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Authors: Barbara Goss

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BOOK: Shadow of Deceit (Shadow #2)

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Pulling her even closer, their kiss became even more intense. The kiss slowly mutually broke, and they both had trouble catching their breath. Caleb pressed her head to his chest, and rubbed her back until they could breathe normally again.

“Will you marry me?” he asked.

“Yes. I will,” she said without a moment’s hesitation. “And if you continue to kiss me like that, I think we should do it today.”

Caleb laughed. “I agree,” he growled, hugging her tighter. “You know I’ve sold the house.”

She nodded. “We can live with Miles. At least until his wedding.”

“Julia, Julia,” he whispered, as he kissed her neck. “You’ve made me the happiest man in the world. Let’s go in the sitting room. I need to confess something—and get it off my chest.”

“What now?” she asked with a worried look.

She took a seat on the sofa and he sat as close to her as he could. He took her hand, and looked into her eyes. “I’m afraid there’s been some deceiving—on my part this time.”

She cocked her head in confusion. “As long as the deception doesn’t affect our love for each other. You can tell me anything—what deception?”

“I’m not broke. I’m as wealthy as ever. The I.O.U’s were planted and fake, I had Miles tell you I had no money in the bank, I had my father drop off your pay. I really did sell the house to Quinn though.”

“But why?” she asked. “Why would you do all that?”

“I forgave you for your deception, but I feared trusting you again, even though I wanted to. I had to be sure you loved me, even if I were poor. You passed the test with straight A’s.”

Julia stood. She frowned at him with her hands on her hips. “Caleb Armstrong! Do you realize that I sold all my mother’s heirloom jewelry, and I took a night job, all to help you financially?”

Caleb also stood and reached into his pockets, “You mean these?”

“Oh! How did you get them back?” she squealed.

“I went to the general store and bought them. Miles told me you’d sold them. And you will quit that job at the hotel immediately. No wife of mine will work. I’m also hiring Elsie back. You will not be scrubbing floors or ruining your beautiful hands washing clothes.”

“If I didn’t love you so much, and if I weren’t so thrilled to have you back, I’d be mad at you for this trick. But—then again, I guess I had it coming,” she said with a smile. “Now we’re even.”

He took her into his arms and kissed her passionately. He did something he’d never done before, and he wasn’t sure why he did it—it just came naturally. He nudged her lips open with his tongue and then touched the inside of her mouth with it. It was just an urge he followed, and he was glad, that not only did she allow it, she seemed to like it, and reciprocated. He thought he’d died and gone to heaven. Kissing like that was as close as two people could come without actually performing the act. “I love you, “ they both said in unison when the kiss ended. They laughed.

“Oh man!” Caleb said with a sigh. “Let’s get to marrying before we get into trouble with God.”

Caleb and Julia ended up laying on the sofa together, side-by-side, enjoying the thrill of being close to one another.

“I don’t want to go home,” Julia said. “I want to stay here forever. And tonight is my one night off at the hotel. Don’t make me leave you. ”

“And I don’t want you to leave. We can stay like this on the sofa all night and go to town, get a license tomorrow, and I know Reverend Jeffries would oblige us,” Caleb said.

“Wouldn’t it be all right then to make love tonight if we’ll be married tomorrow,” she asked as she nibbled on his ear.

“No!” Caleb said pushing himself into a sitting position. “The Bible specifically states that it’s for married couples. Wouldn’t you rather wait one more day and do it right? Then there would be no guilt or shame. If we did it now, I’d feel it would tarnish the pure love we have for each other. It would seem dirty and wrong to me.”

“You’re right. I haven’t been going to church as long as you have. I just started going when I came to Abilene. I have a lot to learn, but it does make sense. It has to be perfect,” she said. “But there is no way I’m leaving you tonight.”

Caleb lay back down. “You don’t have to. We can sleep like this as long as you don’t tempt me more than I can handle,” he said with a laugh. “It’s so difficult when you have so much love that it’s spilling out all over, but we really need to behave.”

“Miles and Billy will be the only ones who know I didn’t come home—come to think of it, they’ll worry.” She sighed. “I do have to go home.” She wrapped her arms around Caleb and hugged him. “I don’t know how I’ll do it, but I must.”

“It’s dark out now, leave your buggy here, I’ll take you home, and pick you up mid-morning tomorrow. I’ll tell my father, so he won’t expect me at work.”

“Should I tell Miles we’ll be moving in right away?” she asked.

“No. We won’t be moving in right away, or ever.”

“Where will we live if you’ve sold the house? I love this house.”

“We are staying here until our new one is built. I have already bought the land, and all I have to do is tell the construction crew that I’m ready, and it goes up. You can help me pick out a design. It will be one of the grandest homes in Abilene.”

“Oh,” she said with a laugh, “I’d almost forgotten that you aren’t really poor.”

“We are far from poor, darling.” He whispered how much was in the bank.

She gasped. “I don’t think I will know what to do with that much money. Just off hand though, I’d want to send Billy to college. Do you think we could?”

“Absolutely. We’ll also give Miles and Violet a generous amount for a wedding gift.”

“I supposed we’d better go,” she said. “But promise me you’ll come for me in the morning, and we can get married so I’ll never have to leave you again.”

He gave her a quick peck on the lips. “I promise.”

Chapter 16

As promised Caleb picked Julia up and they went to town hall and got a marriage license, then they went to Reverend Jeffries who agreed to marry them that very afternoon. Unknown to either, Reverend Jeffries spent all morning rounding up friends and family to see their vows exchanged.

Caleb and Julia were surprised to see Ivy, Jonas, Quinn, Martha, Rose, Lavinia, George, Phoebe, Peggy Iverson and a few more, waiting at the church. Miles and Violet stood beside the couple as their witnesses.

After the vows were exchanged, Julia and Caleb prepared to leave the church, but were called back by Reverend Jeffries. “Oh no, you can’t leave yet. We have a luncheon prepared in your honor.”

Caleb frowned, and then Julia squeezed his hand and whispered. “We’ve waited this long.”

Caleb smiled, then too. Why not let their friends and family enjoy their wedding? After all they had the rest of their lives to be alone.

While they were eating, Miles said to Caleb. “I almost forgot to tell you. I met a man at the bank and for years he had a limp. He came in the other day, and he no longer had a limp at all. I asked him about it, and he said the doctor built up one shoe or boot higher, and now he doesn’t limp anymore.”

Caleb thought about that. “Do you suppose that would work for me? I do have one leg shorter than the other.”

“That’s why I asked for the doctor’s name,” Miles said. He took a paper from his breast pocket. “Here, his name is Doctor Keiser, but he’s in Kansas City.”

“We could go there.” He turned to Julia. “What do you think, wife?”

“I love you whether you limp or not, but if it will give you more self-confidence, then you should look into it,” she said.

The more Caleb thought about it, the more he was sure he didn’t need to travel to Kansas City to get a special boot. Why couldn’t he simply make the contraption himself? He’d measure and make a block of wood, glue or tack it to the bottom of his boot, paint it the same color as his boots—it would be done.

Finally, Caleb and Julia were alone in his buggy. “Our first ride as a married couple,” he said.

She cuddled close to him and put her head on his shoulder. “Yes, it is.”

He headed out of town. “Aren’t we going home for our wedding night?” she asked.

“Nope.”

“Where are we going?”

“You shouldn’t be asking, because it’s a surprise. I had Jonas working on it all morning—by telegram and you know how slow they are.”

“Well,” she said. “I hope we don’t have to travel far, because I for one, can’t wait for the rest—especially after last night.”

“Why, Julia,” he said. “You’re blushing.” He laughed and kissed the top of her head. “I’m anxious to make you mine, at last. But, I want to do it in style. This is an occasion that we’ll remember our whole lives.”

“It seems like we’ve been riding forever,” Julia said. “I hope we aren’t going all the way to Topeka.”

“No, we’re almost there,” he said. “Patience, my love. Look, there’s the sign. That’s our destination. Not fancy but it’s better than home for a special occasion.”

“Junction City?” she asked. “As long as we have plenty of privacy.” She snuggled close again.

The hotel room wasn’t fancy, but it was pretty, and Jonas had taken the only room left on such short notice.

“I wanted the bridal suite, but this hotel doesn’t have one,” Caleb said.

“Let’s see,” Julia said looking around the room. “It has a bed—that’s all we’ll need.”

“So,” Caleb said, “What do we do first?”

“I don’t know,” Julia said. “I’ve never done this before. Have you?”

“No. Looks like we’ll have to depend on our natural urges that God gave us so that we’d know what to do,” he said.

“I know I have to put on a pretty nightgown, but you didn’t give me a chance to stop for one,” she said.

“I had Miles take care of it.” He reached into the small valise he’d carried in and handed her a nightgown.

“Did you bring your nightshirt?

“I don’t wear nightshirts,” Caleb said.

“You don’t? What do you sleep in then?”

Caleb smiled.

“Oh!” She scurried into the dressing room with her small bundle

While she was gone, Caleb removed his clothes and hung them carefully over a chair. He then climbed into bed and said a prayer. “Dear Heavenly Father, please bless this marriage and this marriage bed. I praise you and thank you for making this day possible. In Jesus sweet name, I pray. Amen.”

Just after his ‘amen’, in walked Julia in a white lacy nightgown. It was just shear enough that Caleb could see her form beneath as she walked. He silently thanked God again for giving him such a beautiful wife.

Caleb turned down the bed on her side, and she crawled under the covers and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I supposed we should finish what we started last night at your house, when we had to stop,” she said.

“Sounds good to me.” He took a moment to study her face.

“What is it?” she asked.

“I want to remember you forever at this moment. Do you realize what an important moment this is?”

She nodded.

They kissed passionately and Caleb held her closer than he’d ever dared before. He kissed her like he had the night before, slipping his tongue into her mouth. It didn’t take long for them to be right where they left off last night. Only this time they didn’t have to stop.

Afterward, Caleb sighed. “I’m speechless.”

“I am too. It was beautiful. I’m glad you talked me into waiting. No regrets and no guilt—it was absolutely perfect.”

“I love you, Mrs. Armstrong.”

“And I love you, Mr. Armstrong.”

When they reached home, Elsie had returned. She had a magnificent lunch made for them. After they’d eaten, Caleb excused himself. “I have a project I’m working on in the craft building, but I’ll be back for dinner.”

Julia reached out and grabbed his arm. “No. Don’t leave me,” she said in a sultry voice.

“Come with me then,” he said, kissing her nose. She smiled and clung to his arm as he walked to he craft building.

“This is different,” she said as she looked around. “Is this your hobby?”

Caleb nodded. “This is where I’ll be whenever we aren’t together.”

“Unless I can’t bear to be without you and follow you,” Julia said.

“You will be bored watching me. I’m going to try and make a block of wood to glue onto my right boot.”

“Are you sure you don’t need to have a doctor do it?” she asked. “It’s not like we can’t afford it.”

Caleb hunted around for a nice block of wood in the pile he had in the corner. “Let’s see how this works first.”

He held out a ruler. “Can you measure how far from the ground my right foot is?”

“See? You do need me out here.” She took the ruler and measured. “An inch and one half.”

He cut the wood with a saw, measuring carefully as he did. Then he placed the block of wood under his right foot. “Perfect.”

He looked over at his new wife. She looked so pretty as she stood there watching him work. “Enough for today,” he said. “I’ll show you our garden.”

They walked out and they viewed the neat rows of vegetables. “You did this all yourself?” she asked.

“Barney helped.”

“I love gardening. This will be my hobby.” She winked at him. “When I’m not in the craft building with you, I’ll be here in the garden.”

“Elsie just left,” he said.

“Let’s go, I’m feeling a bit drowsy,” she said. He pulled her into the house, past the dinner Elsie had left and into their bedroom.

Two days later, while Julia was up to her elbows in dirt in the garden, Caleb called her from the craft building.

“What is it?” she called.

“I’m coming out to the garden, I want you to look at me coming toward you,” he yelled.

“All right,” she said as she stood and faced the craft building.

Caleb walked out, and toward her without the slightest limp. Her eyes filled with tears at the sight. “Oh Caleb!” she exclaimed. She ran over and threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. “I loved you before, and I love you now. It made no difference to me—you’re the same man. But, you sure do look mighty fine. I hope no woman tries to steal you away from me.”

“That my dear wife would be a worthless effort on her part, whoever she is,” he laughed. “My heart is taken.”

“So is mine. I never thought I could ever be this happy.”

“Julia, you have no idea the change you’ve made in my life.”

The End

Other books by Barbara Goss:

Forbidden Legacy

Silent Love

Captured Heart

The Final Vow

Stolen Heritage

The Kissing Bridge

Dangerous Illusions