Chapter 15

Wyatt opened his eyes to the warm glow of dawn creeping into his room through the open window. He looked down at the woman sleeping in his arms and a smile crossed his lips.

Lord what a perfect ending to a wonderful night.

Edwina came to him just as she did on their first and only night together—freely with an open heart.

And why shouldn’t she? In her mind, she was a married woman who would come to her husband whenever he wanted her. There was no regret, no shame.

Damn, what a cad I am. How can I go on letting her think we’re married? How can I use her this way?

Not that he didn’t want to be married to Edwina. To his utter surprise, he wanted nothing more. But how was he going to accomplish it? He couldn’t tell her they had to go get married because he’d tricked her into the first ceremony. She might get so upset she’d want to leave him and he was never going to let that happen. Not now. They were a family. She and Adam had become his life. There was no way he was going to ever let them leave him.

Edwina stirred and grunted. Wyatt grinned as she snuggled against his right side, then began softly breathing with her mouth open.

She had such a tempting mouth. He remembered how he’d found it so soft and inviting last night. How she responded when he began kissing her as they walked into the house. How he’d swept her off her feet and carried her up the stairs. How she’d muttered, “Where are we going?” when he stopped in front of his door.

“I think it’s time we began living together as man and wife,” he’d answered. “We’ve waited long enough.”

She’d said, “I agree.”

Their lovemaking had been gentle in the beginning, but soon turned wild and passionate. Edwina, still naïve in many ways, responded to his touches, his coaxing and his leading. She was everything a man could ask for as a lover and a wife. She was everything he’d want or need for the rest of his life. To make this dream become a reality all he had to do was figure out a way to marry her again. Legally this time.

Trying not to wake her, he slipped her head from his shoulder to the pillow, then sat up on the side of the bed. He stretched and stood. Walking naked to the bathroom area of the bedroom, he took a quick sponge bath, shaved and slipped into clean clothes. When he returned to the bedroom, Edwina was sitting up.

He walked over to the bed, leaned down and kissed her. “Good morning, beautiful.”

She blushed and pulled the sheet around her. “Good morning,” she muttered back.

“Mind if I sit here? I have something I want to discuss with you.”

“I don’t mind, but don’t you want me to get dressed?”

He winked at her. “I like the way you’re dressed now. You wear a sheet well.”

She blushed again as he sat down and put his arm around her. “What did you want to talk with me about, Wyatt?”

“Since we’re going to live as husband and wife, I’m going to have your things moved into this room today.” She nodded and he went on. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed those doors on the left wall, but they lead to a room that will be perfect for a nursery. There’s also another door that goes into the hall where Rosalinda or Dena can see to Adam’s needs without coming into our room. Do you mind if we fix it up for our son?”

“Oh, Wyatt.” She flung her arms around his neck. “I think you’ve the most wonderful man in the world. I can’t get over all the things you keep surprising me with. Having Adam this near us will be good. Especially since he’s still so young.”

“I’m glad you like the idea. I’ll go into town today to pick up some furniture and later in the week we’ll go together and you can decorate it any way you like. You can also change some things in our room if you like. I know it’s kind of manly-looking now. I don’t mind if you pick up a few fancy things.”

“I love you, Wyatt Singleton.” She leaned up and kissed him.

“I love you, too, Edwina and I’m going to be forced to show you how much if I keep sitting here and holding you while you’re wearing nothing but a sheet.”

“Maybe I should get up and put my clothes on.”

“Want me to wait while you get dressed?”

“Oh, I just thought of something. I can’t get dressed. My clothes are in the other bedroom.”

“That’s what you think.”

She frowned. “What does that mean?”

He stood and walked over to a chair where there was a big box. “I didn’t want to overwhelm you yesterday, so I kept these in here. When I got the party dress for you in Santa Fe, I picked up a couple of other things for you to wear during the day. Not that you’re not beautiful in anything, but I was a little tired of those plain brown dresses you said your aunt and uncle insisted you wear.”

“If I had some other type material I could make some different ones. I’ve always wanted to make things out of pretty cloth, but Aunt Callie said a woman shouldn’t draw attention to herself. Uncle Hezekiah said it was a sure sign of a loose woman.”

“My sweet Edwina. You’ve had to put up with a lot of stupid notions from them, haven’t you?”

“They were good to me, Wyatt. They could’ve put me in an orphanage, but they took me in when my parents died. I’m grateful to them for that.”

He shook his head. “I don’t understand their reasoning. They should have counted their blessings daily just to get to raise a wonderful woman like you, but there’s nothing to be done about it now.” He put the box on the bed. “We’ll go into town for you to pick out material and decorating items, but here are a couple of things you can wear in the meantime.”

Edwina’s eyes got big as she looked into the box. “Oh, Wyatt, how beautiful!” She pulled out a yellow dress. It was trimmed in white lace and had tucks down the front beside a row of covered buttons. The other garments were a green skirt, a blue skirt, a white blouse and a blue striped blouse. The white blouse had ruffles around the cuffs and neck. There was a green striped sash to tie at the waist. “These are too pretty to wear for every day.”

“No, they’re not. How about wearing the green skirt and blouse today? I think it will look pretty on you and I want you always looking pretty, even when you’re only around the house.”

She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. “You’re the best husband a woman could have. I always knew when we were together again you would be.”

“And you’re a wonderful wife.” He leaned and kissed her again. “I’ll wait for you in the dining room. I want to see everyone’s eyes when they see how pretty you look this morning.”

“I wonder if Adam will call me Mama again.”

“I’m sure he will.” He winked at her and headed to the door. “See you downstairs.”

* * * *

“Please don’t fuss at me, Daddy. I did my best.” Cora Sue dabbed her eyes with a lace handkerchief.

“I don’t believe he would’ve turned his back on you, Cora Sue. How could he? You looked so beautiful.”

“Daddy, he told me he wanted his wife and nobody else.”

Mildred spoke. “She was lovely. I thought they made a good-looking couple.”

“You stay out of this, Mildred,” Thourgood snapped. “When I want your opinion, I’ll ask you to give it to me.”

“Mama’s right, Daddy. Wyatt’s wife was a pretty woman. I didn’t want her to be, but she was. And she had on a dress that every woman at the dance envied. I know I did.”

“I don’t see why. I put out a wad of money for the dress you wanted. You said it’d be a sure thing to entice Wyatt.”

“I didn’t know his wife was going to show up looking like she did. I’d been told she was a drab little woman who wore old brown dresses and kept her hair in a knot on the back of her head.” Cora Sue frowned. “Then she shows up looking like one of those fashion women from back east.”

“Well, we’ve got to do something to get rid of her.”

Mildred gasped and Cora Sue stared at her father.

“Don’t look at me like that. She has to go so Cora Sue can marry Singleton.” He took a cigar out of his pocket and put it between his teeth.

The women still didn’t say anything. He shook his head and said, “Damn it. Neither of you know how important it is that Cora Sue marries him. I’ll be ruined if she doesn’t.”

“How will you be ruined, Daddy?”

“Don’t worry about it. Just get the man to leave his wife and marry you. Now, I’m going to town to take care of some business.”

He turned and stalked out of the room.

Cora Sue turned to her mother. “I don’t understand.”

Mildred reached for her hand. “Neither do I, honey. I know it’s more his idea than yours that you break up Mr. Singleton’s marriage, but I don’t understand why he’s so set on the idea.”

“At first, I thought he only wanted to have me marry him so he could convince Wyatt to combine his ranch with ours, but now I wonder if it isn’t something else.” Cora Sue lowered her head. “It’s almost as if Daddy has done something that my marrying Wyatt will cover up.”

“But what?”

“I have no idea, Mama, but after last night I don’t care what Daddy says, I know Wyatt Singleton is never going to give up his wife for me. He loves her and he’s never loved me.”