The Whippoorwill Trilogy - Sharon Sala Page 0,132

circumstances, you must see that—”

Anger surged. They were dismissing Dooley as of consequence and solely because of his rough appearance.

“No, Mother! Father! It’s you who don’t understand.”

Dooley reached forward, intent on saving her from admitting her shame.

“Mary, you don’t have to.”

Mary winced as she got out of bed, but she was intent on standing her ground.

“Yes, Dooley, I do have to. I won’t have them saying anything against you when it’s I who have a reason for shame.”

Dooley sighed.

“Mary, what are you trying to say?” Myron asked.

Mary faced her parents. “I will marry Dooley. I will because I must. I am with child and the father is dead. Dooley has learned of my plight and offered to marry me… to care for me and my child.”

Elizabeth covered her face and turned away while Myron sat down on Mary’s bed with a thump.

“Dead? Who could it be?”

“It doesn’t matter,” Mary said.

Myron’s face turned a dark angry red.

“It does to me. No one has died around here in months except—”

Mary flinched.

Myron stood. “No. Not him.”

Elizabeth turned. “What are you…” Then it hit her. “The cowboy?”

Mary slumped. Dooley put his arm around her.

“I can’t believe you have brought such shame upon us,” Myron muttered.

Dooley frowned. “Well sir, that’s just it. If you and your wife keep your mouth shut, no one has ever a need to know. And I won’t have Mary’s name bandied about. I care for her, sir, and in time, maybe she will come to care for me.”

Myron pointed at Dooley. “I say, Dooley. We’re her parents and you have no right to—”

Mary pushed his hand away. “No, Father, he has all the right he needs to speak for me. I have said I will marry him, and I do so with pride. It’s more than I deserve, but I will spend my life in thanksgiving for what he’s doing.”

Dooley pulled her close. “I don’t want your thanks, Mary girl.”

Elizabeth was in tears as she looked at her eldest child.

“What’s done is done,” she said. “But there’s no preacher to perform the ceremony.”

“Actually, one came in on the stage that nearly ran Mary down,” Dooley said.

Mary looked up at him.

“Will you speak to him… see if he can perform the ceremony tonight?”

Dooley’s heart surged all the way to his throat. Tonight he would sleep with Mary Farmer in his arms. It seemed too good to be true.

“Yes, Mary. I’ll speak to him.” Then he tipped his hat to Mary’s parents. “I’ll be back, but before I go, I must ask you not to berate your daughter any more. She’s already suffered far more than you can imagine and it’s only by the grace of God that you still have her with you. Be thankful for the arrival of your first grandchild instead of grieving for the loss of Mary’s innocence.”

He looked at Mary one last time. When she smiled at him, he nodded then left.

Mary’s heart surged as she watched him go and knew that she’d just been given a second chance. Then she turned to her mother.

“Mother, will you help me clean my wounds? I want to look as decent as possible for the ceremony tonight.”

Elizabeth sighed. “Yes, of course, Mary dear. Myron, go downstairs and bring up some of that witch hazel and some clean rags from the back room. I’m going to my room to get my wedding dress out of the trunk. I don’t have much time if it’s going to need any alterations.”

Mary sat down on the bed with a thump as her parents left in two different directions. The silence was startling, even lonely, but she knew that because of Dooley’s big heart, she would be able to keep her good name and after today, she would never be lonely again.

Letty was still wearing a smug expression as she settled into her hotel room. This business of doing God’s work seemed simple. All she had to do was to identify the problem and fix it. It didn’t occur to her that while she was meddling in other people’s business she was ignoring the mess in her own.

She had taken her good dress out of her carpet bag and was in the act of hanging it in the armoire when there was a knock at her door. Assuming it would be Eulis, she opened it wide.

It wasn’t Eulis, and it wasn’t good news. In fact, it was her worst fear that had come knocking.

The man had at least a four-day growth of beard and six