Twice Blessed (24 page)

“Is it bad news, Emma?” asked Alice as she sat on the bench facing the rocking chair. “You look so sad.”

Emma folded the letter. “In spite of my hopes for a quick miracle, the Children's Aid Society hasn't yet discovered the whereabouts of Sean's sister.”

“I'm so sorry.”

“We must continue to hope.” She stuffed the letter into her pocket. Her fingers lingered over it as if she still dared to believe that if she reread the letter it would now contain the news that she had yearned to hear.

“Will you tell him?” Alice asked.

“Of course! Why would I keep this from him? She is his sister.”

The schoolteacher pyramided her fingers before her face in a pensive pose, then said, “Maybe you shouldn't tell him just now. Sean is finally beginning to find friends beyond those who came with him to Haven on the train. He's concentrating on his reading and his ciphering, and he's proving to be a child with a rare intelligence.”

“I'm glad to hear this, but what does it have to do with telling him the truth?”

“He's settling in here. He has found a home with you, and he's becoming comfortable with the folks here.” She glanced toward the door. “Especially with Jenny Anderson, who has been helping him with his spelling.”

“Sean has quite the case of puppy love for the girl.” Emma smiled. “I think it's because she can hit a baseball as far as he can.”

“So let him enjoy this time, Emma. Let him continue to hope.”

“He asks me every day as soon as he comes in the door if a letter has come from the Children's Aid Society. I can't lie to him.”

Alice sighed and shook her head. “I understand, but you must realize that such a blow may threaten to sever every root he has put down in Haven. Those roots are still very shallow.”

Coming to her feet, Emma poured two cups of tea and handed one to Alice. “I know that. I also know I must be truthful with him about this.”

“So you believe honesty is always the best policy?”

“Yes.” She hoped her friend had not taken note of how Emma's voice squeaked on that single word. Honesty
was
the best policy, but not always possible.

“Then let me be honest with
you
, Emma Delancy.”

Emma's smile returned. She recognized Alice's tone. It was the one her friend always assumed when she believed Emma needed to heed an important lesson Alice was about to teach her. Sitting again in the rocker, she took a sip of her tea before saying, “Please do be honest with me, Alice Underhill.”

“You are making a huge mistake with your wedding plans. Why aren't you having a grand wedding like Sally and Isaac Smith had?”

Setting her cup on the table that held a checkerboard, she counted on her fingers. “First, we have to consider the time of year. It's time for planting. Folks can't afford to take another whole day off. Second, I decided this would be best, because Noah is a widower, as you know. This is a second wedding for him.”

“But not for you! A first-time bride's wedding day is supposed to be one she will remember all her life.”

“I will remember it.” Her smile tasted hypocritical, but she was speaking the truth now. She never would forget the day she had been stupid enough to repeat her vows to love, honor, cherish, and obey Miles Cooper for the rest of her life. “Third, Alice, I don't want to put you through the ignominy of having to stand there and wait for the bouquet to come to you.”

“Well, there is that.” Alice smiled. “But you could throw it to someone else.”

“It would come directly to you. I can guarantee that.” Rocking in the chair, she said, “I saw how you and Barry Hahn were very cozy after the most recent Grange meeting.”

Color rose up her friend's face. “He's a very nice man, and he's willing to wait to make his intentions known until after the school year and the end-of-the-year exercises come to a close.”

“So you two have plans?”

“For a big wedding later this summer. Just as you should have.”

Emma shook her head. “This sort of wedding is what Noah and I want. Will you stand up with me, Alice?”

“I thought you'd never get around to asking me!” She put down her cup and grasped Emma's hands. “I could not have endured not being there to see you married.”

“Nor could I,” came a deeper voice from the doorway.

Emma smiled at Noah as she came to her feet and met him as he walked across the store toward her. When he held out his hand, she put hers in it. She drew it back and shook off the sawdust that had been clinging to his palm.

“Sorry,” he said with a smile. “I thought I'd knocked that all off before I came into town to find out if that new saw I had ordered was in.”

“Not on today's train.” She brushed more sawdust from his ruddy hair.

He ran a single finger along her cheek. “Then I guess I shall just have to keep calling here every day until it does arrive.”

“And then you'll stop calling?”

“Don't bet on it.”

She laughed as she turned to include Alice in the conversation. “I just asked Alice to be my maid of honor. You need to look for a best man, you know.”

“Egad, I thought this was going to be simple.” He rolled his eyes and smiled when Alice laughed.

“Two witnesses.” She held up two fingers. “That's the way it's done.”

“So I understand. Don't worry. I think I can convince Anderson to stand up with us. He can steal a few minutes away from the livery and smithy for the ceremony.”

Alice exploded, “A few minutes? Noah Sawyer, this is an important day for Emma.”

“And for me, too, I assume.” He winked at Emma.

“But a wedding is the bride's day.” Alice wagged a finger at him as if he were one of her mischievous students. “If you won't have a big wedding, then the very least you can do is allow us to give you a party at the next Grange meeting.”

“And when is that?” he asked.

“When are you getting married?” Alice returned.

Emma laughed and slipped her arm through his, paying no attention to the sawdust that filtered onto her skirt. “You may as well accept the inevitable, Noah. Alice is determined that we have a wedding reception.”

With a smile, he said, “We're planning to get married Saturday.”

“It would be better on Friday.” Alice chuckled. “That's the next Grange meeting.”

“Do you mind,” he asked, looking back to Emma, “getting married one night earlier, sweetheart?”

She shook her head, unable to speak as she gazed into his eyes, which blazed with his longing for her. She would have gladly married him the day after the Smith wedding, but he had asked for time to talk to Belinda and help the little girl deal with the changes about to come into her life. Belinda had been as thrilled as Sean to become one family.

“Then Friday it shall be.” He smiled at Alice. “Will that do?”

“Admirably.” She waved as she rushed to the door. “Excuse me. There is so very much to do.”

“You would think she's the bride,” Noah said as he locked his fingers behind Emma's waist.

She threw her arms around him. When his hands swept up her back to enfold her, she brought his mouth over hers. Dampening each tingling inch of her lips with the tip of his tongue, he smiled before he claimed her mouth. Craving surged over her, threatening to drown her in the depths of a savage sweetness.

He raised his mouth far enough from hers so he could whisper, “You're amazing, Emma Delancy.”

“Amazing? Why do you say that?”

“Because you have an endearing way of letting others give you
your
way.”

She laughed. “Have I been that obvious that I want to get married as soon as we can?”

“Only to anyone who sees you or speaks with you.” He chuckled again. “I'm just glad you and I are on the same side in this battle to get us wed.”

“I'll always be on your side, Noah.”

“Unless you are on top.”

Her cheeks grew fiery as she slapped his arm. “Such talk in my store!”

“Shall I save it for when we're alone in our bed?”

“Yes.”

Her smile softened when his mouth caressed hers. At a crackle from her pocket, she pulled back and drew out the letter.

“What is this?” Noah asked. “A love poem for your beloved husband-to-be?”

“No.”

His face became as somber as her voice. She handed him the letter, and he quickly read it. When he cursed, she did not chide him for using such language in the store. She understood his frustration all too well.

“Alice suggests I say nothing about this to Sean right now,” Emma said as she took the note from him.

“Dashing his hopes would be cruel.”

“Letting them stay high when we might be asking him to believe in the impossible could be cruel, too.”

“Noah!” shouted Sean as he ran into the store.

Emma shoved the letter into her pocket before Sean could see it. Listening while Sean chattered like a telegraph clicking at top speed, she kept her hand in her pocket. She looked at his animated face, and she knew telling him what Mr. Barrett had written would erase his grin. She would wait and hope another letter was already on its way to Haven with the glad tidings that Maeve O'Dell had been found.

She hoped this was the right decision, instead of just the easy one.

“I pronounce you man and wife,” Reverend Faulkner said, his voice resonating through the empty church. He closed the book he held and smiled broadly. “You may kiss your bride, Noah.”

“My wife,” Noah murmured as he drew Emma into his arms. In the same dress she had worn to the Smiths' wedding, she was a glorious sight, but he could think only of how lovely she would look tonight when he leaned her back in the large bed he had finished painting late last night.

Her lips were soft and delicious, and he longed to savor them for much more than this quick kiss. He stroked her cheek as he gazed into her eyes, which revealed her thoughts matched his. Why had he let Alice Underhill persuade them to have a big party after the wedding? All he wanted now was to be alone with his enchanting bride, who had created such magic that he would forever be caught up in her spell.

“Patience, my dear husband,” she whispered, “is a virtue.”

“'Tis a dangerous wife who can read her husband's thoughts with such ease.”

“'Tis a beguiling husband who puts such thoughts in his wife's head.”

With a chuckle, he kissed her lightly again. A foolish move, for that only augmented the longing. As he shook the minister's hand, his leg was grabbed tightly. He bent down and scooped up Belinda, giving her a big kiss. With a giggle, she wriggled to get down.

Setting her on her feet, he smiled when she held her arms up to Emma. As Emma embraced the little girl, he turned to Sean, who was grinning so broadly that his thin face could barely hold his delight. Noah shook the hand that Sean held out to him. With a laugh, he pulled the boy into a hug. When Sean hugged him back, Noah looked over the boy's head to see Emma's happy smile.

Cheers resounded through the church, and Noah turned to see what must be half the village crowded at the back of the church. They were applauding and shouting out congratulations.

Noah laughed as he grasped Emma's hand just before their “guests” rushed forward to escort them out of the church and in a grand parade to the Grange Hall only two doors down. Wanting to make sure Belinda and Sean did not get left behind, he held out his other hand. He was surprised and more than a bit pleased when Sean grasped it and Belinda took Emma's hand. This was a good sign of a new beginning for all of them. They might not be a family yet, but they were well on their way—something he could not have imagined even a few months ago. He did not fool himself into thinking there would not be adjustments for all of them, including the decision of what to do when they had two houses, but those thoughts were not for tonight.

Even more people were gathered by the door to the Grange Hall, and he guessed many plows had been abandoned early in the fields around Haven. When he saw Emma's delighted smile, he whispered, “You shouldn't look so surprised, sweetheart. I'm not the only one in Haven who loves you.”

“But you're the only one who loves me as you do.”

He tapped her nose as if she were no older than Belinda. “I'm glad for that.”

Emma was sure her heart would burst from all the joy in it. When she saw Lewis Parker coming out of his office in the courthouse, she waved to him.

He came over and kissed her on one cheek before shaking Noah's hand. “Congratulations to both of you. I'll be joining the party as soon as I get some messages that are waiting for me at the telegraph office.”

“Don't be long,” Emma said. “You always said you wanted to dance with me at my wedding. I wouldn't want you to miss that.”

“Nor do I.” He hurried along the street toward the telegraph office.

Emma laughed when Noah bowed deeply to usher her into the Grange Hall. Her laughter became a gasp of glee when she saw the decorations throughout the big, open room. Paper had been cut into dozens of different designs and hung from every picture on the walls. Looking across the room, she saw Alice smiling with pride, and Emma knew her friend must have had her students make these decorations.

“Do you like them?” Sean asked, confirming her guess as he added, “We've been working on them for a whole week, and no one told. We all kept the secret.”

She hugged him. “I love them, and thank you for doing this for Noah and me.”

“For Noah and you and Belinda and me and Gladys.”

“Yes.” She feared she would cry if she looked into his hopeful face a moment longer. How had this urchin become part of her life so quickly? She did not know, but she was grateful to whatever Providence had brought him to Haven.