Cinders' Bride: Mail Order Brides of Texas (2 page)

Trying to offer even a faint smile brought her too much pain. “Yes, well thank you.” Shannon grabbed her bag from the bottom of the stairs and headed out the door. Glancing around the town, there didn’t seem to be any prospects for a job. Edith was right, no man would make her his wife now.

“I’ve been wondering how long it'd be before you’d be out in the streets. If you beg me nicely, I’ll let you stay here after all. I can’t marry you now since I’d only be able to bed you with the lights off,” John Hardy smirked as he leaned against his saloon, striking a match on the wall and lighting a cigar. He narrowed his eyes and gave her a snide grin.

“I…I was just going to look for a job over at Eats. I’m a fair cook,” she hated how her voice trembled. She couldn’t afford to appear weak. “Good day.” She stepped off the wooded boardwalk and into the street.

“Don’t you dare walk away from me,” he warned.

She took a deep breath and slowly let it out before turning to face him. “We have nothing to discuss. I would think attempted murder would void any marriage promise.”

“Attempted murder? Are you crazy? You disrespected me and you got what you deserved. Anyway, I’m not talking about the marriage contract. I’m talking about the money I sent you to get out here. I demand you return it right now.” He threw his cigar at her feet and crossed his arms in front of his barrel shaped chest.

“That’s one of the reasons I’m trying to find a job. I’m good for the money, I promise.”

Her hopes dashed as his mocking laugh grew louder. “You stupid cow, I own you now. You’ll pay me back. I can guarantee it. I bet there are plenty of men willing to give you a go, even if you’re ugly as sin. Funny how a little liquor changes how a man defines beauty. It makes them willing to take any female offered. Of course, I might have to give them a discount for having to look at you.”

Boot steps echoed on the boardwalk. “Ma’am, get into my wagon. You’re going home with me.” Cinders hadn’t even glanced her way— he kept his gaze trained on John Hardy as if daring him to challenge the order.

John glared at Cinders and laughed scornfully. His stance widened and his right hand hovered over the pistol in his gun belt. “I said she belongs to me.”

A lump formed in her throat as her heart beat wildly. She didn’t know much about men and guns but she did know the expression of hate on John Hardy’s face meant he wouldn't hesitate to use it.

“Thank you, Mr. Cinders, for coming to my aid but I’m not worth getting shot over. The fact is, I do owe him his money back, and truly, who would hire me now?” Her fingers gingerly touched her bandage.

Cinders didn’t glance in her direction. He kept his gaze fixed on John. “I’ll hire you. Now get in the wagon.” His voice was low and steady as though he anticipated more trouble.

“Not until I get my money,” John snarled.

A tall, older gentleman clad in a crisp white shirt and wool pants stepped into the street. He stood between the two men while shaking his head. “I’m warning you, I haven’t had my breakfast yet. What seems to be the problem?”

“Cinders here is trying to steal my wife.”

The man turned and faced Cinders. “Is that true? You know a wife belongs to her husband. I can’t get into the middle of this. Now if the town would open its tight purses we’d have a sheriff here to take care of these matters and I’d be eating my breakfast.”

“Judge Gleason, I’m sorry about your breakfast, but the fact is they aren’t married.”

“Yet!” John shouted

The judge turned. “Damn it, John, I’m right here. There is no need to yell in my ear.” He scanned the gathering crowd and rested his gaze on her.

Shannon quickly adverted her eyes as she tried to be inconspicuous, however it was impossible with the huge strip of gauze hugging her cheek. Slowly she lifted her gaze and met the judge’s stare.

The judge smiled. “Well I can see what all the fuss is about. We don’t often have such a fine woman come to our town.”

John coughed loudly as he stepped toward her. “I’m still willing to take her even if she is hideous.”

“You’re too gracious, Mr. Hardy, considering you were the one who cut me.

Judge Gleason tipped his flat-brimmed hat. “Ma’am, would you like to join me for breakfast? I'd like you to tell me what this is all about.” He walked toward her, extended his arm and waited for her to place her hand on it. The crowd parted as he escorted her in the direction of Eats Café. The judge he called over his shoulder, “Cinders, I want to talk to you too.”

“What about my story?” John asked.

The judge shrugged his shoulders and kept walking.

“Well?”

When they reached the door to the eatery, Cinders’ opened the door and held it for them.

“I already know your story, Hardy.” Judge Gleason huffed and ushered her through the open door.

****

Cinders had never in his life seen eyes as grand as the chocolate pools Shannon possessed. Her sun-kissed brown hair hung braided down her back to her waist. Her hands trembled as she sat down, but he knew her to be a brave woman. How could a woman who traveled across the territories to marry an unknown man and survive tangling with Hardy be anything but brave?

“Cinders, have a seat,” the judge instructed.

When he pulled out his chairthe wooden leg scraped against the dirty wood floor
.
It looked like the entire town wanted to dine at Eats, for the restaurant filled within minutes of their arrival. But nobody ordered any food, they just milled about and gawked at the three of them.

“I’m Judge Gleason, Miss…?”

“I’m Shannon McMurphy, sir.” The effort to speaking took reflected in her eyes.

Cinders took off his hate and ran his fingers through his hair. “John Hardy sliced her face. I drove the wagon in yesterday and Hardy was instructing two of his thugs to grab Miss McMurphy and bring her back into the saloon. I put a stop to it and Edith allowed me to carry her upstairs above the mercantile.”

Judge Gleason turned his gaze to Shannon. “Are you and John Hardy married?”

She shook her head and winced from the pain. “No. But I came from New York to marry him. He said he was a wealthy rancher and you can imagine my shock to find him as the saloonkeeper. I told him I couldn’t marry him. He backhanded me hard enough to send me flying across the room, hitting the wall. He said if I didn’t want to marry him, he’d make sure no one would ever want me. He cut my face and said I could work off my debt upstairs.”

Cinders didn’t want to feel sorry for her, in fact he wouldn’t have gotten involved with her if it hadn’t been life threatening and if it hadn’t involved John Hardy. The slimy bastard tried to buy his land out from under him. He nodded in satisfaction, he finally knocked Hardy down a peg or two.

Tilting his chair back on two legs, the judge eyed Shannon for a while before he turned his gaze on Cinders. He righted the chair. “I’m hungry. Eats!”

The gathering crowd filling the restaurant had the flimsy walls practically bursting. “Damn, can’t even get Eat’s attention.” He put two fingers in his mouth and whistled loudly. Silence ensued. “All you gawkers leave. If you’re not buying, you’re loitering. Now git before I get mad.”

There was much grumbling from the crowd as one by one they filed past the trio and out the door. A well-rounded man with uncombed hair and overgrown beard hurried to the table. Grease and flour covered his apron.

“I’ll have your breakfast ready faster than a prairie fire with a tail wind.”

“I appreciate that, Eats. This here is Miss McMurphy. Why don’t you bring her and Cinders here something to eat too.”

Eats nodded. “Nice to meet you, miss.”

“Thank you.” Her voice was barely audible.

“Now the way I see it is you have two choices, miss. You can either marry John or Cinders here.” He looked at Cinders with humor in his eyes.

Cinders stood up. “Now wait a minute. I said I’d hire her. No one said anything about getting hitched.”

Shannon’s face turned a deep shade of scarlet and Cinders silently cursed. He didn’t want to make her feel unwanted but he didn’t like to be told what to do.

Judge Gleason combed his gray hair with his long fingers. “Sit down, Cinders. I can’t make you do anything you don’t want to do.” He paused as Cinders sat. “Of course, she could always work for John or become his wife. After all, he did pay for her to come out so she does owe him.”

“I don’t see why she can’t work for me.” He hoped the judge could hear the annoyance in his voice. He didn’t want or need to be hog-tied to any woman again.

“Cinders, you know how it all works. You have to marry her so you don’t sully her good name. You know how the gaggle of women around here are. They’ll treat her no better than a whore.” He stopped talking and turned to Shannon. “No offense, miss.”

Shannon nodded and her eyes dulled as she stood. “Thank you for coming to my rescue, Mr. Cinders. I’ll always be grateful, but this is my mess. I accepted his proposal, and I’m going to keep my word.” She stepped from the table and started for the door.

“Hell, I’d rather you marry me than go to John.”

She stopped and turned around. “You are a kind man, but I can’t saddle you with my problems.”

His eyebrows rose. “You’re choosing John Hardy over me?”

“It’s not a choice, really, it’s more of a duty. And I wouldn’t want you stuck with me. I have a pretty good idea of what my face will look like once the bandage comes off. It’s not fair to you.”

The sadness in her voice touched him and he couldn’t let her go. “If you’d rather, it could be a marriage of convenience.”

Her dark eyelashes fanned her face as she closed her eyes. She wanted to say yes, he could tell. “You’ll be wanting children,” she said

“No,” he said firmly. “That won’t be a problem for me.” Cinders quickly glanced away from her probing expression. He wasn’t about to go down that road again.

Swallowing hard, she nodded her consent. “Then thank you.” Her voice quavered and the uncovered side of her face looked a deathly white as though she'd been sentenced to the gallows.

“Well, Judge, you might as well marry us now.” Cinders stood next to Shannon, noticing for the first time just how delicate she was. He knew she was small, but next to him, she seemed tiny.

The humor in the judges blue eyes fled. “Now? But I haven’t had my breakfast.” He sighed and nodded. “Eats, hold the food. I need you and Poor Boy to come and witness the wedding.”

Eats came rambling over, his dark eyes full of excitement. Following behind him was a thin boy with mouse-brown hair and brown sullen eyes. “Ain’t never had a weddin’ in here afore.”

****

The next thing she knew she was standing next to Cinders facing Judge Gleason. Words were spoken and she made all the appropriate responses, but Cinders’ quick peck on her lips surprised her.

“Now git so I can eat, and don’t forget to settle up with Hardy.” He nodded and smiled. “Have a good day, Mrs. Cinders.”

Cinders opened the door and followed behind her onto the boardwalk. She stopped and peered up at him. “Your
last
name is Cinders?”

“Yep.”

“What’s your first name?”

“You didn’t hear it during the wedding? You can just call me Cinders.”

“Surely you can tell me your first name.” She shook her head. “It has to be a better name than Poor Boy. Just tell me.”

He smiled and offered her his arm. “I do believe we have business to take care of. Then I’m taking you home.” He walked her to the mercantile aware that people stared at every step they took.

“My bag is already in your wagon?”

“Edith probably put it there. Do you want to wait inside the store or in the wagon? I don’t want you anywhere near Hardy.”

“The wagon please.” He easily spanned her waist with his big hands and helped her up. He seemed like a good man. Perhaps she'd gotten lucky after all.

After a minute, she thought perhaps she'd made the wrong decision to wait in the wagon. A crowd gathered around her, not saying a word, just looking at her. It took every ounce of pride she possessed to sit with her back straight and her chin up. She’d done nothing wrong and she wasn’t going to allow them to intimidate her.

She’d hoped for a few kind words, or maybe congratulations on her nuptials, but nothing was said. Now nervous, she pretended to smooth out the horrid wrinkles in her skirt.

Cinders walked toward the wagon looking thunderous. An attractive woman with blonde hair stopped him. She watched as they exchanged words and the woman glanced at Shannon, her mouth curved in a frown. She instantly knew Cinders was meant for someone else. As Cinders walked away from the woman, Shannon adverted her gaze. Had she known…

The wagon tilted slightly as Cinders climbed up and sat beside her. “Quite the crowd.”

She noticed his face when he removed his hat to wipe the sweat from his brow. “What happened to your eye?” Her stomach clenched as she stared at the bruised skin. “Did John Hardy do this to you?”

“Let’s get going, we’ll talk when we get out of town,” he sighed.