Bran (Prairie Grooms, Book Six) (17 page)

“So then they had the both of you,” finished Colin.

“They were going to ransom Apple and me …” said Bran.

“What? Both of you?” Harrison asked, confused.

Bran smiled. “Aye, I told them I was her brother. It kept me alive long enough to be able to do something.”

“How did you get away?” Harrison asked as he leaned to one side to count how many men and horses Bran was leading.

“Well, we had a little help. Seems a stranger was in these parts searching for something. The outlaws happened to stop near his camp. He helped me … subdue them, more or less. Actually, he did more, and I did less, but …”

“But he saved us, and that’s all that counts!” said Apple. “You should have been there!”

“Yes, we should have,” said Harrison. “I’m sorry we weren’t. We apologize, to both of you.”

“It wasn’t your fault, cousin,” Apple told him. “It was mine for taking off in the first place. And all because of the …” she snapped her mouth shut.

Colin and Harrison exchanged a quick look. “Because of what, Apple?” Colin asked.

She took a deep breath, bit her lower lip a few times, then pushed out, “because of the Sayer curse!”

The brothers gaped at her. “Curse?” asked Harrison. “You took off because …”

“Because she was convinced it was real, and was trying to … ah … test it,” explained Bran.

Harrison rubbed his face with his hand a few times. “Test it?”

“Aye,” Bran said, and tried not to smile, for Apple’s sake.

“Sayer curse…” muttered Colin. “I say, isn’t that the business that started with cousin Charles’ untimely demise?”

“Yes, and what’s caused Duncan and our dear cousins so much trouble. But he found a way.”

“Yes, by sending them here, where they’d be safe.”

“What are you talking about?” asked Apple.

“We’ll discuss it at home,” said Harrison. “Which is where we’re going, straight away.”

He turned his horse and started off.

Colin brought his horse along side Bran and Apple. “You were in the company of the outlaws all night?”

“Yes,” said Apple. “Except of course for the time they were all out cold.”

“All of them?” he asked in disbelief.

“I’ll explain when we get back to town,” said Bran But first things first. Apple needs food and water, and I need to get these men behind bars. After that, there’s something I’d like to discuss with you and Harrison in regards to Apple.”

Colin looked at him, caught the determined gleam in his eye, and smiled. “Right you are, old chap. Right you are.”

* * *

They reached town, locked up the bandits, and retreated to the hotel for breakfast. Apple was famished, and wolfed down whatever Mrs. Upton put in front of her. “Good Heavens,” said Apple. “But I never thought being kidnapped could work up such an appetite!”

Bran stood off to one side of the dining parlor, and spoke in low tones with Colin, Harrison, and the sheriff. Eloise had come down the moment she heard the news, as did Seth, and the two of them sat at the table with Apple. “Are you sure you’re all right? Do you want to spend the night with us?” Eloise asked.

Apple chewed her bacon, and swallowed. “It might be nice to stay. You’ve been so kind, cousin.”

“Penelope was going to come into town today. I’m sure she’ll want to see you once she finds out what happened.”

Apple stopped, a forkful of pancake halfway to her mouth. “Penelope? Oh dear …”

“What’s wrong?” asked Seth.

“Oh, er … nothing … it’s just that … well you see … she’s not going to be happy when she finds out about Clyde.”

“Clyde?” said Seth. “You mean August’s cantankerous rooster?”

Apple nodded.

“What happened to him?”

“After he attacked the outlaws, he … went away.”

Seth stared at her. “Attacked the outlaws? You mean he did it again?!”

Apple nodded solemnly. “Then he had to go away.”

“Had to go away?” said Eloise. “What are you talking about?”

She never got to answer. Sheriff Hughes came to the table with Bran, Harrison, and Colin. “Well, little lady, you’ve had quite a night.”

She nodded and looked to Bran. “Yes, sir.”

“Deputy O’Hare tells me you were very brave,”

Apple looked up at Bran and smiled.

“He also said we need to prepare for a wedding,” added Harrison, his face stern.

Apple swallowed. “Er, yes.”

Harrison and Colin both smiled. “Is this what you want, cousin?” Colin asked softly.

Apple again looked at Bran, her eyes bright. “Yes.”

“Well then, so long as the two of you can manage to keep each other alive, then we give our consent,” said Harrison.

Everyone laughed, including Bran. “Oh, I almost forgot,” he said and reached into his shirt pocket. “I have a message for you.” He handed the envelope to Seth.

“What’s this?”

“The stranger that helped us said to give it to you. Says he knows you and Ryder.”

Seth turned the envelope over in his hands and looked at the wax seal. “What is this?”

Eloise peered at it. “I’ve never seen a symbol like that before. Open it.”

Seth was about to when Willie came into the dining parlor. “Colin? Harrison?”

The brothers turned to him. “Willie,” said Harrison. “What is it?”

Willie glanced at everyone, then back at the Cookes. “Somethin’ came in on the early stage for ya.”

Harrison smiled and looked at Colin. “It must be our Christmas presents! They’re here already!”

Colin rubbed his hands together. “What a brother! I say, he’s certainly gotten generous since he took up the dukey!”

“Yes, I hope he didn’t send anything too extravagant,” said Harrison as he turned to follow Willie out to the stage.

“Your other cousin, Imogene? She’s already at the mercantile. I done run into her and Jefferson. He brought her into town to see if ya found Apple.”

“Why then, is she waiting at the stage?” asked Colin.

“Don’t know,” said Willie. “Maybe she wants to see if Duncan sent her a Christmas present too.” Colin and Harrison chuckled at the remark as they continued to where the stage was parked. Willie stared at it, and scratched his head. “Now where’d they go?”

“Where’d what go?” asked Colin. “Did you take them off already? Maybe Wilfred took them into the mercantile?”

“They must still be inside,” Willie muttered to himself.

“Cousin Imogene,” said Colin with a smile. “Apple is going to be fine.”

“Of course she is, she’s a Sayer! Sayer’s always bounce back after adversity!”

“She’s at the hotel,” said Harrison as Willie opened the stagecoach door.

“I know, but … I wanted to see what the Duke has sent. We both do.”

Cutty, her constant companion stood at her side. “She does, not me. Ain’t my Christmas present on that stage. I’d rather see how the little miss is doin’. She is okay, ain’t she?”

“Perfect, and now betrothed,” said Harrison with a smile. He then noticed Willie was speaking to someone…
inside the stagecoach
.

“Isn’t this the last stop before Willie heads out again?” Colin asked Harrison.

“Yes, I was just thinking the same thing.”

Imogene stepped forward and joined them. “What’s this about?”

Cutty snorted. “Is this all because of a box of tea? You three oughta be down at the hotel comfortin’ the likes of your cousin, and instead you’re …”

Willie stepped aside, and a handsome young man poked his head through the door, then disembarked from the stagecoach. He brushed off his coat, which had seen better days, then extended his hand toward the darkened interior.

“Who the bloody …” began Harrison.

“Is that?” finished Colin.

A woman’s hand extended forth, and the young man took it. The vision that stepped out of the stage caught every man’s breath. She alighted, took a shaky breath, and stared at the onlookers.

The young man pulled her against him in a protective manner, reached into his pocket, and pulled out what looked like a sheaf of documents wrapped in leather. “I’m looking for Colin and Harrison Cooke. Would that be you, sirs?”

His accent was very English. “Yes, it would,” said Colin as he stepped forward. “This is Harrison, and I’m Colin. And you are?”

He handed the documents to Colin, then wrapped his arms around the girl, who was clearly frightened.

Colin took them, unfolded the covering, opened it, and began to read. “This is from Duncan all right.” He looked up at the pair. “Who are you?”

Imogene stepped forward and studied them intently. “Oh, good Lord,” she muttered under her breath.

“Imogene?” said Harrison. “Do you know them?”

Colin continued to peruse the documents. “What?” he cried out in shock. “Duncan!” His head snapped to Harrison. “These are… oh, dear, but … these are…”

“Who?”

Cutty had had enough. “I don’t care who they are, I’m gonna go down and see the little miss!” He turned and started to stomp off.

“Suit yourself,” huffed Imogene.

“Who are you?” demanded Colin.

The young man stepped forward, pulling the girl along with him. “I am Newton Whitman, and this is my twin sister, Nettie.”

Colin looked at the documents in his hand. “That’s not what this says.”

Imogene grabbed the documents from him, and started to read. “Good Heaven’s!” she cried.

Cutty stopped up short at the sound and turned. “You all right?”

She looked at him, he was two buildings down, then waved him away. He shrugged and turned. “This says you’re name is Newton and Nettie Holmes!”

The young man nodded. “True, our mother was Elizabeth Whitman, we have used her name most of our lives. But … our father …” he looked at Colin and Harrison. “You must understand, when the duke learned of our existence, he sent us here to make a new life for ourselves, as our father … was Thackary Cuthbert Holmes.”

A sudden hacking caught everyone’s attention. They all looked to see Cutty grab at his chest, heave, hack, and then fall flat on his face.

Epilogue

“I do,” breathed Apple with one of the most euphoric looks anyone had ever seen.

Preacher Jo smiled, and glanced at Bran. “You may kiss the bride.”

Bran smiled back. “Yes, sir!” He took Apple in his arms, bent her back, and kissed her soundly.

Hats flew through the air, as did a few other things not nailed down, much to Annie and Josiah King’s dismay. But, at least it wasn’t anything breakable. Though Wilfred wasn’t too happy when a hymnal landed on his head.

The Cooke family stood, clapped and cheered with the rest, as Apple and Bran tried to fight their way through the cheering crowd to get outside to the wedding wagon. The wedding supper was being held at the hotel, and Mrs. Upton was beside herself with the chance to do more of the cooking and not just the cake. She and Mrs. Dunnigan only got in a few fights over what to serve for the main course.

Not all were happy though. Clear Creek’s newest residents kept to themselves most of the time. The Duke had sent enough money to put them up at the hotel for quite a while, until they could get better settled. Colin, Harrison, and the rest of the family had been polite and cordial to them. After all, the twins couldn’t help who their father was. They’d obviously had a hard enough time growing up as by-blows, the product of Thackary Holmes’ philandering. Then, to be sent to America to escape the insults and outright cruelty, then blamed for a curse that didn’t exist … not to mention, the misfortune of people the supposed victims of it.

No, Duncan was right to send them. Out here they would have a chance at a normal, happy life. It would be easy enough to find Nettie a husband, but Newton would need a wife.

“I’ll send word to my friend in Boston tomorrow,” said Belle. “We can get your cousin a mail-order bride.”

“True enough,” said Colin. “But what about Nettie? What are we going to do about her? Hold a lottery?”

“We’ll deal with that later. I had thought of Amon Cotter for her, but let’s them get settled in first. It’s only been a few days since they’ve arrived.”

“Amon Cotter, the carpenter? Yes, he might do, but in the meantime, she’s causing quite a stir. Who would have thought ol Thackary could have produced such a beauty.”

“Newton isn’t bad either,” commented Belle.

And he wasn’t. The twins both had honey-colored hair and dark eyes. But there was a fierceness about Newton, one Colin and Harrison guessed was born from years of protecting his sister.

“Let’s worry about it all later,” suggested Colin. “This is Apple’s big day.”

“Yes,” sighed Belle. She glanced around as people began to leave the church. “Where is Imogene, I thought I saw her earlier.”

“You did, but she sat in the back of the church and slipped out the first chance she got to check on Cutty, poor chap.”

“Is he any better?”

“Doc Drake said he should be fine in a day or two, but can’t seem to figure out what’s wrong with him.”

“Imogene said he tripped.”

“Since when does tripping send one into a coughing fit and a faint?”

She shrugged. “Stranger things have happened in this town.”

  Colin laughed. “Indeed, dear wife, they have! But then, that’s part of Clear Creek’s charm.” He took her into her arms, and kissed her, not caring what people thought. When Colin broke the kiss he looked into Belle’s eyes and sighed. “Come spring we’ll have a new resident. Have you thought of a girl’s name yet?”

“No, we still have plenty of time.”

He hugged her, kissed the top of her head, and smiled. “That we do, my darling. Now, what say we go to a wedding supper? If for nothing else but to make sure Apple or Bran don’t suffer some calamity.”

“I quite agree,” she said. 

And with that, they followed the rest of the crowd out of the church, and to the hotel.  Within moments, the church was empty. Almost.

Seth Jones stood up from a pew in the back and turned to his brother. “Did you read it?”

Ryder still sat, pulled the envelope out of his pocket and held it up. “How in tarnation did they find us?”

“Don’t know. What are we gonna do?”

Ryder shrugged. “Help them, I guess. What else can we do? They saved our sorry hides once, we do owe em.”

Seth nodded. “Yes, that’s true. But what if it’s dangerous?”

Ryder looked up at him. “I guess we won’t know that until we talk with them and find out exactly what it is they want us to do.”

“You’re right. Let’s not worry about it until then.” Seth reached out a hand, and pulled his brother to his feet. “How’s married life treating you?”

Ryder smiled. “It’s a treatin’ me real well. I think Constance is tryin’ to hide somethin’ from me, but I ain’t sure.”

Seth’s eyes widened. “You think she’s with child?”

“Don’t know, but I’ll be one happy fella if’n she is!”

Seth grinned, slapped his brother on the back, and together, they left the church to go celebrate with Apple and Bran, Clear Creek’s latest and now married, Prairie Groom.

The Weaver Farm, 1871

Tom looked at the faces staring at him from around the table. “Well? What ya think?”

Benjamin and Calvin’s eyes gravitated to each other, then back to Tom, their jaws slack. Rose took his hand and held it under the table. Even Arlan sat in dead silence. Not so much Mrs. Weaver.

“Glory be! I never would’ve expected … I mean … Thackary Holmes had …
children
?”

“And no one knows he’s really Cutty,” Daniel whispered then looked at Tom. “What about the note?”

“What about it?” asked Tom, “you know as much as I do.”

“Wait a minute,” Calvin said as he stood, his hand going to his hip. Thankfully, he wasn’t wearing a gun. Tom smiled in satisfaction. “Wipe that grin off your face! What do ya mean, ya only know as much as we do?”

“I don’t know what was in that note.”

“How can ya not know?” asked Benjamin.

“Because I didn’t read it. Seth and Ryder did.”

“But… who was the big black man that gave Bran the note in the first place?” asked Samijo.

“I thought you said you paid attention to details,” Tom teased.

“Wait!” Mrs. Weaver cried. “I know, I know, just give me a minute …”

“Ma, you ain’t gonna guess at it,” said Arlan dryly.

She ignored him and pointed at Tom. “When you told us Ryder’s story, he told Constance about a couple that helped him and Seth when they was just boys, and wanderin’ in the wilderness. Taught them to hunt rabbits and such.”

Tom smiled. “You really do pay attention, ma’am.”

“I knew it!” she said and threw a triumphant look at Arlan.

Arlan held up his hands in defeat, and sat back in his chair. “So what happened to the new comers?”

Tom smiled. “I ain’t gonna say. You’re just gonna have to wait for it.”

“What?” the twins cried in unison.

“I’m sorry boys, but Rose and me gotta get back to town. I’ve got a job to do and I can’t be doin’ it while I’m sitting at this here table tellin’ ya stories.”

“But … what about Belle and Colin, what did they have? A boy or a girl?” asked Ma.

“And I still want to know about the note!” added Benjamin. “What did Seth and Ryder mean they’d have to wait to see what he wanted? What did he want?!”

Tom shook his head in resignation. “I told ya, I don’t know any more than you do right now. All I did know at the time, was that when Thackary’s youngin’s showed up, some strange things started in to happening around town. The men went crazy over Nettie, poor thing, kinda like they did when Preacher Jo’s wife Annie first come to town. Her brother Newt didn’t take kindly to none of it, I can tell ya that.”

“Newt?” asked Samijo.

Tom chuckled. “Yeah, that was Newton’s nickname. Kinda funny, ain’t it?”

Samijo smiled. “I’ve never heard it before.” She took a deep breath. “I want to thank you for staying and telling us all of these stories. They’ve been very entertaining.”

“You’re welcome, ma’am,” Tom said as he stood. “I’m sorry, but we have to be leavin’ now.”

“NO!” cried Calvin. “I have to know …”

Tom looked at him, his face calm. “What?”

“Did everything turn out?”

Tom raised both brows at him and cocked his head to one side.

“You know what I mean, did …” he swallowed hard. “Newton and Nettie, did they find someone?”

Tom took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “If’n I tell you their stories, you might not believe me. I think we’d best leave things right where they are.”

“NO!” This time from Benjamin. “I … I …” His face suddenly lit up, and he looked at Tom. “Clear Creek, how far is that from here?”

“Oh, no, don’t even think about it,” warned Tom.

Calvin’s face also brightened with the same idea. “We’d be back before ya know it, Ma!”

“You two are
not
going to Clear Creek!” she said and stood. “You’re gonna stay here where you belong and work this farm!”

Calvin spun to his mother, opened his mouth, then turned back to Tom. “Are they still there?”

“Who?”

“Everyone! The Cookes, Apple and Bran, Seth and Ryder, Doc Drake … the twins?”

Tom gave him a smile. “Yeah, they’re all there. And I imagine they will be, for a long, long, time.”

The End