Thank goodness the rain last evening was light.” Mariah threaded her arm through Colin’s as they strolled out of their favorite place—the gazebo, where within its shadows, she always allowed him to kiss her. Her lips still tingled from his last kiss. “All our lovely autumn leaves might have come down.”
Colin chuckled. “They wouldn’t dare. Mother wouldn’t allow it.”
“I hope it stays nice for the wedding, day after tomorrow.” She paused. “Oh, there’s a dip coming up ahead.”
“How many times do I have to tell you? I don’t need your help unless I’m about to walk off a cliff or something equally hazardous.”
“Well, I’m talking about a muddy bog from the rain. So you go right ahead and wade through it then. But I’m planning to walk around it.” She started to pull away.
He caught her hand and tucked it back into place. “I do believe you’re always gonna be a handful, my love.”
“Only because you insist on being difficult over my slightest suggestions.” She veered them to one side of the mushy spot on the lawn. “You’ve been saving me over and over since the moment we met.”
“Ah, yes, that was quite the moment—you standing up there all gorgeous in royal blue. I’m amazed I didn’t have to bid a whole lot more than I did.” He tipped his head and softened his voice. “Mmm, you smell good. Let’s go back to the gazebo. I want to kiss that beautiful face some more.”
“Certainly not.” Mariah dodged as he tried to nuzzle her neck. “I’m sure half the plantation saw us as it is. Likely the only thing keeping your mother from taking a leisurely stroll out to the gazebo is the fact she’s too busy keeping Tuck’s hands off Victoria to wonder what you and I are up to.”
He gave her waist a squeeze. “Well, she’ll only wonder for two more days.”
“Mmm. I can hardly believe we’re actually going to be husband and wife.”
“Aye. Then no one can say anything when I want to kiss you.” He lowered his head to capture her mouth.
“Colin.” She leaned away. He was getting much too eager. Time to change the subject. “It was sweet of Tori to allow us to share her day. The Lord has truly been with us, having you come to the auction at just the right moment, then bringing us together again at the right moment. His timing is perfect. I thank God every day that your mother and my sister never stopped praying for us.”
He nodded in thought. “I’m really glad Rose and Nate are coming to our wedding. I’d like to get to know them both better.”
They passed the arbor with its leafy branches already wound into a lovely arch where the double ceremony would take place. Mariah drew a tremulous breath. “I am so looking forward to seeing Rose. I hope the trip downriver isn’t too strenuous for her, being with child. And I hope Mr. Scott reached Lily in time for her to come also. You did say it wouldn’t take more than two weeks if he rode straight through. Of course, there would’ve been the matter of persuading her employer to let Mr. Scott buy back her papers.”
“Leave your worries with the Lord. If possible, she’ll get here on time.”
“But we’ve only two more days—”
“I know, love.” He stopped and took her face in his hands. “Two days, and I can finally have you all to myself.”
“Me and your other girl, Duchess,” she teased.
“I probably won’t be needin’ her for a while. She can spend more time with Amy.”
Mariah turned. “Speaking of your sister, she’s riding here fast, with the dog chasing after her. Oh, dear. She just galloped up on the lawn. Your mother will be furious.”
Amy brought Snowflake to a turf-kicking halt. “Guess what!”
“You’re in trouble again?” Colin grinned toward her voice. “You’d best get that horse off the lawn. You know every blade must be perfectly in order for the wedding.”
The girl grimaced at him from her perch in the saddle. “In a minute. Guess what! Mariah’s sister and husband and little one are walking up from the landing this very minute! And Rose is lookin’ kinda fat. You know what that means.”
Rose is here! Forgetting decorum, Mariah rose to tiptoe, wrapped her arms about Colin’s neck, and kissed him right on the mouth while Amy gushed on.
“And Poppy took the carriage into town to meet the coastal packet. People are all startin’ to come. Even Aunt Hester, all the way from Boston.”
Laughing, Colin tightened his hold, keeping Mariah close. “Aye, squirt, they are. Now take that horse back to the stable. Quick!”
“And put on something pretty,” Mariah added. “Maybe that’ll make up for the trampled grass.”
“Oh, all right.” Pouting, Amy nudged the Thoroughbred into motion, and off she went.
Colin gave a playful tug to one of Mariah’s curls. “Shall we go meet your family?”
Colin wished he could actually view the joyous reunion as Mariah left his side to administer hugs one by one. But the laughter in their voices spoke volumes as greetings were batted back and forth. He was especially glad Nate was here.
“And of course you all remember Colin,” Mariah said brightly. “Except for this little angel.” She caught Colin’s arm and stepped close again. “Darling, I’d like you to meet Jenny Ann.”
Plump, damp fingers reached from Mariah’s embrace and touched his face. He caught the tiny hand and nuzzled the little one’s palm. She giggled.
“Jenny has the blondest hair you ever did see,” Mariah supplied for him, “and huge blue eyes, clear as the sky. Isn’t she the friendliest little thing?”
Detecting an undeniable odor wafting up to his nose, Colin smirked. “I believe little Jenny has brought an extra present with her—that might need attending.”
“Quite right.” Mariah stepped back from him. “Rose, why don’t you and I take her and go freshen up a bit while the men get reacquainted?”
“Sounds wonderful.” Rose’s voice drifted back to Colin as the women started away. “I’d like to put my feet up for a while, too, if you don’t mind.”
“Nate, why don’t we go sit on the veranda?” Colin turned in the direction of the women’s departing footsteps. “Would you like tea or something stronger?”
“Tea’ll do fine.” Nate came alongside. “First, though, where should I put our luggage? Womenfolk sure do need a passel of stuff with ’em.”
Colin laughed. “They certainly do. Just set the bags down by the front door, and I’ll have Benjamin tote ’em up to your room.”
“I must say, you sure look a sight better’n when I last saw you.”
Colin’s cane tapped the first step. “Quite. But then we were all a dirty, smelly bunch.” His foot found the riser, and he started up. “By the way, how’s that leg of yours comin’ along?”
“It weren’t much to holler about. The ball went clean through, an’ I’ve got most of the strength back. I figger another month or so….”
Someone hurried out the door and came toward them. “I heard you got here, Kinyon,” Tuck said. “How’ve you been?”
“Good. Great to see you again.”
“Tuck,” Colin interrupted, “give Pansy a holler, would you? Have her bring us out a tea tray.”
Once the men took seats around the table, Colin spoke. “So, Nate. Did you get all your crops harvested? You were plannin’ to paint your house, too, as I recall. I don’t remember the color.”
“Yellow. And once Rose saw the color of your front door, she wanted ours the same. I had to do a whole lot of mixin’ before I got it just the right shade of dark blue, too.” He sniffed. “Women always make a lot of work for a man. You two positive you wanna get hitched?”
Colin and Tuck both laughed. Then Colin cocked his head. “Considerin’ my infirmity, I believe I’ll get out of most of it. But Tuck, here, is already jumpin’ through hoops. He’s got men buildin’ a honeymoon cottage as we speak. Ain’t that right?”
“It was my idea,” Tuck said in a defensive tone.
“Right.” Colin smirked. “And what colors is she havin’ you paint every room and every door?”
Nate guffawed. “Yeah. What shade of pink does she want in the bedroom?”
“Carry on, you two,” Tuck said. “It doesn’t matter what color the walls are after the lamps are snuffed. Speakin’ of that, Colin, have you and Mariah decided whether or not you’re goin’ with us to Philadelphia for the honeymoon? We could have a lot of fun together.”
Colin nodded. “We’ll come on one condition. I want plenty—and I do mean plenty—of time alone with my wife.”
“Trust me, old man,” Tuck snickered. “That won’t be a problem.”
At that, they all burst out laughing.
The door opened, and footsteps approached. “I brung the tea, Mastah Colin. I be pourin’ it fo’ y’all.” Pansy set the tray on the table and served the men before returning to the house.
His mind still lingering on enticing thoughts of the honeymoon ahead, Colin took a drink of the fragrant tea.
“Either of you heard anything new about them Frenchies takin’ over the Ohio Valley?” Nate asked. “We’re so far upriver, we’re always the last to get any news.”
“I drove into Alexandria for some bricks yesterday.” Tuck’s enthusiastic reply turned Colin’s head toward him. “That’s all anyone at the brickyard was talkin’ about. They can’t wait for next spring to take up arms and run those blighters clear back to France.”
“What about England?” Nate probed. “Dinwiddie heard from the king yet?”
Colin chimed in. “No. But if nothin’ else lights a fire under the British, the fact that the fur companies won’t have any new pelts to ship next spring sure will. Added to last year’s huge loss, that’s a tidy amount of profit they won’t be countin’.”
“There was mention of somethin’ else,” Tuck said. “The governor of New York has called for a meeting with the Mohawks and any other Iroquois tribes that’ll come.”
Nate scoffed. “I doubt many chiefs’ll show up. Most of ’em have gone over to the French. They’re loyal to whoever brings in the trade goods.” He crunched into a cookie and talked around it. “The Iroquois in the Mohawk Valley only listen to one white man—a large landowner up that way by the name of William Johnson. He learned their language an’ knows what pleases ’em an’ what sets ’em off. Even got hisself an Indian wife an’ made a pile of money off tradin’ with ’em. Problem is, the governor thought Johnson was gettin’ too big for his britches an’ fired him from the job of Indian agent. The Indians have refused to parlay ever since.”
“This is not a time for personal squabbles,” Colin mused. “Or pretty soon the French will have bought the loyalty of every Indian on both sides of the Appalachians.”
Nate broke in again. “From what Tuck just said, I’m sure that New York governor’s had enough pressure brought to bear that he’s rehired Johnson. That must’ve stuck in his craw. But right now he needs to be concerned about the folks livin’ out on the fringes. Folks like Rose’s sister Lily.”
“I’m quite sure we’ll have Lily here with us very soon,” Colin informed him. “I sent my horse trainer—you met him when he delivered those horses—”
“Aye. Fine fella, that Scott. And thank you again. What with the fur trade gone, those mares’ foals will bring in a nice bit of extra jingle—enough to keep the women happy, at least. But what were you sayin’ about Lily?”
“Six weeks ago, Geoffrey Scott left here for her place up off the Susquehanna. He took enough money with him to free her and get her back here. We’re hopin’ they make it in time for the weddings.”
“Right.” Tuck clamped a hand on Colin’s shoulder. “Our weddings. Two more days, old man. Two more days.”