The moment Wesley approached the front porch, Callie stood and greeted him. “I’ll go upstairs with you, and we can see if Daisy is awake. She’s been taking a nap.”
Wes shook hands with Mr. Bridgeport before following Callie inside. He caught her hand before she started up the steps. “You appear unhappy. Is something wrong?”
“It’s about the wedding. We’ll talk after you see to Daisy.” She tugged on his hand and moved toward the steps.
“Wait! You’re not changing your mind about marrying me, are you?” His forehead creased and apprehension shone in his eyes.
She gently pressed her fingers against the creases that lined his forehead. “Of course not. You can stop frowning.” Glancing about, she lowered her voice. “I want to change some of the plans your mother and Mrs. Bridgeport have made, that’s all. Nothing to cause you alarm.”
He loosened his hold so that she could ascend the steps. “You may think it’s nothing to cause alarm, but I don’t think those two women are going to agree.”
She glanced over her shoulder. “That’s exactly why we need to talk.”
Daisy roused from her sleep as the two of them entered her room. She smiled at Wesley. “Mama says I get to wear a special dress when you marry Miss Callie. As soon as my leg gets a little better, she’s going to take me and Lottie to Biscayne to the dressmaker.” Daisy looked up at Callie. “Isn’t that right?”
“It is, so you must continue to get your rest so your leg will heal. Mr. Wes is going to take off your bandage, and we’ll see how it looks. Would that be all right with you?”
Daisy bobbed her head and extended the bandaged leg. “’Cept he’s a doctor now, so he’s Dr. Wes.”
Callie nodded and Wesley chuckled. “Dr. Wes at your service.”
Daisy’s cheery expression changed to a frown. “My dress got all wrinkled while I was sleeping.”
“When a little girl is as pretty as you, no one notices a few wrinkles.” Wesley carefully unwrapped the bandage. An indentation remained in Daisy’s leg, but the wound had ceased oozing and had healed over. “It is looking much better, Daisy. You are an excellent patient.”
The child beamed at him, caring not at all about the lingering irregularity in her leg. “Can I go outside now?”
“May I go outside now?” Callie said.
Wes chuckled. “You both have permission to go outside as soon as I put a fresh bandage on your leg.” When he finished, he lifted Daisy off the bed. “Can you make it down the stairs or should I carry you?”
“My leg is good enough to walk and go down the steps, but I can’t skip yet.” Daisy grasped Wes’s hand and walked beside him while Callie followed behind.
“I think Jane is making some lemonade if you can stay, Wes.”
“A new guest arrived at the lodge and has signed up for an afternoon lesson, so I don’t think I’ll have time. Want to walk along and we can talk?”
She nodded. “Absolutely. I’m not letting you out of my sight until we make a few plans of our own.”
He winked at her. “I like the sound of that. And I like the idea of planning our honeymoon even more.”
As they walked down the porch steps, Callie slipped her hand into the crook of his arm and laughed. “We can make those plans later. Right now, we need to plan our wedding, and I need your help.”
“What do you have in mind?”
While Wesley listened, she explained her ideas, pleased when he nodded his agreement. “I think it sounds perfect. Now you need only convince Mother and Mrs. Bridgeport.”
Callie shook her head. “We need to convince your mother and Mrs. Bridgeport. I told you I need an ally, and that ally needs to support me both in word and deed. You will be right alongside me when I speak to them.” She hesitated a moment. “Won’t you?”
“How could I say no to someone as beautiful and sweet as you?” He took her hand and tugged her off the path until they were hidden by the low-hanging branches of a huge live oak.
“Then why don’t we plan to meet with them later this afternoon when you’re done with your golf lesson? I’ll send a note to your mother and ask her to come over to Fair Haven at three.”
He pulled her close, and she gazed into his eyes. That was all it took. One glance, the slightest touch, and her heart raced. She lifted her arms and placed them around his neck. The butterflies in her stomach took flight. She’d never been so forward in her life. “Why don’t we seal our agreement with a kiss?”
His lips curved in a slow, rakish smile. “I’d like nothing better.”
The moment she returned to the cottage, Callie went in search of Mrs. Bridgeport and suggested they host a private tea with Mrs. Townsend later in the afternoon. Gaining Mrs. Bridgeport’s agreement hadn’t been difficult, since she’d been slow to fill her social calendar following their return to the island. With Daisy still recuperating from her spider bite and the unexpected wedding plans, Mrs. Bridgeport declared she had more than enough to keep her busy without attending card parties and afternoon teas with the ladies.
Callie penned a quick invitation to Mrs. Townsend, and one of the gardeners agreed to deliver it to the clubhouse and wait for her future mother-in-law’s response. Fortunately, it didn’t take long before he’d returned with a note saying she’d be delighted.
As the time for the tea approached, Callie’s bravery wilted like a vase of week-old flowers. She watched the road, hoping Wesley would arrive before his mother. Callie’s invitation had stated she wanted to discuss the wedding plans further. Knowing Mrs. Townsend and Mrs. Bridgeport, they wouldn’t want to waste time with polite conversation. They would want to talk about the wedding. If this conversation was going to go as she hoped, she needed to take control immediately. But without Wesley by her side, she doubted she’d be able to ward off the objections that were sure to come from both of the older women.
Callie’s stomach tightened at the sound of an approaching carriage. Where was Wesley? She stepped onto the porch as the carriage came to a halt in front of Fair Haven. The driver jumped down and assisted Mrs. Townsend. Callie glanced in the opposite direction and sighed with relief when she caught sight of Wesley loping toward the cottage.
He lifted his arm overhead and called to his mother. Mrs. Townsend stopped and looked at him and then at Callie. Confusion shone in the older woman’s eyes when Callie walked down the porch steps toward her. Mrs. Townsend remained by the walkway leading to the house.
Wesley slowed his gait to a long stride as he approached his mother. “It’s good to see you, Mother. I’m glad you’re able to join us for tea.”
She narrowed her eyes, obviously attempting to calculate what was happening. “I didn’t realize you were in the habit of taking tea, Wesley.” She gave Callie a sidelong glance. “And my invitation didn’t say that you would be attending our discussion.”
He chuckled. “I thought that since I’m an important member of the wedding party, it might be time for me to get a bit more involved.” Without giving his mother a chance to voice her opinion, he offered his arm. “Sorry, but I didn’t have an opportunity to change after my last golf lesson.”
His mother didn’t immediately take his arm. “I don’t think any of us would object if you went back to the clubhouse and cleaned up. Grooms don’t usually take part in the wedding arrangements.”
Callie inhaled a deep breath. “I asked him to attend, Mrs. Townsend. Wesley and I have agreed upon some changes, so I thought he should be present.”
Mrs. Townsend’s shoulders stiffened. “Then I suppose we should go inside so that I can hear exactly what the two of you have come up with.” She grasped Wesley’s arm. “And is Eunice already aware of these possible changes?”
“No. That’s why I suggested we have this tea. So Wesley and I could explain to both of you—together.”
Callie swallowed the lump that had lodged in her throat. Had Mrs. Townsend noticed the tremor in her voice? If she didn’t gain a bit of courage, the two older women would wi
n the upper hand before the tea was served.
The moment the threesome entered the house, Mrs. Bridgeport descended the stairs and greeted Mrs. Townsend. “I’m glad you were free this afternoon, Blanche. There are always so many activities at the clubhouse, I worried you might have another engagement scheduled.” Mrs. Bridgeport directed them into the parlor.
Mrs. Townsend approached one of the wing chairs and sat down. “Even if I’d had prior arrangements, I would have canceled them. Nothing is more important than the wedding, though I’m surprised to hear that these two have been doing a bit of scheming behind our backs.” Her lips stretched in an exaggerated smile.
“Mother!” Wes frowned as he led Callie to the sofa. “We are not scheming. After all, this is our wedding. I believe we have a right to our say in the matter.”
“Well, of course you do, so long as you realize that Eunice and I are far more experienced in such things.” She preened at Mrs. Bridgeport. “Don’t you agree, Eunice?”
Jane entered the room and placed the tea tray on the table near Mrs. Bridgeport. “Since I haven’t had a child marry yet, I doubt I have your experience, Blanche. I did help plan my sister’s wedding a number of years ago.” She poured tea into one of the cups and looked at Mrs. Townsend. “Cream and sugar?”
Wesley squeezed Callie’s hand. Clearly, he expected her to speak up before the discussion went much further. “Although I understand you both have more experience than the two of us, Wesley and I have agreed that rather than a large wedding, we would prefer to have a very small sunrise wedding on the beach.”
Mrs. Townsend gasped and immediately paled. “That won’t do at all. The chapel is what we decided, isn’t it, Eunice?” She reached for her fan and snapped it open. “The guests wouldn’t be comfortable, and the river can have an odor in the early morning.”
“The ocean side of the island, not near the river,” Callie said.
“What? We’d have to transport guests to the other side of the island and then have them witness your wedding while standing on the beach. Just think of the discomfort. We couldn’t seat anyone. The chairs would sink into the sand. Dear me, Callie, how did you ever come upon such an idea? It is totally unacceptable.” She flapped her fan back and forth. “It simply will not work.”
Callie accepted the cup of tea from Mrs. Bridgeport.
“I think Blanche is correct, Callie. A wedding on the beach presents innumerable problems. I think you need to reconsider.”
“We don’t want many guests at the actual wedding ceremony. Just Wesley’s family and all of you. I’d like Jane and Lula to be there, of course. I think it will work. I’ll wear a simple dress for the ceremony. When we were in Biscayne the other day, I saw a white lace dress that I think would be perfect for a beach wedding.”
Mrs. Townsend snapped the fan together and tapped it on the arm of the chair. “We have already ordered your gown. Your measurements have been taken, and I am sure the seamstresses have begun their work. Simply stated, it is too late to cancel the order. I thought you had agreed that you wanted all of us to experience the joy of a beautiful wedding since you and Wesley will be leaving for Africa in the near future.”
“If I could finish, I think you’ll understand that I don’t plan to completely eliminate what you’ve arranged.”
Mrs. Bridgeport took a sip of her tea. “I don’t believe I understand, Callie.”
“We want a very small wedding, but we are willing to celebrate with other guests at a reception following the ceremony or the following day—whichever you believe is better. I will change into the more elaborate gown for the reception.” She blurted out the suggestion without giving either of the women time to interrupt.
Wesley squeezed her hand. “I think we’ve arrived at a plan that will please everyone, don’t you?” He looked back and forth between the two older women.
“Well, I’m not exactly sure. You’ve dropped this on us without proper time to consider all of the possibilities. I’m not sure the guests will understand that they aren’t invited to the actual wedding ceremony.” Mrs. Townsend removed a handkerchief from her reticule. “I simply do not see the necessity of this beach wedding idea. I’m not attempting to be overbearing, Callie, but it makes little sense to me.” She set her gaze on Mrs. Bridgeport. “Do you see any merit to the idea, Eunice?”
Mrs. Bridgeport took a sip of her tea. “The idea is a bit unconventional, but it is their wedding, Blanche.”
Callie inched forward on the sofa. “I wasn’t presenting the plan as an idea in which I thought you might find merit. Rather, I was presenting it as what Wesley and I want. We prefer a simple ceremony with only family present. I have given this a great deal of thought. As you both know, my parents can’t be present when we are married. However, standing near the ocean will bring me as close to them as possible.” Her voice cracked. “I would very much like to feel a bit of their presence on my wedding day, Mrs. Townsend.”
Wesley’s mother settled back in her chair. “When you put it like that, I don’t suppose I can refuse.” She glanced at Wesley. “I’ll send word to your brothers in Massachusetts so that they can make plans to attend.” She gave a firm nod. “Yes, I do believe a beach wedding and a grand reception at the clubhouse sounds perfect.”
From the tone of Mrs. Townsend’s voice, one would have thought she’d devised the entire plan on her own. Callie squeezed Wes’s hand and forced down a threatening giggle.
Chapter 31
MAY 3, 1913
Wesley adjusted his tie for the tenth time. Sunlight was just touching the horizon, and in a matter of minutes he would leave for the beach to marry the woman he loved.
“Are you ready?” Howard Townsend strode into the room without knocking. “Everyone is waiting.”
His father appeared unusually anxious, and Wesley couldn’t help but smile. “You look more nervous than I feel, and you’re only the best man.”
His father gave a shrug. “I’ve never held this position before.”
“Just imagine you’re conducting a board meeting at the textile mill.” Wes tugged his suit back into place and chuckled. “You’re always comfortable there.”
His father cleared his throat. “Son, I may owe you an apology.”
“And why would you say that now?”
Wes’s father came forward and reached inside his gray suit coat. He pulled an envelope from his pocket and handed it to Wesley. “All of my life I’ve placed my focus on accomplishing great things.”
“And you have.” Wesley glanced at the envelope and wondered if it contained something beneficial or harmful.
“But the greatest things I accomplished were the very ones I didn’t acknowledge. At least not in the proper manner.” He looked away momentarily. “I’ve wronged you, Wesley, and I know that now. Your mother has a way of helping me to see the truth of a matter. And frankly, God uses her in ways that I would sometimes just as soon avoid.” He glanced up and smiled.
“Callie does that for me,” Wesley admitted. “She’s like an anchor in some ways, and in other ways . . . well . . . she’s more like a cornerstone. Her faith in God, when added to my own, makes me feel invincible. I know beyond doubt that God has great things planned for us.”
“I do, too. And as much as I hate to admit it, I know those things aren’t inside the walls of a textile mill.” His father pointed to the envelope. “I also know that I am supposed to give you this small gift to help you on your way.”
Wesley lifted the flap of the envelope and looked inside. His eyes widened at the sight of the bank draft. “This sum is more than a small gift.”
His father nodded slowly. “Wes, I’m proud of you. What you and Callie are about to do will take not only faith in God and in each other, but it will also take money. I want you to have the things you’ll need in Africa to minister to those people and to care for your bride. Believe me, I know that will not come cheap.”
“But, Father—”
He held up his hand to s
ilence Wesley’s protests. “I have a few other things arranged, as well. I have friends who will help, too. We are well acquainted with people who deal in a variety of merchandise, and I have associates involved in shipping who will do their part when called upon. I’ll arrange for you to transport anything you feel you will need. Most importantly, I promised your mother I would arrange for us to be together at least every two years. Otherwise she’s threatened to drag me to the mission field to teach textile weaving to native Africans.”
Wesley laughed. “I could just see her doing that, too.”
His father placed his hand on Wesley’s shoulder. “I’m proud of you, son, and I want the best for you.”
“I don’t know what to say.” Wesley met his father’s eyes. “I know you haven’t approved of my choices in the past.”
“Let this be a way of showing my approval for them now. I was wrong to ever try to lead you away from God’s calling on your life. I won’t make that mistake again.”
“Are you two coming or not?” Helena called from the open doorway.
Wesley laughed and tucked the envelope into his pocket. “We’re ready, sister dear. Please lead the way. Gracious, but you’d think you were the bride instead of her attendant.”
“Either way, I won’t be late.”
By the time Wesley and his family arrived at the wedding site on the beach, the sun had peeked above the horizon and cast breathtaking shades of golden-orange on the water. It was a gloriously painted divine canvas that made the perfect backdrop to their wedding.
The chatter of children announced the arrival of Mrs. Bridgeport, Lottie, and Thomas. Daisy, who had fully recovered from her spider bite, skipped ahead, tossing petals on the sand. Wes turned to his father. “How do I look?”
“You look fine, son.” His father adjusted Wes’s suit lapels. “Besides, everyone, including you, will have eyes only for the bride.”
To Honor and Trust Page 29