Daughters of the Heart

by Caryl McAdoo

  “Henry?”

  He looked at May.

  “Are the weddings on? You can’t keep them waiting forever.”

  “Got any pirate pages for me? I’d love to sail the Caribbean for a few minutes before supper.”

  She cradled her belly then stood. “No, I do not. You’ve already read all the new, but…” She grinned. “Crockett is with Lacy Rose, and Houston’s building the Alamo out of the blocks Charley cut for him. Think you might fancy giving me a back rub?”

  He jumped to his feet. “Do I ever.”

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Once the runaway came out of her daddy’s office, Cecelia knew in her heart that her father would call her and Gwen in any minute. She waited and waited and anticipated then finally stopped watching the door after the clock chimed the hour.

  Nothing.

  Maybe Mama worked some more at convincing him, but how could he refuse?

  Her or Gwendolyn? He just couldn’t. She loved Daddy, she really did, but the man totally exasperated her at times. Before, she couldn’t understand Mary Rachel running off, but now…well, she almost could.

  Even though she never would and had vowed with her sisters to be a true daughter of the heart, she definitely understood her oldest sister’s decision.

  Helping with the evening meal’s preparation kept her hands busy, but that was about all. Then, on her second trip carrying food to the table, the urge to run and beat on his door almost overwhelmed her.

  What were they doing in there? Had he decided not to give his blessing, and Mama was doing her best to talk him out of it?

  The guys got back from checking on the sawmill and Elijah acted totally unconcerned. Made her want to just go and shake some sense into him.

  How could he be so calm? Chatting away with Clay and Uncle Chester at the end of the kitchen table about boring old politics!

  Of all the things to talk about when his life—right along with hers—teetered on the edge of happiness or ruin?

  Couldn’t they see she and Gwen had a wedding to plan?

  And why weren’t they making plans of their own? They were the grooms after all.

  Where was Daddy?

  She should start sewing on her dress, and she didn’t even have the material yet! She almost regretted Mama saying a week. She couldn’t be ready in a month.

  Except Elijah just had to get back, like they couldn’t live without him in California. Him and Clay both! Where was Gwendolyn anyway? She could be down there helping her worry.

  Especially if CeCe’s intended refused to!

  What if Daddy decided to let her and Clay go ahead and wed, but not her and Elijah because of his stupid rule?

  Tears welled, but she blinked them back. No, surely not. He would never do that, would he?

  Miss Jewel spread a cheese cloth over a bowl of greens. “It’s almost six, baby. You quit your frettin’. Now fetch the bread and everything is ready. Your daddy and Miss May will be coming out for supper any minute now.”

  The intoxicating smell of the woman’s fresh-baked yeast rising rolls overwhelmed her for a split second, but even her love of the little darlings failed to calm her nerves.

  She stepped through the door, and there he sat on his throne at the head of the table like the king he really was. He looked up and smiled. She floated to her place, setting the bowl on the corner nearest her.

  Bless God, he was going to break his stupid rule. He smiled, didn’t he? Right? For sure and certain, he was about to make her the happiest daughter on the face of the earth. Well, of course, Gwendolyn would be glad, too, but Cecelia would definitely be happier than her sister.

  Yes, that had to be why he was smiling so big.

  “Daddy.”

  He silenced her with a look and mouthed later. But why? He should be telling his mind.

  Once everyone held hands, he blessed the food his own self, then took to stuffing his face as if it was just another supper at the Buckmeyer’s. Why? He had to know what he was doing to her!

  Nothing but pure cruel! She hated him almost as much as she loved him. She tried to eat, but even baby bites threatened to gag her.

  After seconds—or was it thirds?—he finally set his fork on his plate.

  Yes?

  But nothing.

  What?

  He just sat there. His expression seemed pleasant, but he did not look like a man about to make two of his daughters ecstatically happy. She glanced around the table. Everyone else had finished, too—except Uncle Chester who still picked away.

  The slowest eater in the whole wide world! The man always had a quarter of his plate still to eat when everyone else’s were clean.

  What had he been doing?

  Unable to hold her peace another minute, Cecelia faced her daddy. “Please! Please say something! Set my heart at peace. Please.”

  He stared right at her for what had to be two full minutes. She never looked away, even though her eyes filled with tears. At last, he did, and stood.

  “Gwendolyn and Clayton have professed their love and have asked for my blessing to be married.” He gazed to his right and eyed Clay. He nodded, then Daddy looked to Gwen. Her face might crack right into two pieces if she grinned any bigger.

  Just to drive her crazy! That’s why he was doing this.

  He shifted his eyes back to her. “As have Cecelia and Elijah.”

  And? And? Say it!

  “The ladies tell me everything can be ready in a week, and that my daughters and new sons are all willing to tie the knot together in one big ceremony.”

  Yes! Yes! Oh, yes! He was going to let her get married, too. She glanced at Gwendolyn who flicked the tip of her nose. Happy tears flowed. Even Bonnie jumped up and down.

  “So, dear daughters I love with my whole heart, I give you my blessing and pray you and your husbands will make God the third party in your unions, so they will grow in love and endure all life’s trials and triumphs.”

  She squealed then jumped to her feet, but Gwen reached him first. His arms reached around enough to hug them both. Mama joined in, then Bonnie and Houston, Clay and Elijah, too. She loved them all, and the world was beautiful!

  She was getting married!

  Bonnie loved it. He’d broke his rule. No way could he not let her get married early now.

  The days of preparation flew by. She helped some, but even though she threw a middling stitch—according to Miss Laura, no less—Mama relegated her to minor chores and sitting her littlest brother. Both her big sisters practically ignored her.

  Losing them both to California bothered her some, but the mental rearrangement of the furniture in Gwen’s room brought some solace.

  The best bedroom in the whole house—except for Daddy’s—would be all hers! And she’d get to move in much sooner than she ever dreamed with the both of them going. She hoped she wouldn’t be lonely, but she wouldn’t.

  Mama would have her a little sister. She and Lacy Rose would spoil her in such a good way, dressing her to the nines and having high tea parties. Well, she’d be married and gone before that….

  But still, a baby sister would be way better than another bratty boy.

  All the Briggs came the day before and stayed the night in the bunk house—all but Mis’ess Briggs who took Sofia’s bed, so she’d slept with Bonnie. Then despite all the hustle and bustle and all her sisters’ fretting, the big day arrived.

  Mama outdid herself transforming the hall into a romantic garden with greenery and pinecones painted in shades of blues, Cecelia’s favorite color, and purples, Gwendolyn’s; like having real flowers everywhere a person looked.

  Netting draped the ceiling and crown molding, every table practically in the whole house, and the banister, too, with each spool wrapped in ribbons topped with big fluffy blue and purple bows.

  Every bench on the place and then some sat in rows like at church, and quilts padded each one with one layer that fell to the floor and made them look real fancy. A row of chairs across the fron
t would make sitting more comfortable for Mis’ess Briggs and Mama.

  Even the weather cooperated, bright and sunny with just a hint of chill in the air.

  The day promised pure joy and pretty perfection.

  Miss Jewel and Sofia had been baking and cooking all week. By the heaps of food covering every inch of the table, appeared they expected to feed every soul in the whole of Red River County.

  They posted Lacey Rose to guard the likes of gingerbread and tea cakes from little boy snitchers, but Bonnie caught her with crumbs on her chin.

  Didn’t tell anyone though.

  Couldn’t remember a time when Miss Jewel hadn’t cooked more food than everyone could eat, and her sister’s wedding sure wouldn’t be the first.

  Though Daddy claimed he figured only a hundred souls would show, it being such short notice, Bonnie stopped counting at a hundred sixty, and wagons were still showing up steady.

  Reminded her of a revival meeting or the big summer fish fry, with so many folks coming together.

  Then it was time.

  She hurried upstairs and peeked out the window. Jasper and his dad and uncles came around the house escorting Clay and Elijah. Made her giggle out loud how somber they all looked, like going to a hanging.

  The sight of her love all dressed in his starched shirt, sporting a leather vest just like the others, stopped her heart from beating.

  That Jasper Briggs surely was one fantastic-looking young man, much more handsome than Clay. She remembered to breathe.

  Then he glanced up right at her and grinned. Her knees threatened to buckle. She returned his smile then hurried to take her place at the top of the stairs.

  Charlie ushered in Mis’ess Briggs then Mama.

  In her beautiful new dress with puffy sleeves, carrying her nosegay of pink roses that she loved, Bonnie waited to start the whole thing off. Lacey Rose would follow her, dropping real flower petals ahead of the brides.

  Daddy had emptied all the flower shops from Clarksville to Jefferson and back; her sister’s bouquets draped almost to the floor and set their gorgeous dresses off beautifully. The fiddler started playing, and the crowd hushed.

  Once all the eyes looked upward, she walked down the stairs in time to the music. Lacey Rose whispered, “I’m right behind you.”

  Daddy escorted Cecelia down first, then she took her place next to Elijah on the left. Daddy ran back up and brought Gwendolyn down next on his arm.

  Bonnie paid a bit of attention to the words spoken and the vows exchanged, but the picture in her head of it being her and Jasper standing there professing love for one another blinded her to much else.

  He loved her, she knew it. A true mature love, not the way she thought Clay loved her. That was only puppy love when she’d been just a child. Jasper’s love was real. Otherwise, why would he be staring at her so?

  The opportunity to get him alone before the Briggs headed back home just had to present itself.

  A word with him was definitely in order.

  After all, they were going to be married in three—no more than four—years.

  “I do.”

  Finally, with the last promise made, May slipped out of her chair to see about the cake. She’d noted how Bonnie and Jasper kept eyeing each other, but earlier had put a bee in Rebecca’s and Rose’s ears to help her keep an eye on the twelve-year-old.

  So obviously boy-sick, no telling what the young lady might get herself into if allowed.

  Clay vouched for his nephew. Assured her Jasper was a keeper, but young folks those days didn’t have a lick of sense—not nearly as mature as she’d been at that age.

  The baby kicked, reminding her she hadn’t rested all day. Oh well, she could relax once the newlyweds were off. In the meantime, she had a house full of guests to see to.

  The gift tables overflowed. With hugs, kisses, and a basketful of thank-yous, and the newlyweds were off in the carriage with Chester driving and Charlie riding shotgun. The Black never looked better or pranced higher.

  How had her husband arranged that?

  All the way around, he’d outdone himself with all the short-notice preparations. The flowers alone cost him dearly, but then…what’s money for if you can’t lavish it on your babies?

  The rig turned the corner, and her husband faced her.

  “Thank you, May, it was wonderful.” A tear escaped his eye. Such a softhearted man, and she loved him for it!

  “You’re welcome. What where you all huddled up with Levi and Wallace about?”

  “Oh, I decided to send them to New Orleans along with our newlyweds.”

  “Why?”

  “Even Bull Glover isn’t stupid enough to try to steal my babies with those two guarding them.”

  “So we’re babysitting Charley and all the little Baylors?”

  “It’ll be fun, and I’ll be able to sleep at night.”

  A bit of ruffly pink and white caught her eye disappearing around the corner, followed close after by Jasper Briggs. “You, sir, had best see to your other baby girl.” She nodded to her left.

  He gave her a blank stare. “What?”

  “Just now, Bonnie hurried around that corner with young Jasper Briggs right on her heels. Might want to take a little walk.”

  He jumped off the porch. “Oh, Lord give me strength, and let my aim be true.”

  THE END

  Epilogue

  Two days after the Briggs’ and Eversoles’ short stay in New Orleans and their safe departure on the S.S. Antelope headed south and west, Glover’s main house slave brought Bull a letter on a silver tray along with his afternoon whiskey.

  He held it up. “Good. About time that boy sent word.”

  Bull took a sip, tapped the letter to one end, then tore off the other.

  Father,

  That faro dealer you dug up ambushed me. Him and

  his Mexican bandit he’d hid out jumped me a day’s ride

  out of Fort Worth. Took half our coin and left me hog tied

  on that cursed Texas prairie. I’d left the other half behind

  with Sofia. Took me three days to walk back to town once I

  got loose. Wonder the idiot didn’t slit my throat, but the

  worst part is that my Sofa had departed by the time I

  returned, albeit two days later than I’d told her. No

  one seems to know exactly when she left or where she

  went. I hope she might be coming home and not met some

  dastardly fate. She just seemed to disappear.

  Sold my gold ring for a grub stake then walked to

  Dallas after a teamster claimed someone who looked like

  her might have hitched a ride with one of his competitors.

  I’ll stay here until I hear from you. I’ve got a job at the

  Cotton Club tending bar and would appreciate you

  sending cash there for me. Until then, I’ve got my ear to

  the ground on where she went. If she arrives there, please

  send word post haste and ease my mind.

  Braxton

  Bull crumpled the letter then slammed down his drink. For the longest, he stared off until a calm settled over his soul.

  “You’ve won this round, Henry Buckmeyer, but you’ll not win the fight.”

  All of Caryl’s Books

  Historical Christian Texas Romances

  Vow Unbroken - 1832

  Hearts Stolen - 1839-1844

  Hope Reborn - 1850-1851

  Sins of the Mothers - 1851-1853

  Contemporary Christian Red River & Apple Orchard Romances

  The Preacher’s Faith Sing a New Song

  One and Done Lady Luck’s a Loser

  Biblical fiction,The Generations

  A Little Lower Than the Angels

  Then the Deluge Comes

  Replenish the Earth

  Mid-Grade, River Bottom Ranch Stories

  The Adventures of Sergeant Socks

  The Journey Home The Bravest
heart

  Amazing Graci, Guardian of the River Bottom Goats

  Miscellaneous Novels

  The Thief of Dreams Warning: not for Christians!

  The Price Paid Absolute Pi (audio)

  Apple Orchard B&B (now Lady Luck’s a Loser)

  Non-fiction

  Great Firehouse Cooks of Texas

  Antiquing in North Texas

  Story & Style, The Craft of Writing Creative Fiction

  The Texas Romance

  Family Saga

  Titles :

  Book #1 VOW UNBROKEN, 1832

  Book #2 HEARTS STOLEN, 1844

  Book #3 HOPE REBORN, 1850

  Book #4 SINS OF THE MOTHERS, 1851-52

  Book #5 DAUGHTERS OF THE HEART, 1853-54

  Book #6 JUST KIN, 1861-65 (Debut January, 2016)

  Characters…alphabetically

  Reader beware! Spoiler warning! If you aren’t up to date on reading the series, you might find out info you’d rather wait to know, but the saga, continues…

  ~ Baylor, LEVI Bartholomew – born November 2, 1817 orphaned at age five was reared by Aunt Sue Baylor until fourteen then Uncle Henry Buckmeyer, too, after he married Aunt Sue. Levi became husband to Rosaleen ‘Sassy’or ‘Rose’ Fogelsong Nightingale Baylor; step-father to Charley Nightingale and Bart Baylor (Comanche Chief Bold Eagle’s son); then Pa to Stephen Austin, Daniel Boone, Wallace Rusk, and Rachel Rose.

  HIS TITLE: HEARTS STOLEN // On Scene in: VOW UNBROKEN, HOPE REBORN, and JUST KIN // Mention in: SINS OF THE MOTHERS, DAUGHTERS OF THE HEART, and in contemporary Red River Romance SING A NEW SONG

  ~ Baylor, Rosaleen ‘ROSE’ (SASSY) Summer Fogelsong Nightingale – born August 24, 1823, married at fifteen in the fall of ‘38 to Charles Nightingale, then was stolen by the Comanche summer of ’39. She lived with them five years as the captive third wife of the chief. She birthed Nightingale’s son in February 1840, then they were rescued October of 1844, and she married Levi in mid-December of that same year. She birthed Stephen Austin in April, 1846, Daniel Boone in 49, and Wallace Rusk in ‘53. She finally birth a daughter, Rachel Rose.