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“It had better be a big one” Lorna smiled
He tucked a hand under her elbow and turned her to face the Stanton wagon “Lorna, I’d like you towith us part of the way” Then he reversed the introductions “This is my fiancée, Lorna Pearce, and her mother, Mrs Clara Pearce”
Benteen was too busy watching Lorna to notice how subdued Mary Stanton was during the exchange of greetings
“You didn’twith you and Lorna,” Clara Pearce remarked, pleased by the turn of events
“The decision was recent,” he adht like the company of another woman for part of the journey When Ely mentioned his plans, I asked them to travel with us”
“I’lad you did” The idea that she’d have another woman to talk to made Lorna feel just that
Her h she was confident Benteen would look out for Lorna, she had been worried about her daughter being the only wo cowboys She’d heard about their wild sprees on a town, the bloody fights, the shooting, and the wo A lady wasn’t safe on the streets of Fort Worth at night—some streets at least Her husband had insisted there was no cause for concern, but Clara hadn’t been so sure Noith another respectable wo, Lorna wouldn’t be alone
Lorna turned to s to look forward to us getting acquainted” She paused an instant and asked, “May I call you Mary?”
“Please do,” Mary Stantonnote of the white skin, always protected froloves that covered smooth hands
Having been raised one of a brood of farmer’s children, Mary Stanton knew all about hard work and hard living She was a good, God-fearing woman She bowed her head to no man, but there were members of her own sex that made her feel self-conscious about her lack of education and refined s toward the young woirl’s ignorance of the hardships ahead of her, and on the other, she envied her ladylike airs, cultured speech, and unbleue She didn’t want Lorna to discover she wasn’t her equal
“Your father said you needed to speak to e he’d received
“Yes Reverend Mattheants toat the church” The demure curve of her lips seemed somehow provocative “I think he intends to lecture us on the sanctity of e and our respective duties”
“Is it necessary?” Benteen breathed heavily, irritated because there were so s essential to their departure that needed to be done
“Chase Benteen Calder, you are going to be there,” she stated “The reverend is half-convinced that I’ a heathen If you don’t coe ceremony”
“Good” His smile mocked hers “Then I’ll just carry you off and he’ll have to marry us to make an honest woman out of you”