Page 6 of The Gold Rush Bride

“Yes.” Barnaby frowned.

She was sure he didn’t see anything in this whole situation to smile about.

“Now, before I get started, are there rings to exchange?

“No,” Barnaby and Sadie spoke at once.

“That’s fine. I’ll just skip that part of the ceremony. Do you have two witnesses?” The reverend opened his Bible and waited.

Sadie wondered if she was doing the right thing.

* * *

Barnaby looked around.“Kitty, can you get one of your girls and the two of you be our witnesses?”

“Sure. Hang on.” She disappeared behind a curtain in the back wall of the lobby. She returned shortly with a tall, plump brunette. Barnaby couldn’t help but stare. The woman had a lot of Sadie’s attributes, but none of her fire. Perhaps Sadie’s bright-red hair or her emerald eyes made her appear livelier than the other woman. Or maybe she’d just had a hard life.

“This here’s Janey.” Kitty pointed her thumb toward the woman. “She’s one of my new girls. I don’t think you’ve met her, Barnaby.”

His cheeks heated under Sadie’s scrutiny. “No, I’ve never had the pleasure. Nice to meet you, Janey.”

The woman extended her right hand. “You too, Barnaby. Who is the lucky lady?”

He leaned toward Janey and shook hands.

Smiling while she stepped forward, Sadie extended her right hand. “I’m Sadie. I just arrived here today.”

Janey wore a woolen shawl over her dress. She also wore woolen stockings with miner’s boots and a dress that was shockingly scandalous. It hit her just above the knees in front and mid-calf in back. While the shawl covered most of Janey’s dress, he saw Sadie still discerned it to be a too low-cut dress. Barnaby wished he’d asked Kitty to have her girl put on a Sunday dress.

The reverend gazed down at his Bible and then back and forth toward each of them. “Now that everyone has met, shall we get started?”

Barnaby straightened and stood to the reverend’s left.

Sadie positioned herself to his right.

“Very good. Now your names, please.”

“Sadie Aurora Thompson.”

“Barnaby Samuel Drake.”

“Good. Let’s begin. We are gathered here before God and these witnesses for the marriage of Barnaby Samuel Drake and Sadie Aurora Thompson. Do you, Barnaby Samuel Drake, take this woman Sadie Aurora Thompson, to be your lawful wedded wife? To have and to hold, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, for richer and for poorer, to love and to cherish her from this day forward, until death do you part?”

He gazed at Sadie for a moment and then nodded. “I do.”

The reverend turned toward Sadie. “Do you, Sadie Aurora Thompson, take this man, Barnaby Samuel Drake, to be your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold, for better and for worse, in sickness and in health, for richer and for poorer, to love and to obey him from this day forward, until death do you part?”

“I do.” Her voice was soft.

She looked up at Barnaby with those beautiful green eyes and he thought maybe this wasn’t such a bad idea.

The preacher smiled. “Then by the power vested in me by the Lord God Almighty, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss your bride.”

Barnaby looked down at Sadie. She was a beautiful woman, and when, like now, she was quiet, he wanted to kiss her...very much. He bent his head and placed his lips on hers. He meant it to just be a quick peck, but her lips were soft, and he found himself wanting to drink in all her goodness.

He placed one hand behind her head and kissed her thoroughly until he felt a tap on his shoulder.

“Mr. Drake. Mr. Drake.” The preacher continued to tap his shoulder.