Ready to Wed (10 page)

L
ouise,” said Alice as she entered the front hall office area. “Belle asked me to have you reserve another room for her.” Then she repeated the dates and for whom the room was intended.

Louise frowned. “Do you think she honestly believes she’s going to be married on that date?”

“She seems sincere.”

“Oh my.” Louise shook her head as she jotted down the reservation. “I’m afraid she is setting herself up for disappointment.”

“But what if she’s right?” questioned Alice. “I do understand your concern, Louise, and I do think it sounds bizarre, but the more I hear Belle talk, the more I wonder if it might not actually happen. It’s possible that God sent Belle that dream.”

“I suppose it’s possible. It just seems highly unlikely. But suppose Belle did manage to garner the interest of one of Acorn Hill’s eligible bachelors, and suppose this fellow did propose marriage and even agreed to her preposterous
wedding date: What if the marriage turned out to be an enormous mistake? Wouldn’t that be terribly sad?”

Alice nodded. “Yes, of course. On the other hand, well-meaning people get married all the time, often under what seems the best of circumstances, and yet about half the marriages in this country end in divorce. Look at what happened to our own Jane.”

“Yes, you make a good point.” Louise sighed. “I think I am just very old-fashioned when it comes to marriage. There’s a right way to go about things and a wrong way. And I feel she’s is going the wrong way.”

“Who’s going the wrong way?” asked Jane as she entered the hall from the kitchen.

“Belle,” said Louise and Alice simultaneously.

“Oh,” Jane sighed, “I thought you were talking about me.”

“Actually, we were talking about marriage.”

“Right.” Jane looked curiously at her sisters. There seemed to be something they weren’t saying.

“I was simply telling Alice,” explained Louise, “that Belle’s unconventional attitude toward matrimony might land her in divorce court later on down the line.”

“And I said that even marriages that start out on the right foot can end in divorce,” added Alice.

“So, it’s the luck of the draw?” asked Jane teasingly.

“I wouldn’t say that,” said Louise. “I’m simply saying that I feel worried for Belle. I hope she’s not devastated.”

“Or maybe she’ll find Mr. Right and live happily ever after,” said Jane.

“I guess time will tell,” said Alice.

“It always does,” said Louise. “Well, I’ll go ahead and reserve these dates for Belle’s parents. Although I’d be surprised if there’s a need for them to come. Goodness, do you think she’s told them about her dream? I couldn’t imagine how I’d feel if Cynthia informed me of something like this. I’d think she had taken leave of her senses.”

“Our niece is far too sensible to do anything like that,” said Alice.

Louise frowned. “Of course, to be perfectly honest, I’d love to see Cynthia married. I’d love to have grandchildren. And at the rate she’s going, midthirties and not even seriously dating, well, perhaps I’ll pray to the good Lord to send her a dream too.”

Jane laughed. “Louise, I’m shocked.”

“I’m joking, of course.”

“Of course,” said Alice.

“Oh, by the way, we have guests coming tomorrow. They’ll be here through the weekend. I even took it upon myself to call one of the cancellations, just to let them know
the weather has improved and the inn is getting busy again, and she said she’d speak to her husband about coming.”

“So things are looking up,” said Alice.

“Yes. I think our slump is over.”

“Well, I hope we’re nice and full up for the next few months.” Jane had briefly wondered about asking Louise to reserve a room for Justin, but then thought otherwise. The idea of having him under the same roof for even one night was just completely unnerving. For the sake of everyone, she sincerely hoped that all rooms would be occupied when, and if, Justin actually made an appearance.

Jane went to the kitchen and began to putter. First she cleaned out the refrigerator, then she gave the sink a good scrubbing. But cleaning didn’t distract her from her thoughts about Justin. Why was he coming? What did he want? When their marriage finally deteriorated, she had purposely blocked out the happy memories from their early married life. Perhaps it had been a form of self-preservation—a way to prevent her aching heart from hurting even more. But now, thanks to that letter, these memories seemed to be coming at her from left and right. Now she found herself reliving their first date, although Justin hadn’t called it a date. He’d invited her to dinner, saying that he wanted someone to go with him to the dining room at the Fairmont Hotel so that he could check
out the new chef there and try some of the dishes that the reviewers were raving about.

She had dressed carefully in a sapphire jersey dress that the salesgirl said made her blue eyes bluer. She wore strappy patent leather high heels and put on dangling freeform silver earrings. Finally, she swept her hair back in an elegant twist. She could tell he was surprised and pleased by her appearance when he came to pick her up. As coworkers, they had only before seen each other in jeans or chefs’ uniforms. She was impressed by how handsome and trim he looked in his blue blazer and gray slacks. His curly blonde hair was freshly trimmed and his face showed no trace of the five o’clock shadow that he sported every evening at the restaurant. Naturally, they paid great attention to the dishes they ordered, trying to detect which seasoning and herbs were used. And their conversation was easy, filled with friendly banter. By the time their dessert arrived, it was clear they were on a date—a very exciting date.

After that, they went out frequently, visiting many of the finest restaurants in San Francisco, including places like Bix and Chez Spencer and Ana Mandara. They also shared a love of the outdoors and hiked in the hills, exploring Monterey, Big Sur and other coastal towns. They took turns making picnic lunches and meals for each other, one trying to surprise and delight the other.

A clear memory of one of those picnics rose in Jane’s mind. Justin had told her to dress casually but refused to say much else. They drove up Highway 1 in a borrowed convertible. It was a warm, sunny day, and the view of the coastline was breathtaking. They stopped at times to look at the sea, the breakers crashing on rocks, and occasional groups of surfers waiting for a wave. Eventually, Justin turned off the highway and onto a sandy road along the edge of a cliff, announcing it was time for lunch.

Selecting a smooth sandy area near the cliff’s edge, they spread out a red plaid woolen blanket. Then Jane watched with amusement as Justin opened a picnic basket, setting out china, silver and glasses. He had prepared crabmeat sandwiches on thin slices of homemade bread, and a bowl of arugula salad with blue cheese and toasted pine nuts, as well as a cruet of his delicious secret salad dressing. Dessert was a selection of tartlets and cookies served along with peach iced tea. She didn’t say so, but Jane felt this was a perfect setup for a marriage proposal. And it was a perfect day—the food, the company, the scenery. The only thing missing was the ring.

Then suddenly things changed. The wind picked up, the clouds rolled in, and they hurriedly packed things up. They returned to the car and Justin put the top up and they quietly drove home. Despite the lovely day, Jane felt let
down. She knew she was in love with Justin by then. And she desperately wanted him to feel the same way. Several pleasant but uneventful dates followed, and Jane began to think that marriage was not in Justin’s plans.

About a month later, Justin invited her to dinner at the Cliff House. He had reserved a table that overlooked the sea, and midway through the meal they enjoyed a magnificent sunset, watching in awe until the last brilliant shades of orange and red faded into purple. Then just as they finished a wonderful and filling meal, despite Jane’s protests, Justin insisted on ordering dessert for both of them. Minutes later the waiter set an incredible nest of spun sugar on the table. Jane was just marveling at the pretty confection when she noticed a small blue velvet box inside. Justin feigned surprise but suggested she open it. Inside was an impressive solitaire diamond, exquisitely set in platinum. Then Justin took her hand in his and said the words she had been longing to hear. “Jane Howard, will you marry me?”

“Stop it,” Jane scolded herself out loud as she came out of her reverie still holding the sponge and scouring powder above the sink. These memories were not helping her mental state in the least. What she needed right now was a good project, something consuming enough to distract her from obsessing over Justin like this. She took down her mother’s
old cookbook and sat down at the table to peruse it. There must be something in it that would be a challenge to make. Wendell hopped into her lap and, as she flipped through the pages with one hand, she smoothed his silky coat with the other. It was amazing how calming it was to pet an animal. She felt as if her anxiety diminished with each stroke.

“Hello?” a hushed male voice spoke from the back porch.

She gently set a disappointed Wendell down and went to the door. She was surprised to see Rev. Thompson there. “Come in,” she said. “To what do I owe the pleasure of your company three times in one day?”

He glanced over her shoulder. “Belle isn’t around, is she?”

Jane laughed. “No, but she should be back in an hour or so. Would you like me to give her a message for you?”

“No, I would not.” He gave her a stern look. “Jane Howard, I thought you were my friend. And suddenly I feel as if I’ve been blindsided by you.”

“By me?”

“Yes. Inviting me to breakfast, introducing me to Belle, bringing her to the church. What exactly are you up to anyway?”

Her eyes widened in surprise. “I am not up to anything, Kenneth Thompson. Belle just happened to show up at our door without a reservation. And she just happened to have
a particular mission as the result of what she honestly believes was a God-given dream. I do not see how you can possibly blame any of that on me.”

“Hmm.” He glanced over at the coffeemaker. “Got any decaf?”

“I can certainly make some.”

“Oh, don’t go to any trouble.”

“You know it’s no trouble.” Besides, she thought, she’d been looking for a distraction. Kenneth would work just fine.

“I felt bad when we walked in on you in the sanctuary. I had no idea you were up there, hiding behind the pulpit.”

He chuckled. “Yes, you know me, always hiding behind the pulpit.”

“I didn’t mean it like that.”

“No, you meant I was lurking, just waiting to pounce on unsuspecting visitors.”

“No. I just meant I didn’t plan to pop in on you like that, but Belle wanted to see the inside of the chapel.”

“So she could make wedding plans?”

“Well, yes.” Jane turned away from him to make the coffee.

“Don’t you think that’s rather strange?”

“Yes, as a matter of fact, I do think it’s strange.” She turned to face him. “But, Rev. Thompson, wasn’t last Sunday’s sermon about not judging?”

He smiled weakly, then nodded. “Yes, Jane. You are right. I guess I should pay better attention.”

Jane grinned. “Or maybe God just wanted to press your lesson home. So you’d really have it down well.”

“Forgive me, Jane. I have been judgmental.”

“If it’s any comfort, you’re not the only one. In fact, the only one who hasn’t judged Belle seems to be Aunt Ethel. Although I think it’s simply because she’s caught up in the glamour and excitement of having a wedding. And, of course, she does like Belle.”

“That doesn’t surprise me.”

“Hungry?”

He shrugged. “I already sponged one meal off the inn, I shouldn’t—”

“Oh, come on, Kenneth. I consider it an honor to feed you. It’s like making a church donation.”

He made a face. “You do have a way of making a guy feel at home.”

“I had a cookie a bit ago,” she confessed as she opened the fridge. “But I’m hungry for something healthy. How about a nice Caesar salad with some grilled chicken?”

“Mmm.
Sounds terrific. Need any help?”

“Just help yourself to some coffee and take a seat. I need company right now.” She wished she hadn’t said that last line. It seemed an open invitation to an inquiry, and she
just was not ready to discuss her concern over Justin’s impending visit quite yet. And so she decided to keep the conversation flowing in another direction.

“Due to Aunt Ethel’s allergy problems, I was chosen to escort Belle around town.” Then, as she got out the ingredients for the salad, she told him about how she’d shoved that pleasure off on poor, unsuspecting Alice.

“You have been naughty,” said Kenneth.

“I know,” she admitted. “You should’ve heard Alice a little while ago. She was in here giving me the details. It was seriously funny.”

“Sometimes I think you have a warped sense of humor, Jane.”

“Well, listen to this,” she persisted. “Alice took Belle into Wild Things, where Belle decided to order wedding flowers from Craig. When he discovered that the flowers were for Belle’s wedding, but that she didn’t have a groom, he was flabbergasted. And, can you believe it, our sweet Alice had the nerve to point out that, as an Acorn Hill bachelor, Craig Tracy was also on the list of candidates.”

“Alice did that?”

“She did. Naturally, she regretted it right away, but she was a little flustered at the time. And Alice said Craig looked perfectly horrified.”

Kenneth laughed loudly. “Oh, you’re making me feel much better now.”

“So, you see, you are definitely not alone.” “It’s really odd, isn’t it?”

“Very.” Jane flipped some chicken on the grill, then went back to finish tossing the romaine lettuce in the dressing.

“It’s not that she doesn’t seem to be a nice person,” he continued as she sliced some sourdough bread, “and she’s attractive enough, but she’s a little scary too.”

“Especially if you’re a bachelor.” Then she told him how Alice had felt a little bit guilty for leaving Belle with Lloyd.

“Why is that?”

“She was afraid they were sort of hitting it off.”