“Actually, I rented the café apartment for our home for now. Just call on us there to pick up Violet for your appointments at the dress shop and hotel,” Tully calmly answered, while flexing his fingers, hoping Violet would loosen her grip.
“All right. We hope to be in town shortly after lunch. Let’s get your luggage in the buggy. I’m sure you two want to…be together again,” Faye blushed slightly as she held the door open for them to enter the cabin.
*
Okay, Mrs. Reagan, we’re out of ear and rifle shot of your father now. What did you tell your folks? Your father was not happy about you leaving with me, but your mother was delighted with your wedding plans,” Tully asked as he pulled the reins to stop the horse and buggy on the road. They were going to hash this problem out before they drove into town. Tully feared their stories didn’t match with what they’d been telling their family and friends.
“First off, let me remind you, even though we didn’t follow protocol, we are married in the sight of God. Years ago, couples didn’t register it anywhere, just married when a circuit preacher came around and called it good.”
“But this is 1892, not 1792,” Tully argued.
“Then you asked me to marry you, and I accepted. Unless you want to break mine and my mother’s hearts, you will be a man of honor and not rescind your proposal.”
Tully wiped his hand over his face before turning to Violet. “But I’m not going to settle down to be a preacher, Violet. I’m going to be a travel writer because that’s what I want to do.”
“And I plan to be your assistant, traveling right along with you. Or do you think I can’t handle that way of life, or I’ll be in your way?” Violet challenged him.
“No, I think you’d be fine camping out. I’ll be the one whining about the conditions. I grew up in a house. You grew up on the open range.”
Tully took Violet’s hands in his. “I do love you and want to spend my life with you. But this won’t be a conventional marriage, Violet, at least for the first years. Or maybe I’ll tire of traveling, or the Chicago Tribune won’t give me more assignments. I still might have to preach after all to provide us with a living, and then you’d have to take on the role of the preacher’s wife.”
“Or you write for a different newspaper or write books about our adventures. Or daily devotional books to use your preacher’s background. It doesn’t matter what you do as long as you are satisfied with what you do, Tully. And I’d be happy about it as long as I have a tent over my head.”
“What about our children though? We have to think of the future,” Tully questioned, still not sure if it would be the right way to raise a family.
“The Hamner children grew up traveling back and forth between Texas and Kansas when their family managed cattle drives. I think Rania and Hilda grew up just fine camping and traveling,” Violet replied.
“And Hilda has always been your role model because she trains race horses and wears trousers,” Tully teased Violet, already feeling better about the two of them living and working together.
“She has been, but if I need to be a preacher’s wife, your mother has been a good role model. Whatever we need to do for our family, Tully, I think we can do it.”
Tully wrapped his arms around Violet’s and gave her a long heartfelt kiss.
“All right then, Violet. I’m sorry I clammed up in my father’s office, but I felt like I was ten years old and getting scolded, much like I had in that very chair way too many times.”
Her laughter warmed his heart. How he thought he could head off to Wyoming without his best friend was beyond him.
“Okay, since your ma planned our wedding, tell me what we need to do. I don’t want to disappoint her.”
Violet’s tearful expression and timid smile melted his heart.
“Thank you so much for going along with this, Tully. Because of her past, she wants the best for me, including the wedding of her dreams.”
“I’d do anything for my mother-in-law, so name it.” That’s the first time he thought of Faye, and Rusty, as his in-laws, but they were. And he had two more brothers now, Luther and Anton.
“We need to set a date for the ‘vow renewal’ as my mother calls it, probably to remind my father we’re technically married, and he can’t do anything about it.”
Tully’s collar tightened around his neck. “They think we’ve already had our wedding night?”
“Um, yes. I hope you haven’t told anyone anything different.”
Tully sucked air between his teeth. “I don’t think so, but I’ve talked to Da, Tate, Reuben about our situation.”
Whap. Violet slugged his arm. “You didn’t!”
Tully had to think back to his conversations with everyone. “I think most of our conversations had to do with my wanting to travel and write instead of our wedding night.”
“Most? I can’t look these people in the eye again if they think we haven’t truly finalized our wedding in that way.”
“I can swear on my Bible that our wedding night, back in Chicago where we wed, was not talked about.” Tully was sure everyone assumed they had had their wedding night, well except his father had probably figured out they hadn’t.
But we are married in the sight of God. Violet’s words were drumming in his head now.
“Then we’ll carry on as if it did happen in Chicago then. Did you rent the apartment for while we are home or longer?”
“Just the few weeks we’re home. I hate to pay rent just to store our meager belongings for our first trip out. Maybe we can store our trunks in my old room at the parsonage?”
“I don’t want to rely on our parents, Tully. We’re married adults now. I think that was one of the points your father was trying to stress yesterday.”
Tully hated to pay for a place they wouldn’t actually be staying in while they traveled, but it made the most sense to keep the small apartment then.
“All right. I’ll tell Nolan we’ll rent it for six months,” Tully agreed, now excited to think he finally had his first, no, their first home.
“As big as Mama is planning our wedding, we’ll need a home just to store our wedding gifts,” Violet teased him.
“Apparently my idea of Da quietly marrying us without anybody witnessing it has been tossed out the ‘cabin window’ by your mother?”
Tully leaned down to kiss Violet on the cheek, then continued a trail of kisses down the side of her neck, just because he could now. Violet was his wife and tonight was their wedding night.
“Uh-uh…” Violet whispered as she arched her neck for Tully’s attention.
Tully abruptly sat up, breathing hard. “Can we finish this conversation, so we can go home?”
“Absolutely, yes, finish this conversation,” Violet mumbled as she straightened her shirtwaist, then her hat.
“How many people do you think will be at our wedding then?”
“The entire town and county population, plus any out of town relatives and friends my mother can think to invite,” Violet announced without batting an eye.
“Everyone invited to a reception after the ceremony too?” If he had to pay for that, he’d have to…well, he didn’t have the money for that. Period.
“Yes, but Isaac and Cate are hosting and paying for it, so you can quit holding your breath,” Violet said as she patted his chest.
“First we need to talk to Ethan or Helen Paulson to check the dates when the hotel’s event room is available, and then talk to your father for a wedding date. Then go back to the hotel to reserve the room, plus two rooms for my Tucker grandparents and Uncle Edwin and Aunt Ruth.”
“I hadn’t thought about inviting them.”
Because in his mind, there would have only been a pew full of people at their wedding.
“My mother will be in town tomorrow to pick out my dress and veil, and I’ll go over the date and arrangements with her after that.
“Do we need to buy basic furnishings for the apartment? Is there a bed, table, etcet
era, or are we starting our camping trip tonight?”
Tully smiled because Violet looked excited to camp out in their little home. Or was her smile due to the fact it was their wedding night?
Tully shook his head to clear his mind. “The three rooms are furnished with the bare minimum of furnishings. I bought towels and sheets for the bed yesterday. But we need to buy a few cooking utensils and groceries, for however long we’re here before we take off.”
“Um, I think we should wait to buy things until after Mama comes to visit tomorrow. At supper last night she mentioned she’d bring a few things in for our first home and Papa rolled his eyes, stating it would be a wagon load.”
“Dishes, or what kind of things?”
“It’s hard to tell, so we’ll just wait and eat at the café this evening. What did you do for breakfast this morning?”
“Helped Nolan this morning and ate scrambled eggs and bacon between filling customers’ orders. This was his first day open after his grandpa’s death, and I thought he could use company in the kitchen.”
“That was thoughtful of you. I’m sure he appreciated it,” Violet gave him a sad smile, thinking of the Clancy family too.
“In true Reagan fashion, all my brothers stopped in the kitchen, at least for a few minutes. They washed dishes or brought orders to the tables, which was a good thing because the café was packed first thing this morning.”
“Small town community support. I missed that in Chicago.”
“I did too. Will coming back to Clear Creek between assignments be enough for you?”
“Yes, we’ll have adventures, and then cherish the time home with family and community,” Violet said with an affirming nod.
“Maybe when Da and Ma are ready to retire, in ten or fifteen years, we’ll be ready to take over the church for them and stay home,” Tully said and meant it. The Clear Creek community was a great place to grow up, and he wanted his family to experience it too.
“I’m sure your parents would like the idea, but I think our children would benefit from exploring the world too, besides the Cross C Ranch.”
Tully hugged Violet again and gave her one more heartfelt kiss before picking up the reins.
“Anything else we need to discuss before showing up in town as newlyweds?”
Tully loved the smile that spread across Violet’s beautiful face. He truly adored her.
“No, not that I can think of. We’re good together, Tully, and it’s okay we don’t have everything planned out for our future right at this moment.”
What a wonderful woman he’d married. It didn’t matter to him if she was dressed in a high fashion gown or in trousers either.
How’d he get so lucky to marry Violet? Fate, divine intervention, or by a prank? Didn’t matter anymore. Violet was the right woman for him, and he looked forward to their adventures as husband and wife.
Chapter 14
Violet gave Tully another kiss before opening the apartment door. The feminine chatter down below in the alley meant her mother and relatives had arrived.
“Do I look okay, Tully? After last night I feel like I have a permanent blush on my face this morning,” Violet said as she reached for her hat on the hook by the door.
“Makes you look like a woman that has been thoroughly loved, Wife. Gosh, I like saying that,” Tully chuckled, probably thinking of last night in their bed. Oh, what a glorious beginning to their life together.
Violet looked out the window to the scene below to see her relatives climbing out of the Brenner’s two-seat buggy. Her mother was in the bench seat of their wagon, along with Kaitlyn Reagan. They must have stopped at the parsonage when they came into town to pick up Tully’s mother.
“Tully, come look in the back of the wagon,” Violet gestured to Tully. There had to be at least a dozen wooden crates of various sizes in the back bed.
“Oh. My. Word. Did your mother bring us everything she didn’t want anymore?”
Violet covered her mouth with her hand when a giggling snort erupted from her mouth. “Papa wasn’t kidding about her bringing in a wagonload. And guess who gets to carry it all upstairs while us women shop?”
“Lucky me. Actually, that’s very kind of her, and saves us money too. I hope those two crates of jars aren’t all sauerkraut, though,” Tully said as he studied the wagon contents.
“You’ll find out when you carry it all upstairs,” Violet laughed as she opened the door.
“Hello! We’re coming down to you. You can see our new home after we get my dress,” Violet called out from the landing before she walked carefully down the steps. She had Tully pull her corset tight in preparation for trying on dresses, and she was cinched in so tight she could hardly breathe anyway with her excitement.
“Good afternoon, ladies. Glad you could all be here to help Violet and Faye with the wedding preparations,” her sweet husband said to her family standing around her. Tully might not want to be a preacher now, but he did have a way with words.
“Good afternoon,” the women murmured almost unison.
“I brought…just a few things for your home I thought you might need,” Violet’s mother gushed with excitement.
“Thank you so much, Faye. We’re overwhelmed with gratitude for your generosity,” Tully sincerely stated while giving her mother a hug.
“I’ll carry everything upstairs while you ladies are busy, and then you can help Violet put things away later. Shall I take the horses and vehicles over to the livery afterward? I imagine you’ll be here a few hours,” Tully asked the group.
“Or more,” Cate Connely answered honestly.
“First, what’s the date for your vow renewal and reception?” her mother asked with anticipation.
“Saturday, May twenty-first,” both she and Tully said at the same time. She bumped his shoulder in silliness, so happy with this date worked out.
“That’s mine and Patrick’s wedding anniversary!” Kaitlyn exclaimed, placing her right hand over her heart.
“I assume it is all right that we share the date with you, Ma? Da agreed, when we suggested the twenty-first as our first choice,” Tully answered his mother.
“But why didn’t your father tell me?”
“We wanted to see your surprised face. I rarely got anything past you growing up. This might be the first,” Tully kidded his mother.
“And it’s a wonderful surprise indeed. Thank you, Tully and Violet.”
“Ladies, let’s walk over to the dress shop. I’m sure Mary is waiting for us,” Violet’s aunt Sarah suggested to move the group out of the alley. Otherwise they’d probably spend the next hour talking where they stood.
Violet linked her arm with her mother and pulled her away from the wagon. “Come on, Mama. Tully will be careful with everything.”
Her mother laughed. “I bet he’ll unload it better than your father and brothers did loading the wagon, grumbling with every box.”
The atmosphere was charged with excitement and chatter as they walked the block to the dress shop. Violet didn’t realize until now what she would have missed out on if she hadn’t planned a second wedding at home with her mother.
“Welcome to the new Mrs. Violet Reagan and her ladies’ court,” Mary Jenkins announced as she opened the door and motioned them inside her shop. Just as Aunt Sarah had suspected, Mary had been waiting for them.
“Keep walking all the way to the back right room,” Mary asked them from her position behind them.
Violet entered the room, decorated with shades of lavender and cream wallpaper, upholstered settee and chairs, side tables, and a huge three-way mirror to see all sides of the dress you have on. She’d never been back in this exquisite room as it was reserved for brides and their mother’s only to be here.
Violet turned to her mother before entering the room. “We should have invited Edna Clancy, Mama. Would that be wrong with Dan just passing?”
“I’m already here, Child. Let’s get started,” Edna called from the corner of the room
.
Violet gave her mother a hug. “Thank you for inviting all the women who have been so special in my life to this…dress party,” Violet laughed. “I think this is so special.
“Mary, thank you for continuing this tradition. I can’t wait!”
“Then let’s begin,” Mary said as she walked to one of the trunks against the wall. “Faye, Sarah, Cate, and Kaitlyn. Please stand by a trunk and we’ll open them together on the count of three!”
Violet squealed with delight, and Edna clapped as the trunks revealed folded dresses of billowing cream and white. Oh, what fun this was going to be to try on all these dresses! Today wasn’t the day to think of trousers or split skirts. She was going to be a lady of high fashion on her special day.
“That’s the dress, Violet. Turn around and look in the mirror,” Edna advised her. She’d been the most outspoken member of the group as Violet tried on dresses for over an hour. Of course, the group had to sort through all the dresses first to decide which ones to try on.
“Wait, Violet. Let me pin the veil into your hair before you turn around so you can get the full effect,” Mary said as she held up a ten-foot long train of sheer tulle material. Violet bent at the knees to lower her height and Mary carefully nested the headband of the veil into her hair.
“You can leave the top piece as is, or add silk or real flowers to it,” Mary said as she stepped away from Violet. “Now slowly turn toward the mirror, and I’ll move the veil for you.”
Violet looked at the women in the room. Her mother’s hands were clamped over her mouth, and there were tears in her eyes. Apparently, they all thought this was the dress for her.
She slowly turned around, looking first at the layers of lace and satin at the base of the skirt, then moved up to the bodice of matching lace and the high collar. The long sleeves ended with lace cuffs. Then she stood back and took in the whole dress at once. The dress looked either cream or a slight pink in color depending on which way she turned in the light coming from the back window and lamps lit in the room. The cloud of ivory tulle drifting from her head, past her fingertips then sweeping behind her set the dress off perfectly.
Grooms with Honor Series, Books 10-12 Page 13