by Morgan, Kit
“Miss Longfellow, may I speak with you?”
Her head snapped up, and she stared at him, her face blank.
“Now, if you please.” She looked at the other women; only Mrs. Brock watched with interest. Winnie got up from her chair and came around the table. “Thank you; we can speak in my office.”
“What?” Mrs. Brock screeched. “You can’t take her into your office alone!”
“No? Well then, would you like to come with us?”
Mrs. Brock glanced to the ladies on her left and right, and then pushed herself up from the table. “I will! Someone has to make sure things stay decent!”
“Are you saying our pastor isn’t decent?” asked Mrs. Caulder.
“I said nothing of the kind. Besides, I wasn’t talking about him.”
Winnie let out a small gasp, tightened her jaw, and balled her hands into fists. Luke put a hand on her back to let her know it was all right, and began to guide her toward the church building. Mrs. Brock stomped her way around the table and followed them.
“Now we’ll get down to business,” he heard her mutter as she brought up the rear.
“Yes, we most certainly will,” he said, just as Eva came down the path that ran along the side of the church. “Ah, you’re just in time.”
“There you are!” Mrs. Brock said, her voice suddenly sweet. “Pastor Luke has been waiting for you.”
Eva ignored her and looked at Winnie. “Oh, my goodness; what happened? You look like you need to lie down.”
Winnie closed her eyes, and Luke stepped directly behind her, his hand still on her back, and whispered in her ear, “Are you sure you don’t want me to escort you home? I don’t want you to become ill.” She shook her head, and Luke knew she was avoiding having to speak because of her stutter. He’d watched his father do the same thing. “This won’t take long,” he reassured as he moved alongside her and opened the door to his office. Once they were all inside, Luke closed the door and faced the three women. Well, he thought. Here goes.
* * *
Winnie walked to Luke’s desk and leaned against it. She had no idea what this was about, but wanted nothing more than to leave. If he was going to tell her about Eva and himself, he was a little late. Mrs. Brock had been gloating all morning as they picked flowers, and made a point to make sure no one else was around every time she decided to disclose the details of their relationship. As if she wanted Winnie all to herself to do it.
“Now, let’s get started, shall we?” said Luke. “Eva, I believe you have something to tell your mother.”
Eva paled. “Yes; I’ve been putting it off, and I’m sorry.” She gave him an apologetic look, and then faced her mother.
Mrs. Brock looked from her daughter, to Luke, and back again. “Well, what is it?” she asked, her face lit with a smile.
Eva stood straight, and clasped her hands in front of her. “Mother, as much as you’d like to think otherwise, I have to inform you that Pastor Luke and I mean absolutely nothing to each other.”
Mrs. Brock’s face fell. “WHAT!?”
Eva smiled sweetly, and said nothing more.
Luke smiled as well, and turned to Winnie. “Miss Longfellow … Winnie … I have to inform you that I’d like to have you continue to help me with the church after the celebration is over. I know it’s a commitment, and the pay isn’t very good, but very rewarding. What do you say?”
She stared at him, almost with as much angst as Mrs. Brock, who was opening and closing her mouth with indecision as to what to screech next. That was it? He wanted her to be his assistant? Did she mean nothing to him? Had the kiss they’d shared meant anything?
She suddenly noticed he’d not taken his eyes from her, and she looked him up and down, wondering why he was staring at her like that. “What?” she asked, her voice weak.
“I must warn you, the position calls for long hours; we’ll … ah … have to spend a lot of time together.”
A chill went up her spine. What was he saying?
He took a step closer. “There will be lots of things for you to do, paperwork, organizing, helping me with the sick, and the poor …” He took another step, and they were now much closer than propriety would allow. “And if you’re going to be spending that much time with me, then, well, I thought it would make things easier if we just started courting.”
“WHAT!?” Mrs. Brock blurted again. “What are you talking about? Don’t tell me you’re asking this woman if you can court her?”
Luke turned to Mrs. Brock and flashed gave her his most dazzling smile. “That’s exactly what I’m asking.”
Winnie sucked in her breath, as her hands flew to her mouth.
Luke gave his attention back to her. “You see, there was never anything going on between Eva and me; and if you heard something other than what Eva and I have just said, then it was probably spoken by Mrs. Brock here, who saw fit to tell everyone in town a lie. Isn’t that right, Mrs. Brock?”
Mrs. Brock turned white, as her eyes bulged. She then pressed her lips into a firm line, and narrowed her eyes at him.
“So, you see,” he continued as he closed the distance between them and put his hands on Winnie’s shoulders. “I’d like to pick up where we left off.”
Winnie shook; she felt light-headed, and wasn’t sure she’d heard him right. “Where did we leave off?”
He looked down at her, and tucked a finger under her chin. “Right here,” he said, and ever so gently brushed his lips across her own.
Mrs. Brock went positively berserk. In fact, she was so upset, she couldn’t talk! She fanned herself, she turned in circles, and she even grabbed Eva and acted as if she were having a heart attack.
“Oh, mother,” Eva said in disgust. “Get a hold of yourself!” Instead, Mrs. Brock got a hold of the doorknob, and escaped outside. Eva rolled her eyes. “I’d better go keep an eye on her. She’s liable to tell everyone you stood by and let her faint onto the floor.”
Luke laughed as Winnie stood in shock. Did he just kiss her? Good heavens, yes! He did! Eva joined his laughter, hugged Winnie, and left the office. They were now alone.
“Well, that went better than I thought,” he said with pride.
Winnie stared at him. “What … what was that?”
He pulled her against him. “That, Miss Longfellow, was me correcting a wrong done to you, Eva, and myself. That woman has been spreading rumors all week, and had it in her head that Eva and I were getting married.”
“You mean none of it’s true?”
“Of course not. If I’d had a chance to talk with you, you would have known.”
She bit her lip. “I … I thought you …” she put a fist to her mouth. She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “I thought I meant something, then nothing … and that … I came out here, played along with everything they wanted, and went through all this only to be tossed aside …”
“What? Never!” He pulled her into his arms and held her. “We’ve had misunderstandings since we first met, and I’m sorry if I didn’t make myself clear …”
He stopped, and she knew what he was thinking. Uh oh …
“What was that you said?” he asked. “You played along with everything they wanted? Who wanted? Played what?”
She swallowed hard. Did she dare tell him? But wasn’t he trying to clear things up between them and start over? But she’d promised Martha, Mercy, and Maude that she wouldn’t tell anyone. Did that include Luke as well?
“Winnie?”
“Ah, you see … I … I…I … oh, bother!”
He looked her right in the eye. “Take your time, and go slowly. What are you trying to say?”
She took a deep breath, shut her eyes tight, and blurted. “I was your mail-order bride!”
* * *
“My, what?” he blurted right back. What in the world was she talking about? How could she be his mail-order bride? He’d never sent for one! “Winnie, explain yourself!”
She shook her head. “I can’t t
,t,t,t tell you, any more than that.”
“So you’re saying, you came out here as my mail-order bride?”
She cringed and nodded.
“I never sent away for … how could you possibly be my …” He snapped his mouth shut as he slowly turned to the door leading outside. “No; I didn’t send for you, which means…”
He spun on her. “Who? Who thought I needed a mail-order bride?”
She sucked in a lungful of air. “I promised not to tell!”
He threw both hands up in the air and started to pace the room. “I don’t believe this! Who in their right mind would take it upon themselves to order me a bride? Am I not capable of choosing my own wife?”
Winnie backed into the desk and almost fell over. He grabbed her before she did, and held her tight. “Who, Winnie? Who did this?”
She shook her head again, her eyes pleading with him.
“Who would do such a thing?” he wrapped an arm around her, anchoring her in place, forcing her head to tilt back. “Who knew I felt the way I did? That I couldn’t stand to be apart from you once I’d spent time …” his words faded as he drank in the sight of her. “Oh, Winnie, who knew? Who knew this would happen?” His eyes became riveted on her lips, and he could stand it no longer. He kissed her, kissed her with all the longing he thought to keep hidden from the world and himself. Kissed her to let her know she was so much more than a helper to him, that she was something he wanted, and oh, so desperately needed in his life.
When their lips finally parted, he looked deeply into her eyes. “Whoever did this, Winnie, I want to thank them.”
* * *
The next day dawned clear and bright for the Fourth of July celebration. Excitement filled the air, and everyone in town was chattering and carrying on as they lined the streets to watch the parade. The Edmonson family attended in their Sunday best, and folks gave them curious stares as they made their way down the boardwalk to find a spot big enough for all of them to watch.
“Lookin’ good there, Amos.” Mr. Tindle called from the mercantile with a wave.
Amos smiled, waved back, and ushered his family along.
Martha joined her husband at the mercantile doors. “Today’s gonna be special; I just know it!”
“Of course it is. Pastor Luke said it would be.”
“I don’t mean just the Edmonsons; something else is going to happen, I can feel it in my bones.”
“Amos coming back to his family is good enough for me, that’s a miracle right there.”
She smiled. “Yes, but something else …”
He looked at his wife. “You wouldn’t happen to know about anything I don’t, would ya?”
“Me?” she said innocently. “Why, no; of course not.”
He eyed her. “Hmmm, we’ll see then, won’t we?”
Martha forced a smile, and tried not to gulp back her apprehension, lest she give herself away.
Thankfully, the Vanders strolled up to join them. “Good morning!” Mercy said. “Isn’t it a beautiful day for the celebration?”
“Yes, it is!” said Martha as she grabbed her and pulled her into the mercantile. She took her to the counter, while speaking in a loud voice, “Let me show you the new fabric I got in before the parade starts!”
“What fabric? When did you get something new?” asked Mercy.
“I don’t,” Martha told her in a low voice. “Octavius suspects something!”
Mercy blanched. “Oh, dear; who do you think spilled the beans?”
“No one, but he’s sharp. We’d better make sure Pastor Luke and Winnie fall in love by the end of the day!”
“What? How are we going to do that?”
“I don’t know, but we’d better come up with something!”
“Oh, dear, oh dear! Maybe Maude will have an idea!”
“You’re right; let’s go find her!”
They went back to their husbands. “Octavius, Mercy and I are going to fetch Maude and Jonathan. I’m sure they’d like to watch the parade with us.”
“You’d best hurry; it’s about to start,” he told her.
“Mercy,” Mr. Vander boomed. “You be back in time to get in that wagon! It’s leading the parade, you know.”
Mercy gave him a smile, nodded, and the two of them hurried down the boardwalk in search of their counterpart, who at that very moment happened to be in her home, just putting the final touches on Winnie’s hair.
Sixteen
“There; it’s perfect, if I do say so myself,” said Maude as she admired her handiwork.
“Thank you. I don’t think my hair has ever looked so good,” said Winnie. “Do … do you think Luke will like it?”
“He’ll love it!”
Winnie smiled with relief and stared at her reflection in the mirror. She still felt heady from the day before when Luke kissed her in his office, and her feet still hadn’t touched the ground. She’d almost made a foolish mistake by leaving town, and would have lost a love she might never find again. How had she not seen it? How had she not known? Then again, how could she have? She’d spent so many years servicing others and attending to their needs, that she’d forgotten that hers were important, too. Her self-sacrificing had almost cost her a chance at love. After yesterday, she decided to make sure she took as good care of herself, as she did of others. Never again would she allow herself to get so out of balance.
“Are you watching the parade with him?” Maude asked.
“No; he said he had to take care of something, but that he’d stop by before the parade started.” Before she could say another word, there was a knock at the door. Winnie’s stomach started to flutter.
“That must be him now,” said Maude as she left the bedroom to answer it.
Winnie followed her downstairs and sure enough, Luke was standing on the porch as the door opened. “Oh!” Winnie exclaimed. “How beautiful!”
A wagon festooned with garlands of flowers was parked in front of the house. It was one of the most incredible things Winnie had ever seen. “I had no idea you were in the parade.”
“Yep, and so are you.”
“Me?” she asked.
“If you’ll do me the honor of accompanying me; then, yes.”
Winnie let out a squeal of delight. “Of course!”
“Then, shall we?” he asked as he extended his arm to her.
She took it, and he led her off the porch, and then helped her onto the wagon seat. Maude came to stand and watch them as Luke climbed up. “You two have fun! I’ll be waving at you as you go by!”
Luke smiled, flicked the reins, and they were off. Mercy and Martha gawked at them as they rolled by, before descending on Maude. “Will you look at that,” said Martha.
“Don’t they look lovely together?” sighed Mercy.
“Yes, they certainly do,” added Maude.
“Which is why we’re here!” exclaimed Martha. “Octavius is suspicious! He’s liable to figure things out before the end of the day if we’re not careful! Luke and Winnie have got to fall in love!”
Maude put a finger to her chin and tapped it a few times. “Hmmm, maybe we won’t have to worry; Winnie’s been mighty happy since yesterday. But when I asked her why, she didn’t say a word. Just smiled and shrugged at me.”
“I wasn’t with her yesterday for the flower sorting, were either of you?” asked Mercy.
Maude and Martha shook their heads.
“Well, we’d better make sure they have every opportunity to fall in love today, or we might have to fess up!” said Mercy.
“But what are we going to do about Eva and Mrs. Brock?” asked Maude.
“Oh dear; I hadn’t thought of that. Mrs. Brock has the whole town thinking Eva and Pastor Luke are courting!” said Martha. “We’d better come up with something to make sure they don’t interfere with Winnie and Pastor Luke today!”
The other two nodded their agreement and, together, they began to work out a plan. Little did they know, they were blissfully too late.
Winnie and Luke were already in love.
* * *
Their plan set, Mercy, Martha, and Maude each took their positions along Main Street, Mercy taking hers in a chair in the back of a wagon carrying Mayor Vander. She felt guilty having to be in the parade, but at least she’d have a good view and be able to spot Mrs. Brock and her daughter Eva. As long as they knew where they were, and could keep them away from Winnie and Luke all day, the townsfolk would see that Mrs. Brock’s boasting about a courtship between her daughter and Pastor Luke was nothing but hogwash.
Mercy craned her neck and looked at the spectators as the parade got started. She didn’t see Mrs. Brock or Eva anywhere. They must be watching the parade further up the street.
“What are you gawking at?” Mr. Vander boomed.
“Oh! Mercy!”
“Indeed you are; now what are you gawking at?”
“I meant you startled… oh, never mind. You know what I meant. Nothing, just trying to see who’s here.”
“Well, that’s easy. Everyone.”
Mercy sighed. “Yes, I can see that.” At this rate, she might not be able to spot Eva or Mrs. Brock, and hoped Martha and Maude would have better luck. She turned and looked behind her. Pastor Luke and Winnie waved from their wagon, huge smiles on their faces. Both wagons were covered in flowers, but Luke and Winnie’s carried some children in the back dressed as angels to represent the church, while the Vanders’ wagon simply carried the Vanders.
Mercy and her husband waved and smiled at the townsfolk, as was expected of them, and were halfway down Main Street when she spotted Mrs. Brock. She was wearing an enormous hat. Perfect! They’d be able to keep track of her! Eva, on the other hand, was nowhere to be seen.
She heard Winnie’s laugh from the wagon behind them, and it bolstered her courage to see the day through. Soon, they were winding their way toward the church, and would so stop and park the wagons in the field near the hillside beyond. It was the perfect place to hold the day’s festivities. Several trees dotted the gentle slope behind the church, and would offer shade. Later in the evening, folks would settle here and there, and have a perfect view of the fireworks. Between now and then would be food, games, laughter and prizes. A perfect day! So long as Mercy and the others could pull it off.
