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Chapter 7
"You sure about this?"
Vin stopped his horse in front of the church. There had been no sign of Eli Joe or any of his men coming from any direction. He had figured he'd head to the church and see what Josiah needed done. He hadn't expected the big man to question him.
"What's there to be sure about?" Vin asked. "Lucy needs protectin'. Ain't any better option."
Josiah didn't say anything. Vin met his gaze evenly. "She needs a place to stay away from town. She needs to be married so Eli Joe can't claim her as his." He didn't know a lot about the laws, but he knew a wife was property of her husband.
Josiah nodded then. "Chris is a good man. He'll take good care of her."
Vin didn't argue. There was no one he would trust more to protect his sister than his friend. That Chris had no interest in marriage was just an added protection for Lucy as far as Vin was concerned.
"Go see to your horse," Josiah suggested. "We've got things under control here."
Vin nodded his thanks and nudged his horse into an easy trot. When he had started his day at the livery, saddling Peso and Sparrow for a ride with Lucy, he had just wanted to find a way to make things easier. He hadn't had any idea he'd be marrying her off before the end of the day.
He got Peso settled back in his stall and walked over to the saloon, needing to see Lucy and reassure himself that she understood this was the best choice—the only choice.
Ezra was behind the bar, polishing glasses and setting them out. He looked at Vin and nodded his head toward the stairs, silently answering the question Vin hadn't asked.
Vin went up the stairs, not surprised to find Lucy's door firmly shut. He knocked lightly.
She opened the door, just as she had that morning. But now her face was tense, strain evident in her expression.
"I came to see…" To see if he was doing the right thing, encouraging his sister into a marriage to replace the nightmare of a marriage she had left behind. "To see if you need anything."
Lucy shook her head.
Vin hadn't ever given much thought to Lucy getting married. He had figured it would happen sooner rather than later with how pretty she was. Men were drawn to her, her sweet smile and kindness doing as much to bring their attentions as her big blue eyes did, and he had done his best to make sure he looked after her. And now making sure she married a hardened gunslinger was the best he could do to look after her. It made him feel lower than a snake's belly.
Footsteps sounded behind him and Vin turned, aware that Lucy ducked back behind her door.
Inez patted Vin's arm when she got to his side. "I came to help your sister with her wedding preparations."
Relief flooded Vin. It hadn't been that long ago he had been trying to figure out how to braid his sister's hair. How to go about figuring out what sort of underthings a blossoming young girl required. How to figure out and explain basic facts of life to her. He was pretty sure he had failed miserably at all those tasks. Inez offering to save him from failing at yet another thing a young woman required was a welcome reprieve.
"Thanks, Inez." His words come out on a sigh of relief. He looked at Lucy, wishing he could find the words to tell her he wanted things to be different for her. That he was sorry. "I'll see you at the church," he said. Lucy nodded, then let Inez into her room and the door shut on him.
Vin went back downstairs, intending to see what Ezra needed help with. He needed to do something to make his sister's unexpected wedding day something at least a little special for her.
#
Inez offered the younger woman a smile. Lucy didn't quite manage to return it. Inez maintained her smile, even as her thoughts went to the meeting down in the saloon she had overheard.
Idiots. All of them. Thinking that marrying Lucy off to Chris Larabee was the answer to all the girl's problems. If they would take longer than a twenty minute discussion, Inez was certain they would land on another solution. The only problem was, Inez had been turning the threat of Eli Joe over in her own mind and hadn't been able to think of a better way to prevent Vin's sister from being forced to return to Texas with the man.
"We need to begin with a dress, sí?" Inez asked.
Lucy shook her head.
Inez took in the faded calico dress she wore. "You have one you wish to wear already?"
Lucy gestured vaguely at her dress, then the other dress hanging on a peg on the wall. "One of these."
Inez tried not to let her dismay show. Two threadbare dresses hardly constituted a wardrobe, let alone a wedding gown. "There are ready made dresses at the general store. Not many, but—"
Lucy was shaking her head again, a set to her jaw that Inez had seen when Vin had made up his mind. "I don't…I don't have money for that," she said, looking like the admission pained her.
Compassion welled up in Inez. "You would not need to pay for a dress. Your brother would be happy to help you."
Lucy 's voice was soft. "I can't ask Vin for anything else. He's done more than enough for me."
Finding a taciturn and often anti-social widower to marry her didn't strike Inez as doing more than enough for Lucy, but she saw the girl's hands shaking so she didn't push.
"The pink flowers on this dress are perfect for you," Inez said. "Would you like to wear your hair up?" she asked.
Lucy reached a hand up and trailed her fingers over her long braid. "Should I?" she asked. "Is that what Mr. Larabee would want?"
Inez could feel her brow knitting even as she tried to look like Lucy's simple question didn't alarm her. "I think your hair is lovely just as it is." She looked at the few possessions in Lucy's room. A comb that had seen better days, a knit blanket, and her dress on the wall, a worn nightgown hanging alongside it. There was no sense in offering to help Lucy pack up her belongings. It would take all of two minutes.
"Why don't we take a walk out of town?" Inez offered. "We can gather some flowers for the church?"
Lucy looked relieved by the suggestion and nodded. Inez was aware the young woman did not leave her room often, she had heard Vin comment on how skittish Lucy was. She led Lucy to the gap between the saloon and the building next door, into a quiet alley, following the less travelled path, avoiding the church for now when they reached the edge of town, and followed a little used path toward a shallow creek and the wildflowers that dotted the grasses near it.
Once out of town, with the sun warming their faces and the fresh scent of flowers around them, Lucy began to look less anxious, turning her focus to the flowers.
Idiots. Every single man in the saloon earlier, all the men in the town, and most of the ones across the territory. Inez silently railed against the way a man could drive a woman from her home, from security, and it was the woman who had to pay the price.
#
Mary strode quickly down the boardwalk. She managed to return a perfunctory greeting to those she passed by sheer habit, but she didn't slow her pace. Her father-in-law had informed her of the plan he had come up with, the one the seven had agreed to, and she had excused herself to go have a word with Chris or Vin. Whichever one she found first.
Passing by the general store, she saw a familiar black shirt. She had found her target.
The bell over the door jingled merrily, at odds with the concern that weighed heavily in her stomach. Her skirts whispered as she searched the moderate sized store until she found Chris.
She stood next to him. He didn't look at her, continuing to study the merchandise on the shelf. "Mary," he said by way of greeting.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"Trying to find supplies," he answered.
A frustrated breath escaped her. She and Chris had made strides past the differences that had kept them at odds with one another. He made his own rules and Mary firmly believed in the norms and standards of civilized society. They had made their peace, mostly with her realizing things were not always so black and white, but this—this—
"A wedding?" she asked.
"Yep."
She couldn't believe he was acting as if getting married was of no consequence. He wasn't a man who took things lightly, so she didn't understand how he could just mosey on into a church and marry his friend's sister.
"Do you have any idea what you're getting into?" she demanded and immediately regretted it.
He looked at her then, his eyes hardening.
Of course he did. He had been married before.
"I'm sorry," she said. She took a breath and tried to gentle her tone. "Of course you understand the magnitude of marriage."
"This isn't like that," he said. Lines bracketed his mouth. "This is nothing like what I had before."
Mary knew that. Orren had explained the full situation to her. "But it's still a marriage."
"You got a better idea, I'm all ears," he said. He held her eyes, waiting. Then a little lift of one side of his mouth with no humor. "That's what I thought."
Mary sighed. She wished she could come up with a better solution. But if this Eli Joe was willing to track Vin all the way to Arizona Territory, there was no telling how far he'd be willing to track an errant wife. Nowhere would be safe for Lucy.
"What are you doing here?" Mary asked, trying to bring the conversation back to normal footing. "Shouldn't you be getting ready for your wedding?" Even saying the words felt surreal and she had no part of this plan. She couldn't understand how Chris could be so nonchalantly browsing the general store.
"I am getting ready. Getting supplies for the wedding and after."
Mary looked then at the shelf he was standing at. He was buying bullets. Shells for shotguns. A veritable arsenal.
"Do you need anything for your homestead?" she asked, trying to bring his thoughts around to other matters. Like the fact Lucy would be living with him and would need more than a well-armed husband.
Chris shook his head. "Got all the basics out there already."
She could only imagine what the basics entailed. She made a mental note to make sure she visited Lucy out at Chris' ranch within the week.
"I'll go see if Josiah needs anything over at the church," Mary said.
Chris nodded and Mary turned to go.
"Mary." His quiet call stopped her, had her turning back to him.
"Thanks," he said.
Mary couldn't find an answer. If he was thanking her for her support and friendship, she had her doubts that she was doing the right thing by not questioning this plan further.
#
Lucy wished she could have stayed in the field of flowers all day. All week if it would have kept her from what was coming.
She stood between Inez and Mary on the steps of the church.
"Are you sure about this?" Mary asked.
Lucy looked at the bouquet of flowers Inez had put together with the flowers they had picked. She tightened her hand around the stems and nodded. Anything was better than going back to Tuscosa with Eli Joe. Anything. No matter how terrifying marriage to Chris Larabee was, she would at least be near Vin and Eli Joe wouldn't be able to take her away from him. She would do anything to stay near Vin this time.
The door to the church opened and Vin came out. He looked tired, worn down. Lucy tried to straighten her shoulders, make him see that she could do this.
"You about ready?" he asked.
Lucy nodded without hesitation. She could do that for Vin. Keep her fears to herself. Not let him see her doubts.
Mary and Inez both had looks of concern that did little to reassure Lucy.
"We'll see you inside," Mary said.
Lucy didn't want to walk up the aisle. She didn't want all eyes on her. She just wanted to get this over with.
Vin held out his arm to her and she took it, unable to lighten her grip.
Thankfully there was no one at the piano. No music, no production. Just Vin walking her to the front of the church.
The judge was performing the ceremony. Vin had told Lucy that would be the best way to prove the legality—the finality—of her marriage to Chris.
Somewhere behind the ringing that had started in her ears she heard Judge Travis ask who gave her away to be married. Vin answered that he did.
Vin pulled her to him in a hug, holding her for a beat before letting her go. Lucy saw his eyes meet Chris' and an unspoken message passed between them. Lucy was too busy trying to keep breathing to try to decipher what was being communicated.
And then she was facing Chris. He met her eyes, looking like he was steeling himself to look into the eyes of his executioner.
She had stood like this with Eli Joe. Stood facing him while his cousin recited the vows that would link her to him, reading out of some sort of book they had found with a wedding ceremony written out for ministers.
"I, Lucinda Elizabeth Tanner, take thee, Eli Joe Walsh, to be my wedded husband…"
Her voice wavered and Eli Joe tightened his grip on her arm.
Eli Joe stood on one side of her, his friend Yates on the other. Framing her in, making sure she wouldn't get any idea of running. The rest of Eli Joe's men lounged around the cabin, enjoying the entertainment.
Lucy faltered near the end of her vows and Eli Joe smacked her on the cheek.
"Finish 'em up. Say what you need to and we can get to what comes next," he said, a feral grin curving his lips.
Lucy held back a whimper, having no idea what came next. She hurried through the rest of the vows. She kept her thoughts fixed on Vin. Vin, safe somewhere outside Texas. That was what mattered. Keeping him safe.
She had ended up with a sorely bruised arm before the vows were over. But that was nothing compared to the injuries she would have before her wedding night was over.
Lucy blinked. She struggled for a breath and felt Chris' eyes on her. His eyes darkened with concern and he spoke quietly to the judge.
"Just tell us what we have to say. Nothing else. Get her through this."
She heard the familiar vows and her lips moved to repeat them. She wasn't sure if any sound came out.
She didn't comprehend the words Chris repeated, just heard the rasp of his voice.
The flowers she still held were visibly shaking in her grip and Lucy worried what Chris would think of that sign of weakness.
"You may now kis—"
A sharp shake of Chris' head cut the judge off.
"Let's go," he said to her quietly. He put a hand at her elbow and Lucy tensed at the touch but didn't jerk away. Embarrassing him in front of everyone by recoiling at his touch would leave her with a high price to pay later.
She fixed her eyes on the doors at the back of the church. She would make it to the doors. She could make it that far. Away from all these eyes on her.
As soon as they got out in the sunlight, Lucy's stomach revolted against the nerves and memories and new life that all tangled together. She hurried down the stairs, dropping her bouquet. She made it around the corner of the church and lost what little she had managed to eat earlier.
Cold sweat on her forehead, trembling all over, Lucy reached out a hand to steady herself against the faded wood siding of the church.
"You ok?"
Chris' voice startled her and Lucy jumped, but she managed a nod.
Chris stood a short distance from her, looking like he didn't believe her. He held her crumpled bouquet in his hand.
She heard the church door open and voices. She pushed off the side of the church, willing her shaky legs to hold her up.
"Here." Chris held out a flask. "All I got, but you can rinse your mouth with it."
Lucy took it uncertainly. She wished he would just get angry with her. Waiting for him to show his other side to her was more nerve wracking than if he would just do it already.
Lucy took a small sip from the flask and winced against the burn, but at least it was better than the sour taste that had been in her mouth. She swished it around, then spit it on the ground, keeping an eye on Chris. She tensed, waiting for him to make a comment about a waste of good whiskey, but he didn't say anything.
"There's the newlyweds!"
Bucks cheerfulness sounded forced, but then, everything about the entire afternoon felt forced to Lucy.
"First drink's on me," Buck said, slinging an arm around Chris' shoulders.
Lucy bit her bottom lip. However bad things were going to be tonight, she could only imagine how much worse they would be with alcohol flowing.
Inez looped an arm through Lucy's and gave her an encouraging smile. "Come. We celebrate now."
Lucy nodded. She would play the part.
She walked with the small group to the saloon. Once inside, Ezra went behind the bar. He poured drinks and handed them around. Lucy wanted to shake her head and refuse. She looked over to Chris to see if he would see. Did he expect her to drink alongside him?
Ezra's eyes softened and he took back the shot glass before he handed it off to Lucy. He reached behind the bar and poured something different. "Sarsaparilla," he said, handing her the drink without alcohol. Without missing a beat, he reached for a glass himself and lifted it. "To the bride and groom," he said.
The toast was lackluster, but everyone did their best, raising glasses and tossing back their drinks.
Lucy saw Vin immediately go for another drink. She sipped at her small glass, unsure of what she was supposed to do. Did Chris want her at his side? Did he want her to give her space when his friends were around? She twisted the glass around in her hands, keeping a watchful eye on him.
Chris tossed back another drink, then caught her eye on him. He set his glass on the bar. He crossed to her and Lucy braced herself.
"You need to get your things?" he asked.
"I'll be quick," Lucy assured him. She hurried toward the stairs.
Upstairs, she packed her meager possessions in the worn carpetbag. She fastened the clasp and carried it downstairs.
Chris saw her coming and met her at the stairs, taking the bag from her hands without comment.
He headed for the batwing doors and Lucy kept up with him. They were almost outside when Vin stopped them.
"I'll be out tomorrow to see you," he said to Lucy, slanting a look to Chris. Chris nodded in agreement.
Lucy nodded, too, even though everything in her was crying out to stay with Vin. To not go to a strange home with a stranger.
Vin wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug. "This is for the best," he said.
Lucy nodded against his chest. And she would try to make the best of it. She would do what she could to make sure Vin had no reason to worry about her.
Vin reluctantly let her go. He turned to Chris. He held out his hand and the lean man in black shook it. "This means a lot, Cowboy," Vin said.
Chris didn't respond. He released Vin's hand and turned to Lucy, looking down at her. "You ready?"
No.
Lucy nodded. She followed him out of the saloon and towards the livery so they could go to his ranch. So she could go home with her husband.
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