Much Ado About Mavericks (42 page)

“Best it not come from you.”

The judge nodded and told everyone to stand back.  “Ezra you’re under arrest for fraud, and now you’re also charged with resisting a peace officer.  Shall we add rustling to those charges?”

Suddenly Ezra gasped and tried to stand.  Instead, he tipped over backwards, the chairback banging on the floor.  Clutching his chest and gulping air, eyes wide open, he stiffened.  His head flopped back on the floor with a
thunk
. 

The marshal knelt beside him and placed his ear on the old man’s chest.  “Dead,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck.  Standing, he told a couple of men to haul Ezra out to the wagon.

Judge Glover scratched his head.  “That settles the matter of the will.  I declare that he died intestate, since Osbourne Callison’s version was worthless to start with and fraudulent besides.”  He banged a coffee mug on the table to make his decree official.

Not knowing what to do, or say, or even think, Ben stood there as the man he’d always thought his father was carried out of the house.  Jake slipped her arms around him. 

“You’re a fine man no matter who your daddy is.”  She kissed him on the cheek, sending a rush of healing to his heart.  She tugged him into the parlor.  “We can wait to get married, if you want.”

“No, no, Ezra spent his whole life ruining everything I ever did.  He’s not going to ruin this.”  He pulled her to him and kissed her softly.  “Ah, Jake, you’re the best thing that ever happened to me, and I’m not about to delay the wedding for more than an hour.”

“What about your ma and Whip?”

“They’ve waited long enough, too, it seems.  Don’t judge them for it.  Sometimes things happen that catch us up and we can’t find our way out.  That’s what happened to them.”

“All right, then, I’ll give ‘em their orders.”

“You’re going to order them to get married?”

She grinned, “Damn right.”

*   *   *   *   *

Whip took Mabel to his new ranch, Susan and Reginald stayed in the Bar EL house, and Ben took the strays to stay at the Hiatts
’
a few days while Jake rode out to the Circle J.  Ben wanted her to stay with him but Jake insisted she get her chores done. 

Considering he wanted nothing to get in the way of their wedding night, he agreed.  The two of them had never spent every minute together, but he really hated seeing her ride off alone.  He’d agreed not to interfere with her ranching decisions, though, so it wouldn’t be good to start by interceding within a few hours of their I-do’s.

Teddy pulled on Ben’s sleeve.  “Do we have to stay at the Hiatts
’
?”

“Just for a few days, then Jake and I will come get you.”

He crossed his little arms across his scrawny chest.  “Me’n Homer want to be at home with our new family.”

Henry giggled.  “We’re staying at Old Lady Hiatt’s house so Ben can poke Jake.”

Teddy wrinkled his nose.  “Ah, they don’t wanna do that.”

Ben cleared his throat but the kids didn’t get the hint.

“All grown-ups want to do it, but I ain’t gonna.”  Henry tipped her chin and Ben didn’t blame her considering her background.

Much as he hated to do it, the time for a talk was overdue. “What goes on between a husband and a wife is a blessed thing, not like paying for a poke.”

Homer, sitting a little taller, said, “That’s why married people make babies.”

Teddy looked worried.  “So if Ben and Jake make babies, there won’t be no room for strays, then, will there?”

Ben patted the boy’s shoulder.  “Teddy, there will always be room for all of our family, and you three are family.  Always.”

The kids chattered all the way to Henderson Flats and Ben’s ears were nearly worn out by the time he got the thr
ee of them settled at the Hiatt
s
’
house.  The trip out to the Circle J seemed to take forever, but at least it was quiet.  He hoped Jake had her chores done because the anticipation of seeing her naked made sitting on the jostling wagon rather uncomfortable.

An hour later, he pulled the wagon to a stop at the Circle J. 

“Unhitch the team before you come in,” Jake hollered from the window.

Good advice, because once he went into that house, neither of them was coming out again for a very long time.  He got the job done and the horses into the corral in record time, then stopped by the pump and washed before he claimed his bride.

One step into the house and a loop fell around him and tightened.  Jake was behind him with a pistol pressed against his back.

“I’m going to let you turn around, but first you have to promise that you will never, ever tell a soul what you seen tonight.”

“Jake, what goes on between a man and a woman is their business.  I’d never talk about it to anyone.”

“Cross your heart.”

“I can’t.  You have my arms pinned to my sides with the rope.”

“Say it, then.”

“I cross my heart and promise never to tell a soul what I see tonight.”

She tugged the rope and it dug into his arms.  “You mean it?”

“I mean it most sincerely.  I swear it.”

Jake loosened the rope.  “Then you can turn around, but if you laugh, I’m gonna hogtie you.”

What Ben saw when he faced Jake was nothing short of a miracle.  Her waist-length red hair fell in ringlets over a clinging blue silk negligee. She looked like a Greek goddess, the low V-neckline hugging her breasts.  The silken flow of material draped around her shapely hips making his mouth dry and his fingers ache to touch her.

“I told Susan I’d look foolish in this git-up.”

Ben could hardly think, let alone talk.  He shrugged off the rope and stepped toward her.  “Jake.”  He slid his hands over the smooth material on her shoulders.  “Janelle
Kat
hryn O’Keefe Lawrence, you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.”

“You ain’t just sa
ying that?”

He pulled her tight against him.  “I’m not saying anything.  All night.”

~~~ THE END ~~~

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Much Ado About Mavericks
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Much Ado About Marshals

***
NOR Top Pick
***

Buy a copy and see for yourself what everyone is talking about. Once you
read just one of Ms. Roger's books, I can assure you that you'll be a
fan... 

~
Diana Coyle, NOR Reviewer

***
CTRR Award
***

Jacquie Rogers creates a witty, delightful, and downright amusing book with impressive charming players.

~
Cherokee, Coffee Time Romance and More Reviewer

Much Ado About Madams

* A story this good can only come from the imagination of Jacquie Rogers

~ Detra Fitch, Huntress Reviews

* A rollicking riot of a good read!

~Ann Charles, author of Nearly Departed in Deadwood

* A romantic trip to the Old West stamped with Jacquie Rogers' special brand of humor

~
Caroline Clemmons
, author of Brazos Bride

Like short stories?  Try the first in the Merlin’s Destiny series:

Willow, Wish For Me

*
A Magical, R
omantic Romp in the Old West!

~
BookwormForever

Have you read Taylor Lee’s
Struck  by Thunder
?

1890: In a world marked by corruption, prejudice and hate, Lei Chang is determined to be the first woman kung fu master in the country. Little does she know that the grandmaster, everyone's hero, is as accomplished a lover as he is a warrior.

Much
Ado
About Mavericks

Copyright 2012 Jacquie Rogers

Mélange Publishing

All Rights Reserved.

No portion of this work may be reproduced in any way without express permission from the author in writing, except reviewers and booksellers have permission to us
e
short quotations in their reviews and sales materials
.

All characters and events in this story are products of the author’s imagination.

In loving memory of the most wonderful grandpa anyone ever had, Alfred Neil Walker, to the best brother and sister-in-law anyone ever had, Ken  and Sherry Walker.

And always dedicated to my hero in real life, Mark Rogers.

There’s a core group of people who never give up on me and are always willing to lend support, whether critiquing, researching, or cheerleading.  Writing a book is a marathon and sometimes it’s hard to make it to the finish line.
  So here goes: