“Cate and Isaac’s wedding didn’t take long to put together.”
“But there was a whole committee who had been thinking about it for weeks and had it ready to implement.”
“Cate and Sarah could help me plan a wedding.”
“Yes, they would, but Cate’s not home yet, and, you’d want a wedding dress.”
“Couldn’t I just wear the green dress Sarah gave me?”
“If this was Violet’s wedding, wouldn’t you want her to have a new dress for the ceremony?”
Rusty wasn’t playing fair, but he was right. Faye would want Violet’s wedding to be unique, and Faye wanted mementos from her wedding to share with Violet too.
“Plus, I want my family at my wedding, whenever it happens. They’d need to be informed and have time to travel here, or I and my bride-to-be would need to travel to Missouri to be wed there.”
Faye hadn’t thought of Rusty’s family at all. Of course, she hadn’t known she had a sister and an extended family until a few weeks ago either.
“How many of your family would come to Kansas…for your future wedding?”
“Depends on the time of year, but at least my parents and maybe some of my siblings.”
Was this a test, to see how Faye would react to planning a wedding?
Faye took a deep breath. No, Rusty was right. Growing up in a brothel didn’t prepare her for the role of wife and manager of a household.
She needed, and wanted, time to prepare for marriage as any other bride would have. Cate would be back from their honeymoon in a couple of weeks and could help her with decisions.
Faye wanted Rusty to be proud of her, so she’d learn to cook and bake, bringing him samples in the evening to taste. And maybe that would tempt him to make his marriage proposal to her.
In the meantime, she needed to start piecing a wedding quilt.
Chapter 17
“You’re back early,” Rusty said as he shook Isaac’s hand. “I thought you didn’t plan to be back for at least another week.”
“Cate was homesick for the grandchildren, so we didn’t stop in Salt Lake City or Denver as we originally planned,” Isaac shrugged, probably knowing that’s how it would turn out anyway. “We had a good visit with Cate’s sister’s family and enjoyed sightseeing in California. We’ll take other trips in the future to other states.”
Adam had driven them home from the train depot. After unloading their luggage, Cate scurried into the house, and Isaac stood to take in the landscape.
“It was relaxing to get away with Cate, but it’s good to be back home. Makes one appreciate the open plains of Kansas.”
“San Francisco a little too crowded for you?”
“Oh my! Too many buildings and people for me, although the fresh produce we had at every meal was wonderful. How’s things been here? Must have had some rain since the pastures are so green.”
“Had a long soft rain last week and the grass soaked it up. The herd has increased by thirty-two new calves in three weeks. And…Felix Longoria stopped by last week.”
Isaac’s head twisted around quickly with Rusty’s last words. “What?”
“Longoria surprised the Reagans by showing up at the parsonage, and they drove him out here.”
Isaac rubbed a hand over his face. “I’m afraid to ask how that meeting went with Sarah and Faye.”
“Actually, better than I thought. Pastor and I stayed outside with Longoria while Kaitlyn went inside the house to tell Sarah and Faye he was here. The women came out of the house but stayed on the porch. Sarah told him off while aiming a rifle at his heart.”
“Oh, my Lord…” Isaac put a hand on his chest and turned pale.
“Don’t worry. Sarah didn’t shoot, just ordered him off the ranch and told him to never come back.”
“And Faye? What did she say?”
“Longoria, Faye, and I moved to my porch to talk there. He asked for her forgiveness, but she didn’t accept it at the time and told him to leave.
“But I think she understood he was trying to make amends and raise his young children right since he didn’t with her. Having Violet made Faye realize the complexity of the situation. She was glad to see her father, to satisfy her need to know why he’d abandoned her and tell him how she felt about it.”
“Now Cate will be upset we weren’t here when Felix showed up.”
“Cate can’t protect her children against everything, especially when they’re now all adults. Sarah was mad at what Longoria had done to Cate, but I think it put things in perspective that Moses was her father in real life, instead of Felix. Personally, I think it was better that Sarah and Faye faced the man without you or Cate here.”
“I’m glad it turned out all right then,” Isaac slowly eased his shoulders down and turned to look back at the pasture behind the barn.
“And how’s the situation between you and Faye?” Isaac asked without taking his view off of the horizon.
“I hate to say this, but I’m smitten with the woman. Already half in love with her. She’s matured so much since she arrived. Willingly pitching in with Sarah’s children, learning to cook meals, sewing whenever she gets a chance.”
“But is she the one? You have to be more than half in love with someone to make a marriage work.”
“Well, we’re courting. Gone on a few buggy rides, with and without Violet along.”
“What about her past? How does that sit with you?”
“I was the first man who’d kissed her, so that’s what will count with me,” Rusty stated, and he meant it. He wasn’t going to judge Faye against something she couldn’t control and had to endure until she escaped.
“That’s the right attitude for a marriage. Is that where you and Faye are headed next?”
“We’ve talked about it some, but I’m not quite ready to propose just yet. Faye was pushing to rush to the parsonage for a quick ceremony until I mentioned how weddings usually progressed. The trousseau, the wedding dress, reception, and all the stuff a groom doesn’t think about.”
“Then what did Faye say?”
“Faye thought of what she’d want for Violet’s wedding, and decided she wanted it for herself so she could share the memories with Violet when it was her turn to wed.”
“That’s an excellent sign Faye has matured. What’s the plan now?”
“We’re just courting while Faye learns to cook, sew, and grow comfortable with the thought of running a household.” Rusty shrugged. He’d never rush into marriage if the woman wasn’t ready for a lifetime commitment.
“I’d suggest a few meetings with Pastor Reagan first too. Him drilling on about how marriage vows are a commitment for life will either make you ready for marriage or ready to run for the hills.”
Isaac’s words, followed by a laugh and a hand pat on his shoulder, made Rusty feel like he was heading in the right direction in his life. Maybe by this fall, he’d have a wife—and a baby—sharing his home.
“Isaac!” Cate called from the house porch.
“That’s my cue to soothe my bride. Thanks for taking good care of the ranch, and family, while we were gone,” Isaac said as he raised a hand to Cate, indicating he was coming to her call.
Rusty watched the older man walk across the yard, step up on the porch, and wrap his arms around Cate. The couple had only been married a few weeks but had known each other since they were children.
He’d known Faye such a short time, and she was so young. Was he making the right decision to court her? But no woman had ever grabbed his attention as she had.
And Violet? Faye’s baby had melted his heart the first time he held her, and her baby blue eyes had searched for his face when she first heard his voice. He’d love to be Violet’s father.
Chapter 18
“It’s gorgeous, Faye! I love the color scheme,” Rania Wilerson exclaimed when Faye held up her quilt top. Several women in church had given her fabric scraps, but she also bought ivory, blue, and purple calicos at Taylor’s Merca
ntile to set a theme. Turns out Faye had a knack of coordinating colors, and she was proud of her work, even though it took her over a month to finish it to her satisfaction.
Faye gave a sigh of relief when she revealed the wedding ring quilt top to Cate, Sarah, and Sarah’s sisters-in-law, Rania and Hilda. They all stood in Sarah’s parlor, ready to put the top, batting, and backing into the quilting frame. Then together they’d stitch the quilt together.
“For only learning to sew, you’ve done fine work, Faye,” Cate praised her.
“You’re doing better than me, Faye. I still can’t stitch anything together except for mending,” Hilda added her praise.
“If you practiced, instead of spending all your time outside with the horses…” Rania teased her twin sister. Faye had heard about Hilda racing and training horses on the simple homestead ranch south of the Cross C. Hilda, and Noah lived in a sod house, which seemed to thrill Hilda, as she didn’t have to worry much about cleaning a dirt floor.
“Let’s stitch as we talk, Ladies,” Cate proclaimed. “Faye’s hard work is for a purpose, and we need to help her finish it.”
Faye blushed but didn’t say anything. Maybe Rusty wasn’t supposed to see the quilt until their wedding night, but she wanted to show it to him as soon as it was quilted. They’d gotten closer after spending time together over the past month, but Rusty hadn’t formally asked for her hand in marriage yet.
But the man looked forward to tasting her offerings of food almost every night, be it biscuits or cookies she brought over to his house nearly every evening. It was a routine both she and Violet looked forward to, and she was confident they’d be living in the foreman’s cabin before winter.
The group worked together to stretch the layers together and secure them into the frame. Once the materials were positioned correctly, they pulled chairs around the frame to sit and each work on a section of the quilt. They rolled up the frame sides so they could work on the middle of the quilt, and then they’d unroll the quilt another section at a time to work toward the edges of the quilt.
Faye waited for Cate’s instructions before she took her first stitch.
“Aim for eleven stitches to the inch to make all our handiwork match as best as we can,” Cate advised, and Faye took her first stitch, anxious for her wedding quilt to be done.
*
“You ladies breaking for afternoon coffee, or are we on our own?” Isaac asked as he, Marcus, and Rusty walked into the parlor.
“Goodness! We’ve been concentrating on this quilt and haven’t watched the time,” Sarah replied as she glanced up at the wall clock in the room.
Faye remembered when the clock struck two o’clock but hadn’t paid attention to it since then.
“Mighty colorful quilt. Who made the top?” Rusty asked unaware of the project Faye had painstakingly undertaken.
“I did,” Faye said, waiting for him to figure out the pattern, but after a few seconds and a simple nod of his head, he didn’t say anything else.
“Looks like our wedding quilt, only in different colors,” Marcus pointed out.
Faye concentrated on her stitching, but she could feel Rusty’s stare on her blushing face.
“That’s right. It’s the wedding ring pattern. Got you a groom lined up to share it with, Faye?” Isaac teased.
“Not yet, but hopefully soon,” Faye answered while taking a quick peek at Rusty through her lashes.
The slow smile spreading across Rusty’s face was as rewarding as trying to get eleven stitches to an inch.
*
“Faye, have you been over to Cora’s ‘five-trunk room,’” Rania asked but didn’t look up from her work.
“Five-trunk room? No, why? I haven’t been over to the Bar E Ranch to visit Cora yet,” Faye couldn’t figure out what the significance of the room would be.
“That’s next on the list of things to do,” Cate told Rania. “We’re going tomorrow at two o’clock. Want to meet us over there?”
“Definitely. I want to see Faye’s reaction when Cora opens the trunks.”
“I’ll pass. There are too many crystal vases in that house to tiptoe by to get upstairs,” Hilda shuddered as she said it, and the rest of the women laughed.
“I don’t understand. What are we going to see in these trunks?” Faye asked, confused everyone knew what was in that room except her.
“Instead of making a wedding dress, you’re invited to Cora’s to pick out a dress, at no charge, to wear for your wedding, from one of the five trunks in one of the home’s bedrooms. Cora’s mother, Elizabeth Elison, sends Cora dresses she collects from her Boston friends when the gowns are considered ‘outdated’ by their wealthy standards and ships them to Cora,” Cate explained.
“But will it fit?”
“Elizabeth sends all sizes, styles, and colors of dresses, and Cora is very capable of altering dresses to fit the person.”
Sarah pointed her thimbled-covered finger at Faye. “And often, the matching hats are with the dress, giving you the complete ensemble.”
Faye couldn’t help smiling while she stitched and listened to the women around her. One more item to check off the list of things to get done before her wedding. Soon it would be time for Rusty to check off the most important thing on the list—for him to formally ask her to marry him.
***
“Got your proposal ready, Rusty?” Marcus teased him after they sat down at the kitchen table for a cup of coffee and snack.
Isaac popped the lid on the cookie tin and took out two molasses cookies before passing the tin to Marcus.
“As Faye’s step-uncle, I’ve already granted Rusty permission to ask for her hand in marriage,” Isaac teased as he bit into the cookie. “Man, Faye’s a good baker. These cookies are soft and delicious,” Isaac mumbled before he took a sip of coffee.
Rusty didn’t say a word about that, because he’d eaten half a dozen of the cookies, from the same batch, last night while they were still warm.
“Yes, I believe I’m—and most importantly—Faye, is ready for my marriage proposal,” Rusty said before he bit into the sugar-coated cookie. He was going to gain weight with her excellent cooking and baking. Who knew Faye would have such a knack for culinary skills?
“How far ahead do you want the wedding?” Isaac asked.
“We’ll talk to Pastor after my proposal, but I need time to let my folks know and travel here. I’m guessing they could be here in two or three weeks, depending on when they get to town to get the telegram.”
“Three weeks would give us time to add a room or two on the back of your cabin.”
Rusty coughed since he’d just taken a gulp of coffee when Isaac talked about his home. “What?”
“Marcus suggested we add some rooms onto your cabin as a wedding present. That work for you?” Isaac grinned, happy he and Marcus could surprise him.
“Yes! Thank you! It’ll give us more room with Violet, and possibly more children in the future,” Rusty felt heat redden his face at the mention of adding to their family of three. Kissing Faye in the evenings, and now thinking of his impending marriage proposal was making him think ahead to their wedding night.
Did they have to wait three weeks to be married? Guess so if the cabin was going to be a construction mess for the next three weeks.
Chapter 19
Rusty looked over the piece of paper for the umpteenth time as he waited for Faye and Violet to walk over to his home. He tried to think of an unusual way to ask Faye to marry him since he didn’t have an engagement ring to give her. Rusty would slip a gold band on her ring finger when they said their vows, but that’s all he could afford. He wished he could lavish jewelry on Faye, but she knew they’d be living on his foreman’s salary.
“Hey, what are you looking at?” Faye surprised him as she walked onto the porch with one hand holding Violet on her hip and the other hand holding a small cloth napkin wrapped around whatever his evening treat was.
“Hey yourself,” Rusty said as he
folded and slipped the paper in his pants’ pocket as he kissed Faye on her lips and then Violet softly on her cheek. “Did you bring over some more of those wonderful molasses cookies?”
Rusty was ignoring her question because he had to set the scene for the proposal first.
“With so many people in the house—that batch is long gone. I made oatmeal raisin cookies this time,” Faye smiled, so proud of what she’d accomplished in the kitchen after she was worried about her skills.
“How about a cup of hot tea to go with our cookies? I have the kettle on the stove,” Rusty suggested as he opened the screen door on his cabin and waved for Faye to enter.
He hadn’t invited her to the house very often, thinking they needed to contain their courting to the porch, but he wanted to show her something inside for a reason.
“A cup of tea would be welcome. Thank you,” Faye said as she walked in the door, casually eyeing the main room which was both his living room and kitchen combined. A bedroom was the only other room in his small cabin.
After Isaac mentioned adding on to the cabin, he realized how small it was for a growing family. Now he wanted Faye’s opinion on enlarging their home.
“Violet looks sleepy. Do you mind if I lay her down on the bed?”
“I suppose that’s all right. Be sure to put pillows or blankets around her,” Faye replied as Rusty moved Violet up against his chest. He inhaled her baby smell, glad it didn’t include the odor of a dirty diaper at the moment. But he’d be happy to change her diapers anytime to keep Violet clean and safe. He knew his marriage proposal included both Faye and Violet and he was looking forward to becoming the little girl’s papa.
“Can you make the pot of tea while I get Violet settled? Everything you need is on the counter.”
Rusty hummed and swayed back and forth a few minutes to be sure Violet was asleep before putting her in the middle of his bed. He tucked her tiny blanket under her chin, then laid a rolled blanket around her like a moat. Hopefully, this baby would be his first child of many with Faye if she agreed to his proposal.
Faye Favors a Foreman: A Historical Western Romance (Brides with Grit Book 11) Page 11
