January 20
Rosemary knew the moment that Dottie saw her new house for from beside her on the wagon, she heard her sharp intake of breath.
"Oh, Rosemary, it's absolutely astonishing!" Dottie exclaimed and placed her gloved hand on Rosemary's knee.
She felt her smile widening. "It still manages to steal my breath away every time I see it."
"I imagine so. What with those tapered columns and ornate gables. Oh, and a wrap around porch." Dottie swooned. "Have you thought of putting in a rose garden? I saw simply the most heavenly rose garden in Calgary. It was just off the side of the house, and it even had a fountain. Imagine- a fountain in Hope Valley!"
Rosemary committed that to memory. From the way the French doors swung open on the south side, it would be the most beautiful view of a garden in the evenings. There would be roses of all colors, and if there was to be a fountain in town, Lee would make sure it belonged to her. She could almost imagine her and Lee sitting there, enjoying the cool of the evening after the baby was down for the night.
"Whoa!" Mr. Jameston called to the horses as he slowed the wagon in front of the house. Lee emerged from the house, in his work clothes and work gloves. Why, she hadn't expected him home in the middle of the day. And by the confused look on his face, he wasn't expecting any visitors, either.
"Darling, Mr. Jameston here has brought us a special delivery."
Lee quirked an eyebrow, approached the wagon, took off his work glove and shook Harvey's hand.
He looked across to her. "And what might that be? Or should I ask?" A smirk lifted at the edges of his mouth.
"Of course you should ask, you silly goose!" She gasped as Lee's strong arms encircled her waist, then dropped her gently to the ground. "Dottie's lent me her sewing machine."
"Oh, that's awfully generous of you." He gave Dottie a genuine smile.
"I figured with the shop being closed until the capture of Kirill and Fife, it would be put to much better use with Rosemary." Dottie said matter-of-factly from atop the wagon. Then she turned to Rosemary. "Just please take extra good care of it. It was the last thing Silas gave to me."
Rosemary nodded. "You can trust me."
"I know Rosemary's been itching for a project." He turned to Rosemary. "But why did you bring it here?"
She put her hand on his arm. "Because, silly, you will be working overtime all this week, and your precious wife didn't want to be home all alone. So, I thought, why not bring it here- where my husband spends every waking moment?"
Lee looked up, embarrassed. "It's not every waking moment."
"Just most of them." She said.
Lee shrugged. "Well, let's get this thing unloaded, shall we?"
Mr. Jameston jumped off the wagon and opened the back gate. The men hemmed and hawed getting the heavy machine out of the back of the wagon and into the parlor.
While they worked, Rosemary motioned for Dottie to follow her into the house. Immediately upon entering, Dottie oohed and awed as she looked at the home for the first time.
"Ta- da!" Rosemary swung her arms out beside her and twirled around in the magnificence of the new house.
Dottie clasped her hands to her bosom. "Oh, it truly is the most magnificent house of all of Hope Valley."
She nodded. "Lee wouldn't have it otherwise. And lookâmy new settee." She pulled back a bit of the paper it was still encased in. "It was just delivered last week. It's upholstered in Italian velvet, from Palmer & Embury's in New York. It's the latest trend. Don't you just love it?" She patted the plush fabric with her hand, then motioned to an empty spot near the fireplace. "It will go just perfectly with the carved mahogany side table when it's delivered, hopefully sometime next week."
"Oh it is delightful. I can just imagine the talks over tea we will have in this room. And it is so large."
"Just wait until you see the upstairs."
A grunt came from the front door. Mr. Jameston was standing there looking worn and ready to go. They had, after all, used every ounce of his patience in all of their requests.
Dottie gave Rosemary a sorrowful look. "Perhaps another time?"
Rosemary's heart sunk to the floor. "Surely. Please come anytime soon."
Lee stood next to her on their grand porch as they watched Mr. Jameston assist Dottie into the wagon, take up the reigns and escort the horses down the lane, dust whirling up behind them. What a pity her dear friend couldn't stay and see all the beautiful details of her new home.
Lee pushed a curl back from her face. "There will be another opportunity."
She nodded, feeling silly at the tears that were gathering at the back of her throat.
He was right. There would be a day, hopefully in the not too far future, she'd be able to fully catch up with her dearest friend. But for now, she was going to get acquainted with another dear old friend: the 1910 treadle Singer sewing machine awaiting her in her parlor.