Page 100 of Colorado Bride

Emily stepped out onto the boardwalk in front of Doc’s office on Fourteenth Street and headed east one block to Washington Street and the Golden General Store.The shop was a marvelous place where a rancher, farmer, miner, or the wife of any of those men, could find anything they want.If Frederick Foster didn’t have it on the shelf, he’d order it in.

“Well, someone must like me.”

Melissa Mills stepped out of the mercantile door and stopped Emily’s progress.She took a small derringer out of her pocket and pointed it.

“Just turn around and stay on Washington for a couple of blocks.”

“You won’t get away with this.You can’t just kill me and expect to get away with it.You’ll got jail and that baby you’re trying so hard to hide in your loose dresses, will be born in prison.”

“Shut up, just keep walking.”

Emily shrugged and walked about three feet in front of Melissa.She inched her hand down into her pocket and realized she’d stopped carrying the Colt when Doris died.

As they passed Fourteenth Street, Ben greeted them as he exited the doctor’s office.

“Emily?Melissa?”

“What are you doing here?”asked Melissa, her voice filled with anger.“She’s supposed to be alone.”

“She’s not alone,” said Ben.

Melissa shook her head.“No, don’t you see.You have to marry me.Your mother promised if I just got rid of Emily, you’d marry me.You don’t love her, I know you don’t.Doris said so, but you did love me.I know you did.Can’t you just love me again?”

Slowly Ben walked forward, his hands down at his sides.The boardwalk was a good six feet wide and as he walked forward, so did Emily until they passed.

“Why don’t you marry that man you left me for?”asked Ben bitterly.

“He didn’t love me.As soon as he found out I was expecting, he hightailed it out of here as fast as he could and I haven’t seen hide nor hair of him since.”

Emily didn’t like hearing the bitterness in Ben’s tone—he still wanted her.

Ben stopped walking when Emily was safely in back of him.

Emily turned and watched Melissa around Ben’s shoulder.

“I thought you’d put on some weight.I’m sorry for you Melissa, but I will never marry you.My mother was insane, you see.Her telling you that if you got rid of Emily that I’d marry you was just another form of her insanity.Now give me the gun.”

Melissa shook her head.

“I’ve got no reason to live if I can’t have you.I can’t raise this child alone.”

She lifted the gun toward her head.

Ben lunged and grabbed away the gun from her.

Melissa collapsed onto the boardwalk.

Once he had the gun, he went down on one knee next to the distraught woman.

“Melissa.We’ll work something out.I promise.There are other men you could marry.There are orphanages.”

Emily heard the words and her heart didn’t just break, it shattered.She’d been so hopeful that Ben might actually love her, but it appeared he still had feelings for Melissa after all.

She wiped her eyes.

“I’ll get the doctor.”

Emily turned and ran to the doctor’s office where she told the middle-aged man what had happened.