by Merry Farmer
It was the most pleasant afternoon Honoria had ever spent, and by the time they were sitting across the small kitchen table from each other, eating their pies with a small glass of wine each, Honoria found an appetite she never knew she had.
“Between you and me, I think this was the most delightful meal of my life,” she sighed happily, pushing her plate back when she was done.
“You know, I think you’re right.” Solomon echoed her gesture and her posture, stretching his arm over the back of his chair. He looked every bit the lion stretching in his lair after a satisfying meal. “I bet we enjoyed it far more than any of the guests at your sister’s fancy reception.”
“Undoubtedly,” Honoria laughed. “I imagine Vivian spent the rest of the party going around demanding that her guests talk about her and nothing but her.”
Solomon laughed and shook his head. “I’d like to deny that someone could be that vain, but I’ve observed too much of your sister.”
“I feel sorry for her, really,” Honoria went on. “The only reason she talks about herself is because she isn’t confident with any other topic.”
Solomon’s brow shot up. “That’s mighty generous of you, all things considered.”
Honoria sighed. “I don’t hate my sisters. It’s not their fault they’ve been indulged to the point where they don’t know how decent folk should act.”
Solomon shook his head. “Yep. Far, far too generous of you.” His smile warmed. “Where did you learn to be so kind-hearted?”
“From my mother,” she answered without even having to think about it. “She was the kindest soul you could imagine, and I made a promise to her that I would be honorable as well.”
The affection in Solomon’s expression not only made Honoria feel as though she’d said the right thing, it fired her blood, making her wonder what came next. The sun was already setting, and it would be night soon, her wedding night.
“We should clean up,” she said, rising and taking her plates to the sink. She could feel her cheeks burning with expectation.
“I still have one question,” Solomon said as he came to join her by the sink, drying dishes as she washed them.
“Oh?”
A wry grin spread across his face. “How did a woman who sounds as wonderful as your mother end up married to Rex Bonneville?”
Honoria laughed aloud at the question, impertinent though it was. “Papa wasn’t always the way he is now. Mama used to tell me that he was a dashing, bold figure in his younger days. Very romantic. She fell for him like a prince in a story.” Like she had fallen for Solomon. She swallowed the thought, turning her blushing face away from him, and went on. “Papa only really became cold and distant and argumentative after I came along and still wasn’t a son, or so I’m told. When Mama finally did produce a son but died in the process, little Rex with her, he closed off entirely.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t know.” Solomon finished drying the last plate and turned to rest his backside against the counter. “I suppose it’s true that no one is born disagreeable.”
“Except Vivian and Melinda,” Honoria tried to joke.
She wasn’t sure Solomon heard her. She wasn’t sure whether she’d heard herself. Solomon was studying her with a look that was equal parts puzzlement and temptation. She had so little experience with men, but instinct told her the flash of heat in his eyes was a prelude to exactly what she wanted.
“Honoria, I want you to know,” he began, stepping closer to take her hands, “that I will never let anyone treat you the way your family has. Never again.”
“Oh?” Her heart fluttered and danced with joy, and over such a simple statement. But no, it wasn’t simple. It meant the world to her.
“And I want you to know that I will always treat you with every bit of respect that is owed to God’s most precious creation,” he went on.
Honoria blushed, lowering her eyes. “I don’t think I’m that special.”
He slipped a hand under her chin and raised her face until she met her eyes. “I do,” he said, nearly in a whisper. “I think our good Lord was having one brilliant, miraculous day when He created you.”
“Oh, Solomon.” Tears stung at her eyes, but for a change, they were tears of heartfelt joy.
“And I promise you that I will always see you as that magnificent creation.” He sealed his promise by leaning closer and bringing his lips to hers.
Deep in her heart, Honoria knew she’d made the best decision of her life. If only that life wasn’t doomed to end so soon.
Chapter 6
Honoria stretched and smiled with morning’s first light. Her first dawn as a wife. She drew in a deep breath and curled against Solomon’s side. Her husband was still fast asleep, and as far as she was concerned, he deserved every moment of rest he could find. He deserved everything good and peaceful for bringing her such a deep feeling of safety.
Without a doubt, she had made the best decision of her life in asking Solomon to marry her and in trusting him with her whole being.
With her head snuggled against Solomon’s shoulder, she closed her eyes and attempted to drift off again, but now that she was awake, excitement buzzed through her. She opened her eyes and trailed her fingertips across the soft cotton of her husband’s nightshirt, feeling the firm muscles of his chest. He was such a contrast to her—hard where she was soft, powerful where she was compliant. She loved the differences between them, but what she loved more was the feeling that they were alike in all the ways that really mattered.
Her gentle explorations eventually drew Solomon out of sleep. His steady breathing hitched and he let out a low rumble of happiness.
“This is one fine way to greet the new day,” he said, turning his head to hers.
Honoria giggled. Heavens, since when had she become the sort to giggle? “I agree.” She surged forward to lightly kiss his lips.
He hummed with contentment. “I could stay in bed snuggling with you all day, but there’s a world of work waiting for us.” He kissed her once more, quickly, then lurched back, climbing out of bed. Honoria smiled at the almost comical sight of him in his large nightshirt before he turned away, heading to his wardrobe.
She sighed. “There’s always work, but I’m not going to complain about it.” She twisted to her side and reluctantly crawled out of bed. “And speaking of work, I actually do know how to make breakfast.”
“Do you?” Solomon asked tucking his shirt into his trousers as Honoria fluffed the dress she planned to wear.
“Yes, it was easier to sneak down to the kitchens to help Maria in the morning, before anyone else was up,” she explained.
Several minutes later, they were dressed and downstairs, going through the pantry together and taking out things for breakfast. There was already a pan for frying bacon and scrambling eggs on the counter from their meal the night before, so she took it to the stove—which Solomon was already adding more wood to—then went in search of eggs and the rest of the bacon.
“I can do pancakes as well, and I even learned how to make muffins and scones,” Honoria told him.
It seemed silly to brag about something so common, but Solomon grinned and looked impressed all the same.
They worked together to fix a hearty breakfast. By the time they were seated at the kitchen table with bacon, eggs, toast, coffee, and ideas for far more elaborate breakfasts in the days to come, Honoria was certain that she’d never been happier in her life. Solomon said a blessing over their morning feast, and they dug in.
“If I could close up the bank and spend the day with you today, I would,” Solomon told her as he speared his last bit of eggs.
“Don’t you own the bank?” she asked. “You could set your own hours.”
“I could.” He nodded, the businesslike expression that made him look even more authoritative coming over him. “But banks are an institution that require a great deal of trust in order to be successful. Perhaps more than anything, a person’s money is their life, or at least a
crucial part in it. They entrust that bit of their life to me, so it is my duty to both safeguard it and to give the appearance of absolute confidence. That includes making sure the bank maintains regular hours.”
“That’s very noble of you.” Honoria sat straighter. “I’m not sure every banker out there feels the same way.”
Solomon shrugged. “It’s true. Some men enter banking to make their own fortunes.”
“Why did you become a banker?”
A wistful smile pulled at his handsome face. “Because Howard Haskell asked me to.”
“Oh?” She blinked. “I didn’t realize you knew Howard before you came to Haskell.”
“I did, but how we met is a story for another day. The short version is that he knew my background and my capabilities, saw that I was good with money, and sold me on the idea of providing financial services to the new town he was building out West.”
Honoria grinned and shook her head. “I’ve heard so many stories of people who Howard asked to move here specifically so that he could grow his own little Utopia in the high plains. It’s a wonder my father ever settled here at all.”
“Why did he?”
Honoria shrugged. “Business. He saw that there wasn’t much ranching competition and set up his enterprise. It’s not that interesting of a story.”
“Even so, I’ll have to get you to tell me all of it someday.” The edges of Solomon’s smile faltered as soon as he finished speaking. The same, terrible sadness came to his eyes that had been there every time they talked about time and the future.
The last thing Honoria wanted her new husband to think about the day after their wedding was how short their marriage would be. She stood, forcing a smile, and reached for his plate. “You’d better hurry up and get ready for work, Mr. Templesmith. We don’t want your loyal customers to lose confidence in you.”
She whisked the plates off to the sink. Solomon stood and followed her. As Honoria reached to work the pump, Solomon closed in on her from behind. His hands caressed her hips, and he bent down to nuzzle the sensitive flesh of her neck. Flutters of longing danced through her at the intimate contact.
“I only care that you have confidence in me, Mrs. Templesmith,” he murmured against her ear.
She drew in a deep breath, letting the scent of him fill her lungs. Strange, but she hadn’t had a single coughing fit or any tickly hints of one since walking into his house as his bride.
“I do,” she said in echo of her wedding vows, twisting to settle herself in his arms. “I have complete confidence in you.” It was such a wonderful thing to be able to say, as wonderful as the kiss that followed.
She could have lost herself in kissing him forever, but all too soon, he broke the kiss and straightened. His expression was sunny and casual once more. “And what do you plan to do with yourself on this first day as a married woman?” he asked.
A thrill zipped through Honoria’s heart. “I hadn’t thought about it.” She did now, tilting her head to the side even as she kept her arms circled around his back. “I suppose I should start with decorating your house, since you told me I could.”
He laughed. “That sounds like a fine pursuit. I have credit at every store in town, so feel free to put my financial solubility to the test.”
Her expression brightened. She’d completely forgotten that Solomon was a wealthy man. As quickly as ideas of everything she could do with his money swooped in on her, she reminded herself that now was not the time to turn into one of her sisters.
“I’ll be frugal,” she said. “I’d rather decorate for beauty and function than pure ostentation.”
“Why am I not surprised?” He grinned and kissed the tip of her nose.
The gesture was so sweet and almost silly that she giggled. Yes, giggling was definitely her new favorite pastime.
Solomon straightened, putting on a mock serious face. “Decorating is all well and good, but what do you plan to do once you’re finished? How would you like to spend your time?”
Time. It was the one luxury she most longed for and the only thing she knew she couldn’t have.
She took a deep breath and tried not to give in to the gloom that reared up from the place she’d packed it away. “I think…I think that I would like to spend the rest of my time making beautiful things,” she said, glancing up into his eyes. “To be remembered by.”
The sadness that filled his expression was painful, but he kissed her all the same. “I think that’s a fine ambition,” he said, almost in a whisper. “We can find ways for you to do that.”
At last, he broke away, heading for the table where he’d left his jacket hung over the back of his chair.
“I really should be going.”
Honoria wondered if she’d made him so sad he needed to run. Probably. She rushed over to him, helping him put his jacket on, then straightened it when he turned to her. “Have a lovely day, husband,” she said, suddenly shy.
He lifted a hand to cradle the side of her face, then tilted it up to kiss her. “You too, wife.”
He kissed her one last time, then turned and headed down the hall. Honoria stood and watched him, her heart fluttering like a bird…but like a bird trapped in a cage that knew it couldn’t get out. Marrying Solomon had been an act of self-preservation, but it dawned on her that leaving him would be the hardest thing she’d ever done.
The thought was too heavy, so she turned to set about cleaning up their breakfast. Once everything was washed, dried, stored, and put away, she made a tour of the rest of the house, assessing what needed to be bought or improved on. The list became too long to keep mentally, so she found some paper and a pencil and jotted down notes for each room. Finally, as the morning was well on its way, she set out to see what the stores of Haskell had to offer.
She was barely out the door when the cozy world of her new, married life was breached.
“Honoria! What a delight to see you,” Estelle Tremaine called out to her as soon as Honoria had rounded the corner onto Station Street. Estelle changed direction to meet her in the middle of the road with a fond hug. “We were all so pleased when word got out yesterday that you and Solomon had married.”
“Thank you.” Honoria hardly knew what to do, whether to hug Estelle back. As far as she was concerned, the woman hardly knew her, yet here she was greeting her like a sister.
No, not like a sister. Her experience with sisters was something else entirely.
Estelle held her at arm’s length, beaming as she studied her. “You look beautiful this morning. Married life must agree with you.”
The possibility of having a conversation with a woman from town—a woman who her family did not approve of—made Honoria bold. “It does,” she admitted, instantly feeling her cheeks redden.
Estelle must have known exactly what she meant. Of course she did. She herself had been married to Lt. Tremaine for over ten years, and they had several children together. “Well, I won’t keep you from your errands, but you must come over for tea with me and some friends soon.”
“Tea?” The invitation was as exciting as it was unexpected.
“Yes.” Estelle squeezed her hand. “I’ll talk to Olivia as soon as she’s done with school and we can set a time.”
“That would be lovely.”
Estelle let her go, but as Honoria walked on, she blinked in wonder. She hadn’t done very well for her first conversation with someone she’d admired for years, but Estelle didn’t seem to think so.
She was still running over the brief exchange in her mind, wondering what she could have done to sound like less of a ninny, when another lilting voice shook her out of her thoughts.
“Honoria, congratulations!” This time it was Corva Haskell, the wife of Howard’s son, Franklin, who stopped her as she made the turn onto Main Street. Corva carried her baby boy, Howard Franklin Haskell, on her hip but still moved quickly enough to join Honoria in her walk up Haskell’s central thoroughfare.
“Mrs. Haskell, good morning,�
� Honoria greeted her, determined to do better at conversing this time.
“It’s so good to see you walking about town freely.” Corva smiled as if she genuinely meant it. But of course she did. Unlike her sisters, when women like Corva gave compliments, they were true and not just masks for later insults or ways to coerce someone into doing something for them. “Are you on your way to the bank to see your husband?” Her eyes danced at the word.
Corva’s high spirits were infectious. “No, I’m on my way to do some shopping. Solomon’s house is spartan at best.”
“I’m certain he picked the perfect woman to decorate it.” Corva winked. “But how you surprised everyone.”
“Surprised them?”
“Yes. No one even knew you and Solomon were courting.”
“I…” There was no way to even begin the conversation about why she and Solomon had married without giving away far more information than she wanted to.
Lucky for her, she didn’t have to say a thing.
“Of course, I imagine you’d have to keep that courtship secret from your father,” Corva went on. “He didn’t look particularly happy about it at the reception yesterday.”
An odd twist struck Honoria’s gut. A tiny cough escaped her. “How was he?”
“Livid,” Corva admitted with a sympathetic sigh. “Your sisters weren’t too pleased either. They refused to let anyone talk about it, and whenever they caught someone whispering about how happy for the two of you they were, Vivian and Melinda railed at them and tossed them out.”
“Oh, dear.”
Corva hummed in agreement. “Franklin and I had to leave early because of little Howard here, but Miriam Montrose was just telling me this morning about how toward the end, there was hardly anyone left for the cake-cutting.”
“Oh, no.” Right alongside Honoria’s pang of sympathy for her sister was a heaping of embarrassment for how her entire family must have behaved.
“If I were you, I’d thank my lucky stars that your family isn’t likely to be in town today,” Corva went on. “But I suppose Vivian is enjoying her honeymoon right now.”
