Sweet Annie Part 22

Inside the silk-lined jewelry case lay an elegant pearl choker. "It's beautiful!" Annie breathed.

"It was my mother's." Her father placed it around her neck, fastening the clasp, and stepping back to admire the pearls.

"Thank you."

Her mother said nothing, merely picked up her hem and started forward.

Once she was out of hearing, Eldon asked, "Does the chair go at all?"

Annie shook her head. "No. I don't want that chair spoiling anything about this day."

"Very well."

Charmaine was waiting on the porch, and in no time they were in the buggy and on their way in the warm fall suns.h.i.+ne.

Leaves crunched beneath the wheels as Eldon drove the buggy to the steps of the church and got out to a.s.sist the women.

Burdell and Diana had been waiting, and Burdy stepped forward. "Oh, Annie, you look beautiful!" Diana said from beside him. "Doesn't she?"

Burdell nodded. "Are you sure, Annie? It's not too late to call this off. I can go send everyone away if you say the word."

"This is what I want, Burdy," she replied. "Thank you for being here. It means more than you know."

He offered his arm until she neared the church building, then left to move the buggy for his father. Diana and Charmaine ushered Annie into the tiny cloakroom where they stood amongst the scents of leather and wool until Burdell returned and the organist began the first notes of the wedding march.

Charmaine nodded to the two young ushers and they opened the polished doors. Annie's father secured her hand in the crook of his arm and gave her a rea.s.suring smile.

He proceeded slowly and Annie raised her chin and took step after step, feeling every critical eye on her awkward advance. Step-limp. Step-limp.

Luke came into sharp focus, a half-smile slas.h.i.+ng his handsome cheek, his blue eyes intent on her approach. From that moment on, no one else mattered, nothing mattered, not even the fact that she would never be graceful, nothing except that from this day forward she would be Luke Carpenter's wife.

He wore the same proud expression he'd worn the night she'd crossed the dance floor and asked him to teach her to dance. Her heart fluttered crazily at the devotion in his eyes.

Eldon took her gloved hand, kissed the back, and placed it in Luke's waiting palm, gave the younger man a cautioning glance, then took his place in the first pew beside his wife. Annie's gaze moved from her parents to her almost-husband.

The rest of the ceremony progressed in a blur of prayers and vows and tears and kisses. Taking Luke's hand, she walked beside him up the aisle to the door and, once outdoors, good-naturedly ducked a shower of rice.

Bending his knees, he swept her into his arms and carried her toward the social hall. Grateful for the rest, she wrapped her arm around his neck and smiled into his face.

"We did it, Annie," he said. "We really did it."

With tears blurring her vision, she nodded, and they shared a moment of silent pleasure. Annie laid her head against his shoulder and sighed.

He carried her into the building and found her a chair.

"The musicians are already setting up," she observed.

He crouched before her and took her hand. "You are so beautiful."

She gazed into his earnest blue eyes. "And your eyes are so blue."

He grinned. "I reckon we'll have beautiful blue-eyed children, won't we?"

Her heart missed a beat. She glanced around at the women busily uncovering food and arranging cups and silverware, at the pile of gifts on a lace-draped table. "All this is really happening to me-lame Annie Sweet.w.a.ter. I had a wedding and a cake and I have a husband just like any normal girl."

Luke raised her hand and his thumb touched the gold ring he'd placed on her finger.

Casting her attention back to the man before her, she corrected her words: "Better than any normal girl-because I've married the handsomest, kindest, bluest-eyed man in all of Copper Creek."

He grinned and she touched his cheek.

"Come on, you have lots of time for that," Charmaine called. "You two have to fill your plates first."

"I'll get yours," Luke said, releasing her hand and standing.

While Luke was gone Burdell approached. He took a seat beside her and watched Luke at the food table. After a minute he said, "If he ever hurts you-"

"He would never hurt me, Burdy."

"I'm just telling you. If he ever does, you come to me. I'll kill him."

Remembering who had pounded who during their last scuffle, Annie held back a smile. "I would come to you," she said somberly.

"Okay." He placed his hands on his knees.

"Okay," Annie agreed.

Burdell sat a moment longer, then got up and strode away.

Later, when the newlyweds opened gifts, Annie exclaimed over the generosity of her neighbors. Of course her father was the local banker and she had to wonder how much effect that had on people's pocketbooks.

Glenda and her girls had sewn ap.r.o.ns and dishtowels. The Renlows gave them a mantel clock, and Burdell and Diana bestowed a set of silverware that Annie knew had been of Diana's choosing. Among the other gifts were blankets and barrels, skillets and dishes, fabric and a rocking chair. Mrs. Krenshaw gave them books, and Lizzy and Guy had purchased them a painted gla.s.s lamp.

Annie was overwhelmed at the amount of household items they now had to take to their little house. From time to time she thought about leaving the party tonight and going to that new house with her new husband, and a wave of nerves would make her hands cold.

A tall, handsome man with black hair graying at the temples shook Luke's hand and then gave him a hug, clapping him on the back.

"Annie, this is my Uncle Gil," Luke told her, stepping back.

"Gilbert Chapman," his uncle said with a friendly nod.

Annie extended her hand. "I'm pleased to officially meet you. I do remember seeing you the day you came to my birthday party."

"None of us will ever forget that day, will we?" he said with a wry grin that reminded Annie of Luke's devastating smile.

"I certainly never forgot," Annie said. "Luke takes after you. Were you his father's brother?"

Gil nodded. "He was a few years older. We were close as young'uns, but didn't keep in touch much after we had our own lives. I was sorry about that after he died. But I was glad to have Luke here come to live with me. He was good company for a lot o' years. I guess you're going to find that out."

What a likable man. No wonder Luke thought so highly of him. "I guess I am."

"I'll bring your present by next week," he told Luke. "I couldn't bring it here today."

They visited a while longer until Gil spotted someone he wanted to talk to. She didn't have time to wonder why he couldn't bring their present.

Annie was truly the belle of the ball that afternoon. Everyone wished her well and spoke to her, and when the dancing began she declined a dozen offers, wanting to dance only with Luke, who compensated for her lack of agility and made her feel competent.

"Are you getting tired?" he asked during one of their turns around the floor. "Are your legs holding up?"

"I'm all right," she a.s.sured him, not wanting to hold him back from enjoying their wedding celebration.

"You know," he said against her hair, "it's customary for the bride and groom to leave a little early. We can go anytime."

Glancing over his shoulder, she spotted her mother seated between two other wives, but not partic.i.p.ating in their conversation. Mildred's attention was focused unhappily on Annie and Luke. Her ominous predictions rang in Annie's head.

Annie blocked them out and concentrated on Luke's suggestion and her joy over this new life for which she'd been so eager. "I guess I'm a little tired," she told him. "I didn't sleep last night."

"Let's start saying our goodbyes, then."

Luke worked them to the edge of the floor and inconspicuously told a few people they were leaving.

"Do you want to come back for your presents tomorrow or shall we bring them to you?" Guy Halverson asked Luke.

"Burt's taking care of the livery tomorrow," Luke replied. "I appreciate the offer, if you don't mind."

"Are you kidding? Lizzy's been dying to see your house."

Luke shook Guy's hand.

Annie caught her father's eye and waved. Eldon strode toward her. He and Luke stared at each other, neither of them speaking. Finally Annie stepped forward and hugged her father.

His arms closed around her convulsively. "You were a beautiful bride, Annie," he said, his voice sounding choked.

She released him, moved back and took Luke's hand, noting that her mother deliberately turned aside and folded a tablecloth.

Charmaine brought their coats and Annie slipped hers on, but carried Luke's. At the door, he picked her up and carried her to the area where the horses and buggies waited and lifted her to the seat. "Want your coat?"

He glanced at the sun still high in the sky. "In a minute."

She arranged her voluminous skirts as he hitched the horse and climbed up, slipping on his coat and urging the horse forward. He stopped at the livery and loaded the trunks and boxes containing Annie's personal items.

"I told you I didn't have much," she said.

"And I told you all I wanted was you." He leaned to kiss her nose.

She pulled her coat around herself, a chill enveloping the countryside in the shade of the mountains. The beauty of the scenery was lost on her this time, as she thought ahead to the afternoon and evening that lay before them.

It was midafternoon when they reached the house at the bottom of the foothills. Luke carried her to the door and she turned the k.n.o.b.

"Welcome home, Mrs. Carpenter."

She touched his face, but realized how cold her hand was and pulled it back. He carried her inside and set her down.

Quickly he moved to the fireplace and lit the kindling that had been placed at the ready. Going back out, he made several trips with her belongings, carrying the heavy trunks into the bedroom. He stopped beside her and brushed his palms together. "I have to put up the horse and wagon."

"Go ahead."

"I'll be right back."

She nodded and managed a weak smile. "I'm fine."

He left and she kept her coat on, walking carefully across the bare floor to the empty mantel. They would have a clock, she thought idly. Her gaze drifted to the open door to the bedroom, and she made her way over and peered in.

A bed with an iron headboard had been placed in the room since she'd last see it. A plain wool blanket covered the mattress. Luke's clothing and hats hung on a few of the pegs. A chest of drawers held a lantern, and a s.h.i.+ny bucket and several towels sat on a stack of crates.

He'd done all he could to prepare a home for her. None of it was fancy, none of it was anything like her parents' home. But it was theirs. And he'd done it all himself. For her.

Eyes smarting she turned back to the outer room, hung her coat on a peg inside the door and holding her veil well away, she used a poker to help the fire along. After a few minutes, she added a split log from the stack beside the rock hearth.

The door opened and closed and the draft sucked the flames and sent sparks up the chimney.

Luke removed his coat and hung it. "You got the fire going. You should have waited, you might have gotten your dress dirty."

Annie looked down at the yards and yards of white satin. "I'll never wear it again."

"Our daughter might."

There he went, making her blush again.

He moved to stand before her. "It's a beautiful gown. I still can't believe you made it yourself."

She glanced away and back.

"When I saw you walk into church, my heart just leaped inside my chest."

She laughed nervously. "You were probably wondering if I was going to trip over the hem and fall headlong down the aisle."

He raised a hand to touch her, but drew it back. "No, I didn't think that at all." He looked at his hands. "I have to wash up. I brushed down the horse."

"I don't mind that smell on you, you know."

"It's a good thing, you're going to smell it a lot." He started a fire in the stove. "You know how to do this?"

"Glenda showed me."

Taking a kettle from a back burner, he pumped water and placed it on the stove. "If you bank the coals, so they're just warm, the water will stay warm in the reservoir. I thought that would be nice for you in the mornings."

"It will be."