The Barefoot Bride Read online

  Whit took off, but rough hands captured Patch. A second later, Maverick attacked the man holding Patch, barking excitedly and snapping at whatever flesh he could reach.

  “What the hell? Get down, you damned mongrel!” The man holding Patch lashed out with a boot and gave Maverick a vicious kick in the ribs. Yelping in pain, the dog-wolf tucked its tail between its legs and slunk away.

  Outraged, Patch struggled against the man's hold. “Durn you! Leave my dog alone! You pig-faced yellow-belly. You—”

  “Shut up, kid,” the man snarled. “Who are you? What were you doing listening at the window?”

  Patch wasn't about to tell her name. If her pa found out she was in town, she'd be in trouble for sure. Instead of answering, she bit the hand that held her.

  Whit hadn't stopped running, figuring Patch was right behind him. When he heard the man howl, he looked back just in time to see Patch being slapped. Whit stopped, not sure whether to run back to help her or go in some other direction for help. The size of the man who held Patch decided him. He whirled to run and collided with a solid object. The force of the impact toppled him into the dirt.

  Solicitous hands helped him up. “Where are you going in such a hurry, son?”

  If Whit hadn't been so frightened for Patch, he might have been terrified at the grim features on Seth Kendrick's face when he suddenly realized who had just run into him.

  Before Seth could say anything else, Whit blurted, “You have to help Patch. There's a man hitting her. Over there. He—”

  “Where?”

  Whit pointed.

  “Your mother should still be at Schmidt's Hotel. Find her and stay with her. Go! Now!”

  Seth didn't wait to see whether Whit obeyed him, just headed on the run for Patch.

  “That's my daughter you're holding, Pike,” Seth said when he was within calling distance. “Put her down.”

  Pike Hardesty peered at Seth through narrowed eyes. “This brat's yours, Doc?” he asked. “You oughta teach her not to listen at windows.”

  Patch jerked ineffectually against Pike's grip on the front of her shirt. “Pa, he's planning to—”

  Pike shook Patch to shut her up. “Keep your mouth shut, kid. You didn't hear nothin’. Understand?”

  “Why not try picking on someone your own size?” Seth said.

  “Why, Doc. Didn't know you was a fightin’ man.” He let Patch go, and she scampered to Seth's side.

  Seth's hand traced the growing bruise on Patch's face, and his jaw tautened. “Go find Molly at Schmidt's Hotel. Stay there till I come for you.”

  “But, Pa—”

  “Don't argue with me, Patch. Get out of here.”

  Patch called Maverick to her side and hurried down the street. She went just far enough away to be out of her father's line of sight, then stopped to watch what was about to happen.

  At last! she thought. He's going to fight at last My pa is not a coward.

  “Come on over here, Doc, and we'll see how you handle yourself,” Pike said.

  Seth looked over to the doorway of the building and saw Drake Bassett leaning against the portal, smoking a cigar. Though he was a relatively young man, Bassett had snow-white hair and a salt-and-pepper moustache and brows. His features were ordinary: dark brown eyes spaced wide, a nose that hooked a little, thin lips, and a sloping chin. He was dressed plainly in a gray wool suit, and he wore a single watch fob across his vest. He was a picture of honesty and prosperity.

  Drake Bassett was prosperous, all right, Seth thought. It was the honesty he was lacking. The man was so crooked, he could eat nails and spit out corkscrews. Bassett was the brains and Pike was the brawn of what had become a very dirty business. People had begun to gather, and Seth was guessing Bassett wouldn't like calling attention to himself. “Call off your dog, Drake. This has gone far enough, don't you think?”

  “Your kid started the trouble,” Bassett said, eyeing the growing crowd.

  “My daughter meant no harm. She—“

  “Figured you'd try to wiggle out of fighting, Doc,” Pike said. “Admit it. You're just plain yellow.”

  Seth felt the eyes of the crowd on him. He had chosen this path, and he had known it wouldn't be easy. But it was hard to endure the disgust and disdain in all those faces. “Think what you like. Just don't ever touch my daughter again.”

  Pike laughed in his face. “Ooh. I'm scared. What you gonna do to me, Doc? Rap my knuckles with a stick?”

  The crowd laughed along with Pike, and some began calling Seth names. Seth just stood there, enduring their raucous jests. He had made a vow, and as hard as it was, he would keep it. He turned and began walking away.

  He hadn't taken two steps when a blur came racing past him and leaped onto Pike's back. “Take that, you varmint!”

  The crowd went wild, yelling and screaming encouragement to Patch as she attacked the man who had forced her father to back down. Her assault had surprised Pike, so she was able to box his ears and yank his hair before he reached up, grabbed her by the arms, and threw her over his head onto the ground.

  Patch landed so hard, all the air came out of her in a huff. Then she lay still.

  The crowd quieted instantly and looked at Seth to see what he would do.

  Seth knelt beside Patch and checked the pulse at her throat. Although fast, it was strong and steady. She opened her eyes, and he saw she was only dazed.

  “Pa?” she said. “I couldn't let him say those things about you.”

  “It's all right, Patch,” he said. He lifted her in his arms and carried her over to Red, who was part of the crowd. He handed her into the other man's arms and said, “Take care of her.”

  Then he turned to face Pike, who was leering at him.

  “Whatcha gonna do now, Doc?”

  Seth pulled off his suit coat and draped it over the hitching rail. Then he undid his string tie and pulled it off. Finally, he unbuttoned the throat of his shirt and turned up his cuffs. “All right, Pike,” he said. “Whenever you're ready.”

  Pike grinned at the crowd. “Looks like the doc's finally decided to fight.” He put his hands up in fists like a boxer to protect his face. “Here I am, Doc. Come and get me.”

  Seth took Pike at his word. He marched up to him and put a fist in the burly man's stomach, folding him in half like an empty wallet. He followed that with an uppercut to the chin that straightened Pike back out again.

  Pike's fists were still out there in front of him, but somehow they didn't seem to be doing him much good. Seth showed no mercy, hitting Pike in the face, choosing his punches. A right to the eye, another under the chin. A quick left opened a cut in his cheek; another jab widened it.

  Pike's right eye was already swelling closed, and his left cheek was dripping blood like a faucet. Pike couldn't understand what had gone wrong. He swung hard, and Seth stepped out of his way. He swung again, and Seth simply wasn't there. He charged and caught Seth in a bear hug. Bigger and stronger, he tried crushing the other man.

  But Seth got a hand under Pike's chin and forced his head back. Pike either had to let go or get his neck snapped. As soon as he did, Seth hit him in the solar plexus, knocking the breath clean out of him.

  Pike dropped to his knees.

  Seth didn't have a mark on him. “I warned you not to touch my daughter. You lay a hand on her again, and I'll finish the job.”

  Pike heard the crowd murmuring and felt the nausea rise in his stomach at the thought of being beaten by a man everyone knew was too scared to fight. Slowly, his hand inched toward the gun tied down on his leg.

  Molly had left Whit at the hotel and come looking for Seth. She had found him in time to see everything. When Seth had refused to fight, she had felt ashamed; when he had effortlessly whipped Pike, she had been astounded. She was shoving her way toward him through the crowd when she saw Pike Hardesty reaching for his gun.

  “Seth!” she cried. “Look out behind you!”

  Molly was watching Seth when she heard the guns
hot. In that instant she realized that her feelings for him were much stronger than she had ever imagined. If she'd had a gun, she would have shot Pike Hardesty herself.

  Seth jerked when the bullet hit him, but he didn't fall right away. He shook his head slightly, swayed, then crumpled to the ground.

  Molly was the first to reach Seth and dropped to her knees beside him. The gorge rose in her throat when she saw the blood streaming from the wound on his head.

  When Patch saw her father fall, she tore herself from Red's grasp and ran toward him. She halted when she realized Molly had gotten there before her. She stood back, feeling shut out. “Pa. Oh, Pa!”

  Pike pushed his way clumsily to his feet and crossed to stand over Seth. He grunted when he saw his bullet had gone high and wide, merely creasing Seth's left temple instead of hitting him in the heart.

  Bassett was watching the crowd and realized their mood had turned ugly. “You remember that business we talked about, Pike? I think you'd best be on your way.”

  Pike shoved his way through the crowd, which parted like the Red Sea as he approached them. There was no law in Fort Benton, and no one wanted to face him down. When he saw Patch, he made a detour that took him close to her.

  Patch shrank away from the scarred man in horror.

  “Keep your mouth shut, kid,” Pike warned in a low voice, “or next time, I'll kill him.”

  Patch gasped, but before she could say anything, Pike Hardesty was gone.

  Molly ripped some of her petticoat into strips and used it to try to stop the bleeding. Once her initial shock was over, she was able to see that the wound was not as serious as she had thought. She was greatly encouraged when Seth groaned and raised a hand to his head.

  “Don't move,” Molly said in a soothing voice. She looked around for a familiar face and spotted Red Dupree. “Could you help me move Seth to Schmidt's Hotel? We have a room there.”

  “Sure, Mrs. Kendrick,” Red said. “Some of you fellas come over here and lend a hand. Take Doc Kendrick over to Uncle Jake's place.”

  Molly wrung her hands helplessly as she followed behind the men who jostled Seth toward the hotel. Patch had hold of her father's hand and walked beside him.

  “Ain't but a crease,” Red reassured Molly. “He'll be right as rain in no time.”

  “Why did it happen at all?” Molly demanded. “Why doesn't somebody arrest that man? How can he get away with shooting an unarmed man like that?”

  “Ain't nobody around here as fast with a gun as Pike, ma'am. And he's mean enough to eat raw liver. Closest army is at Fort Shaw, and they're tied up with the Sioux. Got no choice except to put up with him, if you see what I mean.”

  Red made sure Seth was settled on the four-poster bed before he shooed everybody out of the room and left Molly, Patch, and Whit in peace.

  Molly hurried to Seth's side. He started to say something to her, then groaned and lost consciousness again. She took the time to bathe away all the blood on his face. When she was finished, she noted his breathing was shallow but his pulse was steady.

  She turned her attention to the two children who were sitting on ladderback chairs that had been brought in and placed in the far corner of the room.

  Molly walked up to Patch and waited until the girl looked up at her. “You nearly got your father killed,” she accused.

  “I know,” Patch replied in a frightened voice. “I didn't mean for anything like that to happen.”

  “It's as much my fault as hers,” Whit said.

  “Is that so?” Molly asked.

  Whit nodded.

  “What were the two of you doing in town? How did you get here?”

  “It's a long story,” Patch said with a sigh. “Are you sure you want to hear it?”

  “Every word.”

  Patch and Whit exchanged worried glances.

  “You can start whenever you're ready,” Molly said, eyeing first Whit and then Patch. “I'm listening.”

  When Seth awoke, he thought he was alone. A moment later, a shadowy form materialized beside him on the bed.

  “Is that you, Molly?”

  “It's Dora Deveraux.”

  Seth put a tentative hand to his head and winced as he tried to sit up.

  Dora pushed him back down and said, “Stay flat. Believe me, you'll feel better. How'd you let Pike get the drop on you like that?”

  “My mistake,” Seth said dryly. “I should have asked for Marquess of Queensbury rules.”

  Dora grinned. “I knew somebody would go a step too far with you someday. What did Pike say to make you mad?”

  “He struck Patch.”

  Dora's face lost its humor. “That bastard. You should have killed him.”

  “Someday I will.”

  “Look, we don't have much time before your wife comes back.”

  “Where is she?” Seth asked.

  “She took your kids downstairs to the dining room to get something to eat. I saw them come in and snuck up here. I had to tell you, it looks like Bassett is already back in business selling whiskey to the Indians. Same place as before, if you can believe it.”

  “That man can't take a hint,” Seth said.

  “Also, three gold miners are coming in on the stage from Virginia City at the end of the week. Think the Masked Marauder will be able to give them an escort?”

  “It's a possibility,” Seth said. “Thanks for the information, Dora.”

  “Anytime, Seth. So how do you like that new wife of yours?”

  “I like her fine.”

  “Too bad. I miss you.” Dora brushed Seth's hair back from his forehead. She trailed her fingers down the side of his face and passed her thumb across his lips, which parted at her touch. She leaned over to kiss his mouth, but he turned aside at the last second so her lips met his cheek instead.

  When the door clicked shut, Dora slowly straightened and looked over her shoulder. Molly was standing there white-faced, holding a tray in her hands.

  “Who are you?” Molly asked. “What are you doing here?”

  “I'm Dora Deveraux, Mrs. Kendrick. I was just visiting Seth,” Dora said, cool as ice. “We're old friends.”

  Old friends, indeed! More like kissing cousins! It was painfully apparent the two of them were very well acquainted.

  Molly guessed from Dora's clothing what kind of woman she was. Her full skirt only came to her knees, and the form-fitting bodice left most of her bosom and shoulders bare. Her auburn hair was pinned up in curls, and she wore a garish green feather that matched the color of her spangly dress. The woman sat on the bed snuggled up next to Seth and had a possessive hand on the pillow beside his head. She didn't seem in any hurry to leave. Molly decided to give her a nudge.

  “Seth needs his rest,” she said, crossing to the table beside the bed to set down the tray.

  “Well, he certainly knows how to make the best use of a bed,” Dora said, shooting a sly grin in Seth's direction.

  Seth flushed. “Dora was just leaving,” he said firmly.

  Molly wanted to know why the woman had come in the first place. But it was apparent that she wasn't going to get any answers from Dora Deveraux. The woman made a point of touching Seth as she resettled the blankets around him. Then she crossed the room past Molly and stopped at the door to look back toward the bed.

  “Come see me when the newness wears off,” she said to Seth. She didn't bother to close the door when she left the room.

  Molly wanted very much to slam it after her. She resisted the urge and walked over and closed it very carefully and quietly.

  Tension sang in the room. Seth pursed his lips and shook his head. “Dora and I aren't … that is, we haven't—”

  Molly turned and leaned back against the door. “But you did,” she said with certainty.

  Seth shrugged. “I'm a man, Molly, not a monk.”

  “She still wants you.”

  “I can't control what she wants.”

  Molly didn't realize what she was going to say until
the words were out of her mouth. “I won't share you, Seth. I know what it's like to have a husband with a mistress. I won't suffer the same mistake twice. Make a choice, and make it now.”

  “You don't understand—”

  “There's nothing to understand. Do you want her, or do you want me?”

  Seth grinned. “I like you when your dander's up, Molly. It makes your eyes sparkle.”

  “I'm serious, Seth.”

  He sobered. “I choose you, Molly. Today, tomorrow, always.”

  For a moment it was hard to believe she had won. The extent of her relief was disturbing, because it meant she cared more than she ought. After all, they had both agreed they could never love each other. They had both agreed this was a marriage of convenience. It shouldn't matter whether he had a mistress. It shouldn't matter whether he was committed to her and her alone.

  But it had. It had mattered tremendously whether he chose her or Dora. So maybe her feelings for Seth Kendrick weren't as nonexistent as she had thought.

  Molly was very much aware of Seth's eyes on her as she rearranged the pillows behind him to make a backrest. She helped him to sit up, noticing the grimace of pain when he was finally upright. “How does your head feel?”

  “Like someone's in there knocking around with a hammer.”

  “Be thankful for the pain,” Molly said with a smile. “It means you're alive.” She sat down beside him where Dora had been, and tucked a napkin under his chin. “You could have been killed, Seth.”

  “Thanks to you, I wasn't.” He took her hand in his and squeezed it. “You saved my life, Molly.”

  Molly looked down at his bruised and torn knuckles and then back at his untouched face. “Why did you let the whole town—and me—think you were afraid of Pike Hardesty, when you could have whipped him anytime?”

  He rubbed Molly's palm with his thumb, not consciously seducing but obtaining that result all the same.

  “I have my reasons, Molly. That's all I can tell you.”

  Molly tried not to feel hurt by his secrecy. After all, they had been husband and wife for less than two weeks. She knew he was telling her to drop the subject, but she persisted. “Why don't you carry a gun, Seth?”