Forced into Marriage Read online

  From beside him, Lokni woke up and stiffened. Her gaze went from the woman to Brandon and then to Clint.

  “Back off,” Brandon snapped, waving the gun to shoo her away.

  A click came from behind Brandon, and he felt a gun pressing into the back of his head. “I advise you to let her take the child,” a man said. “We don’t want anyone to get hurt. We’re leaving you the jewelry as payment.”

  The man tossed the drawstring purse in front of Lokni.

  Lokni shook her head, tears coming to her eyes. “No, you can’t have him.”

  “If you don’t let go of him, you’ll lose your husband,” the man told her. He cocked the gun, and Brandon flinched.

  “You can have other children,” the woman said, as if begging for them to understand. “You have years and years to have children. We don’t want to hurt anyone. We just want a baby.”

  Steadying his nerves, Brandon replied, “The baby isn’t for sale.” Then, taking the chance that the man wasn’t going to shoot immediately, he swung his arm back and struck the man across the face.

  The ploy worked.

  The man grunted and stumbled away from him. In a burst of energy he didn’t know he had, Brandon wiggled out of the bedroll and leapt at him. Brandon’s first concern was to take the gun out of the man’s hand, but this proved to be a difficult task because the man was stronger than he looked. Though Brandon managed to get a firm grip on the gun, the man punched him in the jaw.

  Pain shot straight up the side of Brandon’s head, and he lost his balance. The man took the distraction to force Brandon onto his back so that he was pinning him to the ground. The man managed to force the gun out of Brandon’s hand. Brandon made a move to strike the man, but the man blocked him. The man then pointed the gun at Brandon’s forehead.

  “Stop it,” the man barked. “There’s no reason anyone needs to get hurt. I don’t want to kill you. I only want the baby.”

  Brandon tried to grab the gun from the man, but the man pulled it out of his reach. “My son is not going with you!” Brandon spat.

  With his free hand, the man grabbed Brandon’s neck, cutting off his air supply. “You can have more children. How old is your wife? Sixteen? Seventeen? It didn’t take you much to get her with child. You can have plenty of other children. What you don’t have is money.”

  Since Brandon couldn’t get the man’s gun, he tried to find his Colt .45, which had fallen somewhere around him, but his fingers only touched blades of grass. And since the man had him secured by the throat, he couldn’t even look to see where his gun was.

  “Just nod that you’ll take the money, and I’ll release you,” the man said.

  Brandon managed to squeak out a no as he tried to throw the man off of him. The man, however, wasn’t budging. He had his body sufficiently positioned in order to keep Brandon in place.

  Sweat beaded the man’s forehead. “I don’t want to kill you. I don’t want to kill your wife, either. Think about it. Is it really worth dying to keep that baby?”

  Yes, yes it was. Brandon couldn’t live with himself if he let Clint go to this couple. Not only would Lokni resent him, but he wouldn’t be able to forgive himself. No matter how many other children he and Lokni had, they would never replace Clint.

  He hit the man a couple of times, but it did no good. He was no match for him. The man pressed the gun against Brandon’s forehead. On instinct, Brandon closed his eyes, expecting that moment when everything would end.

  And then a gunshot echoed through the air. Brandon waited for the sensation of pain to go through his head, but he didn’t feel anything. Maybe being shot in the head wasn’t supposed to be painful. Maybe he would just die and pass on to the next life in the blink of an eye.

  Except he was still alive. And the grip around his neck loosened.

  Gasping in the fresh air, Brandon opened his eyes. The man slumped over until he fell into the grass. The blood dripping down the side of the man’s head let Brandon know he was dead.

  Brandon jerked up into a sitting position and looked for Lokni and Clint. His gaze went to Lokni who was standing close by, holding the recently fired Colt .45 in her hand. Her lower lip quivered, and she seemed as if she was trying to speak but was unable to.

  He heard Clint let out a cry and looked over at the bedroll where his son was waving his hands and kicking his legs into the air. Not too far from him, the woman was lying on the grass, unconscious. There didn’t seem to be any blood on her, though it was hard to tell in the moonlight.

  Brandon took a moment to steady his nerves before he got up. Since Clint was still crying, he went over to the boy and picked him up. Clint was fine, though he was probably frightened. Who could blame him? Brandon was having trouble grasping everything that had just happened, and he was an adult.

  Clint settled against Brandon’s chest and calmed down. Rubbing the boy’s back, Brandon went over to the woman and saw that she was still breathing. She had some scratches on her face and a large bruise on the side of her head, but she was still alive.

  He went to Lokni, who hadn’t budged an inch, and noticed the tears on her cheeks. Since her hand was shaking, he took the gun from her. Then he put his arm around her shoulders.

  Something in his touch must have helped her come out of her shock because she clung to him and whispered, “I was afraid I was too late. I thought he was going to shoot you before I could stop him.”

  “I thought I was a goner, too, but you saved me.” He kissed the top of her head. “Thank you.”

  “I don’t want to live without you.”

  “I don’t want to live without you, either.” He glanced back at the man, making sure he was still dead. Which was silly. Of course, he was. But it was still good to make sure anyway. Releasing his breath, he turned his gaze back to Lokni. “Will you be alright?”

  She nodded and wiped the tears from her cheeks. “I’m glad you and Clint are still with me. My family and friends died when my tribe was attacked, and there was nothing I could do to save them. I’m so relieved the same thing didn’t happen to you and Clint.”

  Touched by the love he heard in her voice, he had to blink away his own tears. It was nice to know that he mattered so much to her. Yes, she had opened herself up to him. She had allowed him to be intimate with her and had said she loved him, but all of this only reinforced her feelings for him.

  “You and Clint are everything to me,” he whispered.

  The woman groaned from where she was still lying on the grass.

  He released Lokni and gave Clint to her. “I’m going to tie her up so she can’t get away. Then I’ll put her husband on the horse. We need to return to town. The woman can’t try this with someone else’s child, and her husband will need to be buried.”

  Lokni nodded, and, on impulse, he gave her a quick hug then rubbed Clint’s head.

  “We’ll be on our way to California soon,” he added. “You know I love you, right?”

  She smiled. “I love you, too.”

  He returned her smile and went to his supplies to get the rope.

  ***

  The next evening as Brandon was talking to the sheriff, Lokni held Clint, grateful things hadn’t ended up the way they had when her tribe had been attacked. She’d lost everything she’d ever known in that raid. Her entire way of life, her family, and her friends…

  She was so glad the same thing hadn’t happened again. After she had gotten Clint back from the woman who had snatched him from the bedroll, all of the frustration and anger over being forced from her tribe had come rushing back at her. And she had fought with all the strength she’d had.

  Once the woman was knocked out, she had looked over in time to see that the woman’s husband had Brandon pinned down. She hadn’t even had time to think. All she could do was act.

  Even now, the events were a blur. One moment, she was on the bedroll with Clint, and in the next, she was picking up Brandon’s gun and was shooting the man before he could kill Brandon.
/>   At first, she’d been so afraid Brandon was dead that she didn’t realize it was really Brandon who was standing up from the ground. She thought she was imagining it. It wasn’t until he came to her with Clint in his arms that she realized he was still alive.

  And after that, she was so relieved that she would have collapsed if he hadn’t held her. She still had him, and she had Clint. They were her tribe now. They would go to California and make a life there. They would live by the ocean that Brandon often talked about. She and Brandon would give Clint brothers and sisters, so he could have someone to play with as he grew up. Though she had lost much in the past, she had a lot to look forward to because of Brandon and their son.

  Her attention went to her son as he slept in her arms. He was still here with her. He was going to stay with her and Brandon until he was ready to make a life of his own, and he was going to be a very happy child.

  Brandon and the sheriff sat near her in the jailhouse. The sheriff had already arrested the woman, and he had made arrangements for her husband’s funeral. Now the sheriff was listening as Brandon finished telling him everything that had happened.

  “That’s when I realized Lokni had shot him,” Brandon was telling the sheriff. “If she hadn’t done it, I wouldn’t be here right now.”

  “I understand,” the sheriff replied. “She did it to save you. She didn’t have any other choice.” The sheriff smiled at her. “Where’d you learn to shoot so well?”

  Surprised he was talking to her, she hesitated before speaking. “I can shoot a bow and arrow. It was only a matter of aiming the gun and shooting my target.”

  “She had no choice,” Brandon said. “I would be dead if she hadn’t shot him.”

  “You already said that,” the sheriff gently reminded him. “I’m not accusing her of murder.”

  Brandon relaxed. “I just want to be sure. I know in some areas of this country, she’d get hanged, even if she was saving my life.”

  “You have nothing to worry about here,” the sheriff replied. “Half the town is Indian. No one will condemn her for what she did. Your wife did a good thing. Any man whose wife will save his life is one worth keeping.”

  “Oh, I have no intention of getting rid of her. She’s stuck with me for life.”

  Lokni couldn’t help but chuckle at the teasing tone in Brandon’s voice.

  The sheriff picked up the drawstring purse with the woman’s jewelry in it. “You know, it’s a real shame. I arrested a man who was trying to rob the bank two months ago. Some people will do anything for money, but money can only buy you so much. It’ll never buy you a family, and it won’t buy you extra years on your life.” He rubbed his jaw. “I’m not sure what I’ll do with all this jewelry yet, but I’ll make sure it goes to good use.”

  “Is there anything else you need from us?” Brandon asked.

  “No. I have everything I need.” The sheriff rose from the desk. “Thanks for coming in and bringing the two to me. The wagon master had wondered what happened to them. I’ll tell him so he knows it’s safe for him to head on out.”

  Brandon stood up and shook his hand. “I’m sorry I had to come to you with this kind of news.”

  “I am, too, but I understand that bad things happen in this world. I’m just glad your family is alright.”

  Brandon went over to Lokni and Clint, so she got to her feet. They would be staying the night in the hotel again. Brandon slipped his arm around her shoulders and led her out of the jailhouse.

  She leaned against him, glad for his silent strength. The sheriff had been right. There were some things money could not buy. A husband who loved her, a healthy baby, and security were all things she would never take for granted for as long as she lived. She and Brandon might not have much in terms of money, but they were rich in the things that truly mattered. And for that, she would always be grateful.

  Epilogue

  Five Years Later in the winter

  San Francisco, California

  Lokni took a moment to study the waves as they rolled into the beach, which wasn’t too far from where she and Brandon had made their home. As he had wished, they had a good view of the ocean, and she had to admit, it was just as beautiful as he had made it sound. She loved coming outside to this view every day. It was much better than the open prairie she had grown up in.

  “Mama,” Clint said, taking her hand. “I want to see Papa.”

  She turned her gaze to her two-year-old daughter. The wind blew Wilma’s dark hair in her eyes. Lokni let go of Clint’s hand so she could brush away the strands. “Alright. Let’s be on our way to the mercantile,” Lokni said.

  Twice a month Brandon took them to the beach, and they were due for another trip in two days. She would get a chance to enjoy the beach then. Sometimes they would have a picnic. At other times, they would sit and watch the waves roll in. It was very peaceful and relaxing at the beach.

  Humming a tune under her breath, she led the children to the mercantile.

  San Francisco was a good-sized place, and one thing that had surprised her when she first came here was the large number of Chinese people, especially men, who had made their home here. There were some Indians, though not nearly as many as the white people and the Chinese. The gold rush had given a lot of them an incentive to come here, and though it was long over, many of the people remained.

  She thought this was a good place for her children. It was by no means perfect. Not everyone was accepting of people who were different from them. That was true everywhere she’d ever been, but she was glad her children would grow up surrounded by different people who brought their own flavor of their culture with them. She was already teaching Clint and Wilma about the ways of her tribe. They would learn about the Chinese and white men’s ways, too.

  On her way to the mercantile, she called out a greeting to a couple of people she recognized. Clint was nearly dragging her along at this point. The closer they got to the mercantile, the more excited he got. He knew Brandon would give him a piece or two of candy, and she suspected his enthusiasm stemmed more from that than actually spending a moment with his father. But that would change as he got older and learned the value of family.

  Upon reaching the mercantile, she saw the sign in the window announcing a sale for sugar and flour. She might have to pick some up while she was here. Shortly after arriving in California, she confessed to Brandon that she was unable to read the white man’s language. He had taken the time to teach her how to read, and it was nice to know what the words were instead of guessing all the time.

  She opened the door and let Clint in first, which might have been a mistake since he made a mad dash over to the counter calling out, “Papa, Papa,” the whole way.

  The three patrons in the store turned and chuckled.

  “He sure is anxious to see his father,” Mrs. Davis called out.

  Lokni watched as Clint reached the counter. Brandon, who was talking to an unfamiliar man and woman, picked the boy up and opened the licorice jar so Clint could have a piece.

  With an amused shake of her head, Lokni said, “Every time he comes here, Clint knows he’ll get candy.”

  The woman chuckled. “There’s nothing wrong with that. The nice thing about children is that they don’t hide what they want.”

  “You’re right. That is nice.” After a moment, Lokni asked, “How is your mother doing?”

  “Much better since she got that cane Brandon ordered. She can walk on her own again. I’m glad he suggested it.”

  “He saw how well Mr. Wang did after getting one and thought your mother would benefit from it.”

  Wilma squirmed in Lokni’s arms. “Papa. Want Papa.”

  Mrs. Davis winked at Lokni. “I’ll let you take her over to her father.”

  Lokni grinned and proceeded to make her way over to the counter. Clint was standing by Brandon, chewing on a piece of licorice, looking as happy as could be. Brandon gave Wilma a piece of licorice, too, before he turned his attention to Lokni.r />
  “Lokni, I want you to meet Joe and Michelle Otto,” Brandon said. “Joe was the one who dropped me off in the town where you and I met. I was just telling Joe that I hold no ill feelings toward him.”

  “I’m glad everything worked out,” Joe added. “It wasn’t something I wanted to do.”

  “I know,” Brandon said. “You did it because it was for my own good.” He gestured to Lokni and their children. “As you can see, it worked out. Lokni is my wife, and this is our son, Clint, and our daughter, Wilma. Joe and Michelle are going to be in town for a couple of days.”

  “We’re visiting my aunt and uncle,” Michelle told Lokni.

  “Did you lead another wagon train here?” Brandon asked.

  Joe nodded. “We just dropped everyone off yesterday. We came by here to pick up supplies. I got to tell you, I was surprised to see you working here.”

  “Well,” Brandon said as he gave Clint another piece of candy, “I would much rather be doing this than leading another wagon train.” He glanced at Michelle. “Do you really enjoy leading the wagon train with him?”

  “I do,” Michelle replied. “In fact, I enjoy it more and more each year. This is our third year of coming down to California. Last year we led a wagon train to Nevada, and another year, we went to the Oregon Territory. One nice thing I love about being south this time of year is how warm it is.”

  “We usually keep to the south in the winter months,” Joe added. “We try to make it to Omaha at least every two years so we can see her father.”

  “You should tell us about some of your trips,” Brandon said. “Why don’t you come over and have supper with me and Lokni?”

  “That’s a great idea,” Lokni agreed. “You’re welcome to come over this evening. I just put a roast in the oven. There will be plenty of food for everyone.”