Savage storm (40 page)

"What proposal?" Gabrielle cried indignantly. "I have not ever heard anything which sounded remotely like a proposal from you!"

Jason kept reminding himself that despite her astonishing beauty Gabrielle was no more than eighteen years old and could not be expected to react any differently to his confession than she had. "If you would be polite enough to be seated once again, I might be able to summon the courage to make an acceptable proposal. I hope you will forgive my inexperience with this subject, however, and not be too critical of my words since you know my feelings are sincere."

"That would be a miracle!" Gabrielle replied in a renewed burst of hostility, but she returned to her chair and sat down upon the edge, eager to hear whatever it was he wished to say.

Jason walked around to the front of the desk and sat down upon it, his pose a surprisingly informal one for so serious a discussion. "As I see it, I am responsible for your being here in Oregon. I brought you here to be my wife, and you've told me yourself you have no interest in marrying any of the other men you've met since your arrival here. I'll admit we have had more than our share of disagreements, but I think once we are married we can solve our problems far more easily. Since we are definitely compatible when it comes to the physical side of marriage, I am willing to overlook your uncontrollable temper. It would be only fair for you to overlook any faults I might have as well. You didn't want to rush into marriage with a man you didn't know well, and I doubt you'll ever come to know any other man as well as you already know me. We've been

through several extremely trying situations together, probably the worst life has to offer, and I think we make a very good team. Call me all the vile names you want and distrust my motives if you must, but I still desire you for my wife. If youMl agree, there's plenty of time for us to get married this afternoon. It's up to you, Gabrielle; do you want to marry me or not?"

Gabrielle licked her lips slowly, unable to make any coherent reply for the moment. She had not even thought it possible for a man to make such an unemotional proposal, but clearly Jason was attempting to win her with logic, not with love. She looked down at her hands, twisting them nervously in her lap while she tried to think how best to respond. Their marriage would be sure to cause the most tantalizing of gossip, as would the fact their first child was very likely to arrive in less than nine months time. She did not want to wait until she was positive about the baby, not because of the trap Iris had laughed about but because she would feel as though she, not Jason, had been caught against her will.

Jason found Gabrielle a fascinating sight at any time, but now the conflicts which had made her decide to withdraw from the group of brides were so close to the surface he could readily see them in her troubled expression. He wanted her to say yes, but didn't know what else to do to convince her to marry him if she truly did not want to. He opened his mouth to insist she make up her mind quickly, then thought better of it and was still. He would just sit there until nightfall if it took her that long to make up her mind. She is well worth the wail, he reminded himself. Still, it was difficult to sit calmly when he wanted so badly to reach out and shake her until she'd say yes to whatever question he asked.

Finally Gabrielle looked up at him. "I wish that I could say the same thing to you that I said to Scream of Lightning, but I don't feel in the least bit honored since you've waited so dreadfully long to propose. You led me to believe marriage was

not something you'd consider unless you had no choice, and that was terribly cruel. I can't help but think you were lying then or you are lying now, and neither of those possibilities pleases me. You may think I know you, but you're wrong for I can't predict what you'll do in the next five minutes, let alone imagine what sort of husband you'd prove to be."

"A simple yes or no will do, Gabrielle," Jason reminded her softly, not certain what her decision would be but impatient to hear it nonetheless.

''A marriage proposal is not a simple question, Jason. I can't give you a reply so easily." Gabrielle was overcome with sorrow, for she loved him dearly but his feelings for her were clearly of the most primitive kind. Would it be wrong of her to marry him and hope that one day his feelings for her would deepen as hers had for him? Would that be wrong, or merely incredibly foolish? She sat back in her chair and considered the other alternative. If she did not marry him but went on loving him, the resulting agony would be every bit as painful as losing Beau had been. She'd experienced far too much of the grief of lost love and not nearly enough of the bliss of its shared beauty. This time, the choice was hers rather than fate's and suddenly she knew exactly what she wanted to do. She rose gracefully to her feet, crossed the short distance between them, and placed her hands upon Jason's shoulders. She kissed his lips lightly and then smiled.

"Yes. I do want to marry you, this very afternoon if you cannot abide a longer engagement."

Jason made no further attempt to understand the curious thought patterns of the rare beauty in his arms. He drew her close and, winding his fingers in her long, flowing hair, kissed her again and again until he was certain by the depth of her response that she would not change her mind before he could get her to the church. He drew away then, laughing as he got to his feet and took her hand.

'*I will allow you five minutes to gather the things you'll need tonight. We'll take whomever we can find to the church

with us to serve as witnesses and then we'll spend the night at the hotel. Til take you home with me in the morning." He swept her along beside him through the door and sent her up the stairs with a playful swat. "Don't keep me waiting, Miss MacLaren!" he called after her, and then, nearly bursting with happiness, he went to find Clayton to ask him to be his best

man.

^/uz/t/e^ m/JJ

Erica sat up quickly, turning away to hide her tears as Gahrielle came running into their room. She was ashamed to he caught weeping again after having sounded so confident that morning. Her courage had now deserted her completely, and she was feeling so wretchedly alone she didn't think she*d ever get over her heartbreak at losing Lewis. Attempting to smile bravely as though she'd only been resting, she hoped Gahrielle would be too polite to ask why she'd been crying.

"I didn't know anyone was home." Gahrielle greeted her friend brightly, too considerate to remark upon the signs of tears still visible upon her flushed cheeks. ^*\ was up here just a short while ago."

''I was probably out in the garden then. After church everyone sort of disappeared," Erica explained dejectedly. "I'm the only one here."

"I am so glad that you are, for I would not have wanted to get married without your being there." Gahrielle took Erica's hands firmly in hers to lift her from the bed. "I'm getting married this afternoon. Aren't you excited for me?"

"What?" Erica exclaimed in an enthusiastic screech, so astonished she instantly forgot her own sorrow. "You and Michael have already decided to get married? When you are such a cautious type it never occurred to me you might be the

first of us to take a husband/*

Gabrielle could not help but laugh at Erica's confusion. ''Michael is a delightful man. However, he's not the one Fm going to marry so I would greatly appreciate it if you would give him some of your time and lift his spirits as he's sure to be very disappointed in me. Would you please do that? Perhaps you've not noticed that he's taller than Lewis Bradley and several years younger too." With that teasing remark, Gabrielle left her to begin gathering the things she'd need. "Jason only gave me five minutes so I'll have to talk as I pack."

'7ason?" Erica gasped in disbelief. *'You don't mean Jason Royal, do you?"

"Of course, he's the only Jason I know," Gabrielle responded with another lilting laugh, too excited now to worry about what anyone thought of her choice of husband.

"But I saw you with Michael Jenkins only this morning!" Erica pointed out logically.

"Yes, you did. As I said he'll not be pleased I'm marrying Jason, but I'm certain you can distract him from his grief quite easily. You were so positive you wanted Lewis before we even arrived in Oregon City that I don't think you've really given any of the other men a fair chance to impress you. Michael can be very charming, truly he can. From what I saw of his farm I'd say he's very ambitious too."

Erica did not know which question to ask first, she was so confused. But as she thought back over the months they'd spent together she grew increasingly curious. "You and Jason aren't even friends. I thought you regarded him as being lower than a serpent!"

"A snake." Gabrielle corrected her friend, an impish smile on her face; then she went back to folding her nightgown. "I've called him a snake on more than one occasion and a lot worse to his face, but since he's to become my husband I hope you won't repeat that insult to anyone, most especially not to him."

"You needn't worry. So few people are speaking to me now, nobody would care to listen." Erica flopped back down on the

bed, feeling very sorry for herself.

Cabrielle had no patience with her friend's self-pity. "If you have decided you want Lewis no matter how he's lived, then just say so. rm sure Clayton can have him back here tonight. If, on the other hand, you truly are finished with the man, then you'll have to make more of an effort to meet someone new. You can't just mope around here and let all the other girls have their first choice of the men without any competition!" She tugged on Erica's hands to lift her from the bed and, with an emphatic push, propelled her to the mirror. "Just look at yourself for a minute, none of the others is as pretty as you. Now come to the church with us and tonight go downstairs and be sociable. I don't care how much it hurts. You owe these men a chance to impress you, and none will have the courage to come up here to your bedroom to do it!"

Despite the previous blackness of her mood. Erica began to smile, so amused was she by Gabrielle's teasing compliments. "I am definitely finished with Lewis, so I guess I'll have to take your advice about attending the rest of the parties no matter how I dread them. Now what can I do to help you? Why have you such a short time to prepare for the ceremony?"

"I have learned there are times when it is best to let Jason have his own way. This happens to be one of them. I'm taking only a few things now. We'll come back in the morning for the rest of my belongings."

Erica's green eyes lit up with a saucy sparkle. 'Tomorrow you must tell me every single detail about tonight. I want to know exactly what Jason says and does every delicious minute!"

"Oh, no I won't!" Cabrielle argued. "You'll be a bride yourself in a week or two. You can wait until then to learn with your own husband what it is like to be married." She busied herself, wrapping in a silk scarf the clothing and personal items she wanted to take. Then she retied her bonnet under her chin and walked toward the door. "Let's go. I do not want Jason to leave for the church without me."

Erica stood, hands on her hips, her pretty features set in a fierce pout. "I wish just once you'd tell me one of your secrets. I swear you are the most private person ever born! Some wife you'll make!"

"I'll let Jason be the judge of that. Now let's go before the man changes his mind about wanting me!" Gabrielle stamped her foot for emphasis, ready to leave whether Erica was or not.

Clayton took the news of Jason's impending marriage with far less calm than Erica had shown. He simply stared at the young man for several seconds and then fell into a wild fit of coughing, after which he tried to talk his partner out of his hasty decision. Jason slapped him on the back and brought him a glass of water. Finally, Clayton summoned the breath to speak. "You of all men, Jason, I never expected you to take a wife and of all women Gabrielle MacLaren would be the last one I'd think you'd choose. I know I cautioned you about her on more than one occasion, but more often than not you two were in the midst of some heated argument or not speaking to each other at all. I haven't even seen you with her at our parties. Have you danced with her even once?"

"No. Now that you mention it, I don't believe I have. A mere oversight, I assure you." Jason rocked back on his heels, too pleased with himself for having won Gabrielle's consent to their marriage to care what advice Clayton had to give. "You will be my best man, won't you? You're the best friend I have."

"Of course I'll be your best man, but must the ceremony be today? Since Gabrielle is the first to marry I imagine all the girls will want to be there, and you know they're scattered all over the valley this afternoon. Couldn't this wait until the morning when we can invite everyone to attend?"

The prospect of waiting one additional hour, let alone an entire day was more than Jason could bear to consider. "No. Neither of us wants to wait." He turned to look up the stairs then as he heard the musical sound of Gabrielle's laughter. She and Erica were walking arm and arm, nearly skipping down the stairs, and he rushed to her side to take her hand. "Good. You

found Erica. We each have a friend then. Shall we go?'' He knew his smile was far too wide, hut he could not seem to hide his happiness now that Gabrielle would at last be his wife. That she appeared to be as happy as he made him so proud he wanted to toss her into the air and shout for joy, but he restrained himself for the time being, intending to put his energy to a far better use later when they would be alone.

Qayton offered to go to the barn for his buggy, but knowing the four of them could not be seated in it comfortably, he tried to think of some alternative arrangement.

"I'll ride one of the horses; then the three of you can ride in the buggy," he said.

Meanwhile Erica had strolled over to the window, and seeing Michael still waiting outside, she offered another suggestion. "If Michael Jenkins has nothing to do perhaps he would give me a ride to the church, would that help?"

"Yes!" Gabrielle agreed at once. It sounds like a very good idea to me." She looked up at Jason then, hoping he'd not still be mad at Michael. "I'd like to invite him to our wedding if I may."