Free The Lawman (The Willow Creek Series #1) by Lily Graison Page B

from what. Or who, he suddenly thought. Was that why she was so adamant on finding a husband? Was she running from something? Or someone?
    Shaking his head as the questions kept pilling up, he stood, repositioned his hat on his head and left the jail, walking the length of town to the new telegraph office at the end of the street.
    Fergus McDonald greeted him with a toothy smile. “Morning, Marshal. What can I do for you today?”
    Morgan walked to the counter, leaned against it and studied the man. He was tall, lean and had more hair on his arms than he did his head. He was new to town, setting up the telegraph service just the year before. It had been a time saver for many since the lines came through, especially him. Not having to ride to Missoula every time he needed information from the sheriff there was a blessing. “Need to get a message to Sheriff Bower over in Missoula.”
    “All right then.” Fergus handed him a slip of paper and a pencil. “Just write it all down for me and I’ll get it sent off for you.”
    Morgan wrote the message, paid Fergus and waited until the message had been sent. When he turned to leave, Fergus wished him good luck on the day and happy blessings to boot. He wasn’t sure what the hell that was supposed to mean and his confusion grew as the day wore on. Every person he met seemed to be in a good mood. Well wishes from people he rarely spoke to came unbidden but the girls in the saloon weren’t so welcoming. They were acting funny. They shunned him, tossed their noses in the air and wouldn’t even come down to talk to him. Ungrateful, the whole lot of ‘em. He’d tossed his drink back and left without another word. He didn’t need them anyway. Not with Abigail taking up residence in his house. Lord knows having her in his bed was a damn sight more enjoyable than those whores were.
     
    * * * *
     
    Abigail chewed her thumbnail and paced the length of Edna Pierces’ bedroom. What was she supposed to do now?
    When Edna had showed up at Morgan’s moments after he left, the woman had been in such a jovial mood, Abigail hadn’t hesitated about following her out of the house and down the street. She’d looked in the jailhouse window at Morgan as they passed and the urge to run in and kiss him again had been strong. She’d refrained as Edna wouldn’t have let go of her arm long enough to do so and had dragged her to her house instead. Once inside the modest home, she’d been met by a host of other women. The merchant’s wife, Mrs. Jenkins, was there with an armful of pretty lace dresses. An elderly lady asking what flavor of cake icing did she like best, orange or lemon, and a young girl of no more than sixteen armed with brushes, hair pins and small dainty flowers.
    After the commotion grew to an orchestra of shrill voices, Abigail yelled, “Stop,” to get everyone’s attention. When they all turned to look at her, she smiled, cleared her throat and tried to keep her voice in a low, even tone. “Would someone like to tell me what’s going on?”
    They stared at her like she suddenly grew a second head before laughing. The young girl, Miranda Talbert, was the first to recover. “Why its your wedding day. What else?”
    “My wedding…” Abigail’s eyes widened. Her wedding day! The cake, the dresses and young Miranda’s tiny flowers rushed at her in a flash. They were going to prepare her for a wedding? She was almost afraid to ask to whom. “Um, a wedding?”
    “Of course, a wedding,” Edna said, smiling as she stepped in front of her. “When you told me yesterday that Marshal Avery asked you to marry him I knew that it was up to me to see that your day be perfect. Lord knows that man would have botched the whole affair and with you new in town, I assumed you didn’t know anyone. Just think of this as our gift to you. A welcome to Willow Creek, so to speak.”
    Speak was something Abigail couldn’t do at the moment. She sank into a nearby chair, stared at the