Madeline Baker by Prairie Heat

Author:Prairie Heat
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub, pdf
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Two

Tucson was an old town surrounded by mountains. It had first been settled in 1776 by the Spanish; now it was the territorial capital of Arizona.

Mattie paid little attention to the town as they made their way down the dusty street, her thoughts shifting back and forth between the two men who had become the most important people in her life.

Today, as hard as it would be, she would bid Jess McCord a last farewell and put him out of her mind, out of her heart. It sounded so easy, but she knew it would be difficult to forget Jess. From the moment she first saw him sitting across from her in the stagecoach, he had been almost constantly in her thoughts. She had been attracted to him even then, when she thought he was a criminal, and now…

She refused to think of how much he had come to mean to her. Instead, she focused her thoughts on Josiah Thornton, her husband. She would meet him today, at last. Once the thought had filled her with excitement and anticipation. Now she felt only a curious sense of apprehension. Just nerves, she told herself, perfectly normal considering she was a new bride meeting her husband for the first time.

Yes, from now on she would concentrate on being Mrs. Josiah Thornton, on having and raising a family, on being a good wife and a credit to the community. Josiah had promised they could be married in church, and she let herself think of white wedding gowns and flower-bedecked aisles and the good wishes of Josiah’s friends. But instead of cheering her, the thought left her feeling sad and empty. She was no longer worthy to wear virginal white, and she had no one to stand up with her in church, no best friend, no mother or sister. Her best and only friend was Jess McCord.

Mattie gave herself a sharp reprimand. She had vowed to love, honor and obey Josiah Thornton, and she would do just that. She would cook and sew and wash and scrub and do all she could do to make her husband happy. She would be cheerful and agreeable; she would laugh at his jokes and lament his troubles. She would make certain he never had cause to regret marrying her. They would discover each other, have a child, attend church together and live happily ever after. She would see to it.

Mattie’s plans for a rosy future burst like so many soap bubbles when they reached Thornton’s Dry Goods Store.

“He sold out and moved on,” the new proprietor told Mattie. “Haven’t had a chance to get a new sign made up yet.”

“Moved?” Mattie said.

“Yep. His wife was kilt by ’Paches, and Josiah felt he needed a change of scene.”

“Where’s he gone?”

“Santa Fe.”

“Santa Fe!” Mattie exclaimed.

The man nodded. “Yep. Bought hisself a bigger store, and a hotel too. It’s a right nice one, way I hear it, that new hotel.” He frowned at Mattie. “Who might you be, miss?”

“I’m his wife.

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