Seth (Prairie Grooms, Book Three) (11 page)

“
I understand, but I can find out more information than you can.”

She stared at him, her mind already full of questions. “But Harrison…”

“
Eloise, I know what to ask,” he told her with an arched brow.

Eloise sighed in defeat
. “Oh, all right.”

“
I know what it is you want to ask,” he said.

She looked at him, but
said nothing.

“You want to know if that Cutty fellow
is still alive, don’t you.”

She turned away and gazed
across the prairie as the wagon rumbled along. “How did you know?”

“
Because it’s all any of us have been talking about for the last two days,” he said.

“
You’re right, of course,” she said. “I’m sorry if I’ve made it the sole topic of conversation. I’m sure everyone’s tired of hearing it by now.”

“
It’s a serious matter, Cousin; one that needs to be discussed, especially since it involves all of you. I’ll be the first to say that I don’t take kindly to others trying to kill my family.”

“You didn’t
have to put it that way.”

“
What other way is there?”

“I see your point,” s
he said. They rolled along in silence after that, and Eloise did her best to still her mind, and the questions running through it. She didn’t want to bother Harrison further, and knew he had to be tired of her constant musings.

When they got to town, h
e brought the wagon to a halt in front of the sheriff’s office, set the brake, and jumped down. Once he helped her out of the wagon she smoothed her skirts, took Sadie’s list from her reticule, and motioned toward the mercantile. “I’ll just be off then,” she said. “Please, Harrison, I have to know…”

Harrison held up a hand to silence her. “Eloise, stop. You’re going to make yourself sick worrying about this.”

Her lower lip trembled. She was not going to cry, yet she wanted to; needed the release it would bring. But there were people around, and she didn’t want to embarrass Harrison by her tears. “I understand,” she said as she turned from him and walked away. Within moments she reached the mercantile, went inside, and was surprised to find Seth at the counter talking with Wilfred. “Seth,” she breathed.

“Well, hello darlin’,”
he said. “How’s my future bride?”

“
The sheriff’s back.”

He studied her, and she noted the sudden look of concern on his face as he crossed the room. Not caring what Wilfred thought, she let him take her in his arms. “I know he’s back,” he said. “I’ve already spoken to him.”

“You have
?”

Seth nodded as he brushed a loose
wisp of hair out of her face. “Yep. I done already found out everything I needed to know.”

“
What?” she asked in surprise. “What did he tell you?”

Seth shrugged. “Unfortunately, nothing I didn’t already know. Those outlaws are long gone by now, Cutty with them.”

Eloise's eyes wandered. “Then we shall never know…”

Seth tucked a finger under her chin, and brought her face around look at him. “Now why the long face, darlin’? It’s not the end of the world, you know.”

“But
Seth, they’re still out there. So long as they are, none of us is safe, including you,” she pointed out.

“
I’m not worried about it,” he said with a casual air.

“
How can you not worry? What if something happens?”

“
Darlin’, nothing is gonna happen; you’ll see. Ain’t that right, Wilfred?”

Wilfred popped up from behind the counter. “He’s right… mostly. Them outlaws are long gone by now. I wouldn’t worry your pretty little head about it. Besides, Seth here can take care of ya.”

Eloise twisted her reticule in her hands, and looked from one face to the other. “All right, if you say so. But I’d still feel better if they were behind bars. I’m sure Penelope and Constance would agree.”

“
That’s right, I’d best go tell Ryder the sheriff’s back. I doubt he knows,” said Seth.

Eloise put a hand on his chest. “Will he be upset that the sheriff didn’t find them?”

Seth took her hand and held it. “He’ll be disappointed, that’s for sure,” he said.

Eloise closed her eyes and sighed. “I’m sorry they didn’t find them. I know how much this means to your brother.”

Seth raised her hand to his lips, looked her in the eye, and kissed it. “It’s disappointing, but he’s a big boy, he can take it.”

A shiver went up her
spine, and she suddenly noticed how large and warm Seth’s hand was. “Yes, I’m sure he can.”

Seth tucked a finger under her chin again to get her attention. She looked at him, her hand still engulfed in his, eyes wide as his face lowered to her own. The kiss was gentle, sweet, and oh so warm. Eloise felt herself melt against him as her body made full contact with his.

The kiss deepened.

“Ahem…”

Seth broke the kiss, and slowly turned to look at Wilfred behind the counter, his arms folded across his chest, a silly grin on his face. “What? Jealous?” Seth asked.

Wilfre
d waved a hand at them. “You youngins best save
that
until after your weddin’.”

Seth chuckled as he hugged Eloise close, then kissed the top of her head. “That picnic can’t come fast enough for me, darlin'.”

She looked up at him and smiled, but said nothing.

“
Is something the matter?” he asked.

S
he shook her head. “No, it’s just the last few days have been so confusing. I’m not sure what I feel anymore.”

He pushed them apart a few inches. “You’re still wondering if we should get married, aren’t you?”

She shook her head again. “I… I don’t’ know.”

He let her go and took a step
back. “Eloise, I want to marry you. But if you need more time…”

“
No, Seth… I just…” She looked at him, tears in her eyes. Her emotions had caught up with her again. “Oh, Seth… she said as she closed the distance between them, and stepped into his arms. She shuddered as the first tears fell, and let out a small moan when he held her tighter in response. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me,” she muttered into his chest

Seth rubbed a hand over her back to calm her. “There, there, darlin’. Don’t cry. Everything’s gonna be all right, you’ll see. We’ll get married, settle in at the hotel, and then maybe work on starting us a family.”

She gasped, and pushed away from him. “What?”

He looked down at her, his brows raised in amusement. “You heard me.”

She nodded slowly as she stared at him. “But, so soon?”

“
Sure,” he said. “Why not?”

“Oh, my …”

“Besides,” he said. “Wouldn’t it be nice if you and your sisters all had babies at the same time?”

Wilfred chuckled behind the counter. “Wouldn’t that be somethin’?”

Eloise glanced between them, a stunned look on her face. Oh,
my
.”

“
Is that all you can say, darlin’?”

Eloise
laughed. Her emotions were all over the place, and she couldn’t contain them long enough to think straight. Seth reached out to her and pulled her back into his arms. “Let’s get married,” he whispered into her ear. “And spend the rest of our lives together, just you and me.”

His em
brace was strong, safe. She’d never felt this before and it was foreign to her. No wonder she’d seen Penelope and Constance step into their husband’s arms so often. Now she knew what she’d been missing.

“
Are you okay, darlin'?” Seth asked, concerned.

S
he nodded against his chest, and burrowed further into his embrace. “I have a lot to learn,” she said.

H
e held her tighter. “If you're referring to all this marriage business, then that makes two of us.”

“
I refer to that, and a lot of other things as well,” she said.

He looked down at her. “Looks like we’ll be learning together. I’m up for it; are you?”

She gazed
into his eyes, then let her own roam his face. She reached up and put her palm against his cheek. His skin was soft yet rough at the same time. She’d never touched a man like this before and it sent a small thrill through her. “If you’re ready, I’m ready.”

He took her hand from his cheek, kissed the soft skin of her wrist, and smiled. “Then say hello to your new husband, darlin’.”

* * *

Twenty
minutes later, Seth crossed the street to the Waller’s home. He knocked on the door and Grandma answered. “I’m here to see my brother.”

“That’s all well and good, but he ain’t here,” s
he said. “He’s down at the hotel with his wife. I thought you knew.”

Seth shook his head. “No,
I’ve been over at the mercantile talking with Wilfred and Eloise.”

“
Eloise is in town?”

“
She came into town with Harrison to talk with the sheriff, to find out what happened out there.”

“
Not a lot, is what I hear.”

“Y
eah, pretty disappointing news.”

“
Your brother thought so, too. He ain’t happy about it, I can tell you that,” she said.

“H
e already knows?”

“
Yep. Doc ran into the sheriff on his way back from Harvey Brown’s place. He was the first one to hear the news. He then come straight back to the house and told me.”

“Thanks
, Grandma,” said Seth. “I’d best go talk with my brother before he does something stupid.”

“
You do that,” she said. “And don’t go doing anything stupid with him!”

Seth turned and looked over his shoulder as he stepped off the porch. “Don’t worry, Grandma. I won’t.”

“
See that you don’t,” she said with a scowl of warning.

Seth
hurried down the boardwalk toward the hotel. This was not going to be pleasant, no matter how he looked at it. Ryder had to be hopping mad that the sheriff came back with nothing. He knew, because he was.

When he reached the hotel he wen
t upstairs to Constance’s room. He stood at the door, took a deep breath, and knocked. No sooner did it open, a fist came at him and hit him square in the jaw. Seth stumbled back as he waved his arms to keep balance, and took a swing without thinking. Ryder ducked just in time, and Seth’s fist hit the door jamb. “OW!”

“Ry
der!” Constance shrieked. “What are you doing?”

Ry
der shook out his fist, and grimaced. “I just needed to hit somethin’.”

“
So you hit your brother?” she screeched.

Seth rubbed his jaw. “Wouldn’t be the first time.”

“
I’m sorry,” said Ryder. “I’m just upset.”

“
I can tell,” said Seth.

“Ryder,” Constance
said, “this is ridiculous! You've got to get a hold of yourself!”

“
It’s not myself I need to get a hold of. It’s Cutty.”

Seth shook his head to clear it. “Save your energy brother; you’re going to need it.”

Ry
der studied him. “You thinkin’ what I’ve been thinking?”

Seth nodded. “Yep.”

“
When do you want to head out?”

“
As soon as you’re able.”

“
What are you two talking about?” Constance asked, a worried look on her face.

“I know
you’re not gonna like this, sugar, but me and Seth here are going after Cutty.”

“What?
!” she gasped.

“
You heard him,” said Seth. “It’s got to be done, and we’re the two to do it.”

“
What do you mean, you’re the two to do it? The sheriff was just out there, and
he
didn’t find anything!”

“
That’s because we weren’t with him,” said Seth.

“Y
eah,” added Ryder. “If we were, we probably would’ve caught them.”

Constance threw her hands
in the air. “I don’t believe this! You two are mad! What makes you think you’re good enough to find anything if the sheriff himself couldn’t?”

“Ryder smiled. “S
ugar, you got a lot to learn about trackin’ a man down.”

She stared at him, her mouth half-open. “You make it sound as if you’ve done it a lot.”

The two brothers stared at her, but said nothing
.

Nine