Jake followed the trail through the grove of hickory trees, and let his mind wander again to Duvall. With few exceptions, the bodies from the Scarlett Rose were unidentifiable, and although the sheriff concluded the outlaw must have perished in the explosion, Jake had his doubts. Something in the kid’s voice, fear perhaps, made him wonder. While the outcome didn’t bring him the peace he sought, it reinforced his need to return to Texas.
The wind whipped at the trees, hinting at a change in the weather. He pulled his coat collar higher on his neck and glanced at Kat. They agreed to ride together to Kansas City. From there, she’d head to St. Louis, and he’d see about a train ticket to Texas.
Since they left St. Joe two days ago, she’d hardly …show more content…
“I assume those belong to your gunslinger companion. You’ve run hooked up with the likes of him?”
“I haven’t hooked up with anyone.”
Jake’s eyes darted from one relative to the other. “Gentlemen, any notion you have about a relationship between me and Miss Collins is a simple misunderstanding.”
The judge glared at him. “There’s no misunderstanding, mister.”
George scraped his hair aside and craned his neck “Pa, whaddaya want us to do?” “Shut up, boy. I’m not ready to waste a bullet.” Emmett’s dark eyes focused on Kat. “This harlot will not sully my reputation or disgrace the family name.” “You can’t make me go back.” She crossed her arms.
“We were away for over a week. Imagine my worry . . . my poor niece, missing. If that animal of yours didn’t have those special made horseshoes, we might never have tracked you this far. Now I see you plotted to leave all along. There’s hell to pay when a woman takes up with vermin.”
Kat curled her hand into a quick fist, but Jake bumped her to his left before she sidestepped him.
“Sir, let me assure you, I have the utmost respect for Miss Collins. Though I find her . . . intriguing, nothing untoward has happened. I aim to ride …show more content…
A wicked smile appeared on George’s lips. He flung a lasso over the tree branch above Jake’s head and formed a hasty hangman’s noose.
They didn’t intend to hang him, did they? Kat’s hand trembled on his arm. Shit.
“Uncle Emmett, don’t.” Her voice shook. “I’ll . . . I’ll marry him.”
The judge ignored her and directed his words to Jake. “It's your choice.”
A few minutes later, they gathered next to her uncle.
“You will repeat after me . . .”
Kat spoke in a soft voice. “I . . .”
George lowered the noose.
“. . . do,” she finished.
Tightness spread in Jake’s chest. He never thought he’d get married staring down the barrel of a rifle. “I do,” he choked out, eyeing the distance to his horse.
Five minutes later, the judge pronounced them man and wife. At his insistence, the couple scribbled their names to a certificate, which he witnessed and presented to Jake. At first, Jake refused to take it. He didn’t want the damn thing. Hell, he didn’t want to be married. He was going home to Texas. Then, he glanced at Kat, whose ashen complexion resembled the corpses he’d buried. She could’ve done worse. He snatched the paper from the judge’s hand—for proof—for an
The wind whipped at the trees, hinting at a change in the weather. He pulled his coat collar higher on his neck and glanced at Kat. They agreed to ride together to Kansas City. From there, she’d head to St. Louis, and he’d see about a train ticket to Texas.
Since they left St. Joe two days ago, she’d hardly …show more content…
“I assume those belong to your gunslinger companion. You’ve run hooked up with the likes of him?”
“I haven’t hooked up with anyone.”
Jake’s eyes darted from one relative to the other. “Gentlemen, any notion you have about a relationship between me and Miss Collins is a simple misunderstanding.”
The judge glared at him. “There’s no misunderstanding, mister.”
George scraped his hair aside and craned his neck “Pa, whaddaya want us to do?” “Shut up, boy. I’m not ready to waste a bullet.” Emmett’s dark eyes focused on Kat. “This harlot will not sully my reputation or disgrace the family name.” “You can’t make me go back.” She crossed her arms.
“We were away for over a week. Imagine my worry . . . my poor niece, missing. If that animal of yours didn’t have those special made horseshoes, we might never have tracked you this far. Now I see you plotted to leave all along. There’s hell to pay when a woman takes up with vermin.”
Kat curled her hand into a quick fist, but Jake bumped her to his left before she sidestepped him.
“Sir, let me assure you, I have the utmost respect for Miss Collins. Though I find her . . . intriguing, nothing untoward has happened. I aim to ride …show more content…
A wicked smile appeared on George’s lips. He flung a lasso over the tree branch above Jake’s head and formed a hasty hangman’s noose.
They didn’t intend to hang him, did they? Kat’s hand trembled on his arm. Shit.
“Uncle Emmett, don’t.” Her voice shook. “I’ll . . . I’ll marry him.”
The judge ignored her and directed his words to Jake. “It's your choice.”
A few minutes later, they gathered next to her uncle.
“You will repeat after me . . .”
Kat spoke in a soft voice. “I . . .”
George lowered the noose.
“. . . do,” she finished.
Tightness spread in Jake’s chest. He never thought he’d get married staring down the barrel of a rifle. “I do,” he choked out, eyeing the distance to his horse.
Five minutes later, the judge pronounced them man and wife. At his insistence, the couple scribbled their names to a certificate, which he witnessed and presented to Jake. At first, Jake refused to take it. He didn’t want the damn thing. Hell, he didn’t want to be married. He was going home to Texas. Then, he glanced at Kat, whose ashen complexion resembled the corpses he’d buried. She could’ve done worse. He snatched the paper from the judge’s hand—for proof—for an