Wanted- Developer

by Sophie Dawson

  “Oh, who?” Denver took a bite of his sandwich. They were eating at his desk. Belle had brought lunch for both of them.

  “Neva and Connor.”

  He tipped his head to the side. “How would they be in the wedding?”

  “Neva as the flower girl and Connor as the ring bearer.”

  Denver thought about it. “Do you think they would want to? That it would mean something to them?” He didn’t figure a six-year-old boy would care about being in a wedding. He’d heard Connor complain about having to wear his good clothes two days in a row.

  “I know Neva would. She’s been practicing walking down the aisle. She thinks she’s getting married. I even had to make a veil out of an old pillowcase for her.”

  “What about Connor?”

  “I don’t think he’d really care, but if his sister is in it, he won’t want to be left out.”

  “If you want them to be in it, that’s fine with me. It’s not going to be a long ceremony. Basically just the vows.”

  “I know. If it was going to be long, I wouldn’t mention it. Standing still and young children don’t really go together.”

  They ate in silence for a while, then Denver asked, “Has anyone mentioned anything about us being trapped in the basement overnight?”

  Belle shrugged. “I’ve been teased a bit by my best friends, but they don’t mean anything by it. Have you?”

  “Mrs. Wallace accosted me on the street last evening as I walked back to the inn. Accused me of ruining the reputation of a fine upstanding young woman. Did you know?” he leaned forward and whispered, “that we were cavorting down in that basement?”

  “We were?” Belle whispered back. “How did she know?”

  “I’m not sure, but she sputtered when I asked her if her husband, the beloved Mr. Wallace, or she knew about the basement under the post office. Then she turned on her heel and marched away.”

  Belle laughed, covering her mouth since she had a bite of food in it.

  ~~~~~

  Denver looked up when Marshal Sewell entered, followed by Luther. “Hello, what brings you two to the back of the building and my office?”

  Belle was slowly typing a letter he’d dictated earlier that day. It was three days before their wedding and the social. Everything was set for his announcements of the plans for the renovating and rebuilding of Silverpines during the event.

  “I’ve heard back from the state,” Alex said. “There’s no record of gold shipments being stolen and unaccounted for when we presume the crate was put in the tunnel. Seems, just like the hootch, Silverpines has come into a windfall.”

  “That’s great news.” Denver stood up, too excited to stay seated. “Is there a plan for how it’s going to be used? It would be wonderful to announce it at the social.”

  “I’m calling a special council meeting for tomorrow evening. If we can come to an agreement, you’ll be able to make that announcement.” Luther grinned.

  “Shouldn’t you do it as mayor?”

  “Since you and Belle found it, I think it would be appropriate for you, or her,” he glanced at Belle who was avidly listening, “to make the announcement. We do need to get the gold weighed so we know how much there is. That will determine what we can use it for.”

  “I’ve arranged for the assay scales to be brought to the bank so we can weigh it there. That crate’s too heavy to carry it to the office and back to the bank.” Alex bent over, acting as if his back ached. They all laughed at him.

  “We can meet at the bank after closing,” Luther said.

  “Good idea,” Denver said. After the men left, he stepped over to where Belle was typing. He bent over and whispered in her ear, “Well, Miss-I-know-how-to-type, you can come along to the bank if you’re done typing that letter.”

  Belle gave a huff, and brought her hand back sharply, where it met his nose before he could pull his head back out of the way.

  ~~~~~

  “Where do you want me to put these cake pans?” Belle asked Millie Cutler. She was helping move the Cutlers into their newly purchased house. Denver had gone to Astoria on business, so Belle had the day off.

  Millie was a good friend, being only a few years older. They’d been friends all through school. They’d been in each other’s weddings. Well, their first weddings.

  “In that drawer.” Millie pointed and wiped the sweat from her brow.

  “Let’s take a break. I could use something to drink, so I know you do. That baby needs a few more weeks before arriving. I don’t want you to go too soon.” Belle put the pans away and got the jar of ice tea she’d brought out of the ice box. As Millie lowered her expanding body onto a chair, Belle poured them each a large glass of tea.

  “Thank you. This moving is hard. The only time I’ve moved is from my parents’ house to the apartment over the store.”

  “And you didn’t have a bun in the oven and nine other children, plus a very busy husband.” Belle set her glass down on the table after taking a sip.

  Millie laughed. “Not as many things either.”

  Two boys ran into the kitchen. Belle knew they were Rueben Messer and Ben Cutler, nine-year-olds who were now brothers. They were precocious but well behaved, as were all the children.

  “Mama, we have our clothes put away. Grace and Opal are fighting over which drawer each one gets. Ida put Kitty into her drawer and closed it, but Fern got it out before it died in there. Can we have something to eat?” Each sentence was spoken by a different boy, alternately.

  “There are sandwiches in that basket. Take them outside to eat. No, not the whole basket, just one apiece. If you want more, come back. When you are done, go help your father.”

  They watched the boys get their food and run out, allowing the screen door to slam.

  “Millie, you’ve brought two sets of children together so successfully. How did you and Clay make it so they didn’t do the whole, ‘You’re not my parent so you can’t tell me what to do’?”

  Millie chuckled and tucked an errant lock of hair behind her ear. “Some days are more successful than others. You heard that Grace and Opal are bickering. I’m not getting into that fight. They can figure it out or not. That’s part of it. Picking when you want to battle the rebels.

  “Another part is how Clay and I decided to start out together. We decided that we would support the other, at least in front of the children. We sat them all down and let them know that, for all intents and purposes, Clay was their father and I was their mother and what each one of us said was the way it was.”

  “And they accepted that?”

  “We had some issues early on. Especially with Reuben and Ben, but we made sure any rebellion was squashed right away. Don’t get me wrong. Clay and I have had some major disagreements over how we handle things. But we keep them to ourselves and support each other. That way we present a united front. With this many children, we need to. ‘A nation divided against itself cannot stand.’ To quote a very wise man.”

  “I see. I need to make sure Connor and Neva know that Denver has a right to scold and discipline them. He and I need to talk about how we want to proceed.”

  “Be sure it’s not you telling him how to be a parent. His views may be different than yours, but aren’t necessarily wrong.”

  Belle nodded. She hadn’t thought about how Denver might want the children raised. This would be an adjustment for her too.

  Millie patted her stomach. “Now, you need to get busy making a playmate for this little one.”

  Millie laughed when Belle’s face turned bright red.

  CHAPTER TEN

  Saturday turned out to be sunny and warm. A wonderful mid-May day. They were meeting Denver at the church. Geneva had insisted that he not see the bride before the wedding.

  The morning had been hectic. Connor and Neva were excited and bouncing all over the place. There was some pushing and arguments, as well as some spilled milk. Belle was nervous and struggled to keep her temper in check.

  Whe
n Geneva was ready, she offered to help Neva dress and took both children by the arm and marched them to their rooms. Belle figured some strict words would be aimed at both children.

  Belle sat at her dressing table, staring at herself in the mirror. She knew and understood why she was marrying today, but the thought of sleeping with someone other than Emery made her stomach quake. She couldn’t decide if it was because of her love for Emery, or the attraction she felt for Denver. Maybe it was a little of both, because she was very attracted to him.

  She thought of the contrast of the two men. Emery she’d known all her life. They’d played together as youngsters. Their love had grown over the years as they had. Denver, she had known only a few weeks.

  Denver was always neat as a pin. Emery, as a miner, was usually covered in dust and grime.

  Both men had good manners. Emery didn’t dare not as his mother was a stickler for them. They both had good senses of humor, though Emery’s was more out front than Denver’s.

  She sighed and stuck another pin into her hair. She didn’t want the curls to escape. Besides, Emery had always liked pulling them from her hair. Belle wondered if Denver would. The thought took her to tonight. They were staying at the inn. Geneva had insisted on that too. They needed a wedding night without the chance of the children disturbing them.

  At that moment, Belle decided her stomach was anticipating the night to come.

  A knock sounded and Geneva entered. “They are dressed and instructed to sit in the parlor and look at books. I challenged Connor to read the words to his sister.”

  Belle chuckled. “He knows those books by heart. He can read them without reading them.”

  “I know, but he’ll want to impress Neva. That gives us time to get you dressed. That gown buttons up the back. You’ll need help to get them all fastened.”

  It wasn’t long before Belle was ready. She’d chosen to wear the hat that matched the dress rather than a veil.

  “You look lovely, my dear.” Geneva had tears in her eyes. “As lovely as your first wedding.”

  “Don’t cry, you’ll make me cry.” Belle was barely able to keep her own tears from falling.

  Geneva sniffed and straightened her back. “I won’t. As much as I wish my Emery was still here, the young man you are marrying today will make you a good husband and father for Connor and Neva, I’m sure.” She winked. “He’ll make me a good son, also. And… He’s not bad to look at.”

  Belle laughed, linked her arm in Geneva’s and they exited the room.

  ~~~~~

  Denver could barely believe he was standing in an empty church waiting for his bride and her family to arrive. Never in a million years had he thought, when he took the job in Silverpines, that within a month he would become a husband and father.

  He thought back to his growing up years. His parents had been older when they had him. They were scholars. His father was a professor of mathematics and engineering. His mother taught literature at a private high school. They’d kept him home, away from other children, hiring a tutor for his schooling. Their house had been scrupulously clean and neat. He’d spent many hours straightening his toys and garments to meet his mother’s exacting standards. His blocks were always stored in alphabetical order. His books were first sorted by size. Once he could read, they were arranged by author. Any non-fiction books were by subject then author. There had been set tasks for every day. He was always neat and never dirty.

  Even today, as an adult, Denver needed his belongings as well as his person to be in place and his clothing spick and span. Somehow, he didn’t think Belle and her family lived in such a strict home.

  Connor came running into the sanctuary and down the aisle to him. “We’re here. Bama sent me to tell you.” He looked at the others. “Hi Pastor, Mrs. Pastor, Mr. Mayor, Mrs. Mayor. Be sure to tell my mama that I greeted you all. Gotta go. I’m the ring bearer.” He turned and ran back up the aisle to the foyer.

  Abby sat down at the piano and began playing. Denver, Luther, and Pastor James took their places. Geneva and the children came in. She sent them down the aisle after whispering final instructions.

  They walked slowly toward them, Neva dropping flower petals as she went. Connor was balancing a pillow on his hands. The ring Denver was going to wear was tied on it. His ring for Belle was in Luther’s pocket. He’d gone on the train to Astoria early in the week on business and purchased the white gold filigree ring with a round diamond. He wanted Belle to have a beautiful ring to match the beauty of her. He hoped he would be able to put his thoughts into words tonight at the inn.

  Denver didn’t think he was in love with her, yet, but he knew it was coming. She had such a sense of humor, so kind and loving. Everyone in town knew her and loved her. When they were out working, people would stop them just to chat with her. She listened to their ills, joys, and sorrows. It seemed that each one was important to her. The people always went away with a smile on their face.

  When Neva and Connor arrived, Neva looked into her basket and saw there were still petals left. She dumped them on the floor, right where her mother would stand. Denver bit his lip to keep from chuckling. They’d been so serious while walking. Now that their jobs were done, Connor tucked the pillow under his arm and went to stand next to Luther. Neva twirled around in her new pink dress making the skirt flare out.

  Geneva came forward. He was very thankful to her. She could have resented him taking the place of her son. She’d graciously accepted him and welcomed him into their family. She had taken him aside one evening while Belle put the children to bed, and told him that if he ever hurt Belle, she would skin him alive. Then she’d patted his cheek and asked him if he wanted coffee or tea with his peach pie.

  When she stopped next to him, she kissed his cheek, then gave a stern look at Connor who was kicking the step leading up to the altar. The kicking stopped.

  Denver trained his eyes on the door. It was glass with a gathered white drape attached at the top and bottom. The door opened and Belle stood there. She was dressed in white with a wide brimmed hat, one side held up by a large bow of the same fabric as her dress. There was lace at the high neck, down the front and at the cuffs. A wide lace ruffle circled at the skirt’s hem. A wide lavender ribbon accented her narrow waist. She carried a bouquet of lilacs he knew had been cut from the bushes in front of the house.

  Denver caught his breath. He’d always thought she was pretty, but today she was beautiful. Her dark brunette hair framed her face. He knew she didn’t use face paint, but there was a blush of pink on her cheeks. Her lips that were caught up in that small, smirky grin she so often had made him want the vows to be said fast so he could kiss them. Maybe he was a little bit in love with her already.

  ~~~~~

  Belle peeked around the door curtain and watched Neva and Connor walk up the aisle. When Connor put the pillow under his arm she simply shook her head. That’s why she’d tied the ring on. Neva’s dumping the flower petals made her smile. She’d have to be careful not to grind them into the floor. When Neva began twirling, Belle had to laugh. That was her daughter, always twirling and dancing. Denver hadn’t been around during the day yet, so he hadn’t seen it or been bumped into by a little whirlwind of a body.

  It was her turn. At her last wedding the church had been full. She’d had three bridesmaids, and her father had walked her down the aisle. Now, the groom was someone else. Someone she’d only known a few weeks.

  This was a marriage of convenience, or reputation really. Mrs. Wallace had expressed her indignation that a mother of small children, and a widow at that, would allow herself to be placed in such a compromising situation. She was a poor example for the other young ladies. Belle had stood silently, praying for escape when Paul Bunyan had come up behind Mrs. Wallace and scolded her for misrepresenting what had happened and blaming Belle. He’d made the widow apologize before he escorted her away. He was a true hero in Belle’s eyes.

  Smiling, Belle placed her hand in Denver’s and faced
him.

  “I can’t see,” Neva complained. “All I see is your back, Mama.”

  “Come stand by me.” Pastor James held out his hand and Neva jumped up on the step. Not to be left out, Connor stood on his other side.

  “Now I can see. Go on, get going, the social is going to start soon and I need to change my dress.” Neva tugged on the pastor’s coat.

  “Yes, ma’am. Dearly Beloved…”

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Neva held on to Denver’s hand and pulled him down the street, talking the whole way. She was certainly excited about attending the town social. After the wedding, they’d gone back to the house so the children and ladies could change clothes, not wanting to get their best clothing ruined. In his other hand was a picnic basket with the ladies’ contributions to the potluck picnic.

  “Did you know they are going to crank ice cream? I hope they have chocolate. I want to sit next to Ida, Opal, Grace, and all the rest. Did you know they are my best friends? Did you know they moved into the house just across the street? It’s the big one. Did you know they have nine children and will have a baby real soon?”

  When they reached the park, Connor hurried ahead to put the pie he was carrying on the dessert table. When he started to run off, Belle called to him, telling him to make sure he came to where they would lay out the blanket before he went through the food line.

  He saw Clay Cutler spreading a blanket out with several more being laid by the boys. “See, Neva, there’s Mr. Cutler. We can sit there.” He pointed and Neva squealed in delight, let go of his hand, and ran off in that direction.

  “At least there will be room when we get there. She’ll see to that,” Belle said. Her eyes were twinkling. They’d finished unpacking the food items from the basket and were ready to claim their spot.

  When they approached the Cutlers, Clay came forward and shooed his youngsters out of the way. “Good morning, welcome to the madhouse. Let me help.”