Julie blushed at Forrest’s clumsy apology. “I am. Thank you.”
She gave a little sigh and looked off at the beautiful scenery stretching out in every direction from them: mountains, blue sky, all color and manner of flowers she could ever want. It was painfully beautiful, just like the man next to her.
But this wasn’t one of her stories she could step into and see the plot so clearly, with the next word or emotion already planned for her by a writer. It was a daunting task being alone with her fiancé unchaperoned, as was evident by the mess she has made so far.
“I’m just tense, I think. The train ride was quite long. Do you know what happens to the body when it exists on a sustained vibration level akin to the train and those godforsaken train tracks?” She knew she was babbling, but it couldn’t be helped.
When Forrest declined to answer her, Julie was relieved. He gave her a kind look and patted her hand while he flicked the reins with his other. “Will isn’t helping,” Forrest muttered with a dark look.
“He’ll come around...just like you said.” Julie gave him a slight smile and reached out to lay her hand on top of his. “I think, well, from your letters—” She paused, and pushing away all thoughts of sustained vibrations and their effects on the human physique, met his clear blue eyes and said, “That we could be happy.”
“All three of us. Whether William admits it now or not,” he said, gazing at her then with an expression that could only be described as tender, “we agreed that you are the woman for us. This I swear to you.”
Julie’s breath caught in her throat and for a moment it was difficult to focus on anything but the man next to her. Perhaps she hadn’t wasted what little free time she’d been afforded at Vassar with her novels after all. Every daydream or hopeful romantic fantasy her literary hobby had ever entertained her with now seemed adequate preparation for the sweet words falling from Forrest’s mouth. Her countless years reading women’s novels were, in that moment, the only training keeping her from swooning into Forrest’s arms.
Lady Pim’s Fine Etiquette and Finishing for Young Ladies, indeed.
“I’ll do my best not to disappoint.”
“Sweetheart, that’s somethin’ you couldn’t do, even if you tried.”
“Maybe wait until I try cooking and then we’ll see what tune you sing,” she told him.
Forrest barked out a laugh. “Fair enough.” He sobered up after another moment of laughter and asked, “Do you have your things for the wedding? We planned on taking you ahead to the boarding house so that you could get ready in peace.”
“Not, ah, at the ranch?”
“Oh, no, that’s about another half hour ride out from town. But don’t worry, the schoolhouse is between town and home. You can walk if you like, only take you twenty or so minutes to get there.”
“That sounds lovely,” Julie replied with a genuine smile at Forrest, though her thoughts had skipped ahead to what lay after the wedding ceremony and reception. Her mind had, belatedly, caught up to her present situation and before long visions of nights alone with the two men—nights that would lead to the children and the family Forrest spoke of—danced in Julie’s mind.
Children didn’t magically appear beneath Christmas trees or by way of a stork. They needed making.
God, what had she gotten herself into? And what did it say about her as a well-bred lady of society that she was not only willing, but eager, for the chance to do whatever it was that she had agreed to with them? After-dinner sherry had nothing on the feeling the men inspired in her. Mercifully their arrival in Gold Sky curtailed her thoughts. It was the perfect remedy for a head full of soul-searching questions.
“So this is Gold Sky,” Julie said in an attempt to rein in her rapidly wandering ideas. She was pleased to see that there was a dress shop, mercantile, post office, saloon, bank, and even a small selection of restaurants. She turned in her seat and craned her neck, trying to get a look inside the saloon, which took up a formidable slice of real estate.
“Home sweet home. I’ll take you across the way to the boarding house that Miss Hill runs. She’ll have a room for you to get ready in.”
Julie nodded, suddenly feeling shy. The people who had been bustling through the streets only moments before had all stopped to regard them. There was no mistaking their interest, not that any of them tried to hide it.
“It’s a lovely little town,” she observed, taking in the town square.
“It is,” Forrest told her. “People are like family here.”
“That sounds nice,” Julie replied, thinking back to New York and her family. She wondered how Julian was getting on, if he was staying out of trouble and if their father had finally made good to send him to Canada. It was odd being on her own as she was now, a state she had not quite gotten used to even after a month of traveling.
“Miss your family?” Forrest gave her a knowing look.
“You’re very observant.”
“I know you’re close to them. Makes sense you would miss them.”
“Is there anywhere I can send a telegram?”
Forrest nodded as they pulled up in front of the boarding house. “Certainly. Will and I have free reign of one in the sheriff's station. I’ll take you tomorrow and we’ll send them whatever you like.”
“Thank you.”
Forrest smiled at her with a gentle look in his eyes. It was as dangerous a weapon as had ever been formed, and Julie made a mental note to guard herself against it in the future.
“Anything for you.”
Forrest hopped out of the wagon before she could respond and then handed her down with the same ease as he had before. Tucking her close to him, he walked her up to the front door of the two-story boarding house. It looked out of place with its elegant wrap-around porch and massive bay windows. A beat passed before the door flew open and a woman with dancing blue eyes greeted them.
“You’re here,” the woman exclaimed with a warm smile. She reached out and gave Forrest a squeeze before stepping forward and sweeping Julie into a tight hug.
“I’m so excited to meet you, Julie Anne!” The woman drew back and regarded her with a raised eyebrow. “Or is it just Julie? Or would you prefer to go by Mrs. Wickes, or are you going to double bar the name? I happen to think that Wickes-Barnes has a lovely ring to it.”
Julie was speechless at the tiny woman’s energy. Well, that and her casual mention of a double last name.
“I, ah, just Julie is fine,” she said. She turned to give Forrest a sidelong look in confusion. “Do people—” She stopped speaking and cleared her throat, hoping that he would infer her unasked question.
“Do people know you’re marrying the set?” the woman asked with a cheery laugh.
Julie blushed scarlet. Forrest let out a groan. “Miss Hill, has anyone ever made you aware that you have a blunt way to your manners?”
Miss Hill rolled her eyes.
“Yes. Everyone in this town, and I don’t particularly care. Didn’t we all come west to be who we truly are? Spent enough time biting my tongue back in Philadelphia, and I have no intention of spending one more second doing so.” She turned back to Julie and winked. “Don’t worry, you’ll find that the people of Gold Sky are accepting of just about anything. That’s what family does and we are tickled that someone is taking on the pair of them. The entire town has been excited since we heard you were coming out to join them. Bless the Lord above for you, Julie. You’re a godsend.”
“Thank you.” Julie inclined her head to Miss Hill. The other woman’s ready acceptance of their intended marriage arrangement lifted a good amount of worry from her shoulders. If the citizens of Gold Sky were as accepting as Miss Hill then there was no reason why she couldn’t settle into a life resembling normal.
Now all that was left was how to manage to reconcile the particulars of her marriage with her family. She didn’t even want to begin to think of how she was going to keep the information from the papers. That would be a circus of the h
ighest magnitude.
“Think nothing of it and call me Alice.”
“Of course, Alice.”
Alice beamed and led Julie into the boarding house after her. “Come on now, I’ve got a bath all drawn and ready for you. Do you have your wedding dress with you?”
Julie pointed a finger behind her. “It’s back in my trunks. The red one.”
“Forrest, you heard your intended. Bring the red trunk in after us. Last door on the left,” Alice called over her shoulder to a chagrined-looking Forrest. Julie barely had time to give him a small shrug before Alice hurried her along the hallway toward the aforementioned room. “Now, we have three hours before your wedding is set to start. I’ll press and freshen up your dress, and if we get you right in the tub it should be just enough time to get all that pretty hair of yours dry. I bet you’d love a soak after that train ride.”
“A soak sounds heavenly,” Julie moaned. “I’m surprised I don’t smell more than I do. I think my dress can manage to stand on its own from the amount of sweat that I’ve put into it over the course of today alone.”
Alice tsked and tutted with a shake of her head. “That train ride is from the devil. Believed I would lose my mind before we got here.” She opened the door to a beautifully appointed and comfortable bedroom with a sweep of her hand. “I hope you’ll be able to relax before the wedding. Will made sure to come ahead and get it all ready for you. Wanted it just right, but you know how that one is.” Alice grinned at her while Julie glanced at her in confusion.
“I don’t reall—” she began, ready to tell Alice that she hadn’t gotten off on the best foot with William just yet, but the sound of footsteps interrupted her.
“Speak of the devil,” Alice chirped.
Julie turned to see William striding into the room carrying her red trunk. She hadn’t realized that he had made his way to the boarding house when he had gone ahead of them earlier.
The thought that he had come here to make arrangements for her comfort touched her heart. Maybe Forrest was right, and all William needed was time.
“Where y’want this?” he asked, eyes moving over her coolly before he focused on Alice.
“Set it right where you are and then I want you out of here,” Alice said, making a shooing motion at him. “I’ve got to get your bride ready for her walk down the aisle.”
Will made a grunting sound that Julie assumed was an affirmative, and set her trunk down. He turned on his heel and left the room without another word.
“Don’t worry about him,” Alice remarked, taking in the look of disappointment on Julie’s face. “He’ll come around. He just likes to act like he’s a prickly pear.”
“I don’t imagine he’s pretending,” Julie huffed.
Alice laughed outright at Julie’s frank remark. “I like you.”
Julie smiled and opened her trunk. “Thank you, and I like you too.” Alice hummed in approval and moved closer to watch Julie pull out a carefully wrapped parcel. “My mother helped me pick all the fabric and trimmings for this dress. She was absolutely insistent that it be classic,” she said with a smile at the memory of her mother bickering with her over her dress. “It’s a little like she’s here today because of it.”
Alice nodded. “It’s always nice to have a mother’s touch on a wedding.” Her eyes widened when she took in the dress Julie pulled free of the heavy brown wrapping paper. “Oh, it’s sensational.”
“It is, isn’t it?” Julie agreed and ran her hands over the cream silk satin material of the dress. It was fitted to hug her form just so. The skirt fell gracefully to her feet with layers of cream Chantilly lace embroidered with orange blossoms for a touch of color, and the bustle of the dress was a masterpiece of more Chantilly lace and sumptuous silk. A pair of lace gloves and white kid leather ankle boots complete with pearl fasteners rounded out the picture. Julie smiled, remembering the afternoons spent shopping and planning with her mother for this very day.
“You’re going to be a vision,” Alice whispered with a sniffle. “This town will have never seen a more beautiful or elegant bride.”
“Oh, thank you, Alice. That’s lovely of you to say.”
Alice yanked her close into a hug. “You’re going to take their breath away. You’re going to take the whole town’s breath away when you walk down the aisle to those two.”
Julie pulled back in shock. “What do you mean, the whole town?”
“Did they not tell you?” Alice asked.
“Tell me what?”
“They invited the entire town to the wedding.”
Julie’s mouth dropped open in defiance of every last finishing school rule of etiquette she had learned from Lady Pim.
“What?” she gasped.
Alice winced. “The entire town i—”
“I know, I know, “ Julie whispered, her fingers going to her temples, “but why?”
“Gold Sky is accepting, but putting a human touch to the situation never hurt anyone that might be on the fence,” Alice explained, gathering Julie’s wedding dress up against her.
“So it’s to...sway those undecided citizens? The wedding, I mean?”
“A beautiful bride and a sweet wedding are sure to soften even the skeptics.”
Julie slumped down onto the bed. She had thought it would be a small affair, a quick ceremony, perhaps, before she was free to learn more about her husbands in peace. But she did have to admit, it was a shrewd move by the men to plan a town-wide celebration for their wedding. It would be difficult for anyone who attended the wedding as their guest to openly hold ill will against them.
At least publicly.
“Prudent of them,” she said, giving voice to her thoughts.
“You’ll meet everyone in town and it’ll be the merriest occasion we’ve had since the barn raising last spring.” Alice gave her an excited smile. She held up the wedding dress and nodded at the tub of steaming water in the center of the room. “Now get in that tub and scrub every inch of yourself. You have a town to impress.”
Julie acquiesced and after Alice left her, she made short work of sinking into the hot water. Being on the train for so long had been hard on her. She wasn’t accustomed to swaying constantly, nor was it comfortable to be in a near state of vibration for every hour of the day. She hadn’t realized that her body had been in a constant state of numbness until it hit the water.
“God bless bathtubs,” she hummed, slipping lower in the steamy tub. But now wasn’t the time for relaxing, at least not completely, so she sat up and went to work washing her hair.
In no time at all she was out of the tub and feeling more like her old self. She worked at drying her thick hair and settled on plaiting it down her back. It would curl naturally, but the long braid would work to control the curls. Once that was done she turned her attention back to the room, taking it in for the first time. Bright sunlight poured in through the open window, a gentle breeze wafted in, and she sighed, stretching her arms up over her head.
She had begun to debate if she had enough time for a short nap when she saw the tray of food and drink sitting on the bedside table. The tray held an assortment of finger sandwiches, fresh fruit, cold water, juice, and even a slice of chocolate cake. A single white rose lay across the tray, and she hesitated before reaching for it.
Had Will put this here when he had ridden ahead? She sniffed at the bloom and decided that she preferred her fantasy world where he had. It made the fact that their wedding was a town-wide production more bearable.
A soft knock at her door pulled her from her thoughts and a second later Alice popped her head into the room.
“All clean? I’ve got your dress sorted. Shall we get to work on your hair and makeup? I cut fresh flowers for your hair.” Alice held up a few pink blooms. “These would look so beautiful in those dark curls of yours.”
“That’s so thoughtful. Thank you, Alice.”
Alice bustled over and smiled at her. “That’s what friends are for.”
; Julie grinned at the statement. It cheered her to have someone calling her friend so soon upon her arrival, and she was happy to listen to Alice chatter on about the people she would meet that day. Before long and with a head full of information on townspeople she had yet to meet, Julie stepped into her wedding dress, Alice’s capable hands ensuring that she looked every bit the radiant bride her mother had dreamed of.
Alice had just finished placing a final blossom in her hair, which had been formed into a crown of braids and curls atop her head, when there was a quick knock at the door.
“Who is it?” Alice called, still focused on making Julie’s hair just so.
“Peter,” a voice answered. “I’ve been sent to fetch the bride.”
Alice rolled her eyes. “A bride is not fetched, young man.”
An almost tortured groan came from the other side of the door. “Ma…”
Alice winked at Julie. “My son will take you to the chapel. I’ll be along shortly.”
Julie nodded, following the woman to the door where a boy of fifteen stood, looking impatient, at least until he saw Julie.
“Goodness,” he breathed, eyes widening.
“Isn’t she breathtaking?” Alice hummed in approval. Peter wordlessly nodded and stumbled back when Julie took a step toward him.
“Stop gawking and take Julie to the chapel. And wipe that look off your face while you’re at it. I don’t need Will teaching you a lesson for staring at his woman like that.”
Peter blushed a deep scarlet. “Ma, I, well…” He sighed and then nodded quickly. “This way, Miss Julie.”
“Thank you, Peter.” Julie smiled as brightly as she could and followed him out of the boarding house.
“It’s just on the other side of the square,” Peter said.
They weren’t the only ones on their way to the church and before long a crowd shadowed the pair as they walked along.
“It seems we are very popular,” Julie joked with a nod toward the crowd behind them.
“Not we, Miss Julie.” Peter shook his head. “You. They’ve never seen a lady like you before.”
Heart and Hand: Gold Sky Series Page 4
