Caroline’s heart pounded at the mention of Lee and her stomach churned for a moment before regaining her composure. “I’m sure he had his reasons. I hold no ill wishes against him. It has become obvious our marriage was not God’s will. I have peace with that.”
The woman huffed from behind the counter. “Well God bless you, dear, for having such a good attitude about the whole ordeal. I would have been beside myself.”
Caroline felt the room start to spin, but Lottie saved her by linking her arm through hers and leading her away from the counter. “Well, I believe we will take some time to browse around the store now, Mrs. Carter.”
“All right, dear.” Theodora called from behind them. “Take all the time you need. I have new fabric for baby clothes in the back if you’d like to look. It’s never too soon to start working on your layette!”
“Thank you, Mrs. Carter.” Lottie led her toward the fabric section, behind some racks of merchandise where they were out of earshot. “I’m so sorry! I’ve no clue how she found out. I didn’t tell a soul.”
“It’s fine,” Caroline managed to say after catching her breath. “I knew people would find out eventually. Someone must have seen us with Miss Milton at the train station without my intended groom and put two and two together. I just have to put it behind me and move on.”
“Well, for what it’s worth, you handled it in stride.”
She offered her a weak grin, bracing herself against a nearby shelf. “Really? I think I would have fainted if you weren’t beside me.” They shared a chuckle and Caroline felt her strength returning. “So, when I’m trying to take my mind off something, I sew. Mrs. Carter said something about you needing a layette for the baby?”
Lottie blushed and nodded. “I’ve only purchased a few things so far. I planned on doing more, but we’ve been so busy redecorating the house. I’ll start on it soon.”
Caroline swept her arm toward the large selection “Why not start now while I’m here? I’d love to help. What do you say?”
A huge smile spread across Lottie’s face as she eyed the variety of pastel-colored fabrics and threads the store had to offer. “I say, let drive!”
Chapter Five
“He who has a slack hand becomes poor, But the hand of the diligent makes rich.”
Proverbs 10:4 NKJV
Caleb’s eyes grew wide as saucers when the women emerged from the general store with several bags and boxes of various shapes and sizes. “Did you buy out the Carter’s entire stock, dear?”
Lottie aimed a guilty grin in his direction. “You said I could purchase some things for the baby.”
He let out a nervous chuckle and ran his fingers through his hair before helping pack their purchases into the back of the buggy. “Yes, I did, I suppose, but after hiring that new stable hand, our budget is a bit tight at the moment.”
“I’m sorry I got a bit carried away with Mrs. Carter going on and on about our little one needing a layette.” She rose on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. “Don’t fret, my love. Half of the items were purchased by Caroline. She wanted to do something nice for us for inviting her to stay with us. She also bought some things for her quilt.”
He thanked Caroline and then turned back to Lottie. He appeared to relax a little and held his wife for a moment to share a real kiss before helping her into the buggy. “It was just a surprise is all. I trust you. So, I suppose, you ladies will be mighty busy sewing in the days to come.”
Caroline grinned and shared a brief glance with Lottie. “Yes, I believe we will.”
“Did you enjoy touring the town?”
She nodded. “Very much. I never expected to see so much activity in a little town.”
“All the folks are friendly, too. We’d be glad if you decided to stay up here in Minnesota. You’d fit right in.”
Caroline grinned, her outlook much brighter than the past few days. “Yes, I believe I would, if the Lord wills it.”
Caroline and Lottie worked on their sewing projects at a rampant pace for two days straight, barely stopping to rest for meals. By the third day they had each made five outfits for newborns and a baby blanket. They made both boy and girl clothes, figuring Lottie could always save them for a second baby or give them to someone in town who needed them. As each garment took shape, they placed them in a large hope chest for safe keeping.
That afternoon, when they were becoming weary of cutting patterns and pinning fabric, Caroline sat across from Lottie and took out her grandmother’s quilt. She thumbed through the scraps from the fabric she’d bought at the general store, choosing a velvety pink piece trimmed from one of the baby gowns—Lottie’s favorite color. Then she trimmed it to fit over a worn patch of fabric on the quilt. She used a fancy feather stich her mother had taught her as a child and within half an hour, the section of quilt looked good as new. When finished, she held it out so Lottie could see it. “There—now whenever I look at this patch, I’ll remember our fun shopping trip at the general store.”
Lottie put her hands over her heart. “Thank you, Caroline. That means the world to me. I’m so glad you were able to come here, even if the trip hasn’t gone as you planned.”
Caroline ran her fingers over the intricate stitching she’d just completed. “You know, I think it turned out even better. Sure, my marriage to Lee didn’t work out, but I’ve had so much time to catch up with you and spend time in prayer as well. The Lord has been working on my heart and teaching me to put my faith in Him. The war changed me. It changed my whole family, really. When the news came back about Hugh’s death, everything fell apart. My parents and brother hadn’t parted on good terms and after his funeral they were wracked with such guilt and regret.”
Her cousin nodded. “I know. I watched you all go through it. The news came right before I received word Ryan had gone missing. It seemed the world was ending.”
Caroline nodded. “Yes, it did. For a long time, I struggled with why God allowed it to happen. Sometime I still do, but I’ve started to feel some peace.”
“I’m glad to hear it.”
Caroline drew in a ragged breath and took out the silk hanky. Then she did a curious thing, that surprised even herself. She found one of the tattered blue sections of quilt and sized up the hanky. It would do perfectly. She cut out the shape and then went to work, stitching it into place.
Lottie stared at her with curious eyes. “You said the pink fabric would remind you of me. What about the silk hanky? Is there a special memory attached to it as well?”
Caroline blushed, but she wasn’t sure quite why. “During the last train stop in St. Paul I became lost on the way back after my parasol flew away. A nice gentleman helped me find my way back before the train left without me.”
Lottie’s eyes widened. “Well, I’m so glad he did. You would have been stranded and we would have been worried sick when your belongings arrived without you.”
She nodded with a grin. “It sounds like something I would do, doesn’t it? I used to show up late all the time when I was a child—even to the church where my father preached. I’d be out playing with the boys in the mud, or getting into a fight. Something to that effect.”
Her cousin chuckled. “I remember well.”
“Anyway, this blue silk patch will remind me of my journey from Atlanta and the kindness a stranger showed me while asking for nothing in return. It is people like him who remind me there is still hope after such destruction.”
Lottie blinked a few times, appearing to hold back tears. “It is a good reminder for all of us.”
Emmett Riley arrived in Pelican Rapids on Monday afternoon, still uncertain if he’d made the right decision. The moment the coach stopped in front of Miss Milton’s farmhouse he almost asked the driver to take him back to the train station. Yet, for some reason he walked up to her front door and knocked.
Miss Milton had been expecting him because of his telegram a few days before and answered promptly. “Mr. Riley?” she asked with a smile, making her blue ey
es twinkle.
He removed his hat and shook her hand. “Yes, ma’am. Thank you for agreeing to meet with me on such short notice.”
“You’re very welcome.” She motioned for him to follow her down the hallway to her office. Then he sat across from her at the desk. “Actually, I was quite relieved when your telegram arrived. You see, at the moment I have more brides than grooms. I have been scrambling to find matches. However, the application process can take several weeks. I need to make sure my grooms are of good moral standing, with stable careers and such.”
“I understand.” Emmett rotated the brim of his hat, curling up the edge in an anxious manner. “Unfortunately, I can only stay here for a week…two at the most. You see, I have recently become the guardian for two young children. They are awaiting my return and my aging mother can only look after them for so long. I brought references and some information about my carpentry business in Niangua, Missouri.” He took out a folder and passed her a small stack of papers.
Miss Milton furrowed her brow while scanning the documents. When she reached the letter of recommendation from Joshua and Amy, her eyes lit up. “You are related to Amy Riley?”
“Yes, through marriage.”
“I thought I recognized your last name. We’ve known each other for years, but I haven’t heard from her much since her move to St. Cloud with Joshua. How is she?”
Emmett smiled and his shoulders relaxed. “She is in good health and spirits. She and Joshua have three children and one on the way. Amy is the one who recommended I inquire about your services.”
“Well, I am so glad to hear it. I shall have to write her a letter soon.” Ella resumed a business-like demeanor again and tapped the small stack of papers to straighten them. “I normally wouldn’t allow such a rushed period for matching a groom with a bride. However, after reading your references and seeing you have a stable income, I believe this time I can make an exception. Do you have a place to stay tonight, Mr. Riley?”
He nodded. “Yes, I planned to spend the night at the hotel on South Birch Street.”
“Very good.” She reached for a nearby folder and pulled out some paperwork, sliding it across the desk to him. “Please fill this out tonight and return it to me in the morning. “I’ll see what I can do.”
He let out a relieved sigh while tucking the papers under his arm and standing. “Thank you, ma’am. I appreciate your help.”
She smiled, rising to shake his hand. “You’re very welcome. I will try my best to find you the right bride within the time constraints.”
Miss Ella Milton sat at her desk late into the evening the next day, poring over a thick stack of bride profiles and a much thinner groom one. Miss Caroline Kennedy’s profile rested on the top of her bride stack. She had spent almost two weeks in Pelican Rapids at her cousin’s farm and Ella felt no closer to finding her a match than day one.
“God, please give me wisdom,” she prayed. “Help me find the right match for this sweet young woman. She has waited so patiently.”
She sifted through the short stack of potential grooms again. Then she put them aside and pulled out the file on her desk she had received that morning from Emmett Riley. Her eyes scanned the application as she rubbed her chin thoughtfully. Mr. Riley was pushing thirty—quite a bit older than Caroline at the tender age of twenty—however, she had matched up young brides with older grooms before without complications. Her eyes traveled further down the page, noticing he lived in a log cabin in the Ozarks and had his own carpentry business on the land. Caroline had specified fine living wasn’t the most important thing to her, as long as her husband made an adequate amount of income for them to live comfortably. She had also said the man could already have children, another requirement for Emmett’s situation, being the guardian of two children.
Ella’s heart began to soar as she continued finding compatibilities in their profiles. Then she reached the line of Caroline’s must haves. She had requested to live in Pelican Rapids or in close proximity to be close to her cousin. Niangua, Missouri was a long way from Pelican Rapids.
She closed Caroline’s file with a disappointed sigh and placed it back on top of the bride stack. Then she started to put the files away. She almost had them stacked on a shelf above her desk when an application fluttered out, landing on the table again, resting perfectly aligned with Emmett’s.
When Ella saw Caroline’s name at the top, she chuckled and looked upward with a grin. “Are you trying to tell me to give them a chance, Lord?”
Chapter Six
“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.”
Mathew 7:7 NLT
On Wednesday, Caroline, Lottie and Miss Dash attended a new knitting and crocheting group the pastor’s wife had started up at the Lutheran Church. It was a wonderful opportunity for Caroline to meet the ladies in town. She smiled when Ella Milton came into the fellowship hall with a bag full of colorful baby yarn. “For the new little one on the way,” she said with a grin.
Lottie gave her a hug. “You all spoil me too much!”
Ella chuckled. “I’m spoiling the new baby. There is a difference, correct?”
“I guess so,” she agreed with a grin.
Afterwards, Miss Milton sat with Caroline, saying they could talk while working on their knitting projects. Caroline pulled out some pretty red yarn to start on a little hat for Lottie’s baby. “I’m so glad you could join us tonight, Ella.”
The older woman smiled. “Me too. It is a nice break to come here and spend some time with the ladies in town. I must confess to being a bit reclusive sometimes. My job keeps me busy.”
Caroline nodded. “I can imagine.”
“Which reminds me,” Ella continued in a hushed tone while making her second row of loops. “I wanted to let you know I am making progress on finding you a groom.”
Caroline’s heart started to pound. “Truly? So, you have someone in mind?”
“Yes. He’s a carpenter in his late twenties. He’s tall, handsome and a devout Christian like yourself. He seems like an excellent match, but he does have a unique situation. It could be a challenge for you at first.”
“A challenge?”
Ella took a deep breath while pulling out a new color of yarn. “He has recently become the guardian of two children.”
Caroline looked down at her project, deep in thought for a few moments before answering. “I’ve taught Sunday School and cared for the children in the nursery. I’ve always been good at caring for children.”
“I hoped you would say that,” she said with a hopeful smile, but it soon faded.
“Is that what you were worried about?”
Ella shook her head and stopped knitting. “Marrying him would require a move to Missouri.”
Caroline’s breath caught in her throat. In the short two weeks since arriving in Pelican Rapids, she had come to see herself as part of the community. Now, Ella’s words made her question that. Would she be willing to move to Missouri for a suitable match or did she want to wait for someone else—and how much longer would she have to remain in limbo if she chose the latter?
Ella placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “I’m not expecting you to make this decision in haste. Take some time to think and pray about it. When you come to a conclusion let me know. He must leave town soon.”
Caroline’s head started to whirl. Ella said not to make a hasty decision, yet her potential husband would be leaving town in a matter of days. It seemed time was of the essence. She had been praying for God to send the right man. She would never find out if this was the person God had sent or not if she didn’t give him a chance. All at once she knew what she had to do. She lifted her chin and met Miss Milton’s gaze again, managing a brave smile. “When can I meet him?”
Emmett paced Ella Milton’s dining room for the dozenth time with a bouquet of red roses in his hand—Miss Kennedy’s favorite flower—as El
la had informed him. It was hard to believe in a few short minutes he would meet the woman who would potentially be his bride. He had been praying for this moment and now it was about to happen. Miss Milton had been kind enough to lend them her dining room for the evening and her cook, Miss Jacobs, had prepared a fine meal of grilled chicken, garden salad and apple fritters for dessert. He had protested at first, saying they could have dinner at the hotel restaurant, but Miss Milton insisted.
When he saw a buggy pull up in front of the house, he held his breath, but then looked away from the window. He wanted to see her for the first time when she walked through the door. Then they could both see each other at the same moment. Looking beforehand would spoil the special moment.
At a slight knock on the door, he opened it, not prepared to see a familiar pair of blue eyes staring back at him. “You’re Miss Caroline Kennedy?” he managed to croak, studying the petite, strawberry blond woman before him. Even with windblown hair in St. Paul, she had been a lovely sight to behold. However, tonight she looked even more stunning in a red, bustled gown with the top portion of her hair pinned neatly back, allowing her curls to cascade down her back.
She stared at him in equal shock while taking the bouquet of roses he offered her. “And you’re… Emmett Riley?”
“I am.” After recovering from his stupor, he shook her hand. “It’s a pleasure to see you again, but you said you were coming here to meet your new husband.”
“And you were staying in St. Paul to collect your grandfather’s inheritance.”
He chuckled softly, still feeling as if he were stuck in a dream. “I suppose we have quite a bit to explain. I’d be happy to discuss it while we eat our meal. Would you like to join me in the dining room?”
Caroline smiled then and her shoulders relaxed. “Yes, I would like that very much. Just allow me a moment to put these in some water.”
Caroline's Quilt (Brides 0f Pelican Rapids Book 2) Page 3
