With Asa’s reluctant permission, Bridget had rechristened the Tavern Cupid’s Grove. And, by the time Elijah and Ivy were wed, two months after his proposal, the Tavern’s business had nearly doubled.
There was no longer any fear of being forced to sell the business, particularly not after Elijah Bellows insisted on holding the wedding celebration there. Though his brother was more than reluctant at first, he was overruled by the groom which, as Bridget pointed out to him, was only right.
Besides, with Bridget and Mrs. Paulson’s lively red linens and festive white adornments, they were able to turn the tavern into a perfectly lovely space for the occasion. A fact which Ivy remarked upon immediately as she entered on Elijah’s arm, looking every bit the glowing bride in her best pale green frock. Rosie the collie danced around their legs. It was the first time the dog had been permitted inside the tavern and she was taking advantage of the situation by sniffing everything in sight.
“Oh, Bridget it’s beautiful!” she said, her eyes gazing at everything from the candelabras to the decorative cards placed at each table.
“It wasn’t all me,” Bridget admitted. “Mrs. Paulson did most of the work. I simply set it up.”
“All the same, thank you,” Elijah said. “It really is lovely.”
“It’s the least I could do,” she said.
“It almost makes me feel ungrateful,” Ivy told her.
“Why should you feel ungrateful?” Bridget asked with a chuckle.
“Because it was you who made this all possible,” she said.
“I told you, it wasn’t all-”
“I don’t mean the decorations and you know it,” Ivy said pointedly. “If it wasn’t for you Elijah and I wouldn’t be here. So, thank you.”
Bridget glanced at Elijah who was wearing a puzzled sort of smile. Apparently, he did not know the true extent to which Bridget had been responsible for his happiness. But, when Bridget looked back to Ivy, she saw a bright, glowing smile light her face. That, she supposed, was gratitude enough for her.
“Your welcome,” she said all the same.
Ivy let go of her new husband’s hand briefly to wrap her friend in a full embrace. As she did, Bridget realized, perhaps for the first time, that she would not be sharing a room with Ivy any longer. Nor would Ivy work behind the bar in the tavern.
No, Ivy would live in the large mansion outside of town now. And, Bridget would be left with a half empty room of her own. It was almost enough to make her want to hold her friend close and never let go.
She did, of course. Ivy gave her one last smile before her new husband guided her across the room to meet some of his relatives.
Bridget watched them with a bittersweet feeling swelling up inside her chest.
“You did well here,” A voice said from behind her, making her jump.
She turned around to see Asa Bracken leaning against the bar, a drink in hand.
“I had help,” Bridget said.
“I know you had help with the decorations,” Asa said. “But, I wasn’t talking about that.”
“Then, I’m not sure what you mean, Mr. Bracken,” Bridget replied innocently.
“I wasn’t born yesterday, miss Riley,” he said. “I believe I know now why you always asked Ivy to serve the Bellows table. I also think it was you who warned Ivy about Brian O'Connell's plan to attack him two months ago.”
“I suppose you’ll want to tell me off for that,” Bridget said, only half joking. The truth was, she had a feeling Asa Bracken was not the type to appreciate matchmaking.
“No,” he answered. “In fact, I was hoping for your help.”
“My help?” she asked, slightly surprised. This was the first time in all the months she had been here that Asa Bracken had ever specifically asked for help from her.
“Yes,” he said. “We’ll need to find a new barmaid. I was hoping you would help me weed out the applicants. I’m seeing a few of them tomorrow.”
“Of course,” she said. “I’ll be happy to help in any way I can.”
“I know you will,” he said. And, for what felt like the first time since she had met the man, he gave her a smile. It went all the way up to his dark eyes causing them to light up.
He looked different when he smiled, somehow. Younger, more carefree. She could not help but smile back at him.
Asa looked as though he was about to say something more to her when a high pitched, familiar laugh caused both of them to turn. Its source was Emily Bunting who, along with another gaggle of young girls, seemed to have cornered Mark Bellows.
Mark, apparently indifferent to their attentions, seemed to be speaking tersely to Emily and two other girls beside her as he tried to stay as near to his brother as possible.
Yes, Bridget decided, that man was very much a curiosity. A wealthy young man with prospects who believed himself incapable of falling in love. It was a challenge, but certainly not one that Bridget could not handle.
After all, Bridget Riley was never one to back down from a fight.
Reader’s Perk
Perk #6: What is the name of the tavern where Bridget ends up working?
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About the Author
Deciding that the 'real world' was not the place for her and with the blessing of her dog, Buddy, and with the afterthought to also ask the wonderful man she married, Marie took up writing and has never looked back since. With her love for books, Marie entertains herself with the occasional thriller or young adult novel, but her heart has always beat in tune with history and Christian romance. Her stories spark the mind, influence the heart, and are full of characters that she hopes inspire her readers into action.
About Claremont Publishing
Claremont is a clean romance company dedicated to bringing the literary community a collect of books that do not feature sex scenes. While some romances may contain more heat than others, our stories will always focus on the true essence of love. Love that is not founded on sex, but on characteristics and qualities in human beings that make true love last a lifetime.
What Sets Claremont Apart from the Rest
Do you remember the first romantic book you fell in love with? What were the characters like? What kind of world did they live in? What if you were able to experience that world again, but on a level like never before? What if you could almost touch the characters and see glimpses of their world with your own eyes? This is what Claremont Publishing is all about.
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The Matchmaker of Fairfield: (Clean Historical Western Romance) Page 9