Outlaws Of Phantom Canyon (Savage Series) Page 16

  “And what do you plan to do about it, Gabriel?”

  “I do not want her reputation ruined. I will marry her,” Gabriel replied nervously. He knew this conversation had been coming, even if Julianna was not pregnant.

  “Good! I will talk to Judge Stone, and have him marry the two of you right away,” The governor said sternly.

  Julianna had been listening to all of this. Gabriel said he would marry her because he didn’t want her reputation ruined! Not because he was in love with her. Well, if he didn’t love her, then she was not going to marry Gabriel! “I will not marry him!” She said crying as she ran off to her own room and locked the door.

  Confused, both men looked at each other. The governor was the first to speak. “Gabriel, why is she refusing?”

  “Bill, I don’t know. I thought our relationship was good …”

  *

  A few days passed and Julianna still refused to see Gabriel. He kept going to Angel’s room where she was staying, but she refused to see him. All she would say through the door was that she didn’t love him, and wasn’t going to marry him.

  Gabriel was heartbroken. Unable to take another rejection from Julianna, he went to the livery stable and saddled up the big stallion. On his way out of town he ran into the governor. “Bill, if she changes her mind, let me know.” And with that Gabriel rode out of town headed for his mother’s village.

  Angel had just got into town and was in the cafe’ getting a bite to eat, when her brother rode out of town. When she finished eating, she stopped at the front desk to get another key to her room, and went upstairs. She was surprised to find Julianna there, sitting with tears running down her cheeks.

  “Julianna! What’s wrong?” Angel asked.

  “My father figured out I’m pregnant, and Gabe told my father he would marry me only because he didn’t want my reputation ruined,” Julianna cried. “So I refuse to marry a man that does not love me.”

  “Oh Julianna, you must have misunderstood my brother. I know he loves you deeply! He has told me so more than once.” Angel was trying to cheer Julianna up. “Now why don’t you start from the beginning, and tell me exactly what was said?”

  After Julianna repeated what was said that day, Angel sat there smiling.

  “Why are you smiling?” Julianna asked.

  “Because silly, did you ever stop to think my brother was nervous, and just didn’t say all the right words he should have? You have to remember, your father is the governor! Gabriel not only kidnapped the governor’s daughter, but gets the governor’s daughter pregnant! Put yourself in his shoes and think about it.”

  Shocked, Julianna sat there trying to picture it from Gabriel’s point of view. “I … I never thought about it like that.” Jumping up from the bed, Julianna said as she ran out the door, “I’ve got to find Gabe!”

  *

  Julianna checked the cafe’ and the saloon, before she looked in the livery stable to see if his horse was there. When she saw it was gone she asked Rex, “When did Gabe leave?”

  “Aww, I’d say about fifteen minutes ago.”

  “Which way did he go?” Julianna anxiously asked.

  “He headed out to the west,” Rex replied.

  “Please saddle my horse quick!”

  As soon as Rex had her horse saddled, Julianna was racing out of town.

  She followed the road west out of town, hoping Gabriel had not taken a side trail up into the mountains, before she could catch up to him. After a while, she had to slow her horse down to a walk so she didn’t kill it.

  It wasn’t long after that she came upon his horse grazing along the Fountain Creek. Then she spotted Gabriel through the cottonwood trees, sitting on a big rock by the stream.

  Climbing down from her horse she walked up to Gabriel. Over the sound of the stream he had not heard her ride up. When he looked up at her, she saw tears in his eyes that were running down his cheeks. He stood up and she ran into his arms and hugged him tight.

  “Gabe, I am so sorry. I said no to the marriage because I didn’t think you loved me.”

  Happy to have Julianna back in his arms he asked, “Why would you think that?”

  “You told my father you was only going to marry me to protect my reputation.”

  “Oh Jules! I’m sorry. I was scared what your father might say, or do to me.”

  “I know that now thanks to your sister,” Julianna smiled up at Gabriel.

  “Angel.” Gabriel said sweetly. “My dear guardian angel has come to my rescue!”

  “Our guardian Angel,” Julianna commented. “Once we are married she will be my sister too!