She sat on the bench so she’d be face-level with Jill. “I’m very sorry about your mama and papa. You must miss them very much.”
Jill blinked twice and then grew impassive.
Carly glanced at Sawyer. His expression matched Jill’s. The child had already learned to hide her feelings, had learned it well from someone who admitted to being very good at it.
“Sawyer—” She stumbled a bit at using his name so freely, but seeing as they were to be married... “Well, he wants you to have a home where you’ll always belong.”
Jill’s eyes darted toward her brother. “He’s gonna leave me here, isn’t he?”
“No, sweetie. That isn’t what he has in mind at all. You see I have a very nice home that needs a—” She couldn’t bring herself to say a man. “A family. You need a home. I need a family. So your brother and I are going to get married and we all get what we need.”
Jill stared, her brown eyes intense but Carly couldn’t tell if she approved of the idea or found it loathsome. “Is that okay with you?”
“What kind of home you got?”
“I live on a ranch with my father. We have horses and cows—”
“Puppies and kitties?”
“Not at the moment.” Carly promised herself she’d get one of each as soon as possible. “We had a dog but he died during the winter. He was old.” Carly missed him and hadn’t considering replacing him yet. It was time to think about one now. Every child needed pets.
“I’d have to work?”
“You’d have chores. We all would. It’s how families operate.”
Jill nodded. “That’s what Mama said, too.” She nodded. “Okay.”
Sawyer cleared his throat. “Seems we’re all agreed.”
“Then let’s go find the preacher.” Carly led the way out of the doctor’s house. She turned left, marched past the schoolhouse where Jill would soon be attending, past the town square with trees budding and flowers pushing up through the sod. They turned by the church and went to the manse where Hugh had his office. The three of them stood at the doorway. It felt strange to be coming to this entrance. Carly always went to the door that opened to the kitchen. She knocked.
Hugh opened the door, a smile driving deep dimples into his cheeks. “Carly, go round to the kitchen. Annie’s there.”
“I’ve come to see you.” Remembering the other two, she corrected herself. “We’ve come to see you.”
Hugh’s mobile face sobered and a hard look replaced his smile. He surely must wonder why Carly had brought a man and a child to his office.
“Then by all means come right in.” He waved them toward the pair of chairs facing the desk, realized he needed another chair and snagged one from against the wall.
They sat. Carly to the right, Sawyer to the left and Jill in the middle. Hugh took his place across the desk from them.
Carly had always liked Hugh. He was darkly handsome with a quick smile and those lovely deep dimples in his cheeks. And single-minded. He’d come to town to find his missing son, Evan, and hadn’t given up until he’d rescued the boy. Not unlike Sawyer’s situation. Surely he’d see the similarities and it would make him eager to help.
Hugh directed his gaze toward Sawyer. “I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure.”
“Hugh, this is Sawyer Gallagher and his sister, Jill.”
The men shook hands, Hugh unmistakably curious. Then he offered his hand to Jill and she solemnly took it.
Hugh returned to a seated position. “Now what is it I can do for you?”
Carly and Sawyer glanced at each other, turned back to Hugh and spoke at the same time.
“Marry us.”
Hugh sat back, shock and surprise making his mouth fall open. He sucked in air. “Marry you? To each other?”
Carly nodded.
“How do you know each other?”
“We don’t. First time I saw him was this morning after I had tea with Annie.”
“I see.” He tented his fingers and tapped the ends of them together. His gaze was serious and not exactly affable. “Then may I suggest that this is rather sudden? Perhaps you should wait and get to know each other better.”
“Why?” Carly and Sawyer asked at the same time.
Sawyer continued, “We know what we’re doing.”
Hugh shook his head. “You know nothing about each other.”
Carly made a derisive sound. “This from a man who advertised for a mail-order bride.”
Hugh had the grace to look embarrassed. “I would have wanted a few details before I actually tied the knot.”
“I know all I need to know,” Sawyer said, his voice calm. “Like she said to Jill, we need a home and she needs a family.”
“She does?” Hugh didn’t have to sound like this was unexpected news to him. Even if she’d never before mentioned this need. The truth was she’d never considered such a thing before, but thanks to Father’s ultimatum, it had become imperative.
“Does Annie know of your plans?”
“Not yet.” Carly hadn’t had time to inform anyone.
“Do you mind if I ask her to join us?”
Annie knew why Carly had to do this. She would support Carly’s decision. “It’s all right by me if it’s all right by Sawyer.”
“I’ve no objection.” He sat still and patient. As if it didn’t matter that he was about to marry a stranger.
Carly eased back until she pressed to the wooden chair. She slowed her breathing and did her best to appear as unconcerned as Sawyer.
Hugh hurried from the room. They heard his murmured conversation with Annie though they could not make out the words. Heard her surprised response, then the pair returned, Hugh carrying a chair for Annie. He put it beside his own.
“You want to get married?” Annie asked, her voice and expression full of shocked surprise.
“I told you I would.”
“Yes, but I didn’t think...” She shook her head. “I didn’t think it was possible.”
Carly chuckled, seeing the humor in this situation. “I told you to pray I’d find a husband.”
“Yes, but—”
“Is there a problem?” Sawyer asked.
“We know nothing about you,” Hugh said.
“There’s not much to know.”
Carly needed to prove that she had found out the essentials. “He’s twenty-three. Been working on ranches or cattle drives since he was fourteen. Guess that qualifies him to work on the Morrison Ranch. His parents are dead. Jill is his half sister and her mother is dead, too. He came to Bella Creek hoping to find a cousin and her husband but they’ve passed on.” She sat back, feeling quite triumphant.
“Cousin?” Hugh said. “And who might that be?”
His tone carried just enough doubt for Carly to know he wondered if Sawyer made up the information. She had never thought to ask and she really should have.
“Ida and Henry Brown. They had a young son, Hank.”
“The Browns. They passed last spring. Their chimney blocked