we should head to the reverend's, just in case. He lives at the end of the street."
Jarrod and Ria walked slowly down the sidewalk until they reached the small whitewashed house situated beside an equally small church. Jarrod opened the gate in the tidy picket fence and ushered Ria through.
Ria took a deep breath before knocking and glanced up at Jarrod. He smiled at her, but Ria could see a hint of unease in his eyes. "Are you sure you want to do this?" she asked, giving him one last chance at retaining his freedom.
"Ria, we need to do this," was the response she expected and received, and Ria mustered her resolve and rapped on the door.
A petite red-haired woman answered the door a moment later. "Ria, child, how lovely to see you. Come in, come in."
"Thank you, Mrs. Shaunessy." Ria and Jarrod entered the house, closing the door behind them. "Is your husband home?"
"Aye, he's just out in the garden," the reverend's wife answered and looked knowingly from Ria to Jarrod and back again. "I take it you'll be needing his services?"
"Yes, ma'am," Jarrod replied, "if we're not intruding."
Mrs. Shaunessey gave him a warm smile. "Not at all. You just make yourselves comfortable in the parlour," she gestured to the comfortable-looking room to the right of the door, "and my husband will be straight in from cleaning up." She started to the back of the house, before turning back. "You've let Sally know, have you, Ria? I don't want to have her wrath fall on me if she misses your wedding."
"She's on her way," Ria confirmed and Mrs. Shaunessey went to find her husband.
Ria sat on the sofa and Jarrod wandered around the room, looking at but not really seeing the framed pictures and samplers on the walls. He hoped he could be a good husband to Ria and that they'd be happy even if they didn't love each other. Jarrod thought back to a day over a year ago when he stood in the Denver courthouse and pledged his love and fidelity to Beth, 'until death do us part', never realizing how soon that would be. Now here he was again, about to be married to a woman he'd known only briefly, but bound this time by necessity instead of love.
The door opened, pulling Jarrod out of his reverie, and Sally rushed in, apron removed and the promised hat perched jauntily atop her brown curls. "Oh, good, I'm not too late!" she exclaimed as Mrs. Shaunessey returned with her husband in tow.
"Ah, Ria, lass, I understand congratulations be in order," the reverend said, giving Ria a kiss on the cheek and extending a hand to Jarrod. "Rev. Michael Shaunessey."
Jarrod shook the proffered hand. "Jarrod Barkley, Reverend. I hope we haven't come at an awkward time."
"No apologies, lad. For doesn't the Good Book say, *'To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven'?" He bestowed a gentle smile on Jarrod and Ria. "Now, since 'tis past time for the two of you to be wed, is there anything you'd like to say before I start?"
Ria and Jarrod both shook their heads and Rev. Shaunessey performed the simple ceremony witnessed by his wife and Sally. Jarrod gave Ria a brief kiss when they were pronounced 'man and wife' and Sally wiped a tear off her cheek.
"That was lovely," she sniffed and Ria smiled at her friend's theatrics. "Now you simply must come over to the hotel. It doesn't exactly have a honeymoon suite, but-"
Ria cut her off. "Sally, we can't stay. Jarrod needs to get back and the nearest train to Stockton is still a few hours away."
Sally opened her mouth to argue, but Ria shook her head. "It's for the best, Sally. I promise I'll keep in touch." She pulled a key out of her pocket and handed it to the other woman. "And I need you to look after the house until I decide if I should sell it."
Sally sighed. "You've been a good friend all these years, Ria, but you're right, it is for the best." She turned a stern glare on Jarrod. "Now, Mr. Barkley, you'd better treat this girl right or you'll be answering to me and all the other good people of this town, is that understood?"
"Explicitly," Jarrod replied with a chuckle. "I promise she'll be cared for as befits the special lady she is."
Jarrod paid the reverend for his services and Mrs. Shaunessey embraced Ria.
"You be taking care of yourself and the wee one," she admonished, "and don't forget to write."
Ria nodded, unable to speak past the lump in her throat as they took their leave. Sally accompanied them back to the wagon and gave Ria a farewell hug of her own.
"Safe journey, Ria. Don't be a stranger."
.
Jarrod and Ria arrived at the depot with about fifteen minutes until the train arrived. Making sure his new wife was settled on a bench, Jarrod proceeded inside to purchase the tickets and see if he could arrange with the stationmaster to sell Ria's wagon and team at her suggestion.
The smoke from the engine was already visible when he returned to find Ria's complexion very pale, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. Jarrod quickly sat beside her, concerned.
"What is it, Ria? Are you all right? Is it the baby?"
Ria managed a tight smile. "I'm fine, Jarrod. It's nothing, really." She stared at her trembling hands and Jarrod was worried she was going to be sick, or faint, or both. He put his arm around her shoulders.
"Ria, tell me. I don't know if there's a doctor nearby, but I can go ask."
Ria shook her head. "I don't need a doctor. It's just…" She paused and Jarrod gave her a reassuring squeeze. "You'll laugh," she finished quietly.
Jarrod cupped her chin in his hand and turned her head so she would meet his eyes. "I promise I won't laugh," he assured her, wondering what the trouble was. "Tell me."
"I've never been on a train before."
"Ria, I can barely hear you." Her words were so quiet, Jarrod was positive he hadn't heard right. "I thought you said you've never been on a train."
Ria shook her head and her trembling grew worse as the sound of the engine reached their ears. "When I said I've lived my whole life in Carter's Crossing, I meant I've never left." Her eyes were bright with anxiety. "I know it's silly, people ride on trains all the time, but…"
Jarrod held her close and felt her tense as the engine came to a stop and let off a deafening whoosh of steam. Being too loud for her to hear any words of reassurance, he just pressed his lips to her temple and rubbed her back, hoping that would give her some comfort. Train travel was a part of his life that Jarrod took for granted and he felt a pang of regret at the circumstances that forced him to tear this sweet woman away from everything she'd ever known.
"It'll be all right," he said, helping her to her feet as the conductor approached them. He showed the man their tickets and the stationmaster came over to help with Ria's trunks. Jarrod kept a supportive arm around her waist as he helped Ria into the carriage and settled her in a seat.
He took her hand in his and held it, trying to reduce her anxiety. "Why didn't you say anything?"
Ria shook her head and smiled wanly. "I was embarrassed, I guess. I didn't think I'd be this nervous." She jumped as the train lurched and tried not to look out the window as it picked up speed. "Talk to me, Jarrod. Maybe if I don't think about it, I'll relax. Why don't you tell me about your family?"
Jarrod saw the wisdom in that and considered where to begin. "Well, I have three brothers and a sister, but you may not get a chance to meet my youngest brother, Eugene, for quite a while. He went overseas to study medicine and ended up married to a lovely English girl. They live in London where he's a physician at London University Hospital. But my other brothers, Nick and Heath, are in charge of our ranch." He paused, wondering how much of Heath's background to get into, considering the circumstance he and Ria were currently in. Feeling a bit like a coward for not wanting to talk about it, Jarrod decided to stick to the present for now.
"Heath's the quiet one. He's got a real knack with horses and I recommend you never play poker with him unless you feel the need to lighten your purse."
Ria laughed at that and Jarrod was pleased to see her relaxing. "I don't think that will be a problem," she reassured him.
Jarrod continued. "And then there's Nick. Loud, impatient, impulsive, but don't let his brash demeanor fool you. He's got the biggest, softest heart of anyone I've ever met and I think we'll be hard pressed to keep him from spoiling his niece or nephew rotten." He saw Ria relax further and even sneak a glance out the window. "My sister Audra's the youngest, she turned twenty-two right about the time we met. She's a bit of a social butterfly, but very dedicated to helping those less fortunate. If it's something you want to do, she'd be thrilled to have you help out at the orphanage."
"And your mother?" Ria wanted to know. Jarrod saw the nervous look return and knew this time it wasn't because of the train. "Do you think she'll be upset because of…" Ria trailed off, glancing down at her big belly.
"She'll adore you, Ria," Jarrod said with certainty. "My mother's not the sort to judge someone by a single indiscretion. Now, me, on the other hand…" He shook his head ruefully. "If I'm lucky I'll get off with just a lecture. If I'm not, she'll get out her wooden spoon." His attempt at humour wasn't lost on Ria and she couldn't help a giggle. Jarrod was happy Ria seemed more relaxed and was just thankful his mother hadn't resorted to the wooden spoon in years, even though he was sure she'd be sorely tempted this time.
The trip was uneventful and by the end Ria started to enjoy watching the countryside speed past. So much had happened in such a short time, her head was still reeling. She had always strove to make the best of whatever life threw at her, but she did wish this time it hadn't thrown so much her way all at once.
Ria glanced over at the man who was now her husband. She had already known a wonderful marriage to John, and even though this marriage was not one born of love, Ria realized it wouldn't be hard for her to come to love Jarrod Barkley. She had no expectation that he would love her as well, but Jarrod had been so kind, so understanding, she just prayed he wouldn't come to resent her presence in his life.
The train arrived in Stockton a little before dinnertime. Ria stared wide-eyed at the bustle of the growing town and held Jarrod's arm tightly, having never seen so many people at one time before. She thought reading about cities like London and New York would prepare her for a place like Stockton, but Ria was coming to understand reading and reality were two separate things. She was glad when Jarrod hired a buckboard and they headed out of town toward the ranch that was to become her new home.
.
*Ecclesiastes 3:1
