Page 34 of Montana Groom of Convenience
He studied her, hoping beyond hope that she wasn’t tucking Carly’s words into that little brain of hers to throw back at one of them the next time someone asked something of her.
Carly sat back down, and with a strained smile, asked for someone to pass the plate of cookies.
Sawyer thought it best to change the direction of the conversation. “Carly said something about the Marshalls being big around here.”
The women all laughed. “It’s because they are big.” Pretty Isabelle held her hand above her head to indicate they were tall.
Carly held up her hand to get the attention of the others. “I meant because the Marshalls pretty much run the place.”
The men protested. “Not all of us. Just Grandfather.”
Mr. Morrison chuckled. “He is a fine man.”
One by one, sometimes all speaking at once, Sawyer learned that Grandfather Marshall had come west, the first of the early ranchers. When gold was found nearby and a rough mining town, Wolf Hollow, sprang up, he saw the need for a gentler, kinder place and built the town of Bella Creek.
“Over a year ago, in the dead of winter, a fire took out a block of buildings,” said the youngest brother, Logan Marshall. “Among them, the schoolhouse, thedoctor’s quarters, the barbershop, the lawyer’s office, and a store. They’ve all since been rebuilt.”
Logan’s wife, Sadie, took up the story. “They needed a new teacher and doctor. I came as the teacher.”
Logan’s grin was wide with pride. “I persuaded her she’d be a happier woman as my wife.” The look he gave Sadie was so filled with love that Sawyer couldn’t take his eyes off the pair. He would not admit that he’d denied himself the one thing he longed for—love—by entering into a loveless marriage. Something about losing his mother and brother and the many moves afterward that he and his father had made caused him to close his heart to that emotion. And to every emotion. Seeing the open love between the couples at the table made him feel hollow inside.
“We adopted the three children.”
He heard everyone’s story of finding love and family. This was what he wanted—family for Jill. That’s all that mattered.
He learned that Conner worked with wild horses, gentling them in a special way. “Like I saw an old man do years ago.”
The stories grew wilder and funnier, with lots of laughter to follow.
Baby Ellie had been put down to sleep on a blanket. But when Mr. Morrison roared with laughter, she jerked awake and cried.
Kate scooped her up and jostled her to calm her. “We need to get her home to bed.”
Conner unwound from the table. “It’s time to go home.”
The others rose at his announcement. And in aflurry of activity, the women gathered up their things and organized children, and the men carried out dishes.
Carly had risen, too, as had Sawyer, and together they went to the door to thank everyone and wave goodbye.
The wagons headed down the lane in the silvery light of night. Annie turned and rang her bell. A jangle of many bells accompanied the departing wagons.
Sawyer and Carly stood side by side, their elbows touching. Neither of them moved.
Carly let out a long sigh. “Well, that’s that. I wonder if I should have said anything.”
“About what?”
She faced him, her eyes catching the lamplight from inside. Her mouth worked back and forth as if she had dealt with a bad taste. “About our marriage.”
“What would you say? That I’m sleeping in the storeroom?”
She shrugged. “Seems wrong to deceive them.”
Not often something triggered a sense of frustration in him, but this did. “Carly, we signed papers making us husband and wife. We each have our reasons for this marriage. We understand what we’ve done. Does it really matter what others know or think about it?”
She drew back slightly but did not tear her gaze from his. Nor did he tear his from hers as he continued, “I thought we were resolved on this matter.” Was she having regrets? Would she change her mind?
She looked down, sucked in a deep breath, and lifted her face again.
