He paced back and forth in the parlor for what seemed like days, but in reality it had only been a couple hours. He paused in his pacing when he heard the door open. "Doc, how is she? Is she going to be okay?"

"Easy, there. She should be fine in a few days. She doesn't have any burns and I'm pretty sure there wasn't any permanent damage to her lungs. She will just need to rest for a couple of weeks."

"Can I see her?" He asked, his voice full of tenderness and concern.

"She's awake, you can go on in." Doc said as he motioned towards the other room.

He walked in the room, shutting the door quietly behind him. He pulled one of the arm chairs up and sat down bedside the bed. Gently, he picked up her hand, wrapping it in both of his hands. He sat there for a few minutes drinking in her features, the same features that he had come to love.

"You saved me." He heard in a croaky whisper.

Instantly he looked up into her beautiful eyes that were now open. "Of course I saved you, you crazy woman."

"Why?" She began to cough almost uncontrollably.

Quickly, he grabbed the glass of water off the bedside table, then gently slid his arm behind her so that she could drink more easily. "Better?" Once she nodded, he removed his arm and set the glass back on the bedside table.

"Why?" She asked again.

He sat there for a minute, then pressed his lips to her fingertips. "Because you crazy woman, I love you."

"You do?"

He sighed deeply. "Mildred, I've loved you since the first time I saw you when you were ten years old. I loved you when you married my best friend and every day since you buried him. I just never thought you felt anything for me, so I kept my feelings to myself. But, tonight when I was walking by, doing my nightly rounds and I saw your hotel on fire, I thought I'd lost you. So, you may not feel the same way I do, but I'm not going to go another day without telling you exactly how I feel."

Tears glistened in her eyes. "I had no idea you felt that way."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The morning of the wedding dawned bright and beautiful. The sky was a deep clear blue with a warm soft breeze that caused the white lace curtains to billow. Hope was applying the finishing touches to Claire's hair and outfit. "There, I think we're ready. What do you think?" Faith and Grace commented and went on about how beautiful the bride looked.

Claire stood back staring at the woman looking back at her. She never thought she was particularly pretty, but today, today she actually thought she was. Her rich auburn hair was in a loose up do with soft tendrils framing her oval face. A few springs of baby's breath were placed strategically in her hair. Her peaches and cream complexion glowed in her emerald green gown.

"You are truly a beautiful bride." Grace said as she dabbed her eyes. "I'm sorry. I just get so emotional when I'm expecting."

Hope glanced over at the clock on the mantle. "Oh my! We need to get going or you're going to be late for your own wedding."

"Faith and I will go on down and make sure everybody is seated and that everything else is ready. Give us about ten to fifteen minutes before you come down." Grace gave Claire a hug, then she and Faith left.

"Um Claire?" Hope's face was turning red with just the thought of the subject she was bringing up. "Do you know about what happens between a man and a woman on their wedding night?"

Instantly the other woman's face was flushed as much as Hope's. "Only what my grandmother told me, and that wasn't very much or very helpful. Actually, what she said had me more confused and scared. I was going to ask you a little later today." Claire ducked her head and found something very interesting on the floor to look at.

"What did she tell you?"

"Well, that it's a woman's duty to please her husband. She said that it will hurt and that I should lay there quietly until it was over."

Hope's eyes widened in surprise at the same time her mouth dropped open. "She said that to you?" Claire nodded. "No, no, no. That's not the way it is at all!"

"It's not?" Her relief was evident.

"The only part that comes close to what she said is, that it will hurt some, but only the first time. If your husband takes his time with you, even that will be very minimal."

"What do you mean if he takes his time? I don't understand?"

"You'll understand. I've seen the way Tuck looks at you, and I don't think you'll be disappointed. Oh, and it is okay to enjoy it too. Do you feel better now?"

"Much better, thank you again Hope." Claire said tearfully as she hugged her friend.

"Come on, let's go get you married so you can put your new found knowledge to use."

The wedding took place in the front yard under the shade of a huge oak tree. Levi built an archway that they decorated with beautiful wild flowers. Reverend Winters stood just inside the archway, while the bride and groom stood just on the outside of it. The ceremony wasn't very long, but it was beautiful. The bride glowed as she floated down the aisle on Harold's arm to the alter, then on her husband's arm on the way back. They had invited thirty five to forty people to the wedding. The adults were milling around eating food that flowed from the kitchen, while the children ran around and played.

John had stayed at everyone's request and had planned to leave for home the day after the wedding. Unfortunately, he received a telegram that his mother's hotel had burned, but thank goodness she was unharmed. He decided to leave immediately after the wedding. Levi had even offered to go with him because the boy was so upset; but John insisted on going on his own. He promised to send them a telegram when he got home.

Dark eyes watched as a boy left on a horse and the rest of the people were blissfully unaware of the events about to take place. He bought clothes that these commoners wore so that if anyone did see him, they would think he belonged here. He worked his way into the barn and now he was just waiting for the perfect opportunity. After half an hour, he realized that he was going to have to do something before it was too late.

A few minutes later his luck changed. A little girl, playing hide and seek came into the barn looking for a hiding place. He walked over and knelt down in front of her. "Would you like to earn a couple of pennies?" The little girl nodded. "Do you know Hope, uh Matthews?"

The little girl smiled and nodded again. "That's my mama."

"Can you tell her to come to the barn? I'm an old friend of hers and I just want to talk to her for a minute." He reached into his pocket and pulled out two pennies, then gave them to the little girl. It was all he could do to wait. He was so close, after all this time!

Hope saw Ellie skipping towards her and smiled. "Mama, someone wants to see you in the barn."

"Who honey?"

"It was a man."

"Ok, thank you. Why don't you go play with your friends?" Ellie turned and ran off towards the other kids as Hope turned to look around. She looked for Levi, but didn't see him. A smile slowly formed on her face. Was this Levi that sent Ellie to find her for some alone time with her? It sounded like something he would do. They hadn't had any time at all the past couple of days, even the twins hadn't slept well. It had to be him. She turned and walked to the barn, anticipating what her husband had planned for her.

Levi walked around the corner of the house just in time to see his wife enter the barn. Furrowing his brow, he decided to follow. He couldn't think of any reason why she would be going in there, unless she wanted him to follow so they could have a little alone time. Smiling he turned and walked after her.

"Levi. Levi where are you?" A shuffling sound caught her attention, so she turned toward the sound. "Levi? Come out, you're starting to scare me. Before she knew what happened, a dark figure jumped out from behind a stall, grabbing her from behind. She caught the glint of metal then felt the sharp edge of a knife blade.

"Don't scream, or I'll cut your throat. Do you understand me?" A familiar voice with a southern drawl said.

"I – I won't." Hope whispered. Oh, God! He had her and he was going to kill her. She glanced around looking for something, anything that she could use as a weapon. Then her eyes caught the sight of her husband as he walked around the corner of the barn.

Levi stopped in his tracks. In the dim light of the barn, he saw Philip Huntington, and that son of a bitch had his wife! Rage like he'd never known before surged through his body but there was nothing he could do, not with a knife at her throat. "Let go of my wife! Now, and I'll let you live."

Philip laughed. "Really? And just what do you think you're going to do? I'll tell you what you're going to do. You are going to get another horse and saddle it." When Levi didn't move, he pressed the knife harder into her throat. "Now, or I'll kill her. I don't need her, I already have everything her father had."

Slowly, Levi walked over to Whiney and began to saddle her, stalling for as much time as he could.

John was half way to town when he realized that he'd left his pa's pocket watch, at least he hoped he'd just left it and not lost it. The watch and his shot gun were the only things he had of his father's. He turned his horse around and headed back to the Triple L. Once he was back on the ranch, he headed straight to the bunk house. He jumped down and headed inside. He looked all around the room but didn't see it. He searched his bunk, still finding nothing, he knelt down and saw it laying there on the floor under the bed. It must have fallen out of his pants when he took them off last night.

The reception was still going on and he didn't want to interrupt anything so he decided not to bother anyone. It had been hard enough saying goodbye the first time. He loved his ma, but it had been really nice to be part of this big family. It had always been just him, his ma, and pa. Then his pa died three years ago so it was just the two of them now. John walked out of the bunk house and was about to mount his horse when he heard voices in the barn.

Well, since someone was in there, he might as well tell them about the watch. That way if anyone saw him, they would know what he was doing. The last thing he wanted was for these good people to think he was steeling something. He left his horse and walked into the barn. The doors on both ends were open, allowing some light into the structure. As he walked inside, he saw Levi and was about to call out to him, but stopped when he heard another voice.

"Please Philip, just let me go. You have everything my father owned, you don't need me to get it anymore. I won't tell anybody that you were here, I promise."

"Oh, no. You're coming with me. You see, as long as I have you, I will be a free man. That bitch in Flat Rock thought she could keep me in jail like a common criminal. I showed her though. The fire lit up the entire town. I could see it burn for at least half a mile." He laughed as he thought back to the day he'd been let out of jail. He acted like he left town but came back after everyone was asleep. He climbed in a downstairs window, took a lamp oil, and poured it on the floor and walls of the room, then lit a match. He then went back out the window and watched it burn with that bitch inside.

The words he heard sent a surge of rage through his body. This was the sorry dog that had kidnapped Faith, and from the sounds of it, he was also the one that burned his mother's hotel down. He searched for something to use as a weapon. Spying a shovel, he walked silently over to it and picked it up, careful not to make a sound. Then, he slowly and methodically began to make his way toward that bastard.

Levi couldn't believe his eyes. He didn't know why, but for some reason John had come back. He watched the boy walk into the barn hoping that he would make some sort of noise to distract Philip. Once the other man's attention was on John, he could get Hope away from him, then he was going to beat the hell out of that son of a bitch for laying his filthy hands on his wife.

"I win. Philip Huntington always wins. I've wanted Hope for too many years to let her go now. I'll have to punish her though. I think I'll beat her for not keeping herself pure for me. Don't worry, I won't mar her face." He said as he ran his hand from her shoulder, where he'd been holding her, to her breast. Then laughed as he felt Hope shudder.

"You'll never have me!"

"Oh, I think I will and you'll like it so much you'll forget this – this thing," he nodded towards Levi, "ever touched you."

John was within swinging distance now. He raised the shovel up and swung as hard as he could at Philips back, catching him right between his shoulder blades. Stunned, Philip fell to his knees as all of the oxygen left his lungs from the force of the blow. John drew back and swung again; this time hitting him in the back of the head.

Hope heard Philip grunt and his grip loosened on her. She jumped forward just as he fell to his knees and ran into her husband's arms. She wasn't sure how long he held her. Everything was a blur, she heard voices, then someone running, then more voices. Finally, Levi swept her into his arms and carried her into the house and up to their room. Gently he laid her down on the bed and sat beside her. With tender fingers, he lifted her chin to see if she had any cuts that might need attending, but miraculously she didn't.

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