The Bartender’s Mail Order Bride(49)

As Meg and Mrs. Allen entered the house and Sam took the buggy around, Mrs. Allen said, “I’m exhausted, Meg. You don’t mind if I head up to bed, do you?”

“Of course not. Please, do what you like.” Meg hung their coats on the rack by the door and lit a lantern for Mrs. Allen to take with her upstairs.

“Please tell Sam I had a lovely evening and good night for me. And Meg, you have a lovely family. Thank you for sharing them with me.”

Meg walked slowly back into the parlor as Mrs. Allen climbed the stairs.

“Why are you frowning?”

Meg spun toward the door as Sam closed it behind him.

“Am I?”

“Yes, you are. Don’t you think it went well tonight?”

“Your mother didn’t say otherwise. She went up to bed as she was tired.”

“Then why the frown?” Sam sat on the settee and Meg joined him.

“I…I am feeling a little guilty about your mother. She’s so very nice and I like her very much. Would it be so awful to tell her the truth?”

Sam’s leaned his elbows on his knees as he rubbed his face with both hands. “I have to say it’s crossed my mind. I’m feeling guilty myself. She is a very kind woman, and in some ways, she doesn’t deserve this.”

“What do you think she’d say if we told her?”

He stroked his chin for a bit. “There are two parts to this. The marriage and the mercantile. In hindsight, I shouldn’t have pretended about either one.”

“Why did you?” Meg’s heart pinched at his pain and regret.

He stood and paced in front of the cold fireplace. “I thought I was doing the right thing. I hadn’t seen her since my father died, and I wanted her to be happy. She’d been through so much after the accident, and she’s so very proud of my brother.”

“So you wanted both for her to be proud of you and not cause her pain?” Meg leaned back onto the settee, tapping her finger on her chin.

“Yes, I think so. It was a hasty decision, one I’ve come to regret.” Sam stopped pacing, resting his hands on the mantle, his head falling. “Parts of it, anyway.”

Meg’s stomach flipped. Was he referring to her? Or the mercantile?

She decided to let it pass until he was ready. “What could be the worst thing to happen if we were to tell her?”

“I’ve thought about that, too. I think she’d be disappointed about both of them. At this point, probably most disappointed that we’ve deceived her. She doesn’t deserve it.”

“No, she doesn’t. She’s been nothing but kind, to both of us.”

“If we tell her, she’ll have to know that I am a bartender at the restaurant. And that you and I aren’t really married.”

Meg jumped to her feet. “Of course we are. It was a true, legal marriage.”

Sam pushed back from the mantle, his sorrowful eyes turning to Meg.

“Yes, it was legal, but nobody thought it was a good idea, least of all your father. The right thing to do would be to have it annulled as it hasn’t even been a week. I’ve asked much too much of you, Meg. It’s not fair to steal your life from you just to protect my mother.”

Meg thought for a moment as Sam began to pace. Watching the stride of his long, lean legs as he ran his fingers through his black hair, she thought of all the time that she’d watched him, laughed at his jokes, been thrilled when he’d come to visit her brother. He knew nothing of this, and she knew it was time. It was her one last hope, before they told his mother and he sent her home.

“Sam, I don’t think your mother is asleep yet. Would you play for me? Just one song?”

He cocked his head at her, his eyes questioning.

“Please?”

He frowned, but removed the sheet from the piano. “Is there anything in particular you’d like to hear?”

Meg thought for a moment, and said, “Anything you’d like, really.”

He began to play, and when it was time, she began to sing. He hesitated for a moment, his fingers over the keys as he turned to look at her. She kept singing, and he smiled and continued.

As they finished the song, Sam looked toward her, but his eyes were drawn over her shoulder to something behind her.

Meg turned to see Mrs. Allen standing at the foot of the stairs in her robe, her lovely, black hair braided and over her shoulder. She wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her robe and said, “I’m sorry to interrupt. It was just so beautiful, and I thought it might be a good time to tell you that I’ve decided to stay here in Tombstone. I can’t bear to leave you two, and if I miss you having my grandchildren, I’d never forgive myself. Your father is gone, Sam, and your brother is very busy and happily married. I’d like to start a new life here. In Tombstone. I hope we can talk about the details tomorrow, and for now I’ll leave you two alone.”