Chapter 17
Spencer quickly tucked Carrie behind him and turned to face their assailant. Much to his relief, he heard laughter and found his brother-in-law approaching.
“Sorry, I couldn’t resist. I hope I didn’t scare you, sis.”
Carrie came from around Spencer and shook her head. “I didn’t have time to get too scared. Spencer had me safely behind him, ready for a fight.”
Robert nodded and grinned. “It’s nice to know he can protect you.”
“You working tonight?” Spencer asked, eager to move the conversation along so that he and Carrie might be alone once again.
“Rosie sent me. She’s up and decided we need a picnic tomorrow. The weather has been so fair that she’s certain it will continue. I told her to have a plan just in case it rains or turns chilly. We’ve all seen that happen around here.”
“What time does she want this picnic to be held?” Spencer asked.
“Noon,” Robert replied. “She knows we have our men’s Bible study in the morning and wanted us to have plenty of time for that.”
“What can we bring?” Carrie asked.
“Not a thing. She’s been cooking up a storm all day. She even talked Mama into fixing a few things. We’ll have more than enough food.”
“Sounds good.” Spencer looked at Carrie, who gave him a nod. “Where are we meeting up for this picnic?”
“The park at Lake Minnehaha. Rosie loves it out there. We take horseback rides there most Sunday afternoons during the warm weather. You can just catch the trolley, though. It goes all the way out there now. We’ll just meet everyone there at the trolley stop.”
“It is a lovely area. Tell her we’ll be there.” Carrie looked at her husband. “If that’s all right with you.”
“Absolutely. I wouldn’t miss it.”
Robert gave a nod. “Then I’ll head back. I still have to extend the invitation to the Deckers bunch.”
“Have a good evening, Rob. Give Rosie my thanks and love,” Carrie called after him.
Spencer linked his arm with hers and headed up to the house.
He knew they needed to talk. He’d tried to refocus on capturing Eugene Astor, but his feelings for Carrie kept getting in the way.
Perhaps if they discussed the matter and truly shared their hearts, he’d be able to get his thoughts in order again.
It was funny how catching Astor didn’t seem nearly as important as it used to. Since Astor killed his father, Spencer had thought of very little but seeing the man brought to justice. How funny that one beautiful young doctor could so easily distract him.
“Would you lay a fire? I’m chilled tonight.” Carrie discarded her hat and gloves on the table by the door. “I’m going to go change my clothes, and then I’ll join you by the fire.”
Spencer could see in her expression that she understood the need for them to talk. He didn’t hesitate to do as she asked. He built a large fire in the grate and was just adding another log when she returned dressed in her nightclothes.
She had no idea how beautiful she was, and Spencer couldn’t help noticing she’d left her hair down.
She knew he liked it that way when they were alone.
But tonight, it was her alluring eyes that caught his attention.
Those blue eyes seemed to take in every detail at once and never miss a thing.
It was one of the things he really loved about her.
Even now she seemed to search his face for answers.
He sat down and waited for her to join him on the couch. His stomach tightened as if to remind him that they were on the verge of a most important conversation. Perhaps the most important of their life.
Carrie grabbed the blanket and came to sit with him, tucking her legs up under her and spreading the blanket across her lap.
“Everything has changed,” she whispered, “and I really don’t know what to say, but it’s been on my mind since you said what you said.”
“I know. I was thinking about that very thing.” He turned slightly to better see her. “I never expected to feel this way.”
“Nor I.” She met his gaze. “It’s practically all I’ve been able to concentrate on.”
“Me too.” Spencer gave a sigh. “I love you, Carrie. I think I have since we first met. I ignored my feelings for you because of your relationship with Dr. Nelson, but I can’t ignore them any longer.
You are, after all, my wife. I see you day and night and just sitting here like this is driving me mad. ”
She nodded. “I know. I feel the same way. Not that I fell in love with you when we first met. I did, however, have special feelings for you as a friend. I always looked forward to my time at the theater because I knew you’d be there and we’d have time to talk.
You always treated me like an equal, whereas Oswald was happy to remind me that he was so much more experienced and knowledgeable.
I never felt good enough with him, but you were another story.
You always made me feel . . . Well, I’m not sure that I can explain it. ”
It was hard to be this close to her and not touch her .
. . hold her. Spencer planted his hands on his thighs.
“I’ve lost sight of why I even came here.
I try to think about my duties, about my desire to get justice for my father and catch the man the government has had a bounty out on for over twenty-five years, but I keep coming back to you. ”
Carrie laughed. “I’ve got it just as bad.
I thought for a few moments yesterday that I was coming down with something.
I felt flushed and anxious. My heart seemed to beat faster, and I was so restless.
As I assessed the situation, my feelings for you seemed to be the answer. I’ve fallen in love with you.”
Spencer smiled. “Good thing we’re married.”
“But we never intended to remain married after you accomplished what you were here to do. We never really thought about a future together . . . forever.”
“I guess I’ve been thinking a lot about that the last few days. Maybe longer than that.” He couldn’t help himself. Spencer put his arm around her and pulled her closer. “Carrie, I want to be married to you. I want to be a real husband to you.”
She placed her head on his shoulder and sighed. “And I want to be a wife to you. I’ve honestly not thought of what that future might look like, however. You know my passion for medicine, and I don’t know where that might lead me.”
“I know what it means to you, and frankly, I don’t care where it leads us.
I can be a Pinkerton or a lawman wherever we go.
I have a college education and feel certain I could go in any number of directions where work is concerned.
If we need to move because of your research, then that’s what we’ll do.
I want you to know I fully support your position as a research doctor. ”
“As you already know, I’m not good to keep up with housework, cooking, or laundry.” She pulled back and looked him in the eye. “If not for restaurants and my mother, we’d starve.”
He laughed. “And don’t forget the Chinese laundry. We wouldn’t have any clean clothes at all if they weren’t situated just a few blocks away.”
“It’s true. I’ve been trying to figure out how many months I could pay a housekeeper-cook with my savings since I’m not yet making much in the way of a regular salary.”
“We’ve got my pay. Remember I’m working for the Pinkertons as well as the city of Cheyenne. Everything I have is yours, and I don’t mind at all if you want to hire someone to take care of us since we’re both rather pathetic at it.”
“So we’re going to make this real, no more pretending?” she asked.
“No more pretending.” He looked at her, hoping she could see all the love he felt for her.
“I love you more than life itself, Carrie. When Robert startled us, I was ready to die for you. I will always do my utmost to protect you. I know you’ve told me how you never felt you belonged, but that’s all behind you now.
You belong to me in every way, and I belong to you. ”
He pulled her back into his arms, turning her in order to kiss her. He pressed his mouth to hers and felt her arms go around his neck. In that moment, Spencer knew he could never again be without her in his life. She completed him.
Carrie had never known such an overwhelming flow of emotions.
Spencer’s declaration of love and willingness to follow her wherever she needed to go was more than she had expected.
She’d never been much given to tears, but they came now, even as Spencer’s kiss deepened.
He understood her. He comprehended her need to belong.
But even as she lost herself in his touch, Carrie felt herself pulled back to the moment.
She put her hand up to his face and withdrew from his kiss. “I want to get married.”
Spencer looked at her oddly. “We are married.”
“I mean in a church.” She wiped the tears from her eyes, causing Spencer to notice them.
“You’re crying. What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” She smiled. “I’m very happy. It’s just that if we’re really going to stay married, I want us to take our vows again.
This time with God at the center of it all.
The only reason I felt right in agreeing to marry you was because a civil ceremony didn’t mean that much to me.
It was just another legal matter, nothing more than a business dealing.
But if we’re to have a real marriage, then it needs to be sacred.
It needs to have God at the center of it. ”
“All right. I understand that. So what do we do about this?”
“I suppose we start by being honest with my family.”
He nodded and dropped his hold on her. Carrie got to her feet, knowing she couldn’t remain in his arms without things getting passionate again.
“We can do it at the picnic tomorrow. We’ll tell them everything.”
“I should probably tell your father and Robert about my Pinkerton arrangement in private. There’s still such a risk of Astor finding out I’m here.”