they were exchanging. She noticed there was no mention of Pecos or Martin when Tyler gave his vows. This whole ceremony seemed unreal, like some act put on by a traveling theater troupe. Surely it took more than this to seal her to one man into eternity.
But the ring Tyler pulled off his finger to put on hers was very real. And it was even more real when the reverend told Tyler he could kiss the bride and Tyler did so. He smelled of tobacco and leather and a faint scent of spicy shaving lotion. His lips were hard and firm and very decisive as she clutched his loose ring in one hand and tried not to touch him with the other. He was making a point here, and Evie wasn't at all certain that she was ready to accept it. The pain in her stomach had changed to swirls of something very like anticipation.
The reality was even stronger when Mr. Cleveland produced a printed license with scrolls and flowers around the sides and asked that everyone present sign it. Evie was first, and she hesitated, wondering what she was doing when she went to sign her name and knew she couldn't use her real one. She put an "E" in front of the Maryellen and told herself that the Peyton was real enough. It just lacked the "Howell" to be complete.
Tyler signed his with a flourish. His middle name was Douglas. He didn't look like a Douglas. Evie sent him a surreptitious look from beneath lowered lashes, but he was patiently handing the pen to the preacher.
Ben signed in a very distinct copperplate hand, then carried the paper to Daniel. Daniel was still looking at Evie with uncertainty, but when she stood without protesting beneath Tyler's hold, he slowly carved his name across the final line.
The preacher rolled the paper up after the ink dried and handed it with satisfaction to Tyler. "All right and tight, sir. May I congratulate you on your fine choice of wife? And Mrs. Monteigne, may I be the first to welcome you to your new name? I hope you will settle here so I might christen your first child."
The color that drained from Evie's cheeks at the mention of her new name flared briefly at the mention of the child. She was married and going to have a baby. She thought the appropriate thing to do would be to swoon.
But no matter how hard she concentrated on it, she couldn't seem to manage a swoon. Evie clenched her teeth as Tyler bade the preacher farewell. She walked out of his presumptuous hold and toward the door as soon as the man left. She didn't even turn around to speak to the other men in the room. She walked out, and they all stared after her, listening carefully to be certain her footsteps went no farther than the room next door. They didn't.
Tyler exhaled a heavy breath, ran his hand through his hair, and turned an uncertain look to Ben and Daniel.
They were both waiting for him to give explanations. He didn't have any to give. He'd just gone and got himself shackled when he had only just decided it was time to find another woman. He'd been planning on finally taking Starr to her room tonight. Now look at him.
"She's carrying my baby," he finally admitted before walking out, following Evie from the room. Daniel's furious cry followed him, but the silence from Benjamin was equally ominous.
Benjamin knew his history, and it wasn't a good one. Walking slowly, Tyler faced the panel separating him from his newly acquired wife. He could open the door and meet the future with a ball and chain that he had spent years avoiding, or he could walk away and never look back.
He'd done the latter once. He had regretted it ever since. With calm resolution, Tyler opened the door.
Chapter 16
Evie stared at the flowers in her bedroom through tear-misted eyes. She wasn't much of a gardener and wasn't certain of the proper names for everything, but the riot of color struck her with sobs that could have been joy had the circumstances been different.
A giant bouquet of paper roses adorned the old oak dresser. Entire branches of real lilac were strewn across the bed, filling the air with heavenly scents. Green stalks topped by dancing yellow heads filled the water pitcher. Branches covered in pink occupied her sitting chair. She hadn't thought the entire town had held