Cutty (Prairie Grooms Book 8) (17 page)

Several others began talking at once. This time Cutty ascended the nearest chair. “Please! I know I haven’t done much good around here …”

“Hold on a minute!” Grandma interrupted, and the crowd silenced. “Now, when you first got here you were a thorn in the side, that’s for sure. But look what’s happened since some of our men found you near-dead and dragged you back here. The man they brought into town wasn’t this Thackary Holmes character. It was Cutty.” She turned to the rest. “And I think you ought to stick with that name, if you can. A man’s got to identify with who he really is.” She turned back to him. “And Cutty is who you are now, isn’t it?”

Cutty’s lower lipped trembled.
I will not bawl!
he thought to himself. Grandma Waller had just said what he’d wanted to, but didn’t have the words for. “Yes ma’am,” he finally offered.

“That’s what I thought. Well, I know that other fella’s done some bad things, but I also know that Cutty’s made up for them and then some.” She turned to Sheriff Hughes. “I figure I don’t know anyone by the name of Thackary Holmes around here, do you?”

The sheriff’s eyes went wide. “Grandma!”

“Just answer the question, Harlan.”

Irene opened her mouth, snapped it shut, opened it again … and felt Wilfred put his arm around her. “If it wasn’t for him, Belle would be dead,” he said quietly.

She finally sighed and glared at Cutty. “Fine. But don’t think I’m going to give you any free licorice whips just because you saved my niece! Or because I’m gonna forgive you for letting me get kidnapped!”

“I would never have presumed it,” Cutty assured her. “Your reputation precedes you.”

“What? What reputation is that?” she snapped.

“That of a tough old battle-ax with a heart of gold,” he replied. “And I, for one, am honored to know you.”

Irene Dunnigan, for once in her life, was speechless.

“And you know,” Wilfred said hoarsely, “I guess we never did thank you proper for saving Belle.”

Now Cutty was unable to speak at this point – he could only nod and wipe his eyes.

One by one those that were gathered stepped forward to thank Cutty for all he’d done since coming to Clear Creek. Not one said a word about Thackary Holmes.

Except … “Deputy O’Hare!” Sheriff Hughes called. “You ever heard of a man named Thackary Holmes lurking around these parts?”

Bran looked at the crowd gathered around Cutty. “Lurking, ye say? Well … not recently.”

“Good. I don’t expect he’ll come sneaking around here again,” Sheriff Hughes said with a smile. “Now then …
Cutty
Holmes, are you going to marry Imogene or what?”

“Yes, sir, I am,” Cutty said, his voice almost a whisper.
Cutty Holmes
… that did have a nice ring to it, didn’t it?

Imogene grabbed him and kissed him on the cheek. “Did you hear that, people? We’re going to have a wedding!”

Cheers went up as Nettie joined them, planting a kiss on his other cheek. He turned to her, not bothering to stop his tears at this point. “Oh, Nettie …”

“Father,” she said. “I love you.”

Cutty choked, pulled himself out of Imogene’s arms and wrapped his around his daughter. Unable to help himself, he sobbed in her embrace.

There wasn’t a dry eye in the saloon. Which is why no one noticed the stage pulling into town, nor Willie come moseying in a few moments later. He took one look at the weeping crowd and yelped, “Great jumpin’ horny toads! Did somebody die?”

“No,” Harrison said. “On the contrary, we’re celebrating a brand new life.”

Epilogue

Three weeks later …

“I now pronounce you man and wife!” Preacher Jo said with a happy smile.

Cutty, decked out in the finest clothes the Cookes had been able to find in his size, turned to his bride and smiled from ear to scarred ear.

“Cutty … you may kiss your bride.”

Cutty lifted the veil from Imogene’s face. “You’re beautiful.”

“You’re stalling,” she said and kissed him.

The church erupted with cheers and laughter. The entire town had come, and not just them – the Whites, who lived between Clear Creek and Oregon City, were there too. Logan and Susara Kincaid were especially glad to see them, having spent time with the family during their own adventures a couple of years before.

“Why don’t ye kiss
her
now?” Patrick Mulligan shouted to Cutty.

“Yeah, show her how it’s done!” Sheriff Hughes agreed.

Before he could, Imogene smacked him over the head with her bouquet. “You’ll do nothing of the kind! You’re supposed to be a gentleman!”

“And you’re supposed to be a lady. Since when does a lady hit her groom like that?”

“I’m defending my point!”

“Then I should have the right to retort.” He pulled her into his arms and kissed her soundly.

Sheriff Hughes slapped himself on the leg. “Ha! You see, that’s how it’s done!” And the laughter filled the place again.

Then suddenly everyone went silent. Cutty caught the change and came up for air.

Everyone stood still as statues as Newton Whitman walked up the center aisle. “Am I late?”

Cutty almost dropped Imogene. She must have sensed it – she shifted her weight so he could let her go. “Newton?” he whispered.

“Yes, it’s me.”

Cutty looked him up and down. He looked to be in good health, albeit in need of a shave and a haircut, and the buckskins, gun and soft leather boots he wore weren’t really “Sunday best.” But most of all, his son looked … happy
.
“Newton … you’re back,” he said lamely.

“I sensed it was time to return. So, I did.”

Cutty exchanged a quick glance with Imogene, then smiled. “Just in time for my wedding.” He went to his son and pulled him into a hug. “Are you back for good?”

Newton slowly wrapped his arms around him and closed his eyes tight. When he opened them, he looked at Amon, who stood off to one side with Nettie. “Well, for as long as I’m able.” He saw Amon flinch, and pulled away from his father. “I had to come back.”

Cutty’s own eyes misted. “Can you … forgive me, then?”

He nodded. “Yes, I do forgive you. There’s more to life than staying angry with someone. Besides, I’ve … got something to show you.”

Imogene joined them. “What?”

Newton smiled, turned and hurried back to the church doors. He went outside, then came back in … with a
woman.

Everyone gasped. “Who in tarnation is that?” Grandma asked.

Newton took a deep breath as they approached Cutty. She was dressed in much the same thing as he, sans the gun belt, and her bright red hair flowed down to her waist.

“Newton?” Cutty squeaked as he looked her up and down. “Is this …?”

“Yes,” Newton replied.

“Yes who?” Irene Dunnigan snapped. “Who is she?”

Newton glanced around at the crowd, then looked at Cutty again. “Father … I’d like you and Imogene to be the first in Clear Creek to meet my wife.”

“Wife?!” Irene screeched

“Don’t swoon, Irene!” Wilfred ordered. She teetered a bit, but stayed upright.

“Wife?” Cutty repeated in surprise.

“Wieeeeeefe!” came a booming voice from the back of the church.

The entire throng turned to see Mr. Awahnee in the doorway, hands on hips, his wife at his side. No one had seen either of them since Amon finished building his house. Now here they were – and dressed in strange purple and yellow robes to boot!

Imogene gasped. “My heavens, will you look at that!”

The Awahnees strode down the aisle like royalty, stopping when they reached Newton. “You had best explain to your fadar where you have been, little bro-dar,” the man told him.

Newton’s eyes flicked to Amon again. “I was going to.”

“See dat you do,” Mr. Awahnee commanded. He looked at Cutty as everyone marveled at the sight of them. The Awahnees were both quite tall, their dark skin radiant even against the brightness of their clothing. “And you!” he bellowed as he leaned toward Cutty. “You will listen!”

Cutty instinctively bowed. “Yes … sir.”

Mr. Awahnee gave him a single nod in return, turned, and looked at Amon. “You will speak wid me. Outside.”

Amon blew out a breath and headed for the church doors. Nettie stared after him as Mr. Awahnee and his wife followed. The huge man reached the end of the church aisle, turned to face the crowd and laughed. “Cuttyyyy!” he suddenly called.

Cutty swallowed hard. The man was like a raging storm – big, loud and unpredictable. “Yes, sir?”

The big man gave him a graceful bow. “May you be
very
happy wid your bride.” He straightened, grinned, then spun on his heel and stepped out the doors. They closed in his wake with a decisive
thud.

Cutty shivered. “Has he been with you the whole time?”

Newton released the breath he’d been holding. “Every day.”

Ryder and Seth made their way through the crowd. “Are they leavin’?” Ryder asked. “Seth and I want to see ‘em before they go!”

“Yes, they are,” Newton said flatly. “To where, I have no idea.”

“Those clothes they’re wearing,” Seth said. “I’ve never seen anything like them.”

“Perhaps it’s their native clothing,” Imogene suggested. “They’re clearly not from this country.”

“Quite right,” Newton said.

Cutty’s attention returned to the subject at hand. “So … this is your wife?”

Newton put an arm around the woman at his side. She was definitely not Indian, but white – pretty, with grey eyes, that red hair and the carriage of a ballet dancer. “Yes.”

“What’s her name?” Imogene asked and looked her up and down.

Newton took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Arya,” he said. “She’s, ah … not from around here.”

“Well that’s stating the obvious!” Irene Dunnigan huffed.

Newton looked at her and sighed. “Oh, you have no idea …”

The End

(but only for now …)

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading
Cutty
, the eighth and final (?) book in the Prairie Grooms series. Be sure to check out the rest of the books:

August (Prairie Grooms, Book One)

Ryder (Prairie Grooms, Book Two)

Seth (Prairie Grooms, Book Three)

Chase (Prairie Grooms, Book Four)

Levi (Prairie Grooms, Book Five)

Bran (Prairie Grooms, Book Six)

Amon (Prairie Grooms, Book Seven)

But while the series is over (as far as I know …), we’re not quite done with Clear Creek yet – or with the mysterious Awahnees. Who knows what fun books will be coming in 2016?

And if you’d like to know more about Kwaku Ahwanee – seriously, what could an African couple be doing wandering around post-Civil War Oregon?! – check out Geralyn Beauchamp’s books:

Time Masters, Book One: The Call

Time Masters, Book Two: The Prophecy

Time Masters, Book Three: The Legacy – coming 2016

About the Author

Kit Morgan, aka Geralyn Beauchamp, loves a good Western. Her father loved them as well and they watched their fair share together over the years. You can keep up-to-date on future books, fun contests and more at Kit Morgan’s website,
www.authorkitmorgan.com
, where you will find links to her Facebook and twitter pages.