An Uninvited Bride on his Doorstep by Ava Winters
Chapter Eight
Two hours later, Logan stood across from Reverend Elijah Patrick in his bedroom. Winona sat next to Logan, an eager expression on her face. Logan smiled somewhat sheepishly at the reverend, who said nothing for a long moment, then sighed and shook his head.
“The Lord forgive me, but I actually hoped your brother was lying when he told me his brother wished to marry Winona Ross immediately.”
Logan began to explain but Winona spoke first. “It’s no lie, reverend. Logan and I wish to be married at once.”
Patrick looked at Logan incredulously. Logan reddened and said, “It’s true, reverend.”
“I see,” Patrick said dubiously. “Forgive me for my surprise but I wasn’t aware the two of you were even acquainted, let alone madly in love.”
“We’re not in love,” Winona said quickly. “This is a marriage of convenience, nothing more.”
It was true but hearing her say it hurt. It surprised Logan he should feel disappointment at the sentiment, since he was the one who insisted their marriage wasn’t romantic. Still, he couldn’t deny it stung to hear her state it so adamantly.
Patrick reddened slightly. He looked from Logan to Winona and back then cleared his throat. “I see. Well, I’m sorry to hear of your … situation. It’s true, the right thing to do in the eyes of God is marry—” he glanced at Winona’s flat stomach “—but circumstances hardly appear so urgent we must consummate the union this instant.”
Logan and Winona stared at Patrick, confused. What was the reverend talking about? How did he know about their situation? Then, at the same time, they understood. Their eyes widened in horror, and both began protesting at once. Patrick held up a hand after a few seconds. “Please! One at a time!”
“I’m not with child, Reverend!” Winona insisted. “That is not why we’re doing this.”
Now it was Patrick’s turn to look confused. “If you’re not in love and you’re not with child, what convenience could this marriage bring? You would be sacrificing a great deal of wealth and comfort living here.” He looked at Logan. “No offense intended, young man.”
“None taken,” Logan said. We’re doing this because … Well, I’ll let Winona explain.”
Winona told Reverend Patrick about her life at home; her stepmother’s obsession with status, her father’s inability to deny her stepmother and her arranged marriage with Jude Koch. She left out some of the more personal details but shared enough to get her message across.
“Well …” the reverend glanced nervously between the two of them. Logan felt a moment of sympathy for the reverend who only hours ago was blithely going about his duties as minister. Now he was suddenly thrust in the middle of this outlandish situation.
“Winona,” the reverend continued. “I understand things at home are … confusing … but Jude Koch is an upstanding young man with excellent prospects. I’m not saying you should marry a man you don’t love, but maybe you should give him a chance before you settle for someone you barely know.” He glanced at Logan. “Again, no offense.”
Winona sighed in frustration. The same frustration showed in her face and her shoulders that bunched tightly in her neck. “Reverend, I can’t marry Jude Koch.”
Sensing something was wrong, Patrick approached the bed. He knelt in front of Winona and took her hand. “Child, what’s wrong?” he asked softly. “What happened with Jude?”
Winona took a deep breath but managed to avoid further tears. She told Reverend Patrick about her encounter with Jude in town. The minister’s eyes widened when she told him about Jude’s violence toward the elderly couple in the town’s poor quarter. “I can’t marry a man like that,” she finished.
Patrick shook his head and stood, speechless. After a moment, he looked back at them. “All right, I’ll marry the two of you. I feel obligated to insist you reconsider and find some other avenue out of your union with Jude, but I know you won’t heed that advice and I suppose a marriage of convenience is better than being forced to marry a monster.”
Winona clapped with excitement and tried to stand to hug the reverend. She made it halfway to her feet before she collapsed back onto the bed, moaning. Logan placed a hand on her shoulder to steady her while the reverend shook his head again. “After this, you need to rest like Dr. Caraway ordered.”
“After this, I’ll finally be calm enough to rest,” Winona said. “Now where do you want me to be?”
“Right where you are,” Patrick replied. “I don’t want you faint on your wedding day.” His voice carried only the slightest hint of sarcasm. He turned back to Logan. “We need two witnesses for the marriage to be binding.”
“My brothers are in the living room,” Logan replied. “I’ll get them for you.”
Patrick nodded. “I’ll prepare the license.” He turned and retrieved his bag from the table near the bed. “Lord forgive me for the foolish union I’m about to bless,” he muttered under his breath.
Winona smiled up at Logan, happy but also feeling a touch of trepidation at what they were about to do. He still felt a great deal of apprehension over the marriage, but he forced a similar smile before he went to fetch his brothers.
Jay and Gregory waited in the parlor. Gregory smiled at Logan. Jay looked coolly at him but seemed far less angry than he was earlier.
“Reverend needs witnesses,” Logan said.
“Then witness we shall,” Gregory agreed.
Jay didn’t respond but stood and followed Gregory and Logan without protest or hesitation.
Logan stood next to Winona as Reverend Patrick began the ceremony. He couldn’t understand why his heart pounded the way it did or why a surge of lightning ran through him when Winona took his hand. He couldn’t understand the flush that warmed his cheeks when he recited his vows or the excitement he felt when Winona recited hers.
He was not in love with Winona, but when Reverend Patrick told him he could kiss his bride, he kissed her with far more passion and tenderness than he intended and didn’t stop until she pulled away and looked down, her face bright red.
Logan looked at the others. Gregory and Jay both wore amused expressions. Jay’s was still somewhat jealous, but his smile seemed genuine as he regarded the two of them.
Patrick stared knowingly at the two of them and Logan felt his flush deepen. “Congratulations on your marriage, convenient though it is,” he said with only the barest hint of irony. “Now if I could have the bride, groom, and witnesses sign the marriage license, I’ll be on my way.”
Winona felt her face suffuse with color at the Reverend’s veiled disapproval. She took the quill he offered and signed her name in beautiful flowing script. Logan took the quill next and signed in much rougher handwriting. His brothers signed next. The reverend added his own signature then folded the document and placed it in his bag. “I’ll file this with the courthouse when I return to town.” He looked between Logan and Winona and shook his head. “Good luck you two.”
He left the room with Gregory in tow. Jay mumbled something about leaving to check on the cattle and followed them out, leaving Logan alone with Winona. Neither of them said anything for a long moment.
“Well, Mrs. Foley,” Logan finally said. “We’ve gone and done it now, haven’t we?”
“Yes, Mr. Foley,” she agreed. “I guess we have.”
***
Later that afternoon, as the sun closed on the western horizon, Logan chatted with his brothers in the parlor while Winona rested.
“So, what’s the first thing you’re going to do now that you’re married?” Gregory asked.
Logan lifted his hands and dropped them. “I don’t know. What do husbands do?”
“I can think of a few things,” Jay said, grinning mischievously. He seemed to have overcome his disappointment and now relished the opportunity to tease Logan.
Logan glared at his younger brother. “Try not to think too much, Jay. That’s never caused anything but trouble.”
“Hey, don’t blame Jay,” Gregory retorted. “You could’ve picked up a yellow stick if you wanted this to be someone else’s problem.”
“Oh, lay off,” Logan said.
“Look, if you’re having second thoughts, I’d be happy to fill in for you,” Jay said.
Logan began to respond but stopped when he heard hoofbeats outside. A moment later, the door flew open, and Audrey burst into the living room. Logan could see one of the Ross ranch hands sitting behind the reins of Audrey’s buckboard, a resigned expression on his face. The man caught Logan’s eyes and lifted his eyebrows in a tired greeting before the door swung shut.
“Good evening, ma’am,” Gregory said, extending his hand. “Welcome to—”
Audrey passed his extended hand without a word and stormed into the bedroom. Gregory turned to Logan. “What a charming family.”
“Can’t you take anything seriously?” Logan scolded. “That woman’s husband cheated our father and nearly ruined our family!”
“And now you’re married to his daughter,” Gregory retorted. “How times change.”
Logan didn’t respond. He heard Audrey in the bedroom arguing with Winona. Their voices were raised enough the brothers could hear them clearly in the parlor.
“Your father tells me you want to marry one of the Foley brothers. Well, that’s never going to happen.”
“You don’t get to tell me what to do anymore.”
“Don’t I? Winona, the Foleys are a disgrace to this community. You will not tarnish our family’s name by marrying someone so far beneath your station.”
“The Foley’s have been kinder to me than you ever have! You would force me to marry a violent, dangerous man because of his wealth and connections! You don’t care about me. You never have.”
“Winona, don’t be ridiculous. There are bigger things at stake than your reluctance to marry Jude.”
“Exactly.” Winona sounded as though she were on the verge of tears. “You only care about your blasted money and prestige.”
“Watch your language. What happened anyway? You seemed to like Jude well enough until a couple of days ago.”
Winona didn’t respond immediately. Finally, she said, “I don’t want to marry someone just because you tell me to.” Logan wondered why she didn’t tell Audrey about the violence she witnessed.
“So, you’d rather marry one of them?” Gregory turned toward his brothers and pantomimed indignant shock. Jay began chuckling and Logan glared at both of them, motioning for silence.
“Look around you!” Audrey continued. “This place is a pig sty! It’s …it’s … it’s a hovel! It’s falling apart around you. This is far beneath a woman of your station. Of any station at all, for that matter.”
Logan felt his blood boil at Audrey’s insults. He harbored no personal grudge for her the way he did for her husband, but hearing his home and family slandered in this way raised his ire.
Audrey continued to list the reasons why Winona was foolish to marry Logan. “You’re not equipped to be a housewife, Winona. You were raised for better things. How are you going to clean and do farm chores? You’ve never worked a day in your life! And cooking? You aren’t ready for this. With Jude, you’ll have servants to run your house for you while you focus on establishing your place in society.”
“I’m not afraid of work, Audrey. I can learn to cook. I’m not the first woman who has had to learn to make her own way in the world.”
“That’s enough,” Audrey snapped. “I’ve had enough of your impertinence. I don’t care what Caraway says, I’m not leaving you in this hovel a minute longer. Come now. I’ll send Josiah to collect your things.”
“No!” Winona raised her voice again. “I’m not leaving.”
“You are not marrying one of the Foleys!”
“I already have!”
This declaration was met with silence. Logan and his brothers could feel the vibrant tension, even though they weren’t in the room with the two of them.
“That’s right,” Winona repeated. “I’ve married Logan Foley today. I am a married woman, Audrey and there’s nothing you can do about it!”
There was more silence for a moment. Then Audrey said, so softly the brothers had to strain to hear it. “You fool! You have no idea what you’ve done. You’ve made a grave mistake, young lady, and you will correct that mistake if I have to force you.”
The men heard the bedroom door burst open, and Audrey stormed into the parlor. She stopped when she saw the brothers staring at her. Gregory and Jay looked down, but Logan met her eyes. She looked at him with the purest expression of hate he’d ever seen. He felt a rush of satisfaction, knowing her rage was impotent, and he couldn’t resist twisting the knife a little.
“Can I escort you to your wagon, Mrs. Ross?” he offered politely.
“This isn’t over, Logan Foley,” Audrey spat. “You will pay for this. Mark my words.”
Logan didn’t respond for a moment. Then he smiled. “You have a pleasant evening, ma’am.”
She stiffened and turned a shade redder than Mrs. Haversham’s tomatoes. Then she stormed out of the parlor without another word, slamming the door behind her.
The brothers remained silent. After a moment, Gregory turned to Logan. “Well, Logan, you’ve just married the daughter of our family’s sworn enemy and earned the personal ire of her stepmother. What are you going to do now?”
Logan thought a moment. “I’m going to bed,” he said. “You two clear out of here. I’m sleeping in the parlor.”
“You’re not going to keep your wife company?” Jay asked. “What kind of husband leaves his wife alone on their wedding night?”
“Jay, drag your tail out of here or I’ll boot you out myself,” Logan said.
The younger brothers headed outside, laughing, and Logan ran his hands through his hair in exasperation. He went to check on Winona, but she’d already fallen asleep, exhausted from the ordeal of the past two days.
He returned to the parlor, his own exhaustion weighing on him like a wet blanket. “What a day,” he muttered. “What a day.”
He collapsed onto the parlor sofa and was asleep before he could contemplate the wisdom of the day’s events.