by Kit Morgan
“But Spencer!” His mother cried. “We haven’t made the dress yet!”
“Well how long will that take?” He countered.
“Give Summer and I a few days at least. We have everything we need!”
He looked to Elle. “I don’t know if I can wait that long.”
She smiled. Oh how she loved him in that moment! “We don’t have to wait, if you don’t want to.”
He leaned down and whispered in her ear. “How badly do you want that dress?”
She smiled as a shiver went up her spine.
“Spencer! Let us make this poor girl her dress and do things proper!” His mother argued. “We’ll get Abbey Davis to help and can have it done in two days!”
Elle continued to smile. It was that or start to cry again, and though they’d be tears of joy, she didn’t want to do anything to delay Spencer and Clayton from going to town. She wanted to know if Mrs. Ridgley had wired back as much as the men did. “I can wait a couple more days if you can.”
“Thank you Elnora. Two days it is!” Spencer’s mother was quick to reply.
Spencer sighed. “I’m out voted as usual. Fine. Two days. I’m not waiting longer than that,” he told his mother then turned back to Elle. He looked into her eyes, his silence as loud as any words he could have spoken in that moment. But Spencer Riley didn’t need to use words to tell her what he wanted to say. His eyes, his face, the way he stood and held her said it all. He loved her, and this was only the beginning of that love. The thought of having the rest of their lives before them to grow and nurture it was overwhelming! How could she possibly receive such love from another person? As an orphan growing up love was a drug, it was something she’d craved as a child and thought she would never get enough of it. But this … this made Elle realize she’d been thinking on far too small a scale.
To give her a taste of that love, Spencer bent his head to her and kissed her right there in front of his family like she’d never been kissed before.
Twelve
The next two days found Elle, Summer, and Abbey Davis scrambling to finish Elle’s wedding dress. Mrs. Riley was kept equally busy seeing to the rest of the wedding preparations. Elle still marveled at Spencer and his family as she worked. Their love and acceptance of her was astounding and she wished she’d listened to Summer and told Spencer of her predicament the moment she got off the stage. But that was much easier said than done. Summer knew the family whereas Elle did not. Plus, even though Summer was married to Clayton, she hadn’t been married long. A week at most before Elle arrived on New Year’s day, and even though she’d spent time with the Riley family before that, it still wasn’t enough time to really get to know them. However, sometimes you just had to step out and take a risk. Summer and Elle were both still learning to do this.
“Elle, do you want a longer length of lace off the cuffs? Or should I keep it shorter?” Abbey asked.
“Longer if we have enough. I think it would be so much prettier that way,” Elle told her. “I’m so glad you volunteered to help. You’re a much better seamstress than I am!”
“Me too,” added Summer. “Elle and I can patch up just about anything, and handle some simple dresses, but nothing like what you’ve been doing. We never could have finished this without you.”
“I don’t mind, and I love to sew fancy things. In fact, I’ll tell you a secret.”
Elle and Summer both leaned toward her in anticipation.
“I’ve already made my wedding dress…”
Both girls gasped.
“And after I’m married, I want to be able to have my own dress shop one day, just like Mrs. Jorgensen.”
“You would certainly be good at it!” Elle said with a smile. “I wish I was as good at this as you are.”
“You already made your wedding dress?” Summer said in astonishment.
“Yes. Mother thinks it was a silly thing to do, but I don’t. I… I hope to be married soon.”
Summer and Elle both smiled at her and nodded. They knew Abbey more than cared for Billy. She was quickly falling in love with him. They also knew Mrs. Davis most likely didn’t approve of the match.
Abbey turned to Elle. “And don’t worry, it just takes practice. After you’re married you can get some in by making a dress for the annual Valentine’s Dance. We have it every year and it’s a lot of fun!”
“I heard Mrs. Quinn mention it when we were in the mercantile the other day,” Summer began. “She made it sound like it was one of the big events of the year.”
“Oh it is! There’s a dinner and everything! It’s as much fun as the Fourth of July celebration!” Abbey told them with a smile. “I’m going to start on my dress just as soon as we’re done with this one.”
“We’ll check with Clayton and Spencer, then get back down to the mercantile and pick out some fabrics,” Summer said.
“I hate to ask after all the work you’ve done the last couple of days, but could you see it in your heart to help us if we need it?” Elle asked as Abbey began to sew lace onto one cuff.
Abbey looked up at her and smiled. “Sure, we can work on our dresses here or at my house. Even Charlotte will be working on one.”
“I thought Charlotte usually employed Mrs. Jorgensen to make her dresses,” said Summer.
“Not always. In fact, daddy has been insisting we make more of our own clothing and not rely on Mrs. Jorgensen all the time to do it for us. I’ve always loved making mine, but then, it’s something I like to do. Charlotte doesn’t care too much for sewing, but she occasionally makes something. She’s actually quite good at it too.”
Elle looked to Summer before she spoke. “Do you think your sister would mind having us over to your house to work on our dresses?”
Abbey laughed. “Sure. She’s not as bad as all that. She’s a lot more bark than bite.”
“Yes, well, I’ve heard her barking and she could do with a muzzle,” Summer said dryly. “No offense Abbey, but your sister can be … ah …”
“Difficult at times?” Abbey finished for her. “You don’t have to tell me, I live with her. But she’s not as bad as she used to be. I think she’s calming down and joining the rest of the world. At least I hope she is, or she’ll never marry.”
“Well, let’s not talk about it anymore,” Summer said. “This is supposed to be about Elle!”
Elle smiled and continued to work on the hem. “Thank you Summer, you too Abbey. I still can’t believe I’m getting married tomorrow!”
“I hope it’s not going to be too cold,” Abbey said. “Mother’s still not feeling well and I know she’ll want to attend.”
Summer visibly stiffened. Elle caught the action and said, “I’ve not had the pleasure of meeting your mother yet. But I wouldn’t want her coming if the cold is going to hamper her healing.”
Abbey looked at them both. “I really shouldn’t say this, but sometimes I think my mother would like to hamper your wedding!”
Summer let go a snort of laughter. “Oh, I’m sorry! I shouldn’t laugh at that, but I agree with you.”
“Why would she want to do that?” Elle asked as she set her sewing down and stared at the two of them.
Abbey sighed. “I’m sorry to admit it, but my mother gets things in her head and thinks that it should play out exactly as she envisioned. For years she envisioned Clayton and Charlotte getting married. When he married Summer I thought she was going to break a window. Instead she broke her favorite vase.”
“Oh dear, no!” Elle said. “What happened?”
“She said she dropped it, but I think she threw it,” Abbey confessed. “Charlotte cried for days of course. I’ll stop talking about it Summer if you want, it can’t be much fun for you to hear.”
“I’m fine, Abbey. Clayton and I love each other and I’m not worried about your sister or your mother as far as he’s concerned.”
“I’m glad to hear you say that,” Abbey said then sighed. “Mother and daddy sure are coming down hard on Charlotte to fin
d a suitable husband.”
“From what Clayton tells me, there’s not much of that around here,” Summer said. “He made it sound like Spencer was it as far as eligible bachelors go, next to Billy of course, but he’s taken.”
Abbey blushed a deep red.
“What about Mrs. Quinn’s son? The one coming home early from college?” Elle asked.
“Matthew Quinn. Yes, he’ll be home in a week or two at most. Mother is already dropping his name but Charlotte’s never held much interest in Matthew, so I’m afraid Mother’s rants concerning him will be falling on deaf ears.”
Elle let go a long sigh. “I never realized how hard it was to find a husband! I’m glad I became a mail order bride!”
“So am I!” added Summer.
“You won’t be a bride at all if we don’t get this dress done!” Abbey said. “After we finish the cuffs and hem, I’ll sew on the rest of the lace, then let’s have you try it on.”
Elle giggled with delight. “I can’t wait to see what it looks like once it’s finished!”
The three continued to work on the dress well into the afternoon. Once they had it done to Abbey’s satisfaction they took it upstairs to see how it looked and make any adjustments it might need. As soon as Elle stepped into it and pulled it on she shivered. Not with cold, but with anticipation. She still couldn’t get over the fact she was going to marry Spencer the very next day!
“Oh Elle!” Summer exclaimed. “It’s beautiful!”
A knock sounded at the door. Abbey went to answer it and Mrs. Riley came into the room. “Oh good Heavens! You look positively divine!”
Elle couldn’t help it, she began to cry.
“Elle, what’s wrong?” Summer asked as Abbey bent to the skirt of the dress and began to smooth it out.
“I don’t know. I guess it’s because I’ve never seen myself look like this before.”
Abbey stood and looked at Elle’s reflection in the mirror. “You’re beautiful Elle, hasn’t anyone ever told you that?”
Elle thought about it, she thought about it hard and came to the realization that in her eighteen years of life, she couldn’t remember anyone telling her she was beautiful. Cute, spunky, spirited, pretty … but pretty was not the same as beautiful. “No,” she said softly. “No one really has told me.”
“Spencer will be telling you. A lot!” Mrs. Riley said with a smile then clapped her hands together. “Oh! I’m going to have a house full of grandchildren in no time!”
Elle’s eyes widened. “Let’s not rush things,” she quickly pushed out.
“Why Elnora,” Mrs. Riley began. “Don’t you want children?”
Elle wiped a tear from her eye. “Of course, but I’d like to really get to know my husband first before that happens.”
Mrs. Riley smiled as she headed for the door. “Oh don’t worry dear, you will.”
All three girls watched her leave, then burst into a fit of giggles. Elle most of all. Tomorrow night she would indeed get to know her husband well.
* * *
The next day the Riley household was a buzz with activity. The wedding was to take place after church services and Spencer was a nervous wreck knowing half the town wanted to stay after and watch him take his vows. He was so nervous he lost his tie three times before he had it in his hands long enough to get it around his neck and done up proper. Clayton sat back and watched his younger brother flit about the bedroom like a caged bird. “For crying out loud, Spence! Calm down!”
“I can’t calm down! I’m getting married!”
Clayton laughed. “You’d think you were having your first child the way you’re acting.”
“If I was having my first child, I don’t think I’d be standing at all. Besides, that’s Elle’s job to have the babies.”
Clayton rolled his eyes at Spencer’s joke. “If you don’t calm down you’re not going to have any energy left to see to the making of those babies!”
Spencer stopped in the middle of the room and put on his vest. He took a deep breath, then another. “I don’t know why I’m so nervous. Maybe it’s because we haven’t heard anything from that Mrs. Ridgley yet. Not to mention everyone in town want’s to watch me get married.”
“It’s only been a couple of days since Elle sent the message to her. She didn’t get back to me for at least three. Don’t worry, once she does we’ll get to the bottom of what happened and straighten it out. And so what if everyone in town wants to watch you get married? Quite a few watched me get married, remember?”
Spencer turned to face him. “You were a good Sheriff Clayton. Everyone in town loved having you in the position. They love you. I hope I’m able to fill your shoes.”
Clayton smiled. “Don’t worry little brother, you’ll be fine.”
“I haven’t even made an arrest yet as Sheriff,” Spencer said. “Nothing better happen at work for the next week or so. I’d like to see to the making of those babies you mentioned earlier.”
Clayton laughed. “Now you’re talking.” He stood, crossed the room and slapped his brother on the back. “Well Sheriff Riley, let’s go to a wedding.”
Spencer smiled, put on his jacket, and the two of them went down stairs. Billy was waiting for them outside the farmhouse with the wagon. Mr. Quinn had come earlier and taken the women into town and over to the church. The Quinn’s would of course be in attendance along with Doc and Milly (Doc having made good progress in his recovery) Abbey and the rest of the Davis family, including Mrs. Davis who also made a speedy recovery so she could be there. And of course Billy, who wasn’t about to let Abbey out of his sight and whom Clayton and Spencer suspected would get married himself soon. Very soon if Billy had his way, which meant they were going to be short another deputy. But they’d deal with that later.
The ride into town was cold and Spencer worried about Elle’s own ride with Mr. Quinn, and the others. He’d been busy looking for his tie when they left but Clayton assured him he saw to it the women would be warm enough during the ride to the church. Elle would change into her wedding dress there. They would have the ceremony then the wedding party would come back to the farm for a small wedding supper and cake.
Quiet, peaceful, and quaint. That’s what Spencer planned for his bride. A nice little wedding amongst close friends and family (okay so half the town would be there for the vows, but he’d not invited them to supper!) with his beautiful Elle at his side. What more could he ask for?
Spencer smiled. This was the first time his mother didn’t give him a scarf and mitten set to start off the New Year. Instead she gave him a mail order bride. His smile broadened. Maybe next New Years he and Elle would be giving his mother her first grandchild.
* * *
Abbey adjusted Elle’s veil. She stood in front of a small mirror in a room the preacher used as his office. “You look lovely!”
Elle fidgeted. “I wish I could see myself better.”
“You’ve seen what the dress looks like on you, but not the veil,” Summer pointed out. “Are you ready?”
“Oh Summer!” Elle began and turned to her friend. “I’m so nervous!”
“So was I, but I have to say, not as much as you are.”
Elle grimaced. “Really? Am I being a ninny?”
“Of course not. You have every right to be nervous. The circumstances around my wedding were much different. I had more than just the wedding to worry about when I got married.”
Elle stared at her friend a brief moment. “Is this another story you haven’t told me?”
Abbey smiled. “Oh yes! You should have been there!”
“Abbey!” Summer scolded. “I’ll tell her.”
Elle glanced in the direction of the sanctuary. They could hear the townsfolk milling about waiting for the ceremony to get started. “Do we have time?”
“Let me give the really short version. In a word, Charlotte.”
“And Red Ned!” Abbey added excitedly.
“Red Ned?” Elle gasped. “That doesn’t sound
good.”
“It wasn’t,” Summer began. “He was an outlaw Clayton and a posse had been tracking for weeks. His gang was hold up at the first stage stop between here and Clear Creek. I was on that stage.”
Elle again gasped.
“This is the short version remember,” Summer said. “I’ll tell you the rest later but what I can tell you is, Red Ned was bad, but Sheriff Clayton Riley was good! Very good. He rescued the fair damsel, drove the stage back to town straight to the preacher’s house on Christmas Eve and on Christmas Morning, they were married. The end.”
Elle’s eyes were riveted on Summer. “How am I ever going to be able to top that?”
“Trust me, don’t try.” Summer said as she handed her a flower arrangement made of ribbons. “Here, I made it myself. I hope you like it.”
Elle looked to the pretty blue flowers made of ribbon. “Oh Summer, it’s beautiful. I’d forgotten how you used to make flowers out of ribbons like this. Thank you!”
“There aren’t any flowers this time of year to pick for a bouquet so I made you this instead.”
Elle hugged her friend.
“Girls!” Mrs. Riley exclaimed as she rushed into the room. It’s time!”
The three girls looked at the older woman and froze a scant second before Summer and Abbey quickly set about adjusting Elle’s dress one last time. They followed Mrs. Riley to the door. Clayton was there.
“I’d like to give you away if that all right with you,” he told Elle.
“Oh my goodness! I hadn’t even thought of that!” She said in a whisper as the church began to quiet down.
Music began to play. It was the introduction of the wedding march.
Elle sucked in a breath. “Oh good Lord!”
“This is it!” Summer told her in an excited whisper. “At last, we’ll be sisters!”
Elle looked to her and smiled. “Oh Summer, I’m so happy I could cry!”