Daughters of the Heart (32 page)

He nodded but sure didn’t seem to him that he deserved sainthood, not much of one if anybody asked him.

More than likely, saint didn’t want to solve all their problems with a gun. May extended her hand and let Sofia pull her up. “Go see if Miss Jewel needs any help, dear.”

“Yes, ma’am. Thank you, ma’am.”

Henry waited until the door closed then stood. “Come rest your back.”

Once back in his usual place and she in hers, he held one hand out toward the fire. Its flames warmed his skin, but failed to touch the chill on his soul. He faced his wife. “What do you think?”

“As much as I want that man out of our lives for good and forever, I definitely do not want you going to New Orleans or anywhere near it.”

“What about the girl?”

“Oh, I don’t see any way we could humanely turn her out. I suppose I must admit the Lord brought her here.”

“If you say so.”

“Well, Henry. What else am I to say? And Miss Jewel just went on and on what a hard worker the girl is. Seems there’s nothing else to do but have her stay at least until the baby comes.”

So far, May echoed his own thoughts. “What about our not-so-baby girls and their beaus? What are we to do with the lot of them?”

“Well. If you tell them no and send the boys packing, it’s a fact I’d have to stop telling everyone how smart you are.”

He grinned. “What about a double wedding? Think everyone will be happy with that? Or are they each wanting one of their own?”

“Are you spoofing? No. Getting married on the same day is about all they’ve been talking about.” Getting the conversation off Sofia did wonders for her mood. “We all figured when you didn’t shoot anyone, the weddings were on.”

He leaned back and closed his eyes. A part of him wanted to saddle The Black and ride another circle around the home block, but once a morning would have to do. New Blue might not measure up to his sire, but came close.

And Levi on the south eased his mind some. Maybe he should post pickets though.

For a few heartbeats, he envisioned turning his home into a war camp. Then decided to stop borrowing trouble. If Braxton arranged a raid, or showed his own face, he’d deal with it when it came.

“Henry?”

He looked at May.

“Are the weddings on? You can’t keep them waiting forever.”

“Got any pirate pages for me? I’d love to sail the Caribbean for a few minutes before supper.”

She cradled her belly then stood. “No, I do not. You’ve already read all the new, but…” She grinned. “Crockett is with Lacy Rose, and Houston’s building the Alamo out of the blocks Charley cut for him. Think you might fancy giving me a back rub?”

He jumped to his feet. “Do I ever.”

Once the runaway came out of
her daddy’s office, Cecelia knew in her heart that her father would call her and Gwen in any minute. She waited and waited and anticipated then finally stopped watching the door after the clock chimed the hour.

Nothing.

Maybe Mama worked some more at convincing him, but how could he refuse?

Her or Gwendolyn?  He just couldn’t. She loved Daddy, she really did, but the man totally exasperated her at times. Before, she couldn’t understand Mary Rachel running off, but now…well, she almost could.

Even though she never would and had vowed with her sisters to be a true daughter of the heart, she definitely understood her oldest sister’s decision.

Helping with the evening meal’s preparation kept her hands busy, but that was about all. Then, on her second trip carrying food to the table, the urge to run and beat on his door almost overwhelmed her.

What were they doing in there? Had he decided not to give his blessing, and Mama was doing her best to talk him out of it?

The guys got back from checking on the sawmill and Elijah acted totally unconcerned. Made her want to just go and shake some sense into him.

How could he be so calm? Chatting away with Clay and Uncle Chester at the end of the kitchen table about boring old politics!

Of all the things to talk about when his life—right along with hers—teetered on the edge of happiness or ruin?

Couldn’t they see she and Gwen had a wedding to plan?

And why weren’t they making plans of their own? They were the grooms after all.

Where was Daddy?

She should start sewing on her dress, and she didn’t even have the material yet! She almost regretted Mama saying a week. She couldn’t be ready in a month.

Except Elijah just had to get back, like they couldn’t live without him in California. Him and Clay both! Where was Gwendolyn anyway? She could be down there helping her worry.

Especially if CeCe’s intended refused to!

What if Daddy decided to let her and Clay go ahead and wed, but not her and Elijah because of his stupid rule?

Tears welled, but she blinked them back. No, surely not. He would never do that, would he?

Miss Jewel spread a cheese cloth over a bowl of greens. “It’s almost six, baby. You quit your frettin’. Now fetch the bread and everything is ready. Your daddy and Miss May will be coming out for supper any minute now.”

The intoxicating smell of the woman’s fresh-baked yeast rising rolls overwhelmed her for a split second, but even her love of the little darlings failed to calm her nerves.

She stepped through the door, and there he sat on his throne at the head of the table like the king he really was. He looked up and smiled. She floated to her place, setting the bowl on the corner nearest her.

Bless God, he was going to break his stupid rule. He smiled, didn’t he? Right? For sure and certain, he was about to make her the happiest daughter on the face of the earth. Well, of course, Gwendolyn would be glad, too, but Cecelia would definitely be happier than her sister.

Yes, that had to be why he was smiling so big.

“Daddy.”

He silenced her with a look and mouthed later. But why? He should be telling his mind.

Once everyone held hands, he blessed the food his own self, then took to stuffing his face as if it was just another supper at the Buckmeyer’s. Why? He had to know what he was doing to her!

Nothing but pure cruel! She hated him almost as much as she loved him. She tried to eat, but even baby bites threatened to gag her.

After seconds—or was it thirds?—he finally set his fork on his plate.

Yes?

But nothing.

What?

He just sat there. His expression seemed pleasant, but he did not look like a man about to make two of his daughters ecstatically happy. She glanced around the table. Everyone else had finished, too—except Uncle Chester who still picked away.

The slowest eater in the whole wide world! The man always had a quarter of his plate still to eat when everyone else’s were clean.

What had he been doing?

Unable to hold her peace another minute, Cecelia faced her daddy. “Please! Please say something! Set my heart at peace. Please.”

He stared right at her for what had to be two full minutes. She never looked away, even though her eyes filled with tears. At last, he did, and stood.

“Gwendolyn and Clayton have professed their love and have asked for my blessing to be married.” He gazed to his right and eyed Clay. He nodded, then Daddy looked to Gwen. Her face might crack right into two pieces if she grinned any bigger.

Just to drive her crazy! That’s why he was doing this.

He shifted his eyes back to her. “As have Cecelia and Elijah.”

And? And? Say it!

“The ladies tell me everything can be ready in a week, and that my daughters and new sons are all willing to tie the knot together in one big ceremony.”

Yes! Yes! Oh, yes! He was going to let her get married, too. She glanced at Gwendolyn who flicked the tip of her nose. Happy tears flowed. Even Bonnie jumped up and down.

“So, dear daughters I love with my whole heart, I give you my blessing and pray you and your husbands will make God the third party in your unions, so they will grow in love and endure all life’s trials and triumphs.”

She squealed then jumped to her feet, but Gwen reached him first. His arms reached around enough to hug them both. Mama joined in, then Bonnie and Houston, Clay and Elijah, too. She loved them all, and the world was beautiful!

She was getting married!

Bonnie loved it. He’d broke his rule. No way could he not let her get married early now.

The days of preparation flew by. She helped some, but even though she threw a middling stitch—according to Miss Laura, no less—Mama relegated her to minor chores and sitting her littlest brother. Both her big sisters practically ignored her.

Losing them both to California bothered her some, but the mental rearrangement of the furniture in Gwen’s room brought some solace.

The best bedroom in the whole house—except for Daddy’s—would be all hers! And she’d get to move in much sooner than she ever dreamed with the both of them going. She hoped she wouldn’t be lonely, but she wouldn’t.

Mama would have her a little sister. She and Lacy Rose would spoil her in such a good way, dressing her to the nines and having high tea parties. Well, she’d be married and gone before that….

But still, a baby sister would be way better than another bratty boy.

All the Briggs came the day before and stayed the night in the bunk house—all but Mis’ess Briggs who took Sofia’s bed, so she’d slept with Bonnie. Then despite all the hustle and bustle and all her sisters’ fretting, the big day arrived.

Mama outdid herself transforming the hall into a romantic garden with greenery and pinecones painted in shades of blues, Cecelia’s favorite color, and purples, Gwendolyn’s; like having real flowers everywhere a person looked.

Netting draped the ceiling and crown molding, every table practically in the whole house, and the banister, too, with each spool wrapped in ribbons topped with big fluffy blue and purple bows.

Every bench on the place and then some sat in rows like at church, and quilts padded each one with one layer that fell to the floor and made them look real fancy. A row of chairs across the front would make sitting more comfortable for Mis’ess Briggs and Mama.

Even the weather cooperated, bright and sunny with just a hint of chill in the air.

The day promised pure joy and pretty perfection.

Miss Jewel and Sofia had been baking and cooking all week. By the heaps of food covering every inch of the table, appeared they expected to feed every soul in the whole of Red River County.

They posted Lacey Rose to guard the likes of gingerbread and tea cakes from little boy snitchers, but Bonnie caught her with crumbs on her chin.

Didn’t tell anyone though.

Couldn’t remember a time when Miss Jewel hadn’t cooked more food than everyone could eat, and her sister’s wedding sure wouldn’t be the first.

Though Daddy claimed he figured only a hundred souls would show, it being such short notice, Bonnie stopped counting at a hundred sixty, and wagons were still showing up steady.

Reminded her of a revival meeting or the big summer fish fry, with so many folks coming together.

Then it was time.

She hurried upstairs and peeked out the window. Jasper and his dad and uncles came around the house escorting Clay and Elijah. Made her giggle out loud how somber they all looked, like going to a hanging.

The sight of her love all dressed in his starched shirt, sporting a leather vest just like the others, stopped her heart from beating.

That Jasper Briggs surely was one fantastic-looking young man, much more handsome than Clay. She remembered to breathe.

Then he glanced up right at her and grinned. Her knees threatened to buckle. She returned his smile then hurried to take her place at the top of the stairs.

Charlie ushered in Mis’ess Briggs then Mama.

In her beautiful new dress with puffy sleeves, carrying her nosegay of pink roses that she loved, Bonnie waited to start the whole thing off. Lacey Rose would follow her, dropping real flower petals ahead of the brides.

Daddy had emptied all the flower shops from Clarksville to Jefferson and back; her sister’s bouquets draped almost to the floor and set their gorgeous dresses off beautifully. The fiddler started playing, and the crowd hushed.

Once all the eyes looked upward, she walked down the stairs in time to the music. Lacey Rose whispered, “I’m right behind you.”

Daddy escorted Cecelia down first, then she took her place next to Elijah on the left. Daddy ran back up and brought Gwendolyn down next on his arm.

Bonnie paid a bit of attention to the words spoken and the vows exchanged, but the picture in her head of it being her and Jasper standing there professing love for one another blinded her to much else.

He loved her, she knew it. A true mature love, not the way she thought Clay loved her. That was only puppy love when she’d been just a child. Jasper’s love was real. Otherwise, why would he be staring at her so?

The opportunity to get him alone before the Briggs headed back home just had to present itself.

A word with him was definitely in order.

After all, they were going to be married in three—no more than four—years.