Twice Promised (The Blue Willow Brides Book #2): A Novel (33 page)

Caleb and Zach were unloading the latest shipment of saddles, tack, and blankets while Jess waited on customers. Later Greta would organize the odd assortment of tack and blankets with Caleb. She heard Jess greet Agnes the moment she stepped through the threshold, so she quickly put away the brocade and went to meet Agnes.

“Hi, Agnes.” Greta walked over to where they stood chatting. “I’ve finished your dress and pressed it this morning. Why don’t you come back behind the curtain and try it on?”

“I’m ready. Excuse me, Jess.”

“I’m sure Greta has fixed the dress to your satisfaction. She’s a perfectionist,” Jess declared, shooting Greta a half-smile. Greta merely turned and motioned for Agnes to follow her to the dressing and sewing area.

“You seem awfully grim this morning, Greta,” Agnes commented, removing her dress while Greta stood waiting to slip the new dress over her head. “Is something wrong?”

Greta smoothed the dress over Agnes’s hips, admiring the now perfect fit. “No, I’ve just been busy and have a lot on my mind.” She turned Agnes around to face the mirror. “What do you think?”

A smile stretched across Agnes’s face, and she clasped her hands together. “It’s perfect now! You have done a wonderful job. I’m sure when people see it they’ll want to know who made it for me.”

“Good! I was hoping you’d say that. I’m happy that you’re happy with it.”

Agnes snickered. “The entire episode has made me rethink what I’ve been eating. So I hope you’ll see me in here to tighten the waist back up again.”

Greta surely hoped not—one time of ripping out the top from the skirt was enough—but she smiled at Agnes’s admission. It seemed Cole’s truth had pricked her conscience.

“You look very nice in the dress, Agnes.” Greta unbuttoned the back of the dress and Agnes stepped out of it, then donned hers again.

“I did look good, didn’t I?” she answered smugly. “Maybe it will turn a few heads for me this time.”

“No doubt it will. I’ll wrap the dress up for you, if you’ll follow me up to the counter.”

Moments later, after the dress had been wrapped and paid for, Cora returned. As Agnes chattered on about her party, Greta spied Cora talking with Jess through the front glass. He motioned for her to get in the wagon.

“Are you listening to me, Greta?” Agnes turned to see what she was looking at just as Cora and Jess took off. “Oh, I see . . . You’re jealous of them. I know you deny any feelings for Jess, but from the look on your face, I believe otherwise.” Agnes tapped her on the sleeve with her gloves. “What did I tell you? You simply cannot trust the opposite sex!”

“
Alstublieft!
Please, it’s hardly that. I was wishing for a ride in the countryside myself, is all.” Greta tried to hide her feelings.

“It’s okay, Greta. I won’t breathe a word of how you feel. You can trust me. Besides, Zach is going to make a fine husband and rancher.”

Trust her? Ha! Greta doubted that would
ever
happen.

Agnes pulled on her gloves and opened the door, and Greta handed her the package. “See you at church. I better hurry. Cole and I are going back to the ranch.”

Greta waved goodbye and wondered just where Jess and Cora were off to again. She had a good mind to follow them . . . but her conscience wouldn’t let her.

32

Cora hopped down from the buckboard and rang the bell at Granny’s. Moments later Granny came to the door. “Do come in . . . and tell me why my grandson is avoiding me.”

Cora laughed. “Granny, he’s not avoiding you, he’s just doing me a favor. Is it okay if I go on up to the attic? I’ve been gone most of the day, but I think there’s enough light left to search some more.”

“Goodness, where have you been?” Granny asked, walking her down the hallway.

“Horace Carey is in the hospital with pneumonia, and I was seeing to Martha’s five children.”

“I’m sure they were a handful.”

“Not at all, which surprised me. They’re well-versed in vocabulary and good manners.”

“I’m glad you were able to help them out.”

“Me too,” Cora said, mounting the stairs to the attic. “I enjoyed them so much, and I believe I might have found my true mission in life—helping others.”

Granny’s face took on a softer look. “Is that so? Well, how wonderful. Each person has their own spiritual gift, you know.”

“I hadn’t even known there was such a thing as spiritual gifts, but I’m learning that the more I study Scripture. But now I’d better get started. The daylight is wasting away.”

“Help yourself to my clutter.” Granny chuckled. “When you’re done we can have a little snack.” Then she scooted on about her business, leaving Cora alone.

The same musty breeze greeted her when Cora shoved open the attic door. Since she’d already looked through the boxes nearest the door, she wandered further back by the window and realized that she’d left it open. At least it wasn’t as stuffy today. After going through a stack of boxes and feeling disheartened, she opened the next box to find the treasure she’d been looking for. Nestled in heavy tissue paper lay the Blue Willow dishes. She knew it by the pattern similar to Greta’s cake knife. She clapped her hands, then gently removed several pieces to find that the box seemed to hold an entire set. Perfect! Now she wouldn’t have to order the dishes. It would be a useful gift but sentimental as well for Greta.

She hurried over to close the window and dragged the box to the door, then decided to take a box of scraps she wanted to ask Granny about. When Jess returned after he closed up shop, she would have him load them in the buckboard. Now, for some of Granny’s coffee and pie.

Greta stood back, admiring the window display. She’d placed some pumpkins and gourds together that she’d picked up at the market. Since the leaves hadn’t changed yet, she drew and cut leaf shapes from various-colored papers in hues of gold, red, and brown to scatter on the floor and around the window casing. In the center, she’d hung an orange and brown plaid wool dress with matching cape on a mannequin and topped it with a brown velvet hat. In one corner, she placed a new rake with the price tag still on it. But something was missing. Suddenly the idea came to her. She needed a wheelbarrow.

“Caleb? Can you stop stocking shelves for a few minutes and help me?”

“Sure.” Caleb hustled over. “What do you need?”

“Don’t laugh, but I need a wheelbarrow for my window display.”

Caleb gave her an odd look, then shrugged. “Okay . . . we have a few in the back.”

“Would you please haul one up here?”

He nodded and went to the back, then returned pushing a wooden wheelbarrow. “Here you go. Want me to set it in the window for you?”

“Please.”

He lifted the wheelbarrow up into the raised window. “Is that about where you want it?”

“Yes. Perfect. Thanks for your help.”

Caleb stood back, admiring the display. “It looks right nice, Greta. I’ll bet that dress catches some lady’s eye before the week is out.”

Greta smiled at his appraising words. “That’s the point, Caleb.”

“I agree, mighty nice.” They turned around at the voice as Jess walked over. “A letter came for you, Caleb,” he said, handing him the envelope. “I think it’s from the dean of Agricultural College of Colorado in Fort Collins.” Jess winked at Greta.

Caleb snatched up the letter, ripped it open, and read it, and a big smile lit up his entire face. “Wow! I’ve been accepted! Me!” he exclaimed.

“I knew they’d take you, son. Your folks would be proud to know you’ll be going to school,” Jess said, giving him a thump on the back.

“Caleb, this is wonderful. You get a chance to make something of yourself,” Greta added.

“I have Jess to thank for this. I’d never dreamed of going.” Caleb’s face was serious. “It says classes start in September. But I’ve decided that I need to go home and see my father first. I have to clear things up with him since I left.”

“Good idea. I know he’ll appreciate that.” Jess stepped back to Greta’s side. “And I really like the display. It’s something I never thought about doing. I guess now is a good time to tell you thanks for the way you handled Agnes. I know she’s not easy to work with.” He turned to look her in the eye.

“You’re welcome, Jess.” She studied his brown eyes, looking for some evidence of how he felt, but there was none. Still, she appreciated that he’d acknowledged her creative window display.

Jess slapped his thigh, glancing up at the clock on the wall. “Gotta run out for a bit. Watch the store while I’m gone, would you? Zach’s outside jawing with Silas.”

Greta nodded, her spirits suddenly deflated.

“Let me get back to work before Jess decides to keep my pay,” Caleb joked, then returned to his chores.

Greta numbly walked back to the sewing area to continue her work while the store was free of customers for the time being. She picked up the dress she was making for Cora. She’d had time to put the pieces together, and it was starting to resemble a wedding gown. Since Cora was close to her own size and stature, Greta had guessed on the measurements. It could always be tweaked a bit here and there if the fit wasn’t exact. She could hardly wait to see Cora’s face. Greta knew Cora was used to nicer clothing, but this was made from the heart.

She ran her hand over the fabric, feeling the rises that gave brocade its stiff appearance. A bit of lace affixed down the sweetheart neckline presented a feminine, delicate appeal.

It suddenly occurred to Greta that she had no wedding gown of her own to wear. When she left Cheyenne, she’d planned on wearing her pale blue church dress since she assumed she would be having a quick ceremony the day she arrived. Well . . . all that had changed. She’d like to wear a pretty gown such as this,
if
she indeed would be married at all. But for now, it was Cora and Jess who would be celebrating their nuptials. Greta wanted to hear “I love you” before she was ever married to anyone someday.

When Jess stopped the wagon, Granny and Cora were sitting on the porch, waiting for him. Cora waved cheerily, causing a guilty feeling in his chest. She would make a man a good wife, no doubt about it—just not him. He hopped down and strode up the steps.

Granny gave him a hug and pinched his cheek playfully. “I’m always happy to see your dear face. How about a slice of apple pie and coffee?” she asked, sitting back down in her rocker.

“How can I refuse?” he answered. He glanced down at the two boxes by the steps. “I take it you found Mother’s china?”

Cora nodded. “Yes. It took some searching, but I did. The other box is full of scraps that I thought would make a nice quilt. It’s the one thing about sewing that I
did
learn how to do.” She rose from her chair. “I’ll go get you some pie. Granny, why don’t you sit here with your grandson and chat?” Quietly she slipped through the screen door.

Jess took a seat next to Granny. “How have you been? You look wonderful.”

“I feel wonderful! Not many can say that at my age. I’m glad you and Cora thought of the Blue Willow dishes for Greta.”

“It was Cora’s idea. She saw them in one of our catalogs and thought it’d make a good wedding gift for Greta and Zach.”

Granny’s eyes narrowed and she leaned forward. “Jess, why haven’t you told Cora that you’re in love with Greta?”

He was so stunned by the question that it left him speechless, but Granny continued. “Greta told me how she felt about you when she stayed here, and she thought the feeling was mutual.”

“It is . . . it was . . . until yesterday when she became distant toward me.”

“What happened? What did you do to deserve this?” Granny pressed.

“Nothing, honest! She seemed like a different person a couple of days ago, I tell you.” Jess had thought this over many times while lying in bed, and he couldn’t think of one single thing he’d done to upset her. “You know, Granny, maybe she’s not ready to love after Bryan.”

Granny humphed. “That’s not true and you know it. The entire time she was here, she had stars in her eyes when she mentioned your name. You listen to me, young man. Greta wouldn’t have acted that way and she wouldn’t have given me Bryan’s locket if she were still in love with him. No one can have a future with the dead. It’s the living who must go on.”