Grooms with Honor Series, Books 10-12

by Linda K. Hubalek

  Chapter 12

  “Well, hello, dear,” Violet’s mother said as Violet walked into the cabin. “I didn’t expect you and Tully to come out today. I hate you were out while it was thundering and lightning though.”

  “At least…we didn’t get caught in the downpour I’m sure we’ll get soon,” Violet answered as she walked to the cupboard to get a cup. Her mother would think she meant “we” as her and Tully, but in fact, it was her brothers instead.

  Violet’s hand trembled slightly as she poured coffee from the pot on the stove into the cup. How was she going to start this conversation?

  “Get a cup of coffee for Tully too. I assume he’s putting the pastor’s buggy and horse in the barn for the storm?”

  “Um, no, I rode home with Anton and Luther,” Violet turned as she sat down at the kitchen table with her mother.

  “In other words, you rode a horse home, and I bet it was astride, rather than sidesaddle, correct?” Her mother raised her eyebrows, probably thinking of the money they paid for her schooling to become a lady.

  Violet resisted rolling her eyes and rolled her shoulder in a shrug instead.

  “Is Tully back with the Clancy family? He did such a good job at Dan’s funeral. I still can’t believe he doesn’t want to be a preacher full time.”

  “It’s his choice, Mama. He’s now an adult, and I wish everyone would accept it!”

  “Violet, I’m sorry, but there’s no reason to snap at me.”

  Violet bit her lip, then took a sip of coffee, trying to decide why she was back home. Now that she calmed down, she’d been too hasty to leave. She should have given Tully a minute to think and talk instead. The idea that their marriage hadn’t been filed to be legal was a shock and worry to both of them. That and all the questions Pastor had mentioned. If she and Tully would have gone somewhere private to talk…she wouldn’t be sitting in her home trying to figure out what to say to her mother.

  How sure was Violet that she and Tully would make amends and still marry?

  He had asked her to marry, and she’d said yes. Tully was a man of his word, and he wouldn’t back out…and neither would she.

  “I’m sorry too, Ma. It’s been a sad day, and I still can’t believe Dan is gone.

  “Uh, yes, Tully stayed in town. I decided to spend time with you to plan our wedding and reception.” And please don’t let Tully change his mind.

  “Oh, thank you for renewing your vows in church so we can see it. And I’ve been planning your reception in my mind for years,” her mother gushed.

  Yes, her mother had talked about Violet’s future wedding ever since she could remember. And Violet had been caught in the planning too.

  “Did you have time to talk to Pastor about the date for the event?” her mother asked excitedly.

  “No, with the funeral and all…” Violet trailed off, hoping that would appease her mother for now.

  “That’s fine, we can have everything else done though.”

  Her mother bit her lip, then rose from the table to go into her bedroom. She returned with a piece of paper and a pencil.

  “When your pa replied back to Mr. Westin’s request for your hand in marriage, I started a list,” her mother sheepishly admitted.

  “Well. That gives us a starting point then. What’s on your list so far?”

  Being the only daughter in the family meant planning Violet’s wedding was special to her mother. Why did she think it wouldn’t matter to her parents?

  “Of course, the dress is first on my list. The new fashion is to wear a white or cream gown and a veil instead of a hat, but I assume you know that being in Chicago.”

  “Yes, I’ve been to two weddings of friends in Chicago, and both gowns were ivory silk with lots of lace and layers. They were gorgeous, but a little over the top for a country wedding here. Is Mary Jenkins still in charge of the wedding trunks?”

  Her mother’s face lit up. “Yes! We should plan to visit Mary’s dress shop as soon as possible. I picked out my wedding dress when the trunks were in the ‘five trunk room’ in Cora Hamner’s home.”

  About twenty years ago, Cora Hamner’s mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Elison from Boston, had started sending outdated, but still lovely dresses, to Cora to give to women in need. The tradition began when Kaitlyn Reagan brought out a bride who needed a new dress for her wedding. From then on it became a mission for Cora to have various size dresses for brides to choose from. The bride would go to the special room, where Cora had five trunks of dresses from which the bride could make her choice.

  Although Violet’s mother had continued to wear her wedding dress for other occasions, she still had it, folded in tissue paper, in a trunk in her bedroom.

  Where would Violet’s wedding dress be stored if she and Tully traveled for years?

  “What did you wear for your Chicago wedding? I guess in the haste of things I hadn’t heard about the ceremony at all.”

  Uh, oh. What should she say? Keep it as simple and to the truth as possible.

  “I wore the rose gown and the hat with the pink silk roses, and we married after the seminary graduation. Tully wanted his friend, Rollie, to officiate the ceremony. It just made sense to do it then before all our friends scattered to their new jobs.”

  “That makes sense, but I’m glad you’re having Pastor Reagan bless your vows. He married all his sons, and, although I’m sure he wouldn’t say anything, he’d feel slighted if he didn’t perform Tully’s too.”

  “I agree, Ma, and I’m glad we can say the vows in church again.” And file the ceremony date in the courthouse this time, so we’re legal.

  “I already have white gloves and ivory shoes I can wear. In Chicago, girls are doing something the English brides have done for years. There’s an old English rhyme, ‘something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, a sixpence in your shoe.’ They wear or carry something of the four things and put a penny in their shoe.”

  “Like what?”

  “I’d love to borrow and wear the pearl necklace of your grandmother’s.”

  It was a gold chain with three pearls set in a gold swirled design, given to Faye after her grandmother had died. The woman had worn the necklace to church every Sunday.

  “I think that could be the ‘something old’ because I’d like to give it to you for your wedding present,” her mother said smiling, but with tears in her eyes.

  “I’ve been waiting to pass it on to my daughter, and your wedding is the perfect occasion.”

  Thank you, Mama. I’ve always admired it.” Violet leaned forward to give her mother a meaningful hug.

  “Okay, we have the first ‘something’ picked out. My dress will be new, at least to me if I can pick one out at Mary’s shop.”

  “Something borrowed?” Faye drummed her fingers on the table. “That could be a veil from the dress shop unless you want your own,” her mother contemplated.

  “That would be fine with me. I know other brides in town have already done that. Something blue?” Violet asked.

  Her mother opened her mouth to say something, then closed it again and looked away. She unconsciously rubbed her hands against her upper arms, as if trying to warm away a chill.

  “Mama? What’s wrong?”

  “I…was just thinking of something from the past. I didn’t mean to spoil the mood.”

  Violet knew her mother’s background, which was also Violet’s, in a way too. Her mother had been a soiled dove in Kansas City, and Violet was a result of that. Faye wasn’t positive who Violet’s father was, but she had told Violet the truth of the matter.

  “Actually, I was thinking of the handkerchief Aunt Ruth made for you. It has blue thread embroidered around the edge. Do you still have it?”

  “Of course. I only use it for special occasions. That would be perfect for something blue.”

  Ruth Tucker was Violet’s father’s aunt by marriage. His uncle Edwin had been a traveling trunk salesman before he retired a few years ago. Aunt Ruth had bee
n in an accident nearly twenty years ago, which killed her first husband. Uncle Edwin had taken care of his friend’s wife after the boiler explosion and they eventually married. The accident caused Aunt Ruth to lose sight in one eye, but she still did beautiful handiwork.

  “I’ve never told you, or the twins… but the handkerchief is special for another reason,” her mother said, after wiping a tear from her eye. Why was she so sad all of a sudden?

  “You know when Aunt Ruth visits, she always greets me with, “I know I should know you from somewhere. Who are you?”

  Violet shook her head thinking about her poor aunt. Aunt Ruth’s memory was also affected by the blast, wiping away her past, and confusing her current reality now and then.

  Aunt Ruth was a sweet woman, but she was almost obsessed with Faye at times—and Violet too—when she was a child. After Violet became a young adult, Aunt Ruth’s attention changed to being less attentive, she guessed would be a word for it.

  “Now that you’re an adult, there are things I should tell you,” Faye said but acted like she didn’t want to reveal them.

  “What is it, Mama? You’re worrying me,” Violet said as she reached and took hold of her mother’s hands.

  When I was fourteen, my mother ran away with a salesman, and I never saw her again while I lived in the brothel. Four years later when Rusty and I were going to marry, his parents and his uncle and aunt came for our wedding.

  “I was shocked to find out Aunt Ruth, was my mother, Ruthie Reed. The explosion happened two weeks after she left the brothel with Ron, the man who used to visit her at the brothel.”

  Violet stared in shock at her mother a few seconds before she found her voice. “Aunt Ruth is my…grandmother?”

  “Yes, but she doesn’t remember me. I told Rusty immediately, and we eventually talked to Edwin about it. He’d already known about Ruth’s past through his friend, Ron though.”

  “Did anyone ever tell Grandpa and Grandma Tucker?”

  “No. Edwin decided not to tell his brother. Ruth has had a few flashbacks of memory over the years but nothing that she can make sense of.

  “We decided it would be too confusing for her to know I was her daughter, so Edwin never told her. But…”

  “But what, Mama?”

  “Ron had told Edwin they were going to go back to the brothel to get Ruth’s daughter. But…Ron didn’t mention my name or what brothel so Edwin couldn’t find me after the explosion wiped Ruth’s mind away.”

  Tears filled Violet’s eyes as she pulled her mother into her arms and they wept together for the pain and loss the explosion caused in all their lives.

  Eventually, Violet pulled back and wiped away her tears. “At least you know your mother had improved her life and was coming back for you.”

  “Yes, Edwin telling me eased away the anger I felt toward her. Now, she’s just…sweet, confused Aunt Ruth. I should also tell you, that if something happens to Edwin, Ruth is to come live with us. Edwin drew up legal documents, so she’ll be taken care of.”

  “That’s good to know. And if something would happen to you—heaven forbid—know that I’ll take care of Aunt Ruth if need be. After all, she’s my grandmother, besides my great aunt.”

  A thought came to mind, but she was almost afraid to say it out loud. She’d love for her grandparents to be at her wedding. But she didn’t know when it would be and if Tully still wanted to go through with their marriage.

  “Depending on what date you and Tully set for your vow renewal, would you want the Tucker family here, if they have time to travel here?” her mother asked, making Violet wonder if she’d read her mind.

  “I would love that. Tomorrow Tully and I will set the date, and then we’ll telegraph Grandpa Tucker right away,” Violet announced. She was getting more excited about the wedding plans by the minute.

  “We can pick flowers from the gardens around the big house for your bouquet and for your bridesmaids. But will you have witnesses for a vow renewal?”

  Well, yes, since it would be their legal wedding.

  “I’d like Molly, Maggie, and Maisie to stand with me. My cousins have always seemed like my siblings because we grew up together.”

  “True, as I’m sure Tully’s brothers will stand with him. Okay, now the reception. I assume you want it at the Paulson Hotel?” Her mother was so excited about her wedding, but had she thought about the cost of a reception?

  “That’s something Tully, and I need to decide. Maybe we’ll just have a family meal instead of a reception for the whole town,” Violet hedged.

  “Don’t worry about the cost, Violet. Cate has already told us she and Isaac want to host it, paying for the cake and refreshments too,” her mother beamed, apparently happy with their offer.

  Violet called them Grandpa Isaac and Grandma Cate because her cousins did, although the older couple wasn’t related to her. But Cate helped raise Violet from the time her mother ran away from the brothel to her step-uncle Isaac’s ranch for help. The couple had always been an important part of her life.

  “And they’d be hurt if we didn’t have a reception. I’m sure Tully will agree then.”

  Hopefully, all her mother’s plans would suit Tully, providing he still wanted to marry her. She hated keeping secrets from her mother, but she didn’t want to hurt her either.

  Violet looked away as her mother continued her animated conversation about Violet’s wedding reception. Should she tell her mother about stopping in Kansas City on the way home, or not?

  Chapter 13

  You’re an adult now. You don’t run from your mistakes anymore, you own up to them.

  Tully slowly drove his father’s horse and buggy into the Cross C Ranch yard, hoping there weren’t rifles aimed at his chest from the cabin, the big house, and the barn. How did Violet’s folks take the news that he and she weren’t legally married?

  Even though it was a cool, cloudy morning, his cotton shirt under his suit jacket was soaked in sweat under his armpits. Yesterday’s thunderstorm hadn’t given the ground any rain, but it did cool down the air temperature. Didn’t help his stress level though.

  Still, Tully was expecting the zing of a bullet to go through his hat as he pulled up next to the cabin. He eased out of the buggy, on alert to his surroundings. Besides the short yips of the ranch dogs that came to meet him, the only other sounds around were the horses in the nearby corral.

  He tied the horse to the hitching post by the cabin, not sure if he’d be welcome long enough to go to the water tank by the barn to give the animal a drink before having to leave again.

  Tully surveyed the ranch he’d spent time exploring as a child. The Reagans were frequent visitors for ranch families’ gatherings. He’d played hide and seek in the barn with the Brenner and Tucker children and explored the vast grassland ranch on horseback. Horses to dogs and cats, Tully had played with them all and Violet.

  And here he was back on the ranch, worried he wouldn’t be welcome anymore.

  He only had one foot on the cabin porch when Faye pushed open the screen door.

  “Hello, Tully,” Faye greeting him with a smile. “Good to see you today. Your wife is over at the big house talking to her cousins. The girls are all excited they’ll be bridesmaids at your vow renewal and of course, talking about what they’ll wear.”

  Wife?

  Did he hear Faye right? Did she call Violet his wife? What the…heck did Violet tell her parents?

  “Violet’s packed and ready to go back to town with you today, but I appreciate you sending her to the ranch for another day with us. We had such a good visit, and we planned the renewal and reception too. She’ll telegraph her Tucker grandparents as soon as you have the date set with your father and the hotel.”

  “Excuse me?” Tully couldn’t keep up with what all Faye was rattling off about. He was stuck on “back to town” and then she threw in “telegraph grandparents.”

  “All of us women will drive in tomorrow to watch Violet pick out her wedding g
own at the dress shop.”

  “All us women?”

  “Well, me, my sister Sarah, and of course, Cate, as the honorary grandmother. Don’t worry about it, Tully. It’s something special we women can do to be part of the wedding planning. Be sure Violet invites your mother too,” Faye absently waved her hand at him with her explanation.

  And here Tully thought if he and Violet decided to marry for life, it would be the two of them in front of his father, they’d sign the certificate and take it to the county courthouse on their way out of town.

  He’d planned to take Violet for a buggy ride away from the ranch to talk in private about the whole “prank that got away from them” mess. Seems like Violet and her mama decided on their own course of action.

  “Tully!” Violet called for him as she ran down the big house steps and practically plowed into his chest. “Oh, how I missed my husband!” she exclaimed before wrapping her arms around his middle. “Please play along!” she hissed in his ear, so her mother couldn’t hear them.

  Tully had thrown his arms wide at Violet’s frontal attack but quickly hugged her.

  “I missed you too, Violet,” he said for Faye’s benefit.

  He moved their joined bodies to the side to keep Faye from reading his lips. “Care to tell me what’s going on here?”

  “Let’s pack my belongings into the buggy and leave first, please? I’ll explain on the way back to town.”

  Tully let go of Violet but still held on her hand. “Anything else we need to discuss here before we go back to Clear Creek?” Tully looked at Faye since she seemed to be in charge of the planning of whatever was going on.

  “Violet, I told Tully we’d be in tomorrow to see you pick out your dress and talk to the Paulson’s about the reception. I’m not sure what time we’ll arrive though. Tully, I didn’t ask. Are you and Violet staying at the hotel or the parsonage until you leave?”

  Oh, Deuteronomy. And if Violet squeezed his hand any harder, he’d have three broken fingers in another second.