Not the Marrying Kind (38 page)

Her steps slowed. How could she go through
with this?

She had no choice. She’d given her word, and
if this was the only way to protect Benjamin, if this was the only
way to keep him safe from harm, so be it.

“Katherine, my dear, how lovely you look.”
Reverend Kendrick spoke softly as he reached out to her, bidding
her to join him.

She stared at his outstretched hand,
unwilling to take it. Instead she clung to her father, desperate to
hold on to the past and all she’d known and loved. Her father
represented safety, security, and trust.

Kendrick stepped closer. “Please, dear,
don’t be shy. We’ll be wed within the hour.” A chorus of nervous
titters spread through the congregation at his remark. He bent
close and brought his lips close to her ear. No one but Kat heard
his next words. “There’s no need for such false modesty. We both
know you’re a woman of experience.”

Years ago during the great Gold Rush in
California, someone had managed to bring a heavy, pedal organ
across the prairies. Upon seeing the mountains spread out ahead of
them, they wisely left the instrument behind. It became the pride
of Sunset’s little non-denominational church. Now, its music
swelled to a triumphant crescendo, then abruptly stopped. The last
notes lingered for a moment before fading into silence.

The time had come, and all eyes were upon
Katherine Phillips. She trembled and turned to her father, wishing
he might yet offer a pardon from the horrible fate that awaited
her. Wordlessly, she pleaded for his mercy.

Her eyes studied the lines of his weathered
face, trying to read the thoughts and feelings written there.

“Is everything all right, Pa?” she squeaked,
her voice barely audible.

“Everything’s just fine.” He smiled and
patted her hand. “You’re a lovely bride.”

She needed assurance. “You know what I mean.
Our agreement.”

Her father looked away. “Everything is just
as it should be, Kat.”

“What do you mean? Pa? What have you
done?”

“I did what was right, Katherine.”

“You don’t understand!”

“You have to trust me. It’s not our place to
intervene —”

“Pa! No!” Her blood turned cold, and she
jerked away from him. “You lied to me.”

Reverend Kendrick’s long arms snaked around
her waist and held her fast. “Katherine, hush! Do not ever raise
your voice to your father. And must I remind you? You’re in God’s
house.”

“I don’t care where I am.” She twisted away
from him. “A child’s life is in danger, and all the two of you are
doing is asking me to trust you, to trust God, to stand by and do
nothing. I’m sorry. I can’t. I won’t.”

Gathering up her long skirts, she raced up
the aisle to the door.

“Come back here, Katherine! We’re getting
married.”

“No, we’re not.” She stopped, turned, and
faced her father. “You lied to me. My own father. Lied. Isn’t there
a commandment about that?” Next she turned her fury toward Reverend
Kendrick. “Haven’t you preached sermons about honesty? Maybe my
father wasn’t listening. Maybe he forgot. Or maybe he was
sleeping.”

Kat caught sight of her mother and Emily
Sue. Her little sister’s eyes were big and round. Mama, on the
other hand, had her face buried in her hands, obviously embarrassed
by her wayward daughter’s actions.

For a moment, nothing happened. No one
moved. No one spoke. Kat doubted anyone even drew a breath. She
didn’t.

Then, somehow, her father was at her side,
reaching for her shaking hands.

“Honey,” he said in his gentle, quiet,
reassuring voice, “don’t get yourself so wound up. I talked to
Reverend Kendrick about Benjamin. We discussed what to do. The best
thing is for Benjamin and his father to be together. Mr. Brooks
gave his word. He won’t lay a hand on the boy.”

“He gave his word!” Kat pulled her hands
away. She ripped off the insufferable veil, and tossed it to the
floor. Now she could see Pa better, could look him directly in the
eyes. “The same way you gave your word? You promised you’d keep
Benjamin safe.”

“I promised I’d do what was right,
Katherine.”

He’d never had any intention of looking out
for Benjamin. Her father meant well, but he’d let himself be
blinded by the light in which he so devoutly believed. A light of
goodness and mercy. That light had burned him, turning him hard and
rigid. He’d lost his heart to a book of unyielding rules.

She lifted her chin. “That’s what I’m doing
now too.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m doing what’s right.” She bolted toward
the door.

Once outside, Kat cast a glance over her
shoulder, knowing every man, woman, and child inside the little
church would come chasing after her. She had no desire to play some
ridiculous game of pin-the-ring-on-the-bride.

A wagon rolled down the narrow street, and
Kat recognized the woman driving.

“Maddie! Stop!” She waved frantically. As
the wagon slowed, Kat hiked up the skirts of her wedding dress,
jumped, and threw herself into the back. She ducked down just as
the wedding guests burst through the doorway. “Get me out of here,
Maddie,” she pleaded, staying low.

Maddie laughed. “Guess maybe it was a good
thing I was late for the wedding. So, where are we going?”

“Cody’s place. I’ve got to get to Benjamin.
His father’s coming. He’s probably on his way to the cabin
now.”

Maddie slapped the reins, the leather traces
groaned, and the horses broke into a run.

They reached the cabin with at least half
the town of Sunset yapping at their heels. If it hadn’t been for
the horsewhip Maddie kept close by her side—she never used it on
her horses but reserved it for those who truly deserved to feel its
sting—they wouldn’t have been able to make their escape. Of course,
they hadn’t really gotten away from their pursuers. A mob of men,
Reverend Kendrick in the lead, marched on the wagon as soon as
Maddie pulled to a stop.

“Katherine, get back here,” Kendrick
ordered.

“Go to hell!” She turned and raced toward
the cabin, grateful to see both Benjamin and Cody standing there
staring dumbstruck at her. No doubt the commotion had brought them
out to see what was going on.

If only Joshua were there! Kat burst into
tears.

Suddenly, all eyes turned toward the west as
a horse and rider broke through the grove of trees into the
clearing. Kat gasped when she heard the familiar voice.

“What’s this? Some kind of party?”

Unbelievable! With tears streaming across
her cheeks, Kat ran to him.

“Joshua! I’m so glad to see you.”

Marshal Long, still dressed in his best
Sunday clothes, rode to the front of the crowd. Kat cursed under
her breath for inviting the lawman.

“What do you want me to do, Reverend?” the
marshal asked.

“I want you to arrest that man.” Kendrick
leveled a finger at his rival. “He kidnapped my bride.”

Kat whirled around. “That’s an outright lie,
and everybody here knows it! I ran away.”

“But he enticed you.” The loathsome man
pointed toward Joshua and took a step closer. “He’s been a bad
influence on you. He’s corrupted you. He should be arrested for far
more than kidnapping.” Kendrick lowered his voice. “For the sake of
your reputation and our future together, I won’t go into the sordid
details of your relationship with Mr. Barron.”

“You and I have no future together,” Kat
snapped, edging closer to Joshua as the minister took another step
toward her. “You lied. My father lied. You both tried to trick me
into a marriage I never wanted. Worse still, you’re putting
Benjamin’s life in danger.” She turned to the boy, whose eyes were
wide with unmistakable fear. “Your father is coming,” Kat told
him.

Joshua got down from the bay. He went to
Benjamin and put a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Don’t worry. We’ll
protect you. We won’t let him hurt you.”

“You’re a fine one to talk.” Kendrick wasn’t
giving up easily. He cleared his throat. “I know who you are,
remember. Maybe Katherine’s willing to believe your lies. Maybe
you’ve even persuaded a few of the townsfolk that you’re a
respectable, law-abiding man, but I know the truth.”

Kat thought of the deal Joshua had struck
with her father, the secrets he’d kept from her, and the way he’d
led her on. Could there be something more the man was hiding? Maybe
so. Everyone had secrets, she supposed. But none of it mattered
now. She loved him, heart and soul. He loved her, too. She trusted
no one more than Joshua Barron.

“He’s got no reason to lie.” She cast a
glance back toward the tall, handsome man who’d come to mean so
much to her. When she saw the worried expression on his face, a
chill raced through her veins.

You know nothing about the man.
How
many times had Reverend Kendrick uttered those words? Her mother
had said those words, too. So had Lucille.

“He’s a killer, Kat.” Dirk Phillips stepped
out from the crowd. “From the moment he first showed up at the
ranch, I had my doubts about him.”

She snorted her disdain. “Oh, really? You
were sure as hell willing to bargain with him to get what you
wanted.” Even though her father blanched upon hearing her curse,
she was too angry to care. “You’d make a deal with the devil,
wouldn’t you, Pa, if you could profit from it.”

“That’s enough. I was wrong to go behind
your back. I admit it. At the time, I didn’t know any more about
the man than you did. But now, the good reverend has done a bit of
checking, and like it or not, honey, truth is truth. Joshua Barron
killed a man in a bar fight. It’s a matter of record. He was
convicted and sent to prison. That’s where he’s been for the last
few years.”

Why was her father making up such ugly
stories? Kat clamped her hands over her ears. She couldn’t bear to
listen to any more of his lies.

The minister turned toward the woman in the
wagon. “Isn’t that right, Miss Marlowe? You know all about it,
don’t you?”

Maddie buried her head in her hands. “I’m
sorry! I’m so sorry for everything.”

Confused, Kat shook her head. “It’s not
true,” she cried. “Joshua would never hurt anyone. He’s not a
killer.”

To her dismay, he came forward, holding up
his hands. Defeat showed in the way he walked, and in the way he
quietly said, “Put the cuffs on, marshal. I’ll go peacefully.”

“No! This is wrong.” Kat lurched at Marshal
Long, but her father caught her and held her back. “Let go of me!
Let go of him,” she pleaded. “You can’t take him away. He hasn’t
done anything wrong.”

“Kidnapping, sexual assault, murder…”
Revered Kendrick smirked.

The marshal mopped his brow with a kerchief.
“He’ll get a fair trial for the recent crimes. Of course, he’ll
have to pay the consequences for breaking out of prison.”

Kat noted the slight arch of Joshua’s dark
brows. No matter what they said about him, she refused to believe
it. With a fierce tug, she pulled herself free from her father’s
grasp.

“Joshua, please, tell me the truth. What is
this all about?”

“Go back home with your father,” he said in
a quiet voice. “I’ll come for you as soon as I can.”

He’d come for her? How in hell did he plan
to do that, she wondered as he rode off with the marshal, his hands
cuffed behind his back. Another jail break?

And what would happen to Benjamin now? She
turned just in time to see the boy break free from the crowd,
running headlong for the dense stands of pine and the mountain that
lay beyond.

“Benjamin, wait!” She raced after him.

The warmth of the July sun faded as Kat and
Benjamin climbed higher into the hills, hoping to elude anyone who
might be in pursuit. She’d quickly caught up with him after he’d
fled from the cabin. Throughout the long afternoon, she’d remained
at his side. Neither knew where they were going; they only knew
they couldn’t stop. Driven by fear, they pressed onward. The hated
white wedding gown was soon torn to shreds, and the delicate satin
slippers she wore offered no protection from the sharp rocks and
ridges, but Kat ignored the pain.

If only she could disregard the aching in
her heart so easily! The hurt had lodged deep within her chest, as
hard and unmoving as the huge boulders covering the steep hillside.
It blocked her breath, made her fight for strength, and threatened
to overpower her with each calamitous thought.

She would not think now of her father and
his vicious lies, and she must not think of Joshua, nor worry
herself over his fate. Instead, she must keep her thoughts focused
on Benjamin and on their own survival.

Would the boy ever trust her—or
anyone—again? From the moment she and Joshua had found him—cold,
hungry, and literally clinging to life—she’d promised no harm would
come to him. Over and over, she’d failed, and he’d been forced to
run once more.

Now, she would run with him. Somehow she
would find a way to keep her promise. Kat would not let anyone hurt
Benjamin ever again.

She knew someone was following them. The
crowd gathered at the cabin had been too stunned to give chase, but
she’d spotted a tall, sturdily-built man a few hours before. Most
likely John Brooks, she suspected. Not wanting to alarm Benjamin,
she’d said nothing.

Of course, it could be anyone, she told
herself. Someone out climbing for sport, someone who loved the
mountains as much as she did, someone who liked the challenge the
rocky cliffs provided. She knew better.

The man was still a good distance behind
them. If they got around to the other side of the mountain first,
they’d soon reach open land, long before their pursuer caught up to
them. With each step, however, their strength and energy flagged.
The man following them showed no sign of slowing down.

Could it be Joshua?
Kat held on to
that irrational thought for no more than a minute. As much as she
wanted to believe he’d escaped Marshal Long’s clutches and would
somehow come to their rescue, she knew it simply wasn’t possible.
Whatever happened now, she could not count on Joshua Barron for
help.