The Whippoorwill Trilogy - Sharon Sala Page 0,100

Joe’s ears. Her face slid in and out of focus as he stared down at the freckles and the upturned nose and wondered how anyone could have mistaken her for a boy.

“I’m promisin’ everythin’ to him, for always… and I’m gladly pledgin’ meself to the only man I ever knew that didn’t give up on me.”

Joe didn’t know if it was happening, but he felt as if he’d risen a good foot from the floor. Her words made him weak, but her love made him strong. When she slid that tiny hand into his palm, he knew he could have walked blind through a hailstorm and not been harmed.

Eulis cleared his throat. She’d said all there was to say and more. He felt awe in the presence of such faith, and a bit of shame that he was not a true man of the cloth to give credence to the love that was so obviously between them.

“So be it,” he said. “And do you, Breed… I mean, Joe—”

Again he was lost. He didn’t have to look to know that Letty was standing behind him. He could hear her hissing like a pissed-off goose. It wasn’t his fault he kept getting this part wrong. He just didn’t know what to call the man.

To his relief, Joe took over.

“I, Joseph Redhawk, promise in front of everyone here that I’ll take care of and love Caitlin O’Shea for as long as I live. I will protect her and see that she has all she needs. And I will always keep my word, so help me God.”

Caitie beamed. It was done.

Eulis cleared his throat. “Then I pronounce you man and wife. Live long and prosper.” He grinned when the congregation broke into a round of applause. It had sounded good, even to him.

Joe grinned at the woman who stood at his side.

“If you had a regret, girl, it’s too late now.”

She arched her eyebrows as he lifted her into his arms and headed for his horse.

“I’ll be havin’ no regrets, Joe Redhawk, but I’m after thinkin’ it’s time ye stopped callin’ me girl.”

Joe set her in the saddle and then mounted behind her. To everyone’s delight, he kissed her soundly.

“Hang on, Caitie girl. If you get tired, put your arms around me. I won’t let you fall.”

Caitie sighed. Five of the sweetest words she’d ever heard. I won’t let you fall. Tears blurred her vision as she glanced at the evening sun. It was time to look ahead, not back. With Joe beside her, she would never be afraid again.

“Well now,” Eulis said, as the townspeople watched them riding away. “That was a fine ending to an eventful day.”

Letty chewed nervously on her lower lip. If this day were only over, she might rest easy. But there was still tonight—and the sermon. After that, she had to find a believable way to get the preacher out of town and Eulis back into character. Unfortunately, her ideas had gone dry. The only hope she had was that Eulis would come up with something of his own.

Unbeknownst to her, he already had. If she’d had an inkling of his plans, she would have already been packing for an early escape. But she knew nothing except that people kept pouring town like mice to a threshing.

She’d not known there were this many people in the entire territory.

The Reckoning

The arbor sat on the hilltop like a hen roost. Nothing above the brushy roof but sky. Nothing below it but rows of boards atop borrowed kegs and boxes. Slap-shod pews that slowly filled with a motley assortment of people as the day continued to die.

They’d been arriving for hours. Families in the territory eager for the first hint of religion to come their way in years. They came on foot. By horseback. In wagons. But they came.

Thin-faced, ropey-skinned men tanned to a leathery red like the dirt beneath their feet. Wind-blown and harried women, old before their time with children scurrying around their skirt tails like little quail trying to get up the nerve to leave the covey. The slip-shod pews slowly filled with a mingling of work-weary and weathered humanity.

Randall Howe would have been shocked to know that so many souls were thirsting for need of The Word. Eulis Potter was scared shitless that they expected it to come from him.

Chilled with nerves, despite the lingering heat of the dying day, Eulis clutched the bible to his chest. He would rather it had been a bottle of Turkey