Part 22 (2/2)
”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.”
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