Chapter 24
Delaney had to give her parents credit. When she walked into the house holding Owen’s hand, then asked someone to run and get the chaplain, announcing they were getting married immediately, the explosion was a mild one.
Ma recovered first. She hurried off to fetch the chaplain, and it surprised Delaney that she latched on to Pa’s arm and dragged him along with her.
“I don’t think Ma wants to give Pa a chance to say anything. We probably don’t want to hear what he thinks about a wedding tonight.” Delaney watched as her parents appeared briefly in the window. She could make them out in the starlight.
It looked like Pa might be sharing what he had to say to Ma outside in private.
Owen was watching them, too. “I doubt your ma wants to hear what he has to say either.”
Delaney saw that Morgan and Marley were both there, which meant their wedding party was complete.
“I suppose we oughta invite Clive.” Owen scratched his chin. “It was him who brought us together . . . sort of like a matchmaker.”
“So you’re really getting married?”
Delaney narrowed her eyes at Boone. “You should’ve gone with Ma and Pa.”
Boone grinned. “I knew it from the first. You two were made for each other.”
Owen rolled his eyes. “You were unconscious for those first two days and dazed for a couple more. You didn’t know anything.”
Roz came up to Delaney with a huge smile and hugged her. “I’m so happy for you two. I didn’t know it from the first like Boone, but I think it’s a wonderful idea either way. Where are you going to live once married? Maybe you could come live with me.”
Delaney was glad they’d found Roz and brought her to civilization. That’s when she really noticed Roz. “Look, you’re wearing a dress.”
“Yep, Mrs. Bridger made me put it on. She’d gone shopping the minute we got back. She bought me a riding skirt and a shirtwaist as well.” Roz’s pretty blue dress was sprinkled with white flowers among green vines.
Delaney shook her head in wonder. “And your hair, Roz. It’s all tidy and perfect, and you smell like a rosebud.”
Roz laughed. “All Mrs. Bridger’s doing.” She leaned close and whispered, “I’m gonna have to start calling her ma. She insisted, and she was fierce about it.”
Delaney hugged her again. “Well, if she’s your ma, that makes us sisters.”
“And she cut off a bunch of my hair,” Roz went on, “although I’ve still got plenty as you can see. Then she made me take a bath with her sweet-smelling soap and helped scrub my hair.”
“That’s Ma for you. She’s a woman to take charge.”
With her back to Morgan, Roz slid her eyes toward him, then arched her brows at Delaney. “Jesse’s all dressed up nice, too. We’re ready to head back into the mountains with you and Owen to search for Tex.”
“You’re not going, Roz.” Morgan came up beside her, took her arm, and turned her firmly to face him.
“This is Marshal work. We don’t take women and children along.
” He looked at Owen. “I’d welcome your company, but now that you’re getting leg-shackled, you should stay here, too. I’ll go find Tex and bring him home.”
“I don’t think you can—”
“Owen, let’s not argue with Morgan. He can go search for Tex and Stella. We’ll go too, and if he doesn’t want us along, we can split up.”
Morgan sputtered and missed the look Roz shot him. She didn’t seem to appreciate him ordering her to stay home. Delaney figured that unless he locked her up somewhere, Roz was determined to tag along on the search for Tex regardless of his opinion.
Then the door swung open, and Ma, Pa, and a man wearing a white collar came into the room.
“Are you the happy couple?” The chaplain looked at Roz and Morgan, who was still holding her arm.
Morgan let go like he was gripping the business end of a red-hot branding iron.
“It’s us,” said Owen, taking Delaney’s hand. “Delaney is Colonel Bridger’s daughter, and I’m the U.S. Marshal who escorted her from Denver to the fort.”
“That’s only a two-day ride. Sounds like you’re rushing into this. Maybe you should wait a bit before getting married.”
“The ride took more like three weeks.” Delaney suddenly felt exhausted and dreaded a lengthy explanation.
“Let’s just get on with the vows, Parson.” Owen dropped her hand and pulled her arm through his elbow.
“It’s Chaplain Moore.”
“And it’s Owen Riley and Delaney Bridger,” Owen said.
Nodding at his commanding officer, the chaplain faced the couple before him and began, “Dearly beloved . . .”
Chaplain Moore must’ve decided that if they were going to rush things, then he’d do the same. Delaney noticed, with some tiny bit of relief, he didn’t ask if anyone objected to the marriage. Why ask for trouble?
The vows were spoken in just a few minutes. It made Delaney wonder what normally went into wedding vows. She hadn’t been to a wedding in a long time, but it seemed like the vows usually took longer than a couple of minutes.
“I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride.”
Owen looked at her with the biggest smile she’d ever seen. She knew her own expression matched it. The kiss was polite and brief, probably because her father stood nearby glowering at them.
Delaney was sure that her pa was in favor of the marriage; he just wasn’t happy about the haste in having the wedding tonight.
Then Ma pulled Delaney into her arms and gave her the biggest hug of her life. Next came Pa and Boone and Roz. All of them but Roz shook Owen’s hand. Morgan, Marley, and Jesse stayed well back.
After the chaplain left, Morgan and Marley headed for the guest quarters without Owen. Boone went to bed, followed by Roz and Jesse. Which left Owen, Delaney, and her parents.
Delaney considered it the most awkward moment of her life.
“This way.” Delaney held on tight to Owen and led him toward her room. It was down the hall from her parents, who followed along.
She got the two of them inside with the door closed and leaned against it with a huge sigh. The awkwardness should be over, except there was Owen—standing in the room with her, smiling at her.
He drew her into his arms and kissed her, and suddenly everything made sense and seemed so perfect.
Owen pulled back just an inch. “Delaney, considering we’re in a room with your folks on one side of us, and Boone on the other side, if you’re all right with it, I think we should put off . . . married things until we have more privacy.”
Delaney nearly sagged to the floor as the tension rushed away. “I’d prefer that, Owen, thank you. But I am, well, looking forward to married things.”
“As am I, Mrs. Riley. Now, would you like me to step out while you get ready for bed? Then you can do the same for me.”
“Yes, please. I won’t be long.”
“Before I go, can I help you take the pins out of your hair? I’d like to see it around your shoulders.”
Delaney kissed him; she couldn’t help it. This time it was all her idea.
He smiled. “I’ll take that for a yes.”
She went to the dressing table in her room. She’d barely seen this room before today, but her folks had it set up nicely for her. She sat down in front of a mirror with her brush and comb laid out neatly in front of her . . . and then felt her husband touch her hair.
She had some vague idea of what was ahead of her. The intimacies of marriage. Ma had found a few minutes to talk with her about it.
It sounded rather dreadful honestly, but then Ma had talked about the “two becoming one” and the delight of such closeness. When Owen touched her hair and drew out the first hairpin, she could only imagine how much more wonderful it could be.
He took his time with letting her hair down. She studied him in the mirror as he did so. Handsome, clean clothes, freshly shaven, hair trimmed. He must’ve taken a bath. He looked in all ways civilized. And he was all hers.
After he’d brushed out her hair, he stepped out of the room and left her to undress and pull her nightgown on.
It couldn’t be more modest. Dark blue, flannel, it covered her from neck to wrists to toes.
And yet she’d never felt more exposed in all her life as she moved to the bedroom door and cracked it open for him.
Owen stood there looking almost as nervous as she felt.
“Your turn.” She stepped out, and he went in.
He was back quickly and opening the door for her.
Reaching out his hand, she took it and let him draw her inside.
They lay down together, his arm around her shoulders.
The strangeness of holding a man so close was a marvel.
He lowered his head and kissed her, and the strangeness faded away.
Then he nestled her head against his shoulder and said, “Thank you very much for marrying me. Sleep now, Mrs. Riley.”
With so much ahead of them, and so much between them, Delaney prayed and then drifted off to sleep.