The three riders rode out, following the trail. It was obvious the tracks had been made by two riders and a thought began to eat away at Nick. Who was Emmie with? Had she met someone, perhaps even knew him from before? Was she playing him for a fool? He didn't say anything to anyone but Heath knew the thoughts were eating him up. Nick didn't do jealously well. They continued riding but the weather was against them. If it continued they would surely lose the trail. Heath looked back at Mercy who was beginning to lag behind, he rode back to her.

"How are ya doing?"

"I'm fine, just keep riding, we've got to find Emmie."

Heath could see she was not fine and regretted allowing her to come with them. Nick rode up along side.

"Heath, the trail forks up ahead, I'm going to follow it up into those hills, you and Mercy take the left."

"Nick, I'm not so sure, Mercy doesn't look well, she's struggling in this weather, maybe I should take her home."

Nick could see his brother's anxiety. "Ya better trying to make those caves over there and waiting for the storm to pass."

Heath gripped Nick's arm. "What about you? Ya can't do this on ya own."

"I'll be fine Heath, I've got to keep looking. I'll call back at the cave on the way back to make sure you're okay." He looked at Mercy. "Ya need to get her into the warmth Heath, she won't last much longer like that."

Heath nodded. "As soon as the storm passes, I'll take Mercy back and then join you in the search again."

Heath picked up the reins of Mercy's horse and the brothers rode out in opposite directions.

Reaching the cave Heath dismounted quickly trusting Charger to stand steady whilst he ran over to Mercy's horse before she fell to the ground. She was exhausted and barely conscious, mumbling Emmie's name interspersed with Heath's. He carried her inside the cave and laid her carefully down on a dry piece of ground away from the biting wind that was now threatening the cave entrance. He could see instantly that she was starting a chill. He looked around for dry firewood to build a fire. The wood was scarce and he worked hard to collect enough and get a fire going, only moving back to Mercy once it was well underway. He felt her brow and his own burrowed in concern. Gently he picked her up and brought her closer to the fire. Her clothes were saturated as were his own and he knew that he would have no choice but to remove them in order to get her warm. Quickly he fetched the saddle bags and bedrolls from the horses, making sure they were settled and secure. He didn't want them spooked and running off during the storm.

When he returned Mercy was now visibly shivering and Heath knew he had to work fast. He was drenched to the bone and he knew Mercy would be too. He put more firewood on the fire and took off his jacket, it was drenched through and would probably take an age to get dry. Moving over to Mercy, he started to unbutton her jacket, she stirred only slightly as he lifted her up in his arms to gently ease it off her shoulders and then down the length of her arms. "Heath," he heard her mumble through a ragged breath. He paused only a moment before unbuttoning her blouse and then proceeded to undo her skirt and the boots she had on her feet. Not wasting time he carefully removed her undergarments making sure to cover her with a blanket to help maintain her modesty. Then he carefully dried her hair and wrapped her in two blankets before lying her down. She hadn't stirred since he removed her jacket and had fallen into an exhausted sleep. Having seen to her, he stripped off his own clothes and dried himself off before he too wrapped himself in a couple of blankets and then lay down beside her, half-covering her body with his own, hoping that their mutual body warmth would begin to work it's effect on her chill.

Eventually Heath joined his wife in an exhausted sleep and at some point during the night their bodies became entwined as one as they sought out each other's heat under the warmth of the same blankets.

Mercy woke the next morning to find Heath sleeping next to her, his arm wrapped around her, his body partially covering her own, his head resting on her chest, their bodies under the same blankets. She looked down under the blanket, both were naked, she could feel his leg entwined around hers. She panicked and froze to the spot, not daring to move. She could remember nothing of last night, only the driving wind and rain and the struggle to see where she was going and control her horse. She knew nothing of Heath seeing her to safety and his ministrations in removing her clothes and his efforts to keep her warm. Now he was lying next to her and her thoughts raced ahead. She thought... she couldn't bring herself to even think the words, never mind say them, she thought.... oh and to think she couldn't remember any of it. Sheer embarrassment then took over and she tried to ease herself out from under his weight. He stirred, raised his head slightly to look at her, rubbed the sleep from his eyes and then felt her brow, smiling when he felt the results.

"Chill's gone, are you feeling better?" he said softly, turning over on to his side.

"Better?"

He looked back and saw her confusion.

"You developed a chill yesterday. Hmm.... you were soaked through. I had to remove your clothes and lie with you to keep you warm."

"You did what?" She tried to pull one of the blankets round her and sit up.

"Mercy," he said softly, sitting up beside her, careful to ensure that a blanket remain firmly fixed around his lower body and not give her further alarm. He sensed she was embarrassed and that she was searching to know what had taken place.

"I had to. Don't you see? We got caught in the rain and you were drenched through. I couldn't leave you in those wet clothes. I had to get you dry and warm somehow."

She wasn't ready to listen to reason.

"Did you have to? ..... I mean me, like this....... and your own clothes? I mean.... "

He looked at her seriously and she sensed the sudden change in his manner.

"Mercy, stranger or husband I would have done the same. Modesty comes second to keeping someone alive."

She realized then how serious it had been.

"I'm sorry, I just thought.... I was just embarrassed."

"I know he said, but I had no choice. Nothing happened Mercy, I just kept you warm."

Mercy forgot her own embarrassment for a moment and saw his. She reached out and clasped his hand. "I'm sorry Heath, I should be grateful and I am. I was just embarrassed."

Heath gave her a gentle lop-sided smile.

"You ain't got anything to be embarrassed about Mercy."

She blushed.

"Now if you're up to it, I'll fix ya something to eat."

He got up, careful to fasten the blanket around his middle, he went to see how the clothes were drying, they had dried some in the heat of the fire but not sufficiently for them to wear.

"What will do in the meantime?" she asked.

"Well, we'll just have to wear these blankets for a spell." He helped her get up and held on to her when she grew a little unsteady. "I'm fine, just need some food inside me." she said holding on to her blanket real tight.

Within an hour they had eaten and put on their dry clothes, both eager to get on their way to find Emmie and see that Nick was okay. As Heath squatted to fasten up the saddle bags and bedrolls laid out on the floor, he noticed Mercy quietness and could see that she was thinking deeply about something.

"Whatcha thinking about Mercy?"

"Hmm?"

"You're deep in thought, I asked you what ya were thinking about?"

"I was thinking we make a strange couple, you and I."

"How strange?"

"Well the circumstances of our marriage, not knowing each other and not knowing what the future has in store for us."

"No couple knows what the future has in store for them, seems to me that's part of the journey."

"Journey?"

"The journey a man and a woman take when they decide to share their lives together."

"Is that what we are doing Heath? You've never mentioned a divorce. I don't know where I stand and I feel guilty that it was my Pa that forced us together against your will."

"Don't remember you having much choice in the matter," he said fastening up the second saddle bag and getting up to stand.

He threw one saddle bag over his shoulder and walked over to where she stood. He cupped her chin in his hand and turned her face around to face his.

"Are you asking if there's any future for us, Mercy?"

She hesitated and eventually said. "I suppose I am Heath, I need to know. I won't run off like Emmie, but I won't stay where I am not wanted, or hurt anyone in the process."

"Hurt anyone?"

"Hurt you."`

Heath drew her near to the fire and away from the cold of the cave entrance from where she was standing. He motioned her to sit down with him and held her hand. "Mercy, when I look at you I see a woman any man would be proud to call his wife. The more time I spend with you, the more I want to know you. If I tell you something, you won't be alarmed? I've wanted to lie with you as your husband since our second night together."

She looked up at him surprised.

"Yes, I wanted that very much."

"Wanted?"

"Still do, but now's not the time. We've got to be certain about how we feel about each other first. We need time to get to know each other and see if we want to make this marriage work. We've come at this marriage back to front, the wedding before the courtship." He locked his sapphire eyes onto her violet ones trying to read her reactions.

"If you'll let me I'd like to try courtin' you first."

Now when Nick had reached the log cabin the previous day, he was tired, wet and cold. The last thing he wanted to do was spend the last fifteen minutes banging his fist on the door and asking to be let in. The cold had slowly but surely enveloped his body and there was absolutely nowhere that had not been numbed by its effect. Forcing himself to pace the freshly snow covered ground to keep himself warm, the only voluntary sign of activity was his chattering teeth.

"Aww c'mon Emmie let me, I know ya in there. Ya left a trail up this mountain clear enough for me to find and if I'd been dumb enough to miss that the fact that you've got the mare Sweetbriar stabled in the barn kinda left me a clue."

Still there was silence. Emmie sat on the bed, annoyed that he'd seen through her deceit so easily. Sure she had left the trail for him to follow, but she'd hoped she'd been subtler than that. She could just imagine the smugness beginning to crease across his face on the other side of the door.

"Emmie, listen to me, will ya? It's freezing out here, I'm chilled to the bone. If I don't get outta these wet clothes and get dry, you'll have to thaw ya husband outta the ice in less than an hour."

"What husband?" she finally replied annoyed at his casual use of the word.

"She speaks," came the attempt at a witty reply, through which Nick immediately shot himself in the foot.

"Whatcha mean, husband?" she bellowed in a style equal to, if not greater than her husband. "Seems to me you've only been a husband to me in one department that I can recall."

"Well I fulfilled that one pretty well, didn't I?" he bellowed back, his temper not improved by the snow that was now falling. He shivered and patted his arms vigorously to keep himself warm.

"Like all things that promise much it didn't last."

Nick immediately jumped to the wrong conclusion. He moved back to the door. "Huh? I don't recall any complaints at the time."

"Ya soon tire Nick," Emmie face was now pressed up against the door, her hand was tempted to unbolt the lock but she resisted when she recalled the pain of Nick's rejection of her and his leaving of her bed.

"Tire..." Nick nearly choked on the words. "Tire... Let me tell you young lady Nick Barkley never tires!"

"Seems to me ya tire pretty easily Nick, not only that but you lose your concentration pretty quick. Ya simply not a stayer, I can do without that. Ya best go Nick, I'm not letting ya in."

"How can ya say I'm not a stayer, we were up the whole night, weren't we?"

"Huh?"

"And I don't remember loosing my concentration, seem to remember you remained pretty focused too."

A confused Emmie didn't even attempt to question what he was talking about.

"Nick this ain't getting us anywhere, look just go. I told ya in the letter, I'll let ya have your divorce. I knows ya not into making a lifelong commitment, like I say, ya not a stayer."

Stayer? Lifelong commitment? The penny dropped. Nick sighed, his manhood no longer in question he concentrated on gaining entrance through the door by adopting his most commanding voice.

"Emmie, this has gone on long enough, now open this door."

"No!"

The force of the rejection made him take a step back from the door.

"Where am I going to sleep?"

"Sleep in the barn, if you have to, I don't care."

He moved forward and banged again on the door.

"Emmie Barkley let me in. I know I've been a dumb ass but I can't talk to you through this door."

"Have?"

"Have what?"

"Been a dumb ass?"

"Yes, but I ain't discussing how much of one from out here. If you want to see a proud man crawl and admit how stupid he's been, you'll have to let me in."

Emmie slowly unlocked the door keeping her gaze downward lest she look into the hazel eyes that held her heart and give herself away. Nick shuffled in, brushing the snow off his jacket and his hat.

"That's more like it," he said sternly.

"Ya can come in but no funny business, do ya here? I ain't made my mind up about ya yet and ya might just find ya'self spending the night keeping Sweetbriar warm."

"I promise Emmie, I promise ya I only want to talk."

Heath helped Mercy down from her horse. Riding toward the cabin to meet Nick and hopefully find Emmie, they had stopped to make a quick fire and get some hot coffee in their insides before continuing their journey.

As Mercy slipped down into his arms, he pulled his glove of with his teeth and placed a freed gentle hand on her brow.

"Just checking ya still feeling okay," he smiled. "Don't want a relapse."

She smiled back.

"I'm okay, just cold," she shivered.

"Here, let me warm ya."

He opened his jacket and drew her into his chest, wrapping the jacket and his arms around her in a perfect fit.

"That better?"

"Much," she said resting her head against his chest and snaking her arms around his waist, seeking his warmth and his nearness.

"Kinda cosy, huh?"

She looked up.

"Mmm, very."

As she finished her words her lips remained slightly parted and caught his eye. He lifted a hand and traced the outline of them gently with his thumb. Instinctively she caught it in her mouth and began circling the calloused digit with her tongue before abandoning it and trailing a line of soft kisses down the palm of his hand. She had never shared such an intimate gesture before and she was struck by how little control she had over her actions, her instincts governed purely by a desperate need to be kissed by his sweet lips.

He closed his eyes under her sensuous touch, snow started to fall and the cold enveloped them, they no longer felt it, they only felt each other. As if aware of the new intimacy developing between them both horses moved away to allow the young couple their moment of privacy.

Heath reclaimed his hand and placed both it and its partner firmly on her waist, as he did so he pulled her up on tip toes and gently leaned down to kiss her, his touch was enough to make her feel as though she was walking on air and then she was, as he lifted her off the ground and in closer with his strong hands and pulled her into a deep, smoldering kiss, its effect so powerful she felt her legs and feet instinctively curl back as the kiss traveled the whole course of her body.

Eventually breaking, he reluctantly let her down to the ground. Holding on to her, their heads rested against each other as they tried to bring their breathing and new found sensations for each other under control.

"Whatcha thinking?" he said, smiling a lopsided smile as he did so.

"I'm thinking....."

"Yes?"

"Don'tcha know?" She said shyly.

"No."

"I'm thinking just how much I love you Heath Barkley." She blushed.

He smiled.

"Good, 'cos I was thinking just the same thing about you." And to confirm his words he bent down and kissed her again.

Victoria and Jarrod Barkley watched the two riders approach the ranch. Both looked at each other inquiringly. Neither could identify the riders.

"Strangers approaching," Jarrod shouted out to the hands. Each hand looked guardedly out to the horizon, ready for the first sign of trouble.

As the riders approached the house Victoria and Jarrod cautiously approached the steps of the veranda.

"Evening ma'am," said the old man taking off his hat, using it forcefully to push the younger man next to him in to doing the same.

"What brings you out this way? I'm Victoria Barkley and this is my son Jarrod."

"Name's Prescott ma'am and this is my son Bob. I come to see ma daughters."

"Daughters?" Jarrod inquired having now been joined by a curious Millicent.

"Emmie and Mercy. Them's ma daughters. Thought I'd pay them a visit, see how they're settling in."

Jarrod turned around to Millicent.

"Millicent my dear, it's cold, wouldn't you rather go in?"

"No way Jarrod, I wouldn't miss this for anything."

"Won't you sit down Mr Prescott?"

Old man Prescott noted the fineness of the room in which he was now standing, immediately recognizing the wealth that had gone in to create it. This was nothing like the Lazy D, his own ranch, this ranch spoke of money and success and the people inside it of position and power.

"Don't mind if I do, ma'am," he said waiting for the silver haired lady to sit down first. She had swept by him with the rustle of her skirts and he hadn't failed to notice what a fine looking lady she was and the beauty of the gray eyes that had cautiously welcomed him.

He chuckled to himself imagining her impression of himself and the boy. Two no good drifters coming to cause trouble no doubt and yet here she was serving them tea. Prescott looked across at his son, Bob. He was making calf's eyes at the woman's daughter but he could tell the girl was having none of it. Pity he'd left his shotgun at home he chuckled to himself.

The formalities of serving tea finished with, Victoria took a moment to survey her guests. The old man was wearing clothes that had seen better days and which showed the dirt and dust from the roads he had been traveling on. A permanent smile seemed to crease his face even when he wasn't smiling and evidenced the toothless grin that so marked out his features. Thinning gray hair set off his whiskered countenance and even though he didn't smell, he looked like he should have done. Victoria suspected that when he took a bath his clothes took a dip too. Try as she could she couldn't imagine the man who was sitting in front of her as the father of the pretty young girls who were now her daughters-in-law.

Victoria took a sip of tea and the others followed her lead. A moment of awkward tension and Victoria finally spoke.

"So tell me Mr Prescott are shotgun weddings a tradition in your family or just something new?"

The toothless grin became even broader as Prescott relaxed back into his chair and crossed one leg over the other. He admired the woman's directness.

"Not 'specially ma'am, never tried it before but it sure got results."

"Undoubtedly, two of my sons as husbands for your daughters is what I would call a result."

"A man's got to provide for his family," he said defensively. "I promised their mother I would see them settled. I wouldn't break that word."

"And you felt the gun was necessary in order to do that?"

He leaned forward.

"Look lady, I don't say my way was right, but men are scarce around our parts and I did what I saw as best for my daughters."

"Come now Mr Prescott, you married your daughters off to the first two men who passed by. Why you didn't even know anything about them. You could have been marrying them to axe-murderers for all you knew."

"I'm a good judge of character, I knew they'd be okay. I could tell ya sons were gentlemen."

"You could tell they were rich."

"I won't deny I could see my girls would be well taken care of."

"And you?"

"Whatcha hinting at lady, I took you for being a lady and here we are discussing the grubbier aspects of money. You surprise me Mrs Barkley."

"Then why are you here?"

"Like I said I come to see ma daughters."

"And nothing else?" She eyed him suspiciously.

"It may surprise you Mrs Barkley but I do care for my Emmie and Mercy. All I want is to see that their husbands haven't abandoned them. Now if you'll let me see them, I'll not be taking up any more of your time than I have to."

Victoria Barkley suddenly felt ashamed.

"Mr Prescott, I believe you and I have a lot more in common than would be first thought. You wanted husbands for your daughters and I wanted wives for my sons, true things have been a might unconventional but let me tell you what's been going on around here, you might just be able to help. Though there will be no guns involved this time, understood?"

"Lady you got me intrigued, I'm all ears."

Nick continued his exploration of his wife with his kisses, paying particular attention to the lobe of her ear which he nuzzled before moving on down to the base of her throat. She groaned under his touch and found herself responding and becoming distracted. His hand went up to undo the buttons of her blouse, its confinement bringing a temporary halt to the path of his kisses. Sitting up for a moment he flashed her a seductive smile and began with sure hands to remove her blouse. He'd reached the fourth button down and was ready to slip his hand inside when she stopped him with a quick smack to the back of his head.

"Ouch! Whatcha do that for?"

"You promised me we would talk."

Nick moved his hand inside her blouse and found what he was looking for as he placed a soft kiss on the side of her neck and continued his seduction.

She hit him again. "Nick ya promised."

He removed his hand now to the more urgent cause of defending his head from her assaults.

"We are talking Emmie," he said through gritted teeth, "we're talking the language of love."

"Love, huh?" said Emmie fast buttoning up her blouse, straightening her skirts and sitting upright on the settee once again. "Is that what ya call it? Well I ain't that easy."

Nick scratched his head.

"I never said you were easy. Look Emmie everything was going just fine, what's got you so fired up and angry all of a sudden?"

"Ya have Nick Barkley. Ya think you can worm your way back into my bed and forget what has happened this past week. Well I don't forget. I don't forget that you wanted a divorce. That you've treated me with cruel indifference since I came to the ranch. That you left my bed."

"YOUR BED! If you remember you pushed me out, all I said was we should take it slow and you darn well kicked me out. Spent a cold night in front of a fire because of it."

"Good."

She made to get up from the settee but he pulled her back.

"Neither of us is going anywhere until we get this sorted."

"What's there to sort? Ya told me you didn't love me. Ya made that very plain."

"And I didn't"

His honesty floored her and he could see he had hurt her again with his blunt speech.

"Lan sakes Emmie, we'd only just met, what was I suppose to say? I didn't even know ya."

She turned her back to him unable to look him in the eye.

"Hmm." She heard him clear his throat. "Like I said Emmie that was then. Hmm," he said almost choking on his next words. "things are different now."

"How different?"

"Well, I missed you when you were gone."

"MISSED ME? Is that all? Like I was some dog you kept around for companionship"

"Hey, I love my dog." Nick objected.

"Good, let him keep you warm." She got up to leave the settee again and managed two steps before he pulled her back on to his lap and took her in a long hard kiss under which her kicking legs and flailing arms were quickly subdued. She found herself responding. Just as quickly he let her go and brought her up into an upright position with his arm still around her waist. She sat breathless unable to speak for a few moments. At length she got up to move away again and this time he let her. He stood up shortly afterward and walked across to the roaring fire.

"I love you Emmie," he eventually said still looking into the fire, his tone almost hushed. "I want you to stay. I want us to continue being married and make this marriage work."

She hesitated, she genuinely wanted to give in to him now and rush into his arms but she stood firm.

"Words are easy Nick, I need you to prove it."

"Didn't I just try and do that?" he said gesturing toward the settee.

"That's only part of it Nick, I gotta know you're truly committed and that you won't change your mind in a month or two. I gotta to know you're a stayer."

He smiled briefly at her use of the word stayer, its meaning now clearly understood.

"What can I do to prove it?"

"Honestly? Right now I don't know Nick. I gotta to learn to trust ya and the words that you say."

Nick grew subdued, frustrated that his words weren't getting through to her.

"Will ya come back to the ranch in the meantime? Ya won't go home to your pa's, will ya?"

"I could never go back there."

"Then you'll come? I promise ya I'll prove that I love ya."

"No funny business?"

"I promise I'll be as good as gold."

"Okay Nick, I'll come back with ya but I can't make any promises."

"That's all I ask. Just give me a chance."

Millicent stepped back to admire the wedding decorations in the hall. Immediately she felt Jarrod's arms around her and she leaned back into his embrace.

"It looks beautiful my dear, your taste is exquisite, just like you."

She turned around in his arms and they shared a deep lingering, kiss. It was a kiss that made the other know just how much the other was loved and desired.

"I love you Millicent," said Jarrod bending down to kiss her again.

"Well you better after I've gone to all this trouble," she joked back.

She returned his kisses, savoring their moment alone. "Jarrod," she mouthed between kisses. "There's just one thing that's worrying me."

"Yes my dear?" Jarrod mouthed back

"If Nick and Heath don't return soon with their wives, I'll have no bridesmaids and you'll have no supporters."

"Don't worry my dear, they'll be back in time."

"How can you be so sure?"

"My brothers wouldn't let me down, besides..."

"Besides?"

"When old man Prescott finds his daughters are missing, he'll have their hides back here so fast they won't know what's hit them."

"Don't you think you should do something to stop him."

"Millicent my dear, A man can't interfere between another man and his in-laws." He gave her a wicked smile.

"Not even if they are your brothers?"

"Especially if they are your brothers and they're called Nick and Heath."

He drew her back up in his arms.

"Now where were we?"

"Just here," she replied back, pulling his lips down to meet hers.

When Heath and Mercy finally reached the cabin it was to see Nick saddling two horses and getting ready to leave.

"Did ya found her then Nick?" Heath called out.

Nick looked up. On any other occasion he would have been glad to see his brother but just at this moment he wanted to be alone with Emmie, to search for a level of understanding with her and a way of proving his love.

Yesterday had been a day of revelations, none greater than the realization that he was in love. No one was more surprised than himself. He had carefully sidestepped marriage with previous girlfriends preferring to hold on to his freedom, but here he was 30 years old, forced at gunpoint into marriage with a girl he didn't even know and he had genuinely fallen in love. He wasn't sure when, he wasn't sure how but it happened and he was happy that it had.

After she had let him into the cabin last night and he had dried himself off and changed into fresh clothes, they had sat down to supper in silence. A silence that allowed for so many things. Fleeting looks, briefly brushed hands and awkwardness before a deeper realization emerged; that he couldn't live without this woman and he wasn't prepared to let her go without a fight.

Yes he was in love. Yes, him, the great Nick Barkley had found love and he hadn't even been searching. It had stolen up beside him, taken his heart under force, argued and frustrated him and inveigled it's way so deeply that he had almost to lose it before he recognized its true worth. And yet, even now, through his unbelievable stupidity he might lose it still. No, now was not a time he wanted to see his brother and the wife who rode along side him. Now was a time for him and Emmie.

He moved away from the horses.

"Morning Heath, yes I found her." He tipped his hat to his new sister-in-law. " Mercy, you better?"

Mercy nodded and made to dismount.

"Is she alright? Can I see her? You haven't harmed her, have you?" Nick moved to her horse to stop her progress.

"No I haven't hurt her, whatcha take me for?"

He turned to his brother Heath, a man to whom he could almost communicate without words.

"Heath, I'd sure appreciate it if you and Mercy went on ahead. Emmie and me got somethings to sort out."

"Are ya bringing her back with you?" Mercy asked concerned.

"Yea, I'm bringing her back but we've got a ways to go before we know if it'll be permanent. Look you go on ahead like I said. We'll follow shortly. We'll meet you both back at the ranch. Day after tomorrow's Saturday ain't it, Jarrod will be growing anxious about the wedding. You get back and tell him we'll both be there to support him."

Heath knew not to argue. "Okay Nick, we'll see you back home. C'mon Mercy, best leave it to Nick and Emmie."

"But Heath?"

"Mercy it ain't any of our business. Emmie will be okay, ya can see her tomorrow."

Reluctantly, Mercy turned her horse around and followed Heath out of the clearing and back into the woods from where they had come. She knew he was right. Momentarily she looked back to the cabin hoping to catch a glimpse of her sister. What did the future hold for her and Nick? Mercy looked ahead to her own, the broad back and shoulders of the man that she loved. Her future was with Heath and she couldn't wait for it to begin.

Heath finished settling the horses and patted his arms to keep himself warm. He watched Mercy preparing a meal and breathed in its delicious aroma.

"I can see I'm going to be fed well during our marriage. I'm going to have watch I don't develop a paunch around my middle."

She put down the ladle and walked over to him. She wrapped an arm around his waist and playfully patted his middle.

"I don't see that happening for many a year. You work too hard work for you to become fat and lazy. My husband is no sloucher."

He caught the delicious smile she gave him and wrapped his own arms around her in a full embrace.

"Husband, I like that word, I like having me a wife, especially one as pretty you."

He bent down and gave her a playful kiss and then took the kiss to a deeper level, to a level that possessed her, lingered and smoldered, its effect forcing Mercy to stand on one leg and lean on him for support as her right leg involuntarily curled backward. Heath didn't fail to notice how she always did that when he kissed her. And they'd had plenty of practice, making many unnecessary stops before reaching the cabin, never missing a moment to spend some time in each other's arms.

Their journey on horseback had been a journey of discovery as each talked about their past, the present and the future, Heath leaving nothing out about himself, wanting her to understand his past and therefore about him. She had reciprocated and told him about her own childhood and the fear and the love she had for her father, generously recognizing that her father loved her but couldn't always hold back his temper. Heath had grown angry at the abuse she had suffered and she had reached out from her horse to put a hand out to calm him.

"I love my pa Heath, remember that and my ma loved him too. He isn't a bad man, he just doesn't know how to handle his anger sometimes. He became a different man when ma died."

"A man never oughta hit a woman, no matter what the circumstances, if he every raises a hand to you again, he'll have me to reckon with."

She gave a look of concern and he returned it with a reassuring smile that told her everything would be okay now they were together. He sought to put a smile back on her face.

"Ya know what?"

"Hmm?"

"Gets kinda lonely up here without you."

"Are you suggesting?"

"Well it would make the journey kinda of fun. We've got a ways to go before we get home and if we keep stopping to kiss and cuddle, it'll be the morning of the wedding before we get home."

Heath didn't wait for an answer. He brought Charger up to the side of Mercy's horse and swept her up from her saddle bringing her down to rest on his own. He wrapped his arms around her as he held on to the reins of the two horses and whispered in her ear.

"Now I got you I ain't going to let you go."

Secure in his arms, she turned her head for a moment and he caught her lips in a kiss.

"Dontcha think you should watch where you're going?" she said jokingly, delighted at their new closeness as man and wife. It felt so natural to be in his arms and enjoying his kisses.

He gave her a lop-sided smile which made her heart miss a beat and said:

"I reckon Charger knows the way home."

She wasn't going to argue as she leaned back on his chest and felt his strong hands hold on to her tight around her small waist. No, she thought, he wasn't going to let her go and she wouldn't let him either.

It was nightfall when Heath and Mercy reached the ranch. Heath helped his wife down from his horse.

"Feeling okay?"

"Nervous."

"Nervous, why?"

"Things have changed between us, it's all different now."

"Sure is." He gave her an arched look. "Is it too soon?"

She gave him the tenderest of looks which told him no, he would remember that look and this moment for the rest of his life. Her trust was implicit.

"Oh no, it's not too soon, it's perfect, you're perfect, it's just that I'm nervous."

"Of tonight? Of us, our marriage? What Mercy?"

"All of it, I want to be a good wife to you Heath, I don't want to disappoint."

He drew her into his chest and smiled in relief.

"You could never disappoint me Mercy, I love ya, there's no need to be nervous. Heck, I've got nerves enough for both of us!"

"Ya have?" she looked at him surprised.

"Yep, now scoot up them stairs and I'll join you when I've seen to the horses and said hello to the family."

"They'll expect us for dinner?"

"I'll tell them we're tired from the journey. They won't suspect anything. Tomorrow we'll tell them about us but tonight Mercy, tonight is about you and me, no one else."

...Continued