Chapter Fifteen and Epilogue
Excerpt from Ch 14
"Let's get this over with." Nick forced himself to speak extremely low.
The fact that he was on edge did not help the reverend's imagination any. After all, the famous Stockton rancher was not acting like the average groom. "I'm ready when you are." Reverend Stacy smiled cordially. He nodded towards his wife.
Reverend Stacy looked at Nick and had him repeat the words that he would say during the actual ceremony. Once that was done, the reverend turned to Theresa.
"Repeat after me…" He proceeded with the vows he had every bride repeat.
Theresa hesitated a split second-swearing she heard a cough coming from the office. Though, before anyone could say anything to her, she took a deep breath and started reciting the words the reverend had just spoken. "I promise…."
Once she was through, the reverend looked at both Nick and Theresa. "Naturally, at this point I'll ask if there is anyone who has just cause to object to the marriage." He continued talking, not noticing the super quick glance Nick sent towards the slightly open office door. However, Theresa did notice. Though, before she could get a word out of her mouth, the front door to the church was opening up. Everyone who was in a position to see the front door found their jaws on the floor as Fred Madden entered the building holding the upper arm of a woman who could pass for Theresa's twin.
"Sorry for interrupting the rehearsal," Fred forced his prisoner forward. "Only I caught this woman trying to break into the back of the mercantile. If I hadn't seen all of you enter church earlier, I would have thought it was Theresa. I thought you might want me to bring her here first." He looked at Jarrod, not surprised when Jarrod simply nodded his head.
"I told you, I wasn't breaking in! All I was doing was turning the door handle. I had been told it would be open and to meet a friend of mine there!" The woman spoke loudly. "I've done nothing to warrant you dragging me anywhere!" She would have continued ranting and raving only Richard, Lynn and Jerusha- whose face was still hidden behind a veil- stepped out of the office, along with Marshall Frank Sawyer.
"We wouldn't say that." Lynn growled through his teeth. "That's Mary Ann." He looked at Jarrod as he pointed to Fred's prisoner.
"Don't know anything about any Mary Ann," Richard looked at Lynn and then at the woman the sheriff had forced into the building. "But you still owe me two hundred dollars, Elaine."
Theresa, who had recovered from the shock she'd received, spoke up and surprised everyone when she took a few steps towards Fred and the woman she'd never expected to see in Stockton…or anywhere else for that matter. "Mary Ann? Elaine? What are they talking about Lydia? And since when were you alive?"
"You know this woman?" Fred looked astonished – as did everyone else.
"She's Lydia Hamill…my second cousin. However," she continued staring at Lydia. "I was told she and her parents were killed shortly after my first husband and I were married. They …" she stiffened as a gasp escaped her lips. "They perished in a suspicious fire…one whose details were eerily close to the fire that my first husband perished in." She went on to tell how Lydia had been insanely jealous of Theresa and had tried to get Theresa's first husband to marry her instead. "After he told her quite sharply that she was nothing but fool's gold and trouble, she swore he and I would be sorry one day. You set the fire that killed him, didn't you?" Theresa took another step towards her second cousin. "Only you didn't just want him dead. I was supposed to be on that trip with him. You wanted us both dead. Isn't that the truth?"
Lydia glared at Theresa, but said nothing.
"Well, she's been a busy fire bee then." Lynn and Richard both spoke at once.
"Is she the reason for this rehearsal?" Theresa turned and looked at Nick, along with his brothers and the guests she had been unaware of.
"Yes." Nick admitted.
"You can thank me." Jerusha spoke up- an action that everyone noticed made Lydia pale greatly. Jerusha apologized and explained everything that she had already told Nick and Jarrod.
"Law thought the same as she did." Frank spoke up once Jerusha was done. "I came to talk to Nick about Theresa only," He looked at Fred's prisoner. "I guess it's her I need to be looking at arresting." The famous Marshall kept his eyes on the sheriff's prisoner. "I think there's a high chance she's been hoping her cousin would be blamed all along. Let's go to your office." He looked at Lynn and Richard. "I would appreciate it if you two would come along as well." No one argued as the men and Lydia-who remained silent-left the building.
"I'm sorry, ma'am." Jerusha again apologized. "I wish I had known about her from the beginning."
"No need to be sorry. It seems we're all very much indebted to you." Theresa, who was still dumbfounded at all she'd heard, turned her attention to Nick and gave him a feigned glare. "I can even understand why I was kept in the dark. Though, if it's okay with Victoria and the others, I want this wedding moved to the ranch. After all," she turned her attention back to Jerusha, "I would hope you would attend the wedding-without the veil." She went on to say how cruel 'those stupid laws' were.
"Fine with me." Victoria smiled as she walked over to Jerusha. "I would hope you would stay on the ranch for a few weeks as well. I'd like to get to know you better."
"We could show you more of the ranch than the line shack." Heath spoke up, not even attempting to keep the look of interest out of his eyes. It made everyone chuckle.
Jerusha, who felt a bit uncomfortable, fidgeted and then agreed-adding she'd think about attending the wedding in every day attire.
"Enough of this," Nick, who was now beaming from ear to ear, wrapped his arm around his bride to be, "If we're moving the wedding to the ranch, we need to hustle and get the word out."
"Leave that to me." Jarrod grinned as he headed for the front door…which was still open. "I have to be in town the rest of the day. I'll spread the word."
"Let's get home and get things ready." Victoria looked at Audra, who was still sitting on the pew.
"I'll take you back to the ranch." Heath smiled at Jerusha and held out his arm, something she took gladly.
Once they were alone, Nick turned to Theresa, "That cousin of yours may be fool's gold only you sure aren't." He then started walking towards the front door with Theresa. "Only I might as well confess everything before we get married." He started talking as he shut the church door behind him.
Epilogue
Nick paced the living room floor. Audra, his brothers and Jerusha-who wound up accepting the job as the Barkleys' housekeeper only to eventually become Heath's finance' sat in various spots throughout the room. It had been two years since Nick and Theresa wed, and now Victoria was upstairs with the doctor helping Theresa in the birth of her and Nick's first child.
"Wearing a hole in the carpet isn't going to get that baby here any sooner." Heath gave his brother a lopsided grin.
"Maybe not only I can't sit still either." He paused and then looked at Jerusha. "I'm still very grateful for the risk you took coming to Stockton. From what Fred told us after Lydia went crazy and they had to haul her off to Napa State…that woman planned on killing Theresa and I. Wouldn't surprise me if she meant to make it look like a murder/suicide thing. So, even though you were wrong about my wife, you still saved us. We owe you a lot."
"I was happy to be of service, and you owe me nothing." Jerusha turned her head slightly and smiled wide at her husband to be. "I've been paid, and will continue to be paid, for many years to come-I hope." That statement made everyone laugh…until the sound of a baby's cry filled every inch of the house. Nick shot up the stairs, passing his mother as he did so.
"It's…." Victoria started to say only to start laughing as Nick was already up the stairs and turning the corner. "It's a boy." She looked at her children and future daughter-in-law. "And, it sounds like he's inherited his father's lungs." Once again, the group started laughing, grateful for the additional member that had just been added to the family.