The Diary of Jerrod Bently by J.W. Osborn (large ebook reader TXT) 📕

“I am going to give the signal and they will be here right away. Then you and me go up to the front of the church with Zachariah.”
What had happened to the quiet private wedding Doc had imagined , where he and Victoria would say their vows to each other and then retire to her cottage?
A moment later Nate was gone and out in the church yard swinging a lantern. This was the signal he and the Contessa had agreed on, to show that Doc had arrived at the church. The Contessa would be watching for it.
“You nervous?,” Scrub Pot asked as the two men shook off the trail dust and then sat down for a moment.
“Well, I wasn’t,” Doc said “But now that words got it, the whole town is here. I guess I am. ” They could hear voices coming from the sanctuary and knew people were filing in. Doc was dressed in black, his gun on his hip, his silver star pinned to his leather vest. Yes, he cut quite a figure to say the least and he was ready to get this over with and start a new life with Victoria. Scrub Pot removed his hat, and marked his the place in his bible with a scrap of cloth that Alice had once used to tie her hair back with. “I married my wife in a church like this,” he said reflectively “I barely spoke English at all, and all the ways of her people were strange to me, but I knew that I loved her more than my life and that I was on the right path. I would have done anything for my Alice, and did. If this is the way you feel about Victoria, this union is meant to be.”
“That is exactly how I feel about her,” Doc replied.
Before he could say another word, the door opened and Nathan walked in, a broad smile on his face. “You ready, Doc?,” he asked. “The ladies have just arrived, and I have to say, Victoria is one fine looking woman!”
“That I know, Travis,” Doc replied “So let’s not keep her waiting.” Doc unbuckled his gun belt and set belt, holster and gun down on the table. “Don’t need to be wearing this right now,” he said to himself. The two men followed Scrub Pot out into the sanctuary. There was a sudden silence that fell over the people in the church when they beheld a native American man, in his red shirt, vest, jeans and boots, with his long salt and pepper black hair falling down his back in a thick braid. He walked up to the alter, stepped up and turned around to face them. When they saw the bible in his hands, the knew that no matter what he looked like, he was the preacher Doc Stevens had promised to find. He smiled at the people staring at him. “Good evening,” he said, “My name is Zachariah Dodge and I will be officiating for the Reverend Wilks this evening..”

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La Contessa’s driver drew the elegant coach to a halt in front of the church, his team of white horses seeming to gleam in their black harnesses. The foot man opened the door and handed out La Contessa Francessca Della Bellezza, dressed in an elegant blue gown and matching hat. Next came Frances Bradford her dark hair styled beautifully with a small spray of white roses for effect. Her gown was a beautiful shade of lavender. Both ladies stood to the side as Victoria stepped from the coach. She was breathtaking in that beautiful pink watered silk gown, her blonde hair done up in the latest French style and fastened with a spray of white roses like her friend’s. She did not seem nervous at all as the three ladies walked to the open church door. On seeing them there, Mrs. Wilks began to play the wedding march while Doc and Nate stood off to the right of the altar and drank in the sight they were seeing. The Contessa walked down the isle first and then took a seat next to J. W. Titus and husband Jake. Then came Frances Bradford. She looked beautiful and Nathan could not believe how the sight of her made him feel. He almost wished it was him getting married instead of Doc. Fran smiled at him as she took her place across from the two men.
Victoria seemed to float down the isle, like a vision out of a dream. So beautiful and radiant, a light blush on her cheeks. There she was, his Victoria and he could not have been happier. “Thank you, Lord,” Doc said as he watched her coming toward him. “She is the one.” All the loneliness and grief that had haunted him and a violent past that made him the man he was melted away as he reached out and took her hand. The smile on her face and the joy in her dark eyes moved him to tears. He saw the future, and knew this was right as he took his place beside her. “Dearly beloved,” Scrub Pot began, “We are gathered here in the sight of God to join together in holy matrimony, Elliot “Doc” Stevens and Victoria Langford.”
The church was respectfully quite as Doc and Victoria made their vows to each other. The towns people had been surprised by the arrival of a Native American preacher to officiate, but it did not matter. Scrub Pot was eloquent and expressive as he charged the couple before him to love, honor and cherish until death do them part. “Then I ask you, Elliot Stevens,” he said “ Will you have Victoria Langford to be your lawfully wedded wife?”
“I will,” Doc replied as he smiled at his bride. Tears stood in Victoria’s eyes as she accepted the vow of the man who would be her husband. Scrub Pot turned to Nathan Travis. “The ring,” he said “And we are done here.” Nate grinned broadly as he handed him the plain gold band that Doc has entrusted him with. He watched as Scrub Pot placed it on the pages of the open bible he held. Words melded into music , as in a dream as the couple gazed at each other. Suddenly Sarah Steven’s wedding ring was in Doc’s hand and he sniffed back a tear as he slid it onto Victoria’s finger. “With this ring, I thee wed,” he repeated after Scrub Pot. Then the moment for which everyone had been waiting came. “Doc and Victoria,” Scrub Pot said , with wistful smile “I now pronounce that you are man and wife. Doc, you may now kiss your bride.” And he did. The congregation could not contain themselves any longer and a rousing cry of joy and congratulations rose to the rafters of the small church. Tears were on Fran’s cheek as she handed Victoria her wedding bouquet. Nate smiled warmly as he shook Doc’s hand. “Congratulations, my friend,” he said. Doc grinned, “Thanks, Nate.” The couple walked down the isle and out of the church to where La Contessa waited to wish them well as they joined her in her carriage. Then , in grand style, they were driven to Victoria’s cottage.
Nathan walked down the church steps with Fran on his arm. “Not bad for short notice,” he commented “I think they will do all right. “
”I think so too,” Fran replied “Let’s go back to the ranch. I am wore out.”
Nathan sniffed the air. “Good idea,’ he said “Think I smell a pole cat somewhere.” He helped Fran up into her buggy and once in the seat beside her took the reins of the team and drove away. Scrub Pot closed his bible and heading for the front door. His work was done. “That was a fine service,” a voice said behind him. “Thanks for coming on such short notice.” The old man turned around and there stood Jake Titus.
“Doc is a persistent man, Mr. Titus,” Scrub Pot replied as the two men stepped outside into the church yard, “But I would have come through hell fire to perform this wedding tonight.”
“You are a good friend.,” Jake commented.
“More than that,” Scrub Pot said as he swung up onto Wakeeze’s back. “We are blood brothers.”
“I have heard of that custom,” Jake replied as the old man turned his horse toward the lane.
“He may be my brother,” Scrub Pot said “but he still owes me a dollar for my parson’s fee.”
Jake laughed. “He’s good for it now that he’s the sherrif around here. Guess you will be heading back to move that herd out.”
“Yes,” Scrub Pot replied “ Maybe we will stop here on our way back from Abilene when the job is done.”
“I hope so,” Jake replied “Safe journey, my friend.” At that he turned and looked back through the open doors of the church and called to his wife and daughter.

Now there was a whole lot going on inside the church and that unwelcome guest who had moved in under the floor boards was getting more than a little nervous.
As he headed for the door to leave , a dozen other folks behind him, Old Pede stopped and sniffed the air. “That critter is mighty close,” he commented to Hap Johansen Jr. “May be I ought to go get my gear and start lookin fer it.”
It was already too late. With the sounds of all the people leaving the church and all the noise on the floor above him was all that poor critter could stand and the acrid spray went everywhere, wafting upward through the cracks in the wood floor. “POLE CAT!” some one shouted and the mad dash to get out of