by Morgan, Kit
Harrison and Colin joined Levi and Chase at one end, while Jefferson stood at the opposite, and offered Fina his arm. Behind them, stood Doc Waller and Lena. “Have you seen the cake?” Jefferson queried of her.
“Cake?” she exclaimed with a nervous gasp. “I've been too worried about getting through the ceremony to worry about cake.”
“It's a doozy. I think it might be the best and biggest yet! I bet Mrs. Dunnigan's insides are just curdlin’ with envy.”
“Good heavens, man, whatever are you talking about?”
“Everyone around here knows Mrs. Upton makes the best cakes, and every time she does, Irene practically gets a bellyache, she gets so jealous.”
“What's more important today?” Fina snapped. “My wedding or Mrs. Dunnigan's bellyaches?”
“I'm talking metaphorically,” Jefferson groused. “She doesn't really get a bellyache; I'm just sayin’ that.”
“Mr. Cooke, would you kindly stay on task?”
“You don't have to get all snippety about it.”
“I'm not getting snippety…”
She was cut off by Henry Fig’s fiddle, as he began to play the Wedding March.
“Time to tie the knot!” Jefferson said as he started down the aisle.
“Now wait a minute!” said Fina as she dug her heels into the ground. “I’m not quite ready!”
“Fina! Stop arguing and get going,” her sister scolded from behind.
“You heard the woman,” Jefferson said as he gave her arm a yank and began to pull her along. Fina pitched forward, drawing a laugh from the townsfolk. Good Lord! She wasn’t ready for this! She should have asked for more time, she should have insisted Mr. Stone court her, she should have …
“Ah, good, you’ve finally arrived,” Preacher Jo commented with a smile. “From the looks of it, you had me worried.”
Another eruption of laughter came from the crowd. Fina straightened, and swallowed hard. If there was ever a time to say STOP, this was it. She stared at the preacher and was about to say as much, when she looked at her intended.
Levi Stone stood with a look the pierced her to the core. It said … You will not say no to me. We are getting married! Fina gulped again, turned back to Preacher Jo, and offered him a weak smile.
He leaned toward her. “Are you ready for this?”
She nodded. “Absolutely not.” She looked him in the eye. “But it’s what I came for, and so I will do my duty.”
“You don’t have to sound so happy about it,” Levi commented, his voice void of emotion.
Egad! He’d heard! Her head snapped to him. “I am no coward!”
Doc delivered Lena, and handed her off to Chase. Levi leaned toward Fina. “You didn’t look so brave a moment ago when Jefferson had to drag you to the alter.”
She straightened again. “I assure you, sir, I am quite fit for the task.”
Levi eyed her. “I don’t think you’re up to it. If you’d like to wait …”
Wait? He was offering the chance to wait? She looked at Harrison and Colin, who only shrugged. She then glanced at Jefferson, who shook his head at her. Okay, so two votes for ‘wait’ and one for ‘don’t you dare.’ She looked at Lena and Chase, but they were too engrossed with one another to pay her any mind. She then turned and looked over her shoulder at the townspeople.
“C’mon!” yelled one. “Get hitched already!”
“Yeah,” added Wilfred. “I wanna see Levi kiss the bride!”
Fina turned back to face Preacher Jo, and swallowed hard. It was now or … possibly never. If she didn’t take Levi Stone, Apple might, and then she would be the one left without a husband! She looked at him again. His expression softened, and he stood, along with the rest of the men, and waited.
Fina closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and said, “You may proceed.”
Preacher Jo smiled in understanding, and did.
Two
“I do,” said Fina as she stared wide-eyed at Preacher Jo. There, she’d done it. She’d said her vows. She was now married to Levi Stone. Fina looked at him like a frightened rabbit, and then heard the words that sealed her fate.
“You may kiss the bride,” Preacher Jo said with a smile.
“Well, Mrs. Stone?” asked Levi. “Since you decided at the last minute to marry me, are you going to be as indecisive about our kiss?”
She started at his words. They stung. But then, after he saw how Jefferson almost had to hogtie and drag her to the end of the aisle, how must he feel? “I do so apologize, Mr. Stone. It was a sudden case of cold feet. I don't know what came over me.”
“Just so long as it doesn't happen again, I'm okay with it.”
She let out her breath, the moment suddenly surreal. Good Lord! They were married! Now what? But wasn't this what she’d wanted? Wasn't this why she came to Clear Creek in the first place?
“Congratulations!” said Harrison as he slapped Levi on the back.
“My brother and I have a little something to give to you as a wedding present,” added Colin as he took Levi's hand and shook it. “We’ll deliver it to your place tomorrow, if that suits you.”
Levi smiled. “Wedding present? That's mighty nice of you boys. Thank you.”
“Think nothing of it,” said Harrison. “Besides, I know the two of you will be needing it, come winter.”
Fina stared at him. “Winter?” she asked numbly, still in shock at being married.
“No need to worry about it now,” said Colin. “There’ll be plenty of time to worry about that sort of thing later.”
Apple hurried up to them. “I'm so happy for you! When do I get to see where Fina is going to live?”
“Let's allow your sister the chance to see her new home first, shall we?” suggested Harrison.
“I quite agree,” said Colin. “Give your sister a few days to adjust. After that, I'll drive you out myself.”
“Oh, very well,” Apple said, her face downcast. She then perked up again. “But I can't wait to see it! In the meantime, I shall go visit Lena and Chase.”
Fina nodded, still not able to speak.
“What's the matter… wife?” asked Levi.
Fina turned, looked at him, and shook her head. She was still trying to figure out why
she’d gotten such cold feet. She’d agreed to get married. It was why she left England and traveled to Clear Creek. So what was the problem?
“Hey!” yelled Wilfred. “You still haven't kissed her!”
Levi gave him a wide grin, and then made a show of aiming his expression at his new bride. “He’s right; I haven't.”
Fina's eyes widened. She’d learned from her previous encounter with him, at the mercantile, what that grin could mean. Sure enough, he grabbed her to him, bent her over and kissed her soundly. Fina couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe, and was vaguely aware of the people’s hoots and hollers, and gunshots being fired. When he broke the kiss, he looked at her a moment, then pulled her upright. She caught her breath and fought the urge to slap him. But what good would that do? He had every right to kiss her.
“That was wonderful!” called Apple as she clapped her hands.
“Do it again!” yelled Wilfred.
Levi grinned. “We ought not disappoint the man.”
Finally, she found her voice. “Don't you dare!”
Levi looked taken aback before he eyed her with concern. He then leaned toward her, bent down, and whispered in her ear. “If you don't let me kiss you, people might think you didn't want to marry me.”
“As I said before,” she whispered back. “It's nothing more than a case of cold feet. I hope you'll forgive me if it takes time for me to adjust to this.”
He straightened and looked at her. “It’s a little late for cold feet; we’re already married.”
“I'm terribly sorry; I'm not usually this way.”
“Then, what, might I ask, is your usual way?”
She let out a small chuckle. “My usual way?” She thought a moment as sever
al townspeople approached. She watched them then looked back at Levi. “I don't back down from a challenge.”
“No, you don't,” he said. “As I recall from our earlier discussion this week, at the mercantile, you were looking forward to the challenge of the two of us getting acquainted with one another.”
She gazed into his eyes. “Yes, I did, didn't I?” She didn't have a chance to say more as people began to shake Levi's hand, and give her hugs of congratulations. She glanced at him now and then, as more and more of the townsfolk surrounded them. He didn't look angry with her, but he didn't look happy, either and, unfortunately, she didn't know him well enough yet to gauge his moods. “Stone” was indeed an apt name for the man, as the expression he gave her was indeed made of it.
* * *
Levi seethed. He knew it was wrong to feel this way, but he just couldn't help it. The woman hadn’t wanted to marry him, but he couldn't figure out why. Even more puzzling was that she’d gone ahead and done it anyway. What was wrong with her? Why didn’t she say something? He watched as Grandma Waller and Mrs. Mulligan presented her with a quilt as a wedding gift. He stood off to one side with the other men as more and more women approached his bride with trinkets or some other gift. She didn't look happy, nor did she look sad. Instead, she looked frightened.
He sighed as he continued to watch. Should he allow her an annulment, or forge ahead? She did say it was nothing more than a case of cold feet, didn't she? And besides, wasn't it this way with all mail-order brides? He wouldn't be the first to marry one, nor would he be the last. If she was up to the challenge, then so was he.
“About our gift,” said Harrison as he came up behind him.
Levi turned. “Gift? Oh, yes…”
Harrison raised a single eyebrow at him. “Lost in thought? Or thinking of your wedding night?”
“Hardly.”
Harrison looked past him to where Fina stood surrounded by the other women. “I'm almost afraid to ask this, but, is something wrong?”
“I don't know her yet, and she doesn't know me.”
Harrison nodded in understanding. “Chin up, old boy, you will. Now, about your gift; I can have Logan or one of the other men bring them to you.”
“Them?” What are … them?”
“A few steers.”
“Steers? Well, that's a mighty generous gift, Harrison.”
“One well deserved,” Harrison told him. “I’m giving Chase and Lena a few, as well. Besides, I want to make sure my cousins are well-fed this coming winter. And the next, and the next…”
Levi smiled. “I can provide for her, don't worry.”
“I'm sure you can,” said Harrison. “Colin and I are just helping you along.”
Levi held out his hand. Harrison took it and they shook. “I appreciate it. Thank you.”
Levi moved to take his hand away, but Harrison held it fast. “If you need to talk about anything, you know where to find my brother and me. We've both been married a few years now, and we've learned a thing or two about it.”
Levi nodded his understanding and let go of Harrison's hand. “I appreciate the offer. But I’ll mind my business my own way.
Harrison slapped him on the back. “The offer still stands, regardless.”
Levi glanced at his new bride; she was looking right at him. Her eyes still held a frightened look, one that elicited in him a twinge of compassion. He had to remind himself that this was not a woman who’d crossed the mountains, deserts and plains to get here. No, this woman was more like a delicate flower, one that just popped its head through the surface of the prairie in search of sunshine, clouds and rain.
And then it hit him. Perhaps he was to be her sun and rain, and it would be his job to see to it that she grew. Without another word to Harrison, he made his way toward her.
“Congratulations Levi,” called out Grandma as he approached. “I'm going to teach your wife how to do some baking.”
“Don't forget you have to bring her into town for the ladies’ sewing circle,” added Mrs. Mulligan.
Fina stood, and held the quilt they'd given her as if it were a newborn child. Levi stared at her and, without looking at the other women, asked, “When is the next meeting?”
“Next Thursday,” offered Grandma. “That gives you two youngun’s a few days to get acquainted, now, don't it?”
He watched as Fina… No, make that Fella… quickly looked at the ground and blushed a furious red. So, she wasn't that naïve, was she? Good. “Yes, it does,” he drawled.
Her head snapped up and she stared at him, her mouth half-opened. He knew she had a lot of fight in her; perhaps today she couldn’t remember where she’d put it. He was sure when she found it again, he’d be in for it, but in the meantime he was going to take advantage. “We might have so much fun getting acquainted, that we miss the meeting.”
Fella's mouth dropped open in shock. He didn't think it possible, but her face turned even redder, not to mention her neck, and he could only imagine what other parts. He watched in fascination as she sucked air through her nose, and then quickly turned to Grandma. “I'll be there; you can count on it.”
Grandma looked at her, to Levi, and back again. “I wouldn't be too sure.”
“What do you mean?” she asked. “I assure you, I’ll be there.”
Grandma shrugged, and then winked at Levi. “Have it your way. But if I just got myself hitched to a handsome man like Mr. Stone, here, I wouldn't be hurrying off to no sewin’ circle. Not sayin’ that I wouldn't love to have you there, just sayin’ we’ll all understand if you ain’t.”
Levi couldn't help but smile at the way his new bride's ears turned crimson. As far as he knew, it was the only part of her that hadn’t. “I… I…” she stammered.
“I think it's time to get something to eat,” he said and took her hand. He looked at Grandma. “Thank you for inviting my wife to your sewing circle.” He winked at her then pulled Fella in the direction of the food.
“What do you think you're doing?” she snapped.
Levi squeezed her hand a little tighter. “Feeding you,” he said as he pulled her along. “Aren’t you hungry?”
She opened her mouth, snapped it shut, and then opened it again. “I suppose I am.”
He suddenly stopped and looked at her. “Good; that's one for me.”
“What?”
“One for me,” he told her. “I guessed that you were hungry and I was right. I get a point.”
“What point?”
“I figured out something about you, now you have to figure out something about me, otherwise the score is one to zero.”
She pulled her hand from his, so she could put both hands on her hips in exasperation. “Is this a game?”
“You said you didn't back down from a challenge, so, I'm challenging you, Mrs. Stone, to get to know me.”
Her hands fell from her hips. “Challenge? You’re challenging me?” She took an unexpected step forward and looked up into his face. “Fine, I accept.” She then, not so surprisingly, turned on her heel and walked away.
Levi smiled. “That makes two points for me.” He then chuckled, pleased with himself, and followed her. When he reached the food tables, she was already dishing up a plate for
herself. “Give me that,” he said as he took the plate from her hands.
“What are you doing?” she hissed and looked him up and down in disbelief.
“Serving you, of course.”
“I do not need you to serve me. I'm perfectly capable of getting a plate on my own.”
He picked up a spoon, plunged it into a bowl of beans, and made of show of plopping them onto her plate. “I'm your husband,” he told her in a low voice, “which means if I want to serve you, then I'm going to do it.”
“You don't have to make it sound so threatening,” she hissed back.
“I'll make it sound as threatening as I want,” he said in the same low voice.
“Well, I never!”
“Neither h
ave I,” he said dryly.
“What do you mean by that?”
“What I mean, is that I've never met a woman so determined to turn a man down.”
“What?” she gasped.
He gazed at her. He wasn't angry, just frustrated, but still didn't want it to show on his face. He smiled instead. “Come now, Fella; I thought you liked a challenge.”
“Don't call me that.”
“Fella? Oh, but it suits you.”
“It does nothing of the sort,” she huffed.
He leaned toward her to bring his face closer to hers. “Can't I make up a nickname for my wife?”
She narrowed her eyes at him and he recognized the look for what it was. Two could play at this game. Perhaps he'd underestimated her. “Very well, then,” she said. “Then I am entitled to give you one.”
Uh oh…
“Let me see,” she said as she raised a hand and tapped her chin with a finger. “What sort of name befits one such as you?”
“One … such as me?”
She looked him up and down. “Yes; now be quiet so I can think.”
He ignored her and started to put food on her plate. It didn't take long to fill it, and once he did, he returned to where she stood. They were not the only two at the tables getting food. “You’re in the way,” he informed her.
“I'm still thinking.”
He took her by the arm and gave her a gentle tug. “Let's go find a place to sit.”
“If we must.”
She was beginning to sound like her old self again. Good. He led her to the table set aside specifically for them, and pulled a chair out for her.
She looked at it, then at him. “Why, thank you,” she said with a hint of surprise.
“I'm not without manners.”
She sat. “I didn't say you were.”
He set the plate in front of her. “I'll return in a moment.”
“Where are you going?”
“To get some food, what else?”
“Oh, yes, of course. That will give me time to think up a name for you.”