"Oh, sir, you have wonderful judgement!" The small plump woman clapped her
hands enthusiastically. "That hat is just perfect for the young lady. It
will be no trouble to add a veil."
"We'll need it for tomorrow morning. A porter from the hotel will pick everything up then." Elliott Marston settled the bill with the seamstress but kept a wary eye on the bow window overlooking the street. Sam Flanagan sat on a small gilt chair and stared through the glass without seeing anything of the traffic or weather outside.
She'd been like that for most of the afternoon. No matter where they were or what their errand - buying a marriage license, picking out a wedding suit, shopping for the boys - she had been distracted and silent.
He would have preferred it if she had fought him over everything: he was growing accustomed to that and getting better at handling it. But this stillness was something new.
Holding her in the hallway last night had given him the chance to sketch out some plans. Her father was right; his time was limited. As she gradually stopped crying, he told her about their conversation and his commitment to the dying man. She had listened carefully, then nodded her assent.
And she had remained like that ever since.
Telling the boys had not been a problem; they were all used to Sam taking charge and making the arrangements. Even Liam had accepted things, although he scowled at Marston periodically to show his independence.
"Will there be anything else now, sir?" The proprietress beamed happily at them.
"No thank you." Marston bowed slightly. He stepped up to Sam and touched her arm. "Daydreaming again, my dear?"
She looked up without smiling. "No, just thinking."
He reached for the door handle. "Come now, such somber thoughts have no place in our wedding plans!"
She passed into the street in front of him. "I suppose not. But since I've never been married before, I can't be sure." Glancing over her shoulder at him, she grinned.
He suddenly realized he was holding his breath and released it. "Now that's more like it." Settling her hand on his arm, he watched her profile carefully. "I was becoming quite intimidated by your manner."
She laughed at that. "I guess I'm sort of numb. You've just swept in and taken over."
He watched her carefully. "Do you mind?"
"No, not really. You don't know what a burden it's been." Sam looked around at the shops. "It's been years since I've been able to go shopping without worrying about things."
They were leaving the retail district behind. Mercantile establishments gave way to office buildings with spike railings and thick polished doors. Carriages moved purposefully through the streets carrying men of business on serious matters. Marston nodded in greeting to acquaintances who watched the pair with open curiosity. Sam seemed not to see them.
"I am worried about Liam. Just a little." She paused to stare at a heavy wagon whose driver was trying to turn too tight a corner with inches to spare. "He's changed so much in three months I hardly recognize him."
"He's growing up." Marston acknowledged a wave from a banker across the street. "He's the man of the family and wants everyone to know it."
"Well, I don't -" She stopped in her tracks. "Elliott! Look!"
His head snapped around. They were approaching the Royal and had a clear view of the front of the hotel. A crowd of people had gathered to watch a large landau drawn by four matched black horses come to a halt. The animals were decked out in holiday array with pink and white ribbons threaded through their manes. The carriage itself was painted white with gilt trimming and lavish pink upholstery. Lolling back on the seats were four ladies whose work rarely took them out of doors during the day. They languished under the outraged stares of the matrons on the sidewalk and the interested looks of their husbands.
The hotel doorman was attempting to argue with the driver, who ignored him except for spitting disrespectfully on the ground between the other's feet. Onlookers began to laugh openly at the scene.
"What in the world.?" Marston stopped on the edge of the crowd and examined the apparition with the rest.
"We'd better go inside before the manager comes out." Sam sounded amused. "I'm afraid Belle's come to visit."
"We'll need it for tomorrow morning. A porter from the hotel will pick everything up then." Elliott Marston settled the bill with the seamstress but kept a wary eye on the bow window overlooking the street. Sam Flanagan sat on a small gilt chair and stared through the glass without seeing anything of the traffic or weather outside.
She'd been like that for most of the afternoon. No matter where they were or what their errand - buying a marriage license, picking out a wedding suit, shopping for the boys - she had been distracted and silent.
He would have preferred it if she had fought him over everything: he was growing accustomed to that and getting better at handling it. But this stillness was something new.
Holding her in the hallway last night had given him the chance to sketch out some plans. Her father was right; his time was limited. As she gradually stopped crying, he told her about their conversation and his commitment to the dying man. She had listened carefully, then nodded her assent.
And she had remained like that ever since.
Telling the boys had not been a problem; they were all used to Sam taking charge and making the arrangements. Even Liam had accepted things, although he scowled at Marston periodically to show his independence.
"Will there be anything else now, sir?" The proprietress beamed happily at them.
"No thank you." Marston bowed slightly. He stepped up to Sam and touched her arm. "Daydreaming again, my dear?"
She looked up without smiling. "No, just thinking."
He reached for the door handle. "Come now, such somber thoughts have no place in our wedding plans!"
She passed into the street in front of him. "I suppose not. But since I've never been married before, I can't be sure." Glancing over her shoulder at him, she grinned.
He suddenly realized he was holding his breath and released it. "Now that's more like it." Settling her hand on his arm, he watched her profile carefully. "I was becoming quite intimidated by your manner."
She laughed at that. "I guess I'm sort of numb. You've just swept in and taken over."
He watched her carefully. "Do you mind?"
"No, not really. You don't know what a burden it's been." Sam looked around at the shops. "It's been years since I've been able to go shopping without worrying about things."
They were leaving the retail district behind. Mercantile establishments gave way to office buildings with spike railings and thick polished doors. Carriages moved purposefully through the streets carrying men of business on serious matters. Marston nodded in greeting to acquaintances who watched the pair with open curiosity. Sam seemed not to see them.
"I am worried about Liam. Just a little." She paused to stare at a heavy wagon whose driver was trying to turn too tight a corner with inches to spare. "He's changed so much in three months I hardly recognize him."
"He's growing up." Marston acknowledged a wave from a banker across the street. "He's the man of the family and wants everyone to know it."
"Well, I don't -" She stopped in her tracks. "Elliott! Look!"
His head snapped around. They were approaching the Royal and had a clear view of the front of the hotel. A crowd of people had gathered to watch a large landau drawn by four matched black horses come to a halt. The animals were decked out in holiday array with pink and white ribbons threaded through their manes. The carriage itself was painted white with gilt trimming and lavish pink upholstery. Lolling back on the seats were four ladies whose work rarely took them out of doors during the day. They languished under the outraged stares of the matrons on the sidewalk and the interested looks of their husbands.
The hotel doorman was attempting to argue with the driver, who ignored him except for spitting disrespectfully on the ground between the other's feet. Onlookers began to laugh openly at the scene.
"What in the world.?" Marston stopped on the edge of the crowd and examined the apparition with the rest.
"We'd better go inside before the manager comes out." Sam sounded amused. "I'm afraid Belle's come to visit."