Becca, still keeping an eye on Cordelia, saw her stamp her foot before the calls of ‘congratulations’ filled the barn. Phineas and Luke began playing, and Adam held his hand out to Becca. Others followed them onto the wooden plank floor set out for dancing just beyond the barn doors
Becca danced the first three dances with Adam when she said, “I think I need a break.”
They walked over to have a glass of lemonade, but Becca couldn’t see Winifred in the group of ladies she was standing with a few minutes earlier. “I think I’ve lost Winifred in the crowd,” Becca said to Adam.
Being over six feet tall, Adam had an easier time looking over the heads of all the guests. He smiled and said, “Look at the dancers.”
Becca scanned the dance floor and spotted Winifred dancing with a gentleman her age or perhaps a bit older. “Who is that man?”
“That’s Otis Hegal, the town barber. He’s a widower and a very nice man. His son, Joseph, is a part-time deputy and town carpenter and his sister, Tess, arrived in town the day you did. I told you about how I mistook her for you.”
“Ah yes, Aunt Tess,” Becca giggled. “Whatever they’re talking about must suit Winifred. I haven’t seen her smile like that in weeks.”
“Maybe Mr. Hegal is the answer to her broken heart.”
“Maybe.” Becca smiled at the thought.
Chapter Nine
Adam saw Sarah and Molly sitting with his Ma and took Becca by the hand. “I see some friends I’d like you to meet.” He pulled her along until they reached his Ma and the other ladies. After introductions, he told them he’d be back in a while. He wanted to speak to Trey about something. He winked at Becca, and she was sure it was something to do with the wedding. Before Adam reached the barn door, Cordelia stepped in front of him and spoke loud enough for everyone to hear including Becca.
“Adam Greiner, how dare you announce that you’re marrying that silly little female I saw you with on the train platform. You know we are meant to be together. After what you said and did, I thought you truly loved me. Now, I don’t know…” Cordelia’s voice trailed off as she forced a few tears to run down her cheeks.
Adam’s eyes widened at her statement. Miranda’s fists balled at her sides, and if not for Roy putting his arm around her waist, she’d have run up to Cordelia and who knows what might have happened. Morton Willoughby strode up to his niece with his wife, Alberta, right behind him.
“Young man,” Morton yelled and began to cough. He took a moment to regain his composure and started again. “Did I hear Cordelia correctly? Did you make promises to her? Did you, did you?” He spun to look at Cordelia. “Did he harm you? If so, Pastor Reynolds is here tonight, and I will see the two of you married immediately or have Sheriff Clay arrest him. Your reputation will not be sullied by this shameful person.”
Adam turned red, and his anger boiled to the surface. How dare Cordelia let her uncle think he would ever touch her. If Old Man Willoughby pushed this, he might end up married to Cordelia in a matter of minutes. He stood his ground and stared at Mr. Willoughby.
“Sir,” Adam began. “I have never made any advances on Miss Cordelia. For some reason, she decided I would marry her. It was her idea, not mine. However, you must know that if you force a marriage between us, that it will be one in name only. She may live in my home, and I will provide enough food for her meals and wood for the fireplace. I will not reside in the home with her nor will I allow her any money for all the fripperies she seems to require.”
“Don’t tell me what you will or will not do, young man. I will decide.”
“You absolutely will not. As Cordelia’s husband, I will make the rules in my home and if you interfere perhaps I will move to northern Minnesota near the Canada border. My cousin Eli has a small cabin there and said anytime I wanted to go into business with him, I was welcome. He does different jobs around town. One of them is trapping. I think Cordelia might enjoy learning to skin animals. It would keep her busy during the long days and nights when she would be alone in the wilderness.”
Miranda snorted, and although she still wanted to hit Cordelia, God forgive her, she had to stifle her laughter. She was proud of her son and his ability to think quickly. He was so much like her.
“Regardless,” Morton yelled. “You will make an honest woman of my niece.”
Cordelia’s face paled, and her hands began to shake. “No, Uncle Morton, he didn’t harm me in any way. I only meant he spoke kindly to me and carried my purchases out of the mercantile for me. He was a gentleman, and I thought he cared more than he obviously does. I let my feelings for him get in the way of my good sense. I apologize.”
“You mean,” Morton stammered, “nothing happened?”
“Nothing,” Cordelia whispered and real tears spilled down her cheeks.
Alberta took Cordelia’s arm and guided her out of the barn. Morton’s face turned red from anger or embarrassment…Adam couldn’t tell. The old man began to speak, shook his head, spun on his heel, and followed his wife and niece.
Adam’s shoulders slumped, and he let out the breath he was holding. The last time he felt this much relief was the day he managed to get to the fence before his father’s prize bull. He leaped to his safety that day, and he felt the same way now. He looked for Becca to see her reaction. He worried she might believe there was some truth in Cordelia’s tale. He did see his Pa holding his Ma tightly around the waist. She looked about the way he felt. When he saw Becca seated on a bench between Molly and Sarah, he hurried her way.
He began to speak before he stopped walking toward her. “Not a word Cordelia said was true except for her explanation at the end. There was never anything between us.”
Becca smiled the smile that made his heart skip a beat. “I never believed a word she said. If you wanted her, you wouldn’t have sent for me?”
“You’re right. They should start the music again soon. Will you dance with me again? I should go talk to my folks first. My Ma looks fit to be tied.”
“I’ll be right here,” Becca answered.
Adam strolled away, and Sarah said, “Now that the matter is settled, let’s talk about your wedding dress. I want you to come into my shop early Monday morning, and we’ll start on it.”
“Oh, no,” Becca replied. “I have a dress similar to the one I’m wearing, but it’s green, and I added lace. It will work nicely.”
Sarah shook her head back and forth slowly. “Not in Gentle Falls it won’t. Not when Adam and Miranda are two of my dearest friends. You don’t want the people in town to think I can’t make a wedding dress because I’m with child, do you? Of course, you don’t,” Sarah continued after taking a deep breath. “I will make the dress and Molly will add the buttons and lace. She has the best eye for detail. It is our wedding gift to you.”
“Oh my,” Becca gasped. “I never imagined a real wedding dress. After my Mama died, my father destroyed all of her things one night when he came home drunk. He was not a drinking man, but a friend took him to the local saloon to help him with his grief. It made him more sad then I’ve ever seen him. He came home and took mama’s dresses out to the back and set them on fire. I worried he would burn everything, so I ran into their room and hid the quilts she made and a few other things before he came in and dragged her trunk outside. It contained her wedding dress and baby things she saved from my brothers and me. He burned it all, then dropped to his knees and cried until he fell asleep. The next morning he didn’t remember what he’d done.” She wiped a few tears from her face while Sarah wept openly.
“Then I will make you a wedding dress your mother would be proud of,” Sarah insisted.
“But, we have less than two weeks,” Becca answered.
Molly offered, “Sarah has a sewing machine. She can make you that dress in less than a week. It will take me longer to embellish it than for her to sew.”
“A sewing machine? How lovely,” Becca replied. “I haven’t seen one in person, just pictures in newspapers.”
>
“You will see it Monday morning. Then you will choose a pattern, I will measure you, and Molly and I will cut it out. You return on Tuesday a bit later in the morning or early afternoon, and you’ll be able to try it on for your first fitting.”
“That soon?”
Molly nodded. “Sarah performs magic with that machine. She sews faster than a horse can run.”
Becca exclaimed, “I’m so excited about this. I should tell Winifred. I wonder where she is?”
“She was dancing with Otis earlier,” Sarah said,
“Look, she is again,” Molly answered.
Becca smiled at her cousin enjoying another spin around the dance floor with the gentleman who obviously made her smile. Maybe Adam was right. Maybe Winifred’s heart could heal here.
After several more dances with Adam and enjoying more food than she thought she could eat, it was time for the evening to end. Adam took the opportunity to walk Becca back to his parent’s wagon before they and Winifred arrived for a few minutes of privacy and a kiss. “Two weeks from tonight, and I’ll take you home. I wish it were tomorrow.”
“I do, too, but the time will pass quickly. I have preparations to make with Winifred, your mother, Sarah, Molly, and who knows who else and you have a ranch to work. Soon we’ll be married.”
“Yes, we will.” He kissed her again and only broke the kiss when he heard his Ma clear her throat.
“Time to say goodnight,” Miranda announced. “We’ll see you at church tomorrow morning, Adam.”
“That you will, Ma. Good night, Becca. Miss Winifred, Pa.”
Adam left hearing the goodnights from his family and soon-to-be family. He felt more happiness than he could remember. He whistled on his way to his horse and most of the way home.
~ * ~
The following morning, Becca and Winifred sat with Roy and Miranda waiting for Pastor Reynolds to start the service when Cordelia and her aunt and uncle made a quiet entrance and sat in a pew in front and across the aisle from Becca. Cordelia never lifted her head as she walked to her seat and kept her head bowed through the entire service. She never even raised her head during the closing hymn.
As soon as Pastor Reynolds wished his congregation a blessed day, Morton stood and hurried from the pew followed by Cordelia and Alberta. Becca knew Cordelia must be embarrassed and her uncle still appeared angry. Her heart went out to the young woman. She must be desperate to act the way she did. It wasn’t that long ago that Becca felt similar desperation when her brother spoke about selling the farm, Winifred planned her wedding, and Becca’s future included living with her oldest brother and his shrew of a wife. Taking care of their five children and working from sunup to sunset to make her sister-in-law’s life easier was not what Becca wanted for her life. She said a prayer thanking God that He answered her prayers of finding a better life. That life was there in Gentle Falls with Adam.
Adam, who had sat next to her during the service, took her hand and helped her stand. “We’re going to Callahan’s to eat. Did Ma tell you? She wants to see Nell’s babies again, and I want you to meet Nell. She stayed at Ma’s when she first arrived in town, and we’re all one big family now.”
“I’d like that. I wasn’t sure what your mother planned for dinner since nothing was in the stove and none of the hands brought in a chicken.” She held his hand tighter as they walked toward the church doors.
Adam leaned closer and asked, “I never did ask you. Can you kill a chicken?”
“Yes, but I understand why your mother doesn’t enjoy it. It isn’t my favorite chore. I helped my father slaughter a cow about two years ago before he got sick. He wanted to reduce his herd and was upset about the price offered so he decided we’d eat it instead. That was far more difficult than killing a chicken.” Becca shivered visibly and gripped his hand tighter.
“I won’t ever ask you to help with that. I raise horses, and we can get beef from my Pa already cut into steaks and roasts.”
“I’d like that but branding was far worse for me and umm…” she blushed furiously. “Umm, the young bulls, you know.” She dropped her head and looked at her feet as they walked.
“Yes, I know, and you will never have to do anything like that again. I promise,” Adam assured.
Becca looked up at him and smiled, her cheeks still pink from her statement.
They stopped long enough to greet Pastor Reynolds and his wife, Rachel, then followed Miranda, Winifred, and Roy to Callahan’s.
Chapter Ten
Nell rushed up to Miranda and hugged her tightly then turned to Becca. “You must be Adam’s fiancé. I’m sorry we weren’t at the barn dance last night, and I had to rush out right after the service to get back here and help Cal with cooking,” Nell gushed at Becca while hugging her.
Miranda smiled, “This is our dear Penelope or Nell as we like to call her. She was Gentle Falls first mail-order bride but not the last, I’m sure. You met Sarah and Molly. Sarah came here after her first mail-order groom died and Molly was planning on being a mail-order bride, but our Sheriff Clay stole her heart before she could make other arrangements. Two other ladies from town, Rose, and Celia found grooms in Montana and Wyoming thanks to Mrs. Brutherington. Our little town seems to have a way with healing hearts and bringing people together.” Miranda kept explaining about the wonderful residents of the town as they found a table and sat.
Nell said, “We have chicken and dumplings or ham steak and fried potatoes today.”
Becca giggled, “I take it the owners don’t have a problem with chickens like you do Mrs. Greiner.”
Miranda laughed out loud. “Nell has the same attitude toward chickens that I do.”
Nell put a hand on her hip and bit her lip, “It’s understandable. Chickens hate me. Have you met Mable yet? Once you do, you’ll understand, but she really isn’t as bad as she acts,” Nell winked, quickly took their orders, and hurried to the kitchen.
“Mable?” Becca inquired.
“One of our oldest hens. She’s quite temperamental and quit laying a few months ago, but Mabel’s been with us for a long time, and I don’t have the heart to make a meal out of her. When Nell stayed with us, Mable would chase her but one day Nell managed to frighten Mable, and they began to have a healthy respect for one another. We had a barn fire, and Mable was traumatized. She allowed Nell to pick her up and pet her to help calm her. Now they’re friends. It’s the strangest thing,” Miranda explained and then took time to breathe and drink a sip of water from the glass Nell placed on the table.
Winifred chuckled, “That’s quite a story. This is a charming town indeed. From a trickling falls to healing of broken hearts, I believe there is something special about Gentle Falls.”
“I think you’re right,” Becca said smiling at Adam.
After they enjoyed chatting overfilled plates of chicken and dumplings and apple pie, Roy excused himself. “I want to have a word with Clarey over at the livery. I know you women are going to want to spend time with Nell and those babies. I’ll be back in an hour.”
Miranda waved her hand at him, “I’ll try to be ready.”
Roy shook his head, and Adam laughed at his parents. Adam knew his Ma would do her best to be ready when his Pa returned and his Pa would sit and wait if she wasn’t. They were two of the most happily married people he ever knew, and he said a silent prayer that he and Becca would enjoy the same happiness.
Cal walked out of the kitchen to meet Becca and Miranda told him, “I’ll stop by next week to discuss the wedding menu. I know a lot of people will bring dishes to share, but I want you to make sure we have plenty of food. We’re going to use the new community room at the town hall. Judge Magarey said although the building’s upper floors aren’t entirely built, it’s sound and we can accommodate more people.”
“I can transport the food across the street just before you plan to eat so it will stay hot. I think Nell has a surprise. Nell?”
“I’m here, Cal,” Nell said as she hurried from the
kitchen wiping her hands on her white apron. “Did you need something?”
“No, I was just telling Miranda you had a surprise.”
“Yes, I do. I will bake the wedding cake as a gift from Cal and I.”
“Chocolate,” Adam asked hopefully.
“Only if Becca agrees.”
“Oh yes, please. That sounds wonderful, thank you so much.” Becca smiled at the kindness of the town’s people. She knew she would love being part of this community.
Adam added, “Nell bakes the best chocolate cakes you’ll ever taste. They’re her specialty.”
Nell blushed and shrugged, “I love to bake, and I love chocolate. Adam isn’t picky. He loves any sweets anyone bakes. If you want to keep him happy or need him to do something, Becca, be sure there are always cookies around.”
Adam laughed, “She’s right. I can be bribed with cookies.”
“I can bake cookies and more,” Becca said hoping she’d make Adam happy with her cooking and baking.
Miranda stood, “Where are the babies, Nell. I’m not going home until I hold each one for a while.”
“They’re upstairs with Grace. She has been a godsend. I could never help Cal in the restaurant if I had to take care of both all day. Mercy, those two can cry when they want and when one starts the other has to cry, too as if they are singing a tune only they know. Cal is a light sleeper and each sound Amanda and Elliott make, he wakes.”
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