the small desk and actually looked a bit dangerous for a change, his usual easygoing demeanor replaced by a visible lethal anger. He said in an ice-cold voice, “Do you mind repeating that?”
Judge Ramsey, portly and ruddy-faced, looked unfazed. “I said my authority permits me to refuse your request on the basis that this young woman is apparently here under duress.”
Celia laid a restraining hand on her bridegroom-to-be‘s arm, feeling the tension in his muscles. “I assure you, Judge, I‘m here of my own free will.”
Ramsey transferred his attention to her, his gaze brushing her probably somewhat disheveled appearance after their long ride down from the mountains. “Did Mr. West here abduct you, Miss Evans?”
She‘d been raised to respect the law—such as it was at times in this part of Colorado—but she had a distinct feeling that no matter what she said, for some reason this man had it in for Parker. She lifted her chin. “Where did you hear that?”
“I‘d appreciate it if you‘d answer my question, young lady.”
“I can‘t see if it matters how Parker chose to convince me to marry him, as long as he did convince me. I want to marry him and that‘s why I‘m standing here.”
“I‘m not going to reward a crime by making a mockery of the sanctity of marriage.” That pompous statement was made with a smug smile.
“Crime?” Parker‘s voice held a lethal note and Celia tightened her fingers in an unspoken message. She‘d only seen Parker truly angry once or twice in her life and when he did finally get to that point, he was as volatile as a sweeping summer storm. “I‘ve been courting Celia for the past five years. When I asked her father for his permission to marry her, he gave me his blessing. I made a mess of my first proposal and just wanted a chance to talk to her alone. It worked, I might say, and all we want is to make this legal and be on our way.”
“Well, too bad, Mr. West, I—”
The door into the small building—used to house extra prisoners when the jail was full or to conduct legal proceedings—flew open and Ramsey stopped midsentence as a man stumbled as he was pushed inside. Celia recognized Rance Colter with a lurch of her stomach, compounded by astonishment when she saw her brothers—all three of them. Jared had his gun drawn and the forbidding look on his face would give anyone pause.
“What‘s this?” Judge Ramsey demanded, but the superior look on his face had vanished. In fact, he‘d lost some of his ruddy color.
“Howdy, Your Honor.” Jared indicated Colter with his pistol. “This here gentleman has something to say to you. I suggest for his health you listen.”
“You cannot come in here waving weapons at innocent citizens.” The bluster was unconvincing as the judge refused to even look at Rance Colter.
Celia wasn‘t too fond of looking at him either. He made her skin crawl and had from the first moment she‘d met him, but at the moment, she couldn‘t help but stare, wondering what was going on.
The tall rancher shot Parker, who looked more furious by the moment, a baleful glance, but cleared his throat. “I might have been mistaken. Rumor had it Miss Evans was taken against her will. Apparently she had no problem riding off with West…”
He trailed off in a squeak as Parker swung furiously around. Celia quickly stepped in front of the man she wanted to marry and blocked him from doing something damned foolish, like murdering someone in front of a judge. She said softly, “Don‘t. He isn‘t worth it.”
The plea registered but still his expression was deadly.
John stepped forward and stood next to her, on the opposite side from Parker. “I‘ll stand in as witness and best man, Your Honor. Do it.”
The judge seemed to realize that just Colter‘s health wasn‘t in question and fumbled to pick up a small book. As he hastily recited the words she barely registered, she made what must have been the appropriate responses because
Judge Ramsey, portly and ruddy-faced, looked unfazed. “I said my authority permits me to refuse your request on the basis that this young woman is apparently here under duress.”
Celia laid a restraining hand on her bridegroom-to-be‘s arm, feeling the tension in his muscles. “I assure you, Judge, I‘m here of my own free will.”
Ramsey transferred his attention to her, his gaze brushing her probably somewhat disheveled appearance after their long ride down from the mountains. “Did Mr. West here abduct you, Miss Evans?”
She‘d been raised to respect the law—such as it was at times in this part of Colorado—but she had a distinct feeling that no matter what she said, for some reason this man had it in for Parker. She lifted her chin. “Where did you hear that?”
“I‘d appreciate it if you‘d answer my question, young lady.”
“I can‘t see if it matters how Parker chose to convince me to marry him, as long as he did convince me. I want to marry him and that‘s why I‘m standing here.”
“I‘m not going to reward a crime by making a mockery of the sanctity of marriage.” That pompous statement was made with a smug smile.
“Crime?” Parker‘s voice held a lethal note and Celia tightened her fingers in an unspoken message. She‘d only seen Parker truly angry once or twice in her life and when he did finally get to that point, he was as volatile as a sweeping summer storm. “I‘ve been courting Celia for the past five years. When I asked her father for his permission to marry her, he gave me his blessing. I made a mess of my first proposal and just wanted a chance to talk to her alone. It worked, I might say, and all we want is to make this legal and be on our way.”
“Well, too bad, Mr. West, I—”
The door into the small building—used to house extra prisoners when the jail was full or to conduct legal proceedings—flew open and Ramsey stopped midsentence as a man stumbled as he was pushed inside. Celia recognized Rance Colter with a lurch of her stomach, compounded by astonishment when she saw her brothers—all three of them. Jared had his gun drawn and the forbidding look on his face would give anyone pause.
“What‘s this?” Judge Ramsey demanded, but the superior look on his face had vanished. In fact, he‘d lost some of his ruddy color.
“Howdy, Your Honor.” Jared indicated Colter with his pistol. “This here gentleman has something to say to you. I suggest for his health you listen.”
“You cannot come in here waving weapons at innocent citizens.” The bluster was unconvincing as the judge refused to even look at Rance Colter.
Celia wasn‘t too fond of looking at him either. He made her skin crawl and had from the first moment she‘d met him, but at the moment, she couldn‘t help but stare, wondering what was going on.
The tall rancher shot Parker, who looked more furious by the moment, a baleful glance, but cleared his throat. “I might have been mistaken. Rumor had it Miss Evans was taken against her will. Apparently she had no problem riding off with West…”
He trailed off in a squeak as Parker swung furiously around. Celia quickly stepped in front of the man she wanted to marry and blocked him from doing something damned foolish, like murdering someone in front of a judge. She said softly, “Don‘t. He isn‘t worth it.”
The plea registered but still his expression was deadly.
John stepped forward and stood next to her, on the opposite side from Parker. “I‘ll stand in as witness and best man, Your Honor. Do it.”
The judge seemed to realize that just Colter‘s health wasn‘t in question and fumbled to pick up a small book. As he hastily recited the words she barely registered, she made what must have been the appropriate responses because
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