The Scarlet Wedding

by Lorana Hoopes

  Emma’s face flared as she thought about the night ahead. It wouldn’t be her first night sleeping in the house thanks to Jennie’s illness, but it would be her first night sharing a bed with William.

  “Okay, last flower done,” Kate said with pride. “Let’s get dressed for this wedding.”

  “I’m not quite done yet,” Carrie hollered.

  “I’m on it.” Dr. Dixon smoothed her skirt as she stood. “I’ve been known to decorate a few cakes in my time.” As she wandered into the kitchen, Kate, Emma, and Jennie headed to the girls’ room to get dressed.

  Kate helped Emma don the wedding dress first. With the last button fastened, Emma regarded herself in the mirror. The dress now had a high collar of lace. The sleeves bloused out a little more and lace covered the lower arm from the elbow to the wrist. It wasn’t that different from when she’d worn it to marry Joseph, but there were enough changes that she felt it wouldn’t be unlucky. She had even added a scarlet trim on the sleeves.

  “You look beautiful,” Kate said. “Now do you think you could help me get into mine? Hopefully it still fits. I feel like I grow a few inches every day.”

  Emma smiled at her friend. “You don’t, and you still look amazing.” She helped Kate step into a light blue dress that had recently been let out. The fit was perfect and Emma was glad they had moved the wedding up so Kate could be a part of it.

  Carrie entered the room then her head shaking back and forth. “She better not mess up that cake. I’ve worked on it all morning.”

  “It will be fine,” Emma assured her. “Now get dressed.”

  As Carrie changed into her dress, Kate and Emma got Jennie dressed in her pale pink dress.

  “You know you may have to put your dolls down to throw the flower petals,” Kate said with a laugh.

  Jennie’s eyes widened and she clutched them to her chest. “I can’t let go of them. William gave them to me.”

  “Well, maybe Dr. Dixon or Aunt Mabel can hold them,” Emma suggested.

  Jennie’s mouth pursed as she considered the options. “I think Dr. Dixon. Aunt Mabel seems nice, but I don’t know her very well.”

  Emma bit back her smile, but she had to agree with Jennie. While she had enjoyed meeting Mabel this morning and hoped they would become friends, the woman had been quiet and hard to get to know. Still, she was glad that Mabel and her family had come. She knew it pleased William to have rekindled his connection with her.

  Kate looked from one girl to the next. “Okay, I think we’re ready. Let’s go get you married.”

  Emma grabbed the basket of petals as she led the way back to the living room. Kate gathered up the sage bouquets and Carrie hurried into the kitchen to check the cake and get it ready for travel.

  “What can I help with?” Dr. Dixon glanced around as she re-appeared in the living room.

  “You can help me with the flowers,” Kate said. Dr. Dixon grabbed the remaining flowers and when Carrie appeared holding the cake on a platter, Emma opened the front door.

  Doc Moore looked up from the chair he had been sitting on. He had offered to stay with them and drive them over in the wagon when it was time. Samuel and Benjamin had gone ahead to the church to help William. At least, Emma hoped they were helping and not being a bother.

  “Are we ready then?” Doc Moore asked.

  “I think so, Pa.” Emma watched as he helped Jennie up first. The girl let go of her dolls just long enough to climb in and then immediately cuddled them again. He helped Kate up next, holding the flowers for her as she struggled with her growing belly. Emma smiled as she watched him turn to Dr. Dixon and offer his hand. A tiny hint of pink colored the woman’s cheeks as she took his hand and climbed up. Then it was Emma’s turn. Handing the basket to Kate for a moment, she climbed up and took a seat next to her friend. Finally, Carrie handed the cake to Emma before climbing up front and taking it back.

  “Drive slowly, Pa,” Carrie admonished as he lifted the reins. “I don’t want the cake to fall.”

  Doc Moore nodded and clicked softly. The horses moved, but the pace was almost slower than a walk.

  “Maybe a little faster,” Kate said with a laugh. “We don’t want to miss the wedding.”

  No, Emma certainly didn’t want to miss it. She couldn’t believe it would actually happen. So many things had gone wrong this week, but now she was on her way to the church and in a few hours, she would be Mrs. William Cook. And she couldn’t wait.

  William stepped back and admired the handiwork. White tulle and scarlet ribbons hung from the sides of the pews and from the altar up front. Buckets which would hold the sage bouquets the girls were bringing lined the aisle. William was no decorator, but he thought the church looked nice.

  “You did a wonderful job,” Mabel said coming up behind him.

  He turned and smiled at his half-sister. “Thank you for helping. I’m so glad you could make the trip.”

  “I’m glad we were too, and again I’m sorry for all the years we lost, William.”

  He took her hands and stared into her eyes. “I am too, but at least we have the future ahead of us. You don’t live that far, and we can come visit once or twice a year. And you’re always welcome here.”

  Mabel nodded and squeezed his hand before releasing it to wipe a tear from her eye.

  “Hey, there’s no crying yet,” Jesse said as he approached. “Save it for the wedding. Speaking of which, shouldn’t people be arriving now?”

  As if he were prophetic, the doors of the church opened and their neighbors and friends began filing it. Thankfully, Pastor Lewis had announced the wedding in church that morning, and William and Jesse had ridden to the houses of those not in attendance to invite them as well.

  William hoped that most would come for he felt like the town could use a dose of happiness. It had been through a lot in the last year what with the attacks of outlaws, Pauline’s death, and Jennie’s Scarlet Fever scare. It was certainly time to have a little happiness and celebration.

  “Let me show you to your seat before all the good ones are gone.” William led Mabel and her husband and son to the front row. Benjamin followed and sat next to Mabel, leaving room for Doc Moore, who would sit after giving Emma away, and Dr. Dixon. Samuel would be up front with William and Jesse.

  Pastor Lewis stepped out from his office and took his place at the front of the sanctuary. “William, why don’t you join me up here? Jesse and Samuel can help seat people.”

  William did as Pastor Lewis asked him, expecting the pastor to have more to say to him, but the man said nothing, just stared out over the filling church. As William followed suit, his nerves coiling and tightening. He had never been one for big gatherings or ostentatious affairs. He would have been just as happy to marry Emma in a barn with only the pastor there, but he’d wanted to give her as nice a wedding as possible since the planning of it had been so short.

  A few minutes later, the back doors opened and Kate and Dr. Dixon popped in, their arms laden with flowers. As they placed them in the buckets, William craned to see if he could spot Emma, but she remained out of his sight.

  When the buckets were full, Dr. Dixon took a seat next to Benjamin. He smiled as he realized she held Jennie’s stuffed animals in her arms. She must have had them on the bottom of her pile of flowers.

  The piano sounded then and the back doors opened. Carrie and Samuel entered first, smiling as they made their way up the aisle. When they reached the front, Kate and Jesse began their trek until they too were up front with him. Next came Jennie, her complexion still a little ruddy from the rash but with a smile nonetheless. She tossed the petals out of her baskets in large handfuls, running out before she reached the front.

  The music changed to the wedding march then, and William sucked in his breath as he waited for his first view of Emma. It was not a disappointment. She looked like a white angel as she glided in on Doc Moore’s arm.

  “Who gives this woman away?” Pastor Lewis asked as they reached the front.r />
  “I do.” Doc Moore planted a kiss on Emma’s cheek and then placed her hand in William’s before taking his seat.

  “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join these two in holy matrimony. Their engagement may have been short, but in the time these two have known each other, they have faced challenges which have brought them closer together and closer to God.”

  Pastor Lewis continued, but William didn’t hear all the words. His mind was on the future with the beautiful woman in front of him and nothing more.

  “William, do you take Emma to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, through sickness and in health, for better or for worse, until death do you part?”

  The mention of his name grabbed William’s attention and brought him back to the present. “I do,” he said.

  “And Emma do you take William to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, through sickness and in health, for better or for worse, until death do you part?”

  “I do,” Emma said.

  “Then by the power vested to me by the great state of Texas, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.”

  Applause erupted in the small church as William pulled Emma to him and placed the first kiss as husband and wife on her lips.

  “I love you, William,” she whispered softly as they parted.

  “I love you too, Mrs. Cook,” William said with a smile. Then together they faced the church and grinned as the clapping continued. William knew that whatever life threw at them, they would get through it together with the help of friends, family, and most importantly… God.

  The End!

  * * *

  If you enjoyed this story, please leave a review at your retailer. Just a few words really helps!

  Chapter 12

  Author’s Note

  First off, let me say how glad I am that you read this book. The Scarlet Wedding is the beginning of the spin off into my historical romance collection, Sage Creek. I had plans to get back to it much sooner, lol, but life and other books got in the way. I will return to it though soon, I promise. I have plans for the doctors and of course Emma’s siblings. I just need more time. My hope is soon that I can retire from teaching full time soon and just write for you guys.

  I hope you enjoyed this book. If you did, would you do me a favor? Please leave a review at your retailer. It really helps. It doesn’t have to be long - just a few words to help other readers know what they’re getting.

  I’d love to hear from you, not only about this story, but about the characters or stories you’d like read in the future. I’m always looking for new ideas and if I use one of your characters or stories, I’ll send you a free ebook and paperback of the book with a special dedication. Write to me at loranahoopes@gmail.com. And if you’d like to see what’s coming next, be sure to stop by authorloranahoopes.com

  I also have a weekly newsletter that contains many wonderful things like pictures of my adorable children, chances to win awesome prizes, new releases and sales I might be holding, great books from other authors, and anything else that strikes my fancy and that I think you would enjoy. I’ll even send you the first chapter of my newest (maybe not even released yet) book if you’d like to sign up.

  Even better, I solemnly swear to only send out one newsletter a week (usually on Tuesday unless life gets in the way which with three kids it usually does). I will not spam you, sell your email address to solicitors or anyone else, or any of those other terrible things.

  This series will be continued, but for now, would you like to meet some characters for a new series.

  * * *

  Prayers and blessings,

  Lorana

  Chapter 13

  Not ready to say Goodbye yet?

  William and Emma were such fun to write that I didn’t want to let them go, so I have more for them planned. Don’t worry, I know Emma has some siblings that need their own story too. I will get there. I promise, but first let’s take a look at the contemporary lawkeeper books.

  * * *

  Lawfully Redeemed

  He only wanted to help his brother…

  After their parents’ death, Calvin worked hard to succeed but his brother Chris went the opposite direction. Now, he’s in trouble, but Calvin is tired of bailing him out.

  She wants to prove her worth…

  K9 Officer Dani Higgins is eager to prove she’s good at what she does, but when an accident puts her in a stranger’s mercy, will she finish her job?

  Stuck together in the snow….

  Now Calvin must help the woman out to arrest his brother. Will they find love or will the family dynamics tear them apart?

  Read on for a taste of Lawfully Redeemed….

  Chapter 14

  Lawfully Redeemed preview

  Calvin stared at the computer screen and rubbed his eyes. While he loved his job, the monotony sometimes got to him. Day in and day out, just him and his computer. He could really use some company.

  A knock sounded at the door, and Calvin chuckled at the timing. His good mood faded, however, as he opened the door and tried to suppress his sigh. His brother Chris stood on the other side, and from the slight twitching of his body, Calvin could tell he was using again.

  “What is it, Chris?” Calvin hated the tone in his voice, but he had been bailing Chris out of trouble for the last few years.

  Chris hadn’t always been this way. During his Junior year of college, their father was diagnosed with cancer. After a tough yearlong battle, the cancer won. Two months after that, a car accident took their mother's life. It had been too much for twenty-two-year-old Chris to bear. Heck, it had been too much for Calvin to bear at twenty-six, but at least he’d had a job to fall back on. A solitary, retreat-from-everyone kind of job, but still a job. Chris, on the other hand, hadn't quite finished college, having taken time off when their father got sick, and therefore wasn’t sure where to go.

  Unfortunately, he turned to drugs. At first, it had just been smoking marijuana at parties, which was legal in their state. Then, it had transitioned into smoking pot every night. From there, Chris turned to harder drugs like ecstasy and Oxycodone. Now, Calvin believed Chris was dabbling in cocaine or heroin, but he couldn’t bring himself to ask. Ignorance wasn't really blissful, but it kept him from going completely crazy with guilt.

  Chris twitched and rubbed his nose. “I just need a couple hundred dollars, Calvin. Enough to get me through the month. The landlord raised the rent again.”

  Calvin knew this was a lie. Chris had already used this excuse, along with losing his job, having to repair his car, and getting robbed. No, this money was for drugs and Calvin was done supplying his habit. Last month when Chris asked for money, he promised to attend rehab. Either he had not fulfilled that promise, or it hadn’t worked for him.

  “I’m sorry, Chris, but I’m not giving you any more money.” As hard as it was to watch his little brother go down this path, he needed some tough love. Calvin reached for the door handle to shut the front door, but Chris managed to wiggle his toe in to keep it from closing.

  “Food then?” he asked with another slight twitch. “I haven’t eaten in a few days. Can I at least have some food?”

  Calvin knew he should say no, but this was his brother and he couldn’t watch him starve to death. “Fine,” he said, stepping back and allowing Chris to open the door. “Lunch, but that’s it. Then you leave.”

  “You got it. Thanks, Cal, you always were a great brother.”

  Calvin sighed. He wished he could just be a brother instead of his brother’s keeper. “Have a seat,” Calvin said, pointing to the living room couch. “I’ll make a sandwich and pack you an extra one for later.”

  Chris nodded and grabbed the remote as he plopped down on Calvin’s couch.

  Calvin continued to the kitchen and grabbed the bread, meat, and cheese from the fridge. The sound of some football game carried across the room as he prepared the sandwiches. With a sigh, he thought back
to high school. Back to a simpler time when Chris played football and his biggest worry was getting a date on Friday night.

  What would it take to get Chris back on track? Calvin wasn’t sure he could handle any more loss. If he lost Chris, he’d be all alone, but though he’d been praying for the last two years, God hadn’t answered his prayer yet.

  He grabbed two bags of chips from the pantry and added them to the plates. Then he sealed the third sandwich in a bag and placed it on Chris’s plate.

  “You weren’t watching the game?” Chris asked when Calvin entered the living room. For a moment, his eyes shone bright and clear.

  “No, I was working,” Calvin said. As a developer for a software company, he often worked from home and his work time and personal time mixed together frequently. “But I’ll watch it with you now.” He handed Chris his plate and then sat beside him, placing his own plate on his lap.

  “Thanks, bro,” Chris said, opening the bag of chips and shoving three in his mouth. “They’re down by a touchdown, but they might be able to pull it out,” he said around his mouthful of food.

  Calvin bit back a smile. It was nice to see Chris as he remembered him even if it only lasted an hour or so. As he bit into his own sandwich, he sent another prayer heavenward. “Lord, please reach Chris. Help him get clean and see the error of his ways before he ends up dead.”

  Chris’s sandwich and chips were gone before the first commercial break. Calvin would have made more, but Chris didn’t ask. When the game ended, Chris tucked the extra sandwich in his jacket pocket as he stood up to leave.

  “Hey, Calvin,” he said, digging the toe of his shoe into the carpet. “If I needed help, not financial, but, you know, other help, would you be there for me?”