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Marigold strolled to the livery, her arm through Luke’s. They’d packed a picnic lunch and headed out straight after church.
Ma was not happy about her going unchaperoned, but Marigold was almost beyond caring what Ma thought. She was constantly coming between her and Luke, and that just wouldn’t do.
After reading and re-reading her letter from Love Struck, Marigold made the decision to continue seeing Luke. Whether or not that came to anything, she had no idea. She loved Luke, but he didn’t love her. Nonetheless, she enjoyed his company.
He helped her climb up onto the carriage, and his touch sent a thrill through her, as it always did. Once she was settled, he climbed up himself, pulling a thick woolen blanket around their knees. The days continued to be chilly, and Marigold wore her luxurious coat gifted to her by Luke, which kept out most of the cold. She didn’t really need the blanket, but said not a word. She enjoyed being close to Luke, and hoped he liked being close to her too.
“Shall we go?” he asked, not waiting for an answer, then snapped the reins for the horses to move, and covered her hand with his own.
It didn’t take long for them to arrive at the foot of the mountain, twenty minutes perhaps, but Luke ventured further in until they were deep into the forest. Marigold felt somewhat afraid. She wasn’t frightened of Luke, she would never feel that way, but she was afraid they may get lost.
She tightened her grip on his hand. He turned to face her. “Is everything alright?”
“Do you know the way,” she whispered, having no idea why she whispered as they were the only people around. “I’m afraid we may get lost.”
He grinned at her then quickened the pace of the horses. “Not a chance. There’s a small clearing over there by the river. I thought we could picnic there.” He studied her, apparently waiting for some sort of reaction, so she nodded.
“Oooh, it’s lovely,” she said as they pulled into the clearing. Luke climbed down, tying the horses to a nearby bush, then helped her down. He grabbed her around the waist, and held her halfway, staring into her face as he did so. “Are you going to put me down?” she asked when he seemed to have no inclination to place her on solid ground.
He slowly brought her down and steadied her, but he didn’t let go. His hands were firmly planted around her waist. “You are incredibly beautiful,” he said quietly, then held her close. She rested her head against his shoulder, not sure how to answer, or even if she should.
Suddenly her head snapped up. She shouldn’t be doing this. Not here, not alone and without a chaperone. As much as she hated to admit it, Ma was right; this was a very bad idea. She pulled away and began to wander over to the river’s edge. She leaned down and let the water roll over her fingers. “The water is freezing!” she said as she straightened up, and Luke came to her side.
“Let me warm you up,” he said, taking her hands in his own. He lifted her hand and kissed the back of it, then enveloped her hand, warming it as he’d promised. “I love coming to this place,” he told her. “It was the one thing we did as a family. Once a month after church we’d come here. We didn’t move to the area until I was a teenager, as you know, but I adored coming here. Father and I would fish, and Mother would simply sit and relax. The rest of the week we worked.”
Marigold could see they were fond memories for him. “I can see why you liked it here. It’s wonderful,” she said. “So peaceful.”
He turned to her. It was then she saw the sadness in his eyes. “That wasn’t it at all. It was the one time my parents didn’t act like money-hungry monsters. They were simply Mother and Father.”
For the first time, Marigold was beginning to understand Luke. She’d had no idea his childhood had been so difficult. She’d erroneously assumed because he’d lived a privileged life, it was all honey and roses. She couldn’t have been further from the truth.
He shook his head. “Forget all that. Today is about us. About making new memories with just the two of us.”
She liked that thought. Memories of her and Luke – that sounded wonderful. But how long would they last? If she had her way, it would be forever, but what about Ma? She threatened to stand between them, and as much as Marigold didn’t want her to do that, she also didn’t want to lose Luke.
Her dilemma was suffocating her.
He studied her as he continued to warm her hand. “What are you thinking?” He looked at her curiously, as though he was trying to read her mind.
She shook her head. “Oh, it’s nothing really.” She stepped away from him and glanced about. “It really is lovely here. Perhaps we could go for a short stroll?” He offered her his arm, and they moved out of the clearing into the density of the trees. She shuddered. Marigold wasn’t sure if it was because of the coldness compared to the clearing, or whether it was because she was alone with Luke in an unfamiliar place.
“Cold?” His arm was suddenly around her waist, and warmth filled her.
She turned to face him. “Not really. I, I don’t really know what I feel. Foreboding perhaps.” She tried to smile, but right now that would be a lie. “Can we go back, Luke? I don’t feel comfortable here.”
“Of course.” He didn’t seem angry or upset, and totally accepted her discomfort.
“There’s something I want to talk to you about,” he said gently as they returned to the horses. Was he breaking up with her? If their roles were reversed, Marigold would certainly consider it. Ma was a formidable opponent, and not one to back down without a fight. She would wear anyone down.
“It’s Ma, isn’t it?” she said without thinking. “She’s only trying to protect me.”
He stopped walking and studied her again. “Your Ma can be pretty scary, but no, that’s not what I wanted to talk to you about.” He put his hands to her shoulders, and stared at her lips. She waited for his kiss, and almost sank into him. Luke cupped her face, and as if deciding on his next move, simply stood there as though checking her out. Finally he leaned in and kissed her.
She sighed at the feel of his lips. She’d always thought they were meant to be together, and now she was convinced of it. Marigold wanted nothing more than to be with Luke. Only one thing got in the way of that, and it was Ma.
When he ended the kiss, Luke held her at arms length and stared at her. He said not a word for a full minute, a frown on his face.
“Is something wrong?” Her heart thudded. Now she was certain he was breaking up with her. She squeezed her eyes tight together. “You’re breaking up with me,” she said, her voice full of emotion.
As she tried to turn away from him, Luke pulled her back to face him. “You couldn’t be further from the truth,” he said quietly. “I love you, Marigold, more than you will ever know.” He pulled her to him and held her tight.
Her heart pounded in her chest. Luke loved her? He truly loved her? This was the best news, and was totally unexpected. “I love you too,” she said softly. “I didn’t know you loved me.” Tears trickled from her eyes, and she swiped at them. But they had a problem and they both knew it.
He stared at her with sadness. “This is meant to be a happy time,” he said, then suddenly dropped to one knee. “Marigold,” he said, reaching for her hand. “Will you marry me?”
She stared down at him in disbelief. He was asking the impossible. How could they marry when her mother hated him? On the other hand Marigold loved him. They were soulmates and meant to be together.
She swallowed hard. “I, I want to,” she said softly, not saying no, but not saying yes either.
He stood to face her. “We have a problem though,” he said, his frown returning.
Marigold stared up into his handsome face. “Ma.” No other words were necessary. They both knew Maggie Davis would come between them if they let her.
“We’ll sort it out,” Luke said. “I promise.” Marigold had no idea how he would convince her mother, but if anyone could do it, Luke could.
~*~
Luke knocked on the front door to Marigold’s home, his heart pounding. This would be amongst the hardest things he’d ever had to do.
The door flew open and the vindictive woman stared at him. “What are you doin’ here?” Maggie Davis snapped. “Marigold’s at work.” She began to push the door closed in his face.
Luke quickly shoved his foot in the way to stop her closing it. “I know Marigold is at work. I escorted her there as I do every morning.” He smiled at her, but she didn’t return his gesture. Instead she appeared even more irritated. “I came to see you,” he said, trying to keep the annoyance out of his voice. “May I come in?”
“Hurumph!” She flung the door open and headed toward what Luke recalled was the sitting room. He stood in the doorway to that room, not prepared to anger the woman further by assuming anything. “Well, go on, sit down,” she snapped. “You’ll make me neck ache if I have to stare up at ya.”
He wanted to grin, but thought the better of it and forced himself into no expression at all. “Mrs Davis,” he said once he was seated. “I want to discuss your daughter.”
She turned to him and stared with angry eyes. Then she suddenly stood. “I’m gettin’ a coffee. You want one?” It was blatantly obvious she didn’t want to talk to him, and only offered him coffee out of convention.
“Thank you, yes,” he said, also standing. If that’s what it took to get her to discuss Marigold with him, he was willing to comply.
He stood in the doorway between the kitchen and sitting room and watched her pull down two mugs. The kettle was already boiling on the stove. He’d no doubt interrupted her morning coffee when he’d arrived.
“I usually have me coffee out ‘ere in the kitchen.” She indicated the kitchen table, and he sat, not willing to cause an upset that would stop the discussion. She made the coffee and banged it on the table in front of him, causing it to slosh over the sides.
“Right. What is it you wanna say? Get it over with.” She lifted her mug slowly, watching his every move over the top of the rim as it reached her mouth.
“It’s about Marigold,” he said gently.
She pursed her lips, as he knew she would. The woman hated him with a vengeance, through no fault of his own. “What about ‘er?”
He swallowed. She wasn’t making it easy for him, but of course she wouldn’t. Maggie Davis hated him. Hated what he stood for, too.
“Marigold and I, we’ve been stepping out these past months.”
“Hurumph.” This time she adjusted her shoulders. Anything to annoy him, Luke thought.
He took a deep breath. This wasn’t going well, not that he expected anything else. “I’m just going to say it, Mrs Davis. I intend to marry your daughter.” He said the last words faster than he’d anticipated, but now they were said, and he could breathe again.
“Over my dead body,” Mrs Davis bellowed, then lifted her coffee again as though nothing had happened.
He quirked an eyebrow at her. “You do realize your daughter is almost twenty-six? That she can make her own decisions without your permission?”
The woman stared at him. He suddenly understood that old saying; if looks could kill.
“I know you blame me for what happened to your husband, Claude. Marigold’s father.” He let his words sink in for a moment or two. “I was a mere teenager at the time. It wasn’t my fault...”
“Then whose fault was it?” she snapped.
He put down his mug and studied her. He said his carefully chosen words slowly. “Your husband made the decision to frequent my parent’s saloon.” He watched as she sat rigid, then swallowed. “He also made the decision to take advantage of the soiled doves there. No one forced him.” He stopped momentarily and assessed her reaction, then continued when she said nothing. “My father was not a good person,” he said honestly. “But he didn’t force Claude into anything he didn’t want to do.”
She went white and drifted sideways. Luke thought she might faint and began to stand. She waved him back onto his seat. “I’m alright,” she said quietly. She took another sip of her coffee, then straightened her shoulders. “My Claude, ‘e wasn’t a good man.” She stared down into her coffee mug. “He wasn’t a good ‘usband, and he was an even worse father.” She glanced up at him, her eyes brimming with tears. “He died because he cheated at cards, I know that, but ‘ow do I tell Marigold?”
Right then Luke didn’t know what to say. He was never speechless, but right this moment he was. Maggie Davis had just admitted Claude’s death wasn’t anyone’s fault but his own.
“It wasn’t your fault. It wasn’t even your father’s fault, the mongrel that ‘e was.” She closed her eyes briefly, then opened them again. “I needed someone to blame, and since he’s no longer ‘ere, I blamed you. I, I’m truly sorry, Luke.” She took a long sip of coffee, then spoke again. “My Marigold, she loves you, and more than anything, I want ‘er to be happy.”
Luke stared. Did Mrs Davis just apologize to him? After all these years the woman admitted she was wrong? His heart pounded. Perhaps things would work out after all.
~*~
It was a like a fairytale, and Marigold still didn’t believe this was her reality.
Luke had arranged for her wedding gown to be made by Clara Petersen, the owner of the Honey Blossom Boutique. She’d insisted she didn’t need a wedding gown, but Luke would have none of it.
So there she stood now, at the entrance of the tiny church in Harrietville, where she’d attended every Sunday for most of her life. Clara fussed over her gown, ensuring it was perfect. Ma stood proudly beside her, waiting to walk her down the aisle to her one true love.
“You look wonderful, Ma,” she said. “Luke has been so generous to both of us.”
Ma nodded. “That he has. I’ll never be able to thank him enough.”
“He doesn’t want thanks, Ma. He just wants us in his life.” Her head shot up as the organ music began to play. “Well, I guess it’s time.”
The entrance door was opened, and they stepped inside. Marigold clutched her bouquet of fresh flowers that Luke had arranged for her. She reached up and touched the hat that sat on the side of her head. Clara had outdone herself with both the gown and hat.
If someone had told Marigold a year ago she would be wearing Honey Blossom Boutique clothing, she would have laughed in their face. She still found it hard to believe.
After the wedding today, Luke had promised he would move Ma into his big house as well. It brought a tear to her eye that Ma would finally get the life she deserved.
As they arrived down the front of the small chapel, Luke turned to face her. His hand came up and he gently brushed her cheek. “I love you,” he said quietly. Ma handed Marigold over to her groom.
“Dearly Beloved,” the preacher began. Marigold hung on his every word. “You may now kiss your bride,” he finished, and Luke did exactly that.
He offered her his arm and they left the church. She still couldn’t believe she’d married her teenage sweetheart. Luke Jensen was her first crush, and no one else had ever lived up to him. She was ecstatic he’d waited for her. Not that she’d truly expected to marry him – it was a teenage dream, and not something she expected to come true.
As they stood in the entrance to the chapel, rice was thrown their way. Marigold glanced about at their guests. Bunny was near the front, and tears trickled down her face.
Bunny! Dear Bunny. What would she do now? Luke had made it clear she no longer needed to work. “I have it covered,” he said. “I’ve already found a replacement. Besides,” he’d said. “You’ll be busy with our babies.” He grinned at her, and Marigold knew she’d gone beet red.
