Noble Pursuits

by Chautona Havig

  “I can’t believe he chose me. The women here—they’re beautiful and intelligent and—”

  “And completely uninterested in creating a home. Mom Burke and Mother Finch spoiled our men with excellent home lives. These men of ours love home and family more than anything else. I wasn’t trained for homemaking like you were, but I’m learning. Fortunately, Mike loves me anyway.”

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  The next day dragged by as if being played through slow motion. Grace waited anxiously all day for ten lords to leap into her life. She racked her brains trying to figure out what Nolan would do. She imagined Russian Cossacks dancing in a foreign film and rabbits jumping across her lawn with names like Sir Bunnyhad or Lord Bouncewood.

  She found herself twisting the ring on her finger and reliving the prior evening. “Engaged. Grace Lynn Buscher, you are engaged!”

  A letter arrived in the afternoon mail. Grace opened the missive to discover instructions for Grace to be ready to depart to the city at three-thirty. She read the note. Grace… this is somewhat of a dressy occasion. Bond Street is holding a dress for you, should you choose to accept it. They’re ready to deliver at a moment’s notice. Please feel free to have the dress sent, but don’t feel obligated. I’m sure you own many pretty dresses but thought it might be fun to have something new as well.”

  Grace hesitated before picking up the phone. As she started to dial, she switched the last four numbers and waited for Melanie to answer. “Mel? I have a dilemma.”

  Encouraged by Melanie to ring for the dress, Grace showered and readied herself for the evening. Seeing the dress that Nolan sent, Grace sighed. Purple. She should have known it would be purple.

  Nolan risked a low wolf whistle as Grace invited him inside. Her blush told him that she wasn’t offended. He hadn’t seen her since walking her to the door the night before. Craig and Melanie had been waiting at Grace’s home to congratulate them. Nolan had mentally kicked himself as he walked to his home. No privacy after your engagement—not a man’s dream.

  From the moment they became engaged, until the moment that Grace opened her door dressed in the beautiful dress he’d provided, the couple had hardly spent a moment alone, unless navigating the freeways between Brunswick and Rockland counted. As he looked at his fiancée, he realized that he needed to make a few plans—immediately. Excusing himself to the restroom, Nolan made a call to his credit card company, requesting a card in the name of Grace Buscher be overnighted to his house. A wedding would be in the works in the matter of days.

  ~*~*~*~

  Grace laid her head on his shoulder as the Sugar Plum Fairy danced across the stage. Whispering, she tried to express her delight in the evening that she’d had. “It’s so beautiful. Thank you.”

  As the audience filed out of the theater, Nolan suggested dessert and coffee at a local restaurant. “We have plans to make, you know.”

  An hour later, they poured over Nolan’s pocket calendar, trying to determine a wedding date. Grace worked through March, April, and May, desperately trying to find a date that would work around Nolan’s most important business needs. Near tears, Grace looked up at Nolan. “I don’t want to wait until June. What will we do?”

  Nolan flipped back to February. Grace started to make a sound of protest, but when she saw that there were three open weeks in February, she sighed. It would be a lot of work, but she couldn’t afford an expensive, elaborate wedding anyway. “Let’s do it. Think about it. Our rehearsal dinner can be at the church, and it’ll still be decorated from the Valentine Party on Wednesday. With our anniversary one day after Valentine’s day, surely you won’t forget one of them!”

  The date was set. On February fifteenth, Grace Buscher would become Mrs. Nolan Burke. Looking up at Nolan as he walked her to her door, Grace smiled. “It truly is a wonderful life, isn’t it?”

  ~*~*~*~

  “A Blu-Ray player? What does that have to do with piping—and, Nolan; I’ve been calculating expenses. These are an extremely expensive twelve days you’ve given me.”

  Nolan laid aside the electronic cables he had been arranging and drew Grace to the couch. “We have to talk.”

  “About…”

  Hoping she wouldn’t build her usual wall before he could say what he thought needed to be said, Nolan murmured, “Your frugality is commendable, really. Some of it is your upbringing, but I think naturally you are a frugal person, and that is a wonderful thing. I don’t think I ever have to worry about you bankrupting me, but, Grace—”

  The look on Grace’s face alarmed him. She seemed ready to bolt. “What did I do wrong?”

  “Grace, I can afford to spend what I’ve spent this week without missing much of it. My business is good, and I’ve rarely touched a dime of my inheritance. It’s invested well and earning healthy profits even in lean quarters. I need you to learn to trust my judgment on what I can afford to spend.”

  Grace nodded. Just as Nolan felt like he was getting through, her face changed again. “But…”

  Sighing, Nolan waited for Grace to continue. “Go on.”

  “Why buy a DVD player? In about seven weeks, we’ll be married. I can use yours!”

  Nolan went back to work in silence. Grace wondered if he was angry, frustrated, or perhaps he realized that he could have prevented double buying and didn’t appreciate being reminded of it. His voice startled her minutes later. “Grace, I don’t own a Blu-Ray. I just use my laptop on the rare occasion I have time for a movie. I bought this for us to enjoy. If you really don’t want it, I’ll take it back.”

  “I didn’t say that! I was just trying to help—”

  His frustration boiled over. “Grace, it hurts to try to do something for someone only to have the decision questioned as a waste.”

  An unusual bite came to her voice. “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to question your impeccable judgment. I just asked!”

  He looked at her angry face and sighed. He started to pick up his tools to go home, but Grace stopped him. Grabbing her coat, she opened the door. “Don’t bother, Nolan. Finish your project. I’ll go.”

  Nolan prayed fervently as the door slammed shut behind her. “Lord, of all the stubborn, self-reliant women, I had to pick her! I don’t understand. She’s being completely unreasonable. If she doesn’t trust that I can make a decision about a silly piece of electronics, will she trust me when it’s something major? Did I let my love—”

  Grace. Nolan knew he loved her. He’d taken her questions personally instead of looking at what was behind them. She loved him and wanted only the best for him.

  He grabbed his jacket and rushed out the door. Looking up and down the street, he couldn’t decide which way she had gone. Did she go to Verily Wirth’s? Seeing her footprints in the snow, he tracked them as faithfully as a bloodhound. He followed them around the corner to the bench that a kind neighbor had set behind his fence for the schoolchildren to use. Alone on the bench, weeping, sat Grace.

  He slowed his jog down to a walk so as not to startle her. Several feet away, he called her name. She didn’t seem to hear. Reaching her side, he pulled her up into his arms. “I didn’t think we’d have our first ‘real’ argument and have to make up in public like this, but perhaps it is best.” She sniffled as he whispered apologies. “I didn’t think, Grace. I took it as you rejecting my surprise for you. I should have known better.”

  Shaking her head violently, she murmured, “No, you were right. I needed to trust you. You tried to do something special for me, and I didn’t accept it graciously. I’m discovering that I might find submission more difficult than I thought. It might have been a mistake to live alone this past year. It encourages a very independent spirit. I thought it would foster a deeper reliance on the Lord, and in some ways, it did…”

  Nolan nodded as she talked through her thoughts. He led her home, trying to understand the differences between their worlds. He’d grown up with any need, and many wants, satisfied almost before they became needs or wants. As
he returned to his electronic mess, he smiled at Grace as she fussed about trying to help him. “It’s ok, Grace, right? We’re ok. We talked about something, and we’ll need to talk about it again, I’m sure. But we handled a problem, and we can handle the next one.”

  Just after the Blu-Ray player was set up and ready to use, Craig and Melanie arrived with Gracie-Anna. Rolex went wild at the smell of the baby and promptly snuggled down at the base of her car seat. “He got us a DVD—Blu-Ray, whatever— player. Isn’t it neat—hey, Nolan? What does that have to do with eleven pipers?”

  Nolan pulled a disk from his jacket pocket and inserted it into the player. Grace watched carefully as he pushed buttons and started the machine. The swelling of bagpipes filled the room and Grace sighed. “How’d you know that I love the bag pipes? I’m sure I’ve never told you.”

  “Lucky guess, Grace. Lucky guess.” Grace missed the wink he threw at Melanie as everyone settled down to watch the rugged loveliness of Scotland’s countryside and the beautiful steps of Scottish dancers.

  ~*~*~*~

  Christmas Eve dawned with a fresh powdering of snowfall. Nolan watched anxiously for the FEDEX truck to bring him the credit card he’d ordered for Grace. After yesterday’s discussion, he knew that she’d resist using it, but Grace deserved the wedding of her dreams, and he was determined to provide that for her.

  Grabbing the CD he’d purchased the night before, Nolan walked across the street to deliver his final gift for the twelve days of Christmas. When he realized that his gift giving had become overwhelming, he’d canceled his plans for twelve live drummers drumming, in favor of a CD with a military band playing Little Drummer Boy.

  Craig and Melanie arrived simultaneously with Nolan, and everyone crowded into Grace’s house eagerly. Nolan was amazed. Overnight, Grace had transformed the house from the average decorated home to a Christmas Wonderland. Stockings hung from the mantle looking shelf that ran along one wall. Candy and cookies were everywhere, and the smell of baking ham already permeated the entire house.

  The festivities began in earnest. Nolan played the song for Grace as she scooped her little niece up in her arms. Craig pulled out an old turntable as well as his parents Mitch Miller albums, and the foursome sang and laughed until lunchtime.

  Craig excused himself for a short while as the rest of the party ate a light lunch. When he returned, Craig called the room to attention. Sitting next to Grace on the couch, he handed her an envelope. “I didn’t want this gift to get lost in the shuffle tomorrow, so I’ll give it to you now. I have a little story to tell. He cleared his throat before continuing. “When Dad got sick, he knew he wasn’t likely to be here for your wedding. He asked me to do two things for him. First, he wanted me to protect you from men who would only break your heart. I hope I’ve done that. I’m sure Nolan wouldn’t and I don’t think anyone else has.”

  Grace silently wept at the picture of her father handing the reigns of protection over to her brother. How she missed the man who had shaped her notion of what a Godly man should be. Craig continued, his voice husky with emotion.

  “The second thing he did was to give me this. It’s an account, Grace. I changed it to your name today and there is a debit card in there. Dad wanted to be sure you had a nice wedding. There’s also a letter from him that I was supposed to give you the other night, but I had it in the bank vault.”

  Grace accepted the envelope as she hugged her brother. Her wedding was something she hadn’t been willing to think of yet. She knew that there was little money in her accounts to cover basic expenses, and while Melanie and Craig would love the opportunity to provide her with a nice wedding, Grace didn’t like to think of the money being spent on her when Graceanna would need so much over the coming years.

  Nolan watched the scene, understandably moved. He thought of the card in his wallet that bore Grace’s name. Once again, he’d jumped the gun. He moved to sit near her feet and looked up into Grace’s eyes. “I think it’s wonderful of your father to provide for you like that. I only hope I am as thoughtful with our—”

  Grace interrupted him quickly. “You will be. No one could think otherwise.”

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  “Presents! Nolan… wake up! It’s time to come have presents!” Grace banged on Nolan’s door impatiently.

  Nolan opened the door slowly. He looked like a little boy standing there in his flannel pajamas with sleep still clouding his eyes. “Is it morning already?”

  Grace found herself involuntarily tracing his jaw line with her fingers. “I’ve never seen you with stubble!”

  Nolan wrapped Grace’s hand in his and kissed the back of her fingers. “How about I go get dressed? I’ll be over in a few minutes. I obviously need to shave.”

  Grace nodded and started to leave. Turning to him with a whimsical smile, she stopped the door before he had it completely closed. “Nolan? I think you look fine the way you are. Don’t bother shaving. Takes too much time anyway. We’ve got presents a-waiting, food that’s a-cooking, lots of songs a-singing, fun aaaaaalllll daaaayyyy.”

  As Nolan hurried into his clothes, he heard her singing her way back across the street. A quick glance at the mirror proved that a shave was definitely in order. Picking up the shaving cream, Nolan hesitated. Had Grace just been eager to begin opening presents or was she implying that she liked him unshaven now and then?

  Reluctantly he set the razor down. Rubbing one hand over his chin, he made a funny face at himself in the mirror before hurrying to the living room. His presents were piled into a reproduction of a vintage wagon for Graceanna. He grabbed the wagon handle, pulled his load across the street, and entered Grace’s home with a cheerful “Ho, Ho, Ho!”

  The morning passed in a flurry of wrapping paper. Paige, Nathan, and a tag-a-long Chuck stopped by to exchange gifts. Grace managed not to laugh at the roll of paper towels and can of peanuts tied together with ribbon that Chuck bought each of the women.

  Nolan unwrapped his present with trepidation. He wasn’t sure if Grace would use this day for a practical joke, but he didn’t put the idea past her either. He unwrapped a very ‘fuzzy’ pillow. Flannel squares stitched together in order to create a unique effect. Grace took the pillow from him and reached inside a pocket that Nolan had missed. Almost instantly, she reached inside the pocket. Grace flipped the pillow piece inside out and presto… a blanket. “You can put your feet in that pocket if they get cold.”

  Nolan felt that any gift would be inadequate after the last week and a half, but he’d really tried. Mike had given him an enlarged picture of them singing at his party. Nolan inserted that picture into the first page of a leather photo album, and on the next page, Nolan taped a business card for a local photographer for their engagement pictures, courtesy of Melanie’s forethought.

  A mini version of the album was included. In the little album, every picture that Nolan could find of he and Grace was included. From a snapshot of him playing soccer with Amber, to them teasing one another on Thanksgiving, to a cut out newspaper picture of the geese on Grace’s lawn, no picture was overlooked.

  Chuck interrupted in his usual, inelegant style. “You’d think she’ll be seeing you enough without pictures too.”

  Nathan and Paige took his words as their cue to leave. As they waved goodbye, Grace asked, “What will Mrs. Matthews say about Chuck?”

  ~*~*~*~

  Dinner was over, the gifts carefully put away or packed into Craig and Melanie’s car. Melanie sat in Grace’s most comfortable chair nursing Graceanna while Grace divided the leftovers. In time, the group sat around the room reminiscing about past Christmases.

  Taking a sip of his hot apple cider, Nolan gathered his courage. “I have a request to make of you all. It would mean a lot to me if some part of my family’s heritage could be a part of this wedding. Just using Dad’s money to pay for rings or a honeymoon isn’t very meaningful.” Nolan took a deep breath. He looked at Grace, then at Craig. Mentally pleading with Grace and Melanie
to understand, he made his request. “I know it’s tradition for the father of the bride to pay for the wedding, the dress, the veil etc. I’m supposed to pay for a rehearsal dinner, the rings, and the honeymoon, and I promise you; I will be content with that. But if you would consider allowing me to provide Grace’s dress and continue what has become a Burke family tradition…”

  Graceanna’s coos and giggles were the only sounds in the room. Melanie watched as Craig’s eyebrows drew downward into a scowl, and Grace tried to formulate her thoughts. Nolan’s shoulders drooped when he saw the reaction, and Melanie could see he thought he’d offended the family.

  Before anyone spoke and said something that would wound, Melanie decided to ask a question. “You said something about a Burke family tradition. What is that tradition? Can you tell us about it?”

  She laid her hand on Craig’s arm and whispered to him. Grace overheard, but Nolan was too far across the room. “Let’s just listen to him; we love him and we know he loves Grace. I don’t think this is about money, Craig. Just listen.”

  Nolan cleared his throat, took a sip of his hot apple cider, and spoke. “May I explain? I have a story of my own to tell, a little in the same realm as Craig’s story yesterday. I’ve been hesitant to mention it, because I don’t want to step on toes or cross family traditions that you might have.”

  “Our traditions,” Grace murmured, “certainly aren’t any more sacred than yours.” She glanced at her brother as she added, “But I don’t think we have wedding traditions, do we?”

  “Tell your story.” Craig’s words sounded clipped and angry, but Nolan saw that he was trying.

  “My great, great grandfather married an orphan loaned out to a local farm. The family took care of her in exchange for the work she did; they weren’t wealthy, but they were good to her. When Great-Grandfather Bart asked Melinda Potts to marry him, she came with nothing. No real family, no ‘hope chest,’ nothing. Grandfather didn’t mind; all he wanted was Melinda’s heart.”