The hooves clattered against cobblestones, as heads turned to view the antiquated cart making its way through the streets. It wasn't the oddity of the vehicle not being steam powered, but rather Nova's distressed expression.

She was late. She'd just begun altering her mother's wedding dress only two hours before. She'd left it too late, because she really never thought it would come to pass. The realization had dawned upon her - as she'd searched for a fallen screw for her latest invention under the over flowing work bench - that no matter how positive she could be, or how hard she prayed, and no matter how much she ignored it, it wasn't going to change. He'd still be waiting there with a muscle twitching in his jaw.

With no time to spare, she'd dropped her plans and had found her mother's cream wedding dress. She'd removed the billowy shoulders and bustle and pulled it over her head. Finding a pale brown leather half-corset she'd buckled it neatly over the dresses antiquated waist line.

Nova felt an overwhelming flutter of nerves as she looked down from her spot on the cart. A crowd of small children were running behind the cart, their voices full of joy and excitement.

"Freddy, can you speed up?" Her hand reached up to hold the feather adorned headpiece in place, in expectation of the horses speeding up. The sound of joyful laughter in the face of her impending doom... She had to get distance between them.

"Yes, Miss." With the tiniest flick of his whip, that barely licked the air, the horses picked up their pace.

But leaving the children behind didn't ease her anxiety, it only took her - more rapidly - from one problem to the next. Her destination was fast approaching.

The Centre Church had been built in an impromptu fashion, quite like the rest of the town. It was a corrugated flat pack that was nestled - conveniently - between a Brewery and a Bakery. Their trek to procure the blood and flesh of Christ each Sunday wouldn't take a moment, Nova smiled despite herself.

The carriage coming to a standstill, Freddy alighted and walked to her side of the carriage, as quickly as his badly deformed back allowed. Years spent in slavery had left a mark on his body. And while he'd escaped with his wife years earlier the pioneering lifestyle on The Great Plains hadn't helped to ease those same aches and pains. "Miss." He held a hand up to support her.

For a moment, a short fleeting moment, Nova remained in her seat. Her mouth already summoning the words to beg him to drive them onwards. But the insanity passed. Reaching out a hand for Freddy's she moved to step down to the road. She was sure that a man like Jese Calhoun wouldn't let someone like her rob him so easily.

As the two made their way to the Church doors, Nova tried to convince herself to breathe.

#

Jese shifted from one foot to the other, uncomfortable in the stifling heat. He felt a faint stirring of what he distinguished as something nearing nervous tension. What a common feeling! He marveled. He'd had niggling doubts that his bride to be wouldn't appear at all. But whether she showed up or not was irrelevant as he would soon track her down and frogmarch her back. He glanced at the priest, wondering how often the man married off bound women to their captors.

Finding Nova would be a simple task. If she wasn't on her Ranch, his Ranch, then she would be somewhere near that tall lanky fellow who'd been sniffing around a few nights earlier. The one who smelt like new coins and cheap cologne. He'd seen the way Nova had treated him. Her usual ice cold reservations had melted away.

A few well-chosen words ought to remind her of her obligations. She was a Radcliffe after all. No voices needed to be raised. When you were dealing with the daughter of a greedy drunk then all you needed was to show them the money. They'd follow demurely enough.

And then life would stretch out before them. In a happy unromantic relationship. Perhaps some kind of friendship could grow, with time... But, gone were the days where he wanted to live on the edge, wondering about every hoof fall outside his homestead. Things could be peaceful with Nova. He knew how to deal with her. She wasn't the kind of woman that required affection and love to keep the marriage alive. All she needed was money.

"Here is your bride," the clergyman said. Jese could hear the note of relief in his voice. Obviously, the man had become just as dubious of her arrival as Jese was.

Glancing up, Jese saw her making her way down the aisle, his heart kicked uncomfortably. He already knew that his fiancee was perhaps the prettiest thing he'd had the good luck to lay eyes on. But in that dress!

With angry shake of his head he cleared away all ridiculous thoughts. He wouldn't allow her to drive him insane. Jese - alone - was in control of his thoughts and, and she wouldn't prove him any otherwise.

#

Nova noticed the look of savage attraction in her fiance's eyes as he took in the sight of her. Making her feel, momentarily, naked. Hunger was written across his face that even the most prude old matron might have felt weak in her knees. Then the curtain fell, replaced with an angry shake of his head and an expression of cool disdain.

Even though Jese had once again returned to the uncaring man she knew, she felt unsettled still. Her body on high alert. That tiny glance had shown her why he wasn't having any trouble finding female company around Little River. His oozing sex appeal, when directed at a victim, was enough to make chastity belts combust.

#

"Beautiful," Jese greeted his fiancee. Feeling something solid wedge itself in his throat. Without meaning to he was transported to another moment in time, and panic coursed through his veins. Steadying himself with a deep breath of air he reminded himself that that was in the past and he was now here in the future. With Nova Radcliffe.

"Hello." He could hear the underlying fear in her voice. She'd been captured. And like a wild animal, he could tell, she was still hoping to claw her way out.

The clergyman stepped forward demanding their attention, but as he spoke those solemn vows Jese's eyes were drawn to the somber woman standing beside him. A strange emotion burst forward in his chest. Since he'd come out West he hadn't been in the presence of any woman that could stop his breath momentarily. But then she had been lifted onto that tiny stage. And he'd seen hope. Of course, he could never love her. But just because he didn't love her, and couldn't love her, didn't mean he didn't desire her.

She was strangely addictive. The combination of her blue eyes and dark skin, the serious look which played across her features, broken every now and then by a brief smile, did strange things to his body.

"Jese?" She was looking up at him now. Those cerulean blue eyes gazing wondrously into his soul.

"Yes?"

"The vows Jese..." she spoke. "You are supposed to repeat them."

Turning he noticed the Clergyman standing awkwardly at his side. "Sorry." He cleared his throat awkwardly.

The man smiled. "It's his first time."

Jese's heart lurched momentarily. If only it were. Awkwardly Jese began to parrot the clergyman's speech. Trying desperately to stay here, in this moment, with his new wife, and not let himself be carried away.

"You may kiss the bride."

Jese turned Nova toward him and lifted her veil. Finding a cheek presented to him, Jese took her jaw, between his thumbs, and turned her face, bowing his head he dropped his mouth to hers. The perfume of her bouquet tickled his nostrils, mingled with the fresh smell of soap. His heart stopped. She tasted like sugary fresh coffee, it tormented him. He would have deepened the kiss, even in that sacred building - in front of God - if it weren't for her turning her head suddenly. Her cheeks looked like they had been the victim of a terrible case of sun stroke.

Seeing the impact that his kiss had on her features gave Jese some kind of relief for the future. She was a saloon girl, not the best or wisest choice for a wife - perhaps a little too experienced in the ways of men. And yet seeing that reaction on her face - like that of an innocent virgin - it made him feel as if there was a chance that even though he could never love her that Nova might grow to love him. Forgetting all others and thinking of her husband instead. Husband. He almost stumbled on the word. It was almost surreal that he was married to a woman that he'd barely met.

Jese only hoped that he wouldn't live to regret it.