Lanterns and Lace

Chapter 14

Grant believed he had the prettiest women in all of Texas sitting with him in the wagon. Rebecca wore a mint green and white ruffled frock with a matching ribbon encircling her waist and another woven in her curls. Jenny had chosen a lavender dress hosting wide, full sleeves, fitted below the elbow, and trimmed in pearl buttons trailing from a high neckline to her waist. A ribbon in different shades of lavender, green, and cream tied on a stylish hat.

He knew better than to stare. His heart raced unexpectedly at the mere thought. He quickly averted his gaze to Mimi. She joined them in an equally dazzling display of finery. His dear housekeeper wore a light blue ruffled blouse and a skirt and jacket of a dark blue. An ivory cameo trimmed in gold rested at her throat, and Grant noted just a hint of color to the older woman’s cheeks. A huge, flamboyant hat with many shades of blue and white flowers intertwined with ribbon and feathers balanced atop her head.

“My, but you ladies look beautiful,” Grant said as he helped each one of them down from his wagon at the Piney Woods Church. He didn’t understand why women went to so much trouble, but today he appreciated it. “If I’m not careful, someone will think you three are the brides, and I’ll be left all alone.”

Mimi reached up and gingerly touched the plumage as though she thought the hat might topple to the ground. “You don’t think my hat’s too large?”

“Not at all.” Grant suppressed a chuckle and waved his hands in a grandiose gesture. “It’s perfect. Beautiful. All of you are rivals to a flower garden. I think, next to Frank, I’m the luckiest man in town.”

Mimi fidgeted with the hat a moment more. “Well, if you’re certain it’s not too much. Oh, let’s hurry inside. I don’t want to miss any of this wedding.” She gave the bow on Rebecca’s dress one last touch of expertise.

Stifling his humor and still wondering if his housekeeper’s hat might take flight, Grant bent to pick up his daughter.

Mimi gasped and clutched both hands to her bosom. “No, please. She can walk. It will wrinkle her dress.”

Jenny giggled, a perfectly delightful sound. How could this vision of loveliness be so set on taking from him his most precious treasure?

“Mimi, you’d think Rebecca is getting married.” Grant feigned his irritation. “She’ll muss soon enough. May I remind you that our dear little girl didn’t nap today?”

“Exactly.” Mimi tugged on the fingers of her white gloves, which seemed to be a trifle too small. “I want to enjoy the perfection as long as possible.”

Grant laughed and offered the older woman his arm. She readjusted her hat and snatched up Rebecca’s hand. Jenny linked her arm into Grant’s free arm and gave him a quick toss of her head that sent his heart straight to the top of his derby. They were ready to celebrate the marriage of Frank Kahler and Ellen Smythe.

“This will be grand. Simply grand,” Mimi said. “Frank and Ellen deserve the best wedding this town has ever seen. I knew the first time I saw them together that this was a match made in heaven.”

Inside the church, sitting between Rebecca and Jenny, Grant became even more acutely aware of the young woman beside him. The faint smell of lilac teased his nostrils. He recognized the intoxicating scent from last Sunday when he had complimented her on its fragrance and she had told him its name. She also had told him about a lilac tree that grew outside her mother’s kitchen window and how she and Jessica had spent many hours beneath it. Grant imagined the two little girls playing with their dolls and tea sets. He inhaled again, catching another breath of her. What had happened to him? The man who loved the smell of the outdoors . . . hunting . . . working the ranch?

Frank’s younger sister, one of Mimi’s former piano students, opened the ceremony with a song Grant recognized, “O Perfect Love.” Another one of Frank’s sisters sang the melody. Grant glanced at Jenny. A tear slipped over her cheek. Perhaps she was thinking about Jessica and how her sister had missed seeing her best friend get married.

His mind slipped back to the conversation with Morgan and Casey at the ranch. At the time, his brother’s suggestion of an attraction to Jenny had frustrated him, but whenever the idea flashed across his mind, he saw more hints of the truth. But for now, his emotions must be nothing more than friendship. More important, Jenny needed to find peace with God. Second, she must deal with the turmoil inside her about taking Rebecca from him. He sensed a part of the problem came from her parents. What little information Jenny had shared about her relationship with them did not sound warm and loving. So why expose an innocent child to such coldness? Not once did Grant believe she’d succeed with her plans. He’d give his life for Rebecca.

Piano music ushered the bride past a crowd of standing friends and family.

“Isn’t Ellen lovely?” Jenny whispered.

One of Frank’s uncles escorted her, and he looked as proud of Ellen in her pale blue dress as if she were his own daughter.

“Yes, she is.” Grant leaned Jenny’s way. “Look at Frank. He looks like he’s about to bust out of his suit.”

“That’s love,” she said.

Grant refused to comment.

The young couple took their place at the front of the church, and the crowd seated themselves on both sides of the aisle. Along with a Bible, Ellen carried a small cluster of red roses, no doubt from the Rainers’ backyard. A closer study revealed moistened eyes, glowing cheeks, and a trembling smile. Grant felt a little strange noting female sentiment when he normally ignored such details, but he’d seen Ellen rise from the brothel to a beautiful bride.

Frank’s family made up the majority of guests. All the Andrews were there, too, and of course Mrs. Lewis sat in the front pew designated for mother of the bride. Grant thought the older woman beamed. She was so proud of her Ellen.

Reverend John Rainer instructed the groom to repeat his vows, and Frank’s booming voice could be heard clearly all over the church, but Ellen wept through her pledge, smiling through the tears. Finally, the reverend gave permission for Frank to kiss his bride. He turned the couple to face the onlookers and raised his arms to hush them all.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I’d like to introduce to you Mr. and Mrs. Frank Kahler. As soon as ya’ll offer your congratulations, there’s food and drink for everyone at the parsonage.”

Grant took a quick glance around at the well-wishers. Seated in the back was Aubrey Turner. He had no business being here.

A whoop and more applause exploded from inside the small church and snatched Grant’s attention. Frank grabbed his wife’s hand and hurried to the rear of the church for the reception line. Caught up in the gaiety of the festivities, Grant turned to view Jenny, who dabbed her eyes lightly with a lace handkerchief.

“It amazes me why women cry at the happiest occasions.” He grinned.

Jenny wrinkled her nose at him and daintily tucked her handkerchief back into a reticule dangling from her wrist. The drawstring bag looked heavy, but who knew what women carried in those things? She pretended to ignore him, then his teasing coaxed a smile.

“You’re incorrigible.” She stood on her toes no doubt to see the new Mr. and Mrs. Kahler through the crowd of happy people.

Rebecca, standing on the pew, peered up at her father curiously. “Papa, what’s corybil?” Her innocence prompted more laughter from Jenny.

“See what you’ve done,” Grant said.

“Papa?”

He lifted his daughter’s chin. “Sweetheart, it means your papa is . . . has . . . good manners.”

“Excellent description, Doctor,” Jenny said. “But I don’t think it fits the occasion.”

They joined the greeting line, and again Grant relished the closeness of the comely young woman beside him.

“I’m so happy for you,” Jenny said to Ellen, grasping the bride’s hand in hers. Both women were overcome with emotion.

“Our Jessica is smiling down on us,” Ellen managed. “And I know she’s glad you’re here.”

In the next moment, Jenny linked her arm into Grant’s and started down the church steps. She startled.

“What’s wrong?” Grant said, although he guessed before she spoke.

“Aubrey Turner. Ellen would never have invited him.”

“Anyone could walk in here, Jenny. But I have no idea why he’s here.”

“I don’t trust him, Grant. Something about him isn’t proper.”

He saw her quiver, but Rebecca and Mimi hadn’t heard their conversation, and he had no intention of it reaching their ears. “Ben is looking into it.”

He ushered the women into the parsonage. A three-layer vanilla cake decorated in pink rosebuds not only looked good, but its delicate flavor called out for seconds. Frank frosted Ellen’s nose with a sugared rosebud, and she iced his mustache. Late into the evening, laughter lifted and fell. The new couple was given gifts of food and household items, and children refused to give in to sleep. Not even the heat of a Texas summer night could dampen the spirits of the bride and groom or the wedding guests.

As the festivities carried on into a late hour, the reverend and Jocelyn insisted that Frank and Ellen bid everyone good night. The young couple voiced their concern over the condition of the parsonage, but many guests volunteered to stay and help. Shortly thereafter, the new Mr. and Mrs. Kahler boarded a wagon and headed for their new home.

Soon plans developed for a “serenading” to take place around midnight, when a boisterous band of singers arranged to visit the newly married couple. Grant hoped Frank and Ellen had enough food to feed the hearty group—or they’d never get rid of them.

The guests slowly disbanded, and Jenny and Grant gathered up punch cups to whisk them off to the kitchen for washing. Both of them wore aprons. His derby hat hung on the hall tree near the front entrance of the house, and her hat rested beside it.

Grant observed Jenny listening to a pair of ladies talking rather loudly near the punch bowl. She smiled politely and appeared to cling to every word.

“Can you believe Frank actually married that woman?” a matronly woman said.

“No, I can’t, Sylvia,” a second woman said. “Poor MayBelle and Pete have to face the humiliation of a daughter-in-law with a distasteful reputation.”

Sylvia fanned herself vigorously. “Who knows what Ellen did to entice poor Frank into marrying her?” She raised her eyebrows. “It won’t last a year. Mark my word. That woman will run off with everything Frank has. And my Lester agrees.”

“Excuse me.” Jenny smiled. “You two ladies aren’t referring to the new Mrs. Kahler, are you?”

Both women exchanged horrified looks. Sylvia paled, and the other woman gaped.

“My goodness,” Jenny continued. “I can see by the looks on your faces that I was sadly mistaken. Do forgive me, will you? I thought you two were speaking of Ellen Kahler. You know, she is such a dear, wonderful lady. I have never seen anyone so giving and loving. Don’t you agree Frank made a wise choice?”

The pair hastily fled the room, reproof clearly written across reddened faces. Grant watched Jenny glare angrily after them.

“Very nicely stated,” he said.

“I grew up with my mother making the same type of rude remarks. Ellen deserves a good life with Frank, but folks like those two ‘proper ladies’ will stop at nothing to make life miserable for them. Besides, Ellen could very well have been my sister.”

Admiration swept through Grant. “Frank and Ellen are pretty strong people. In time, most of the folks here in Kahlerville will forget the life she once led.”

“It can’t happen soon enough.” Jenny snatched up a stack of empty cake plates.

“I agree. Let’s finish cleaning this up and get Rebecca home. I don’t know how she keeps going.”

*****

Hours later, Grant crawled into bed. The day had been long, beginning with patients at seven this morning and ending with finally getting Rebecca into bed after the wedding. He had enjoyed every minute of the evening—more than he wanted to consider. Jenny’s face floated across his mind, their lighthearted conversation, the scent of her. He had to stop thinking about her. But tonight with Miss Jenny Martin had been very close to perfect.

Her defense of Ellen surprised him, although he realized the improbable chance of ever predicting how Jenny would react to any situation. Morgan, Ben, and the reverend had warned him about the erratic behavior of women. Of course, growing up in the same household with a sister and mother did shed light on the subject, but usually he ignored their moods. As a youth, he didn’t try to understand women, not placing much importance on the matter, except for Casey.

In the darkness of his room, Grant questioned what God had in store for him. Casey Andrews had been the first love of his life and the only woman he’d ever tried to impress. Unfortunately, she fell in love with his brother, and Grant decided never to love again. A huge difference stood between his tall, auburn-haired sister-in-law who once rode with an outlaw gang, and the petite school teacher from Cleveland, Ohio, who probably didn’t know how to ride a horse. But despite their apparent differences, both were spunky—and both would give the devil a run when they were angry.