South of Stavewood (Stavewood Saga Book 2)

by Kinslow, Nanette

  He turned to his friend and watched the look on his face. He knew the man’s point of view. He had a woman he loved and wanted more than anything beside him every day of his life. He was happy for Roland, thinking he was a fellow who deserved happiness. Roland was a good man, a hard worker and forthright person. He smiled down to his petite wife and took her hand. He remembered sitting alone in the upstairs hall, some years ago, with his pistol at his side. He had felt that there was no hope then, no reason to go on. He frowned and thought how thankful he was that he was wrong. Stavewood was becoming the home that he had always wanted, filled with family and friends, and today was exactly the kind of day he had imagined.

  Isabel watched a young bride being fussed over on her wedding day, one of those days you are supposed to remember all of your life. She thought about how it wasn’t so much the big days like this one that she dwelled on now, but those little times you wouldn’t expect. They were the special memories that stood out in her mind.

  She knew this lovely young woman would remember her gown and her hair, and how handsome her groom looked as he waited for her. She knew that the best part of today was that they would be joined together now, connected in a way that would stay with them all of their lives. Today they made a vow to one another that, no matter what, would always remain.

  As she witnessed the love in the couple’s eyes she believed that this union was one that would endure. One day they would remember those special looks, the little considerations done for one another, those special moments and little kindnesses. She was so thankful now for all of those. She sighed with happiness to be a part of it all beginning anew and pulled her handkerchief from her sleeve.

  Emma stepped cautiously down the big staircase at Stavewood and then into the doorway. The floor was covered in Louisa’s pink petals and Emma took a deep breath. She asked no one to walk her down the aisle. She had decided she would walk to her groom alone. She was no young girl who needed to be given away. She’d seen too much for that.

  She lifted her chin and saw him there, formal and upright in his tuxedo. His white shirt contrasted with the black suit, complimenting the way his dark hair contrasted against his fair skin. He had brushed it to a silky shine and it fell easy and smooth to his shoulders. He stood tall and proud. His face changed from a solemn look to full appreciation and his smiled broadly, showing off his high cheekbones.

  Roland watched her move towards him with quiet grace, the soft sheen of her gown smooth against her slender body. For a moment he thought he must be in a dream. He could not imagine ever having seen a more beautiful woman anywhere, not just to his eyes but to his heart. He could hardly believe she was his, coming now towards him. His life could not be more perfect, he thought, than this moment.

  She walked slowly to his side and he kissed her hand reverently. Emma blushed deeply and fought to hold back her tears.

  They spoke their vows clearly and when he pulled her to him after the final “I do”, he nearly took her breath away.

  A soft breeze blew through the open window of Stavewood, barely perceptible, like a soft kiss upon one’s cheek. Louisa saw the curtain move slightly and smiled with contentment.

  Chapter Twenty Four

  Emma looked up at her groom in the foyer of Stavewood and he kissed both of her hands.

  “Have I told you yet that I have never seen you more beautiful?”

  “Yes,” she flushed. “But you can say it again if you like.”

  “I never have seen you in pink. I like it,” He looked into her eyes with love.

  She returned his look, thinking he had never looked more handsome. With his leg healed he stood erect. He had not seemed much taller than she, but now she realized she was wrong. He stood straight now, as if he never had ailed and he looked lovingly into her eyes. His face seemed softer somehow. She rarely noticed him scowling, only when deep in thought, and she was thrilled to see him agile and active.

  The foundation of their new home was finished and framing had begun. Now he was completely engrossed in making sure it was all done well. She had missed him the past few weeks, caught up in the last minute wedding plans and she reached up and kissed him warmly.

  Her bags were loaded onto his wagon and Mark had even covered the seat so that she could ride to Roland’s directly in her gown. She smiled, recalling the dressmaker’s recommendation that she wear pink.

  Timothy toasted the couple, yet again, raising his glass in celebration. There was no question that he heartily approved of the union. He congratulated Roland several times, told him he didn’t expect him back at the mill for weeks and then toasted them again.

  Rebecca shook her head and smiled lovingly at Timothy. It soon would be clear to everyone that saw her that she was expecting another child, and she glowed with health.

  Emma did not know what was discussed the day she watched Roland and Rebecca together on the bench, but it was clear that, from that moment, they had come to some kind of understanding. She had witnessed them engrossed in easy conversation several times since that day.

  Isabel watched the couple closely at their ceremony. She missed Phillip terribly, yet she was growing to accept her life alone. She had tended to Roland several times during his convalescence after the accident and had seen him through a dark time in both of their lives. She was relieved to see that he would not be condemned to life as a cripple. Her heart filled at the sight of him pacing the hall before the ceremony apprehensively, but without falter. She had always thought him to be so handsome and now the light of love on his face had transformed him.

  When she saw the couple’s eyes meet she knew their thoughts, their joy and their anticipation for a future. She had enjoyed many years with her fine husband, but had hoped for many more of the later years. She swallowed the lump in her throat and fought to remain in a mood of celebration.

  Roland refused yet another glass of champagne and began to glance at Emma from across the room. She was tiring herself, and she nodded to him and crossed the room to begin their preparations to exit.

  The magistrate pulled his carriage out, teetering slightly in his seat as Roland laughed.

  Emma noticed the odd array of items trailing behind Roland’s wagon and laughed aloud.

  “What on earth?” Emma exclaimed. “All of that junk clattering around is liable to spook the horse!”

  Rebecca and Mark giggled at their handiwork while Timothy chuckled at the antics of his wife and son.

  Roland helped Emma to the wagon and she settled her gown and cape around her in the cool damp evening. He climbed up beside her and they waved their goodbyes and took their first journey as husband and wife on their ride south of Stavewood.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Emma steadied herself as Roland helped her from the wagon and she kissed him lovingly as she stood in the soft moonlight.

  “This time,” he whispered to her, his voice deep and low in her ear. “We are not doing this outdoors. We’ll go to the cabin in a bit, but I wanted to stop by here tonight.”

  She looked at the framing of their new house in the moonlight and could see that soon it would be a fine home.

  Emma gasped loudly as he scooped her up into his arms and carried her easily across the yard. She opened her mouth to protest and then fell silent and locked her fingers around his neck. When he set her to stand before him inside the threshold his face was filled with pride. “I warned you there would be no stopping me,” he whispered as he took her into his arms. “It might not be finished yet, but tonight this is something I very much wanted to do.”

  They stood arm in arm in the big structure, looking up into the star filled sky, each lost in their happiness and hopes for their future together.

  Roland turned and kissed her. “Let’s go home.”

  At the cabin he lifted her from the wagon and announced, “I have one more thing to show you.”

  This time he gathered her up and crossed another threshold and she did not bite her tongue.

 
“You are going to hurt yourself hauling me across every doorway in the county. She smoothed her dress and looked up to notice a folding screen standing in the far corner of the room. It was beautifully made, carved in a lacy design, a soft white parchment stretched on the back of the panels, accentuating the darkly stained wood.

  “It’s beautiful!” she exclaimed.

  “Look behind it,” he smiled proudly.

  She tiptoed to peek around, her soft slippers silent on the wooden floor.

  “Oh, Roland!” she nearly squealed, and folded the screen pushing it aside.

  Behind the screen was a generously sized copper bathtub, the sides liberally draped with expensive cotton towels.

  “A bath! This is wonderful!” She hitched up her skirt and stepped inside excitedly, sending Roland into spasms of laughter.

  “Come join me!” she beckoned. “The water is… well, dry!” she laughed.

  “I’ll wait until it’s filled and steaming hot,” he chuckled. “Then you won’t be able to keep me away.”

  He walked to the side of the tub and lifted her out easily, a wide handsome grin on his face.

  The next morning Emma woke to the sounds of shouting in the yard and slipped quickly into her soft robe. She pulled aside the curtains to see Timothy and several other men gathered in the yard talking to Roland. She dressed hurriedly and by the time she reached the porch there was a crowd of men in the yard. Roland and Timothy were giving the men some kind of instruction and they were walking off down the road. They had set up a makeshift table on sawhorses and there were papers spread out upon the boards.

  Emma walked out onto the narrow porch and shaded her eyes with her hand trying to get Roland’s attention.

  After several minutes all of the men, including Timothy, had left and she hustled out into the yard as Roland was gathering up the papers.

  “What’s going on?” she asked with alarm.

  “They’re going to work on the house!” he exclaimed. “It’s a wedding gift from Tim and Rebecca. He closed the mill and sent all of the men over early this morning to work on the house. Between them and the carpenters already over there we might get done by winter.” He smiled broadly.

  “Good morning!” Rebecca and Mark called from the road as they pulled in on the buckboard, the back filled with baskets and bundles.

  Mark helped Rebecca down and pulled the wagon into the shade of the yard and unhitched the horses.

  “I brought food for everyone, and gallons of lemonade.” Rebecca kissed Emma’s cheek.

  Small groups of men appeared at the cabin throughout the day, laughing and joking along the road and consuming all the food the women could lay out. They’d polish off a stack of sandwiches and, just as the women had cleaned up, a new group would arrive as hungry and thirsty as the last.

  In the late afternoon Emma took Rebecca indoors out of the sun and sat with her on the bed while she rested.

  “You’ve made it so cozy in here,” Rebecca remarked, looking around the room. “When I first arrived here I didn’t like these homes made of logs, and they are everywhere. I guess I just was never inside of one that had a woman’s touch.” She patted Emma’s arm.

  Her cousin had borrowed the sewing machine for several days and put proper curtains on all of the big windows. Rebecca had made the couple a cozy afghan that lay folded neatly across of the foot of the bed. The furniture was polished to a warm shine and Emma had added dresser scarves and soft pillows around the room.

  Once they had rested they walked to the building site together.

  “I think I’ll be off my feet much later with this one,” Rebecca remarked, touching her blossoming belly. “The timing is good. It’s easier to be quiet in the winter months. So much snow falls here. Before winter comes you and Roland must visit often. Loo has been asking for you and I think she’s grown a bit attached to Roland. I must tell you, dear, I was very wrong about him. I can see how happy he has made you.”

  Emma hugged her cousin tightly as they reached the meadow site.

  They could hear the hammers and saws from the road. The calls of men in organized crews filled the afternoon air. The women stepped onto the narrow road the men had cleared through a short forested area and then into the open clearing.

  Emma and Rebecca both exhaled aloud at the view of the building. Where earlier in the week there had been only a skeletal frame there now stood walls, roofs and windows.

  “It’s beautiful!” Rebecca shouted over the din of the workers. Emma touched her fingers to her face and choked back tears. The sketch of the house with the prints had looked cozy and nice, but a pen and ink drawing did not do justice to the structure. Emma took Rebecca’s hand and led her around the side of the building, making a wide circle and staying along the tree line to avoid the men. When she directed her to where they could see the front of the house the two women were clearly impressed.

  Timothy caught sight of his tiny wife and her cousin standing in front of the meadow, looking up at the house, pointing and gesturing in obvious excitement. He poked Roland with the handle of his hammer and indicated the two women. Roland turned and saw the ladies clearly enjoying the view of the structure. He turned to Timothy and nodded with appreciation, before climbing down to the yard.

  “Well?” he asked the women expectantly.

  “Oh! Roland!” Emma grabbed him excitedly and kissed his cheek unashamedly.

  “This morning there was barely a house there!” Rebecca exclaimed. “It’s magnificent!”

  Roland smiled proudly as Timothy approached and kissed his wife affectionately on the cheek.

  “Will this fit the bill, ladies?” he grinned.

  “Oh, Tim!” Emma jumped excitedly and reached up and kissed the big man on his firm cheek.

  “Wow!” Timothy exclaimed. “I ought to do this more often.” He winked at Roland proudly. “It will be another day with finishing woodwork after this, and one more to get the porches done, but we really got a lot done today.”

  “We’ll be clearing the property to there,” Roland said, indicating several yards along the front of the building. “The trees will stay along the back. You won’t see the house from the road. It won’t be long now.”

  Emma could not contain her excitement and her mind raced with ideas and plans.

  “Would you like to see inside?” Roland asked eagerly.

  “Could we, please?” Emma replied breathlessly.

  “I think so, let me check.” Roland headed inside while the ladies waited expectantly. He quickly returned and escorted both women through the doorway gallantly, Timothy following behind.

  The home featured an open foyer, with an extensive staircase to one side, and on the other a hall that led to a wide French door. To the right was a large formal parlor with a deep marble fireplace set against the far wall. The hearth was generous and French doors flanked either side. To the left of the foyer was a formal dining room with a complete wall of tall windows.

  The women whispered and pointed and discussed possible decorations as Timothy and Roland stood, their arms crossed over their chests, in the doorway smiling.

  Eventually the ladies returned to the foyer, ready for more of the tour and Roland led them through the door at the end of the front hall to the kitchen. The women could not get past him quickly enough to inspect the new kitchen. Despite the sawdust and curls of wood everywhere the ladies stepped through the tools and partially assembled doors to inspect the cabinets and pantries. Along one wall sat a newly delivered cast iron stove. It was enameled in a smart black with a gleaming white door and the women peeked inside the oven.

  “I never imagined this amount of a fuss,” Timothy whispered, leaning into Roland, impressed by the women’s excited display. They discussed where each item in the kitchen might go until the men could stand it no longer and moved them along.

  “Wait!” Emma shouted. “There are faucets on this sink. Will there be water?”

  “The pump will be here tomorrow,” Tim sm
iled.

  Emma clapped her hands like a child and the men laughed aloud.

  The ladies inspected the house in the same manner of excitement until they reached the balcony from the master bedroom. Roland flung open the double doors and the ladies stepped out and gasped at the view. Higher now than from ground level, the view was even more breathtaking.

  Emma nearly fainted from the beauty of it and she hurried to Roland and held his arm, overwhelmed. She noticed Tim nod to the man knowingly, and she looked up to Tim and smiled with appreciation.

  “We will always love it here,” she remarked reverently.

  “That’s the way it should be.” Tim smiled and led Rebecca back into the house.

  “As you wished?” Roland looked down at his wife, her face flushed with enthusiasm and her eyes filled with tears.

  “I am home,” she whispered.

  “Then it’s nearly time to pack your bags for home.” He kissed her affectionately.

  “I can hardly wait!” Emma sighed.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Mark had watched the women circling the building site cautiously and smiled, happy to see Rebecca caught up in the excitement of the building process. He had always wondered if she ever felt she had missed something by not being around while Timothy had built Stavewood, although he had never seen her anything but happy with the home. Remembering the look in her emerald eyes the day his father had brought her there, he knew, even as a child, it was where the woman belonged. He remembered the day she had set foot in the estate, not a lot bigger in stature than he. She had taken charge of the household and the staff as if she had belonged there. Wiping his eyes with the back of his hand he looked around to see if anyone was watching. He cleared his throat and resumed shingling the roof.