"It's beautiful," Amber said racing toward Bethany.
Wilder saw Erin cast her experienced eye over the dress. She ran her fingers along the decorated edges and checked different parts of the dress for excess and where it needed adjustment.
"Are you sure you can make it ready for this evening?" Miss Hardie asked. "If it's going to be too much trouble then I'm sure we can find another solution."
Erin shook her head and smiled. "It's fine. My mother can help me. We'll have the adjustments finished later this afternoon. I'll bring the dress over to your house when we're finished."
"That's so kind of you, Mrs. Dunbar," Bethany said.
Amber laughed. "Which one of us are you referring to Bethany. There's more than one Dunbar wife.
Erin and Amber smiled at each other. Wilder figured that was one of their own private jokes.
Amelia had moved away from Wilder, making it clear that there was to be no more discussion between them. She was an infuriating woman, Wilder thought. But, she was also incredibly beautiful. She would have looked real fine in any of the dresses on display in the shop. Amelia had an elegance about her that Wilder found irresistible.
Luke came over to Wilder. "I think we best be going," he said to Wilder. "Looks like these ladies are going to be here a while."
Wilder nodded. He and Luke had business to attend to. Wilder glanced at Amelia. She turned, saw that he was looking at her and pouted her lips. At the sight of that Wilder felt something shift inside himself.
Amelia's brows furrowed into a puzzled expression. Had she seen how he had reacted to the way she had looked at him? Could she read his mind? Had he been so obvious in showing how the simple act of looking at her had affected him?
Wilder turned quickly to Luke. "Let's get out of here. Now," he said firmly.
Luke frowned and then smiled. "Okay. Lead the way," he said opening the door.
The two men quickly said their farewells and it was with a palpable sense of relief that Wilder stepped out onto the boardwalk and closed the door to the shop firmly behind him.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
"He'll be here any minute. I'll never be ready on time, Bethany exclaimed as she stood in front of the mirror. Her voice was filled with worry.
Amelia stood behind her friend and looked over Bethany's shoulder into the mirror. The dress had been delivered to the house barely on hour before. It looked beautiful, and Bethany looked wonderful in it. Amelia helped Bethany settle herself in the gown. Between them both they tugged and pulled and twisted the dress until it, after some time, it eventually fitted Bethany as well as it possibly could. Somehow the dress looked different here in the bedroom of Miss Hardie's house than it had done in Erin's store.
Amelia raced to the table and brought over the soft blue neck bow which she tied around Bethany's neck, making sure it wasn't fixed too tight.
The wide ruffles of the dress spread out around Bethany's feet.
"How do you think I look?" Bethany asked eagerly.
Amelia moved to Bethany's side and inspected her. Placing a hand on her chin, Amelia pretended to be concerned about something. She frowned, shook her head and sighed.
"What?" Bethany demanded, looking suddenly worried.
Amelia pursed her lips and squinted. "I don't know," she said slowly.
Bethany glanced up and down at the dress. "What is it? Is there something wrong?"
Amelia suddenly started to laugh. "Of course there's nothing wrong, you silly minx. You look absolutely beautiful."
"Why you..." Bethany shrieked throwing a playful punch at her friend.
Amelia dodged Bethany's tiny fist. "I can still fool you," Amelia said with a broad smile.
Bethany looked into the mirror for one last time. "You think he'll like it?"
"The more important thing is will you like him?"
"I do hope so," Bethany said.
Amelia heard the sound of a carriage from the street below and dashed to the window. She peered down and saw a young man, alone, on a well-appointed carriage about to draw up in front of Miss Hardie's house. He was dressed immaculately in a dark suit and broad-brimmed hat which hid any view of his features from Amelia's vantage point.
"Is that him? Is that Lucas?" Bethany said from the other side of the room.
Amelia glanced at Bethany. "I do believe it is him," she replied.
"Oh my goodness," Bethany exclaimed starting to shift nervously around. Amelia saw Bethany check herself in the mirror and scowl yet again. "He's not going to like me," she said. "I just know it."
Amelia raced to her friend's side and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "Nonsense."Amelia caught Bethany's eyes in the mirror. "He will not believe how lucky he is. He has the prospect of courting the most beautiful girl in Montana. I think that's a privilege for any man."
Amelia felt Bethany's shoulders relax.
"Am I doing the right thing, Amelia?" Bethany asked.
"How many times do I have to tell you, Bethany?" she replied. "This is what you've always wanted. Ever since I've known you, this has been your dream. Don't you recall those long talks in the dormitory? How you used to tell me tales of romantic heroes out West."
Bethany nodded wordlessly.
Amelia smiled and continued. "I know you better than anyone, Bethany. It may be that your hero is waiting for you downstairs. I think that's quite thrilling, don't you?"
Bethany nodded.
Amelia tidied some loose locks of hair and gave Bethany one final inspection. "Perfect. Simply perfect," Amelia declared.
She could see the confidence rising inside her friend. Even if such a life was not for herself, Amelia could appreciate just how much it meant to Bethany. She was glad for her friend. There was a simple joy to be taken from seeing just how much this meant to Bethany.
"Now. What do you say we get downstairs and meet your new beau?" Amelia said.
Amelia went to the door and opened it wide. From down below she heard the sound of the door being knocked. At that sound, Bethany's eyes lit up.
Amelia moved to the top of the stairs and looked down. She saw Miss Hardie standing in the hallway looking up. They had all agreed that it would be best if Lucas Monroe saw Bethany for the first time as she was descending the stairs. Miss Hardie always knew ways of ensuring the best possible first impression. She figured that seeing Bethany coming regally down the stairs would make the strongest possible impression.
Amelia nodded and Miss Hardie smiled back up at her. Miss Hardie turned and opened the door. Amelia waved toward the hesitant looking Bethany. Amelia glanced down and heard Miss Hardie's voice.
"Mr. Monroe. How lovely to see you. Please come in."
Amelia looked at Bethany. "Come Bethany. Now," she said urgently.
Bethany hurried to the top of the stairs and peered down. Amelia saw Lucas removing his hat as he entered the hallway. He brandished a large bouquet of flowers and held them out toward Miss Hardie. She held her hands up politely. "I assume those are for the lovely young lady you're here to see. I'll let you give them to her personally."
Miss Hardie turned and looked up, feigning surprise. "I do believe she's coming down the stairs even as we speak."
And then Lucas Monroe looked up and Amelia could see how handsome he was. The likeness Miss Hardie had shown them just hadn't done him any justice at all. His dark hair settled on his broad shoulders. His eyes gazed up, desperate to see the person about to descend the stairs. When Lucas smiled Amelia could almost feel the warmth and tenderness of that smile all the way to the top of the stairs.
Amelia allowed Bethany to start down the stairs first. She followed slowly behind, watching the lower edges of Bethany's dress for any sign that she might catch her feet and slip.
But she needn't have been concerned, because Miss Hardie had schooled Bethany well. Bethany positively glided down the stairs with all the elegance and poise she had been taught by the woman who watched her from below with a wide satisfied grin on her face.
Amelia saw Lucas watch Bethany as if transfixed. She had never seen a man look at a woman before with such obvious astonishment. His smile seemed to soften into an expression of wonderment. If there was ever love at first sight, Amelia thought, then she was looking at it right now.
Finally, Bethany reached the bottom of the stairs and Amelia raced to her side, trying to keep from staring at Lucas.
Amelia looked at Miss Hardie. When Miss Hardie spoke it was with a warm, almost relieved tone of voice. "Mr. Monroe. May I introduce Miss Bethany Lennox."
Lucas bowed. When his head rose he looked at Bethany with eyes that shimmered with barely concealed excitement. "Pleased to make your acquaintance Miss Lennox," he said softly.
Bethany curtsied. Amelia saw Miss Hardie nod in approval.
"And I am most pleased to make your acquaintance, Mr Monroe," Bethany replied, her voice soft and with the faintest trace of nervousness.
Lucas held out the flowers. "These are for you," he said.
Bethany took the flowers, inhaling their scent. "They're beautiful. Thank you," she said quietly.
"I'll take them," Amelia said. "I'll put them in a vase."
Bethany handed the flowers to Amelia.
"Would you like to come to the parlor?" Miss Hardie said formally.
Lucas' eyes lingered on Bethany for the briefest moment before he turned to Miss Hardie. "Of course. I'd be delighted, ma'am."
They made their way into the parlor. Miss Hardie escorted Lucas to the sofa in the centre of the room. As they'd agreed before Lucas had arrived, Bethany took her place on the adjacent sofa, along with Amelia. Miss Hardie sat upon the high-backed chair in front of the fireplace. Amelia glanced over at Lucas who shifted nervously. For a brief moment she thought he seemed terribly isolated there, on his own.
There was a long silence during which the only sound to be heard was the ticking of the grandfather clock at the far end of the room.
Then Miss Hardie broke the silence. "I'm so glad you could make the journey Mr. Monroe."
"It's a pleasure ma'am."
Miss Hardie smiled at Lucas. "Call me Edith. We can all agree to be on first name terms. Isn't that right girls?" Miss Hardie said looking at Amelia and Bethany.
Amelia flinched at the use of the word "girls". She hoped that Lucas hadn't taken note of the use of the word. Perhaps he didn't yet understand the nature of the relationship between Miss Hardie and her new guests.
As if reading her mind Miss Hardie went on to explain. "As I think I mentioned to you in our previous encounter, Lucas, Amelia and Bethany are both former students of mine. I had a finishing school back in Boston."
Miss Hardie smiled at Amelia. "These are two of my finest young pupils."
Amelia saw Bethany lower her eyes and smirk.
Lucas appeared suddenly awkward. "Was it a large school, Edith?" Lucas asked. From the tentative glances Lucas was giving Bethany it was clear to Amelia that his mind wasn't on the subject of Boston finishing schools.
Miss Hardie nodded. "It was large enough. I had many dozens of young girls pass through my doors. All of them received the best possible preparation for public life."
"What brought you out here?" Lucas asked. Amelia knew that question was going to prompt a lengthy speech. Before Miss Hardie could begin Amelia stood up. "Would you like some tea or coffee, Lucas?"
Miss Hardie looked up at Amelia with mild surprise at the sudden interruption.
Lucas nodded. "That would be most welcome, Amelia."
Lucas' voice had a pleasing, easy tone. His expression was bright and he seemed to have managed to compose himself after the awkwardness of the initial introductions.
"I'll get the tea, then," Amelia said.
Amelia headed out to the kitchen, relieved to be out of the parlor. In the kitchen she busied herself preparing the tea and coffee. While she waited, she leaned against the counter and listened to the sounds of conversation coming from the parlor. The respite of being in the kitchen gave Amelia a chance to reflect.
It was nice to see the simple happiness that being in the presence of a suitor had given to Bethany.
There was a part of Amelia which envied Bethany and her clear ambitions, her strong purpose to start a new life. She could see just how much it meant to Bethany that Lucas appeared to be exactly as she had hoped he would be. A handsome, well presented young man with a decent character.
First impressions had definitely been favorable on both sides, Amelia thought. Within moments it had been clear that Lucas and Bethany were attracted to each other. But would it lead to anything more substantial? Amelia had no doubt that Bethany's steely determination to pursue a new life would drive her onwards. But was Lucas the right man for Bethany?
Amelia heard laughter from the parlor. Miss Hardie's voice was clear and decisive. She heard Bethany laugh at something Lucas said. Then Miss Hardie said something in reply and they all laughed together.
Well, at least they were all having a fine old time, Amelia thought.
She busied herself preparing the cups and saucers. Miss Hardie had insisted on using on the finest china. The cups and saucers gleamed showing the work that had been done to make them sparkling clean. Amelia took the specially baked biscuits and placed them carefully on the doily covered levels of the cake stand.
When it came to presentation Miss Hardie wouldn't skimp on a single detail. Amelia could respect that about Miss Hardie. Even out here, in a place that Amelia had once considered barbarous, Miss Hardie was determined to maintain the appearances of decency and taste.
As Amelia arranged the cakes on the stand she realized that, whether she wanted to admit or not, Miss Hardie had succeeded in passing on those values to Amelia. She would never forget her time in the finishing school. And, even if she ended up marrying a rancher, Bethany would be the most courteous rancher's wife in Montana. That thought made Amelia smile.
She heard more happy chatter from the parlor. She was pleased that they all seemed to be getting on so well. Miss Hardie in particular had gone to great trouble to make this meeting happen. Amelia could tell from the look in Miss Hardie's eyes that she was secretly delighted at the first impressions Bethany and Lucas were making on each other. Love was such a strange business, Amelia thought. She wondered if she herself would ever be troubled by an affection for a gentleman.
Amelia caught herself and paused. Why had she asked herself whether love would trouble her? As far as she could see, love wasn't about to trouble Bethany at all. If this was what it meant to fall in love with a handsome cowboy, then it didn't seem as if it were any trouble at all.
Amelia prepared the tea in the pot and placed it on the tray. She heard more laughter and happy voices.
And then Amelia thought about Wilder Armstrong. The way he'd spoken to Amelia in the dress shop had taken her by surprise. The truth was she'd kind of liked the way he'd spoken to her. Amelia had learned he wasn't a man to bend under the pressure of a vigorous argument. Amelia liked that about him. He wasn't like the soft men back in Boston who couldn't stand a lady with opinions. Wilder could give as well as he got. And that was certainly refreshing in a man.
Amelia had noticed the way Wilder had looked at her. She tried fussing with the cake stand to drive the memory of how she had felt about that look. The sudden racing of her heart upon meeting his gaze in that moment had taken her completely by surprise. She hoped he hadn't noticed the effect his attention had had upon her.
She was sure that Wilder himself had looked awkward and embarrassed at being caught looking at Amelia. She'd had to contain her laughter at seeing him and Luke racing out of the dress shop as if it were the last place on earth either of them wanted to be seen leaving.
Wilder was a curious man, Amelia thought. Beneath the tough exterior, something softer and more tender seemed to lurk. And that was surprising. Lawmen surely had to keep a tight rein on their emotions. It looked like Wilder was having a tough time doing just that every time he was near Amelia.
Amelia
heard footsteps in the hallway and Miss Hardie appeared at the kitchen door. "Is that tea and coffee ready, Amelia?"
Amelia quickly made herself look busy. "It sure is. I was just about to bring it through."
Amelia lifted the tray with the cups, teapot, coffee pot and cake stand loaded on it.
Miss Hardie sighed. "Let me take that cake stand off the tray. Last thing we need is biscuits everywhere."
Amelia held the tray while Miss Hardie removed the cake stand. There was laughter from the parlor. "Sounds like they're getting along fine," Amelia said.
Miss Hardie paused at the kitchen door and smiled at Amelia. "They certainly are. Isn't it wonderful?"
Amelia nodded. "It is just wonderful," she replied and followed Miss Hardie back toward the parlor.
CHAPTER TWELVE
When Amelia and Miss Hardie entered the parlor Bethany was in the middle of saying something to Lucas. The minute Bethany saw Amelia and Miss Hardie she immediately stopped talking.
"How are you two getting along?" Miss Hardie said.
Bethany looked slightly sheepish when she replied. "Fine."
Amelia saw Lucas smile. "Just fine, Miss Hardie," he added. "My, those biscuits sure look tasty."
"I made them myself," said Miss Hardie placing the cake stand down on the table.
Amelia placed the tray down next to it. "Would you like tea or coffee?" she asked Lucas.
He grinned. "I...don't drink tea, ma'am. Can't recall the last time I had any," he said looking hesitantly at Miss Hardie.
It occurred to Amelia that Lucas might have been considering just what was the right thing to say. Was he worried that not drinking tea would make an unfavorable impression on everyone?
"The tea habit is something that has lingered since our time in Boston," Miss Hardie explained.
Lucas nodded. "When you spend as much time on a ranch as I do, coffee is the only thing that gets a man going when he has to do some work. There's no time for anything as fancy as tea."
"I can imagine," Miss Hardie said starting to pour some coffee into a cup. "Milk?"
Amelia's Montana Wedding (Love In Montana Falls Book 1) Page 8
