Land of a Thousand Dreams (32 page)

He ran all the way downstairs, tears scalding his eyes. His legs felt as heavy as lead weights. His heart felt even heavier.

19

Love, the Greatest Gift

With trembling hands, I hold your dreams,
With trembling heart, I give you mine….

ANONYMOUS

S
itting on the side of the bed, Jess Dalton smiled down at the top of his wife's copper curls. She had already adjusted his tie, and was now buttoning his cuffs.

“I imagine you're feeling rather smug this evening,” he said, smiling.

With the tip of her tongue pressed against the corner of her mouth, Kerry frowned intently over her labors. “And why should I be feeling smug?” She didn't look up.

“You more or less predicted this marriage, I seem to recall.”

Kerry smiled a little, finishing off one sleeve, then turning to the other. “I did, didn't I?”

“You still approve of the match, I trust?”

“Indeed! I think they'll be splendid together, don't you?”

Jess didn't have to consider his reply. “I'd say so, yes.”

“This will certainly be one of the smaller ceremonies we've attended recently,” she remarked. “Odd, isn't it? One would expect Sara Farmington to have a royal affair, complete with all the trappings.”

“This was her choice,” Jess pointed out, “although Michael made no secret that he was greatly relieved.”

Smoothing his cuff, Kerry lifted her face for a kiss. “You look extraordinarily handsome this evening, Mr. Dalton,” she said after a moment, appraising him with a critical eye. “I expect I'm a lucky woman indeed.”

“You're a woman with the gift of the blarney, is what you are,” he said, planting a kiss on her cheek. He stood, pulling her to her feet as he did. “And I love it.”

She held his suit coat for him while he slipped into it. “Do you think Michael's son will come to the wedding, Jess?”

He sighed, turning back to her. “Michael doesn't think so. But let's hope he's wrong. He's already been greatly hurt by the boy's opposition to the marriage, that much is obvious.”

Kerry stood on tiptoe, adjusting his tie for him one last time. “I think,” she said archly, “Tierney Burke is an entirely selfish young man.”

Jess shook his head. “Perhaps. On the other hand, he may simply be a very
troubled
young man. Troubled and confused.”

“Sara says he's angry. She makes all sorts of allowances for him.”

“Sara has a very generous nature.”

“Aye, she does,” Kerry replied, extinguishing the oil lamp before starting for the door. “And something tells me that sooner or later, her new stepson will test that generous nature to the very limits.”

Instructing Little Tom not to pick up the kitten now that he was dressed in his wedding clothes, Evan went to see what was keeping Nora. If they didn't leave soon for the ferry, they'd never make the wedding in time.

“Nora?” He peered into the bedroom. “Are you ready, d-dear? We really should be going.”

Seeing no sign of her, he walked the rest of the way into the room. “Nora?”

She appeared in the doorway of the small, adjoining dressing room. “I'm here, Evan. And I'm ready. Or at least I shall be in a moment.”

She was dressed in a lovely suit the color of lilacs, a suit Evan insisted she have made for today, despite her protests that it was much too extravagant. At first glance, she looked splendid. A closer look, however, made Evan frown in concern. Her skin was absolutely ashen, and her eyes appeared sunken and smudged with shadows.

Alarmed, he crossed the room and took her hand. “Nora? What is it, dear? Are y-you all right?”

“Of course, I'm all right.” Although her smile was somewhat shaky, her voice was firm. “Perhaps I rushed too much, that's all. And this suit is very warm.”

“You look won-wonderful.” Holding her hand, Evan stood back just enough to enjoy the picture she made. “But you
are
pale, dear. Why d-don't you sit down for a moment before we leave?”

She shook her head, still smiling. “No, I'm fine now, truly I am.”

“Now?
So you haven't been feeling well?”

She smiled at him as if she were about to say something, then changed her mind.

A thought struck Evan, one he was half-afraid to voice. “Is…is it the wedding, Nora? Are you b-bothered by this marriage?” He hesitated, then finished his thought. “Because of M-Michael?”

With a look of utter dismay, she pressed a finger to his lips to hush him.
“Evan!
You foolish, foolish man! How can you
possibly
think such a thing? Can you really be so uncertain of my love, even now?”

Instantly contrite that he had doubted her, Evan quickly pulled her to him. “I'm sorry, Nora! I
am.
It's just that…sometimes I still find m-myself amazed that you chose me.”

“That's exactly right, Evan Whittaker!” she said, searching his eyes. “I…chose…
you
. And not for a moment have I ever regretted that choice! Now, then,” she said firmly, taking his arm, “let's be going to the ferry! We have a wedding to attend, and then, later—gifts to exchange!”

“Why, that's right,” Evan said. “In all the excitement about the wedding, I'd al-almost forgotten: it's Christmas Eve!”

She put her hands to his shoulders, smiling into his eyes. “It is, indeed. And I just might have a very special gift for you.”

He opened his mouth to quiz her, but she shushed him, laughing. “Later,” she said, her eyes twinkling. “Not until later.”

Sara had determined she would not cry at her own wedding. She cried at
other
people's weddings—invariably—caught up in the emotion and the romance and the almost magical atmosphere. But she would
not
make a fool of herself on her own special day!

Her resolve lasted all the way through Daniel's beautiful harp serenade. She was even able to smile at her father—who was, himself, somewhat misty-eyed, as was Winifred, beside him, though she was beaming through her tears.

Sara managed to remain dry-eyed, with Jess Dalton about to begin the nuptial reading, and with Michael—splendidly handsome and surprisingly nervous—at her side. Indeed, she might have made it all the way through the ceremony without disgracing herself had she not looked up toward the doors of the chapel just as the last sweet, sparkling notes of Daniel's music died away—to see Tierney walk in.

He stopped for a moment, looked from Sara to his father, who visibly started and drew in a sharp breath. Then he slipped quietly into the back row, unsmiling, but apparently resigned. At least for tonight.

It was enough. For now, Sara told herself, it was enough.

Her breath caught on a sob, and her hands began to tremble. She gripped her bridal bouquet more firmly. Her tears, contained with such effort, spilled over and trailed down her cheeks. Michael took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, and Sara turned to look at him.

There were tears in his eyes, too! The sight of her square-jawed, straight-backed Michael, resplendent in his stiff white collar and black suit, about to weep, was almost Sara's undoing.

But at that moment, Jess Dalton, as if sensing the impending crisis, lifted his rich, vibrant voice and filled the chapel with a joyous proclamation: “THIS IS THE DAY WHICH THE LORD HAS MADE! WE WILL REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT!”

Daniel almost tripped getting into his seat beside Evan, so surprised—and pleased—was he to see Tierney walk into the chapel.

As soon as he sat down, he glanced up at Uncle Mike. The expression on his face brought an ache to Daniel's heart and a lump to his throat.

Oh, Tierney…Tierney…look at your father…just look at him and see how much your being here means to him…how much you mean to him….

Nora's eyes burned with unshed tears as Michael and Sara exchanged their vows.

She clung to Evan's hand, knowing that he, like she, was more than likely remembering their own wedding, right here, in this same chapel. Wave after wave of emotion flooded through her. Love for her husband rose up inside her, a love so sweet, yet so overwhelming, she could have cried aloud for the sheer wonder of it. Happiness for Michael and Sara made her smile through the glaze of tears, and as Pastor Dalton pronounced them husband and wife, she knew a sense of completeness as if something very precious had at last been sealed.