The Diary of Jerrod Bently, J.W. Osborn [the false prince series TXT] 📗

and his brother Floyd had set up a series of long tables and lined each with chairs. This was for the celebration tonight and our wedding tomorrow. I didn’t care how many people were attending or about the gifts that seemed to be coming in from every corner of the great state of Texas, all I cared about was Sam and wanting the life we had ahead of us. Of course that this point in time, I had no idea that we would raise four children, and own one of the best horse ranches in Texas. We were just starting out and life lay in front of us as far and as wide as the Texas planes. I heard horses coming hard up from the back forty and knew it was Sam. Whenever she rode with her grandfather, she rode Trouble bareback like a Blackfoot warrior. They raced into view, four riders. I shaded my eyes to see who was with them.
“I knew that boy could ride!,” Doc declared as he joined me on the porch and watched the riders dash across the open field. “He sits that bay just like his Pa.!” It was Brian and Essie, “her majesty’s” maid on the heels of Sam and Scrub Pot.
He clapped me on the shoulder “May be my nephew isn’t such a city slicker after all,” he stated “Come on, Jerrod. Let’s go get cleaned up, company will be coming in soon.”


Victoria tapped on the closed bedroom door. “Lillie?”
“Come in.” came the reply sounding so weak and ill that she just knew it had to be put on. Victoria opened the door and there was her sister in law , lying on the bed, a wet cloth laid across her forehead .
“Oh Victoria!,” Lille began “I am so upset and that ungrateful niece of mine, where is she?” Victoria crossed the room and threw open the windows to let the fresh air into the room, just as Sam, and her racing partners rode into the front yard, laughing and hooting and hollering. “I believe that Sam has just come back from Bear Claw,” Victoria stated “Brian and Essie are with her and Zachariah too.” Lillie uttered a deep sigh of disgust “Oh, that dreadful man,” she said “A savage. And to think that he will be doing the wedding service tomorrow. We must send for a real minister. There must be one in Grants Creek or Three Forks. ”
By now Victoria Stevens had had way too much of Lillie Stevens-Black. “Zachariah Dodge is a good Christian man and a properly ordained minister.,” Victoria growled “As a matter of fact, Lillie, he was the reverend who married your brother and me. When Sam got hurt, he saved her life, he and Jerrod. And where were you? Passing judgement from you throne in Philadelphia? I wish you would just leave and let Sam and Jerrod have their happiness. Just because you have never had any of your own does not give you any right to ruin it for everyone else.”
Lillie sat up on the bed, sputtering excuses and defenses as Victoria stormed from the room and slammed the door behind her. “Send my maid up!” Lillie bellowed.
“In a pig’s eye you old witch!,” Victoria shouted back “Try doing something for your self for once!” She ran down the stairs and out on the porch. She was so angry and she had just lost her temper in a very bad way. “I will not stand by and let her ruin Sam’s happiness,” she stated “God please help me with this rage.” A second later she felt her husband’s arms around her and she burst into tears against his shoulder.
“She got to you, honey?” Doc whispered against her golden hair.. “It’s ok, Vic. What ever happened up there, she deserved it.”
“Doc.,” she said looking up into his hazel eyes “I said some terrible things to her. I am sorry. I just could not hold it back any longer.”
Doc held his wife close. “It’s all right Victoria.” He had such a calming affect on her as they sat down on the porch swing together.

+++++++++++++


Brian, and I had become friends. I asked him to stand up with me at our wedding, because he was Sam’s brother and because I liked the man, but the news I was about to hear still makes me smile even to this day, many years , children and grand children later.
Sam jumped into my arms and I lifted her up into the air, then kissed her soundly. She looked so beautiful with her face flushed from the wind of her wild ride. She’d been so upset when she left the ranch earlier that day and now she was at peace and happy to be home, happy to be with me. I set her down on her feet . “Brian and Essie got married today,’ she said excitedly , that beautiful smile of hers lighting her sun tanned face. “Right in Grandfather’s cabin. I was there!”
I smoothed a lock of her dark auburn hair that had escaped her braid from her cheek. “I love you,” she mouthed at me, then slipped away to get dressed for the evenings festivities. I turned to Brian. “You move fast.,” I said “Congratulations.” He grinned and pulled Essie close to his side.
Thank’s Jerrod,” he said “and I will be saying the same to you tomorrow. Where is my aunt? I want to set her straight on a few matters.”
“I think she is upstairs in her room,” I replied, “Has been all day. She and Sam had a fight earlier and she has not come down stairs since.”
“That figures.,” Brian replied “Well, tonight and tomorrow, let’s keep our secret , Jerrod. I don’t want anything or anyone to ruin the day for you or my sister. Now, were can I find some blankets?”
“Blankets?” I inquired. Then I realized that why he wanted them was none of my business. “Esparanza will get some for you.”
“Thanks,” Brian replied. He and Essie were off to the kitchen and I went back to the bunk house to get cleaned up for the evening. It would be my last night there. Ely and Floyd could have it. Varmints and all.

Victoria returned to the kitchen to help Esparanza get the last minute details done. Guests were arriving and dinner was going to be served by seven o’clock in the evening. She had calmed down from her altercation with Lillie and Doc remained alone on the front porch watching the sun set. Brian, with his giggling bride in tow stepped out of the open double doors and onto the porch. Brian had two bright colored Indian blankets over his arm and Essie had a basket of food.
“Where are you two going,?” Doc asked as he lit his smoke and blew out the match. Essie blushed a red as an apple, and Brian stopped short surprised by his uncle standing there in the shadows by the swing. “Ah, Uncle Elliot,” he stammered “I-we. Are going on a picnic.”
Doc eyed him in mock suspicion. “Picnic? We got eighteen people coming for dinner and you are going on a picnic? Brian, you have been back East far too long.”
“Alright,” Brian confessed “You are going to find out anyway when you talk to your wife, so I will flat out tell you. Essie and I got married this afternoon. We are going to spend our wedding night in the hay loft.”
“Now I know you are crazy,” Doc teased “Why not be “civilized” and stay in your room upstairs?”
“Sherrif Stevens,” Essie intervened “It was my idea. I have been in the city all my life and I love the horses, so does Brian and ....”
“It’s Doc, Essie,” Doc said “And wherever you two want to spend the night in your business. I see Victoria got you all fixed up. “
”She sure did,” Brian replied “That wife of yours in a wonderful woman and the best cook I have ever known. Uncle Elliot,” Brian added “I would appreciate it if you kept this to yourself. I will tell Aunt Lillie when the time is right.”
“Son, I was at Shiloh,” Doc replied “That was one of the worst battles of the war, but you.. telling your aunt about this is going to make that battle look like it was nothing.”
“Oh, it gets worse than that,” Brian said as he started for the front step “Essie and I are planning to stay in Texas. Sam needs me. I think her sorrel mare may be in foal. But I won’t be sure until I check her in the morning.”
Doc beamed “If she is, that will be the next best wedding gift Sam receives tomorrow.” he said.
“What’s the first?” Brian asked as they started for the barn.
“Bently.,” Doc replied. He watched the two young people disappear through the barn doors. “Tomorrow,” he said to himself “I give the closest thing to a daughter I have away. It feels right, but sad at same time. “ Some one was calling him