Page 21 of Mail-Order Lady

No hesitation. Her voice came clear and sweet with no sign of tremor. How could she manage such grace and presence in the middle of this…this rushed ceremony that would bind her to a man forever who’d not even told her he loved her?

He should have told her.

Certainty settled over him with every part of his being. He did love Clara McKinney—soon to be Lady Robert Balfour—and he should have told her that before he married her.

But the truth would have frightened her. She might have thought he’d expect more from her. Expect her to return the words. To give fully of herself as a husband and wife usually would.

This was best. He would protect her even from himself.

Garrett shifted to face them both. “Then by the authority vested in me by the Territory of Montana, and in the presence of these witnesses, I pronounce you husband and wife.” He glanced between them and almost smiled. “You may kiss your bride, Mr. Balfour.”

Kissing her would be within his rights. The sheriff had offered the moment as was his job. Any other groom in his place would have taken it at first chance.

But this was Clara.

He had to honor his vow to protect her.

He turned instead and lifted her hand the small distance to his lips. He brushed his lips against her knuckles, barely a touch.

When he drew back, he let himself find her gaze once more.

Her expression was unreadable. Warm, composed, that same careful grace she’d carried through the whole of it. But it was impossible to tell what she was thinking beneath that facade.

Garrett turned the book around. “Sign here, please. Both of you.”

He signed first, and the pen scratched against the paper.

Then Clara, her hand steady, wrote her name in the long, careful script he’d seen on a few occasions. Clara McKinney Balfour.

Mrs. Wang signed below her. Henley signed below Mrs. Wang.

And it was done.

Garrett closed the book and tucked it under his arm. “Congratulations, Mr. Balfour.” He shook Robert’s hand with the brief, firm grip of a man who had somewhere else to be.

“Mrs. Balfour.” A nod to Clara.

Then he settled his hat back on his head and moved toward the door.

Robert turned to Henley and shook his hand as well. The young man looked pleased with himself, as if he’d arranged the whole affair.

Mrs. Wang moved to Clara’s side and murmured something too low for him to catch. Clara turned to her with a soft answer and the beginning of a real smile—not the careful one, but the one that started in her eyes before it reached her mouth.

He made himself look away.

And then Mrs. Wang was before him. She lifted her hands to cup his face in the way she hadn’t done in years. “You have done well,” she said quietly.

A sting started behind his eyes as he stared into her dark ones. They glistened back at him with a tenderness that made something in his chest crack open.

He pressed his lips together and nodded once.

She released him, then turned and padded out of the parlor.

Which left him alone with his wife.

CHAPTER 6

Clara opened her eyes to gray light filtering through the curtain.