Dianne watched him go, lingering on the porch for some time. Takes Many Horses knew it was a mistake, but he couldn’t help going to her. He was drawn, just as a moth to the flame.
“It’s good to see you happy again,” he offered, hoping he wouldn’t startle her.
“It’s good to be happy again,” Dianne replied. “I didn’t hear you coming. I must have been lost in my thoughts.”
No doubt. Would that you could lose your thoughts over me the same way. He looked up at her. “It’s of no matter.”
“I want to thank you again for what you did. I know you didn’t have to risk your life to save Cole, but I’m so grateful that you did.”
He could hear her voice break. He couldn’t—wouldn’t lie to her. “I know how much he means to you. How could I not move heaven and earth to put you two back together?”
“Still, I know it cost you. I’d like to make it up to you,” Dianne said, taking a step closer. Takes Many Horses could see her better now. The glow from the front room window shed light on her image. Her hair was loose, flowing free down her back. He longed to reach out and touch the silken strands. He longed to have her kiss him the way she’d just kissed Cole Selby.
He shook off the thoughts and stepped backward. “I should go.”
“Wait, please.” She reached out to take hold of his arm. “I want you to know how grateful I am. Koko said you traded all of your ponies for Cole. I want you to pick out ten of our best horses and take them with you.”
He cringed and pulled away quickly. Her touch was driving him mad. “I’m glad you have your man back. He’s a good man. He’ll be good to my sister and to you. There’s no need for me to take your horses. I’ll probably have no use for them in the days to come anyway.”
“Cole says bad times are coming. Especially for the Indians. I wish you’d reconsider and stay with us.”
“I cannot do that, Stands Tall Woman.” He kept a tight hold on his emotions. “I am Blackfoot. The Real People are my people.”
“But you may get killed.” He heard the worry in her tone, and it touched him deeply. A part of her did care about him, but not in the way he wished she cared.
“I was born Blackfoot, and I will die Blackfoot,” he whispered. “For me, there is no other choice. Just as there is only one path for you—that of wife to Cole Selby.” The words pained him, but he knew they had to be said—not for her, but for him. Somehow he had to convince himself that she was better off here—better off with Cole. Somehow.
CHAPTER 25
DIANNE SHIFTED NERVOUSLY AS KOKO DID UP HER BUTTONS. “I didn’t think this day would ever come,” Dianne chattered. “I thought I’d die an old maid. Oh, Koko, do you think this dress is all right? Do you think Cole will like it?”
Koko laughed and stepped away to scrutinize the ivory wedding dress. “It’s perfect. So much better than the blue material we had thought to use at first. You are positively radiant. Never has there been a more beautiful bride. Here, see for yourself.”
Dianne turned to take in the view from her bedroom mirror. She gasped at the sight of herself. “Oh, it’s lovely.”
The soft cotton cloth wasn’t anything special in and of itself. It was nothing more than a simple bolt of ivory material until Faith and Koko worked their skills upon it. Dianne marveled at the sweeping flow of the skirt, the fitted, pin-tucked bodice with its delicate embroidery work. It was perfect.
She touched the high collar. The lace gracing the edge had been created by hand thanks to Faith’s diligence. They had found the perfect pattern for the lace in a Godey’s Lady’s Book Dianne’s friend Sally had given Dianne when she was preparing to leave Missouri. Faith, never having attempted such a feat before, had pored over the instructions and began to work out the details. The evidence of her capable skills now swirled in a delicate pattern at Dianne’s neck.
Tears formed in her eyes. There had been a time when she’d honestly thought there would never be an opportunity to wear the lovely creation.
“I’m so happy,” she whispered.
Koko touched her hand. “I know, and I’m happy too. I wish Bram could be here to give you away.”
Dianne nodded. “I do too, but I know Gus felt very honored to be given the job.”
“If you hadn’t been in such a hurry, you could have had Zane or Morgan give you away.”
“I doubt that. Zane’s regiment isn’t even at the fort, and I have no idea where Morgan has gotten off to. No, it’s better this way. I wish they could be here, but I’m not about to wait until they return.”
Koko smiled and it lit up her entire face. Dianne marveled at the lovely woman. Koko had dressed in a dark burgundy gown with fitted sleeves and a pleated band at the waist. The skirt was fuller than the fashion dictates of the day, but it certainly wasn’t one of the wide bell-shaped monstrosities of the 1860s. Sometimes when she and Koko were looking for something helpful in the old copies of Godey’s, they would laugh and laugh at the wasteful fashions.
“Imagine,” Koko had said, shaking her head, “twenty yards of silk for one dress.”
It did seem outrageous, especially here in the middle of Montana, where the most important thing about clothing was functionality instead of fashion.
“I’m glad we made this dress in such a reasonable manner,” Dianne said, turning back to the mirror. “I’ll get lots of use out of it. Especially if we dye it like you talked about.”
“I think it’s lovely as it is. Wear it this way for a time and then dye it. It will be like having a completely new gown,” Koko said, bringing the new bonnet they’d made for the occasion.
Charity had given over one of her straw bonnets, and Koko had used ribbon and lace to decorate it into a stylish wedding piece. She helped to fit it onto Dianne’s carefully styled hair. Faith, although miserable in her latter days of pregnancy, had insisted on dressing Dianne’s hair. The result was both elegant and simple.
Dianne looked into the mirror and guided the bonnet over the piled curls. “I feel so blessed. I could cry.”
“Well, don’t do that. You don’t want Cole to think you’re sad about this.”
Dianne grinned. “He knows better than that. He already teases me about pushing him into this ceremony.”
Koko laughed and handed Dianne a handkerchief. “Keep this just in case.” She went to the bedroom door and opened it. “Now, if you’re ready . . .”
Dianne looked at the open door. She would walk out of this room for the last time as a single woman. When next she returned, Cole would be with her and they would be husband and wife. A nervous trembling coursed through her. Mrs. Cole Selby. I’ll be Mrs. Cole Selby.
Cole waited impatiently in the parlor for the wedding to begin. Reverend Hammond leaned over with a grin. “You’re looking a bit green, Mr. Selby. Are you sure you aren’t coming down with something?”
Charity overheard the comment and giggled. “Now, Ben. Don’t you go picking on the poor boy. He’s been through a great deal just to get this far.”
Cole tried to concentrate on her amused words, but his mind raced with thoughts. Were they doing the right thing, rushing ahead like this? Maybe they needed more time. After all, so much had happened. Maybe he wasn’t the same man she loved. He looked up and caught sight of Takes Many Horses. He wore his very best clothing—a long deerskin shirt with beaded designs on the shoulder and neckline. Fringed buckskin hung from the sleeves, as did weasel tails. The shirt extended nearly to the top of the warrior’s knees. Below, he wore tanned leather leggings that were also beaded and fringed. His coal black hair had been carefully parted and braided, and on his feet were new beaded moccasins, compliments of Koko.
Cole knew the man was in love with Dianne. He saw the haunted expression every time Takes Many Horses glanced her way. But Cole also knew the man was honorable, that he valued his honor too much to steal a few moments of pleasure. If Cole were to leave again for any extended amount of time, Takes Many Horses would be his first choice to guard and prot
ect Dianne. That was the reason he’d asked the man to stand with him as best man at the wedding.
Takes Many Horses came forward and greeted Cole with a smile. “She’s bound to look better than when she got back from the roundup.”
“She looked perfect that day. There was absolutely nothing wrong with her.”
Charity laughed. “Love is blind, Takes Many Horses. Didn’t you know that?”
The man sobered and nodded. “Sometimes it must be.”
Just then Koko appeared in the doorway. She looks very fashionable, Cole thought. She could easily pass for a white woman. Koko looked directly at him and smiled—almost as if she could read his mind.
Behind her came Dianne on the arm of Gus Yegen. She took his breath away. She had on a pretty dress to be sure, but it was the radiance of her face that held Cole’s attention. He didn’t want to look away even for a minute.
They quietly assembled, with Charity taking her place beside Faith and Malachi in the front row. Gus stood rock rigid between Cole and Dianne. If Cole didn’t know better, he’d think Gus was actually her pa. He couldn’t have been prouder.
“Who gives this woman to wed this man?” Ben asked.
“I do,” Gus replied. He handed Dianne over to Cole, then surprised them all by planting a kiss on Dianne’s cheek. “You’re getting a fine little gal here,” he told Cole. “You do right by her or you’ll hear it from me.”
Cole nodded, amazed that this rugged Texan could hold so much love for Dianne. “I promise you, I will.”
They turned back to hear the words Ben shared. He spoke of the responsibility of marriage and of the life they would share. Cole barely heard the words. They seemed nonsensical and unnecessary. Just say we’re married, he thought. Just say the final words and I’ll know she’s mine forever.
And finally the words came. “I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss your bride.”
Cole pulled Dianne into his arms. “Happily,” he whispered against Dianne’s lips.
He lost himself in the kiss, cherishing the moment and the way Dianne seemed oblivious to the people who watched them. He might have gone on kissing her forever had Faith not cried out.
“It’s the baby!” Faith said, then groaned and shut her eyes in concentration. “I’m sure sorry, Dianne. I thought it would wait,” she said when the contraction ended.
Dianne pulled away from her husband. “We should get you upstairs to a room where you can lie down.”
“No, I want to go back to my place,” Faith asserted. Malachi quickly lifted her in his arms.
There was a bustling of activity, and before Cole knew what had happened, Dianne was swept along with the others fussing over Faith.
Dianne pulled off her wedding bonnet and motioned to Charity. “Please run to my room and bring me back my brown calico. It’s hanging in the wardrobe.”
Charity never questioned that her friend was leaving her own wedding to assist in Faith’s birthing. In fact, the thought only crossed Dianne’s mind for a moment. Cole will understand, she told herself. Babies wait for no one.
Dianne went ahead of Malachi to the small cabin. She hurried to open the front door, then went in to open the bedroom door as well. Dianne pulled down the covers on the bed and motioned Malachi to deposit Faith. He lowered her, but Faith waved him away.
“Just let me sit a spell,” she told him. “The pain’s not so bad now.”
“We women will take care of her now. You get some water on to boil and make a good strong pot of coffee as well. There’s no telling how long this will take.” Malachi backed out of the room, looking rather lost. “Don’t worry, Malachi,” Dianne said as she started to close the door and offered a comforting smile. “This time will be different. You’ll see.” She prayed her feelings on the matter were correct. Please, Lord, let it be perfect this time.
Dianne felt like an old hand at deliveries. She’d assisted with Koko’s two babies and numerous calves and colts. Nothing was more rewarding or more frustrating.
“When did the pain start?” Dianne asked Faith.
“Early this morning, but it wasn’t strong. I figured I had plenty of time. Didn’t get bad until about the time Preacher Hammond started in on the service.” She fumbled with a band that hooked just above her bulging stomach to cinch her blouse.
“Here, let me help you get out of your clothes,” Dianne said, pushing Faith’s hands aside in order to undo the belt. When Dianne began working the buttons on the oversized blouse, Faith took over.
“I can manage,” she declared, looking to Dianne with a sober expression. She took to unfastening the buttons, all the while keeping her eyes on Dianne. “I wish I had your faith.”
“Nonsense. You have your own—it’s even your namesake.” She smiled and began to unfasten her own cuffs. “You’ll see. It will be all right.”
Charity soon arrived with Dianne’s dress. “Koko said she’d be here directly. She’s going to change and then she’ll come with her birthing bag.”
Dianne nodded and took up the brown dress. “Please help me get out of this,” she said, turning her back to Charity.
“I’m sure sorry about this, Dianne. It’s your wedding day and you didn’t even get to eat the cake we made,” Faith said, struggling to get out of the blouse.
“Bah, don’t worry about it. I’m honored that Baby Montgomery has decided to make his or her appearance today,” Dianne said, stripping off the lovely ivory gown.
“Goodness, don’t apologize,” Charity threw in. “This just makes the day that much more special. The cake will wait. Unless, of course, the men decide to eat it without us, in which case we’ll bake another one.”
Faith laughed. “I can just see them sitting around looking at that cake—asking themselves what they should do—if they dare go ahead and cut a piece.” The three women laughed together at this.
Dianne pulled on her dress, grateful that it buttoned in front. She cinched it with an apron, then went to work rolling up her sleeves just as Koko came through the door. “I told Gus and Cole they would have to take care of the children,” she announced. “You should have seen their faces.”
“Probably because they’re worried they won’t get any cake,” Dianne teased.
Koko looked at her oddly but said nothing. She went instead to help Charity get Faith into a nightgown.
The women worked together as if they’d been a team for a long, long time. With Faith standing beside the bed, they pulled a cotton nightgown over her head. The contractions soon gripped Faith again, and this time a gush of water came with the pain.
“What fortune to have you out of the bed,” Charity declared. “Now you won’t have to worry about drying out the mattress or changing your gown again.” Dianne smiled. Charity was always the practical one.
They finally got Faith back to bed, and Koko quickly checked to see the progress of the baby. “The baby is down pretty far. If the contractions come steady and strong, it shouldn’t take too long.”
The afternoon passed quickly as the women chatted about the baby to come and how Dianne would probably be having children of her own this time next year.
“And miss roundup?” Dianne teased as she put a cold cloth to Faith’s forehead.
“I can just see it now,” Koko laughed. “She’ll be bearing down in the back of the wagon, yelling for someone to let her see how many calves are being branded.”
“Probably stamp the Diamond V on the poor baby’s rump before he makes it back to the ranch,” Charity teased.
Even Faith smiled at this, in spite of her almost constant pain. Dianne held her right hand, while Charity had the left.
“All right, Faith, the baby is very close,” Koko announced.
“What if . . . what about . . . the cord,” Faith gasped out.
“We’re watching for that,” Dianne assured. “Koko has her knife ready just in case. Rest in the Lord, Faith. No matter what, He’s already seen tomorrow.”
Charity agreed. “Rememb
er not even a sparrow falls but what the Lord doesn’t know it. He’s here with you right now. He won’t leave you even for a moment.”
“Push hard, Faith,” Koko interjected. “Push . . . come on.”
Dianne and Charity helped Faith to lean forward. Dianne knew Faith’s pain was intense, but she knew the woman’s fear was even stronger than the pain.
“All right, stop pushing. Hold it right there,” Koko declared in an authoritative voice that left no room for argument.
Dianne watched as she gently rotated the baby’s now delivered head, slipping the cord to one side as she did so. Faith, ever determined to do the right thing, froze in place, barely even breathing. Sweat beaded on her lip as she bit down on a piece of leather.
Koko smiled. “All right, push again. Let’s get this baby born.”
The baby’s lusty cries filled the room. Faith fell back against her pillow, tears streaming down her face. “It’s a good sound. A good sound.”
Dianne nodded. “Look, Faith, it’s a baby girl. You have a daughter!”
Faith looked up as Koko held the screaming child for her to see.
“What will you call her?” Koko asked.
Faith smiled and reached out to touch her daughter’s head. “Mercy,” she whispered. “Because God has been merciful.”
Dianne nodded, wiping tears from her own eyes. “Indeed, He has been.”
It was later, nearly midnight, by the time Dianne made her way to the small cabin where she and Cole had agreed to spend their wedding night. The cabin was actually one built as a storehouse during the early days of the ranch, but Charity and Koko had surprised Dianne by putting it together as a little honeymoon cabin.
Dianne wondered if Cole had completely given up on her. It was their wedding night, after all, and she’d run off to help her friend deliver a baby. She smiled. No, he’d understand.
As she approached the cabin, she saw him silhouetted in the open doorway. A soft light glowed from the room behind him. She began to tremble.
The Coming Storm Page 25