Last Promise (25 page)

“Yep.”

“You liked what she said in her letter?” Colt questioned.

“Well, she wasn't too clear, but I'm reading between the lines.”

“You want someone to go with you?”

“Not this time, but I appreciate the offer. This is something I need to handle by myself. I'll stop in town to find out from George where I'm going,” Luke replied.

“Good, I don't want to go to England.” Jake squeezed Luke's shoulder. “Stay safe.”

Colt pulled Luke to him. “Come home in one piece and stay out of fights.”

“I can't promise to stay out of a fight if I see Stafford, but I will come home in one piece,” Luke replied.

“That's all I ask.” Colt felt himself getting emotional, so he hugged Luke one more time.

When Colt released Luke, Jake gave him a bear hug. “If you don't come back in one piece, I'll kick your butt, little brother.”

“That'll be the day,” Luke countered. He knew his brothers would worry about him no matter what. “I'll send you a telegram before I board a ship.”

“You do that. When you get to the ranch tell Victoria and Promise we'll be back in two weeks,” Colt instructed.

“Sure thing. You want me to tell her to get that corset ready?” Luke teased.

Colt grinned. “You better not, I want to enjoy it when I get home. If you say that I'll be in the bunkhouse.”

Luke was laughing for the first time in weeks as he rode away.

* * *

Before Luke rode to the ranch he detoured to the Detrick ranch. He needed to apologize and tell Sally the truth about his intentions. He just hoped Old Man Detrick wasn't home so he could have some privacy.

He reined in at the porch, but he didn't have a chance to dismount before the front door opened.

Sally walked to the porch. “Hi, Luke.”

“Sally.” Luke dismounted, tied his reins, stepped on the porch, and removed his hat. “I need to talk to you.”

“Your sister-in-law said you were out on the range,” Sally said.

“I was, but I'm leaving Wyoming for a while and I needed to talk to you before I leave.” He realized what she'd said about speaking to his sister-in-law. “You were at the ranch?”

“Yes, I wanted to see you.”

“Why?”

“To give you back the things you bought from Mary Ann's shop.”

“Did your dad see them?” Luke thought that might explain the reason she wanted to return them.

“No, Pa never saw the box. Look, Luke, I know what you were doing.”

“You do?” Luke didn't expect she was fully aware of what was happening that night, but what she said next really surprised him.

“Yes, I do. I could tell you were in love with that Englishwoman from the first day you saw her. Don't get me wrong, I don't like it, but there is nothing I can do about it. You never looked at me the way you looked at her. I knew you were purchasing those things to make her jealous, or to hurt her for some reason.”

Luke couldn't believe what he was hearing. Sally was a lot smarter than he'd given her credit for. It seemed like everyone knew how he felt about Mary Ann before he did. “That was the reason I wanted to talk to you. I wanted to tell you the truth and apologize.”

“You don't have to explain. But I'm curious to know if you were trying to make her jealous or hurt her.”

“Both.” To his shame it was the truth. He'd been hurt when he found out about Stafford, and he wanted to do the same to her and it was a bonus if he made her jealous. He'd made a mess of everything.

“You know she's in love with you, don't you?”

Luke twirled his hat in his hands. “That's what everyone is telling me.”

“I gave the box to Victoria.” She reached out and grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze. “Now I guess you'd best go get her.”

“Thanks for being so decent about this, Sally, it's more than I deserve.” He got back on his horse feeling better knowing Sally didn't harbor ill will toward him.

Sally smiled at him. “I know I seem desperate to get married, but I don't want someone that doesn't love me. I want a man who looks at me the way you look at her.”

“I'm sure you will find him.” Knowing how determined she was, Luke felt sure she would find the man for her. “Tell me, did you know what she was doing that night at the shop?”

“Yes, and I thought it was brilliant the way she beat you at your own game. Don't teach her poker.”

Luke laughed. “Bye, Sally.”

* * *

“What do you mean you are going to England?” George asked.

“I'm going to England to see if she wants to marry Stafford,” Luke explained. He'd already been to the ranch, packed a valise, and was ready to catch the next stagecoach headed east. “Can you tell me where she lives?”

“You don't have to go to England to find your answers. She doesn't want to marry him,” George said.

“I want to hear it from her,” Luke said.

“She didn't want to marry him, but that doesn't mean the wedding hasn't already taken place,” George said.

Luke had thought of that, but he was still determined. “Did you hear something?”

“No, no, it's just they are probably already in England,” he said. “Her father is so determined he may have demanded a quick union. Although, I think it likely that he and Stafford will want a large affair. That's usually the way it is done.”

“I'll deal with that if it has happened. Tell me where she lives.”

George had been thinking about going to England. He felt sorry for his niece and he wanted to try to talk her parents out of forcing this marriage on her. “I'll do better than that, I'll show you. Let me pack a bag.”

“Are you sure?” Luke didn't mind George going with him, but he needed to warn him there would be problems if anyone tried to stop Mary Ann if she wanted to leave with him. “There could be trouble.”

“I would love to see you punch Hardwicke again if that is what you mean. I want to go with you. It's past time someone stood up to that tyrant. And I want to see why my sister has allowed this to happen. Coreen used to have some spirit, but I fear Hardwicke has broken her, and he's going to do the same thing to his daughter. Besides, Stafford is not good enough for Mary Ann.”

Luke arched his brow at his statement. “You think I am good enough for her?”

“If you love her as much as she loves you I think you are the perfect man for her,” George responded.

Luke was surprised to hear such sentimental words from George. “You think she loves me, huh?”

“We English rarely discuss such feelings, but I saw the way she looked at you. She didn't want to be in the same room with Stafford. He'd behaved dishonorably trying to compromise her before she left England. She didn't want him then or now.”

“You mean by
compromise,
he tried to take what she wasn't offering?” He'd wondered if she had been Stafford's lover in England, but he wasn't about to ask George.

“Yes, he ripped her dress and her father assumed the worst. Of course, Stafford most likely encouraged Hardwicke to think something inappropriate happened between them since he wants Mary Ann.”

“Her father used that incident to insist she marry Stafford?”

“Yes. Then when he came here and saw her with you he saw his opportunity to have greater leverage. I think he told her things wouldn't go well for you if she gave him any trouble about returning with him. It's all about Stafford's money.”

“We'll see who has the trouble.”

“Mary Ann was happy here. You and your family were a big part of that. I know she was distraught she didn't see you before she left.”

Hearing what George had to say made Luke more determined than ever to get to England as soon as possible. “Go pack your things. I'll be back, I'm going to the bank.”

George started to go upstairs, but turned back to Luke. “I don't think Mary Ann planned on returning, but she did leave one thing behind,” George said.

“What was that?”

“Come in her shop and I'll show you.”

Luke followed George into the shop and everything was exactly as the last time he'd seen it, except for a large box on top of the display case. George opened the box and pulled out Mary Ann's pink hat. “She said you liked this hat and she thought it would bring back sad memories if she wore it again. She told me to sell it.”

Luke took the hat from George and ran his hand over the soft pink feathers. It was the first thing he'd noticed about Mary Ann that day, and he wasn't about to let another woman wear it. “How much do you want for it?”

“You want to buy the hat?”

“Yes.”

“You can have it, I wasn't going to sell it.”

Luke handed the hat back to George. “Put it in her room, she can wear it when we come back.”

George chuckled at his confidence. “I'll do that.”

Chapter Twenty-Six

“Mary Ann, I know you are dallying, but you can't put this off any longer. The date is getting near, my dear, and it is imperative we start the plans.” Coreen swept into her daughter's bedroom determined to put an end to her dithering about. The maid entered behind Coreen and hurried to open the drapes before they delivered breakfast to her room.

Mary Ann quickly shoved Luke's telegram under the pillow. She'd look at that telegram every night and every morning, reading those three words over and over:
I miss you.
Without that telegram she might have thought her time in Wyoming was a dream, but those three words made it real for her. She'd never felt more alive than she was those few times she'd been in Luke's arms. She'd been even more despondent after arriving in England. She had lost so much weight that all of her dresses were hanging off of her. Her complexion was dull and her eyes were lifeless. Her mother compared her to a ghost, and when she looked in the mirror, she thought the description was apt. She didn't care. Nothing about her future garnered her interest. Her existence would be like her mother's, pretending to have the life she dreamed about.

Coreen walked to the wardrobe and pulled out a dress. “Wear this today, we have an appointment with Worth, dear. He's going to design your wedding dress and your gowns for the parties.”

Mary Ann turned her head to see her mother was holding up the very dress she wore the first time she saw Luke. Tears welled in her eyes and she turned away so her mother couldn't see.

“Now get out of bed and get dressed. We don't want to keep the designer waiting, he has patrons waiting for months for his lovely creations. We are very fortunate he has agreed to do this for us. Of course, Stafford is the one you should thank. Every tradesperson in London is eager to do his bidding.”

“I do not need new dresses, my old ones will suffice, and Father will not have to part with any money,” Mary Ann said.

“Nonsense!” Coreen motioned for the maid to leave the room. “I have had enough of this moping about. You need to remember your position. Don't you care if we lose the estates?”

“Mother, I could ask you if you cared about your daughter's happiness.”

“You will be happy with Edmund. He has enough money to give you whatever you want,” Coreen replied.

Mary Ann shook her head. “Mother, he can't give me love. He doesn't know what that means.”

“And I suppose you do with that cowboy in that godforsaken place.” Coreen knew her comment struck home by the stunned look on Mary Ann's face. “Yes, your father told me about that man. I'd say it is a good thing he arrived when he did or you would have been an embarrassment to your family. Did you not think of your position while you were with your uncle in that horrid place?”

“Did Father also tell you that he hit me?”

That was a detail he had omitted, but Coreen would never admit that to her daughter. “Your father has arranged a fine marriage for you and you should be grateful. Would you be happy out in the middle of nowhere, away from civilization to live in some hovel with a destitute cowboy in America?”

She didn't like the way her mother tried to demean Luke. “That cowboy is more of a man than Stafford will ever be! I was happy in the middle of nowhere, as you call it. Uncle George is happy there. Why couldn't you just let us be? Should I be forced to be as miserable as you are for the rest of my life?” Mary Ann almost regretted the words as soon as they left her mouth, but she couldn't take them back now. The Good Book said to honor your mother and father, but it was becoming more and more difficult for her.

“That type of life with
those
people might seem exciting for a while, but I think it would become tiresome fairly quickly.”

“You might find you liked that life, you might feel alive for the first time. It's a wonderful feeling to be productive. Uncle George was very brave to go to a new land and carve out a place he could call his own without someone handing it to him. He is to be admired. I found it exhilarating to have a job, to be useful, instead of attending socials and gossiping over silly things.”

“I've always felt your uncle was rather silly to leave England. I didn't know my daughter was going to be foolish enough to follow in his footsteps,” her mother snapped.

Mary Ann stared at her mother. She was so vastly different from her uncle. “It is sad, Mother. You've become just like Father. I'm glad Uncle George left England, he has a wonderful life in America with a business and friends he can depend on. What do you have?”

Coreen didn't want to listen. She threw the dress on the bed. “I will send the maid back in to assist you. Do be dressed in fifteen minutes.”

* * *

It was difficult for Mary Ann to keep her focus on the task at hand. Seamstresses were hovering over her, measuring, pulling, and tugging at her until she wanted to scream. The famous designer was sketching designs as he listened to Coreen's banter about the wedding of the century. Mary Ann almost told her mother she should be marrying Edmund since she was as excited as a new bride should be. Her mother whispered in her ear that she was insulting the designer by her lack of enthusiasm. Mary Ann thought her mother's excitement more than made up for her own shortcomings. She didn't know which was going to be worse, suffering through this ordeal, or the dinner that was planned for tonight with Edmund and his parents. Edmund's parents were nearly as insufferable as her own father, and she didn't know how she would manage to sit there trying to pretend she was the most joyful bride in the world.

When everyone left the room to select the fabrics, Mary Ann walked to the table where the designer had been working. She noticed one sketch was a particularly fetching creation with an off-the-shoulder design. It reminded her of the dress she wore to the social. She remembered how Luke complained that the dress displayed too much of her. At first she hadn't understood why he was so upset, but now she knew he was behaving like a jealous husband thinking other men might show an interest. She didn't know why she hadn't realized he wasn't as indifferent as he tried to make her believe. If he didn't care for her why would he have been so upset with her when he found out about Edmund? It made little difference to know that he must have cared for her, he would never forgive her now.

The designer came back into the room and saw her looking at his sketches. He glanced at the paper in her hand. “You prefer this one?”

“It is beautiful,” she told him.

“Yes, that is my favorite. It would be lovely on you.” He had noticed this beautiful bride-to-be was not thrilled to be planning a wedding. While her mother was over-enthusiastic, the actual bride looked like she would prefer the guillotine. “You are not excited about the wedding?”

“No.”

He'd heard the rumors about her father's debts and he was well aware of Stafford's wealth. It wasn't an uncommon practice to marry for money, but he couldn't say he agreed, particularly when it made such a lovely young woman unhappy. This was not a woman in love, at least not in love with the groom. “Wrong groom?”

“Wrong groom,” Mary Ann confirmed.

* * *

Dinner with Edmund and his parents was an abysmal affair. Mary Ann preferred to be in her room alone with her thoughts. It wasn't necessary for her to be at the table as they didn't include her in the conversation about her big day. She might as well have been invisible. The parents were busy planning everything, and occasionally sought Edmund's input, not hers, but she didn't object. She didn't want to plan this farce of a wedding. Thoughts of the future, tomorrow, or a year from now were depressing. In Wyoming she was excited about her future, but now her entire life looked dismal.

“Your mother said your wedding dress is going to be fabulous,” Edmund's mother said to her.

“So Mother says.”

“Were you not pleased with the design?”

Mary Ann didn't want to discuss the gown. “It only matters if Mother is pleased.”

Edmund's mother thought it was an odd response, but she thought Mary Ann was an odd bird. Any young woman who had taken off for America alone was surely not of sound mind in her opinion. She'd told her son to find another young woman to marry, but his mind was set on Mary Ann.

Listening to their conversation, Mary Ann learned her social calendar would be filled with events leading up to the wedding. How would she ever make it through the days without going insane?

* * *

After dinner, Edmund escorted Mary Ann to the gardens so he could speak to her in private. “I want you to have this designer handle your wardrobe for our tour of Italy after our wedding.”

“Italy?” This was the first time she'd heard of taking a trip with him.

“Yes, I'm thinking we will take in a few more countries as well. We will be away for several months.”

She didn't want to be away, but she didn't want to be in England, so she didn't argue.

“I had planned to take you to America, but you've already been there so the point is moot.”

“Did you enjoy America, Edmund?” she asked.

“I enjoyed it less the farther west we traveled,” he answered. “What I find interesting is how a lady such as yourself enjoyed it so much.”

This was the first time Edmund had a real conversation with her. “I cherished the independent spirit. There were no servants hovering over me every minute. For the first time in my life I felt free.”

“Most women take pleasure in having servants, buying new wardrobes every season, and a calendar full of parties.”

“Yes, my mother loves that life,” Mary Ann agreed. Edmund seemed so rational tonight she thought he might listen to reason. “Edmund, you know we don't suit, why don't you marry someone else?”

“We are going to marry, you might as well adjust to the idea. Your cowboy is not here,” he replied.

How she wished Luke were here, that would certainly shake up the evening. She almost smiled at the thought.