"No, it would only have made me feel worse," she acknowledged, her eyes filling with tears. "Jasper, I think I fell in love with you that first night, but I couldn't let anything stand in my way. I had to find the man who killed my father. I know you don't understand."
"You're wrong," he said, lifting his hand and kissing the curl. "There was a time you would have been right, but not anymore. You see, once I left you, I realized I felt the same way about you as you did about your so called mission. Nothing mattered but being with you, having you in my life. I could overlook the other men, the quest for more and more money; in fact, I found I could overlook anything if it meant seeing you every day. Even the smiles that weren't for me brought me pleasure because they meant you were still here, still on this earth and there was still a chance.
"I came back to tell you I'd take you anyway I could get you and to remind you that I love you. That's when all hell broke loose and I found out you'd taken White up to your room."
"Oh God, Jasper, I was so scared," she admitted with a shiver as she threw back the covers and climbed onto his lap.
"Me too," he breathed into her hair. "Which reminds me, we have a few things to straighten out don't we?"
"Oh no," she cried, trying to scoot away from him.
"Oh yes," he laughed, keeping her firmly on his lap. "From now on we're in this together. There will be no more secrets and no more missions that don't involve us both, is that clear? We're a team you and I, understand?"
"Yes."
"And you know what's going to happen if you misbehave or keep things from me again?" he asked, tipping her face up to his and forcing her to look at him.
"No. What?" she asked, pretending ignorance.
"I'm going to put that paddle I made you to good use," he promised, kissing her sweet lips.
"Um, Jasper, about that paddle…"
Epilogue
Carl White was convicted and hanged within a week. Crystal did not attend the hanging, trusting Whiskers to see that justice was done. For the first time in months she felt at peace, taking flowers to her father's grave and spending the rest of the day in her room reading poetry. Adam Barlow was working on having White's claim to Eliza's Dream set aside. If he succeeded, and Clementine was hopeful he would, Jasper would see about hiring men to work it for her.
***
Two weeks later, Jasper Montgomery and Clementine McKay were married at The Red Petticoat Saloon by Lawrence Black, the preacher who occasionally came down to Culpepper Cove. The turnout was the biggest the town had ever seen with miners and farmers coming out of the hills.
Citrine stood as Clementine's witness with Whiskers standing up with Jasper. There were not enough seats for everyone, so Nettie served the meal buffet style, all the gems moaning when they saw yet another ham supper.
"Not ham again," Amy sighed.
"With Crystal leaving us, it'll soon be gone," Nettie laughed.
"I still can't believe Jasper was paying her a hundred dollars a night," Dottie whispered.
"He can afford it," Amy replied. "Look at that dress he had sent down from San Francisco."
"It is gorgeous," Opal sighed, watching Crystal twirl by in Jasper's arms. Yards of golden satin seemed to reflect every light in the room.
Gabe slipped his arm around Jewel's waist. "She finally looks happy," he remarked.
"Yes, she does," Jewel agreed, placing her hand over his. "I wasn't sure it was going to happen."
"He has a lot more patience than I do," Gabe laughed, shaking his head.
"Good thing," Jewel replied with a giggle. "I think he's going to need it."
As soon as the dance ended, Whiskers announced his departure on the next day's stagecoach and Clementine shed a few tears as she wished him luck.
"You send me a wire and let me know how things work out," she made him promise. "You can always come and visit us."
"I'm goin' to be fine," he assured her, kissing her cheek. "I've got a mind to see what I can make of that old farm no matter what happens. I'm too old to be traipsing all over creation."
***
Jasper carried his bride over the threshold of their home and right up the stairs to the bedroom.
"In a hurry?" she teased.
"You might say that," he replied with a broad grin. "We only have tonight."
"We have the rest of our lives," she protested.
"Yes, but we'll be traveling for a while. Tonight we have complete privacy," he said, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.
"I can hardly wait to get to Philadelphia," Clementine sighed. "I've always wanted to see more of the country."
"And so you shall, my darling," he promised, kicking the bedroom door closed behind them. "We'll stay in our home there until the baby is born. Once you've recovered, we'll go anywhere your heart desires."
"Oh, Jasper, you're so good to me," she sighed, hugging him close as he gently placed her on her feet. Spying a present on the bed she squealed. "Oh, another gift for me?" she asked.
"No," he drawled. "Actually that one's from Nettie for me. She asked that I not open it until after the wedding."
"Well, hurry up," Clem scolded. "I love surprises."