Sourdough Creek (19 page)

Cassie wiggled her toes. “Barefoot?” she said under her breath.

“We must hurry!” Grace took a brush from her dressing table. “Flip your head over, Cassie. Thank the heavens you wore your Sunday best today, Annabelle. You already look lovely.”

Without taking her attention away from the job at hand, Grace gave Josephine, who was behind her, a gentle nudge.
The woman must have eyes in the back of her head
, Cassie thought. “Stop gawking at your sister, sweetness, and help Annabelle lace that ribbon in her hair. Your little hands need a job.” She turned Cassie around and pinched her cheeks several times, bringing the color up.

“Ouch!” Cassie rubbed the offended spots.

Grace laughed softly, her apologetic expression asking forgiveness. “It won’t be but a moment more and the men will be calling for us to come down. They just don’t understand the importance of a woman’s appearance.” She stepped back and admired the two young women. “There! You’re both as pretty as a picture.”

“I ain’t never seen you so purdy, sissy.” Josephine ran her little hand down the soft fabric over Cassie’s backside.

“I agree,” Annabelle said, giggling mischievously. “Just wait until Sam gets a glimpse of his bride.”

Lord Almighty
! Sam almost gasped aloud when he first saw Cassie standing at the top of the stairs. He’d known she was beautiful, but—but…

“Sam, get a grip!” Jonathan whispered into his ear. They stood by the fireplace with William as the two girls came down the stairs together, side by side. Grace played softly on her piano and Josephine danced happily around the room, looking like a pixie. “If you don’t get your eyes back in your head Cassie’s going to think she’s marrying a frog.”

Sam gulped. “Thanks. You’re right.”

“Here you go. Stand here and here,” William said, placing the brides in their proper places.

Sam glanced down when Cassie took hold of his arm, her soft touch branding him hers forever. His heart expanded almost painfully.
This
was Cassie. The
real
Cassie. To have and to hold—
tonight
! Happiness, desire and protectiveness ricocheted around his mind, then through the rest of him, as he marveled at how lucky he was to be marrying her.

If Sam wasn’t at her side, helping her stay steady on her feet, Cassie thought she just might crumple to the floor. When a small quiver moved slowly through her body, Sam looked down into her face and winked. Placing his palm over the hand that was tucked tenderly in the bend of his arm, he gave a gentle squeeze. Jonathan and Annabelle were almost finished with their vows. Cassie felt beautiful, and cherished. William looked at her and nodded, smiling.

“Do you, Cassie Angel, take Sam Ridgeway to be your husband? To have and to hold, from this day forward, till death do you part?”

Sam’s look was sincere and she warmed.

“I—I do.”

“Do you, Sam Ridgeway, take Cassie Angel to be your wife? To have and to hold, from this day forward, till death do you part?”

“I do.” His voice was confident, strong.

“Then I pronounce you all husbands and wives. You may kiss the brides,” William said with a chuckle. Buddy barked excitedly, Grace wiped at the tears welling in her eyes and Josephine shook with eagerness as Sam took her sister into his arms.

This kiss was warm and exciting, but paled in comparison to the one that had spurred her imagination into flight just fifteen minutes before, when they’d been alone in the hallway. The memory, still vivid, made her fingers curl around his arms. Anticipation of the coming night had her breathless.

Cassie leaned over and hugged Josephine who was now tugging on her sleeve, not wanting her to feel left out. This was a big day for her, too. Her world had changed, as well. Who would have ever thought she’d find someone like Sam. Her mother would be so happy for her. Sam was nothing like the men she’d been so fearful of. No, Sam was a knight in shining armor.

Grace clapped her hands over her head to get everyone’s attention. “Now, before the meal is completely ruined, can we
please
sit down and eat?”

The meal was almost finished when a loud knock on the door interrupted the happy conversation. “Oh, my stars,” Grace said, dabbing at her mouth with her napkin and pushing out her chair. “When it rains it pours. Who on earth could that be now?”

Sam and Jonathan both stood at the same time with the intention of seeing who it was. Grace stopped them with a wave of her hand. “You two just keep eating. We’ll never get through this dinner if you don’t. I’ll see who it is.” She swished out of the room and was gone. The sound of her opening the door and then an exchange of words floated in from the entry to the dinner table. Moments later she entered the room, followed by a man.

Buddy, who’d been napping beside his master’s chair, jumped up and crossed the room in a flash, letting go a rat-tat-tat of barking. He launched himself at the newcomer and grabbed the man’s pant leg, growling viciously and refusing to let go.

Chapter Thirty-Two

“
U
ncle Arvid
!” Cassie and Josephine cried at the same time.

“Get this mangy rat off my leg!” he bellowed, hopping about. He shook his leg vigorously several times and kicked out, but Buddy hung on with the tenacity of a wolverine, his teeth holding tight to the fabric.

Sam jumped up so quickly that his chair toppled over and rolled on its side with a clatter. Cassie didn’t know what to address first, the dog hanging off her uncle’s pant leg or the utterly surprising rage she saw glittering in Sam’s eyes.

“Buddy! Here!” William called, his voice barely audible over the animal’s attack. “Come here, boy!” He clapped his hands together loudly several times, adding to the cacophony.

Grace followed Arvid around and round, trying to grab her father’s dog. “Stop,” she implored the man. “Stop and I’ll get the dog.”

Arvid’s face was contorted. Ignoring Grace, he grabbed a heavy iron trivet from the buffet and raised it over Buddy’s head.

“No!” Cassie was close enough to jump forward and grab his arm in full swing. The force propelled her around a few feet before Sam snatched her up and placed her behind him, shielding her with his body.

Grace quickly pulled Buddy from Arvid, ripping his pant leg in the process, and ran out of the room, the little terrier still growling and carrying on.

The room fell silent except for everyone’s heavy breathing.

Arvid Angel ran his hands down one leg and then the other as if to see if his body parts were still intact, then took stock of the guests in the room.

“Well, isn’t this just a sight for sore eyes,” he drawled. “Here I was worried sick about my dead brother’s girls disappearing without leaving me a note, or any message whatsoever, or even a by-your-leave. I sure didn’t expect
this
.”

Sam came around and placed his face just inches from Arvid’s. “Arvid, we finally meet again!”

By his tone Sam was anything but happy to see Uncle Arvid. If she ventured a guess, Cassie would think they were bitter enemies. She poked her head around Sam’s body. “Hello, Uncle, how did you find us?”

“Wasn’t too hard. Not that many young’uns running around the countryside. Just did my due diligence. I see you went and cut off your hair. Both of you. What’s that all about?”

Cassie reached up and tucked her hair behind her ear, but not before she saw Josephine duck her head in shame.

Grace was back, a flustered look on her face, wisps of hair falling over her brow, and a rip in her right sleeve long enough to expose her arm from elbow to wrist.

“I’m so sorry, Mr. Angel,” she said, her fingers pulling the fabric of her sleeve together. “Let me assure you that this is the first time Buddy has ever attacked anyone. I have no idea what has gotten into him. How is your leg? Did he break the skin?”

“Don’t think so.”

Grace held the back of her wrist to her forehead. “Thank God. I hope you can forgive us.”

“I’ll try,” Arvid drawled, still looking at Sam.

Grace ran her hand down the front of her dress. “This gentleman said he’s your uncle.” She addressed Cassie and Josephine. “I can see by your faces he was telling the truth.”

“Of course I’m telling the truth,” Arvid snapped. “Girls?” He held out his arms in invitation. When they didn’t move, he added, “Come give your Uncle Arvid a hug. I’ve missed you both.”

Cassie hesitated a heartbeat, glancing at Josephine, and then went to him. She couldn’t help but glance up to see Sam glaring. Josephine moved slowly forward.

“Come on, slow poke,” Arvid said, “I ain’t got fleas.”

Josephine inched over and he gave her a brief, uninterested squeeze. “Now, I demand to know what my sweet little nieces are doing having supper with this thieving gambler?” He stood on tiptoe and looked Sam straight in the eyes.

“
I’m
not the thief. You are,” Sam said in a controlled voice.

Cassie was confused. “Sam, what’s going on? You said you and my uncle were close friends. And that you were traveling with us out of kindness for him and…”

“Is
that
what he told you?” Arvid’s laugh was smug. “Oh, he’s a smart one, all right.”

“Now, you wait just a minute,” interjected Jonathan. He helped an agitated William to his feet, and the sound of Buddy’s insistent barking was heard from the second floor. They came around the table and stood next to Sam. “I don’t like you throwing accusations around about my good friend Sam,” continued Jonathan, his square chin jutting out aggressively.

William cleared his throat and laid his hand on Jonathan’s forearm. “There isn’t anything you can’t work out with words.”

Cassie looked between the men, bemused. “Tell me what’s going on, Sam? “Why are you so mad at Uncle Arvid?”

Sam hesitated, looking from Cassie to Arvid and back again.

“I can see he don’t want to say nothing, and I know why,” Arvid sneered. “He’s trying to steal that claim I gave you girls for safekeeping right out from under your noses. He’s tried thrice before. He’s getting into your good graces and then he’ll steal it, just like he tried from me.”

“The claim?” Cassie turned slowly and stared at Sam, unbelieving.

Sam’s jaw clenched several times as he looked down at her. “Don’t you believe him, Cassie,” he said. “I met Arvid in a game of poker with several other fellows. The claim was in the pot. I won. Later that night he stole it from my saddlebag.”

Cassie looked from one to the other, a sickening feeling tightening her chest. The claim. The claim Uncle Arvid had given to her and Josephine. At least, she’d assumed he’d given it to them. But, now, it all made sense. Sam showing up in Broken Branch out of the blue. Sam offering to ride with them to Coloma. Him snooping in their bedroom. Him trying to open her saddlebag…him wanting to
marry her
! All so perfectly planned out. She felt like vomiting. She glanced down at her beautiful yellow wedding dress with embarrassment and shame. Her face flamed painfully. In a swift motion, she slapped Sam across the face with all her might. “
That’s
for lying!”

The room went silent. Sam’s granite hard gaze never wavered. “Don’t believe him, Cassie,” he gritted out. He shook his head slowly as a red welt began to rise on his cheek. “He’s not telling the truth.”

“Pack up your things, girls. We’re getting out of this town tonight,” Arvid interrupted. “Even though I’m dead tired from riding night and day to find you, I don’t like the feel of it here.”

“You’re not going anywhere with my claim,” Sam retorted. “I’m being civil now out of respect for the women present, Arvid. But be warned. I’m not letting you waltz away with what is legally mine.”

He stepped toward Arvid but Jonathan grabbed his elbow.

“It’s my word against yours,” Arvid growled. “And, the claim is in our possession. You don’t have a pot to piss in.” Arvid snickered, pleased with his cleverness. “In case you don’t know it, possession is nine-tenths of the law.”

“You don’t have the claim either. Cassie does.”

“Same thing. I put it in her dresser drawer. She knows the claim belongs to me. What’s mine is hers and vice versa. It’s the Angel family claim now, and belongs to all three of us,” he said angrily, his voice rising.

Arvid was smarter than Sam gave him credit for. Saying the claim belonged partly to the girls made it more difficult for Sam to take it back. Well, that might be true, but he’d never let Arvid have one tiny flake of gold from it, even if it was fool’s gold. He’d walk away from the claim for Cassie and Josephine’s sake, but never for Arvid’s. His sneaking, lying ways reminded him too much of his own father’s dealings. No, he’d not give in to him. One glance at Cassie told him volumes. Her stricken expression conveyed better than words just how much he had to lose.

“As you know,” he continued. “I won it from the Swede fair and square, with a full house. You tried to bluff with two pair.” He looked at Cassie, but his words were falling on deaf ears. Her eyes smoldered with hurt and disbelief.

“Show me your bill of sale,” scoffed Arvid.

“You know very well I don’t have one.”

“Gentleman,” Grace said, her arms holding tightly to Josephine’s shoulders. “Please. There must be a way to settle this civilly. Some of us are getting upset.”

Sam glanced down at Josephine and a knife sliced through his heart. Her face, a contorted mixture of fear and sorrow, was one he wouldn’t soon forget. Cassie walked over and picked Josephine up and the little girl laid her head on her sister’s shoulder without taking her eyes off her uncle.

“Grace is right,” Jonathan said. “We’ll wire the previous owner—the Swede, as you call him—and have him send a bill of sale. That will settle this once and for all.”

“That’s impossible,” Sam replied. “We were all on the move. There’s no way of finding him.”

Weary from standing so long, William sank back down in a chair. He cleared his throat to get everyone’s attention. “Well, you’ll just have to settle this the mature way.”