Dearly Beloved
Author's note: This story follows on from my previous fics Silencing the Part and A New Life, but it is not necessary to have read them for this one.
Sweetwater, Wyoming Territory
June 1884
James Hunter Morgan waited patiently for the locomotive to come to a stop before slipping from the barrel upon which he'd been waiting for the past half hour. Having picked up all the family's supplies from the general store there was little to do but wait for the train which, if today was a typical day, could be hours late to arrive. There was always the temptation of a little female company in the saloons just a few yards away, but his visit to town was for another purpose. Besides, his mother always knew whenever he frequented a saloon – she would get a certain look in her eyes as soon as she saw him, as if she knew every detail. It was unnerving for anyone, let alone a 22-year-old man, to have his mother know that.
Truth be told Jamie was not much interested in saloons. He preferred his family's ranch, being out in the paddocks with the horses and the peace and quiet. The noisy town with its many pleasant diversions were all right every now and then but he knew he was built for ranch life.
How his brother enjoyed living in St. Louis Jamie would never understand. Adam had been there for the past two years and seemed to thrive, although that probably had more to do with his medical studies than any wonders of city life. Jamie marveled at the great love his brother had for learning, when he himself could not wait to leave school so he could work alongside his father. Adam had chosen to go to college instead of joining the family business, something their parents seemed wholly unfazed about. They took great pride in his academic achievements, as if they always knew he was destined for a different life from that of their other children.
A great gust of steam blasted from the train as it finally creaked to a stop at the Sweetwater station, and immediately people stepped out onto the platform. Everyone disembarked, regardless if they were staying or not, relieved to have a moment to stretch their legs and escape the unrelenting sway of the locomotive. That was another thing Jamie didn't understand – choosing to take a train anywhere instead of riding. Nothing compared to actually experiencing one's surroundings on the back of a good horse.
Through the small crowd he spied a familiar dark hat in a city style that few men wore in Sweetwater. Jamie grinned as he pushed forward to meet his brother. Adam was dressed in a grey suit, no doubt sweltering in the heat of the confined train but looking every bit the young medical student.
"Hey, doc!" Jamie yelled above the noise of the passengers, and was greeted with a wan smile.
"It's still too soon to be calling me that, you know," Adam replied, tipping his hat back on his head to reveal sweat-soaked dark hair. "Not for another year."
"Close enough." Jamie shrugged as he pulled his brother into a tight hug. In fact he'd started using the nickname since Adam first announced he was going to become a doctor several years earlier.
"How you been, little brother? Don't they feed you in St Louis?" Jamie was always ribbing Adam about his slender build which was considerably smaller than his own. He was almost a foot shorter than Jamie, who was his elder by two years, and definitely favored their mother in coloring where Jamie was the image of their father.
"Can't all be Hercules like you," Adam said, pleased to see his brother again after such a long absence. His studies had prevented him from returning home at Christmas when he'd chosen to remain in St Louis to work in the hospital there. It had been almost a year since he'd seen his family. He was closest to Jamie in many ways so Adam was especially glad it was he who had come to town to meet the train.
"Let's get your trunk, you know Ma's gonna be wearin' a hole in the porch waitin' for ya."
"In a minute, first I want to introduce you," Adam said with mounting excitement in his voice. He turned around and stood on his toes to peer through the crowd, then waved to a young man.
The other man made his way over to Adam and Jamie, hampered by the cases he was carrying in each hand. One was a medical bag and the other appeared to be a picnic hamper, which explained his rotund waist and reddened face, thought Jamie. It wasn't until the man set the bags down with a puff of his round cheeks that Jamie saw the young woman who accompanied him.
"Jamie, this is my friend from medical school, Rudy Betts. And this is his sister, Elizabeth… Beth," said Adam. "My brother, Jamie."
"James," he corrected as he shook Rudy's hand but was looking over his shoulder at Beth.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, James," she replied with a smile, shaking his hand.
Jamie grinned, appreciating her blond hair and blue eyes. He looked questioningly at his brother.
"I've been telling Rudy and Beth so much about Sweetwater that they decided to come and see it for themselves," Adam explained.
"Well, the more the merrier." Jamie again addressed Beth rather than her portly brother. "Any friends of Adam's are welcome at the Morgan ranch."
"Oh, we couldn't impose," said Beth quickly, glancing at Adam. "We'll be quite all right at the hotel, won't we, Rudy?"
"Anywhere is fine with me, as long as it's out of this sun," her brother grumbled in response, obviously uncomfortable in his three piece suit.
"We'll get you settled in at the hotel so you can freshen up, then we'll collect you later and bring you to the ranch for supper," Adam said.
A hint of color appeared on Beth's cheeks. "Tomorrow is fine, there's no rush."
"Tonight is better," Adam countered with a smile.
Jamie watched the exchange with interest. He had never known Adam to have any female friends... let alone a pretty female friend who would come all the way to Sweetwater to visit his home. As a child Adam was always too busy studying to have many friends, save his brother and sister.
"Tonight then," said Rudy, determined to make the decision so they could make their way out of the sun.
After they collected their cases Adam and Jamie took the visitors to the closest hotel. Jamie helped Rudy with their trunks and had to wait while Adam and Beth spoke quietly in the corner, no doubt finalizing the plans for their collection later that afternoon. She and Adam shared a smile before Beth nodded a hurried farewell. She and Rudy disappeared up the stairs.
Jamie was leaning against the wagon as Adam emerged from the hotel, placing his hat back on his head.
"What?" the younger man said in response to the grin on Jamie's face.
"Care to explain what's goin' on, doc?"
Adam took his seat on the wagon. "Can't a man have friends come visit sometimes?"
"Sure he can. Seems to me he could have telegraphed ahead to let his family know so's we could make room for 'em at home."
Adam was silent for a few moments. "Beth didn't it think it proper until Ma and Pa had met her. And Rudy," he added hastily.
"Uh huh," said Jamie, looking slyly at his brother who was avoiding his gaze.
"We wanted to do things properly." Adam's cheeks burned, and it had nothing to do with the hot sun. "Because I've asked Beth to marry me."
Jamie laughed as he congratulated him, clapping him on the back. "Oh, you're in for it now," he chuckled.
"What's wrong with getting married?"
"Oh, nothin' at all. But you're gonna have to tell Ma you went and got engaged without her knowin'."
Adam laughed, unsure what he was talking about, but then remembered that their mother hated being the last to know anything when it came to her children. Jamie grinned as he saw a hint of fear enter his brother's eyes.
"Welcome home, doc."
