"I think we should get married right away," he was saying, having decided that this was the best way to reassure her. "I was thinking we could do it next Saturday. That will give us a week to get things ready."

Felicity didn't know whether the sinking feeling she experienced was relief or dread that he still wanted to marry her, but she didn't have the energy to examine it. "That sounds fine," she said numbly.

Josh knew a sudden and very profound feeling of relief. She had accepted him. For a moment there, he had thought she might refuse. He knew it would have been no more than he deserved. "Then it's settled," he agreed as a strange sense of peace engulfed him.

Felicity heard the change in his voice and finally lifted her head to see his expression. She was a little startled to discover that he looked exactly the same as always. She wondered vaguely if she did, too, or if people would know, simply from looking at her, that she was a fallen woman. Except she would not be a fallen woman. She would be a wife, his wife, although why he wanted her as his wife, she could not begin to guess.

Wife. The word echoed in her mind. She was going to be his wife. The thought made her slightly panicky. She knew nothing about being a wife or running a house or anything else that would be required of her. Her panic grew when she managed to focus on what he was saying.

"… find the circuit preacher and round up the neighbors. A week should be long enough to take care of everything. You'll need a dress, too. We can go to town on Monday to get you some dress goods. Candace will help you make it."

"You want to have a big, fancy wedding?" she asked, her eyes wide. She had pictured something very private, in keeping with the shame she felt about the whole thing.

"We can't have any hole-in-the-corner affair. People would talk," Josh pointed out, knowing that they were going to talk anyway when they learned Josh Logan was marrying a girl he'd found out on the range and had known only two days. Not that he cared, of course, not for himself, but he wanted to protect her as much as he could.

"All right," she agreed reluctantly, already imagining the ordeal of standing up in front of a lot of strangers as Josh Logan's bride. They would all be looking at her, examining her as if she were some prize horse up for auction, and speculating on her background and possibly even her morals. And then they would wonder why a man like Josh Logan had ever picked a nobody like her for his wife. She cringed inwardly.

"Good," Josh said with forced heartiness, unable to understand her lack of enthusiasm. She should have at least been relieved. Or grateful. "I'll send somebody out tomorrow to find the preacher, and if he can come, we'll invite everybody around. We'll roast a steer and even have dancing…"

Felicity tried to listen to his plans but was distracted when his arm tightened possessively around her waist, sending little shivers of reawakening desire coursing through her. Resisting the urge to surrender, to allow herself to be drawn back into the intoxicating circle of his embrace, she resolutely pushed herself away. She would give him no more reason to think her "easy."

His hands lingered on her waist for a moment, but then he let her go. She stood up and stepped away from him, still trembling a little and grateful for some distance between them. She found it difficult to think straight when she was close to him. She tried once more to concentrate on what he was saying.

Josh, however, had run out of things to say. He stopped talking to study her reaction. She didn't seem too happy about the whole thing, but that would probably be asking an awful lot under the circumstances. He should be satisfied that she had agreed at all. He hadn't intended to frighten her into it, and he would endure the guilt for that for a long time, but he'd make it up to her, and everything would be all right. Once they were married, once she was sharing his bed, things would be fine.

That thought stirred memories of their earlier encounter. Josh felt desire building in him again. Unfortunately, he did not think Felicity would be quite so willing a second time. And Candace wasn't likely to leave them alone much longer, considering the lateness of the hour. Regretfully, he said, "I reckon I'd better say good night."

Felicity nodded, once again confused by her feelings. She longed to be alone to sort out the thoughts that churned in her brain, but she felt uneasy about letting Mr. Logan out of her sight. What if he changed his mind about marrying her while he was gone? What would she do then?

Watching her face, Josh easily read her uncertainty. He had been debating whether or not to kiss her good night, and this convinced him. He would reassure her without overwhelming her. It should be easy enough.

Felicity's heart was thudding dangerously against her ribs as he approached. What was he going to do? Would he take her again? Trembling with mingled anticipation and dread, she tilted her head backward as he approached. The gray of his eyes had darkened almost to black.

"Good night, Lissy," he whispered, and gently touched his mouth to hers. Or at least that was what he had intended. One touch from her was not enough, not nearly enough. The next thing he knew, he was holding her close, tasting all she had to give. One last remaining spark of sanity flickered to life just in time, however, and saved him from carrying her off once more to the big bed he knew was waiting for them in the other room. Reluctantly, he pulled away from her and drew a ragged breath, pleased to note that she was as moved by the kiss as he. "A week seems like a long time to wait," he murmured.

Felicity thought so, too.

Felicity went weak when she saw Mr. Logan's expression. His eyes seemed to burn into her, as if he were looking into her very soul. Quite against her will, she reached out to touch his face and was mildly surprised to find the paper cool beneath her fingertips.

Still she winced as she stared at the photograph. Had he really looked at her like that, as if he wanted to ravish her, in front of everyone? No wonder no one had expressed surprise to learn that he intended to marry her. And no wonder he had done that shameful thing to her.

And no wonder she had let him, she thought with despair. Just holding his photograph was enough to set her nerves to jumping and cause that odd ache in the pit of her stomach, the ache she had felt every time she had seen or even thought about him during the past two, very long days.

Sunday had not been too bad. She had managed to hide in her room for most of the morning, pretending to read her Bible. When Candace finally rousted her out, having heard the news of the coming marriage from Mr. Logan, the rest of the men were already back from town. Everyone was so excited over the wedding plans that she and Mr. Logan had not been alone for even a minute all day.

Felicity's mirror showed her that she looked no different than before, and if anyone suspected what had happened to her, they gave no indication. Even Candace did not seem to notice any change in her. Everyone treated her with the respect due her as Mr. Logan's intended bride.

Everyone except Mr. Logan. On Sunday evening, just as she had been enjoying a measure of relief that the day had gone so well, Mr. Logan informed her that he was taking her to town first thing in the morning to do her wedding shopping. Felicity reminded him, ever so politely, that she had promised to develop the photographs for the men on Monday, so she could not go. Mr. Logan seemed to think he deserved first call on her time. He was reluctant to believe she intended to keep her promise to the men. While they had not exactly quarreled, Felicity knew he was far from pleased.

His displeasure grew as she and Cody worked side by side on Monday, locking the negatives and the albumen-coated paper into the developing trays and waiting for time and sunlight to produce the prints. Mr. Logan had grudgingly assigned Cody's line-riding duties to another cowboy so Cody would be free to assist Felicity in the work. Cody's help had been invaluable to her. Not only did he carry around the heavy trays, but he quickly learned to judge when a print was adequately developed. Felicity couldn't help thinking that if she married Cody, the two of them could make a good living practicing the black art.