Brighter than Gold (Western Rebels Book 1) (31 page)

“That’s very true, my dear, but that’s where the magic of love steps in. Love allows us to take risks and meet challenges that we might otherwise shy away from if...”

“We were in our right minds?” Jack supplied helpfully.

Katie shot him a reproving look, while Pastor Hitchcock chuckled uneasily. “Well, I see that the crowd is thinning, so I suppose I should go over and congratulate the happy couple. Thank you for being part of the ceremony, Katie.” He clasped both her hands, then turned to Jack and shook his hand again. “You, too, Mr. Adams.”

When the minister had walked away, Jack saw his chance and took Katie’s arm. “You and I need to talk.”

“But we can’t just leave!” Panic rose in her.

“This won’t take long.” He drew her along beside him until they were behind the church, sheltered between two oak trees, their orange leaves spangled against the slate-colored sky. “Have you made up your mind?” he asked bluntly.

“I don’t know!” she cried, confused by his manner. “This is all so sudden, I haven’t had a chance to adjust to the idea—”

“Kathleen, there isn’t time for you to adjust. I have to leave today.” He stared at her for a moment, then his mouth curved slightly in an ironic smile. “Look at it this way: do you think you’ll get a better offer from the men you meet here in Columbia? Setting your feelings for me aside, this is a rare opportunity for you to enrich your life. You have too many gifts to waste them slaving your best years away in that saloon. Columbia is fading; we both know that. San Francisco is in full bloom. Come with me. You can have a home, children, interesting friends, all the books and culture you could possibly desire...” Jack paused, gazing into her eyes. “And you can have me. I’m not so bad, am I?”

Katie blushed again, dropping her eyes when he reached out to take her hand. His fingers were warm as he stroked hers, one by one, up to her fingernails. “No... of course not. It’s just that I’m—afraid, I guess.”

“Kathleen,” he whispered, “look at me.” Tipping up her chin, Jack caressed the delicate line of her jaw with his forefinger. He could feel Katie melting beneath his touch. “There is risk involved for both of us, but I’m a bit tired of playing it safe where my personal life is concerned. I’d rather be married to a warm-blooded woman than a porcelain doll.”

Katie gasped when his lips grazed hers. Then Jack was kissing her passionately, holding her chin with one strong hand while his free arm rounded her back to press her body against the length of his own. His mouth was a brand of fire, burning her doubts away, extinguishing all thought. Katie trembled in his embrace, surrendering to his touch with uncontrollable desire.

At length, he lifted his head and commanded roughly, “Say yes.”

Katie’s senses swam, and she held on to him for fear her knees would give way. Desperately, she sought to retain a measure of control over the situation. “Just a moment. First you must promise me one thing.”

Jack lifted his eyebrows quizzically. “Indeed?”

“You have to promise me that you won’t try to rule me. As your wife, I will not be your possession. I have been independent too long to take orders from anyone. Even my husband!”

He grinned, enjoying the light that flashed in her eyes. “All right, I promise not to attempt to rule you.”

“Then,
yes,
I’ll marry you.”

If Katie had been expecting Jack to fall to his knees with relief, declaring his love for her, she was doomed to disappointment. “Well, good. That’s settled,” he said, looking distracted. “There’s a stage at three o’clock, and we must be on it. We’ll be married in Sacramento tomorrow, and go on to San Francisco by riverboat the next morning.”

“Three o’clock!” she exclaimed. “But I have to pack!”

“You won’t need much. We’ll have new gowns made for you in San Francisco. Just toss the possessions that mean the most to you in a trunk, say good-bye to your friends, and we’ll be off. Oh, and don’t tell anyone—not even Abby or Lim—where we’ll be living. You can write to them later, but for the time being, I’d rather not have it get back to Aaron Rush.” Jack’s tone was casual.

He was already steering her back around the church, and Katie felt as if she were jumping off a cliff into the vast unknown.

* * *

“Are you going to tell Katie that you’re the Griffin?” Sam Clemens asked Jack as they walked toward the MacKenzie Saloon.

“Of course not! I haven’t even told her yet that I’m Jonathan Wyatt.”

“Really!”
Sam’s thick brows jumped at this intriguing bit of information.

“Don’t worry, I’ll find a way to explain that part. I can
almost
tell her the truth—that I was bored with my respectable existence in San Francisco. She already knows that I have a different sort of life there, with a stable income and a home—”

Clemens laughed. “That’s rather an understatement, my friend.”

“Do you imagine that Kathleen will be disappointed?” Jack shot back dryly. “As for the Griffin, I’m leaving him behind for good this time. I’ve done all I can under that guise, and can only hope that Rush will take the Griffin’s advice to heart—and the townspeople will stand up to him on their own.”

“What will happen to the saloon?”

“Kathleen doesn’t want it sold yet. I suppose she half fears she might need to return one day if marriage to me proves too unbearable.” His voice was laced with irony. “I spoke to Gideon, Abby, and Lim after the wedding, while Kathleen went home to pack, and they’ve agreed to run it for her. She has no desire for any share of the profits, only that the place be maintained as in the past, and continue under the MacKenzie name. I’ll supply them with the needed funds.”

The wedding reception, which had been held at the saloon, was ending, and Jack and Sam had to wait for a stream of guests clad in their Sunday best to pass by on their way out before the two men could enter. Inside, the scarred tables were covered with white linen cloths, plates with half-eaten slices of cake, and empty wineglasses. The table in the center of the room held the wreckage of the magnificent tiered wedding cake that Katie had labored over for days. Abby, still clad in her bridal gown, stood near the bar with Gideon, while Katie and Lim were emerging from the kitchen, talking animatedly.

“Hello, Mr. Adams.” Maggie Barnstaple approached, resplendent in a gown of sea-green silk, its neckline and hem flounces edged with black guipure lace. Holding out her hands, she clasped his and leaned forward to peck his tanned cheek. “It seems that congratulations are in order for you as well as Mr. and Mrs. Henderson. What a rascal you are, conducting your courtship of Miss MacKenzie in secret!”

“Yes indeed,” said Victoria Barnstaple, stepping up beside her niece. Her birdlike features were pinched with suspicious disapproval. “I find it rather curious myself. I would have hoped, since Katie’s dear parents are both deceased, that she might have come to me for a few words of advice. But then she tells me that your proposal was rather sudden.”

“But no less sincere, I assure you, ma’am,” Jack said with all the sobriety he could muster. He introduced Sam to the two women, then continued, “If it will help to allay your concern, Mrs. Barnstaple, I can promise you that Katie will want for nothing as my wife. I’ll be good to her.”

“She won’t even tell me where the two of you will be living!” Victoria protested, her voice rising.

“May I speak to you frankly, trusting that whatever I say will go no further?” Both women nodded, and he continued, “I’m a bit worried about Kathleen’s safety. Because of her outspokenness, certain people in Columbia bear her ill will, and I’m anxious to take her away from here. Perhaps I’m merely overreacting like any man in love, but I’d rather wait a while before telling anyone where we’re living. It may seem to you that I’m exercising too much caution—”

“Not at all,” Mrs. Barnstaple said, her face softening considerably. “Darling Katie’s safety must come first, and it pleases me to discover that you share my concern for her welfare. I suppose that there’s nothing for me to do but wish you both well, say a prayer, and wait for a letter.”

“I appreciate your understanding, ma’am.” Jack gave her his most sincere smile and turned to Maggie. “Miss Barnstaple, may I say that it has been a great pleasure knowing you? You are a delightful young lady, and I wish you all the best.”

“Thank you, Mr. Adams. Your friendship has meant a good deal to me, too. I shall miss you.”

Looking back over his shoulder at Sam, Jack winked slightly. “Mr. Clemens will be in town from time to time. He’s been a great friend to me, and I’m sure he’ll be glad to drop by and visit with you.”

“It would be my pleasure,” Sam affirmed with a grin.

The women bade them farewell then, and Jack turned his attention to Katie. She was behind the bar, dusting the jars of brandied fruit with a wistful expression on her face.

“Look at her,” Jack murmured, scarcely aware that he spoke the thought aloud.

“It would be hard not to love such a beautiful creature,” Sam observed. “She’s glorious to look at, but a good portion of that is radiated from within. In her own way, Katie is untamed, yet also more civilized in her views and values than most people I’ve known.”

Staring at her, Jack felt the familiar rush of desire, admiration, affection, and fear, but he was becoming used to it. He braced himself and waited for it to pass. Then, as if reading his mind and heart from across the room, Abby came over. Jack didn’t see her until she put her hand on his shoulder.

“Everything will be fine,” she whispered. “Try to relax and trust in God.”

Jack smiled at her fondly. “Thanks, Abby. You’ve become quite the sage... and you’re the most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen.”

“Flatterer.” She beamed.

Sam looked at his pocket watch. “It’s half-past two, in case anyone’s interested.”

“It was good of you to let Katie come alone to make her farewells,” Abby told Jack. “It’s hard for her to leave Columbia, her friends, and the saloon.”

“I think the change will do her good, though, don’t you?”

She nodded. “Heavens, yes! She’s strong, and she’ll adapt—but that doesn’t make the parting any easier.” Abby met his eyes earnestly. “You be good to her, Jack. You have a real chance for happiness.”

Before Jack had a chance to reply, Katie came out from behind the bar. She wore Brian MacKenzie’s favorite dress, the gown of violet-dotted white percale with the lace collar and violet sash. Her hair was still caught back in the smooth chignon that made her eyes look enormous, and she wore her mother’s cameo at her neck. Lim and Gideon both hugged her, then walked over with her to say their good-byes to Jack.

“Lim, you mustn’t be sad. We’ll be together again soon,” Katie promised. “You’ll all come and visit me—us—and we’ll have a fine time.” She looked up at Jack. “Isn’t that so?”

“Absolutely.” He nodded. “You are all welcome at any time in our home.”

More farewells were exchanged all around, then they walked as a group down Main Street to the stage depot. Katie found herself thinking back to scenes from her past as she gazed around at the buildings. The doors to the Wells Fargo office were open next door to the stage depot, but William Daegner, the agent, had no customers today. Katie thought back to years gone by, when men had been lined up for over three blocks, waiting to reach the beautiful gold scales where millions of dollars’ worth of gold was weighed.

Gideon patted her shoulder, sensing her mood, and Katie looked up into his eyes. “It’s sad, isn’t it, how Columbia has changed?”

“Well, change is part of life, I think.”

“I know.” She gave him a brave smile. “I’m ready.”

The stagecoach was waiting in front of the depot, ready to depart. There were no passengers from Sonora who were continuing on. Jack had already purchased their tickets, and now he and the driver lifted Katie’s hastily packed trunk up on top. Jack’s own small bag followed, but Katie insisted on keeping the one she carried with her. Sam, Abby, and Gideon exchanged hugs and good wishes with the departing couple. It wasn’t too difficult for Katie to leave them, since she knew that they would all be happy and fulfilled without her. In Lim’s case, however, it was different. They had grown up together, sharing their dreams, and Katie found this parting to be the most wrenching of all.

“I’ll write to you soon, I promise,” she told him through a mist of tears.

Lim held her hands. “Don’t worry, I’ll be fine. I’ll take care of the saloon for you, and we’ll look after your house, and Willoughby.”

“Only for a little while. Abby and Gideon will look for someone to help at the saloon, and you’ll be able to begin a new life in San Francisco. It will be just the way we always dreamed—”

“Yes.” He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. “I hope you find all the happiness and love you deserve, Katie.”

“I intend to!” They grinned at each other, and then Jack was gently handing her into the stagecoach.

Moments later Katie was leaning out the window, waving as the stage turned up Washington Street. She continued to look back all the way north on Broadway, until they rumbled onto Parrots Ferry Road and the last building had faded from sight. Then, no sooner had she settled herself next to her betrothed, trying to think of something to say, than a faint “meoww” broke the silence.

Jack looked startled. “What was that?”