Chapter 1 
Chapter 1 The stagecoach dipped into a rut in the road and back out, slamming Katie Quinn against the side once again. “Ouch. Slow down!”
“The faster the driver goes, the quicker we’ll get there and out of this rough-riding contraption.” Her sister, Keeley, shook her head and closed her book. “I much prefer the train. At least I could read on it.”
“Aye, me too. And you could get up and walk around. As far as getting there quicker, I have mixed feelings. I’m both reluctant and eager to meet our future husbands.”
“I know just how you feel.”
Katie stared at her identical twin sister. Looking Keeley in the face was like gazing in a mirror. Wavy black hair pulled back in a loose bun, flashing dark brown eyes, a bit darker complexion than most Irish people had. Some people referred to them as Black Irish because they looked more Spanish than Irish. With matching forest-green dresses as they had on today, no one would be able to tell them apart, especially the people in the town they were traveling to—Cactus Creek, Texas.
“’Tis hard to believe we’re in the grand state of Texas. ’Tis fierce warm here.” Keeley turned from gazing out the window and looked at Katie. Concern filled her eyes. “Are you sure you want to do what we discussed last night? It doesn’t seem quite fair to the men.”
“I think we have ta. While we agreed to marry them, we never said when. ’Tis the wise thing to do.”
“You do know Connor and Brian are expecting to marry us today.” Keeley sighed. “But if you’re certain about this plan, I’ll go along. I just hope they don’t change their minds, ’cause then we’ll be in a dreadful predicament, for sure.”
“That’s true.” The concern in her sister’s eyes made Katie second-guess herself. But they had to make sure that Connor and Brian were honorable men before they agreed to marry, even if her plan made Keeley and her look less such in the beginning.
“I still wish we had prayed and sought God’s will before agreeing to become mail-order brides.”
“Don’t fret yourself. We prayed He would show us a way to support ourselves, and He has, has He not?”
“Aye, you’re right. M’belly is all ajitter though.”
Katie nodded. “Mine too. But ’twill all work out, ye’ll see.”
Cactus Creek, Texas
“How do I look?” Connor McLoughlin stared at his cousin, who had also donned his Sunday suit for today’s very special occasion.
Brian Barnett cocked his head and studied him. “Good. Except your tie is crooked.”
“Well, fix it then.”
“All right. Hold your horses while I tuck in my shirt.”
Brian finished his task, straightened Connor’s tie, then shrugged on his black frock coat. “I hope we don’t have to wear these for long. It’s blistering hot out today.”
“If the stage is on time, we should be able to go straight to the church once the ladies arrive.” Connor grinned. “Do you believe it? We’re gettin’ married on the same day and to sisters, no less.”
Brian’s mouth quirked up. “I never thought I’d see the day you got married, old man.”
Connor chuckled at Brian’s ongoing joke. His cousin liked poking fun at him for being eight months older. In truth, Brian was more like a brother than a cousin, since they’d grown up together.
“Did you remember to make the bed this morning?”
Connor puffed out his chest. “I did, and I even put on clean sheets.”
“Glory be, there’s hope for you yet.”
“Ha-ha. Just because you like keeping things all neat and tidy doesn’t mean everyone does.”
Brian shrugged. “You have to be orderly when you own a mercantile. But I will confess that after sharing the house with you for so long, I miss having you there to talk to in the evenings. Although, I don’t miss your mess or picking up after you.”
“Yeah, me too. Adjusting to having a place of my own has been harder than I expected.” He grinned. “Should be a whole lot easier once my wife joins me though.”
“That’s true.” Brian bent down and wiped his hanky across the tops of his shiny boots.
Connor grimaced as he looked at his dusty Wellingtons. He swiped one across the back of his pant leg and then the other. They may not be shiny, but at least they were no longer dusty. Thinking of his soon-to-be-bride made his belly swirl. “I’ve got to admit I’m worried that I might not like Katie when I see her. What if she’s as ugly as the back side of a mule?”
“I can’t think of a single woman who’s that unsightly. You liked the woman who wrote to you enough to ask her to marry you, so I think you’ll be fine. All that matters to me is that Keeley is kindhearted and can count well.”
“Count? What kind of criteria is that for a marriage?” Connor walked to the window and stared out at the main street of Cactus Creek. It was a quiet, sleepy town that didn’t see much trouble. Katie should like that. Although, at the moment, there were quite a few folks out and about. Had word gotten out about the brides’ arrival in spite of his and Brian’s efforts to keep it a secret?
“My wife will need to help me with the store, thus she needs to be able to count well enough to make change and keep inventory. I already know Keeley can read and write, thanks to her letters.”
“I reckon that makes sense.” Connor scratched his neck. He hated wearing ties. His job as town marshal didn’t require one, so every time he wore his suit and tie, he felt as if he was being strangled. “I just hope Katie can cook good. I’m tired of eatin’ beans and corn bread.”
“Are we still taking them to the café to eat after the weddings?”
“Probably be the nice thing to do. Don’t seem right to make them cook after traveling so far. Besides, we want them rested up for other things.” Connor waggled his brows.
Brian rolled his eyes. “You’d best treat Katie well. I don’t want her to come running over to our house every time you upset her.”
“Ah, c’mon. You know me better than that.” He felt offended that his cousin would say such a thing. They’d both been raised to treat women well and with respect. “When was the last time I offended a lady?”
Rubbing his freshly shaven jaw, Brian stared at the ceiling then grinned. “I remember Mrs. Fennimore whacking you with her parasol a time or two.”
“Crazy ol’ woman. I was just trying to carry her packages for her, and there she was hollerin’ for the marshal. She couldn’t see well enough to know I was him.”
Brian threw back his head and laughed. “That was the funniest thing I’ve seen in a coon’s age.” He checked his pocket watch and sobered. “Almost time. We should head on over to the stage office.”
“There’s a whole lot of folks outside for a weekday afternoon. Did you tell anyone what was happening today?”
“No. Did you?”
“Nope.”
They stared at one another then snapped their fingers in unison and said, “Mrs. Davies.”
Connor rubbed his neck. He hadn’t wanted the sisters to be overwhelmed by the whole town showing up, so he hadn’t told anyone that he and Brian were getting married except Pastor Rice, his wife, and Mrs. Davies, who was setting up a special table in the private dining room at her café for the four of them.
Brian cleared his throat. “I might have said something to Emily Willis.”
“My landlady? Why?”
His cousin shrugged. “She cornered me and asked why you decided to get a place of your own. She wouldn’t leave me alone until I mentioned you might be getting married, but I sure didn’t tell her the date.”
A cheer rang out, and quick footsteps raced down the boardwalk outside the jailhouse. Alfred French, owner of the livery, yanked open the door. “The stage is comin’, Marshal. You two best get out here and meet your brides ’fore some other young bucks pretend to be y’all and runs off with ’em.”
Connor and Brian stared one another in the eye for a second then raced for the door. As they neared the stage office, the crowd thinned and another cheer echoed through the streets. Several men slapped Connor on the back and shouted, “Congratulations, Marshal!”
Three of the towns’ mamas who’d tried to match him up with their daughters stood together. They shook their heads at him, looking disappointed. At least he wouldn’t have to suffer through any more uncomfortable meals with women he had no desire to marry. He avoided looking at the other ladies in the crowd and nodded his thanks to the men, even though this big commotion was exactly what he’d wanted to avoid.
“Here she comes!” Alfred hollered.
Connor stepped up in front of the stage office as the coach rounded the corner and slowed. His heart pounded like it did when he was chasing down a criminal and was close to apprehending him.
Brian gripped Connor’s shoulder—a sure sign of his nervousness.
The stage stopped, and the crowd hushed. Mac, the shotgun driver, shinnied down and jogged around the back of the stage to the side. He reached up and opened the door.
Connor’s heartbeat galloped as he saw the dark green of a dress and then the top of a frilly hat as a woman bent to exit the stage. A thin hand reached for Mac’s, and the woman stepped down to the ground. When she glanced up, Brian’s grip tightened on Connor’s shoulder and a murmur echoed through the crowd.
“Whoa, Nelly, I sure hope that’s Keeley. She’s beautiful.” Brian straightened his coat and wiped off an imaginary spot of dust.
So much for his cousin not caring how pretty his future mate was, but he couldn’t fault him, because the woman was lovely. Young but very pretty. Her complexion was a shade darker than he’d expected with her being Irish, but it contrasted nicely with her dark hair and those near-black eyes, which reminded him of the center of a black-eyed Susan. His mouth went dry. He licked his lips and blurted, “I thought they had red hair.”
“Me too.” Brian shrugged.
And then a matching green skirt appeared. And a matching hat. Connor blinked. And a matching woman. He glanced at Brian, who had the same flummoxed expression he imagined was on his own face. “Did they ever mention they was twins?”
“No.” Brian’s hushed response held a tone of awe. “How will we ever tell them apart?”
“They’ll just have to wear different colored dresses, that’s all.”
“They sure are magnificent.”
“Hey, Marshal, if’n you don’t want yers, I’ll take ’er.” Rawley Butler smiled widely, revealing his missing front teeth.
“We’re keeping them, so the rest of you back off,” Brian hollered. He elbowed Connor. “C’mon, cuz, before some yahoos steal them.”
Connor swallowed the lump in his throat and stepped forward. Not many things made him nervous—just big snakes, rabid critters, and gettin’ married.
“Take off your hat,” Brian whispered loudly.
Connor yanked it off and held it over his heart like a shield. What if Katie didn’t like him? He’d never considered that. Brian was cleaner, smarter, and better looking. He might have Irish blood in him, but he was born and raised a Texan. He sure hoped he passed muster.
The women stared at them with questioning eyes.
Brian stepped up beside him. “I’m Brian, and this big galloot is my cousin, Connor. Which of you is Keeley?”
The twins glanced at each other, and the one on the left nodded. They straightened and looked back.
“We’re Katie and Keeley Quinn. A pleasure to make your acquaintance,” the one on the left said.
The gal on the right lifted her chin. “And we’re not telling you who is who until we’re certain you’re upright, godly men. So the weddings are on hold.”
Connor felt gutshot.
Brian looked about the same.
A gasp echoed through the crowd, and then raucous laughter erupted.