Meg wrung her hands as Sam told the story, all of it, about how he’d sent for a mail order bride and Meg had agreed. She watched Mrs. Allen intently, her confusion growing as Sam’s mother’s expression changed from surprised to amused, a smile growing on her face almost from the beginning.
“So you’re telling me that you’ve been married for less than a week, and that you agreed to marry because I thought you had been for some time?”
“Yes,” Sam said as he glanced at Meg.
“And that you don’t own the mercantile, but are a bartender at the Occidental instead?”
Sam dropped his head into his hands. Meg’s eyebrows shot up as Mrs. Allen stifled a laugh and winked at Meg.
“Well, thank goodness we all don’t need to pretend anymore. I wasn’t sure how much longer I could keep this charade up.”
Sam lifted his head slowly, his mouth agape. “You mean—”
“Good grief, Sam, it’s plain as the nose on your face that the two of you barely know each other.”
“You knew?”
“Not at first, but it didn’t take long. It was clear that you two didn’t know some critical things about each other. At least, not to my mind.
“But we thought—” Meg’s smile came unbidden, and she laughed at how hard they’d tried, and his mother had known almost all along.
Sam turned to Meg, his eyes wide.
“I decided early on I’d wait and see how this went. It actually became quite amusing.”
Meg glanced at Sam and was relieved to see a smile spreading. “Mother, we tried so hard…”
“Clearly. You two went to great trouble to do all of this, and my only question is why?”
Meg and Sam exchanged glances. Sam took his mother’s hand and said, “I knew you’d been through a difficult period since Father passed away, and that we’d not left things on good terms. I thought that it would be easier for you, kinder, if you believed I was safe and happy, with a wife and a business, just as Father had wanted.”
Mrs. Allen’s eyes softened. “Sam, your father and I only wanted you to be happy. That’s all it ever was. Your father was frightened for you, truth be told, and wanted to make sure you earned a steady living. It wasn’t that he didn’t want you to be happy.”
Sam frowned. “I suppose I felt that you’d be happier, feel better, if you thought—”
“I’m much tougher than you think, Sam Allen. How else could I have survived your father—and his profession—for so many years. And raised two charming, talented sons.” She paused and took Meg’s hand. “Both with lovely, talented wives whom they love very much.”
Meg felt tears prick her eyes as Mrs. Allen reached over and gave her a peck on the cheek.
Both Sam and Meg gasped, and Mrs. Allen laughed as she turned on her heel and headed into the kitchen. “Now finish what you were doing when I interrupted you and then come and tell me more. It’s quite funny, you know,” she said over her shoulder and then closed the door behind her.
Sam’s head fell backward as he laughed, Meg’s hand on her chest as she laughed beside him, relieved that it was out in the open and they could get on with the business of being a couple.
“Would you ever have guess it would turn out like that?” Meg asked. “Now, where were we?”
Sam wiped his brow and let out a deep sigh. He shook his head slowly and said, “Meg, I think it’s clear. It’s all out in the open with Mother, and there’s no need for you to stay any longer. As I said last night, it’s best you go home. You know even though your father has tried to be kind, he is not in favor of this, and I promised that I—”
Meg held her hands up to stop him from ripping her heart apart any further. She’d told him how she felt. It hadn’t mattered. Even after all their time together, and trying to help with his mother, he still wanted her gone.
She fought back tears that threatened to spill. She decided that she’d best maintain whatever dignity she had left and said, “Fine. That’s fine, Sam. I’ll go pack.”
She turned on her heel and ran upstairs, hoping that she’d reached the top before she swiped at her eyes with her sleeve, not wanting to give him one more second of her time nor one more piece of her heart.
Chapter 29
The ride in the buggy from Sam’s house to Archer Ranch seemed the longest of her entire life and felt like a funeral procession. She mercifully hadn’t seen Mrs. Allen as she passed through—she knew she would have burst into tears at the sight of her, and that’s the last thing she wanted to happen.