There seemed to be a FF glitch in chapters 15-18, so I reposted. I got reviews of emails, but no reads showed up or your reviews did not post. Hope we are back to normal! Thanks for reading!
Chapter Nineteen. One Week Later
The Captain proudly walked Elspeth through the center of the room. The small group of family and friends beamed as he gave Jarrod her arm.
"Who gives this woman to be married?" Reverend Stacy asked.
"I proudly do—-for all the Buchanans!" loudly with a smile on his face. His full dress uniform fit a bit awkwardly with his age, but he wore it with pride.
She handed her sister the one-of-a-kind bouquet they had made the day before. Peonies and ivy and roses with larkspur cascaded almost to the ground.
Aria, Audra, and Elionoir had a smaller bouquet as well as a mussy tussie for Victoria with the same flowers.
Audra had told her mother before the wedding, "I wish all the ladies in town could see these flowers. I have never seen such a beautiful bouquet at any wedding I have ever attended. I hope she will make mine someday."
"I think she will. Thank you for not pushing the issue of the guest list. I kept it to Jarrod and Elspeth's wishes of a very small group. The hands will all be invited to the barbecue afterward as Jarrod wanted."
"I want the whole town at the wedding to share my happiness."
"And you will have that, my dear."
"President Pharris and his wife, the Merars, Judge Winters and his wife, the Wheelers, Henry Marvin, Fred Madden, the Wheelers, Nate Springer and his wife, that's pretty much what we agreed on."
"And Elspeth— let me add Amelie's family."
"Yes, she did—graciously after you asked several times."'arching her eyebrow at her persuasive daughter.
Aria and little Tom were part of the wedding. Aria was a maid, and little Tom brought down the ring to Jarrod on her grandfather's Bible.
—&—-
The Captain had arrived on the train a few days before for the wedding to give the "lassie to the fine Barkley." He brought the items she requested from his home and the cabin. He had always kept their valuables for safety since they traveled so frequently.
"I sent the crate onto the ranch with the livery driver. But here are your special wedding items: your mother's dress, her locket and old Ethan's Bible."
She grinned and kissed him on his grizzly face. "Thank you so much, Cap. I like to think Mamere and Grandpapa are watching down on me. I wanted to honor them."
He kept his thoughts to himself, "Ah lass, your papa is watching over you too, whether ya believe it or not. He sent Jarrod to find ya. I wonder if he had an inkling or if the good Lord just used him on this path to bring ya happiness. The stars were aligned fer sure on that one."
She had given the crate to Jarrod before dinner the night before—-
"Can you come out to the barn with me, Jarrod?"
"Well, how forward you are, my love? I shall not have you taking advantage of me before the wedding."
She grinned and swatted his arm, "I have a gift for you."
"You are all the gift I need."
She took his hand and made him close his eyes. They stopped in front of the crate the Captain had brought. She handed him a bar. He pried open the crate to find Ethan's polished telescope. He took a deep intake of breath.
"Oh, Elspeth, this means so much to me."
"It did to my grandfather too."
"When I was in prison, I missed the night sky so much. I swore I would never take it for granted again. I looked at them every night once those doors opened for me, but they were never as bright until I shared them with you on the trail. I will cherish Ethan's telescope and you—-forever."
He pulled her close, and the kisses quickly intensified.
Nick cleared his throat at the door, "Mother sent me to find you two lovebirds for dinner. I see yall already nesting pretty well."
They smiled at him, "Don't want to be late for your dinner celebrating you two."
Elionoir was waiting on the porch with the headdress she was making her, "How many flowers should I trim off? I have all the colors of Mamere's dress on it."
Nick spoke quietly to Jarrod, "Dern Jarrod, that little redhead perked up your step. I am happy for you big brother."
"Thanks Nick. Never dreamed it would happen again. Elspeth isn't like any woman I have ever met—fearless, strong, and generous with her heart and hands. Stubborn as a mule—-just like a Barkley and yet so giving."
Jarrod impulsively reached over and hugged his brother for a moment. "Glad you, Heath, and Gene are standing up for me tomorrow. Means a lot."
"Especially to our mother. You couldn't get away with eloping the second time. We all learned our lesson from that."
—&—
"Jarrod, Elspeth, please come forward."
The Captain gave her arm to Jarrod. He kissed her on the cheek and looked at the groom, "Take care of my girl."
Jarrod nodded and looked appraisingly at his bride with a smile. Her green eyes sparkled under the red curls and tiara of flowers and ribbon that Elionoir made. Each color in the sage silk was utilized in her headpiece.
The old-fashioned dress she wore seemed to be fitted for her petite frame. The expensive silk and floral embroidery with the gold trim were from another decade, but it fit her personality perfectly.
"I am wearing my mother's dress" when Victoria offered to have her one made along with a veil.
"Elionoir and I used to make fairy crowns, as we called them. We always swore we would wear one at our wedding."
Victoria smiled, "She would be very proud. It is quite a lovely dress."
—-&—-
"Do you, Jarrod Thomas Barkley, take Elspeth Rosalie Buchanan to be your lawfully wedded wife?"
"I do," and he whispered, "Again," where no one could hear.
She took a deep breath and looked at him with love. Everyone in the audience could see the private moment without knowing what was whispered.
They smiled, and Reverend Stacy finished the ceremony.
"You may now kiss the bride." Jarrod picked her up and kissed her. The guests clapped and laughed.
Everyone except Mr. and Mrs. Aigner. Amelie smiled widely until her father cast a look her way.
She ducked her head.
"It's not proper. These Americans. I am glad we did not bring your sisters to get these ideas in their heads. Amelie, forget what you saw today," he hissed under his breath.
"Yes, sir." but she knew herself well enough to know she couldn't.
—&—
The wedding cake was cut, and the family sat for a formal wedding portrait. The Captain and Elionoir were proud to stand beside Elspeth and her small family as the Barkleys circled around.
The reception spilled outside as the hands were waiting for the barbecue. Nick was supervising the spit himself.
Heath kept his eye on Amelie—-and waited until Nick fully concentrated on cutting the meat.
Mrs. Aigner looked around at the casual buffets and tables set up outdoors. She and Amelie looked around with interest.
"I have never seen such, but everyone is so pleased. The Barkleys are very wealthy, so maybe it is a custom to share with servants."
"Mother, they are ranch hands. This is not a monarchy or fiefdom like Germany. Everyone is free to come and go as they please. I love this! This is wonderful—-and so American!"
"Enjoy yourself then. We are Americans now. Mine owners. But don't let your father see you dancing with the hands, as you call them. Only respectable men."
"Yes, mam." She was eyeing Audra dancing with Carl, the handsome cowboy she talked about.
She was so enthralled looking around that she didn't sense Heath coming up behind her. He was wearing his suit still, but his tie was askew. She thought it was very attractive.
"Miss Aigner, may I have this dance?"
"Amelie, and the answer is yes."
"Heath"
And he pulled her into a lively reel.
Her father looked over from his conversation with Judge Winters and Henry Marvin. He frowned a moment but decided it was fine since it was a Barkley.
"Good bloodlines, of course. Just wish he would have asked permission as a gentleman should. Americans, pah'"
—-&—
Elspeth looked down at her hand as she sipped her champagne. Jarrod's dear friend Abraham had sent the rings he designed for the wedding. Jarrod gave her the emerald and amethyst ring last night and placed an emerald and amethyst floral band on the top today. She was overwhelmed. The rings were beautiful. She felt her stomach flip as Jarrod whispered, noticing her looking at the ring.
"I shall explain my choices—tonight in our room" huskily.
She swallowed at his implication.
"Let's dance again," he said, taking her hand and kissing her cheek. "I can't wait to take you to the lodge tomorrow, my love."
About that time, a crack of lightning and thunder crossed the evening sky. Large raindrops started to plop from the clouds. The hands started taking the buffet items to the barn—all the unfinished food. The guests ran for cover and food inside the barns.
Amelie and Heath ducked under the roof of the garden tool shed. They had danced several times and were seated on a bench in the rose garden, sipping punch. He took her hand, and they ran for cover.
"It should subside in a second, honey. These rains start hard and fast, but we can wait it out," squeezing her hand.
"Thank you, Heath. You are very considerate." with her very slight accent, "I am still getting used to California. It is very different from Bavaria and Germany. My father trained as an engineer in Berlin and managed the coal mines in the Ruhr mountains. My younger sisters love it here too."
"I grew up in a mining town myself. Course, we weren't management in Strawberry. Worked them as a mite running the ropes and track ahead of loads."
She frowned, "I don't understand. Your family farmed strawberries? I had them in New York when we came to your country. Mite? I thought you used nickels and dimes here."
He grinned his lopsided grin, "Boy howdy, I can imagine how that all sounds. I worked in the mines as a child. We Americans call children mites. The town's name was Strawberry. It's about twenty or so miles from here. But whatcha mean by nickels and dimes? We do use them."
"What is a boy howdy?"
He frowned for a moment, then his laugh reached the twinkling of his eyes-"Well, I am not really sure about that. Howdy is hello-but I am not sure."
She gave him a beautiful smile that made him shudder for a moment," A mite on the continent is a small coin, in particular a small Flemish copper coin of very low worth."
"Like a penny?"
"Yah."
"In America, we have a saying, "A penny for your thoughts."
"I think I like America—especially California. And this day—your brother's wedding to the beautiful Elspeth. She is so lovely. " she replied shyly.
"She's perfect for big brother. Didn't think he would ever find someone again."
"His first wife was murdered, yah?"
"Yes. A bullet meant for him by a man he put behind bars. Took part of his heart away."
"Because he loved her so much."
Heath frowned, "Well, that, I guess. They'd only been married over a week. More like he felt it was his fault. The bullet had his name on it."
"You put names on bullets in America?"
He laughed heartily, "I see what you mean. We do say some confusing things in our country."
They were interrupted by Mr. Aigner, "Amelie, I have been looking for you. It's time to go," and he grabbed her arm.
Heath stood up and touched his forearm, "Sir, didn't mean no harm. I would have brought her back to the house in a few minutes. It was my fault."
He narrowed his eyes at Heath, "If you want to see my daughter again, you should ask my permission. She is but a child."
Tears welled up in her eyes, "Papa!" and she ran towards the wedding.
"I am sorry, Mr. Aigner. I didn't mean any disrespect."
"If you want to see her, come see me first," and he stalked away.