Chapter 20

Gabriella

Gabriella waited by the carriage that Manfred Carlo had rented, bound for Laramie. She didn't remember it, but after Dirk had cauterized her shoulder, Doc Morgan had insisted they take her to his clinic in town so he could keep an eye on her.

She woke up the next morning in Doc's small hospital, aching and sore, wondering where Dirk was. Doc Morgan had given her morphine for the pain every few hours, making her so groggy that she couldn't stay awake. Members of the town had come to visit her, but never stayed too long.

Dirk had come to visit, too. The first few visits, she was barely coherent, unable to carry on a decent conversation.

Then one morning she woke, and Manfred Carlo was there to take her back home. Gabriella didn't know how he had found her, but found her he had. He didn't say much, but she didn't want to argue with him, either.

After he was apprehended, Harley was taken to Laramie to stand trial. When she asked, Daxton had told her that it wasn't necessary that she stay for the trial. Millie had agreed to testify to the kidnapping, and Doc Morgan had agreed to testify to the attempted murder. Sheriff Clark said that he would probably be hanged and would join his brothers and father soon, bringing an end to the Dougherty Boys.

Gabriella hated the thought of anyone hanging, especially over her.

Over the course of the few days that it had taken for Manfred to find her, she never had another moment alone with Dirk. She never had the chance to tell him who she was—not that it mattered now as she waited by the carriage in front of the general store in Whiskey River, dressed in a white dress, short coat, and muff in just her size that Manfred had bought from Kenzie. When Kenzie came to visit her in the makeshift hospital, she had told her that she had designed it especially for her.

Gabriella had made such good friends while she had been there in Whiskey River that she hated to leave. But as she stood by the carriage that Manfred had rented waiting in front of the general store, there was only one person that she wanted to see… and he was nowhere to be found.

"Are you ready?" Manfred asked, extending his hand to help her into the coach.

Gabriella's heart sank as she looked around one last time, hoping that Dirk would come to say goodbye, at least, but she guessed that maybe it was probably just too much for him.

"Be sure to write," Kenzie cooed behind her. Gabriella turned around, happy to see her. Kenzie pulled her in for a hug, careful of her shoulder.

Gabriella nodded, her voice filled with emotion. "You write, too."

"I will," Kenzie replied, taking a step back. "Have a safe trip."

Gabriella smiled. "Well, at least it finally stopped snowing."

Kenzie giggled. "It's been snowing for the last month. I thought it'd never stop."

"Daxton said that the pass just opened up." Gabriella let out a deep breath. "It's hard to believe that it's only been a month since I arrived. So much has happened that it seems more like a lifetime."

Gabriella took Manfred's hand, and was about to step inside when a yell stopped her.

"Stop! Don't go!"

Gabriella's heart leaped in her chest when she saw Dirk running toward her.

He stopped in front of her, breathless. "Gabby, please don't go," he blurted out, trying to catch his breath. "I know that I don't know much about you, but I don't care. I know what's important."

On the porch, Mrs. Carson elbowed her husband as she looked at a copy of The New York Times, and then held it up to show him. His eyes grew wide, and they both looked over at Gabriella.

Gabriella let out a deep breath. "Dirk, you know nothing about me—"

"I know everything I need to know." He cut her off as he took her hand in his. "Don't go. Please. I want you to be my wife."

Gabriella shook her head. "Dirk, you don't know who I am—"

"Yes, I do. I know who you are deep down." He held both of her hands, gazing into her eyes. "I don't care who you are or what you've done. The only thing I know is that I love you."

The men with her suppressed smiles, but Manfred shook his head as his eyebrows pulled together sternly, warning them. No one in town knew who she was, and he had told her before that he wanted to keep it that way.

"Umm," Mrs. Carson interrupted as she stepped down off the porch and into the snow-covered street, holding the newspaper in front of her, her husband following. "Mr. Price, you should see this—"

"Not now, Mrs. Carson." Dirk never took his eyes from Gabriella. "Gabby, please don't go. I know that Whiskey River isn't Paris or the C?te d'Azur or Monaco, but we can have a good life here, together, if you stay."

Mrs. Carson turned pleading eyes to her husband and he nodded. "You really should listen to my wife," he told Dirk, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Not now. Please!" Dirk shrugged away, searching Gabriella's eyes for an answer. "Please stay. Marry me, and I promise to do my best to make you happy for the rest of your life."

A tear rolled down her cheek as she shook her head. "I have responsibilities that I've spent my whole life running from. But I can run no longer."

The men in her entourage raised their eyebrows in surprise.

"Mr. Price, there really is something you need to know," Mr. Carson insisted.

Dirk let out a deep breath. "What is it?"

But Gabriella held his hand, claiming his attention. "I have to tell you something first."

Dirk turned back to her with pleading eyes. "Gabby, you can tell me anything."

She bit her lower lip, unsure how to begin. But she thought that the direct approach was best. "I'm Gabriella Grimaldi—"

"I know," Dirk interrupted.

"Please, let me finish," she breathed. "I am from the Grimaldi family in Monaco. The ruling family."

He raised his eyebrows, confused, as the men around them tried to keep from smiling. Manfred held up a hand to silence them as he listened to Gabriella.

"My title is Princess of Monaco." She waited for it to sink in.

Dirk's eyebrows shot up.

"I ran away to Wyoming and then was kidnapped in Laramie by those men," she continued. "But I never should have run away from my responsibilities. In fact, I've been running from who I am for a while. I was spoiled and shallow before, but now everything's changed." She bit her lower lip and released it.

Manfred's eyebrows rose in surprise as he listened. The other men in their entourage looked at each other in disbelief. Gabriella knew it was because in the past she had never admitted when she was wrong.

She gave Dirk's hand a gentle squeeze. "I don't regret meeting you, Dirk," she added as tears coursed down her cheeks. "I would stay with you if I could, but I have duties and responsibilities that I can no longer run away from. I'm grateful to have met you, Dirk. You changed my life. You changed me." She placed her hand gingerly on his cheek, gazing into his eyes. "You're the only man I've ever met who loved me for who I am and not for my title or fortune. I'm a better person for having known you. But I cannot stay. I hope you understand."

Dirk nodded as a hurt look came into his eyes. "I do," he replied, and then pulled her close to look in her eyes. "I'll never forget you." His lips descended upon hers in a kiss filled with desperation and love, but it was a kiss without regret.

"I hate to interrupt, but we must go. We have a train to catch." Manfred took a step forward. "Princess Gabriella." He waited, and then cleared his throat.

She pulled back and nodded. "I know. We have to go," she said, her voice merely a whisper.

"I'm so sorry, princess. You know I'd let you stay if I could, but since you're a royal, it's not my decision to make," Manfred said, his voice low.

"Yes, I know," she replied, and then turned to Dirk. "I hope you understand that I'd stay if I could."

Dirk nodded, looking into her eyes. "I have no regrets. I'm a better man for having known you."

"No, I've become a better person because of you." She placed her hand on his cheek.

He looked into her eyes and pulled her into his arms as his lips descended upon hers once again. Gabriella didn't care who saw or what they thought. The only person she thought of was Dirk, knowing this kiss would have to sustain her for the rest of her life.

"Well," Manfred interrupted, clearing his throat. "Princess Gabriella, we really must go."

Gabriella pulled back and placed her hand on his cheek one last time, committing this moment, this man to memory. "I love you, Dirk, and I always will."

Dirk nodded as tears streamed down his cheeks. "I love you, too." He reached out a hand and helped her into the carriage. "Take care of yourself."

Gabriella sat down and propped her arms on the open window, extending her hand to him. "I will, and you take care of yourself, too."

One corner of his lips curled into a smile. "And no more wild adventures."

She smiled through her tears as she shook her head. "No." She bit her lip and released it. "The only adventure I want… is with you."

Dirk kissed her hand and Manfred Carlo and his men climbed into the carriage behind her.

Dirk held her hand, running beside the carriage as it pulled away, holding onto it for as long as he could. Then, she let go… committing Dirk and her time with him in Whiskey River to memory.