Page 25 of Leather and Lace
“Do not tell me you have done this foolhardy thing.”
Mary knew what her mother meant. Her preference for women had always been known without her ever saying the words aloud. Sarah James had always been observant, and she had headed off her daughter at every pass. They both knew what ‘foolhardy thing’ she referenced. Mary lifted her chin in defiance.
“I have. But my wedding is not foolhardy. It is the one true thing I have done for myself.”
Sarah James’s eyes shut, and she sucked in a shuddering breath. “Your papa spoiled you rotten,” she hissed through clenched teeth. Opening her eyes, she shook her head slowly at her daughter. “First you find yourself compromised, spoiled goods, and now this.” She flung a hand out towards the couple and then waved towards the chapel. “Do you know how difficult it will be to remedy this? There is no way Mister Pierce will be foolish enough to take you as a bride now, you stupid girl!”
Mary shook her head and squeezed Alex’s hands tighter. “There is no remedying this. I’ll not undo it.”
“And aside from that, there is no Mister Pierce,” Alex interjected with a raised eyebrow.
“What do you know about it? I have the correspondence as proof.”
“Yes, you do. From an Alex Pierce, yes.”
Sarah James bit her lip and raised an eyebrow at Alex’s comment. Mary could see the wheels in her mother’s mind spinning wildly. The woman was trying to work out what Alex meant but when she could not, finally gave a stiff nod acknowledgement.
“Yes. And what of it?” she asked.
Alex continued speaking then, “You really ought to not assume things simply by a name. Alex is a fitting name for both a man... and a woman.”
Her eyes widened and Sarah James nearly gasped. “You? Alex Pierce, is you?”
Alex nodded. “My full name is Alexandria, but I much prefer Alex. I know you do not approve of the match, but your daughter has married, and she has done it in front of the entire town to boot. There will be no undoing this or sweeping it away. We are married in truth, as wives, with all of Gold Sky as witnesses.”
Sarah James staggered back a step at the revelation. “The entire town?” she whispered, hands coming up to rub her temples. She looked at Mary accusingly. “You did this on purpose, you brat. You tricked me! How could you do such a thing to your own mother?”
“I would do it again in a heartbeat,” Mary admitted, not shrinking from her mother’s accusing eyes. “All my life you have wanted me to be someone I am not, something you wanted to fit into a perfect life. I’m not perfect, mama. I never wanted to be, and now you can’t make me do it. I’m a married woman and free of what you want.”
For a moment no one said anything. Violet stared at the trio with wide dark eyes. Alex clutched Mary’s hand and for her part Mary scarcely found it in her to breathe. Then Sarah James did what she did best. She recovered her sense of decorum and pride as she saw fit.
Mary watched with bated breath as the familiar icy facade her mother preferred slipped into place, the fire went out of her just like that and suddenly it was as if they had never known each other. They were no longer mother and daughter, but two strangers gazing upon one another though Mary’s did so with longing and hurt while her mother looked upon her dispassionately.
“You’ve made your bed then. Make the most of it, as I will not take you back.” She then turned on her heel and just as quickly as she arrived, took her leave. Back straight and steps purposeful, Sarah James cut through the crowd. Mary watched her mother’s figure until she could no longer distinguish her form from the partygoers. She bit her lip and sagged against Alex with a shake of her head.
“That was dreadful,” Violet whispered. “Are you all right?” She asked Mary gently.
Mary was quiet for a moment and then nodded. “Yes, yes, I am. Thank you for asking, Violet.” It was painful knowing her mother had left her then, but it was also freeing. Mary had never been under any illusion that her mother would love her as she was, and now with the lines and ties being neatly drawn and cut as they were, Mary was finally able to breathe without the feeling of impending loss looming over her.
“You’ve got me,” Alex told her, drawing her close into an embrace. “I’ll never leave you, Minnie. We are family now. You, me, and the little one on the way.”
Family.
The one word was enough to make Mary ache and she drank up the steady feel of Alex’s arms beneath her hands. They were married, there was no undoing it, the entire town knew of their vows, and even if they were arranged it was quite enough for Mary. Tomorrow she would begin to mourn the loss. But tonight? She smiled up at her wife and felt her heart speed up at the flash of teeth Alex sent her way.
Why, tonight she would celebrate her marriage and her future.
Chapter 10
The wagon ride to Alex’s, no…theirnew home, Mary reminded herself, was pleasant enough. They were only ten minutes outside of town and she was happy to know she could make the walk if she so chose. She had never driven a wagon and wasn’t sure she could manage it, though when she expressed her fears to Alex the other woman had chuckled and told her they would ‘learn it together then.’
Together. Mary loved the thought of them doing anything together.
They entered the home, a respectably built cabin, single story with a small porch and a cheery yellow door. She liked that door. Mary also liked the simple but comforting feeling of the cabin. There were handwoven rugs covering the wooden floor and curtains to match the door hanging in the windows. She glanced about the entryway and saw there was not one but two overstuffed settees, a fireplace and a small bookcase full of books. Beyond that she saw what looked to be a combined kitchen and dining room. She paused, looking off to the right where there was a hallway, she took a curious step towards it before Alex spoke from behind her where she was bolting the door.
“The bedrooms and washroom are down that way,” she said with a nod of her head. “I can give you a tour now if you like. It’s a simple home but we have plenty of room to grow and build as we see fit. It’s too dark to show you the barn or the paddock really, but we can walk the land first thing in the morning if you like.”
Mary nodded but then paused. “You would allow me a say in how you build?” she asked.
