by Chula Stone
As he spoke, he offered Treli his elbow and walked her serenely down the grand staircase of the house. Pinkie followed behind them, shepherding the long frilly train of the Treli’s gown around the curves of the stairs and over the hurdles formed by legs of tables, feet of chairs and at least three toys left by excited children.
“You’re just trying to keep my mind off the butterflies in my stomach with your silliness,” Treli told Vince.
“Is it working?” he returned.
Treli gave a little laugh. “Yes, but”
“Then just keep listening. Betty told me to tell you that mother and baby are doing great. She also said that if you try to delay this wedding just to come see them, I should give Shep a wooden spoon and instruct him on how to use it.”
“He wouldn’t need any pointers from you,” Treli replied, rolling her eyes. “Can we please talk about something else?”
“We don’t need to. That song is our signal. Let’s go.” They had arrived at the back of the large drawing room. Vince stopped and let Pinkie open the door then slip in quietly. He took a deep breath and set off resolutely down the aisle. Treli felt all the eyes of the small crowd on her. They were only close friends and the cowboys Shep worked with, she told herself. Nothing to be nervous over. Hadn’t she performed in front of huge crowds hundreds of times? But she wasn’t scared of the people. It was what the day meant that had her heart racing.
Vince took her hand delicately in his, then placed it firmly in Shep’s left hand. The two men shook hands, then as Vince sat down on one of the chairs in the front row, Shep covered their joined hands with his right and turned to the preacher.
It was really happening. In spite of missing cakes, unfinished dresses and an alpaca in labor, she was about to marry this strong, hard-working man at her side. How many times had she dreamed of this day, minus the alpacas of course? Her own parents had passed away long since, but she knew that if they could see her now, they would be pleased for her. She would have a home and a family of her own, beginning with these friends who were as close as family and a loving husband who was even now… nudging her with his fingertip under the cover of her lacey veil. “Treli, honey, the preacher asked you a question.”
“Oh, yes, I uh… that is to say, I mean, of course, yes, I do.” At least she hoped she did.
“You know of a reason that you shouldn’t marry this man?” the preacher repeated doubtfully.
“No, no! Not at all.” Treli blushed bright red.
Shep relaxed visibly and gave her a stern but understanding look, as if to warn her. “As long as she isn’t day-dreaming about her other husband, I guess we’re okay.”
She forced herself to focus on the ceremony, the prayers and the promises they were making to each other. She could feel the bond being born between them, just like the new alpaca that was… no, not alpacas again, she chided herself. Shep. Think of Shep. This is a big step, a serious undertaking, and not to be rushed through or ignored. She was the center of attention. This was her day. All eyes were on her. Drina and Slingo, standing up with them at the front of the drawing room, the crowd sitting in the rows of chairs brought in for the occasion from all over the house and Shep, always Shep, whose eyes were so dear to her. Everyone was turned her way, of course, because as the bride she was supposed to be looked at. Even the preacher was… oh, dear. She had missed another entrance. “No, never!” she exclaimed suddenly. The kind man’s slight scowl told her she had muffed the line again. “I’m sorry. I didn’t catch the question.” Treli leaned forward as if she needed to be closer to hear better.
The pastor spoke in a slow loud tone. “Will you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?”
“Oh, yes, that! Of course, I will.” Treli was relieved when he continued to speak in that exaggerated manner. It helped her keep her mind on the service and ignore the distractions. With the kids shuffling and Slingo snickering and Drina sniffling into her kerchief, it was hard to concentrate. Her wedding was a memory that a girl should treasure forever, so she made a mental note of every detail, hoping to be able to recall it all accurately for Betty soon and her own children one day. She only wished Shep would follow her example and pay attention. What did he think he was doing, playing with her fingers that way? And why was he kissing her like that, right here in front of the preacher and everyone?
Then the pianist was playing the recessional and Treli realized she was being hauled down the aisle at a prodigious clip, a new ring on her finger. “Is it over?”
“Yes, thank goodness!” Shep cried under his breath. “Are you back from your wool-gathering or do you need a little more time?”
“What wool gathering?”
“Oh, never mind,” he declared, kissing her soundly. “As long as I have the right to do that, I don’t really care about anything else.”
It seemed to make him happy, so she stood on her tiptoes and kissed him back.
She had a wonderful time at the reception. The cake turned out wonderful. Treli had wanted to bake it herself, but had been talked out of the idea by Drina who wanted her to save her efforts for the wedding and Shep who wanted her to save her strength for the wedding night. This apparently started, in Shep’s mind, the minute the cake was cut. Under the cover of her frilly veil and lacey dress, his hands were roaming in very sensitive places. The first cricket’s call seemed to be his signal. Within minutes he was casting long significant glances at the windows.
“It’s getting dark, honey,” Shep whispered in her ear. “We’d better get on our way.”
“They’ve only just started the music,” she chided him. “We have to dance.”
“Glad to hear you say that,” he replied in low, sultry tones. “There are some new steps I want to teach you tonight.”
“Oh, really?” she cooed, enjoying the banter. “I already know how to waltz and polka.”
“The dance I have in mind is a lot more fun.” Shep edged her towards the door.
She dragged her feet, making him work a little. “I can do some reels, but they take a while to learn.”
“With this one, it’ll be easy to get the basics, but then there are a lot of variations.”
She narrowed her eyes at him, as if in assessment. “Sounds like we’ll need some practice.”
“Lots of practice,” he growled. “Starting right now.” Sweeping her off her feet, he called to the crowd. “That’s it. I’m taking my bride now. Thanks for coming.”
Laughing, Treli tossed her bouquet of white and pink roses over Shep’s shoulder as he carried her out the door. “If anybody needs us”
Shep interrupted her before she could complete her thought, “That’s just too bad. We’ll be unavailable. Fair warning to anybody thinking of coming within a mile of that cottage: I had sniper training in the army. Vince?” He gave a loud whistle.
Vince pulled up in the buggy that was now festooned with old shoes and empty tin cans tied on the back. They clanked merrily as he took the curve too fast and the house disappeared from view. As they rode, Treli was slapping at Shep’s questing hands and laughing at his teasing complaints and silly suggestions on how they might get started before even reaching the cottage. “I might not need my boots on right now, but I’ll need them when we arrive.”
“Go ahead and take them off. I’ll carry you in. And you don’t need that top button, do you? See? It’s not so bad. And if you undo one, why not undo two?”
“That’s twice as bad!”
“But there’s no one here to see.”
“Yes there is. There’s you.”
“And there always will be me and I’m going to see a lot more than your throat and a little peek of perfection. Come on. How about my necktie? You can take that off while I drive. And my vest. I don’t need that.”
“We’re here,” she observed as they pulled into the last lane that led to the cottage where they would be spending their honeymoon.
He pulled up past the place under the shade tree where they usually lef
t the buggy and drew up right next to the front porch. Before she knew what he intended, he dragged her with him off the bench and carried her through the door. He leaned against it to close it and turned her to allow for a long, heated kiss. Not knowing why it seemed so right, she slid her body sinuously down his, almost surprised when he let her feet touch the floor. Soon enough, she understood as his hands began to divest her of her lovely dress.
Now she understood why Pinkie had laughed and Drina had insisted that the lace be bulky enough to hide the few large, widely spaced buttons set at strategic points on the dress in such a way as to make it easy for him to bare her skin to his searching hands. As the garment fell away, his gasp of delight emboldened Treli to help him join her in her shocking state. Up against the door he began to show her the dance that her body knew by instinct.
Much later, as they regained some semblance of composure, Treli was the first to grin. “Oh, my.”
“That pretty much says it all,” Shep agreed placidly.
When he reached for her, she shied away from him. “Wait! I need to catch my breath before you…”
“No, not again so soon. I’m taking you to bed so you can rest, honey. I didn’t mean to make your first time so…”
She felt her eyes meet his and widen as she let her smile warm. “Exhilarating? Extensive? Exhausting?” She put her arms around his neck and let him pick her up again. “I would like to… recover.” She paused for a moment before going on. “For a little while anyway.”
In two strides, he crossed the room and had her nestling comfortably on the pillows before she could finish chuckling.
It was the daydreaming of course. And the curiosity. Was she ever in trouble over anything but the daydreaming and her nosiness? Well yes, there was her habit of glossing over things she thought might upset Shep but when he figured out that her story didn’t exactly match reality, he was usually upset anyway, so Treli had about stopped trying to spare him. No, it was almost always the daydreaming that was the root of her downfall, just like it was today.
Carrying those papers home from the lawyer’s office was just one of the many chores that were taking her away from the café more and more frequently now that she was married. It seemed that everyone in the family thought that she had all the free time in the world since she had Shep to support her and didn’t have to earn a living. She didn’t mind getting out and about in town, so she didn’t fuss when someone asked her to run errands, but neither would she pass up an opportunity to stop by the boarding house for a chat with Aunt Mina or Betty, preferably both.
And what was more natural than casting a glance at the landscape of an open roll-top desk? And who could blame her for putting a packet of papers on that desk when Aunt Mina brought in tea and cakes? And what was more understandable than her forgetting all about those papers when she heard that Betty was moving out of the boarding house to live with her mother at home?
What could make her happier than to hear that Betty was quitting most of her jobs because she was making enough money from the sewing and knitting she was able to do? And what was more predictable than her leaving everything at the boarding house when she finally finished helping Betty pack up her room and rode with her back to her mother’s house in the country? And what was more sensible than rushing home to finish cooking supper when she realized she was late and that Shep would be put out?
So when he had gotten home to a very hot and slightly singed pork chop, she had more important things on her mind, like how to avoid getting a paddling. He would never paddle her for burning his dinner, but when he casually asked her if there were a particular reason why the meat was not battered like she usually prepared it, she suddenly realized that it was a very romantic thing to ask. Shep was so handsome and she really ought to show him how much she loved him. They hardly finished the dinner, which wasn’t exactly worth lingering over anyway.
By the next morning, she had practically forgotten the incident. It wasn’t a guilty conscience at all that had her fixing him his favorite breakfast. She surely wasn’t trying to avoid him finding out why she had been in a rush, the night before. If he had learned the reason, he might have been a bit put out since he had told her not to say yes to everyone who asked her to run errands for them. Errands. Like the one yesterday. The one to get the papers. The papers!
Oh, dear, where were they? They weren’t with her reticule or in the wagon or at Betty’s house. The baby alpaca was still adorable, but she couldn’t let the sight of him distract her! She had to find those papers. The search of her house and the trip to see Betty took all morning, so it wasn’t until after Shep had come home for dinner at noon and a quick shift at the café that Treli was able to swing back by Aunt Mina’s.
What a disappointment to find no one home. This was scarcely surprising, since Aunt Mina had her monthly Merriview Ladies’ Society meeting at the school that afternoon, but Treli thought she might sit for a moment in the cool drawing room to rest. That was the story she planned to tell anyone if she were spotted at the house alone anyway. And if she found her papers on the desk…there they were and no one the wiser.
But what was this packet of papers looking so official and important? Treli knew better than to pry into other people’s affairs but really, didn’t someone need to watch out for Aunt Mina? Just a quick peek. A deed? She’d never seen one before, never having owned anything bigger than her own carpet bag, but it was interesting. The property description looked like a mathematics word problem had fallen into an egg beater but she understood well enough that the property was not small and the owner’s name was Armina Pann.
On the next page was another deed with more indecipherable scribbles that supposedly designated the location of the property, but the third paper, Treli recognized at once. She had seen it before when Pinkie had signed it, renewing the lease on the café. The owner’s name was left blank, but there was a stamp on the top that listed the name of an attorney’s office in Dallas, where Pinkie sent the rent money. Pinkie had shown her the lease, pointing out that it was still a mystery to them who owned the building, but that the terms were always fair and there was never any problem with the situation. Still, she had mentioned that she wished she owned the building.
If Aunt Mina had these papers, maybe she was the owner and Vince had tracked her down. Perhaps he was going to buy the building as a gift for Pinkie. Treli quickly turned to the next page, which was indeed a bill of sale. The next moment, everything went black and the floor came up to meet her bottom in a decidedly accurate impression of what Shep might do to her when she got home. Still, she had to do it. She couldn’t keep quiet. The name on the paper determined her course of action as surely as if he had told her to do it himself. Treli knew she could not allow the building to be bought by Bailey Branson.
So off she raced to the Frogleg where Shep was working the young horses in the corral in front of the big barn. “Shep, we have to do something quick!” Breathless, Treli caught at her husband’s arm as soon as she found him.
“Well, hello to you, too,” he replied with apparently strained patience leaning on his good humor so that it bent just a hair.
So he wasn’t going to buy her urgency routine this time. Had he learned that she sometimes made a bit more out of her hurry in order to avoid his scrutinizing her motives? She would just have to plough through. This was important and if she had to take a bit of what she just might deserve, well… “Hello, dear. Now, can we talk for a minute? On the way to town, I mean. We’ve got to go help Aunt Mina.”
“Help Aunt Mina do what?” he asked, turning from his place at the fence and heading toward the buggy.
As he handed Treli up, she clutched at her heavy wool shawl. The air had turned nippy and once the sun went down, it would get cooler yet. “It’s what Aunt Mina shouldn’t be doing that we’ve got to worry about.”
“What’s she doing that she shouldn’t be?” he demanded as they rolled away. “At her age, it’s kind of hard to imagine what kind of mi
sbehaving she could get into.”
“She’s not misbehaving,” Treli corrected him. “Someone is misbehaving towards her.”
“Nobody in this town would dare.”
“What about Bailey Branson?”
“What about him?” Shep eyed Treli with suspicion.
“He’s trying to buy Aunt Mina’s building and I think it’s the one the café is in.”
Evidently, something clicked inside Shep because he stopped holding the horse back and in fact signaled him to get a move on. “Wait, what? It’s Aunt Mina who owns the building? And Branson wants to buy it? Where did you hear that? How far has he gotten?”
Treli hesitated only an instant. The whole story would have to come out, she supposed, and there was no good in trying to avoid answering questions. “It seemed pretty far along. The documents were all filled out and he had signed them.”
“Where did you see a bill of sale? Is that what you saw? It would have said something like ‘transfer or deed’ or some such.”
“And look very official, with a seal and all?”
“Yes, that’s it, and they have to be registered at the courthouse or county clerk’s office. Has Betty been letting you in the courthouse late at night?”
“No, of course not! Betty wouldn’t do something like that.”
“But she did. She told me she often let Branson in after hours. I saw him there once.”
“Maybe that’s how he found out who owned the building. It’s been a mystery that’s bothered Pinkie at least since I got here.”
“Well, now we know,” Shep mused. “If not at the courthouse, where did you see the papers?”
“I… saw them on Aunt Mina’s desk.” Brazen it out, she admonished herself. Sound like you had every right to be there.
