Wolf Shadow (39 page)

Lyle Hunsacker looked a trifle surprised to see Chance enter
the hotel with Teressa in his arms. Mindful of Teressa’s reputation, Chance
asked for two rooms.

Hunsacker handed Chance two keys. “I’ll sign the register
for you, Mr. McCloud.”

“Obliged.”

Opening the door to the first room, Chance carried Teressa
inside. Drawing back the covers, he settled her in bed, then sat down beside
her. “You scared the hell out of me,” he said, brushing a lock of hair from her
brow. “Don’t you ever do anything like that again, you hear?”

“He might have killed you.”

“Better me than you. Are you sure you’re all right? Do you
want anything?”

“Just you,” she murmured fervently, “here beside me.”

* * * * *

In spite of her insistence that she felt perfectly fine,
Teressa slept most of the day. Chance had their dinner sent up from the hotel
dining room. She had little appetite and after eating only about half of the
meal, she fell asleep again.

Chance sat in the chair beside the bed, watching her,
thinking how close he had come to losing her.

They left for the ranch the next morning after breakfast.
When they arrived, Chance carried her inside.

“But I don’t want to stay in bed,” she said as he drew back the
covers and insisted she spend the rest of the week in bed, threatening to tie
her to the bedpost if she so much as thought about getting up.

“The doctor said to rest for ten days,” he said firmly. “And
that’s exactly what you’re going to do.”

When she protested, he threatened to tie her to the bedpost
if she so much as thought about getting up, insisting that she take her meals
in bed, as well. He brushed her hair each morning, and bathed her each night.

Eight days later, she’d had enough coddling. She threatened
to go back to San Francisco if he didn’t let her get out of bed. Muttering an
oath, he let her have her way, though he refused to let her do anything more
strenuous than get dressed and sit in the parlor.

“You promised to marry me as soon as we got here,” she
reminded him. “You haven’t changed your mind, have you?”

Mindful of her injured shoulder, he drew her carefully into
his arms. “Of course not. Name the day.”

“Is tomorrow too soon?”

“Wouldn’t you like to give your shoulder a chance to heal?”

“No. I’ve waited long enough to be your wife. I don’t want
to wait another day.”

“Whatever you say, darlin’. I’m a man of my word.”

She smiled up at him. “Oh!”

“Change your mind already?”

“I don’t have anything to wear. I don’t have any clothes at
all except what I’m wearing.”

“We’ll go into town tomorrow. You can spend the day shopping
while I talk to the preacher and take care of a few things. We can be married
day after tomorrow. How’s that sound?”

“Wonderful!”

They left first thing in the morning. Chance kept the team
at a walk so as not to cause Teressa any undue pain.

When they reached town, he dropped her off at the dress
shop, promising to pick her up in front of the hotel in two hours to take her
to lunch.

“Better make it three,” she said, and with a wave and a
smile, she went into the shop. She hadn’t expected to find much of a selection
but, to her surprise, the store carried a number of dresses suitable for a
wedding.

She chose a pale pink gown with a fitted bodice and a slim
skirt, pleased that it didn’t need any alterations. She bought several other
dresses for everyday, as well as undergarments, a robe, and a nightgown. She
paid for her purchases with money Chance had given her and left the shop.

She browsed in several other stores, buying a new pair of
boots for everyday wear on the ranch, a pair of dainty shoes to wear with her
wedding dress, and a pair of house slippers. She bought a simple white hat for
church, wondering, as she did so, if Chance even went to Sunday services. She
picked out a delicate confection of lace and flowers to wear at the wedding,
and a floppy-brimmed sunbonnet for everyday. At the mercantile, she bought
soap, a brush, and a comb, pins for her hair.

She reached the hotel just as Chance pulled up in the wagon.

He whistled softly when he saw her. “Did you buy out every
store in town?”

“Almost,” she replied.

Taking the packages from her hands, he loaded them into the
back of the wagon. “Are you ready to get something to eat?”

Nodding, she placed her hand on his arm and they went into
the hotel. He held her chair for her, then took a seat across from her.

“Find everything you wanted?” he asked.

“Yes. Did you talk to the preacher?”

“Yeah. Everything’s all set for tomorrow afternoon at one. I
thought we’d spend the night here at the hotel, if that’s all right with you?”

“Of course.”

She was surprised when she discovered he had again arranged
for two rooms, touched when he told her he didn’t want any hint of scandal
damaging her reputation.

“We’ll be living here a long time,” he said, “and the people
hereabouts have long memories.”

She laughed softly, touched by his concern. “This is the
last night you’ll be sleeping alone, Mr. McCloud.”

“You don’t know how glad I am to hear you say that,” he
replied, grinning. “And I intend to hold you to it.”

* * * * *

Their wedding day dawned bright and clear. They ate
breakfast in the hotel dining room, then went upstairs to dress for the
wedding.

At twelve-forty-five, Chance knocked on her hotel room door.
She opened it a moment later, a smile lighting her face.

She was radiant, Chance thought, from the crown of her hat
to the soles of her feet. Her dress, though modest, flattered every curve.

“Chance?”

He blinked at the sound of her voice, only then realizing
that he had been staring at her like a man seeing a woman for the first time.

“You’re beautiful,” he murmured.

“Thank you.” Her gaze moved over him. “You’re looking very
handsome yourself.”

He had bought a new suit of clothes. She thought his black
coat and white shirt were the perfect complement to his copper-hued skin and
dark hair and eyes. He looked tall and lean and good enough to eat. The thought
brought a rush of heat to her cheeks.

“Shall we?” he asked, offering her his arm.

Smiling happily, she placed her hand on his arm and they
walked down the street to the church.

The minister was waiting for them inside. A elderly man and
woman stood beside him. He introduced them as Mr. and Mrs. Browne, who would be
their witnesses.

Chance took Teressa’s hand in his as the minister began to speak.
She gazed up at him. Lost in the love she saw in his eyes, she was hardly aware
of the words that were spoken until the minister said, “You may kiss the
bride.”

Chance drew her into his arms. “I love you,” he said, and
lowering his head, he kissed her for the first time as her husband.

“Stop!”

Teressa jerked out of Chance’s arms at the sound of her
father’s voice. “Papa! Mama! What are you doing here? How did you know…?” Her
voice trailed off. Of course, her father must have talked to Cynthia.

“This wedding will not take place,” Edward Bryant said. He
hurried down the aisle, closely followed by his wife.

“I’m afraid you’re too late,” Chance said, holding tight to
Teressa’s hand. “It’s already done.”

“I will have it annulled! Today!”

“No, you won’t, Papa,” Teressa said. “It’s already been
consummated.”

Bryant’s eyes widened, then narrowed ominously as he glared
at Chance. “You bas—”

“Sir, I would remind you that you’re in the house of the
Lord,” the minister said, cutting him off.

Bryant reached for her hand. “Teressa, let’s go.”

“No, Papa. I’m Chance’s wife now.”

“The marriage will be annulled!”

“Papa, I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Teressa said
calmly. “Unless you want your first grandchild to be illegitimate.”

Edward gaped at her.

Rosalia dropped down on the front pew, looking aghast.

“You’re pregnant!” Her father spoke the words with the same
horror he might have used if she had told him she had the plague.

“Yes. And I’m Chance’s wife, so you may as well get used to
the idea.”

“There’s cake and champagne waiting for us at the hotel,”
Chance said, grinning. “We’d love to have you join us.”

Edward turned to look at his wife. She stood, her face pale,
and held out her hand. “Come, Eduardo,” she said, forcing a smile. “Let us
celebrate our daughter’s marriage.”

Teressa looked up at Chance and grinned. “Welcome to my
family, Mr. McCloud.”

* * * * *

The celebration didn’t last long. The Bryants toasted the
happy couple. They ate cake and drank champagne, but, through it all, they
looked like they were in a daze. It would be a while, Chance mused, before they
fully accepted the fact that their daughter had married a half-breed rancher.

After her parents bid them goodbye, with the promise they
would see them the following morning, Chance carried his bride up the stairs to
their hotel room. Opening the door, he carried her inside, kicked the door shut
with his heel.

“A baby?” he asked, still holding her in his arms.

“I had to say something to make them stop talking about an
annulment,” she said, grinning at him.

“So it’s not true?”

“It could be.” She wrapped her arms around his neck. “But
just in case I’m not…”

He grinned at her. “I get your drift, Mrs. McCloud, and I’ll
do my best to make sure you’re in the family way just as soon as possible.
Starting right now,” he promised, and carrying her to bed, he made love to her
as thoroughly and tenderly as ever a man had loved a woman.

And nine months later, he turned his wife’s little white lie
into a nine-pound baby boy.

Epilogue

Teressa sat in the shade of a huge old cottonwood, her
four-month old son sleeping peacefully on a buffalo hide beside her as she
watched her husband put a handsome buckskin stallion through its paces. The
horse was fresh off the range, still green broke and rough around the edges,
but it was quick to learn and Wolf—she never did learn to call him Chance—had
hopes that the stallion would make a good cutting horse.

She smiled and waved as Wolf looked in her direction. Life
had never been better. Their son was healthy and happy, the ranch was
prospering, and her parents had finally given them their blessing.

She glanced fondly at her son. They had named him Luke,
after Wolf Shadow’s father. Soon, they would go to visit the People so that
Wolf Shadow could seek a vision. And while they were there, they would have a
feast to honor their son and Wolf Shadow would proclaim that Luke would be
known as Snow Wolf among the People.

She knew Wolf Shadow was looking forward to seeing
Kills-Like-a-Hawk again. She, too, was eager to return to the Black Hills, to
show off her handsome son to Corn Woman and Yellow Fawn and Leaf, to hear the
Lakota language, to lie inside a snug lodge and listen to the wind whisper
against the lodgeskins.

Her heart swelled with love and peace as she watched Wolf
Shadow dismount and walk toward her. She glanced down at her son and then back
at her husband. At long last, she knew where she belonged.

The End

Also by Madeline Baker

Apache Flame

Hawk’s Woman

Lakota Love Song

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