The Marshal Takes A Bride (7 page)

Tucker watched him and smiled. “I’ve been thinking about you staying in town and how my mother is going to react to this news.”

Sarah almost laughed, but refrained. He had left her grandfather’s hotel room so upset the other day over the telegram his mother had sent her. He had repeated over and over that she was up to her matchmaking shenanigans once again. Now Sarah understood.

“With you remaining in Fort Worth, she’s going to do everything in her power to find someway to arrange for us to be together,” he said anxiously.

“Why?” Sarah asked.

“Because she’s desperate to get me married.”

“That can only happen if we let it. And we both know it’s not going to happen.” Sarah couldn’t help but wince inside. The thought of her and Tucker married, together with Lucas, was heart wrenching. But there was no second chance, and she could not give her heart to Tucker a second time.

“My mother is determined, Sarah.”

“I’m not afraid of your mother, Tucker.”

“I know. But she’s a strong-minded woman who has succeeded with my other two brothers.” He paused. “Actually, I have an idea that might just throw her plans awry.”

“What’s that?” Sarah asked.

She watched as he sighed and glanced down before lifting his eyes back to hers. “I thought that maybe you might consider seeing someone while you were here. You know, maybe do some courting, and consider staying permanently. I could help you.”

“What?” she asked, stunned at the sudden turn in the conversation. Was he offering to help her find a husband? “Are you suggesting that I court other men just to keep your mother from pestering you?”

“Well, it would solve the problem, but...”

“Are you suggesting that I let you help me find a husband?”

Tucker grimaced and shrugged his shoulders. “Kind of.”

He was offering to help her find a husband when for so long he had been the man she dreamed of. She almost burst out laughing at the absurdness of his suggestion.

Only she felt like hitting him even more.

She watched as he shifted uncomfortably on the sofa. “I know it seems kind of forward of me, but you might find someone from here that you’d be interested in marrying.”

“No,” she said emphatically, suddenly almost angry that he was so blind. “I’m not interested in courting. I’m not interested in staying in Fort Worth. I have my son; I don’t need a man.”

Tucker nodded. “I know. I just thought that maybe you’d want the boy to have a father.”

Lucas had a father. He had a father who was an idiot...a total and complete ass to think of suggesting that he help her find a husband.

“Absolutely not.”

“Well, I just thought that maybe if there was someone else you were interested in, Mother would leave us both alone.”

“I’m not going to rearrange my life just because your mother doesn’t know the meaning of the word ‘no.’ I’ll deal with her directly”

“You’re sure?” he questioned.

“No doubt”

“All right, I just wanted to warn you. If you change your mind...”

“I won’t!”

He sat on the couch, watching Lucas play with the toy soldier. Finally he looked up and gazed at her. “So how’s the doctor been doing?”

“He’s about the same. At least yesterday he seemed to improve a little. I really need to get over there,” she said, suddenly anxious for Tucker to leave.

Tucker stood. “Okay, I’ll be going then, but if you need me, you know where I’m at.”

“Yes. I know.”

Tucker went to the door, and as he stood there, Sarah couldn’t help but remember images from their night together the feel of his muscles beneath her hands, the way his skin glowed, the strength of his embrace and the power of his kiss. She stared at his lips, remembering the way they had felt covering her own, making their way to her breasts...

She closed her eyes for just a brief moment.

“I don’t know how to tell you to be prepared, but I know Mother is going to try something.”

“I’ll handle it,” she said quickly. All she knew was that he had left her in the middle of the night. Even knowing that he probably left every woman that way, so as not to face her in the morning, it still hurt. Somehow she had imagined that what they had shared was different.

“We wouldn’t even be having this conversation if it weren’t for my mother. I don’t plan on ever marrying, but if I was going to marry anyone, you’d be my first choice.”

She glanced up at him, and for a moment she felt the urge to put her lips on his—kiss him once again, find out if her memories were really as good as she envisioned—then permanently shut the door on her memories and forget her experience with Tucker.

“Don’t flatter yourself. You’re not a marrying kind of man, and I’m not getting involved with anyone like you ever again,” she said. “Are we clear on this subject now?”

He grinned. “That’s one of the things I’ve always admired about you, Sarah. You know your own mind, and you’re not afraid to speak it.”

The smile she had summoned felt as if it would crack from the strain. “Get out of here,” she said playfully, though she meant every word. “You’re a man full of false promises, and I don’t want to hear them.”

“No, I never make promises, Sarah.” He tipped his hat and walked out the door. “Especially ones I can’t deliver on.”

Sarah closed the portal and leaned against the wood. Yes, he was right; he had never made her any promises. God, how could she spend two months in the same town with this man without letting her feelings slip? And his mother. She surely didn’t need Eugenia nosing around and finding out the truth.

She laughed. He'd asked her to see other men! What a homecoming!

***

Sarah heard the knocking on the doctor’s office door, but was checking her patient’s wounds. She hurried through the hallway connecting the house and the office and heard the voice she had been dreading.

“Yoo-hoo, is anyone here?” Eugenia called.

“Hello, Mrs. Burnett, how are you?” Sarah asked, as she strolled into the office area. “I’m sorry I didn’t get to the door, but I was changing the doctor’s bandages.”

“I’m fine, dear. I must say you are looking lovely. I haven’t seen you since you left for that fancy college you insisted on attending back east.”

“That was a long time ago.”

“Yes, it was, but I’m so happy that you’re here and that you’re replacing Doc Wilson.” Eugenia took a breath and paused. “I’m really worried about him. How is he?”

“He’s seems to be improving a little bit each day. It’s just going to take time.” Sarah smiled at the older woman’s ploy. “But I’m not replacing him. I’m just filling in until he’s strong enough to resume his duties or the town finds someone else.”

Eugenia shook her head. “Whatever you say, dear. Tucker told me that the two of you have been getting reacquainted. I’m so glad to hear that. Since you’ve been back in Fort Worth, I’ve noticed some nice changes in him, and I’m hoping that’s because of you.”

“Don’t give me credit for any changes in Tucker. We really haven’t been getting along all that well since I’ve returned.”

“Well, he’s like his father. Stubborn as they come,” the older woman said. “You know, it’s been ages since you’ve been out to the house. Why don’t you bring your son and come for a visit.”

Sarah decided it was time for some frank discussion with Tucker’s mother regarding her matchmaking and the telegram that had brought Sarah home. “Eugenia, Tucker came by and warned me about your intentions regarding the two of us. I also assume that’s the reason you sent me that telegram about my grandfather. You know, I really did not appreciate being scared into coming home.”

“What, dear? I didn’t mean to scare you, but your grandfather was ill. I took care of him, so I would know. As for Tucker, he’s so confused about what he wants and needs right now. I hope that you can help him.”

“Tucker does not want to marry, and I’m not about to get involved with your son again.” As soon as the words were out of Sarah’s mouth, she wanted to retract them.

“Again?” Shock rippled across Eugenia’s face—followed by a smile.

Sarah wanted to kick herself. Why had she let the word 'again' slip when she knew Eugenia would jump on it? She could almost see the thoughts scampering across the woman’s brain like a stampeding herd.

“What do you mean 'again'? When were the two of you involved?” Eugenia asked.

“I meant a man like Tucker.”

“Oh.” She stared at Sarah. “I bet it was in Tombstone.”

“Eugenia, Tucker and I will never be married. Please don’t try and push us together.”

The woman completely ignored her.

“Like I was saying, why don’t you bring your son, Lucas, out to visit with us? Tucker could teach him how to ride a pony, and you could meet my daughters-in-law, Rose and Beth.”

“We’re really very busy,” Sarah said, trying to politely refuse the woman.

“I insist. Rose’s baby is due in four to six weeks, and you’re going to be her doctor. So when you come out to see Rose, bring Lucas and we’ll make a day of it.”

“If I do as you request, you have to understand that there will be nothing between Tucker and me.”

“Oh, right, dear. That’s between the two of you. Whatever you say.”

“I mean it, Eugenia. You sent me the telegram to get me home. Granted, I should have come long before now. But I’m here, and nothing is going to happen between Tucker and me.”

“Well, I understand how you feel.” Eugenia held her reticule in her hands.

“Would you like to see the doctor now, Mrs. Burnett? I’m sure he’s up to having visitors,” Sarah said, feeling the need to rid herself of this woman as quickly as possible, before she made some other remark.

“No, dear, I just wanted to come by and tell you welcome back and how delighted I am that you’re going to be our new doctor. Tucker and I both are happy to see you.”

“Thank you, but it’s only temporary.”

“Well, I will be going, but I do expect you to come out soon to see Rose and be sure to bring your son.”

“We’ll see,” Sarah said, refusing to commit herself to Eugenia’s invitation.

Eugenia walked back to the door. “Tell Doc I said hello.”

“I will.”

She was half out of the door when she stopped and turned back to Sarah. “I know you don’t believe me, but you and Tucker are meant to be together. Toodoloo, dear.”

Sarah watched as she stepped out of the door and closed it firmly, effectively cutting off any reply that Sarah might have given. This woman was stubborn enough to make Tucker look like an amateur.

***

For two days Sarah kept replaying Eugenia’s visit over and over in her mind. God, if the woman knew that Lucas was Tucker’s son, she would probably have them both kidnapped and taken to the justice of the peace. Anything to get them joined as man and wife, whether they wanted to be together or not

Funny, Sarah had never thought of herself being with any man but Tucker. Even before Tombstone he had been the friend to whom she had confided all her hopes and dreams, the man on whom she had practiced her first coquetry, and the one she had missed when she left town to go to medical school.

Now his mother was on a mission to get them together permanently, and Sarah saw only heartache looming in the future. Eugenia’s meddling seemed to push Tucker further away, but the woman was too determined to see that her interfering did more harm than good.

A man like Tucker only ran faster the more dogged someone nipped at his heels, and right now he was poised for the race of his life. And Sarah couldn’t help but think that maybe she should be the one to run. Maybe she should pack up and take Lucas home, right now.

Life was full of choices, and she was not a woman who let convention stand in her way. She could leave right now and return to Tombstone without helping the people of Fort Worth. Or she could try once again to reach Eugenia and make the woman understand that she and Tucker would never be married. Or she could reconsider Tucker’s proposal of finding someone to court her while she was here.

She tossed the ideas around in her head for several moments, thinking about each of them, searching every possible angle, tossing out the impossible ones.

She couldn’t leave Fort Worth and the people she cared about without medical help. No matter what happened, she was a healer, and she took her profession seriously. She could not leave until either the doctor was well or someone else took her place.

Yet trying to make Eugenia understand the futility of a relationship between her and Tucker seemed impossible. The woman was a cyclone blowing in and out of people’s lives, leaving behind damage and destruction, never intending to hurt, never intending to do harm. The woman just plain refused to listen.

Then there was the possibility of Tucker finding her someone he thought she could marry. But she didn’t want to marry. Though the thought of two months of Eugenia pushing her and Tucker together, while his mother only drove them further apart, was not exactly appealing either.

And though Sarah was loath to admit it, she didn’t know what she wanted with Tucker, but she certainly didn’t want the chance of them being together totally destroyed. Yet Eugenia was on a course that was destined to make Tucker run as far from Sarah as his long legs would take him.

A knock on the hotel door interrupted her thoughts. She stood and went to the door, turning the lock slowly before she opened the portal.

One of the hotel messengers stood before her, a package in his hand with a hand-delivered note.

She signed for the package and shut the door. There was no name on the outside of the parcel except her own. Curious, she ripped open the tissue paper and tossed the lid aside. She reached inside the tissue-lined tin box and pulled out a white wedding veil with lace and pearls trimming the headband. Immediately she knew whom the package was from.

She tore into the envelope, fury making her fingers tremble.

Dear Sarah,

I’ve always dreamed of one of my daughters- in-law wearing my wedding veil when she weds my son. I’m sending you this veil so that you will know the faith of my belief that you and Tucker are meant to be together. Though I don’t expect the wedding to be held tomorrow, I do think eventually you will marry my son. Please do me the honor of wearing this veil when that day comes.