3
SPRING GRACED COAL VALLEY. Wildflowers bloomed, giving off their fragrant aroma. The clouds were thin and high in a clear, sunny sky. Pollen swirled past Willa and Julian as they walked arm in arm down the boardwalk downtown headed towards the community gardens.
“It’s quiet down here,” Julian commented on the few townsfolk walking past them. “Saturday afternoons are typically busier it seems.”
“Maybe everyone is trying to get out of the sun,” Willa said, squeezing his arm.
“I’m not complaining. At least it gives us some privacy.”
Willa turned her head and blushed. They had conversed about all sorts of things in the hour they’d spent walking around town. He’d told her more about Paris and his studies there, and she’d shared what life in Coal Valley had been like growing up: boring.
“Mother grows prized sunflowers in the gardens,” she said. “There’s a prize awaiting her every year.”
“A green thumb, eh?”
“I suppose.”
“Do you not get along with your mother much?”
Willa didn’t want to answer. So she deflected. “Look, there’s the garden. I can’t believe you’ve never been down here yet.”
“I’m guilty of not exploring the town very much since my arrival in the winter,” he said, trying to keep up with her quickened pace. “Do you ever grow anything?”
Willa laughed. “Gardening isn’t my strong suit. I much prefer baking.”
Good, Julian thought and followed her into the large pen next to the downtown square.
Coal Valley’s community garden wasn’t as big as he’d imagined. Then again, it seemed the perfect size for a small mining town. A pinewood fence protected the interior with rows upon rows of freshly tilled soil and budding plants breaking the surface.
“In a couple weeks the plants should really be showing,” she said. “Maybe we could purchase a plot and grow some roses.”
“Aren’t roses bushes, though?”
“They won’t take up too much space.”
“We can plant them in front of our house.”
Willa glanced at him. “Really?”
“If you want, we can start them sooner rather than later. I can watch them until our wedding.”
“Watch them? Plants aren’t like children.”
Julian blinked. Did she want kids? A young thing like her most certainly would. He didn’t know exactly how he felt about the subject though.
“So what do folks grow here?” he asked in an effort to change the subject.
Willa strutted around the rows, and he admired the way she carried herself with such grace. “Vegetables. Flowers. Green plants that have absolutely no real purpose.”
“Every plant has a purpose.”
“I disagree. They should either provide beauty or food.”
“Wouldn’t you say they’re beautiful? At least for the folks who grow them?”
“Maybe.” Willa stopped at an empty plot. “This one could be ours if we also wanted to grow something else.”
“You really want one, don’t you?”
“As a wife, I’d certainly like to tend a garden.”
“But you’ll have to help me with the bakery.”
She gasped in the sudden realization of a fine idea. “Hey, instead of ice cream why don’t you let me taste one of your pastries? I’ve been dreaming of those lemon tarts for days.”
“That’s a swell suggestion. The bakery isn’t too far.”
Willa was by his side in a flash, her hand entangled in his. “All right. But I get the biggest one there is.”
***
“So what’s he like?” said Hannah, the butcher’s daughter and close friend of Willa’s as they shopped for ribbons at the mercantile.
“Well, for starters, he’s very handsome.” Willa paused and sighed dreamily. “You know, I don’t credit Pa for much but this time, he’s outdone himself.”
“Mm. Wonderful.”
“Did I tell you?” Willa glanced quickly over both her shoulders before pulling Hannah behind a shelf for privacy. “He never took his eyes off me the entire time I ate that pastry.”
“So, he likes you?”
“He has to. No man stares at a woman like that without feeling attracted to her.”
A puzzled expression overtook Hannah’s face and she tapped her chin in deep thought. “Friend, I don’t mean to scare you but something’s come back to me.”
Willa rummaged around a basket of ribbons, sifting through the purple and blue and red satin. “Don’t tell me you’re jealous.”
“Of course not. But I do recall hearing of him bedding Emily Winters.”
A chill settled over Willa and she dropped a handful of ribbons back in the basket. “Him? No way. Julian doesn’t strike me as the sort who’d get involved with a pass around gal like that.”
“Believe it. It’s who she claims left her hangin’.”
“I never heard of such a thing and besides, it’s probably just a rumor.”
“It’s no surprise you won’t believe me.” Hannah inspected a box of detergent from off the shelf. “I hadn’t wanted to say anything until I knew it was for sure the same Julian your pa had set you up with. Now that I’m certain, how could I keep that from you? We’ve been best friends all our lives and you’re more like my sister. I don’t want you to get hurt.”
“What do you know, exactly?”
“They—”
Willa gripped Hannah’s hand. “Tell me.”
“Ow, okay. Geesh.” Hannah pulled away. “The rumor goes that Emily fell madly in love with him, seeing as he’s a cultured New Yorker and all.”
“He is.”
“And so he made all these promises to her about marriage and children. She trusted him and one thing led to another. He dumped her afterward.”
Willa yanked a lavender ribbon out of the basket. “Not that I believe a word of it.”
Hannah cocked her head. “See? I knew it might be pointless to tell you.”
“Come on. It’s basic gossip. You don’t know Julian. He’s not a womanizer.”
“You’ve known him for the better part of a week.”
Willa narrowed her eyes at Hannah, who crossed her arms and tapped her heel against the floor.
“Emily Winters is a liar,” said Willa. “She’s given herself to half of Coal Valley. Do you really think an honorable man like Julian Reed would mess with a woman like that?”
“I heard this from a reliable source.”
“Who? Annie Jenkins?”
“Yeah.”
“Why, she’s the worst gossip of all! How many people’s lives has she ruined by spreading malicious stories?”
Hannah rolled her eyes. “Fine. Don’t believe me. But you can’t say I didn’t try to warn you about him.”
Willa placed the lavender ribbon against the deep purple one. “My pa has already arranged the marriage. It’s not like I have much choice anyway.”
“So you do believe me?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“Just don’t give into him. Otherwise—”
Willa raised an eyebrow. “What? Do you think he’ll actually break his promise to my father?”
A frustrated sigh rolled out of Hannah’s lips. “Nevermind. Forget I ever said anything.”
“You won’t come back with an ‘I told you so’.”
“Perhaps not.”
Hannah brushed past her and went to check out her goods at the mercantile counter.
Willa watched her from afar, a sense of dread building inside of her. She didn’t know her friend to be much of a gossip so maybe what she had said about Julian was true.
No. It just couldn’t be. He didn’t give the impression of being an irresponsible womanizer. And she didn’t think it appropriate to question him about it either.
For now, she would figure out how to sniff out the truth.