The Bartender’s Mail Order Bride(17)

Clara turned to walk back into the room, pulling Meg along with her. As she reached Sam, she cleared her throat and looked at Hank, who stood against the wall as he watched the scene unfold, his arms crossed over his chest. Meg couldn’t quite tell what he was thinking, but she hoped he’d be supportive. After all, he’d had a mail order bride himself.

“Sam, Meg is certain that she wants to go through with this. Do you want to continue with the ceremony?”

Sam stood and his eyes searched Meg’s. As she looked into his deep blue eyes, Meg thought she saw a spark, just for a second, or a flash of some feeling on Sam’s part, and her heart sped up as she waited for his response.

Sam smiled at Meg and squeezed her hand before turning and walking over to her father. “Mr. Archer, I realize that this is an unusual circumstance, but I would like to ask for your daughter’s hand in marriage.”

Beau’s face turned red as he sputtered, “Certainly not. You do not have my permission to do this and you never will.”

Sam hung his head for a moment as he pulled back his outstretched hand.

“I’m sorry you feel that way, Mr. Archer. But Meg’s right, it’s her decision.”

Meg watched all of this unfold around her, frozen to the spot. She let out a big sigh and walked over to her soon-to-be husband and again wound her arm through his. “It would mean a lot to me, Papa, to have your blessing.”

“Not in a million years. If you want to ruin your life, you’re going to have to do it without me. Come on, girls, we’re leaving.” He strode toward the door, motioning for his family to follow. When he reached the door, he turned, his brows furrowing as he saw his daughters standing firmly in place, their eyes cast either downward or at Meg.

Not one of them had moved an inch, and Meg’s heart sang as she glanced down the row of her sisters and nodded, thanking them for their support.

“Hank? Clara? Let’s go,” Beau said as he motioned toward the door.

Hank cleared his throat, grasped Clara’s hand and moved over to stand by Meg and Sam.

“I believe we’re staying, Pa. All of us.”

Again, Mr. Archer paled, his mouth opening as if he were going to speak. Instead, he clamped his mouth shut, spun on his heel and left the room, and the Occidental entirely.

As he closed the door behind him, the air in the room seemed to return and everyone who had been watching breathed deeply. Sadie rushed to Meg and said, “Meg, I don’t quite know what to say. You certainly are a determined young lady.”

Meg felt her face flush. “I’m sorry, everyone. I’m sorry for my father’s…well, for his actions.” She turned to Sam and looked up into his eyes. “And thank you, Sam, for wanting to move forward with this.”

“Meg, I don’t know how to say this, and I hope you don’t take it the wrong way, but I have to. My mother will be here in a few days and I need a wife.”

Meg’s heart sank at his words, although she knew they were true. She also knew that she loved him, and that he would come to understand how perfect they were for each other. She’d seen the spark. She knew he would.

“Well, then, Mr. Allen, we may as well not waste any more time. Let’s get married, shall we?”





Chapter 11





The wedding itself had been short and sweet, and Meg could hardly believe how fast she’d become a married woman. Her sisters had all cried, nonetheless. Even Hank had sniffled once or twice, and now that it was all over, Meg was happy that they’d all been there. Even with her father’s fit of anger, it had turned out to be a happy day after all.

After everyone had eaten and wished them well in their new marriage, Sam and Meg had left for his house, Hank having agreed to bring her bags after she’d told him where she’d hidden them.

Hank had shaken his head slowly before he gave her a big hug. “I should have been listening better, Meg. I’m sorry I wasn’t a better brother.”

“Oh, Hank, please don’t feel that way,” she’d told him. “It all worked out, see? Papa will come around, and everyone will be happy. I promise.”

Now, as they pulled up in front of Sam’s white house in town, Meg saw it with new eyes and was once again positive that she would be happy. And as Sam tied the buggy to the post and stepped around to help her down, she vowed to do anything and everything in her power to make him happy, too.

Sam had been very quiet at the reception and hadn’t said more than two words on the ride from the Occidental to his house. She felt horrible about her father’s outburst, so she thought it best to just let things be and was quiet herself.