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“None. He is gone forever.”
It was clear to her now that Eugene had wanted to keep their engagement secret because he’d had no intention of marrying her. No one, not even her closest friend, had known they were seeing one another.
He’d convinced Rena that their marriage would take place the following morning. No one would know they’d been together. His smooth words had led her foolish mind to accept and trust him.
Oscar said, “She told me it was that wretched Rodgers fella.” He clinched his fists at his side. “He gave her his promise.”
“Papa, don’t. If I’d lived the way you and Momma taught me—” She paused, garnering the courage to continue. “It’s my own fault.”
Shame covered her soul. Why had she believed Eugene? How had she allowed herself to be so stupid?
* * *
“Eugene Rodgers?” Scott ground his teeth at the memory of the young man with slick manners. “I was glad to see him get on the train the day he left Gran Colina. I had no idea he was running from his responsibilities.” He’d disliked the man on sight. Those sly ways and pretty words could woo a woman, but Scott had been leery of him from the start. He should have paid closer attention. Maybe he could have prevented this situation if he had.
Rena’s next words surprised him. “He didn’t know about the child.”
“You kept it from him? A man has a right to know about his own flesh and blood. Have you written to inform him?” He would be hard-pressed to forgive such a thing if it happened to him. A child deserved a father. One to love and provide for their needs.
“I didn’t know he was leaving. He left me no way to contact him.” She shook her head and didn’t look at him. “He left the morning after...” She choked on her words and didn’t finish.
“Have you heard from him since he left?”
“Only a postcard saying he won’t be back and has gone to see the world.”
Scott wanted to find Rodgers and drag him back. He should never have left Rena like this. But a man like that would be untraceable—and unworthy of a good wife and a child.
There were several men in Gran Colina who would be glad to take Rena on as their wife. Men who wouldn’t appreciate her stubborn ways or determined mind. And if they knew about the child, she could be treated poorly.
No woman deserved that. Not even after so obvious a sin.
“Rena, what do you think of your father’s proposition?” She sat with her arms crossed and her face taut. The green eyes that often held laughter and mischief were sober. Her dimples made no appearance. Not even the childlike freckles from her youth softened the sorrow in her countenance today.
Her voice was low, but steady, as she answered. “I have presented him with an impossible situation, and he is trying to protect me. As well as everything he’s done to improve Gran Colina. If scandal breaks out now, he’ll lose the election for sure.”
As much as he hated to admit it, she was right. “Do you wish to marry?”
“It was my fondest wish before—” She held his gaze. He knew she chose her words with care. “I know it is best for my father and my child. And for myself. It is not how I ever intended for my life to unfold.” The straight set of her pink mouth reinforced the sincerity of her answer.
Oscar said, “I don’t see any alternative. You are the best choice, Scott. The only choice, actually. Anyone else could use this to undermine my work as mayor. You remember how unruly Gran Colina was when you first came to town. All our work could be undone in a matter of weeks if this isn’t handled discreetly.”
“Oscar, will you leave us to speak privately?”
The mayor seemed to have aged overnight. He looked from Rena and back to Scott. “I’ll go out to the kitchen and make us some coffee.”
When he left them alone in the front room, Scott turned to Rena. Her slim neck was stiff. “Are you well? You look as though you’ve lost weight.”
“I am healthy, but food holds no appeal to me at the moment.”
“What shall we do?”
One eyebrow lifted. “It’s more a question of what you will do. I’m not in a position to make demands.”
“There’s something we need to talk about before I agree to this arrangement.”
She didn’t speak, but the widening of her eyes spoke of fear that he’d refuse her.
“You know I’m a believer in the Lord above.”
Rena nodded.
“And you? I’ve seen you in services on Sundays for the last couple of months, but we’ve never talked about your beliefs.”
“I walked away from the church and God when my mother died. I was so hurt. I wish I’d stayed there beside my father.” She wrung her hands together in her lap. “He’s a good man, but he was so lonely without Momma, and I couldn’t just accept that Momma was gone. Not after how I’d prayed for God to spare her. It was a foolish choice.”
“Have you asked the Good Lord to forgive you?”
She nodded. “I have.” She raised tear-filled eyes to meet his gaze. “I know there are hard days ahead for me, but I’m determined to face them with God. I made a mess of things when I didn’t heed His ways.”
“That’s all I needed to hear. The rest isn’t mine to know. We can marry immediately if you choose.”
“Really? How can you say that’s all you need to know?”
“Jesus does the forgiving. You’ve done me no wrong. Jesus even said for the people without sin to cast the first stone.”
The tears dripped off her lashes, and she dashed them away with the back of her hand. “Still, I’m powerful sorry.”
“Then the next step will be to forgive yourself. Making things right with God and living your life by the Good Book—that’s where you’ll find your hope.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“I can give you and your little one my name. Only God can give you peace.”
“What about your life? Why would you be willing to give up your future for me? Knowing what you know.”
“My future is being the sheriff of Gran Colina. But if your father loses the mayor’s race, I’m likely to lose, too. I know I was only elected because your father told everyone he could about the bank robbery he and I thwarted. No matter how it happened, it’s who I am now.”
“You have your homestead.”
“Since my sister married and moved away, it’s all I can do to keep up with that and being sheriff. She cooked and cleaned. Things I don’t have the time or talent for.”
“That doesn’t seem like a fair deal to me. You save my reputation, and all I have to do is housework. What if you meet someone and fall in love?”
A dull ache in his chest quivered for a brief moment and stilled. “You won’t ever have to worry about me falling in love. I gave up on that notion a long time ago.”
Two hours later, Scott stood beside Rena at the altar of Gran Colina Church. He rubbed his palm down the side of his Sunday trousers before taking Rena’s hand from Oscar. Reverend Walter Gillis began the ceremony that would take away any freedom Scott had. The reverend asked him to repeat the vows and put a ring on Rena’s finger. He pledged all his earthly possessions to her, but he had no ring. She lowered her eyes to the floor when his voice wavered as he promised to love and honor her. He would love her. Like a sister in Christ. But he’d never love any woman for himself. Not again.
“You may kiss the bride.” Reverend Gillis’s words hung in the air.
They’d agreed before coming to the church that no one was to know their marriage wasn’t one of mutual agreement and love. Only Scott, Rena and Oscar would ever know. Scott was quite sure Rena hadn’t considered a kiss to seal their vows when they’d decided that.
He certainly had not. He froze. If he tried to kiss her, she might burst into tears. The strain of the day had taken a toll on him. Only God knew how she was holding up.
Rena lifted her face to him. The pleading in her eyes told him they needed to complete the picture of a happy couple or their arrangement would never be believed.
He placed one finger under her chin and saw her jaw tighten. He turned her face slightly away from the friends who’d gathered to witness the event. The kiss he placed on her cheek was so close to her lips that no one would question his actions, but the near miss of her mouth protected her from questioning his intentions.
The softness of her skin contradicted the pain in her. He prayed they would be able to build a life together for the sake of her child and her father. It was inexcusable that Eugene Rodgers had taken advantage of Rena. The scoundrel would never know about the baby. Scott couldn’t understand such a man. No child of his would ever be raised by another man. Not as long as he had breath in his body.
Of course, that would never happen. Watching his fiancée, Louise Kinard, walk away from their engagement to marry Thomas Freeman, the town banker, over a year ago had taught Scott that women wanted a smooth talker. Even if the man promised things he would never deliver, women were fascinated by fancy and unimpressed by a solid man with a good heart and a loyal nature.
If his sister hadn’t moved away and left him struggling to keep his homestead going, he didn’t think he’d be standing here now, kissing Rena.
But he was. And now all of Gran Colina would know that the sheriff had married the mayor’s daughter. Before summer’s end they’d welcome a new life into the world.
Lord, help me to adjust to all of this by then. And help Rena, too.
Saving Gran Colina from falling backward into lawlessness was a noble goal. With Thomas Freeman using all his polished ways to run for mayor against Oscar in the coming election, and Gilbert Jefferson running for his former position as sheriff, everything they’d accomplished was at risk.
Scott had already given himself fully to protecting Gran Colina. He hoped Rena would settle into their new life without regret. If she couldn’t, or if word got out that she was carrying another man’s child, their whole scheme might be for naught.
Suddenly it was all over, and Oscar was pumping his hand. “Congratulations, Scott.” The man’s eyes held gratitude that couldn’t be expressed in front of the people who gathered around the new couple.
“Thank you, sir.” Scott shook hands with Reverend Gillis and then his wife, Mildred. While everyone pressed in on them to offer happy wishes, Rena seemed to become more and more tense. The smile she wore appeared genuine, but he was concerned about how long she could keep up the pretense of wedded bliss.
Rena’s closest friend, Charlotte Green, spoke quietly into her ear, and Rena nodded. Scott wondered if Charlotte knew the truth. He hoped not. Charlotte stepped back, and her hand fell away from Rena’s arm.
“Congratulations, Sheriff,” Charlotte said. “I must say I’m surprised by this turn of events, but I do wish you well. Rena is a dear friend. Her happiness is important to me. See that you do right by her.” Her grin let him know she was pleased for her friend.
“Thank you.” He smiled what he hoped was a genuine smile. “I’ll do my best.”
Rena accepted a hug from the preacher’s wife. “Thank you, Mrs. Gillis.”
“You’ve made such a wonderful choice. I just know you and the sheriff will have a happy life.” Mildred Gillis’s round face crinkled with her smile. “Oh, the joy this must bring to your father. And to think the two of you have kept your courtship a secret. You are a sly one.” Light laughter punctuated her words, but Scott saw the pain they brought to Rena.
He stepped closer to her and raised his voice to address the gathering. “Thank you all for coming on such short notice, but if you don’t mind, I’d like for us to be on our way. We want to be home before dark.”
Chuckles came from the small crowd as they parted to give him and Rena room to leave the church. He looped Rena’s hand into the crook of his elbow and led her outside.
She took a deep breath when they passed through the doors and pulled her hand free of his arm. “Thank you. It was getting to be a bit much.”
“It’s been quite a day.” He offered his hand to assist her into his wagon. She released it as soon as she was seated. The walk around the back of the wagon gave him another moment to whisper a prayer. He was in a marriage he’d never expected, to a woman who didn’t love or want him. A woman he’d never have chosen. Prayer had always been a part of his life. He imagined it was about to become a constant thing.
Scott climbed aboard and lifted the reins. The two miles to his homestead never seemed so long. The afternoon was brisk, and Rena pulled the top of her cape closer around her neck.
“There’s a blanket under your seat.”
“I’m fine, thank you.” She didn’t look at him.
Not another word was spoken until they arrived at his home.
Their home.
He set the brake and turned to her. “It’s not what you’re used to. The house and barn are done, but I want to expand the corral.” He lifted his arm to point beyond her. “There’s a good-sized garden there. Not much to it at this time of year. There’s plenty of meat in the smokehouse, and Ann did a lot of canning before she married. I made her take what she could with her.” He vaulted over the wheel onto the ground. “I thought I’d be on my own. We’ll buy what we need in town until spring.”
He walked around to help her from the wagon. She lost her footing, and he had to catch her by the waist and set her on the ground. She stepped away from him the instant she regained her balance. Her movements were so abrupt that he apologized.
The set of her mouth had only softened for the ceremony. It had returned to testify to her determination. “If you’ll show me where to unpack my valise, I’ll see to supper.”
He nodded and lifted her case from the back of the wagon. She followed him up the steps to the porch, and he opened the door. “After you.”
Rena’s back was straight, and her shoulders were square as she entered his house. She came to a stop just inside the dim interior and gasped.
Scott scooted around her and dropped her valise near the door. Not until this moment did he remember the state of the house. Without Ann’s help, he’d done only a minimal amount of cleaning. When he’d left for town this morning, there had been no idea of someone coming back with him this evening.
He went to the fireplace and struck a match against the hearth to light the fire and then a lamp. He adjusted the wick and lifted the lamp so she could see the room.
Tears swam in her eyes. He knew she wouldn’t let them fall, but he hated to add the disorder of his home to the chaos of her life today.
In spite of her predicament, he wanted to make the best of their arrangement. The house was proof that he needed someone to help him. “It’s not as bad as it seems. I promise. We can get it set in order and make it work.”
He hoped the words were true of more than his house.
Chapter Two (#u0789b8b7-a1fc-5ec8-af7e-31e46775ef59)
Rena stood in the middle of the room trying to take in the magnitude of disorder one man could bring to a space. The mess of his home paled in comparison to the mess she’d made of her life.
At that exact moment, her body reacted to the child she was carrying in a now-too-familiar fashion. She turned on her heel and sped through the door and around to the side of the house.
It was several minutes before she climbed the porch steps and reentered her new home. Much of the clutter that had greeted her earlier was in a pile near the door on the back wall, and Scott was sweeping the floor.
“You shouldn’t be sweeping. That’s my responsibility now.” She unbuttoned the top of her wool cape and slipped it off her shoulders.
“I made this mess. It’s not fair for you to clean it up.”
Rena raised her eyebrows. “Really? Isn’t that what you’re doing for me?”
He stopped short and stared at her. “That’s hardly the same thing.”
“You’re right.” She held out her hand for the broom. “What you’re doing for me—and my child—is much more important than sweeping up.” She grasped the top of the broom handle. “Please let me do my part. It’s difficult enough to be beholden to you. At least let me help.”
He released the broom. “I promise to do better. I’ve been a bit overwhelmed since Ann left. I didn’t realize how much work she did until she was gone.”
Rena swept dust from the corner behind the door. “Let me guess. You thought that because she owned a shop and spent her days in town she didn’t contribute much to the chores.” She opened the door and tossed the small rug from the entryway onto the porch. A cloud of dust rose up and blew away in the winter breeze.
“I’ll get the other rugs.” Scott rolled up the braided rug in front of the fireplace and added it to the one she’d tossed outside.
“I can do it. You need to see to the team and feed the animals. I’ll take care of the house.” She pulled back the curtain on the front window and realized, from the amount of dust and ash gathered on the sill, that it would take her several days to get the house thoroughly clean. “I won’t do it all today, but by the end of next week, things should be in good order.”
