Outlaws! (A Peacemaker Western #2) by William S. Brady

Author:William S. Brady [Brady, William S]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: action heroes, American Old West, American westerns, Angus Wells, Comanche Indians, Gunfighters, Piccadilly cowboys
Publisher: Piccadilly
Published: 2022-08-31T23:00:00+00:00

‘And do you, Alice Patterson, take this man to be your lawful wedded husband in the sight of God? To love, honor, and obey?’

The ceremony moved rapidly onwards in the warm, sunlit confines of the saloon. McLain and Major Nathan Cutler stood behind and to the side of the couple, the one acting as best man, the other as father of the bride. Hilde Lofgren and Virginia Coombs were bridesmaids, and the three Mexican whores were flower girls.

‘… Then let us pray.’ Garrett bowed his head and peered at the prayer book in his hands ‘Our Father, which art in Heaven...’

Sunlight streamed in through the door, illuminating the two figures kneeling before the fake preacher. The air was warm and dusty. One of the whores sneezed noisily.

‘May you be forever blessed,’ added Garrett, thinking it was a rather fine way to end the ceremony. ‘Now let us join the others.’

The whores rushed for the door, spilling cactus roses and cornflowers behind them as their eyes surveyed the soldiers and cowboys and homesteaders waiting outside, and their minds calculated the money they would make before the celebrating ended.

Then Shawn and Alice Docherty came out, and the watchers shouted their approval. Cody Garrett raised his arms and shouted for a hymn.

‘Amazing Grace,’ he yelled: it was the only one he felt confident of following. ‘We shall sing Amazing Grace.’

They sang Amazing Grace. Then Rock of Ages. Then Hallowed be Thy Name. McLain didn’t know any of the words, so he just stood alongside Nathan Cutler and grinned as the folks rattled the tents and spooked the horses with their sound. Abe Kintyre began playing a Jew’s harp, and a soldier produced a harmonica. The blacksmith fetched a banjo from somewhere, and soon the hymns were forgotten in a wild melee of tunes that made up in energy what they lacked in unison.

Alice and Shawn got lost in the crowd gathering around the barbecue pits and the drink trestle. And Cutler turned to McLain.

‘Harrison’s messenger said it looked like Comanche. What do you think?’

McLain frowned. ‘Ain’t been none around, Nathan. Besides, why’d they just hit the Fossett spread?’

‘What I thought,’ nodded the officer. ‘There’s two troops out on sweep, though. For what good it’ll do.’

‘What you think?’ asked McLain.

Cutler shrugged. ‘I think we might as well enjoy the wedding and keep the homesteaders here until more reports come in. I think that’s all we can do.’

‘Yeah.’ McLain accepted a cigar. ‘Maybe I should go take a look around.’

‘I hoped you’d offer,’ smiled Cutler. ‘But after this.’ McLain nodded as Shawn Docherty came surging through the mob yelling for them to join him. ‘All right. Maybe tomorrow?’

‘Fine,’ said Cutler. ‘I guess it can wait until then.’

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