by Annie Lane
And she trusted her heart whole and pure.
Chapter 21
“No. You can’t see the dress before it’s finished!” said Louise, slamming her bedroom door closed in Gabe’s face. “Now go away. This is strictly women’s business.”
Two days had passed and Gabe and Alice’s wedding was fast approaching.
Gabe rolled his eyes as he left Louise and Alice alone upstairs together and headed from the diner back toward the saloon. He didn’t know what was worse: having his two favorite women fighting like cat and dog … or having them on the same side?
Something told him the latter could prove a dangerous combination.
But nothing was going to spoil his good mood. Alice was finally going to become his wife. By four o’clock he would be a married man and he couldn’t have been more content.
The hours that followed were filled with back-breaking work. Gabe and Mr. Fallon spent their entire morning dragging furniture back and forth all about the saloon, chairs and tables and hutches, all the while trying to accommodate Mrs. Fallon’s vision for the perfect wedding reception. She really outdid herself though, and when Gabe stood back to take in the finished arrangement, he couldn’t wipe the enormous smile off his face. Alice deserved something spectacular after the week she’d just had, and that’s exactly what he planned on giving her.
Just as he brushed off his britches and turned to leave, being that all the heavy lifting was done with and Mrs. Fallon was concentrating now on the finer details — after all, what did he know about arranging pretty pinecones in wicker baskets or setting lace cloths just the right way — a mighty ruckus could be heard coming from out on the porch, and before it had time to register clear in Gabe’s head so he could sum up the trouble, he looked around to find the two dim-witted Clarkson brothers stumbling straight through the saloon doors.
Both came through headfirst, their legs trailing loosely behind them as they tripped and swayed and staggered all about the place, knocking over whatever wasn’t nailed down. If Gabe wasn’t so quick on his feet, they would have knocked him clean over too.
And that was just their breath.
It was so strong his Ma could have hung her washing out on it and never once used a peg. They’d most definitely found the business end of a bottle. Whiskey. And it seemed they’d been at it for a long while too, because they were well and truly pickled. About as good as one of Henry’s favorite gherkins, in fact.
Gabe wasted no time in grabbing the pair of fools by the scruffs of their necks and dragging them back out onto the porch. For all of his efforts, Gabe didn’t need Mr. Fallon coming back up from the cellar and finding the town’s hooligans causing trouble in his reputable establishment. They’d been banned for a good reason, and he didn’t need them adding to what was an already difficult morning.
Without giving it any more thought, Gabe used all the strength he had left and booted them both out into the snow. One of them landed face-first, the other on his backside, his legs poking straight out into the air in front of him.
Like an upturned turtle trying to find its grounding, one of the Clarkson boys — Gabe wasn’t sure which one, for he’d never cared to ever find out their names — wriggled himself free and scrambled back to his feet. He raced willy-nilly across the ice and cocked his clumsy fist, but when he swung it hard and fast in Gabe’s direction, he found nothing but thin air, as Gabe had foreseen the attack and ducked his head just in the nick of time.
The fool ended up collapsing into a messy pile of limbs right there at his feet. Gabe couldn’t help himself. He gave the fool one swift kick in the leg that sent him flying back into the snow again. Those two boys had turned his father’s hair gray well before its time. For years he’d had to listen to the stories of their drunken shenanigans and he wasn’t about to risk them spoiling Alice’s wedding day.
“You two boys better stay outta there or I’ll lick you good and proper!”
And with that Gabe turned away, confident they were now about as dangerous as a litter of kittens wearing mittens.
Meanwhile, back at the Calhouns’, Louise gave her full attention to the gorgeous material in her hands. Somewhere along the line she’d appointed herself chief wedding planner and was currently in charge of all things bridal. “Just a few more pins now, Alice. Don’t move or I’ll prick you by mistake.”
“I thought you said we were almost done?”
Louise sighed and shuffled around on her knees.
When had the floor gotten so hard?
When had her knees gotten so stiff?
She might have saved herself a lot of bother if she’d just asked the finest seamstress in all of Conrad to help her out, but being that Mabel Clay was the very one and the same, she refused to lower herself to begging and took to altering Alice’s dress herself. It was all coming together nicely though and she couldn’t be happier with the result.
Alice would surely make a most beautiful bride.
Henry was still wrapping his head around the fact that his own mother’s wedding dress would be brought back to its former glory. When Alice said — yes I’d be honored to wear it — his steely facade had dissolved into a puddle of mush and he’d offered her a quick kiss on the forehead — one for which he was now apparently famous — and then he’d left the two women to finish up whatever it is that women get up to on their wedding days.
“Only if you want a lopsided gown, Alice, now stop fidgeting and let me straighten the thing. What’s the rush anyway? I’ve got our whole afternoon planned.”
Alice liked the idea of being pampered, and she looked forward to sitting back in the chair while Louise went to work on her hair. She smiled then, and took to keeping as still as a statue so that her soon-to-be mother-in-law could finish off the bottom of her dress. “What will we start on first … brushing, or pinning, or curling?”
Louise paused mid-stitch and glanced up. Never had she expected to enjoy herself quite so much. “All in good time, my dear, we still have hours for all that girls’ business. Before then … I say we make meatballs!”
Chapter 22
The tiny church in the town of Conrad, with its impressive steeple and freshly painted exterior — white now with a pretty blue trim — bulged with family and friends and all present stood to attention when the timber doors slowly creaked open.
Heads turned quickly at the sound, all keen to garner first glimpse of the new bride. When Alice finally stepped out from the shadows and into the brightness — an arrangement of perfectly placed curls surrounding her pretty face and showcasing her delicate neck — a communal gasp could be heard all the way out on the road.
Alice Hamilton paused beneath the archway, catching her breath a moment before she took her first tentative step forward, hidden slightly behind an intricate lace veil that covered her face and fell softly over her shoulders. The funny thing was … she didn’t want to hide anymore. She wanted to revel in the way her fears had drifted away like a marker in the wildest of oceans, dipping and diving and dropping through the waves until it disappeared completely.
At the opposite end of the church stood Gabriel Calhoun, choked up with pride. His shoulders sat back, his chest pushed forward, and his heart sat somewhere right in the middle. The vision that appeared before him was like nothing he’d ever seen before.
Ethereal.
His grandmother’s dress was a creation unto itself with layers and layers of satin that fell from Alice’s waist and spread out like angel wings over her hips and then all the way down to the floor. Ivory-colored sequins, gathered together in clusters over the fitted bodice, glistened and shimmered like fallen snowflakes when they caught the reflection of the muted candlelight.
For fear he might shed a tear or two, Gabe rolled his fingers up inside his hands until his nails dug hard into his flesh. He certainly didn’t care to be seen crying inside a church, especially not in front of his father and especially not with Thomas standing right there beside him as his best man, but if Alice k
ept smiling so brightly and giggling so softly as she approached, he knew his emotions would eventually get the better of him.
The music finally drifted into the silence and the preacher stepped forward.
“Welcome one and all,” he said, gesturing for the guests to take their seats once again before he went about the ceremony. As the crowd settled, he continued, “We are gathered here today in the face of this company, to join together two souls in matrimony, which is an honorable and solemn estate and therefore is not to be entered into lightly, but reverently and soberly. If anyone can show just cause why they may not be lawfully joined together, let them speak now or forever hold their peace.”
A hushed silence filled the room and Gabe couldn’t help but shoot a curious look at his mother. But when their eyes met there wasn’t an ounce of remorse or apprehension to be found. What he found instead was unequivocal love and joy and understanding. So much so that his eyes welled up again and if he didn’t get a hold of it he’d end up making a right goose of himself in front of everyone.
Once the vows were made and the rings exchanged, Gabe and Alice shared their very first kiss as man and wife. Alice had no idea she would take such pleasure from the feeling of Gabe’s warm lips touching hers. So soft and gentle was the kiss that she felt her cheeks heat up from the stirrings it created deep down inside her. It was like nothing she’d ever felt before and no romance novel could have prepared her to feel like she was floating all about on a cloud.
Gabe then suddenly took his new wife by the hand and swiftly led her from the church. With a determined hustle in his step, he rushed Alice under the silver crucifix and out onto the frozen footpath that led them around the corner and out of sight of the congregation. Then he kissed her again with so much passion and so much enthusiasm that they were both left a little breathless.
Gabe whispered softly, “I know I should be more polite but … but, your lips are so soft … I never want this feeling to end.”
Alice went weak at the knees.
She wasn’t sure if it was Gabe’s wonderful leathery scent or the way his husky voice whispered the words, but he didn’t even finish the sentence before her eyes closed and her lips parted all of their own accord and Gabe was kissing her again.
Or maybe she was kissing him, or perhaps they were just kissing each other.
She wasn’t sure which way it was, but she didn’t care either way, because that floating feeling soon came over her again and she didn’t care to come back down just yet. She wanted to bottle Gabe up, his touch and his strength and keep it tucked inside so as she might pull it back out again when she felt a need for it. And whether he’d said the words out loud or not, Alice had never felt more loved than right there in that very moment.
Chapter 23
“My boy’s married!”
Louise scurried around the side of the church, gathering Alice and Gabe up into a tight embrace. And then a swarm of hugs and a sea of well-wishes proceeded as the crowd dispersed through the doors, and soon enough the entire congregation surrounded the new couple to offer their congratulations.
Alice glanced over at Gabe — who was still trying to steady his balance and right his way of thinking — not entirely sure if she was relieved or disappointed by the interruption.
Charlotte fussed over Alice’s skirts and Beth held her bouquet while a celebratory reception was offered by the preacher. “Drinks and dancing over at the saloon,” he shouted, straining to be heard as the entire town erupted into a chorus of cheers and laughter. “Come one, come all and celebrate this blessed union.”
A small smile touched Gabe’s eyes as he led Alice across the street toward the party. "You should see the spread they’ve put on … I swear it, Alice, your meatballs are near as big as my fist and I can’t wait to give ’em a try. It might just be love at first sight after all.”
Alice giggled. “So I’m competing for your heart?”
Gabe suddenly frowned and he stopped dead in his stride, right there in the middle of the open field. He turned to Alice with a look of complete surprise, before he lifted her hand and touched his lips to the simple gold ring he’d just moments before placed on her finger.
Making sure to look her in the eye, so that she had no choice but to hear the absolute truth in his words, Gabe shook his head and said, “How can you even think that? No, Alice that’s not even close to how I feel. From this very moment on, my heart only belongs to you and no one else. I love you, Alice.”
She blinked and a tear rolled down her cheek. “Oh, Gabe, I love you, too.”
Chapter 24
The reception was in full swing, and a wonderful affair it was too. The happy couple couldn’t take their eyes off each other for the best part of the supper and once the plates were all cleared away, they blissfully cut into their wedding cake.
Slice after slice of the richest, moistest fruitcake was served on silver platters, along with a pitcher or two of Alice’s favorite chamomile tea. Louise had ordered a box in especially for the occasion and it seemed everyone was enjoying it so much that she decided to make it a regular item on the menu.
Just as many whiskeys had been thrown back too — all under the proviso of washing down the cake of course, according to Thomas, who had surprised everyone by indulging in a glass or three himself, and then spent the next hour dancing a jig to any tune played on the fiddle. The free whiskey meant there would definitely be a few sore and sorry heads by morning.
Beth peeked out through the saloon doors, squinting into the darkness. While she was thrilled that her dear friends, Alice and Gabe, had finally found happiness together, she wasn’t in the most festive of moods. Her fingers trembled from the blustery gush of wind that pushed through the small space and her eyes stung from lack of blinking, but she couldn’t tear them away from the empty street.
“Please, Beth … he’s almost nine years old.” Earl’s deep voice had startled her.
She spun to face her husband. “Exactly, he’s only a baby. I can’t believe you let him walk all the way over to the hall to collect more napkins by himself. I should have gone with him.”
“You need to let him start taking on some responsibility.”
“Responsibility?” she gasped. “He can barely say the word without mixing it up, let alone understand its meaning.”
Beth had walked a difficult line every day since she had married Earl. Should she interfere or say nothing? Earl was Junior’s father after all, and what Earl said went, that was just the way of things. But it didn’t stop her worrying just like any other mother would.
Earl chuckled. “The boy can’t say most words without mixing them up. Why just the other week he told me how Aunty Dawn taught them all about these animals called furballs in school … they live in the puddings of magnolia … he reckoned. After an hour of scratching my head and trying to working out which way’s up, it turns out he wasn’t talkin’ about furballs or puddings at all … but Gerbils live in the Deserts of Mongolia.”
While Beth wanted to laugh too, she couldn’t ignore the uneasy feeling that crept over her skin. “Please, Earl … let’s go look for—”
Just then the doors crashed open and Junior came tumbling inside, panting and breathless and flailing his arms around like his very life depended on it. If Junior’s words weren’t all mixed up before, then the hot mess of scrambled gibberish that flew from his mouth was more than making up for it.
“Thaysmatch … yupda … blacksmith and … and dayyswa … toovem…”
Junior’s blood raced in his veins and the horror of what he’d just witnessed took over his mind so terribly that he couldn’t utter another word. Tears burst from the child’s eyes and he threw himself into Beth’s arms, burying his face in her lap and mumbling nonsense worse than he’d ever done before.
Gabe froze over by the bar. The word blacksmith had caught his ear and he swung his legs around on the stool. He stripped his coat off his shoulder, slung it across the back of a chair and rolled up his s
leeves.
Not wanting his wife caught up in all the bother, he put a hand on her shoulder, indicating she should stay put. “No matter what happens, I don’t want you taking a single step outside this building, do you understand me? I want to find you sitting right here when I get back.”
Then he whistled and signaled for Thomas, who was still kicking up his heels out on the dance floor, and nodded toward his father in that way men often do when something big’s about to unfold. Gabe could feel the rumble of it inside his chest. Something was definitely about to unfold.
Earl stepped in front of Gabe then and placed a firm hand on his chest. “Keep your wits about ya. Let us talk to the boy and see if we can’t make some sense of it all.”
Beth stroked Junior’s hair and lifted his chin. “You need to be a brave boy, Junior, just like when that snake bit my arm, remember? I know you can do it, now start again from the very beginning and go real slow and steady this time.”
Wanting to be as much of a man as anyone else in town, Junior knew it right in his head what needed to be done. He needed to take a deep breath and get the words out without having to repeat himself, for time was of the utmost importance and as far as he could tell, he didn’t have a minute to spare.
“Weeeeell…” he said, bracing himself. “I was just about all the way over to the hall when I heard a noise. It was way over by the barn, and I know I shouldn’t have, but I wandered over that way to catch myself a quick look. Sounded like things were getting broke up real good when I got there too, so I snuck ’round back and that’s … well, that’s when I saw them through the smashed window.”
Beth shuddered at the thought. While she would have preferred to simply scoop Junior up in her arms and take the terrified child straight back home again, she could tell by the desperate look in Gabe’s eyes that her son needed to stay true to his word and finish the story. “What did you see, Junior?”