The Most Unsuitable Wife

by Caroline Clemmons

  "Where's the bride?” He tilted his head as if to listen. "The house sounds deserted. Must mean young Evan is in another state.”

  Belle's tinkling laugh met his ears. "Storm's helping the children make a tree house out back. Seems he's as good with children as with horses. Mary Alice took Pearl and Sarah shopping.”

  He frowned. "Didn't you feel well enough to go with them?"

  She looked down again. "Well, with all the doings of the wedding tomorrow and the trip the next day, I thought I should stay here and take it easy. But Pearl is bringing me something special to wear tomorrow. She measured me carefully."

  He looked at the tiny woman seated in front of the window, his brain suddenly awhirl contemplating measuring each delicate part of her. Reining his thoughts in quickly, he scolded himself.

  None of that, Tremont. None of that at all.

  To distract himself, he paced the room. "So, you're going to play? Will you sing also?” Turning toward her, he stopped. "I believe you mentioned that you sing."

  "Well, Pearl only asked about me playing.” Her hands clasped and unclasped above the piano keys. "So, I've been practicing. It's been a while since I tried."

  "Would you? I mean sing? Now. For me?"

  "If—if you want me to. What should I sing?"

  "You decide.” He chose the large chair near the fireplace and sat.

  Sunlight brushed glistening highlights into her chestnut hair and formed a halo backdrop. Her slender fingers touched the keys and coaxed a melody from the instrument. Soon her voice joined in song, softly at first, then gaining in confidence.

  She sang like an angel. She played like an angel. She looked like an angel.

  He leaned back, closed his eyes, and let the music enfold him. Damn, how in heavens name could he be so thoroughly bedazzled by a prostitute?

  * * *

  The children and Storm took a bucket of food to the tree house for lunch. Lex, Evan and Belle waited to eat until Michael returned at one. The other three women came in soon afterward, laden with packages and full of chatter about selections and deliveries to come. As soon as they cleared away the food, the women, including young Janie, went upstairs to talk wedding. Michael escaped back to his store, looking grateful to be away from the prattle.

  Over a hand of poker, Lex and Evan offered to corral kids while Storm looked over the town. After only half an hour, Storm returned. The sullen look on his face left no doubt he encountered trouble.

  Evan asked, "Why, what happened, son? You look fit to fight a bear."

  He shrugged. "This man in a store said he didn't want Indians in his place.” He shoved his hands into his pockets and hunched his shoulders. "I could pay. Drake gave me money."

  Drake entered just as the boy explained. His eyes met Lex's. "Why don't we go out together and try another store?"

  The boy shook his head. "Why? So I get insulted again? I'll stay with the horses. You always know where you stand with horses."

  Drake reassured him, "Son, there's a rotten apple in every barrel. Don't let a bad one spoil your enjoyment of the others."

  Storm tilted his head and peered at each of the men. "Is it always going to be like this? I thought if I got away from Pipers Hollow, people would give me a chance."

  Drake spoke softly to the youngster. "Most will. Some won't. Let's try again."

  Lex tossed his cards onto the table and stood. "Say, isn't it about time you started practicing corralling these grandkids?"

  "You bet.” The former sheriff made a wave of dismissal before he gathered the cards and shuffled them. "I've rested 'til I'm about ready to lead a revolt. You three look over the town. I'll tell the others to look for you when they see you.” He dealt himself a hand of Solitaire.

  Drake peered into the kitchen. "I'll explain to them. That is, if they're around."

  Evan gestured at the stairs. "They took a ton of packages upstairs. Haven't seen them since.”

  "I won't be a minute.” Drake took two steps at a time.

  In a few seconds he returned. "Trying on dresses or something. Never heard so much chattering and giggling. Told them not to wait supper."

  Drake placed a hand on Storm's shoulder. "All right, Storm, where shall we start?”

  Chapter Seven

  Pearl tilted her head as she held an emerald traveling suit up to Belle. Sarah and Mary Alice looked on while little Janie played with a ribbon.

  "It looks a perfect fit."

  "Oh, it's the loveliest thing I've ever seen. Let me try it on right now.” Belle wasted no time unhooking the dress she wore to slip into the new one. She twirled and preened in front of the mirror. "It's a perfect fit. How ever did you manage it?"

  "There's unmentionables, too.” Sarah sorted through the packages on the bed and handed a stack to Belle. "Here are yours."

  Pearl reached for another dress in soft yellow. "This one is for you also. You and Sarah each get two.” Embarrassed, she added, "I also got two skirts and shirtwaists for wearing around the house.” She felt decadent for her selfish purchases, but she thought to make sure Drake had no reason to be ashamed of her.

  "The seamstress hadn't hemmed the skirts, so they'll be long enough for Sister.” Sarah hunted through packages. "One is blue and the other brown."

  "Thank goodness. Pearl, I hope you'll burn those horrid things you've been wearing. What did you get for the ceremony?” Belle held her delicate underthings as if they were worth a king's ransom.

  To Pearl's mind they were, but she had never purchased such things before. She sewed all her own underthings, and Sarah's. She smiled and answered her new "cousin."

  "I'm so tall it was hard to find anything. The seamstress added another row of pleating to the hem and sleeves to make this fit my height.” Pearl held up a lavender-blue dress. "Didn't she do a nice job?” She clasped the dress to her as she swished back and forth.

  Belle nodded as if she approved. "I'm glad you found something so pretty for your wedding. You'll take Drake's breath away in that dress."

  "Sister will look nice in her gray traveling suit, too. It will be delivered later.” Sarah's eyes sparkled with excitement from their shopping trip. "The dressmaker will add another tier of pleats to the skirt hem. She's adding extra braid and another drape to the jacket. It'll be the perfect length for her.”

  Pearl unwrapped a package and held the contents up for Belle's inspection. "But the most amazing thing is these. This is the first pair of new shoes I ever owned.”

  Adding up in her head, the total she spent in one day made her dizzy. "I hope I guessed right for Storm. I forgot to draw around his foot like I did yours. And he has two changes of clothes he can use on the ranch.”

  She caressed the soft leather of her footwear with awe akin to reverence. Never had she even seen so many beautiful things as in the stores today. Never had she possessed anything so lovely as these.

  Never had she spent so much money.

  Though she made the decisions hours ago, she still worried over each one. How right Drake had been. Prices were far dearer than she’d expected. Early in the shopping trip she realized her funds would not stretch to provide even minimal clothing suitable for a wedding and to meet her new family in Texas. Though it hurt her pride, she used some of the money Drake gave her. Even a queen wouldn't have used it all.

  She kept careful count of each penny of his she spent. When her money arrived, there would be enough to pay part of it back. How she would pay the rest she didn't know.

  Maybe she could have chickens and milk cows at the ranch and sell the eggs and milk not needed by the family. Somehow she would repay him for everything spent for her family. She'd be beholden to no man, especially a husband who didn't want a wife in the first place. Best not to dwell on that, she thought, and turned her attention to the others.

  Sarah held up a dark blue traveling suit. "I'm wearing the pink dress for Pearl's wedding and this for the train on Sunday. We have hats and gloves to match our suits, too.” She attacked a
stack of round boxes to display their contents. "See? Your hat has pheasant feathers, Belle."

  "Sit here, Pearl.” Mary Alice slid a chair to face the cheval mirror. "I'm itching to experiment with your hair."

  Pearl took the seat and frowned at her reflection. She knew her faults. Hadn't Granny pointed them out at every opportunity? Waist too small to be healthy for her frame, breasts too large to look respectable, legs too long to be graceful, and on and on. Apparently nothing about her pleased Granny.

  Mary Alice loosened Pearl's braid and began brushing and sectioning off strands. "You have such beautiful hair. It's like liquid honey."

  Pearl saw her own surprise reflected in the mirror. "It is? Granny always said it was too thick. She said it made my head look too large for my body."

  "Nancy said a lot of things, as I remember, and none of them kind.” Mary Alice's mouth made a firm line as she worked.

  "It's true she often complained.” Pearl nodded, forgetting to keep her head still. "I think her illness made her short tempered.”

  Mary Alice met Pearl's gaze in the mirror. "Oh, Pearl, you would say that. But I knew her when she was able bodied, and she still had nothing good to say about anyone. With what she tried to do to you, I'd think you wouldn't be so kind to her."

  "She was jealous of Pearl.” Sarah's soft voice sounded firmer than usual.

  "Sarah—" Pearl would have scolded her sister for speaking ill of the dead, but Sarah wouldn't be stopped.

  "You know it's true, sister. She hated Storm and me, but she hated you more. You're everything she wanted to be and couldn't. You reminded her of things she wanted to forget. She was a spiteful, hateful old woman, and I'm glad she's gone.” Sarah's fists clenched at her side and she sank onto the bed, barely missing their new finery.

  Belle pushed aside a box and sat beside Sarah. She put her arm around the girl and hugged her. "Now, don't be getting all upset on the eve of Pearl's wedding. That's all behind you now. Life will be grand from now on."

  "That's true enough.” Mary Alice nodded, a smile spreading over her face. "With a handsome brother-in-law to look out for you, how can life be otherwise?"

  Pearl stopped chewing on her lip long enough to bite out, "I can certainly take care of my own family. All we needed was to get away from Pipers Hollow.” She met Mary Alice's gaze in the mirror and instantly regretted her outburst. How soon she had forgotten the threats to her and her family, the desperation she felt to get away. "I'm sorry, Mary Alice. I shouldn't take it out on you because I'm nervous about tomorrow. And about the move to Texas, and... oh, everything."

  The older woman stopped twisting Pearl's hair into ringlets just long enough to offer a reassuring pat on her shoulder. "Everything will work out fine. You'll see."

  Pearl exhaled a deep sigh. Trouble followed her out of Pipers Hollow. Would it trail her to Texas?

  * * *

  Twenty-four hours later, Pearl gazed at the stranger staring back from the mirror. The lavender gown made her eyes sparkle and seem brighter, larger. She patted the ruching at her sleeve. Who would have thought she could look the lady?

  Her fingers slid across the dinner dress' silky fabric to smooth the lace at the dropped waist. She never dreamed she would own anything so lovely. Feeling like a fairy princess, she wondered what her prince would think.

  Thoughts of Drake brought her attention to the necklace and matching drop earscrews. The wedding pearls from her soon-to-be-husband were the perfect touch to the low-scooped neckline. Lovely pearls, beautiful dress, fancy hairdo, handsome groom. Today truly brought many firsts.

  Her mind leapt ahead to the wedding night and she panicked. At separate times, Belle and Mary Alice had each explained what to expect tonight. She had trouble reconciling the different viewpoints with the few facts she knew. Better to think of other things for now.

  Mary Alice had worked wonders with her hair. Most of it piled in curls on her head except for a cascade of ringlets down her right shoulder. She wore no veil or hat, but a ribbon matching her gown wove in and out of the curls. Having watched the procedure carefully, she hoped to recreate the style herself.

  Sarah hugged her. "You've never looked so beautiful. Drake is so lucky."

  She pushed down the anxiety and forced a smile. "I think I'm the lucky one. He's very handsome. Did Storm tell you how kind he was yesterday?"

  Sarah rolled her eyes. "Endlessly. Every sentence of his starts with Drake said this or did that."

  Mary Alice tucked a runaway ribbon back into Pearl's hair. "If you're ready, I'll signal Belle to start playing."

  Pearl took a deep breath. "I'm ready. Lord help me, I hope I don't fall down the stairs."

  * * *

  Twenty guests crowded into the parlor on borrowed chairs and benches. Drake resisted the urge to tug the collar of the stiff shirt under his new jacket and waistcoat. He wondered why he let Lex and the tailor talk him into a new wardrobe. After all, it wasn't as if he actually wanted to get married. Besides, he had plenty of clothes at home.

  Eager to get the ceremony over with, he greeted the minister and took his place at the front of a makeshift lectern fashioned from a fern stand. The sooner this farce started, the sooner it would be over. His cousin stepped into place beside him, oozing affable charm. Damn Lex for looking so cheerful anyway.

  Belle started playing the piano and the voices in the room hushed, even the Cooper boys. Suddenly, the music changed to the familiar march. Dressed in pale pink with a deep rose sash and bow, Janie Cooper carried a basket of flower petals, some of which she remembered to drop on the floor. Mostly she stared at her transformed home and guests, eyes wide with wonder.

  Sarah looked a princess in her pale rose dress as she descended the stairs. What a beauty she would be one day. Mary Alice followed in soft pink, glowing and looking suddenly younger as she smiled at her proud husband.

  Evan stepped from the dining room to wait at the last tread of the staircase. Belle's playing increased in volume and Drake heard the murmur of the guests. His gaze sought the landing at the top of the stairs.

  His heart stopped.

  No! How could this be?

  The dowdy Amazon disappeared. In her place a regal queen descended the stairs. Hair swept back from her face flowed like golden honey into an elaborate river of curls. Her dress echoed the color of eyes bright as jewels.

  His eyes continued their enchanted journey, touching on the single strand of pearls kissing the gentle rise of her bosom. He'd known the necklace was right for her the minute he saw it in the jeweler's window. Now he realized it was her translucent ivory skin complimenting the pearls rather than the other way around.

  With her creamy skin, tiny waist and slim hips, she more resembled a porcelain doll come to life than the hardy peasant he'd asked to marry him. Damn. How could he have misjudged her so?

  Double damn. She’d deceived him, pretending to be homely and awkward. All the time she hid this beauty beneath uncombed hair and a dress like a tent.

  Evan held out his hand, took hers, and twined it with his arm as she stepped from the stairs. Paler than he'd ever seen her, she met his gaze. A tremulous smile tugged at the corners of her luscious mouth. As she came toward him, all the breath left his body.

  As Evan stepped aside to take his seat, Drake took her icy hand in his. He tried hard to focus on the minister's words, but they got all jumbled in his mind. He thought of the freedom this ceremony curtailed, the anger he still felt at this forced union. He even gave a fleeting thought to the woman who trembled beside him.

  When the time came to repeat their vows, she gave her small bouquet to Mary Alice. He slid the gold band onto her finger as he repeated the words of the preacher. Her response came soft but clear. In minutes, they were pronounced man and wife.

  Drake leaned forward to claim the first kiss from his bride. He intended only a peck, but seemed unable to pull himself away. Her soft lips were warm, pliant and surprisingly welcoming.

  Of their own will,
his arms slid around her and he deepened the kiss. When he heard the murmurs and hoots of the guests, he broke away and stared at his wife. How had this happened?

  Pearl snapped out of the trance that had held her all day. Now the ceremony became sights, smells and sounds strung together in a blur. With no illusions about Drake's feelings, she expected nothing but his presence. She looked at the man who faced her, stunned by her reaction to his simple kiss.

  Simple? Maybe to another. Earth shattering to her.

  That he also wore new clothes pleased her, and it touched her that he provided a wedding ring. How thoughtful of him. She looked at her hand where it lay on his arm. The band shone bright gold.

  Her new husband stepped behind her to free his right hand for congratulatory handshakes. In a fluid movement, he slid his arm about her waist and held her close by his side. Anyone watching would think he treasured her.

  Was he merely doing as his breeding trained him? Or, could it be he disliked the idea of this marriage less? She hoped so.

  Guests surrounded them, surging and pressing toward food waiting in the dining room. Drake greeted each guest with an ease she envied, as if he went through this every day. In the short time she had known him, she’d noted little clues to his moods.

  The tightness around his mouth, the little crinkle at the corners of his eyes, the slight hunch of one shoulder, these all belied the smile on his lips. He was not as comfortable, or as confident, as he appeared. She wondered why that reassured her.

  Somehow she managed a response to each comment addressed her, but could remember neither a word spoken to her nor her reply. They finished with toasting and offering more good wishes, and the newlyweds left in a hired carriage.

  With a huge sigh, Drake leaned back against the leather seat. "At last, we've finished with that.” As if he regretted voicing the remark, he added, "It was a nice wedding, but too many people for me."

  "Yes, it's nice to be on our way.” She flushed, afraid he might think she meant the wedding night. "I've never eaten in a restaurant nor set foot in a hotel.” Oh, no, she thought. Why remind him I'm a nobody who's been nowhere?