Emily Jane couldn’t believe it was her wedding day. So many people had graciously come forward with gifts for both her and William. There was one, though, that she had exclaimed over with intense pleasure. Susanna Marsh definitely knew how to make a bride happy.
Susanna had worked night and day to finish her gift for Emily Jane. A wedding dress cut and sewn from her own special design. It had taken Emily Jane’s breath away. And now Emily Jane stood in front of the mirror draped in the many folds of material. The shimmering light green fabric twirled about her, making her feel like a princess from one of Anna Mae’s storybooks.
“Here is a sixpence to put in your left shoe,” Anna Mae said, holding out the coin.
Emily Jane frowned but took the money. “And why am I putting this in my shoe?”
“It represents wealth and financial security.” Susanna giggled as she straightened out the hem of Emily Jane’s dress.
“What about the rest of the poem? Did you get something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue?” Millie Westland asked.
Millie was a newlywed herself. She’d married Levi back in the fall. They were expecting their first child in a couple of months.
“No. I didn’t know I was supposed to have all that stuff,” Emily Jane answered, wishing the hummingbirds in her tummy would settle down.
“You can’t get married without them,” Anna Mae said, agreeing with Millie.
“Well, I think I can take care of the something borrowed,” Millie said, taking a pretty comb from her own hair and handing it to Emily Jane. The little diamond studs reflected the light.
Were those real diamonds? “I can’t accept this, Millie. It looks expensive.” Emily Jane tried to hand it back to her.
Millie laughed, and her big tummy jiggled. “You are only borrowing it, Emily Jane.” She tucked her hands over her belly. “I won’t take it back until after the ceremony.”
Emily Jane turned it over and over in her hand. It really was beautiful.
“Your wedding dress can be the something new.” Susanna stepped back and looked at her. “You look beautiful.”
Emily Jane felt her cheeks grow hot. “Thank you.”
“She still needs something old and something blue,” Millie said, easing down into a chair.
Anna Mae sat Emily Jane down on a stool in front of a mirror. “Here, let me put the comb in for you.” She began combing Emily Jane’s hair. “Your hair is so pretty. I wish mine was red instead of this mousy brown.”
Before Emily Jane could answer, Amelia breezed through the door, her cheeks red, her breath coming in soft gasps. “Whew, I thought I wouldn’t make it in time. I ran all the way from the restaurant.” Her mouth formed a perfect O. “Emily Jane, you are so beautiful.”
“What’s that you’ve got, Amelia?” Susanna reached out to touch the flowers Amelia carried.
“I made this bouquet for you, Emily Jane. If you don’t want to carry it, I will not be offended at all.” She colored fiercely and scuffed the toe of her shoe against the floor. Emily Jane could not believe a woman as lovely as Amelia lacked confidence. She rushed to assure Amelia how touched she was by the gesture.
“They’re beautiful, Amelia. I love them. I hadn’t even thought of a bouquet.” Bluebonnets mingled with baby’s breath and green ivy. A white-and-green ribbon formed a delicate bow, and amazingly the green ribbon drew the green shimmers out of her dress. She reached for them, but Amelia held them out of her reach.
“Umm, there’s something else. I took the liberty of going into your room. I hope you don’t mind.” She offered them a small, shy smile. She turned the bouquet over, and the base of the arrangement was Emily Jane’s cookbook.
Emily Jane bit her lip to stifle her cry of joy. The exclamations of her friends echoed her feelings exactly. She flung her arms around Amelia, happiness bubbling in her heart. “Thank you, thank you. It’s perfect.”
“Stop that right now.” The smile on her face belied the threat in Susanna’s voice. “You’ll put wrinkles in your dress before you ever walk down the aisle.”
“Well,” Anna Mae said matter-of-factly, “that takes care of the something old, the book, and something blue, the flowers.”
“Now that I have everything from the poem, what is the point of having them?” Emily Jane asked, looking at the faces of her friends. “I mean what’s the purpose?”
Susanna smiled. “They are supposed to bring you luck.”
Luck. Emily Jane didn’t think she needed luck.
Over the past three days, she’d begged God to get her out of this mess, but He’d remained silent. She cared about William but still resented the idea of giving up her dream for marriage and children. Since the Lord had not intervened, Emily Jane resigned herself to the fact that having a bakery must not be the will of God and that she would make William the best wife that she could be.
She hadn’t seen much of him. On Monday he’d gone to the bank and bought the farm. The Guthries had come to town with a single wagonload of the things they wanted to take with them back East and left town almost immediately after the sale was completed.
William and her father had stayed away while Emily Jane and her friends planned the wedding and the reception. Beth Winters had insisted on baking the wedding cake. Carolyn Moore decorated the church pews with streamers and flowers. Millie Westland had hired a group of musicians to play during the reception. It was going to be a wedding party that would be talked about for months to come. At least, that was what Millie had said. The kindness of her friends and the local townspeople filled her heart with joy. She exhaled a long sigh of contentment.
“Ladies, it’s time to go,” Levi Westland called through the door.
Millie giggled. “Come on, ladies.” She opened the door to her husband.
Levi nodded his head at the women as they came out of Emily Jane’s room. “There are two wagons out front to take everyone to the church,” he said, smiling down at his pretty little wife.
Emily Jane’s hand shook as she closed the door to her room. Her heart hammered as she walked down the boardinghouse stairs. Her knees trembled. The girls chattered all the way to the church, but Emily Jane remained silent, fingering the ribbons on the bouquet. She took deep breaths until she was strong enough to raise her head.
Was William as nervous as she? Was he having second thoughts? Did he feel as ill equipped as she did at undertaking the task before them today? One thing was for certain. They both walked into it with their eyes wide-open.
The church looked like something from a fairy-tale book. Green ribbons hung along the bench edges. Tiny blue-and-white flowers were interwoven within the ribbons. The church smelled of pine and honeysuckle. But none of this compared to Emily Jane.
She seemed to glide down the center aisle on her father’s arm. The green gown she wore brought out the color in her beautiful eyes. Her red hair had been piled on top of her head, and ringlets framed her face. A comb pulled back one side, giving her a glamorous look. How had he missed how beautiful she truly was? Carried away by his own response, he failed at first to notice the heartrending tenderness of her gaze. Everything took on a clean brightness, and his pulse quickened in giddy happiness. And then she stood in front of him.
He stepped forward, and Mr. Rodgers placed her small hand within his. Her mere touch made him want to vow eternal love for her. He held her hand throughout the ceremony, gently caressing the back of it with his thumb. William repeated his vows, unaware of them because his true focus was on the lady at his side.
At the preacher’s instruction, he slipped a simple gold band onto her left ring finger. It wasn’t enough. She deserved so much more. A knot tightened his throat as she repeated her vows with a gentle softness in her voice.
He could barely stand still as Emily Jane studied his face unhurriedly, feature by feature, as if analyzing his reaction to every nuance of the ceremony. William felt as if they were the only two people in the world, wrapped in a silken cocoon of closeness. He’d had no idea that getting married would feel this way.
“You may kiss the bride,” the preacher said in a loud voice.
William released her hands and gently cupped her face.
Their first kiss. Her long lashes closed over her eyes. Lowering his mouth, he took his first taste of her sweet lips. Raising his mouth from hers, he stared into her eyes. Why had he waited so long to kiss her? She tasted so much better than his beloved sugar cookies.
To his surprise, Emily Jane had returned his kiss. Her mouth moved shyly under his before she pulled away. He squeezed her hand, encouraging her, letting her know he loved her participation. A pink flush covered her cheeks, bringing out the freckles.
Without reservation, William ran his thumb over her mouth and then leaned his forehead on hers. They were husband and wife. Emily Jane had stolen his heart at their first meeting. Why hadn’t he been aware of it all this time?
The minister patted him on the shoulder, then whispered close to his ear. “Face the congregation so that I can present you.”
William reluctantly did as asked but used the occasion to wrap her briefly in his arms.
“I present you with Mr. and Mrs. William Barns.”
The wagon bumped along the road to the farm. His gaze slid across the bench to where his wife sat. She’d changed into a light blue day dress, but her hair still remained up off her neck and shoulders, revealing freckles there, as well. Why that pleased him he couldn’t tell, but his smile broadened in approval.
She’d been quiet for the past fifteen minutes. Was she as overwhelmed as he felt? Emily Jane shyly glanced his way, and once more that charming, soft pink flush filled her cheeks.
“I still can’t believe we’re married,” he said to break the silence.
“Me, either.” She fiddled with the fabric in her lap. “I hope you don’t regret marrying me.”
He reached out, touching her elbow. “Why would I?”
She wiggled around on the seat so that she faced him. “You might meet a woman that you fall in love with.”
William grinned. “I might have already found that woman.”
She exploded. “Then why in the world did you marry me?” Tears spilled from her eyes. “You should have told me.”
He guided the mare to the side of the road and set the brake. There were those tears again. William tried to take her hands in his, but she pulled them away. Her eyes accused him of wrongdoings. “I did tell you.”
Emily Jane shook her head. The curls about her face caressed her cheeks. “No, you didn’t. I would never have married you if I had known.”
“That’s what I was afraid of,” William confessed. He had never liked to see a woman cry, but in this case it sealed in his mind a certainty that Emily Jane had feelings for him. Why else would the thought of him loving another cause such a reaction? He felt his confidence grow.
She sniffled. “I don’t understand. Why marry me when you could marry someone you loved?” The freckles across her forehead bunched up in a frown.
William sighed. He ought to own up sooner rather than later, or matters could get completely out of hand in a hurry. However, this wasn’t how he’d planned on telling her. He’d wanted to do so over dinner, but here they sat. He gentled his voice and said with quiet emphasis, “Emily Jane, I did marry the person I love.”
Confusion and understanding warred together in her beautiful expressions. “You love me?” she whispered.
William brushed back the hair at her temple. Just touching her sent a surge of joy through him. She was his. They’d gotten married, and he’d just told her he loved her. He nodded. “I do. I think I have since the moment I met you but was too stubborn to allow my head to hear what my heart was already saying.”
More tears filled her eyes. “Oh, William. I love you, too. But...”
He rested a finger across her lips. “All I need to hear is that you love me. I know how you feel about having children, and I’ve decided I’m happy raising Rose and Ruby. And when Josiah comes for them, we can still be happy without children.”
She removed his finger from her lips and offered him a small smile. “What if I change my mind and want to have children?”
“Then we will have children.” Was she trying to tell him that if he wanted children she’d change her mind and have them? Or was she simply letting him know that she wasn’t dead set against having children? It didn’t matter. He loved her no matter what.
“William Barns!” The shout startled them both.
Emily Jane looked over her shoulder to see who had called his name. A big man riding a roan-colored horse barreled down on them. His shoulder-length brown hair flew behind him like a waving flag under his dark black hat.
“Who is that man?” She turned to find that William had jumped down from the wagon and seemed to be taking a fighting stance.
The big man jumped from the horse, not giving it time to stop. He raced to William and grabbed him in a bear hug. The horse spun around and pranced back.
Emily Jane looked about the wagon for a weapon. She searched under the seat and found the shotgun. Just as her hand clasped the barrel, she realized they were laughing and slapping each other on the back.
“Josiah, I didn’t recognize you with that long hair and beard. I think you took twenty years off my life just now. But, boy, am I glad to see you! I thought you might be dead!” William said excitedly.
Emily Jane sank to the wagon seat. Her legs shook like cold jelly. She placed a hand over her heart and watched the two men. Her brothers acted that way when they hadn’t seen each other in a few days.
William looked up at her with a huge grin. “Emily, I’d like you to meet Josiah, Rose and Ruby’s father. Josiah, this is Emily Jane Barns, my wife.”
If she hadn’t still been shaken up, Emily Jane might have laughed at the shocked expression on Josiah’s face. He looked from her to William and back again.
In a gravelly voice, Josiah said, “Nice to meet you, Mrs. Barns.”
“Please, we’re family. Call me Emily Jane.” She smiled down at him. Now that she knew who he was, she could see Rose and Ruby in his features. Mainly his cheekbones. Josiah had the same high cheekbones as the twins. Their black curls must have come from their mother, William’s sister.
“Speaking of family, where are my girls?” He turned to William.
William slapped him on the back. “They are in town with Anna Mae Leland. The town schoolteacher. Why don’t you come out to the house with us, and I’ll catch you up?” William climbed back up into the wagon with Emily Jane.
Josiah nodded and swung back up into the saddle. He moved so fast, Emily Jane wasn’t sure when his feet left the ground. She listened as he and William called back and forth to each other, neither seemingly able to wait for the overdue conversation till they got to the house.
“I’m sure glad to see you. Like I said earlier, I thought you were dead.” William looked up at Josiah, riding as close to the wagon as he could get.
“I’m sorry about that. It took longer than I’d anticipated to catch my prisoners.” Josiah’s gaze moved to Emily Jane.
She smiled at him but didn’t comment. It was obvious he wondered how much she knew about him and his reason for being separated from the girls.
“How are my girls doing?” he asked, patting the roan.
William shrugged. “I think they are good. I’m sure they’ve missed you.”
“They are such babies, William. I’m not sure they know how to miss anyone.” His sad eyes looked down on them. It was clear that Josiah missed his wife.
With a shake of his head, William answered, “I think you will be surprised.”
They arrived at the farm. Emily Jane waited for William to help her down. She wasn’t sure if they were going to have a houseguest or not.
“I’ll put the horse and wagon away and be right in,” William said, giving her a kiss on the cheek.
She felt a blush splash across her face and nodded. Emily Jane took the bag he handed her and hurried to the house. Once inside she looked about. This was her new home.
Standing in the sitting room doorway, she looked to the left where the Guthries had left their dining table and chairs. She knew from her last visit that the kitchen was through the next door to her left of the dining room. A stairway led to the two bedrooms on the second floor.
Taking a deep breath, Emily Jane climbed the stairs. The room on the right was obviously William’s. A large bed, armoire and dresser filled the space. She crossed to the window and looked down into the front yard.
William and Josiah stood beside the barn. He’d released the little mare into the corral, and the two men rested their arms on the top fence rail, visiting. William turned and looked at the house. His head came up, and he gazed straight at the bedroom window. Could he see her? Or had he just sensed her watching them?
Emily Jane backed away from the window. Now that Josiah had returned, how much would things change? Would he need someone to watch the girls for him and ask her? Or would he take the girls and return to Denver? Her heart ached at the thought of the girls leaving.
She walked over to the bed and sank into the mattress. Did this mean that she could stay in town and work at the bakery? Would she be content to live on the farm and work in town? Her mind raced a mile a minute with questions and uncertainties that only her husband could answer for her. Her husband. My, but she did like the sound of that.