Dancing With the Preacherman (Book Two of the Red River Valley Brides)

by Rita Hestand

  "Don't take courage, it takes stupidity." Haney chuckled.

  "You'll go someday too, Haney." Sarah pulled his hat down in his eyes.

  The three of them found comfortable places to sit and began to relax.

  It was the first fishing trip in a long time that they really enjoyed.

  "When you get married, will you still go fishing with us, Sarah?" Brady asked.

  "Of course I will. How else will I put catfish on my table." Sarah laughed.

  "Will your husband go with us?" Haney asked.

  "Oh, I don't know. I don't know who I'm going to marry, yet." Sarah pulled her pole in and cleaned the snag debris from it.

  "I vote she marries the Reverend." Brady announced out of the blue.

  Sarah blushed. "Whatever made you say that?"

  Brady leaned his head on the tree trunk and glanced over at her. "'Cause he's the only one I'd want you to bring fishing with us. And if I can't marry you, then he's the only one I'd want you to marry."

  Sarah chuckled. "You like him?"

  "Yeah."

  "Me too!" Haney nodded.

  Sarah smiled sadly. So did she, but it would never happen. Especially since Rebecca Goldfield had arrived in town.

  "What about Ronald?" Sarah asked with a smile.

  "He's a city dude. I bet he wouldn't go fishing with us."

  "You never know."

  "Even if he did, you'd probably have to bait his hook for him, Sarah." Brady laughed.

  "You're probably right."

  Just about that time, Brady caught a big catfish and flashed it in their faces with his pole.

  "Knock it off Brady. Quit showing off." Haney complained.

  Brady laughed.

  It was noon before they packed it in and took off for home. Sarah had several nice size catfish and Brady had even more. Haney didn't catch as many, but Sarah noticed that his mood was lightening up. Perhaps a few more fishing trips like this and Haney might be his old self, Sarah thought with a slight smile to her lips.

  Sarah waved goodbye to the boys and headed inside the house.

  To her surprise, Luke was there when she got home. He was talking to Ma, and she had invited him to stay for the noon meal, since everyone was going to the dance.

  Luke eyed Sarah as she came in with the catfish.

  "Oh, those are a nice size. Would you filet them for me and I'll cook them too?" Ma asked her.

  "Sure," Sarah shrugged. Luke was staring at her.

  "I hear you are taking Rebecca to the dance, Luke." Ma said giving Sarah the eye as she said it.

  "Uh…yes. Rebecca has a way about her. It seems a body can't say no." Luke explained.

  "Well, that's good. Sarah here is going with Ronald." Ma announced.

  "Oh, I didn't know." Luke cast Sarah a quick searching glance.

  Sarah shrugged.

  "I didn't know the two of you knew each other that well." Luke began.

  Sarah cast him a quick frown, "Well, I've known him almost as long as you've known Rebecca. I'd feel bad turning him down, since he's kind of new in town."

  "He seems like a nice fella." Ma commented.

  "Yes, of course." Luke acknowledged.

  He adjusted his hat on his head. The tension in the room seemed to squeeze like a warm hunk of cheese between them, ready to crack any moment.

  "Luke would you do me a favor, it's getting chilly at night, would you cut me some logs for the fire." Ma asked.

  "Sure Ma, be glad to. Where's your ax?"

  "It's hanging by the door inside the shed out there." Ma told him.

  "Alright…" He shot Sarah another glance, then went outside.

  Sarah seemed uncomfortable. "You put him to work?"

  "The tension in here was so tight, I thought it best. Besides, I do need some wood, and Harry is busy at the moment. What are you wearing to the dance?"

  Sarah shrugged, "Abigail gave me a dress to wear. I haven't worn it, I guess I will. It's very daring, but it is a dance, and I'm sure Rebecca will be all decked out. No one will even notice me…"

  "Don't count on that. Luke didn't want to invite Rebecca. But I can't say as I blame him much, you stood him up, last time he asked you."

  "Ma…don't start."

  "Alright dear. Oh my, look out there…"

  "What?" Sarah glanced out the back window, and there was Luke, shirtless, chopping wood. His muscles were bulging and Sarah felt her heart quicken despite her better intentions. She licked her lips and turned away.

  "You see, he's not just a Reverend." Ma chuckled. "He's a gorgeous hunk of man."

  "Ma!" Sarah cried out, then found herself laughing.

  Ma chuckled too. "Well, I might be old, but I ain't dead yet."

  Sarah spatted her with a dishtowel.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  After the meal, all the girls took turns taking a bath, on the back porch. The shades were pulled down and a lamp set up, and the water was tepid. Sarah spent a little time relaxing, and closed her eyes.

  Immediately, Luke came into her dreams. She was in the tub, and he was standing just a few feet away, gazing, longingly at her. Her breast rose to the top of the water, and his mouth flew open in a gasp. "Haven't you seen a naked woman before?" She giggled.

  "Not one as beautiful as you!"

  "Want to join me?" She asked.

  "Thought you'd never ask." He moved toward her with purpose.

  Then a noise from outside woke her and she glanced around her to find no one. When am I going to quit this fantasizing about Luke?

  Hurriedly she grabbed a towel, wrapped it around her and tiptoed up the stairs to the bedroom. She put on her robe and watched Nadine as she brushed her hair.

  "Here, let me do that." Sarah came up to Nadine and took the brush from her hand.

  "Would you?"

  Sarah fixed Nadine's hair, then Maggie's. Jo Ella came over and she already had her hair in beautiful curls.

  Sarah scrubbed herself extra hard, to get the fishy smell off of her.

  Maggie loaned her some cologne and she laid her dress out.

  "Wow! Where on earth did you get that dress, Sarah?" Maggie held it up and looked at it.

  "Abigail let me borrow it." Sarah shrugged.

  "It's gorgeous. I think you might give Rebecca Goldfield a run for her money tonight." Maggie chuckled.

  "Oh no, I'm sure she had plenty of beautiful dresses to choose from." Sarah corrected her quickly. "Besides, the only girl that can hold a candle to her is you, and you know it."

  "Yes, but we don't run in the same circles. She's got money, and I’m still trying to find mine." Maggie laughed.

  "Ronald will definitely like this, I can tell you. Say, how come you are going with him?" Nadine asked out of the blue.

  "He's new in town, and he asked me." Sarah added flippantly.

  Nadine came up to her and eyed her for a minute. "You stood the Reverend up, when he asked you."

  Sarah bowed her head. "I know. And I'm really sorry I did. But, he's got a girl for the dance, and he sure doesn't need me."

  Maggie looked at her, then the dress. "The problem with you is, you have no confidence in yourself. But in that dress you are bound to come out of your shell. No man can ignore that. Even I'm jealous."

  Sarah blushed. "Maybe I shouldn't wear it."

  "Oh yes you should." Maggie instructed and Nadine was nodding. "For heaven's sake, what could possibly happen, except you get asked to dance by every man there?"

  "You don't think it's too much?"

  "All's fair in love and war!" Maggie chuckled.

  Sarah sat on the edge of the bed, "I miss Trish. I wish she was here with us."

  "We all miss her. Say, by the way, why did you get to go to the wedding and not us?" Maggie asked.

  Sarah hung her head for a moment, then looked up at Maggie. "Because I came to accept her marrying Chester. She thought you two would try to talk her out of it. And her reason for marrying him is sound. Trish wanted security and she thi
nks she has found it in Chester. Who knows, maybe she has. She does have a home now, and Chester is certainly capable of taking care of her."

  "Was it nice?" Maggie's voice faltered a little, as though ashamed of things she had said in the past.

  "Actually it was. No frills or anything. I picked her a bouquet, and did her hair and she looked stunning." Sarah smiled in reflection. "Someone even decorated the wagon for them. Chester cleaned up well too."

  "Did she seem happy?" Nadine asked as she heard and joined them.

  "Actually, she did."

  "Maybe we were wrong." Maggie looked from Nadine to Sarah.

  "I hope you were." Sarah sighed. "For her sake."

  "Well, enough of this gloom. Let's get ready to have some fun." Maggie cheered them.

  Ma was decked in her best dress, and Maggie looked vivacious in her emerald green silk. Nadine was stunning in her low cut red dress. Ma had made her feel very comfortable going to the dances and everyone seemed to accept Nadine, but there were still the occasional whispers, mostly about the white man she was seeing on the side. Sarah didn't want to intrude in Nadine's life, but if it was true, she prayed Nadine would soon see that it was not to be.

  Maggie was still flirting with the Mayor, but the Mayor was a flirt himself and no one ever knew where he stood with the ladies. He surrounded himself with whichever lady drew more attention, and that was usually Maggie…

  However, tonight things could change since Rebecca Goldfield was there.

  Sarah shrugged it all away and got dressed.

  She looked in the mirror and gasped. "Is that me?"

  But a little voice told her to accept it and make the best of the moments.

  Maggie and Nadine whistled when Sarah walked down the stairs. With her hair up on top her head and that beautiful black dress, Sarah was a knock-out and didn't even know it.

  When Ronald picked her up at the door, he was flabbergasted. "Sarah! You are stunning."

  "Thank you, Ronald. Shall we go?"

  "I have a carriage right out front." Ronald told her, not taking his eyes from her.

  She knew from the moment Ronald laid eyes on her that the dress was too much, but she couldn't run change it now.

  He wrapped his arm around her as they rode to the barn dance. He even had someone drive them to the barn dance. Sarah wondered at his extravagance.

  "I'm going to have the most popular girl at the dance." Ronald told her as he helped her down from the carriage and brought her very close.

  She gently pushed him away. "Let's go in shall we. I haven't danced in a long time. I hope I still remember what Abigail taught me."

  Ronald didn't appreciate being put off, but he followed her with a big frown.

  "Abigail?"

  "Yes, a friend of mine." Sarah beamed as her eyes strayed around the big barn. It was lit with paper lanterns and home made streamers of different colors were hung around the barn. The musicians were all gathered on one side. It was quite a group, with a violin, a guitar, a piano, and a base. They played very well, but Sarah remember that from the night she had stayed home and hadn't gone with Luke.

  Just the thought of Luke had her trying to spot him. She was hungry for a glance, but there were a lot of people and she couldn't see him.

  The party had begun, and the music poured from the rafters.

  "I'll get us some punch," Ronald told her after taking her shawl and hanging it on a peg by the door.

  "That would be nice." Sarah smiled at him now. She noticed a long table to one side of the barn filled with snacks and punch. The women were all decked out in their best dresses, some from spun cotton, others of silk like Maggie. Rebecca wore a beautiful gown with a bustle, it was pink and complimented her tanned complexion.

  Then Sarah spotted Luke, he seemed to be peering at her too, but she couldn't be sure.

  A few heads turned and everyone's jaw seemed to drop at the same time as Sarah came further into the room.

  Abigail spotted her and came up to her, "You wore it. Oh, it is gorgeous on you." She smiled.

  "You don't think it's a bit much?" Sarah asked in a quiet voice.

  "Not at all. Who are you with?" Abigail wanted to know.

  Ronald walked up to her, handed Sarah some punch and smiled at Abigail. "She's with me."

  "Ronald, isn't it?" Abigail extended her hand.

  "That's right. How did you know?"

  "Oh, everyone knows who you are." She chuckled. "The Goldfields are pretty famous in this town."

  Ronald smiled. "You must be Abigail?"

  "That right, how did you know?"

  "Sarah, of course. Well, Sarah, shall we dance?"

  "I'd love to." Sarah smiled and excused herself.

  Abigail stared after them.

  Luke came up to her side. "Is that Sarah?"

  "Yes, it is…isn't she charming?" Abigail watched Luke's face for a reaction.

  "Uh…yes, she is…" He murmured. His words stretched as his expression grew more serious.

  Rebecca was right beside Luke, "Shouldn't we be dancing?" She asked when she saw Luke staring at Sarah.

  "Oh…yes, of course." He took Rebecca's arm and guided her to the sawdust floor.

  The music changed to a waltz and Rebecca danced divinely. Even though Sarah outshined her, Rebecca managed to garner attention with the elegant moves to the dance and of course her elaborate dress.

  Luke smiled at her, and cast Sarah a quick glance.

  Sarah was paying no attention though. It looked as though she only had eyes for Ronald.

  After a few dances, Luke went to get punch for himself and Rebecca. He was so uncomfortable with Rebecca, she thrived on attention.

  Sarah on the other hand, was having a ball. She'd been asked to dance by nearly every man at the dance. She didn't make a spectacle of her dancing, but seemed to really enjoy herself. Luke watched her for some time, how she talked and smiled at every man, young or old.

  Luke stared from a dark corner, watching Sarah interact with each dancing partner, being her gracious self. Luke felt bereft. He wanted to dance with her. Each time the music stopped, men surrounded her.

  If it hadn't been for Ma's intervention, he would never have had the nerve to ask Sarah for a dance.

  Ma nudged him gently, "Why don't you ask her for a dance."

  "She might turn me down…" Luke murmured.

  "Sarah is too gracious to turn anyone down."

  Luke glanced at Ma. "You look very pretty this evening, Ma."

  "You should be telling someone else that." Ma nodded toward Sarah.

  Sarah finally stopped for another punch and while Ronald was gone to get it, Luke came striding up to her.

  "You look beautiful Sarah." He whispered as he neared her.

  She turned to look into those oh so blue eyes, and they connected. Her heart leapt against her chest. She felt tongue-tied.

  "Thank you," She finally managed.

  Ronald came up and was about to hand her a cup of punch when Luke took hold of her hand and pulled her gently to the dance floor. "Shall we dance?" He asked with a slight smile to his lips.

  She lost herself when his arms came around her. She felt her knees weaken, her heart thudded heavily.

  "I'm sorry, but I wanted to dance with the prettiest girl." He smiled into her face as he held her at arm's length.

  "Me?" She gasped.

  "You!" he smiled a warm and genuine smile.

  "I sure have missed you lately…" He whispered as he put his cheek to hers.

  For a second, Sarah let herself go and sighed against him.

  Good sense had her lifting her head, Sarah pulled away, "I haven't gone anywhere."

  Luke danced her around the floor, until he came close to the back door, and he pulled her out into the night air.

  The crickets were chirping, the moon was shining, and the air felt so clean and fresh, as the fall season had set in.

  "I really should get back. I mean, Ronald brought me, and you brought Re
becca." She insisted.

  He pulled her by the hand, "I know…and we will. But…it's just…I've got to know. What have I done wrong?"

  She frowned, not understanding him. "Nothing…why would you think that?"

  "I asked you to the dance, you accepted, and then didn't go with me. Why? You came with Ronald and you hardly know him."

  "That's different. He's new in town, it would have been ungracious to turn him down, don't you think."

  "I suppose, is that the only reason you accepted?"

  She backed away against a tree, and he leaned into her.

  "You want the truth?" She asked finding courage from somewhere deep within.

  "I'd appreciate it." His voice went soft, but clearly confusion lined his handsome face.

  "Yes, it's the only reason. He's a nice young man, and I like him, but I felt that someone should welcome him. But…you-you are a very upstanding man in this community. You not only have a sizable ranch, but also a congregation to attend to. And the truth is…."

  He bent closer…

  "There you are. I have your punch." Ronald explained as he came toward them.

  "Oh, Ronald…" she stopped…almost in mid-sentence, glanced at Luke and took Ronald's hand. "If you'll excuse us…"

  "Of course…"

  "Sorry old man, but my cousin is looking for you…inside." Ronald gestured his expression questioning.

  Luke nodded, "I think I'll just get a little fresh air. I'll be in directly."

  Sarah cast him a quick glance, and found him staring at her. It had been the perfect opportunity to explain things to Luke and she'd lost it. She could have told him everything, but it was not to be, she supposed. Maybe things were better left unsaid.

  Ronald took her to Maggie's group where they were discussing the Mayor's re-election. Sarah had no interest in politics, but she feigned it.

  Sarah glanced back at the door from which she'd just come and could see Luke standing just outside. Her heart slowed once more and she turned her full attention to Maggie who was toasting the Mayor.

  Rebecca had been talking to Ma, but she left her side and was now hunting Luke down.

  If the door hadn't been open, she'd have never spotted him. But it was and Rebecca pulled him back inside, reluctantly.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven