“We’re getting married today. As soon as I can make arrangements.”
Ma stared at him, her hands limp in her lap. “Today?” Her voice squeaked. “That hardly seems—”
“Proper?” He knew many would think the same, but he didn’t care what anyone thought except perhaps Ma.
“No. It hardly seems enough time to plan a wedding.”
“How long does it take to find the preacher, say the vows and sign the papers?” Vows. He’d be vowing before God and man to stay with her until death parted them. God did not take lightly a man making vows, then breaking them.
“Are you sure about this?” Ma asked.
No, he wasn’t sure. At least not about pretending the vows. But he was sure about the reason for it. “I can’t leave them here.” He explained the way Vic treated Louise and Missy, and hoped she agreed the wedding had to be immediate.
“That’s very noble, son, but it hardly seems enough reason to marry.”
Likely it didn’t to anyone but himself and Louise. “We’re of a like mind.” Their reasons were enough to satisfy him. “I’m going to buy a ranch and it will be nice to have a home and family, too.” His insides coiled at purposely leading her to believe forever was part of their plan. He’d told her of the place he hoped to purchase. His journey home would be slowed by having to accompany Louise on the stagecoach. He wouldn’t have any time to spare if he hoped to get back to Edendale in time to meet the mountain man. “You could come too, Ma.”
“Thank you, but no. This is my home. I’m too old to start over again.” She wiped a tear from the corner of her eye.
“You’re thinking of Pa, aren’t you?” Nate could barely recall his father. A man who laughed a lot, roughhoused with Nate and kissed Ma often.
“I never got over him. You are so much like him.”
“In what way?” It seemed important to know, seeing as he was soon to become a husband, if only for a week.
“You look like him. He wasn’t much older than you are now when he died. You are like him in other ways, too. He was ready and willing to help those who needed it.” Nate knew the story. He’d been killed helping a neighbor put up a barn. A beam had fallen and crushed him.
His mother stood up. “But enough of that. I need to get ready for a wedding.” She was halfway out of the kitchen before she stopped. “Help yourself to the soup.”
“Yes, Ma.” He didn’t have time to eat. There were details to take care of now.
“Make sure you eat. The day will be even busier as it goes along.”
When he didn’t move, she hustled to the stove, filled a bowl and set it before him. “Eat.” She waited until he put a spoonful in his mouth.
“Mmm. Good.”
“Now I must get ready. Will you come and get me when it’s time?”
“Yes, I will.” He ate the soup hurriedly, then trotted over to the house next to the church where he found the good preacher. A man he hadn’t met before who introduced himself as Pastor Manly.
Nate took that to be his name, certainly not a description. The pastor was slight, pale and fidgety.
Nate explained he wanted to get married. “This afternoon.”
“Fine. Fine. Bring your bride here.” The man had thin white hair. Its thinness likely not helped by the way he ran his fingers through it.
“Is there some reason we have to get married here?” Perhaps there was some law saying where people could wed.
“It’s convenient.”
“Could you marry us at Miss Williams’s house?” he asked, naming Aunt Bea.
Did the pastor blush? He certainly tapped the tips of his fingers together rapidly. “Yes, yes. What time?”
He hadn’t asked Louise what time suited her. He’d have to guess. “Would five o’clock suit?”
“It will be fine. You will need two witnesses of legal age.”
“Miss Williams and my ma, Mrs. Hawkins?”
“Yes, yes. Now, let me get ready.” He waved Nate away.
Nate hurried from there to the stagecoach depot and checked on tomorrow’s departure of the stage.
The agent consulted a schedule. “Be here by seven-thirty. The driver will want to be on his way by dawn. Days are short.”