She had to tell him the truth. The whole truth. “I’m not a widow.”
His body tensed, and she knew he was totally awake now. “Are you saying that your husband is alive? Did he leave you? Did you leave him?”
“No, he never was. I found the dress and the ring.”
Trapper scrubbed his face. “You are not married. You were not in mourning?”
“Right.”
“Can we go back to sleep, Emery? I don’t want to think about this until morning.”
“Why?”
“Because I’ve been keeping my distance from you for this whole trip because I thought you were a widow wearing mourning black. I couldn’t tell you how I felt.”
She laughed. “Start talking, cowboy. If we’re going to make babies, I need to hear the words.”
He pulled her close and told her what he’d wanted to tell her. If she’d give him a chance he’d love her every day and every night for the rest of his life.
The next morning everyone was up early for a Christmas breakfast.
Everyone had gifts under the tree and the girls’ laughter filled the great room.
After breakfast the colonel finally got the chance to talk with Trapper. He made Trapper tell him everything that had happened.
Trapper swore the man’s chest swelled with pride when Trapper described how the girls saved him.
When Trapper left the room, all five girls were standing outside the study.
He watched them walk into their father’s study with determination in their eyes. Five closed the door.
He went in search of Emery. Whatever the girls were saying to the colonel, it had nothing to do with him.
Chapter 15
Trapper found Emery sewing with the women, and she seemed in no hurry to leave, so he wandered onto the porch and relaxed.
He had a great deal to think about but within five minutes he was asleep.
The colonel’s booming voice woke him up.
“Mr. Hawkins, I believe we have business to finish. I owe you five hundred dollars, sir.”
Trapper straightened in his chair. He hadn’t given the money much thought. Getting the girls safely to the ranch had been his goal from the minute he’d seen them.
The colonel offered him a whiskey in his study, then sat across from him. “On another matter, I’ve just finished talking to my daughters, and they’ve informed me that you need to marry the widow right away.”
“Why?” Trapper hoped the girls hadn’t mentioned the pee gun again. A father might not think the conversation proper.
“They told me you like to hug her.”
“I do.” Trapper could not lie.
The colonel raised an eyebrow. “Does she return your affection?”
“She does,” he answered remembering that she’d crawled in his bed last night. “But, she’s a proper lady.” Trapper felt he had to add.
“Then you’ve no objections to the idea of marriage?”