“It’s beautiful,” Cora said, reaching out to touch the white. “Where did this come from?”
“The skirt of one of my dresses,” Fiona said. “It seemed like the perfect match.”
“Oh, Fiona, are you sure? I never meant for anyone to give me their own clothes,” Cora protested.
“I want each of my friends to look their very best on their wedding day, and I’m happy to give you whatever I have,” Fiona told her. “And I don’t have a reason to dress up—I’m the cook, and no one will be looking at me.”
“Oh, I think at least one person will be looking at you,” Rowena teased.
Fiona took a threatening step. “Do you want to get dunked? Hmm?”
“No, ma’am.” Rowena held up both hands. “No dunking for me.”
“Then watch yourself. That’s a threat that doesn’t expire.”
Cora reached out and touched Fiona’s arm. “Tell us truthfully—isn’t there any part of you that wishes you were getting married with us next week? I feel just terrible that we’re doing this without you, and it feels like we’re leaving you behind, and if you’re secretly miserable, maybe it would be better if we knew it and it wasn’t a secret anymore. . .”
Fiona smiled. “You’re sweet, Cora, and I appreciate you for caring so much. But I’m honestly, truly happy—I’m not pining away or feeling left out in the slightest. I’ve chosen to be single, and I like living my own choice. It’s liberating to know what I want and to make it happen. Back home, I never would have been allowed to choose my own path. Everything was set in stone for me. Out here, I feel like I’m finding myself for the very first time.”
“And you’ve found a violent streak you never knew existed,” Helen said, chuckling.
“Can you imagine if my mother ever saw me butchering a cow?” Fiona grinned. “Jack and Frisco said I did a good job, too. Now, I don’t think I’d ever be able to kill or drain the animal—I’ll leave that up to the men—but if they bring me in a slab of meat, I’ll know how to break it down.”
“She’s scaring me,” Helen whispered loudly to Wynonna.
“She’s been scaring me since before we handed her sharp knives,” Wynonna replied.
“I’m going to ignore all that because we have one more dress to examine,” Fiona said. “Helen, this maroon-colored gown of yours is lovely, and it will look stunning with your hair. Rowena had an idea for it, though.”
Rowena nodded. “My grandmother left me a garnet necklace that I’d like you to borrow. Look.” She pulled the necklace from her pocket and held it against the dress. “Isn’t that a perfect match?”
Helen’s eyes immediately filled with tears. “You’d lend me a gift from your grandmother?”
“Well, how could I not? It’s like they were made to go together.”
Helen gave Rowena a hug, and the whole room was soon in sniffles.
“You know what the saddest thing is?” Fiona said after a moment. “You’re all moving out, and I’ll be living here alone.” She paused. “But on the other hand, that means I get a whole house to myself … Hmm. Maybe this isn’t a sad thing after all.”
“What will you do with all this space?” Helen asked.
“I don’t know. It just occurred to me that I’d even have it.” Fiona tapped her chin. “Well, no sense in worrying about it right now. Let’s go serve supper, and then we need to meet with Margaret and get her ideas for the menu. I’ve sweet-talked Sully into driving me to town day after tomorrow for supplies, and I want time to make a complete list.”
***
Dawn seemed to come earlier than usual the next day. Mike asked all the men to meet him outside the bunkhouse so they could coordinate for the day, and only half of them seemed awake enough to pay decent attention.
“Men, you all showed your big hearts and willing attitudes yesterday, and that was much appreciated,” Mike said once everyone had assembled. “I know that Jack, Zeke, Billy, and Tenny are grateful to have the extra help while they’re gettin’ ready for their big day next week. I’m told that Billy’s cabin was finished up last night, and this mornin’, work will begin in earnest on Tenny’s. We’re gonna split the tasks to get everythin’ done. Sully, I’m puttin’ you in the milking shed today unless you’re feelin’ poorly.”
Sully nodded. “An ache in my leg is all, but that’s always eased by sittin’, so I have no problem atall on a milkin’ stool.”
“Jack, Billy, Abel, Zeke, Tenny—you’ll work here on the cabin. Everyone else, I need you in the fields.” He held up a scrap of paper. “Just a few minutes ago, a rider came here from the Circle T down the way sayin’ they’ve spotted some coyotes in the area. Frisco, I’ll need you to take your rifle and check it out.”
Frisco touched the brim of his hat in reply.
“Does anyone have any questions? No? All right, let’s get ready for a busy week with a mighty fine party at the end of it. Breakfast first, then off we go.”
Almost as if Fiona had been listening in, the meal bell rang as Mike was finishing up, and the men streamed toward the dining room.
Tenny sat down across from Mike with his plate of flapjacks and bacon. A few minutes later, as Fiona was placing additional bacon on the tables, Mike asked if he could speak with her for a moment. She paused at the end of their table, a hand on her hip, waiting for him to say something.
He cleared his throat. “I was just wonderin’, Miss Fiona, if it would be possible for you to make meals we can carry around with us for the next several days. Lunch packs with sandwiches and the like. We’ve got some men workin’ hard on buildin’ Tenny’s cabin, meanin’ more work out in the fields with the crops and the cattle, and if we could just take our meals to go, that would help us out quite a bit.”
Fiona pursed her lips while she thought it over, and then she nodded. “I think that’s a great idea, and it will also help me out quite a bit because I’ll be preparing food for the wedding—simpler meals will give me more leeway. Thank you for the suggestion, Mike. Would you like to start that at lunchtime today?”
He blinked, as though he hadn’t been expecting her congenial response. From the way she’d been standing there looking all disapproving, Tenny hadn’t expected it either.
“If you can put it together that fast, yes. I’ll send one of the men by around lunchtime, and maybe you could put everything in a basket for him to take around.”
She nodded. “And a separate basket for the men working on the cabin?”
“Perfect, Miss Fiona. That will solve some difficulties.”
“I can’t argue with anything that means we’ll have fewer dishes to wash. I’ll have the meal ready at noon, and another ready at five.”
Without waiting for his reply, she spun and walked off, Mike staring after her.
“That wasn’t nearly as hard as I made it out to be in my head,” he said in a low voice. “I purely expected her to rip my head from my shoulders.”
“She’s not an unreasonable woman,” Tenny replied. “She’s just got a wide stubborn streak in her—not unlike yourself there.”
Mike shook his head as he speared another flapjack on his fork. “She and I don’t have nearly enough in common. I accepted that a while back, but I’ve still got to find ways to deal with her—she’s in charge of the kitchen, I’m in charge of the men, and that means workin’ together from time to time.”
“Maybe this will be the start of some better cooperation.” Tenny stood up. “I’m itchin’ to get goin’ on that cabin. See ya later, Mike, and thank you for bein’ willin’ to turn our schedules up on their ears to make all this possible.”
“You kiddin’? This is the most exciting thing that’s happened around here in ages. We needed some shakin’ up.”
Tenny chuckled. “I suppose you’re right.” He gave Mike a nod, put his dirty plate in the correct bin, then went outside, ready to start building the home where he’d live with his wife for many years to come.
Chapter Twelve
The next
week went by in an absolute flurry of activity. The girls spent their time baking bread and making sandwiches for the men, who spent their time building a cabin and tending to the cattle and crops. Cora was antsy to check on the progress of her new home, but Tenny was insisting that it be a surprise and asked her to stay away. She didn’t know what could be so surprising about it considering that it would match the others, which she’d already seen, but she supposed she could be patient.
When Sully and Fiona returned from town, they not only brought the supplies for the wedding feast, but they brought several return telegrams as well. By and large, the girls’ families wished them well and said they were sorry they wouldn’t be able to attend, but they’d send their best wishes.
Cora’s, however, wasn’t so supportive.
“My mother was hoping I’d change my mind and come home,” she told the others. “She’s sending my books, as I requested, but she’s disappointed that I’m staying here.”
“I’m so sorry, Cora,” Helen said. “I suppose it’s even harder for her because she hasn’t seen how much braver you’ve become—she doesn’t know how strong you are now.”
“I guess you’re right. I hadn’t thought of that before.” Cora chuckled. “When Tenny took me riding last night, I learned how to hold the reins, and I didn’t get sick to my stomach. I really have changed, haven’t I?”
“You’re taking more chances, but you’re still the same person,” Wynonna told her. “I think it’s the best of both worlds.”
After what felt like forever even though it had only been eight days since Tenny’s proposal, the wedding day had finally arrived. Fiona had truly shown her creative side as she baked dozens of cookies and decorated lovely cakes, and even though everything was taking place on a ranch and not in the large church Cora had dreamed of her whole life, she knew that this day would be even better than her imaginary one.
The men had carried all the benches and chairs from the various buildings and arranged them to form an outside chapel. They had even constructed an arch out of willow branches from the riverbank so the pastor would have a nice backdrop for the ceremony. As Cora walked around an hour before the guests were due to arrive, her gaze kept falling on these little touching details, and her heart swelled. It seemed that every possible detail had been addressed, things that she hadn’t even thought of, but was so happy to see.
“How did all this happen?” she asked Fiona, standing in the center of the chairs and admiring the beautiful woodland chapel that had been created.
“A great deal of it was Margaret, and some of it was me,” Fiona confessed. “But the arch was Irish’s idea, and Benedict helped him.”
“I never would have dreamed that these rough-and-tumble cowboys had such romantic streaks in them,” Cora replied.
“It’s certainly been fun watching them come up with ideas for today.” Fiona tucked her arm through Cora’s. “Now you, my dear, need to finish getting ready. You can’t be wandering around out here where everyone can see you.”
“I just wanted to look at the decorations . . .”
“You can look at them later. Now come with me.”
The four brides changed quickly, then stood ready for inspection as Fiona moved down the row, checking for loose threads or fraying seams. Then she sat them all down and worked on their hair, tucking flowers in between the curls and pinning up the stray bits.
“Fiona, may I just tell you how much we appreciate everything you’ve done this week?” Wynonnna said. “I don’t know how you’ve done it, but you’ve kept everything on track, and this is going to be the most beautiful wedding ever because of you.”
Fiona smiled, obvious tears coming to her eyes. “I’ve been so happy to do it. You four . . . Her voice began to quaver. “You four are my dearest friends. Back home, they thought I was too wild and impetuous, but you’ve accepted me as I am, and you’ve loved me despite my faults, and I’m so blessed that we all took this giant leap of faith together in coming here. Yes, the ranch has become our new home, but you girls are what has truly made it a home for me.”
All the girls were crying now, and Cora was certain she was about to get married with red blotches on her face, but she didn’t care. She threw her arms around Fiona and squeezed her tight, more grateful than she could express that after a lifetime of being an only child, she now had sisters, true sisters of the heart.
After several minutes, the girls managed to compose themselves, and they blotted their cheeks with cold water. Fiona finished their hair, and then a knock sounded on the door. Wade stood on the other side, ready to escort them to the wedding.
Each bride gathered up the small flower bouquet Jack had picked for them, and they followed Wade across the grass to the arranged seating. Cora’s knees were almost as weak as they’d been the first time she’d ridden Clover, but when she looked up and saw Tenny standing there, waiting for her, all her fear drained out of her. The expression on his face was one of sheer love, and she knew that no matter what they would face in their lives together, they would have that foundation to build on.
The pastor, whom Cora had been told was named Robert Osbourne, took his place beneath the arch and motioned for the brides to come forward. One by one, they walked toward the front of the gathering, and all the guests came to their feet. Cora didn’t recognize many of them, as she’d been out on the ranch and hadn’t interacted much with the people from town, but she’d count on Tenny to introduce her to all his friends after the ceremony.
The pastor asked the four couples to stand in front of him, holding hands. He then invited the audience to sit.
“I’ve officiated at several weddings since I was ordained, and I never cease to celebrate the love that brings people together in this divine and holy promise,” he began. “This afternoon, we’re meeting under the blue sky, God’s own canopy, instead of a church building, but the words we speak and the commitments made by these women and these men will hold just as much meaning as if we stood in an ancient cathedral.”
He continued on with the introduction of the vows, and Cora looked into Tenny’s eyes. They sparkled even brighter than they had when he proposed, and the little grin that played on his mouth told her that he was just as giddy inside as she was. It was hard to remain serious for the rest of the ceremony when she just wanted to break into giggles of happiness.
When the pastor pronounced all the couples married and told them to kiss their brides, Tenny scooped Cora into his arms and kissed her so senseless, it took a moment for her to regain her footing when he let her go. “That’s how I’m going to say good morning every day for the rest of your life,” he said into her ear. She liked that idea. She liked it a whole lot.
The party after the ceremony was a whirlwind of laughter, introductions, and well-wishes. Fiona’s treats tasted just as good as they looked, but Cora was afraid she wasn’t paying them the attention they deserved because she kept looking over at Tenny and getting caught up in his blue-eyed gaze. Dancing with him was heavenly, swaying back and forth as his arms held her close. She didn’t know the man who’d brought his violin, but she was grateful for him because she could dance with her groom instead of being responsible to provide the music on the piano.
One by one, the guests left, climbing into their carriages and starting their journeys home. Cora had never shaken so many hands in her life, and she was eager to sit down and clear her head of all the noise. To be honest, she was also interested in the pile of gifts that had been brought, and she wondered if there were any specifically for her and Tenny or if the couples would just go through and decide who needed which item.
She had just taken a seat and was enjoying a rest when Tenny walked up to her and held out his arm. “Are you ready to see the cabin?”
She looked up at him. “Oh? I finally get to see it?”
“You sure do.” He looked like he was up to something, and she wasn’t sure if that was good or bad.
She allowed him to give her a hand up from her c
hair, and they strolled across the grass arm in arm. “You’re the most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen,” he told her as they walked. “When I saw you coming toward me, I thought an angel had visited from heaven.”
“That sounds like a bit of flattery, Mr. Lawless,” she told him.
“It’s not flattery if it’s true, Mrs. Lawless,” he replied. “All right—we’re comin’ around the corner now. Close your eyes.”
She did as she was told, and he guided her the last few dozen steps. Then he brought her to a stop. “You can look now.”
She opened her eyes, and all she could do was blink. She’d believed that her cabin would match the others, and she was pleased about that because the style and design were rather nice. But this one . . . this was entirely different. It had been painted yellow, her favorite color, and window boxes with red flowers had been affixed to each window all the way around. Wooden latticework hung from the eaves and looked like lace edging the house. Of all the houses in all the world, this was the one that felt the most like it should be hers . . . and it was.
“It’s wonderful,” she breathed. “It’s like you peeked into my soul and knew exactly what I wanted.”
“You like it? You really do?”
She threw her arms around Tenny’s neck. “I adore it. Thank you. And I can’t believe you got this all done in a week.”
“It wasn’t just me, you know—the men all helped out.”
“And I’ll thank every one of them, but not with a hug.” Cora stepped back and looked into Tenny’s eyes. “You’re the only man I’ll ever hug in all my life.”
He surprised her by scooping her up and carrying her toward the house. “Let’s go inside and see if you like it just as well in there,” he said. As he opened the door and carried her through, she gasped. It was perfect. Every cunning little room and darling little cupboard . . . It was truly her house from the roof to the floor.
A Cattleman for Cora Page 9
