Last Promise (27 page)

Chapter Twenty-Nine

It seemed all of London was in the ballroom when Mary Ann appeared at the top of the staircase. She had to admit it was a lovely sight with the women in their colorful gowns and the men in their evening wear floating around the room.

“It took you forever,” Edmund said as he took her by the hand.

Maybe he was worried that she'd climbed down from her balcony. It wasn't that she didn't think about it, but she was on the second floor. After dinner she'd told him she wanted to freshen up before the ball so she escaped to her room. She spent the entire time clutching Luke's old telegram. Even though he had written the message before he'd learned about Edmund, she clung to the thought that while he was in Arizona he'd missed her.

Edmund looked at her hand. “Where's your ring?”

The magnificent diamond and sapphire ring he'd given her remained in its black velvet box. She had told him that night that she wouldn't wear it, but he refused to listen. She couldn't wear what she felt was tantamount to a shackle. “I don't want to wear it and it's much too large.”

“I shall take it to the jeweler tomorrow.” He squeezed her hand. “And you will wear it.”

She wouldn't waste her breath arguing with him. She was living in a world filled with people and no one heard her.

“Everyone is waiting for us to dance,” he said.

She fulfilled her duty and danced her first dance with Edmund. After the dance ended, she lingered near a circle of women she knew and pretended to appear interested in their conversations.

“Tell us, Mary Ann, how did you enjoy America?” Vivian asked.

Vivian was one of Mary Ann's acquaintances since childhood, but she couldn't call her a friend. She was a lovely woman and enjoyed everything Mary Ann detested. “I loved America.”

Her comment had all of the women turning to look at her.

“Didn't you go West?” another woman asked.

“Yes, to Wyoming.”

“Did you see these cowboys we've read so much about?”

“I saw many cowboys.” If they only knew. How she wanted to say she'd even kissed a cowboy! That would give them something to gossip about for at least half a year.

“Oh, my dear, you must tell us if they are as romantic as the novels would have us believe,” Vivian said.

“They are more so,” Mary Ann answered. “All of you should travel to America if you want to find real men.” That should shock them down to their little satin slippers.

“Don't leave us in suspense, tell us about them,” Vivian said.

“What would you like to know?”

“How do they look? How do they dress? Do they really wear pistols strapped to their hips?”

Questions started coming from all directions. She'd even had the same questions before she left England, so she understood their curiosity. She answered their questions, describing Luke in vivid detail, down to the color of his turquoise eyes.

Vivian fanned herself with her handkerchief. “Oh my, I feel I may faint.”

“You make them sound divine, larger than life,” one woman said.

“They are divine, there is no man in this room who can compare,” Mary Ann told them.

“Not even Edmund?” Vivian asked.

The question went unanswered when a hush fell over the cavernous room. The music stopped, and Mary Ann turned to see why everyone had stopped dancing. She noticed everyone was staring at the entryway. “What is it?”

“I don't know; I can't see anything,” one woman replied. The women stood on tiptoes, but they were at the back of the ballroom so they still couldn't see what was happening.

* * *

Hardwicke's butler recognized George and allowed him and Luke entry into the house. The butler led them to the ballroom and told them he would find Hardwicke for them. George had mentioned to Luke the grandeur of the Hardwicke home, but he was still amazed when he saw the size of the ballroom. From the outside it looked like a large castle and once inside, the opulence of the place left him speechless. He couldn't help but question if he'd made the right decision to come for Mary Ann. George said she'd lived like a princess, but he hadn't fully realized all that she'd left behind. He reminded himself that she'd willingly left England, and George told him she loved Wyoming. Luke took a deep breath, bracing himself for what was to come. He wouldn't back down now, not unless she didn't want him. His gaze passed over the crowd and then he saw her at the back of the room.

Every head was turned to the entry to the ballroom. Mary Ann thought she saw a black hat. Was it wishful thinking? But when the crowd parted Mary Ann saw him. She couldn't believe her eyes. It really was Luke standing in the ballroom, looking even taller than she'd remembered in his black Stetson. And he was staring directly at her. All eyes were on the cowboy from America with his pistol strapped to his hip. The whispers started, no doubt everyone was trying to figure out who he was. The women nearby were commenting on everything from his size, to his hat, his pistol, even his boots. Not one detail missed their notice.

“George, I'll be back. Keep Hardwicke busy for a few minutes.” Luke made his way through the throng of people. It was like Moses parting the Red Sea, but instead of a staff, his Stetson and his .45 captivated his audience. His long strides made short work of the distance separating him from Mary Ann, and he didn't take his eyes off her. She was very thin but still so beautiful in that pale yellow dress that his heart started pounding. During his journey, he'd questioned if he was making the right decision to come after her. He'd thought she might not want him considering how he'd treated her. But one look at her and he knew he was exactly where he needed to be.

“Is that the man you were describing?” Vivian whispered.

“Yes.” Mary Ann slowly moved toward Luke. He was wearing a blue shirt and even from a distance she could see his turquoise eyes focused on her.

By the time he reached her, the music resumed and Luke removed his hat and held his hand to her. “Would you like to dance, Miss Hardwicke?”

She placed her hand in his and he pulled her into his embrace. She couldn't stop staring at his handsome face. So many times she'd imagined being in his arms once again. Even though he looked tired, he looked wonderful to her. “What are you doing here?”

Luke grinned at her. “I heard you wanted to say good-bye to me.”

“That was months ago,” she said. “How did you get here?”

“Same way you did. I couldn't ride my horse the whole way. Have you changed your mind?”

“About what?” she whispered.

“Saying good-bye.”

“I wanted to apologize for not telling you about Edmund,” she said.

“Are you married?” He thought he should find that out before he made any declarations.

“No, we are supposed to marry next week.” She expected her father or Edmund to interrupt their dance at any moment. She glanced around to see where they were, and she was surprised that no one else was dancing, everyone was watching them. That meant her father and Edmund were also watching them.

“What are you looking for?”

“I expect Father or Edmund to appear.”

“Do you want to marry him?”

Tears started to well in her eyes. “Luke, it's the way it has to be.”

When other couples started to dance, Luke thought it was an opportune time to take her out of the room so they could speak in private. “Where's a door out of this place?”

Mary Ann pointed to the doors that led to the garden and Luke escorted her through the crowd. He looked back to see George speaking with Hardwicke and Stafford. He figured he'd have a few minutes alone with her until chaos ensued.

Once they walked deep into the gardens and out of sight from onlookers, Luke put his hands around Mary Ann's waist and pulled her to him. “I've been thinking about this for months.” He leaned down and crushed his lips to hers.

Mary Ann wrapped her arms around his neck. The lonely days and nights since she last saw him were instantly erased by his kiss. When they pulled apart she placed her hand on his chest. “We shouldn't be doing this.”

“That wasn't the way you'd kiss a man if you wanted to marry another,” Luke drawled.

She took his face in her hands and gazed into his eyes. “It has to be this way.”

Luke took her hand in his and kissed her palm. “Did your father threaten me?” He remembered what George told him, so he wanted to ease her fears. “Tell me the truth.”

The look on her face gave him his answer. “They can't do anything to me. Are you marrying him to save your father from ruin? If you have feelings for Stafford you need to tell me now.”

She knew her father wouldn't hesitate to harm him now that he'd come for her. “Luke, I'm so happy to see you, but you shouldn't be here.”

“Do you kiss Stafford the way you kiss me?”

“No.” She wouldn't lie to him. The thought of kissing Stafford made her stomach turn.

Luke couldn't keep his hands off her. He trailed his finger over her bare shoulder and felt her shiver at his touch. “Do you want him to touch you like this?”

She shook her head as she stared into his eyes. When he touched her, she forgot all of the reasons he shouldn't be here.

He pulled her to him again and whispered in her ear. “Tell me you love him and I will go away and you'll never see me again.”

She couldn't say those words. “I don't love him.”

“I've carried your letter with me all this time,” he told her.

It made her so happy to hear those words. “I've carried your telegram.”

“Marry me,” he said.

Those were the very words she'd longed to hear for months. “Oh Luke. Don't you see, I can't?”

“You love me,” he stated. Even if she hesitated to say the words, he knew she did love him.

“That doesn't mean I can marry you,” she countered.

“Yes it does. And I want to hear it from you. Tell me you love me.” Before she could answer, he looked into her silver eyes and he kissed her again.

When he pulled his lips from hers, she whispered, “Yes, I do love you, but that doesn't change anything.”

Luke took her by the hand and headed back to the ballroom. “It changes everything. I'm going to talk to your father.”

“Luke, you can't do this. You don't understand what Father will do to you.”

He turned to face her. “Honey, trust me. Your father can't hurt me. The only way I'm leaving here without you is if you say you don't want me.”

“What made you change your mind? I thought you didn't want to see me again.”

He cupped her chin in his palm. “I figured out I couldn't live without you.” It wasn't an exaggeration, he couldn't think of a future without her beside him.

“What about Sally?”

“Sally said she hopes one day a man will look at her like I look at you.”

“What about the women at the saloon? I saw you with that woman upstairs that night. I don't want a man who will be with other women.”

He could see why she thought he was a philanderer. He had been, but he was a changed man. “I haven't been at the saloon since that night. I don't want anyone but you.” He wanted her to know what he felt in his heart. He put his arms around her waist and pulled her to his chest. “I fell in love with you when I saw you under that pink hat. I fought it. I didn't think I was ready for marriage. I wasn't ready before, I was waiting for you. I'll never want anyone but you for the rest of my life.”

She threw her arms around his neck. “Oh Luke!”

“When we go inside I want you to go pack a valise for tonight. We will come back to get everything you need later.”

“I don't think Father will allow me to leave. They haven't left me alone for five minutes.”

“Were they afraid you would take off again?”

“Yes.”

“Were you going to leave again?”

“My valises are already packed.”

He grinned at her. “Let me handle your father.” He turned and entered the ballroom with his arm around her. The sea of people parted again and murmurs filled the room.

Luke saw George was still in an animated conversation with Hardwicke and Stafford. Before he let go of Mary Ann's hand, he winked at her. “Go get your valises.”

* * *

Mary Ann raced from the room, she didn't even look her father's way. She ran up the staircase to her room and pulled her wardrobe open and grabbed the valises she'd already packed. She didn't know if she would be able to come back for the rest of her things, but she didn't care. The only thing that mattered was Luke was here. He loved her and he'd come after her. She would be going home with him.

The door opened and in walked her mother. “What do you think you are doing?”

“I'm leaving.”

Her mother hurried across the room, picked up a valise, and emptied the contents on the bed. “You most certainly are not. In case you haven't noticed, we have a houseful of guests and they are here in honor of your wedding. Now get yourself downstairs and show your appreciation!”

Mary Ann turned to face her. “No! You go downstairs and show your appreciation. This is all for you, not for me. I've told you I don't love Edmund and I'm not going to marry him!”

Coreen drew her arm back and slapped her across the cheek. “You want to ruin everything!”

Mary Ann stared at her for a long time before she turned and walked to her dressing table. She grabbed the small velvet box that held Edmund's ring and walked back to her mother and placed the box in her hand. “This should be for you.” She grabbed her valise and stuffed everything back inside.