Soon, the Elk Ranch would be graced by another amazing woman. He only wished his mother could be at their wedding.
_____
Jake wasn’t the least bit awkward having Kay in the church with her husband as he and Sara stood before Reverend Faraday. He didn’t know if she harbored any resentment, but at least she hadn’t even cleared her throat when the reverend asked if anyone had an objection to the marriage.
While Sara hadn’t changed out of her riding clothes, Jake couldn’t imagine any bride looking more radiant. He’d even remembered to bring the ring set he’d bought in Helena.
It was a short, plain ceremony that could have been performed in the courthouse or in the Smith’s home, but its location didn’t matter.
When the reverend pronounced them man and wife, Jake looked into Sara’s deep blue eyes before he kissed her gently. He may not have been able to read her thoughts most of the time, but this wasn’t most of the time. Jake knew that she felt the same flood of emotion that filled his heart and soul.
After accepting congratulations from everyone, including a peck on the cheek from Kay, Jake escorted Sara to the small office in back to complete the necessary paperwork. After her parents signed as witnesses, her father said he had to get back to the store before Orville and Emmett started giving things away to pretty girls.
By the time they finished filling out the territorial forms, they entered an empty church, which was a relief to Jake. He wasn’t convinced that Kay was completely happy about the marriage.
Jake smiled and said, “I guess everyone went home.”
“We should go home too, Mister Elliott.”
“And, so we shall, Mrs. Elliott.”
Sara took his arm before they walked back down the aisle, left the shadows of the church and stepped into the heat of the summer sun.
After they were mounted and riding west, Jake said, “I’ve got to pay the men and appoint a new foreman. I told them I’d meet with them at the chow house before supper, but I have a feeling that they’ll already be there waiting for us. And I don’t believe that the expectation of getting paid is their main reason for being there.”
“Who are you going to make foreman?”
“Jack Parker. He has the most experience and has earned the respect of the other men.”
Sara nodded then asked, “What if Dave Forrest decides to return?”
Jake hadn’t even considered that possibility, so after he thought about it for a few seconds, he replied, “I’d be surprised if he did. You read his letter. He was in love with his sister-in-law and has a son waiting for him.”
Sara had her own opinion but didn’t know Dave Forrest at all, so she kept it to herself. But they needed to have a serious and lengthy conversation about all that Mrs. Kemper had revealed. Sara had barely known his father, and his mother was just a casual acquaintance, so she had to base any theory on whatever Jake told her. Still, she realized that she had the ability to see it objectively and hoped to get Jake to do the same.
But even as he’d answered Sara’s question about Dave, Jake’s mind was being pummeled with questions generated by the visit to the bakery. He desperately needed Sara’s insight to help him find answers, but there were still things that needed to be done. Amazingly, consummating their marriage wasn’t at the top of his list.
_____
As soon as they turned onto the Elk’s access road, Jake’s educated guess about the men’s premature gathering in the chow house was confirmed. He noticed smoke already pouring from the cookstove’s pipe and he spotted Big Tom as he shouted into the chow house.
Jake turned to Sara and said, “Our greeting party is about to leave the chow house.”
Sara grinned as she said, “Then you’d better have their pay ready, boss.”
Jake snickered before saying, “Like I’m really the boss, boss.”
As they exited from the chow house, the eleven men didn’t just coalesce into a disfigured circle, but formed themselves into two lines, almost like soldiers forming for inspection.
Jake laughed at the sight but noticed that Jack Parker stood by himself off to the side like a first sergeant and said, “I guess they already selected their new foreman before I did.”
“They were just confirming your own sound judgement, sir.”
Jake glanced at Sara to see if she was about to laugh but wasn’t able to discern even a hint of sarcasm.
When they pulled up before the two columns of ranch hands standing at attention, Jake had to keep from laughing. But he managed to keep a straight face as he and Sara dismounted.
As soon as he took Sara’s hand, Jack Parker shouted, “Present arms!” before he snapped a reasonably sharp salute while the others almost seemed to wave from their foreheads.
Jake was grinning as he came to attention, returned his salute then said, “At ease, men.”
Jack didn’t issue the order arms command before the men dropped their hands to their sides and began laughing as they approached the newlyweds.
Jake said, “You boys all know I was only a private; don’t you?”
They were still grinning as they formed a loose reception line. Each man vigorously shook Jake’s hand before shaking Sara’s hand much more gently.
When the queue reached its end, Jake said, “Let me get my saddlebags and we’ll take care of your pay.”
Bill Jackson took Mars reins and Big Tom took Vulcan’s while Jake removed his saddlebags. After the horses were tied off at the hitchrail, Jake took Sara’s hand again and followed the crowd into the chow house.
As the men sat on the benches along both
