Judith: Bride of Wyoming (American Mail-Order Bride 44) (6 page)

More in control than her, Sean lifted his lips from hers and pressed a soft kiss to the tip of her nose. “I don’t know how I will keep from touching you before we marry. I hope you don’t mind me being forward by saying this, but you tempt me Judith.”

As he’d echoed the thoughts she was having at the moment, Judith could only sigh and lay her head against his shoulder. “I will do my best to keep you from temptation, Mr. Montgomery.”

His chuckle delighted her as she floated down the steps and to the twilight over the road as they made their way to Eloise’s house.

“There you two are, just in time to sit down for dessert. I wondered what was keeping you.” Eloise studied their faces, her gaze lingering on Judith’s heated face and she gave her a knowing smile. “Well, no matter. Let’s eat.”

The family surrounded the long, dining room table. Judith and Sean sat at one end with Bethany in a cradle between them. The baby was propped up and she cooed happily making everyone laugh with her antics.

Judith’s heart threatened to burst from her chest in that moment. Looking around the room filled with the buzz of conversation and children’s giggles, she took in every single second never wanting to forget the first time she felt part of a family. The warmth of love filled the room and she sniffed, only to garner concerned looks from everyone.

“I’m sorry,” she said waving her hands. “It’s just tonight is wonderful. I am so happy.” Judith wiped at her eyes and sniffed.

Eloise leaned forward and grinned. “We are just as happy to have you in our midst. And very glad you and Sean are compatible.”

Judith laughed when Sean’s face reddened and she couldn’t help reaching to him and brushing her hand over his. “I think your brother and I will be very happy indeed.”

“When is the wedding?” Eloise’s husband, Jack, asked with a hearty laugh. “Not too far in the future, I hope.”

Sean rolled his eyes and Eloise gave Judith a wide smile. “I can’t wait for the wedding. It’s going to be wonderful.”

It was Judith’s turn to blush, but she didn’t mind at all.

That night, she lay in bed in the darkness unable to sleep with all the plans and lists of what needed to be done whirling in her head. The wedding would be in three days and she needed to finish Sean’s shirt. She’d purchased dungarees at the mercantile for him and then, as a wedding gift, a beautiful leather belt. In addition to the wedding preparations, there were house improvements that she hoped to get done before Sean returned home to live. Thanks to Lorna and Eloise, they were almost done making a simple quilt and pillow set for the bed and she’d made matching curtains. The bedroom they’d share looked very different than when he’d left, already with embroidered doilies, fluffy pillows and every space had been cleaned and polished.

The kitchen had been cleaned to her satisfaction, but she hoped to get new dishes and cups. Hopefully, he’d have enough money for that. She was unaware of his financial status. As the only blacksmith in town, she imagined they were not poor, but other than that, he’d not shared. Not that there had been any time for it. The days were passing quickly.

Too fast and yet not fast enough.

Her body tingled in expectation of sharing a bed with her fiancé. The most handsome man she’d ever known. Of course, she’d had offers by a couple of men in the past. One in particular seeming to want to marry her, but neither had gotten past more than a walk or sharing coffee. Not that it mattered at this moment. Now she knew the reason for everything, why things had happened. Sean Montgomery and his beautiful daughter were waiting for her.

With a content smile, Judith allowed slumber to take her. Tomorrow, she’d start the day with purpose. She looked forward to it, especially when Sean came home for his meals.

After dinner, Judith watched Sean rock his daughter to sleep. The scene so tender, her heart melted. He was a wonderful father. He didn’t seem to begrudge being saddled with an infant. In fact, he relished his time with the baby; always ready to hold her, bathe her or do whatever else was needed.

Pulling two clean cups from the cupboard, she poured coffee into them and prepared for what had become a nightly ritual of spending a couple hours talking on the front porch to keep tongues from wagging too much. Although she suspected, in the people’s eyes, she and Sean had already consummated their marriage, she’d not noticed any outward shunning. Particularly since everyone knew of the upcoming nuptials.

His sudden near presence made Judith freeze, afraid of spilling the coffee since her hands trembled. She turned to him. “I made coffee.”

Sean kissed her, his lips against hers, the now familiar taste of him sending her entire body adrift. It was moments later when she realized much too late that they’d entered forbidden territory. The point where neither had the strength nor, more honestly, the willingness to move away from it. The need was too great and Judith could not help but delve into the depth of the emotions taking them downstream until they drowned in each other.

The feel of his bare skin against hers was amazing. Sean was everything that was perfect in a man. He ensured she was ready and took his time, patiently holding back, asking over and over again if she was sure. Of course she wasn’t. There was nothing about what happened that was familiar. Yet the one thing she knew for sure was that belonging to him in that moment, when their bodies joined, was exactly what she imagined when thinking about being made love to. It was beautiful and all consuming, a torrent that dragged her down until she didn’t care if she drowned in him.

His caresses and kisses made Judith cling to him, returning as much passion as she could, conveying to him with her touch how deeply she felt for him. Sean Montgomery became her husband that night. Yes, in two days they’d stand before God and witnesses and proclaim vows, but there in the bedroom, filled with breathless whispers and the sounds of flesh touching flesh, was when she became not just his wife, but a woman in every sense of the word.

“I can’t imagine anything more beautiful than you right now,” Sean said, looking at her, his face close to hers on the pillow as they lay facing one another. “I am a very lucky man.”

Judith smiled. She couldn’t be ashamed. She should have felt a bit of remorse, but all she could feel in that moment was fulfillment. “Hold me, Sean. I find it hard to be even this far away from you.”

When he pulled her close, she snuggled against him. “Must you go? I want you to stay with me.”

The deep rumble in her ear from his chuckle made her giddy. He let out a long sigh. “I wish that more than anything but, as you know, I’m staying with Pat…he’s probably already wondering why I’m not there.”

“Pat? Oh, you mean Father O’Reilly. Oh, God!” Judith pushed away from Sean and sat straight up. Grabbing the blankets to cover herself, she waved her hands wildly. “For goodness sakes, what are you waiting for? Get dressed. You must hurry. He’ll know something if you don’t get there now.”

Sean put both hands behind his head and grinned at her. “Will you always be this bossy of a wife?”

“It’s not funny.” Judith shoved at him until he almost fell off the bed. Finally, he got up and her eyes widened at seeing him fully nude. “Oh.”

He dressed in a hurry as she watched, unable to look away from his body. When he looked over his shoulder at her as he adjusted his belt, Judith blushed. “Sorry. I don’t mean to stare, but you are the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen.”

“Hopefully, I’m the only man you’ve ever seen nude,” he told her with a wink.

“You know what I mean. You are correct in that you are the only man I’ve ever seen bereft of clothing, but even your face. You are most handsome.”

He leaned over the bed and kissed her lightly on the lips. “I’m glad you think so.”

“Go!” Judith pushed him away when he leaned in to kiss her again. “Please don’t let Father O’Reilly think we’ve…”

“That we’ve made love?” Sean winked again and finally left.

Judith fell back onto the bed, unsure how she felt at what had happened. Now, as she faced the reality of her actions, she covered her face with both hands. “Oh Lord, please don’t think badly of me. He’s going to be my husband, after all. And well…please forgive me. I am so happy. Thank you for gifting me with such a wonderful husband and beautiful child. I will do my best by them.”

Chapter Seven

“It’s our wedding day. I’m going to be your mother,” Judith told the baby who looked up at her with sleepy eyes. “I can’t wait to give you a brother or sister. You will be a wonderful big sister, my beautiful Bethany.” She kissed the child’s brow, loving the smell of her.

Just after she put the baby in the crib for a nap, Eloise burst in with her youngest one perched on her hip. “Are you as excited as I am? I can’t stand still. Woke up at dawn and made sure nothing was amiss.” Her shining eyes scanned over Judith. “What about you? What are you doing?”

“I just put Bethany down for her morning nap. I’m about to have a cup of tea. The wedding is not for another three hours. Relax, we have plenty of time. There’s not much to be done, is there?”

Eloise frowned. “I suppose not. How can you be so calm?”

“My stomach is in knots. I can’t eat. I’m too nervous,” Judith admitted, patting her stomach. “I can’t believe the day is finally here.”

“Then tea is a good idea. I’ll nip some spearmint from outside. We’ll put it in our tea and it will help settle your stomach some.” Seeming relieved to have a task, Eloise plopped her son on the floor, shoved a toy into his chubby hands and dashed out the back door to where the garden was. Judith let out a sigh and looked out the window toward where the blacksmith shop stood. From the house, she could make out Sean talking to a man. He wore the usual long apron, his shirtsleeves rolled up to his elbows. Something the man said amused him because he threw his head back and laughed. Judith smiled at the sight of her handsome, soon to be husband being in good spirits.

The sun gleamed brightly. The day was perfect for a wedding. She’d bathed and pinned up her hair, waiting for it to dry naturally before loosening it for the wedding. Her dress was pressed and hung from the back of the door. She didn’t want to take a chance Sean would come and see it. Although he’d been warned to stay away, one couldn’t be too careful.

“There we are,” Eloise said returning with a handful of sprigs of spearmint. “It’s growing so big. I brought enough for an entire pot of it. I’m suddenly craving it.”

They sat at the table minutes later with two large mugs of tea. Judith smiled. “I have to admit the tea and biscuit helped. I’m sure it’s nerves, so I’m not too worried about it.”

“It’s understandable. Today is your wedding day. Every bride is nervous.”

“Why didn’t Sean marry Bethany’s mother?” Judith wasn’t sure why she asked. Perhaps it was a question she should have posed to Sean.

Eloise shrugged. “From what he told me, they met when he went to Casper to help with some horses for the cavalry. She was one of those women, you know.”

“Oh no, I don’t know anything about her.”

“The kind that sells their favors, I think. Please don’t think ill of my brother. He was a single man, after all.” Eloise hesitated. “Anyway, next thing we know, an older woman claiming to be the woman’s mother came and dropped off Bethany to Sean. According to the woman, Bethany’s mother, Angela was her name, had died during childbirth.”

“How sad for her,” Judith said and let out a sigh. “I’m thankful they didn’t just abandon her.”

Eloise frowned. “I prayed Bethany was, indeed, Sean’s daughter. I mean, after all the woman was not the respectable kind. But Bethany looks so much like him, there is no doubt in my mind.”

“Mine either,” Judith replied. “I love her.”

Eloise pressed her lips together with a mischievous expression. “What about Sean? How do you feel about him? Anything yet?”

“I do feel deeply for him. My heart flutters when I see him. I can’t stop thinking about him and oh my goodness, I sound like a schoolgirl.” Judith covered her cheeks with her hands. “I think I love him.”

“That makes me so happy, so very happy for you both. I suspect Sean feels the same.”

Both jumped at the knock on the door and Eloise rushed to the window and peered out. “It’s Sean. Hide.” She made shooing motions with both hands. “The rascal is trying to be sneaky.”

“You know very well it’s bad luck to see the bride before the wedding,” Eloise blocked his entrance into the house and Sean couldn’t help being annoyed. He’d hoped to come and steal a few kisses from his intended before the wedding and now his nosy sister kept him from seeing her.

“Where’s Judith?” He looked over her shoulder to the empty space. “Did she go somewhere?”

Eloise pushed her finger into his chest. “She’s hiding. Now, get going. Go get something to eat at my house.”

“What about Bethany?” Once again, he attempted to step inside. “Where’s she at?”

“Asleep. Sean Montgomery, don’t you make me kick you in the leg. Go on now.” This time she used both hands and shoved him back onto the porch. Eloise walked out with him and closed the door behind her. Her eyes twinkled with mirth. “I know you’re anxious to see her. Once the marriage ceremony is complete, you’ll have your wife all to yourself. From this day forward.”

Sean let out a breath and raked his fingers through his hair. “I suppose. Don’t know why I have such an uneasy feeling. She’s not going change her mind is she?”