The Brides Of Tombstone 01 Mail Order Outlaw (15 page)

Tomorrow was supposed to be Lizzie’s wedding day but how could she marry Mal when he wasn’t Mal? But, Lord, she wanted to. She wanted to marry him and pretend none of this ever happened. That’s what her heart wanted. Should she listen to her heart or her head?

Lizzie pulled out her diary. She hadn’t written in it since her father died. Her mother had said a good way to keep his memory alive was to write her memories of him down on paper. She got a diary and wrote for days about everything they’d done together, everything he’d taught her. The silly jokes he’d told her when she was young, and as she got older, the bawdy ones.

Big Roy Cobb hadn’t taken any guff off of anyone. He’d been six feet six inches of solid muscle and he’d still be around if some tenderfoot hadn’t started a stampede down the gully he was working in. But her dad had been special. If he saw something he wanted, he took it. Not stole it, but he made bargains and offers the person couldn’t refuse. He didn’t take any slander off of any one either. No one dared to call Lizzie a half-breed when he was around.

Remembering her father’s words and wisdom, she wrote.

Dear Diary,

I want so much to marry Mal. I can’t think of him as Ed. The man I’ve come to know is wonderful kind, and yet strong. The only thing he’s afraid of was the truth about who he is. Now that the cat is out of the bag and I know his real name, he’s afraid I won’t marry him. I don’t know if I will or not.

Tomorrow is supposed to be my wedding day. Who would I be marrying? Mal? Or Ed? Does it matter? I’d be marrying the man I love, the one I’ve come to know, whatever his name is. Should I let his name and his untruths go?

What about his brother? I don’t know how but I can’t let Harvey threaten Mal and I can’t let Mal become a murderer. If he’s managed to spend fifteen years in the Talbot gang and not kill anyone, he can’t start now. Not even for me.

I could tell Marshal Earp about Harvey’s past so would be arrested, but Harvey would tell him about Mal. I’d have to make sure Mal is not arrested, too. There’s only one way to do that. Am I ready?

Lizzie went downstairs to help Atina with supper.

“I saw you ride away toward the Abernathy place.” She took a seat at the table. “Is that where you went?”

“Yes. It is where you should be.”

“You know I can’t.” Lizzie sighed, her heart heavy. “How was he?”

“He works too hard trying to get the house ready for you. He’s hoping you’ll go to the church and get married tomorrow. Will you?”

“I don’t know. He lied, Mama.” Lizzie rose and paced the length of the kitchen between the counters and the table and back again. “How can I forget that or forgive him?”

“You know he lied because he fell in love with you through your letters. That’s why he came here and didn’t just take off with the money.”

“I know.” Lizzie stopped and wrapped her arms around her waist. “But how can you fall in love with someone from a few letters? I certainly didn’t fall in love with Mal, the real Mal, through his letters.”

“Then perhaps Ed pretending to be Mal is good.” Atina leaned back against the counter, where she was peeling potatoes, and pointed at Lizzie with her knife. “You did fall in love with the person you got to know here. Not the one from the letters. That person was Ed, whatever he called himself.”

“But I feel betrayed. How could he do that to me?”

“How could he not?”

Lizzie’s eyes burned and her throat was tight. “True. If he’d have come up to me as some stranger on the street, he wouldn’t have gotten the time of day, much less brought home.” She slapped herself on the forehead. “What was I thinking…bringing a stranger home and putting him in the guest room?”

“You were thinking he wasn’t a stranger. You thought you knew him from your letters. And in a way you did. It’s just the Mal in the letters wasn’t a man you could fall in love with. You didn’t even want to write to him anymore. And yet, the man who showed up here was somehow different. You knew, down deep, that there was something wrong.”

“I just didn’t know what.”

“Here, help me peel these potatoes while we talk. Otherwise, I’ll have a gang of hungry men and one little boy on my hands.”

“Little boy! Ha! Jamie eats as much as any man.”

“Whatever you do, you mustn’t tell Jamie. He’ll be heartbroken.”

“And I’m not? The man I love lied to me and if I’m honest, he’ll go to jail for killing the man I thought he was. This is so confusing.”

“What’s confusing?” Jamie walked into the kitchen. “What’s for supper?”

“Fried chicken, mashed potatoes and green beans,” said Atina.

“No dessert?” He grabbed a slice of raw potato and took a bite.

“Stop that.” Atina slapped his hand. “I’ve got apple pie for dessert but if you don’t get out of here you won’t get any. Go to the barn, and play with the new kittens. Just go.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He got to the kitchen door and turned. “Where’s Mal? I haven’t seen him since yesterday.”

Lizzie looked at her feet. No sense lying to him, he’d find out the truth soon enough. “He’s over at the old Abernathy place. He bought it today.”

“If he bought it today, why didn’t he come home last night?”

“He wanted to get started early on fixing up the house.” Lizzie struggled to speak the half-truth.

“Okay.” He swung out the door and down the steps, whistling as he went.

“Oh, to be so young,” Lizzie stood at the door and watched him skip to the barn. “And trusting.”

“Maybe you should go and talk to Mal yourself. He would love to see you and you obviously want to see him. So go after supper. I’ll make you a basket of food and you can take it to him.”

Lizzie perked up a bit. “I could just be bringing him supper. It’s not like I miss him or anything, right?”

“Whatever you say, daughter.” Atina shook her head and laughed. “You are just like your father. Never wanting to be the one to admit you need something or someone. Admit it. You will be much happier.”

“I think I’ll go clean up a little before we eat.”

“You do that.” Atina chuckled. “And brush your hair and re-braid it while you’re at it.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Lizzie smiled, ran out of the kitchen and up the stairs.

Supper couldn’t get over fast enough for Lizzie. Finally, the last man filed out of the kitchen and she picked up the basket Atina had prepared. The container was heavy and she knew her mother had put in enough food for two. Which was just as well, since Lizzie couldn’t eat a bite at mealtime.

She saddled Ajax and mounted.

Atina had come along and now held up the basket for her to grab.

“Be careful, daughter. There are creatures much more dangerous than liars in the desert tonight.”

“I’ve got my Colts and there’s not a horse in this town that can out-run Ajax. I’ll be fine, Mama.”

Atina nodded. “I’m sure I shall be in bed when you return, so I will see you in the morning.”

“Mama.” Lizzie blushed, knowing what her mother was implying. “I’ll be home in plenty of time for bed.”

“If that’s the case, then you won’t have done the talking that you need to do. This matter can’t be decided in a few minutes.”

“I know. I promise we’ll take our time.”

Lizzie galloped out of the ranch yard.

Mal must have seen her coming because he met her at the hitching rail.

“Hello.” He took the basket of food from her.

“Hello.” She pulled her foot out of the stirrup and slid out of the saddle to the ground.

“Miss me?” He set the basket on the ground and took her into his arms.

“No.” She teased. “Did you miss me?”

“Every minute.” He leaned down and kissed her

Lizzie leaned back breaking the kiss. “I can’t think when you do that, Mal or Ed. I don’t even know what to call you.”

“I’m Malcolm Brandon. That’s who I came to you as, who I bought this house as and who I’m marrying you as tomorrow, if you still want to marry me. Come on in.” He stooped and grabbed the basket handle. “We’ll put this in the kitchen and you can get a look at the house.”

“All right.” She answered with some trepidation, but trusted him. She trusted him. Isn’t that what was important? Love and trust?

He took her hand in his and they walked into the house.

She loved the feel of him even just his hand. Being this close made her heart sing. They walked through the house and Lizzie looked at the rooms as they passed.

“It’s beautiful. You’ve done a lot of work today. Even the windows are sparkling.”

“Used my mother’s recipe of vinegar and water to clean them.”

“Well, it works. Look at all this furniture. Abernathy left some beautiful things. That table and chairs in the dining room are gorgeous and the settee in the parlor looks brand new. I doubt he ever used it.”

“I don’t think he did either. I wouldn’t be interested in anything either, if you passed away. And it wouldn’t matter if we were married for fifty years or five minutes. You’re everything to me, Lizzie.”

“Ah.” She cupped his face with her hand. His whiskers tickled her palm. “You always know what to say to make me all squishy inside.”

“I just say what is true.” He frowned. “I won’t lie to you ever again, Lizzie. I know I’ve made a mess of things, but I hope you’ll forgive me.”

“I don’t know.” She dropped her hand to her side.” I’m continuing to call you Mal. That’s the name I know you by.”

“That’s the name I want to be known as. I want Ed Talbot to be dead and gone. That was another lifetime. One I don’t want to even think about any more.”

“That’s all very sweet, but it’ll be a little hard for Ed to be gone, brother, when you are out robbing stages and banks again with me.”

Lizzie gasped. Harvey stood in the doorway to the kitchen, his gun drawn. She noticed he wasn’t wearing his spurs. That’s why they’d had no warning.

“What are you doing here?”

“I knew she’d come here to your hideout sooner or later.”

“This isn’t my hideout, Harvey, it’s my home.” Mal angled his body so he was between Harvey and Lizzie.

“That’s a good one.” Harvey spit on the floor. “Since when do you have a home?”

“Since I left the gang and bought one. This is my property, my ranch, and my home. And you’re not welcome.”

“Well, that’s not very friendly. I wonder if the little lady will be friendlier. You…” he pointed the gun at Lizzie. “Come over here by me.”

“No. She’s not getting anywhere near you.” Mal pushed Lizzie completely behind him. “Get out while the getting is good, Harvey.”

There was no warning, just the sound of the gun firing and the bullet hitting Mal’s side.

“Mal.” Lizzie screamed. “You bastard, Harvey.”

“I ain’t going nowhere without the money you owe me.”

Mal staggered and fell to his knees, blood quickly spreading across the right side of his shirt.

Lizzie stooped beside Mal. “You’re going to be all right.”

“You, girlie, come here unless you want me to finish the job. Unlike Ed, I got nothing stopping me from killing him. He’s just another of Pa’s bastards.”

She rose and walked to Harvey.

Harvey turned his attention back to his brother. “Now you got until midnight to bring me the money or I’m killing this girlie, but I’m goin’ to have fun with her first. Just like I did that last girl you got close to. But this one here, she’s a half-breed. She’ll fight and you know how much I like that. I may have fun with her anyway, whether you bring me the money or not.”

“No. You want the money, you’ll leave her alone.” Mal’s words were curt.

Harvey narrowed his eyes. “All right. I’ll leave the girl be. I’m camped down by the old dry creek on the south side of town. I figure if you can buy this property that this little gal must be loaded. I want ten thousand dollars and no less.”

“You know the bank won’t give me that much. You’ll have to take five now and another five next week.”

“I want ten now, or she dies.”

Mal threw up his left hand, keeping his right on his side to stem the flow of blood. “All right, I’ll get the ten, but don’t hurt her or I’ll kill you.”

Harvey laughed and walked over to where Lizzie stood.

The sound was so maniacal that Lizzie turned to look at him. She saw insanity then and knew she was in trouble and so was Mal.

“Don’t do it Mal. He’s crazy. He’ll just kill us both when you give him the money.”

Harvey backhanded her, almost sending her to the floor. “Shut yer trap, before you get more than just a slap.”

Lizzie’s face hurt from being hit. She wiped the back of her hand across her lip. At least there was no blood this time.

Ed looked at Harvey. “Do that again and I’ll kill you. Do not hit her.” He turned to Lizzie. “Do what he says. I’ll to ride to town, to John Peterson. He’s got to get me the money tonight.”

Lizzie shook her head. “John detests me. He won’t help.”

She saw the look of determination on Mal’s face.

“Yes, he will. I’ll have my gun on him. He’ll get me the money.”