she corrected. “He’s a slithering snake.”
“You won’t have to worry about him much longer. Marriage will protect you. Listen, it’s best if no one knows it’s only pretend. Vic might see that as an opportunity.”
“Agreed.”
“Let’s go tell your aunt.”
She knocked. “I told Missy to bar the door when I left.”
Nate’s fists balled at his sides. “That will end before the day is out. He won’t bother you any longer.”
Good to know. Whatever lay ahead of sorrow or joy, she would at least be free of Vic.
Missy opened the door and Louise slipped in with Nate at her side. She welcomed his support. “I have good news,” she said, including Aunt Bea, who sat in her customary upholstered chair. “Nate and I are getting married.” Before either of the women could speak, she rushed on. “Missy and I will go north with him.”
“We’ll be safe?” Missy asked.
“We’ll be safe.” Louise patted Missy’s arm as the girl let out a long gust of air.
“Well, I hate to see you go.” Aunt Bea sounded as if it couldn’t be too soon to suit her. “When are you planning to marry him?”
“Today.” At the stunned look on Missy’s face, she choked back a giggle. Aunt Bea’s eyes widened. Louise tried to think if she’d ever surprised her aunt before.
If so, she couldn’t remember it.
Aunt Bea managed to get to her feet in record time. “Today? There is much to do to get ready.”
Louise could think of nothing except the need to sign a document. But if Aunt Bea, with her unbending opinions of proper conduct, knew it was to be a temporary marriage, she would likely raise enough objections to create a stir, maybe even persuade the preacher to refuse to marry them.
“I’ll go see to the details,” Nate said. “Lock up behind me.” He hurried out the door.
Louise turned the key, then faced Aunt Bea. “Tell me what I need to do.”
* * *
Nate stood outside until he heard the key turn, then tested the knob. The lock held and he strode away as fast as his legs would take him. His insides burned with fury.
Vic had moved into the Porter house? Seemed he thought he owned the house and the family. Well, the family would be leaving. The family would say goodbye to their home and learn, as he had, that nothing lasts.
Not even marriage, it seemed. What they planned was only pretend. A convenience. He pushed aside the guilt stinging his thoughts.
So far as he could tell, nothing was forever, but at least he could get Missy and Louise and Gordie’s unborn baby away from Vic.
He stepped into Ma’s house. She stood at the stove, tending a pot of something that smelled mighty fine. “Making soup?”
“Cream of potato. Thought I’d make your favorite while you’re here.”
“Ma, sit down. I need to talk to you.”
She pushed the pot to the side of the stove and pulled out a chair to sit. “That sounds like a warning.”
He didn’t know what he’d call it. Nor how to explain what he meant to do except to come right out and say it. “Ma, Louise and I are getting married.”
“Good.” She patted his hand. “I’ve always thought you two were suited to each other.”
“You did? But she married Gordie.”
“She was hurt and confused. The poor girl had lost so much and was trying to recapture it.”
He stared at his ma. “How do you know all this?”
“I’m a mother, even though I haven’t been the kind I wanted to be.” Her eyes looked past him into the distance. “If only your father hadn’t died.” She shook her head. “So you’ll be staying around a few months? That’s good.”
Let her believe this marriage was for real. The more who thought that, the better for them. “No, I’m leaving tomorrow.”
“I see. When will you come back for the wedding?”
“We’re getting married today. As soon as I can make arrangements.”
Ma stared at him, her hands limp in her lap. “Today?” Her voice squeaked. “That hardly seems—”
“Proper?” He knew many would think the same, but he didn’t care what anyone thought except perhaps Ma.
“No. It hardly seems enough time to plan a wedding.”
“How long does it take to find the preacher, say the vows and sign the papers?” Vows. He’d be vowing before God and man to stay with her until death parted them. God did not take lightly a man making vows, then breaking them.
“Are you sure about this?” Ma asked.
No, he wasn’t sure. At least not about pretending the vows. But he was sure about the reason for it. “I can’t leave them here.” He explained the way Vic treated Louise and Missy, and hoped she agreed the wedding had to be immediate.
“That’s very noble, son, but it hardly seems enough reason to marry.”
Likely it didn’t to anyone but himself and Louise. “We’re of a like mind.” Their reasons were enough to satisfy him. “I’m going to buy a ranch and it will be nice to have a home and family, too.” His insides coiled at purposely leading her to believe forever was part of their plan. He’d told her of the place he hoped to purchase. His journey home would be slowed by having to accompany Louise on the stagecoach. He wouldn’t have any time to spare if he hoped to get back to Edendale in time to meet the mountain man. “You could come too, Ma.”
“Thank you, but no. This is my home. I’m too old to start over again.” She wiped a tear from the corner of her eye.
“You’re thinking of Pa, aren’t you?” Nate could barely recall his father. A man who laughed a lot, roughhoused with Nate and kissed Ma often.
“I never got over him. You are so much like him.”
“In what way?” It seemed important to know, seeing as he was soon to become a husband, if only for a week.
“You look like him. He wasn’t much older than you are now when he died. You are like him in other ways, too. He was ready and willing to help those who needed it.” Nate knew the story. He’d been killed helping a neighbor put up a barn. A beam had fallen and crushed him.
His mother stood up. “But enough of that. I need to get ready for a wedding.” She was halfway out of the kitchen before she stopped. “Help yourself to the soup.”
“Yes, Ma.” He didn’t have time to eat. There
