Page 391 of Conveniently Wed
“Really?”
“There, there.” She patted Katie’s shoulders. “I’m going to turn fifty shades of red if we keep discussing this, and so are you.”
They both laughed, and Katie allowed some of her nervous tension out.
“Come.” Ma pulled Katie to her feet. The hoop skirt made it difficult to move in the tight quarters, but she turned Katie toward the mirror with care.
“You look breathtaking, my girl, as every bride should. Do you like your hair?”
Katie gasped at what she saw. A total stranger stared back. Who was this lovely creature, so cultured and beautiful? She wore dainty matching gloves that covered her small work-worn hands and a form-fitting dress that accented her every curve.
She turned from side to side. The white veil stood out against the thick black hair twisted into elegant curls, kissing the side of her face. It cascaded free and wavy down her back. How different from the tight bun she typically wore.
“Are you pleased?”
“Ma, it’s beautiful, but it’s not me.”
“Yes, Katherine, it is you. I’ve done you a great disservice to never let you see this side of who you are.” Sadness stole into Ma’s eyes. She sniffed and shook it off. “Let’s go show the family.”
Katie allowed Ma to lead her into the kitchen, where the family waited.
Gasps filled the room as they stepped through the doorway.
Gracie was the first to speak. “Katie’s a princess, Mama.”
“Yes, she is,” Ma said.
Pa’s eyes filled with tears as he walked over to engulf Katie in a warm hug. “My beautiful daughter.”
Katie fought back the sting of tears and blinked hard.
“Now, Jeb,” Aunt May scolded. “You can’t make the bride cry after all the work Doris has done to get her ready. We have an hour ride to the church and forty-five minutes to make it on time.” She broke up the hug and propelled Katie toward the door.
Katie usually loved the small town of Lacey Spring, but not today. News had traveled fast that Mr. Richardson had invited the whole community to the wedding and an outdoor picnic after. Word was that most everyone was up for a celebration after so much sadness during the war. Sure enough, as Katie and her family rolled up to the church, the area brimmed with hitched horses and buggies. Organ music floated out from the wide-open doors. Her family filed in, except for Pa, who waited outside with her.
Katie set her mind on not focusing. When her cue came, she held her head high and walked down the aisle on Pa’s arm. With a deep breath, she looked straight past the large man in a suit smiling her way, past the preacher with his Bible in hand, and toward the stained-glass cross behind them both. She kept her eyes fixed there until the preacher said, “The ring please.”
Mr. Richardson reached for her hand and pulled her to face him. They stood sideways, with the church packed to capacity looking on. Her heart raced, and her cheeks blazed hot. Everything within her wanted to run, run, run.
He lifted her trembling hand and did the oddest thing. Instead of slipping only her ring finger from the glovethrough the secret opening made for that purpose, he slowly, methodically, removed the dainty glove. Her first reaction was to pull away, to hide the rough skin that didn’t match her pretty covering. But he held on with a firm, yet tender, grasp. He removed the ring from his pocket and slipped it on her bare finger. Then, he turned her palm upward and, with the light touch of his lips, he kissed each calloused finger.
A fluttery sensation bubbled in the pit of her stomach as he bent low so that only she could hear his words. “I never want anything to come between us, Katherine, not even a dainty white glove.”
She couldn’t stop her eyes from rounding, but she had no idea how to respond.
“Katherine, your ring,” the pastor gently prodded.
She turned to take the plain band from her pa, then fumbled to push the ring on Josiah’s finger. Heat flooded in and burnt her cheeks. His hands were large, warm, and too intimate. Her fingers took on a tremble. He came to her rescue, pushed the ring the rest of the way onto his finger, and placed his hands over hers as if to pray.
“Now, that’s a great way to start a marriage, folks. I was going to leave the prayer to the end, but I think the couple is ready.”
Everyone chuckled and bowed their heads.
The pastor droned on as if loving the sound of his own voice, but it gave Katie a much-needed moment to collect her wits. Until Mr. Richardson reached down and picked up her hands in his. The warmth of his skin penetrated the ice cold of hers, and, when the preacher was done praying, Mr. Richardson stepped closer.
“You may kiss the bride.”
A shudder ran down Katie’s spine, despite her best effort to remain stoic.
