Chapter Nineteen: Monterey 19/21
TWO WEEKS LATER
Jarrod and Elizabeth boarded the private rail car. An hour before, they had left the ranch. Elizabeth had left many instructions with Isabella and Valeria about Camellia and her recovery. Dr. Merar had cleared her for light activity and to begin talking again. "No horses or swimming or running or"...
"Go Elle. We have it" smiled Isabella.
She whispered, "Enjoy your handsome cowboy. You deserve it." Jarrod had let the whole family in on his surprise for Elizabeth.
The whole family waved them goodbye from the porch as Jarrod led her away to see the property in Monterey.
Su Lin had the railroad car prepared for a romantic candlelight dinner with wine chilling. They ate their Barkley beef and finished the meal off with a flaming cherry jubilee. He put his arm around her and she nuzzled into the rhythm of the rail car. She drifted off to sleep on his shoulder.
Jarrod had gotten two rooms at the Hotel del Monte, the Queen of the American Watering Holes. They were a popular resort hotel for the wealthy and nouveau riche of the west. He had the porter take their bags to their separate rooms and arranged to meet Elle on the portico in an hour.
He ordered a light lunch of a seafood platter to share and a bottle of white wine. She arrived looking rested in a pale gold sheath with a lace overdress. The simplicity of the dress suited her. She wore her hair down braided to one side. Jarrod had changed to slacks and a starched white shirt and vest. They looked perfect for a beach holiday.
They ate off the single platter in an intimate way. He broke her crab legs and pulled the white meat out for her. She dipped his shrimp into the butter sauce and passed it across the table to him. Their fingers lingered over the platter. He kissed the butter off of them. She wiped a crumb with her napkin from his chin. The green eyes and blue eyes did not stray from one another the whole time.
"Are you ready, m'lady, to go explore this property? I got directions from the bellhop and it's only seven blocks. Would you like to walk on this beautiful day?"
"Of course, counselor " and she took his arm. They passed a vendor selling parasols for the sun. Jarrod bought her one and she laughed trying to open it. She poked him in the ribs once and he playfully swatted it back at her. It felt good to be relaxed.
Around the next corner was a fully-stocked flower stand. "What would be your preference?"
"Oh Jarrod, I can't choose. They are all so beautiful."
He had her close her eyes, spun her around, and had her point at the flower stand and that is what she would get. She ended up with a bouquet of sunflowers and zinnias.
Walking on a sandy boardwalk with her handsome Jarrod with a parasol and bouquet of flowers on her arm. She felt like she was in that new form of art from the French Salon. It felt like a dream. This is how it feels to be courted and not used. I am pushing that thought away!
They found the address and it was in a prime location with access to a private beach. The house needed a lot of work but Elizabeth immediately fell in love with the frame and stucco three-story home. The kitchen was in disrepair with a hole literally to the back porch. Jarrod grimaced but Elizabeth kept seeing the possibilities. There was a dormer and skylight on the third floor that would be perfect for a studio.
"I think I want it, Jarrod. It would be a perfect holiday house even if I didn't live here all year round—- I think it's worth my investment. I can hire a contractor—- and … uh"
Jarrod stopped her talking by pulling her into his arms and kissing her deeply. She literally was swept off balance on the unlevel floor into his arms. He chuckled as she fell into him. "Well, aren't we forward?"
"You wish Mr. Barkley" and she playfully swatted him without leaving his arms.
"I have a problem with what you just said."
She looked at him quizzically.
"It's not I; it's we"
He pulled a box out of his vest and got down on one knee. "Will you marry me, Elizabeth?"
He placed a large sapphire and diamond ring on her finger. She was speechless.
She kissed him and he toppled then caught her as another floorboard cracked. She ended up on top of him.
"I guess that is yes since you have gotten me into a quite compromising position, Jarrod".
"I plan to get you in a lot more of them each day too" and he pulled her down on top of him on the floor kissing her.
They stopped by the real estate office and Jarrod negotiated a very good deal on the property. He listed all the repairs and recent property acquisitions in the area. He had done his homework behind her back. She smiled at his small deception. He listed the offer and acceptance as Mr. and Mrs. Jarrod T Barkley. He made an appointment for two contractors to come by and give him estimates on the remodeling. Elizabeth kept staring at the papers with their names on them. It felt like a dream.
Walking back to the hotel, Jarrod asked Elle what kind of wedding she wanted. Isabella had already given him some hints but he needed to make sure. Victoria and he had talked about it at length.
"I just want the family at the ranch, please. After my name in all the papers, I just don't want a social event."
Isabella and Victoria were right on that account.
"What would you think about next week? I need to go back to New York at some point soon and close down my practice. I would like you to be by my side."
Her doe eyes grew wide and for a moment, Jarrod thought she was going to bolt on him. "Jarrod, what will our family think? It's a lot of work to get a wedding together so quickly"
"What if I told you they are already working on it and are waiting on my telegram to confirm? I am only a man but the last thing I heard was you would need to find a dress and that's all you had to do."
"Seriously. Audra and Mother are in heaven. Isabella and Katarina have been whispering for two weeks about the flowers. Silas had been picking up extra supplies and sketching out a cake with Mother. Did you not see her inventorying and polishing the silver before we left?"
"I do want to talk to you about a couple of other things. You know I am closing down the New York practice. It may take a month or so but we can live in my townhouse. I think I can easily sell it for quite a bit of profit and I would like to start building a home on the ranch. Do you have any preferences? I would like you to think about it. Also, I want to reopen the Stockton practice for now and maybe the San Francisco or Sacramento ones eventually. That would mean Monterey would be a holiday and summer home. Would you be too disappointed?"
"Jarrod, whetherist you go, I shall go. Your family shall be mine"
"Ruth?"
"Yes," she smiled at him. "You are my Boaz,"
''Ruth's request to "spread the corner of your garment over me" -The word for "corner" in Hebrew also means "wings," so Ruth was asking Boaz: "Protect me like a bird protects her young; be my redeemer as God commanded in the Torah so that in your actions, your provision and your family, I will find God's protection. And take me as your wife, for in your protection I will find God's provision and protection."
He just held her tightly. He would never take her for granted.
"And second, I want to adopt Camellia."
"There is nothing I want more."
They made it back to the hotel full of plans for a new life. Jarrod made reservations for dinner and dancing while Elle went upstairs to her room.
Dinner at 8 was served: lobster and champagne with fresh vegetables and fruit. Then Jarrod took her into the ballroom for their first dance together. He whirled her around the candlelit room. The French doors were open to the tiled portico. They went outside and listened to the ocean crash against the rocks. She didn't want this night to ever end.
Jarrod pulled a sapphire necklace out of his pocket and placed it upon her neck. "Ever since Abraham came last week and I met him in town, I have been dying to give you the engagement ring and this necklace. I am doing my best to hold onto your wedding ring and bridal gift."
"Oh Jarrod, it's beautiful. I have never seen such filigree in the setting. It is a work of art."
"Abraham is an artisan and I had him create it especially for you."
"Oh, Jarrod" and she initiated a very passionate kiss. She whispered his name in his ear. She nibbled on his ear lobe and pulse point. Her hands roamed down his neck and she put her hand inside his shirt slightly. He groaned with desire. He wanted their wedding night to be a true giving and sharing of pleasure. He had seen the desire in her eyes the past two weeks and it pleased him greatly.
He whispered into her ear, "Do you know how moving it is for the woman you love to call your name and move against you?"
She backed up a bit embarrassed.
"Oh no my love, I want you to want me in the same way I desire you. It thrills me to no end."
"Elizabeth, do you know what handfasting is?"
"No"
"It is an ancient tradition I learned about in law school. It is still used in some places for weddings. Traditionally a handfasting involved a couple, taking turns to hold each other's right hand and declare them as their wedded husband or wife; much in the same way as vows are made now. They exchanged rings or half of a gold coin. The Scots bound their hand over an anvil. It could only be ended by death.'
He took her hand….
"I, Jarrod, hereby take Elizabeth to be my wife and thereto plight thee my troth… thus we are 'betrothed'.
Taking his hand and covering her own with it and he kissed her gently. He handed her a gold coin cut in half from his pocket.
"Sorry, I couldn't find an anvil."
"Elizabeth, I am not going to ruin our honeymoon or leave you with a child. I am in this forever. There are many other things I want to share with you that will bring us great joy and I want to teach you. Trust me" and he rolled her ring in his fingers.
She went willingly upstairs with him and kissed the gold coin as she put it in her pocket.