THE STATE OF CAROLINA had come out of Natchez and reached the wreck about half an hour after it happened. They doubled up the rescues, helped to bring on the dead, and soon both she and the River Queen were back in Natchez. Even though it was almost 2 a.m., people had been waiting up, crowded all up and down Silver Street, the wharves, and the boardwalk, waiting for the winner. When the two boats came in with their tragic news, word spread quickly. Soon wagons, buggies, and carriages were lined up to take the injured to hospitals or hotels and the dead to the city morgue.
The mayor of Natchez, Big Jim Scanlon, came to the River Queen and said, “You won, Mr. Bronte.”
“Not the way I’d like to have won,” Dallas said. “It’s always a shame to see a fine ship go down.”
“It is, it’s a shame and a waste and a tragedy that some have lost their lives. But come on with me, Mr. Bronte. We’re going through with this ceremony.”
Going through the ceremony meant going up to the platform that had been built, and the mayor made a speech, then handed Dallas a box. “Here’s the prize, but I want to say you won more than the race. I’ve been hearing how you stopped and saved all the passengers you could. I honor you for it.”
That was all the ceremony. There was too much tragedy to celebrate.
It was about four a.m. before things died down enough for Dallas to return to the River Queen. Julienne sat on deck in her rocking chair, waiting for him. He went to lean on the railing, as he had done so many times before, and she joined him.
Roseann, Leah, and Carley were all still up in Roseann’s stateroom. Caesar, Libby, and Robbie were working in the galley. A delicious aroma of bacon came floating out on the deck. “Nobody’s sleepy, and everybody’s hungry,” Julienne said lightly.
“I didn’t realize until I smelled that bacon that I’m starving,” Dallas agreed. “It has been one long, hard night.”
“You know,” Julienne said slowly, “I think that this was a great and mighty thing that the Lord gave us. Not winning the race and winning the money, but helping those people, the survivors. That was a great and mighty thing.”
“I think you’re right.”
The two stood in easy silence for awhile. Then abruptly Julienne turned to him and said, “I think I’d like to get married.” She said it as calmly as if she had said, “I’d like to have a drink of water.”
Dallas stared at her and then began to grin. “When would you like that?”
“Mm, I don’t know. Tomorrow, maybe?”
“Anybody in mind for the groom?”
She reached up, put her arms around his neck, pulled his head down and kissed him. “You’re the candidate in the lead right now.”
They kissed again, a long lingering kiss full of promise to both of them. Finally Dallas lifted his head and said, “I don’t even know what exactly you’re expecting from a husband.”
“Oh, don’t worry, I wrote down a list. Here it is.” She reached into her pocket, pulled out a soggy piece of paper, and handed it to him.
He looked at it and said, “Julienne, this is a very important document, and I can’t read it at all. So now what do we do?”
She laid her head against his broad chest and then said, “I’ll tell you what it said. It said the man I marry must love me with all his heart and must never leave me.”
He lifted her chin and said somberly, “Julienne Ashby, I love you with all my heart. I have for a long time, and I thank the Lord that I can tell you now. I promise you, I’ll never leave you. I promise you I’ll do my best to be a good husband, and a good friend, to you for all of our lives.”
“Finally, finally, the man I’ve been longing for all my life. Thank You, Lord.”
Dallas said, “Amen.”
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