Yellow Rose Bride Read Online Free Page B

jacket.
    â€œGot a ring?”
    â€œNo, sir,” Adam said.
    The judge eyed Vonnie. “You sure you want to do this, young lady?”
    â€œI’m sure,” she said.
    Adam slipped his arm around her and drew her closer to his side.
    The judge dusted his coat and straightened it, then settled his hat more firmly on his head, tugging it down low on his forehead. Adam could barely see his eyes now.
    â€œDo you love this…woman?”
    â€œI do,” Adam said.
    â€œYou’ll take care of her come sickness or other troubles?”
    â€œI will.”
    â€œNo matter what happens, you’ll stay with her?”
    â€œI will,” he vowed. “We both believe in the gospel, sir. I’ll take care of her.”
    â€œYoung lady, do you love this man?”
    â€œI do,” she whispered.
    â€œYou’ll take care of him in the good and bad times?”
    â€œI will.”
    â€œNo matter what life hands you, you’ll stick with him?”
    â€œI will.”
    â€œThen I pronounce you man and wife. Kiss your bride.”
    Adam’s arm tightened around her; his lips brushed hers. “I love you,” he whispered against her mouth.
    â€œI love you, too.”
    The judge bent to turn his bacon before it burned. “Where you heading now, young people?”
    â€œWe’re staying with friends tonight,” Adam said.
    â€œThen what?”
    â€œNot sure.” At the time, he didn’t want to think about tomorrow and what would surely happen.
    â€œPlanning on walking, are you?”
    â€œWe got horses, by the trees.”
    â€œUh-huh. Well, my blessin’s to you both.”
    â€œThanks, Judge. Thanks a lot.” He looked at his bride. “Thanks a whole lot!”
    â€œHave you spoken to Beth about the building plans?” P.K.’s voice broke into Adam’s thoughts.
    Getting up, he moved to the file cabinet. “No, but I’ll get around to it.”
    â€œGet around to it? Son, it takes time to build a house. We’ll need to get the men started as soon as possible. You’ll want to move your bride in shortly after the honeymoon, won’t you?”
    â€œI’ll talk to Beth, Dad.” P.K. had raised his sons with an iron hand. No give, no take. His way or no way. Adam knew the land had been a hard taskmaster. Building a ranch the size of Cabeza del Lobo—Wolf’s Head—out of the desert had been grueling, demanding more than most men could give. Many had folded up and left, selling out to the highest bidder, often P.K. His father had stuck it out, made his mark on the land. He’d done it without a wife’s support, while raising four boys with a housekeeper’s help. Adam respected him for that. They’d butted heads over a lot of things, but how to run the ranch wasn’t one of them. P.K.’s cattle and horse instincts were still indisputable.
    The Baldwin ranch was a sprawling establishment with patios and flowering gardens surrounding spaciousadobe buildings. P.K. owned four sitios of land, 73,240 acres, but he controlled more than a million acres. At the peak of his prosperity, the ranch supported 50,000 Hereford-graded cattle, 15,000 horses, and 6,000 mules. Some thirty Mexican and Opata Indian families lived on the ranch, harvesting hay, vegetables and fruit, in addition to overseeing the livestock. The Baldwin water supply was plentiful; five springs, creeks that flowed in the spring and fall, and an underground river easily tapped by wells.
    Forty acres situated to the south of the main hacienda were reserved for Adam and his wife. Pat, Joey and Andrew had been allotted similar parcels with adjoining property lines.
    P.K. had made sure that when his sons married, they had ample room to raise his grandchildren.
    Adam knew that the prosperous appearances were deceiving. The past few years Cabeza Del Lobo had fallen on hard times, which was why P.K. was pushing for this marriage with