Joe's Wife. Cheryl St.John

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СКАЧАТЬ him out to be. Why, it would take three men to do all the things he’d reportedly done and would soon repeat.

      Meg had to concentrate on taking care of business. Preparing for this wedding certainly wasn’t like anticipating the first. With no time to have invitations printed, she wrote several notes to her friends and family and posted them, but no one showed up to help her, and the only responses she received were regrets.

      Their treatment hurt, but she refused to let it deter her. As soon as they saw that what she’d done was for the best, they would change their minds.

      Saturday morning, she gave the house a last-minute cleaning before bathing and dressing, then Gus and Purdy accompanied her into Aspen Grove.

      Only a pitiful handful of guests sat in the pews when she made her way to the front of the church. Glancing at them, she recalled her first wedding, the freshly polished pews packed with friends and family in their best clothing, the scent of chrysanthemums drifting on the summer air. That had been the happiest day of her life.

      Meg recognized Gwynn immediately and breathed a sigh of relief that at least one person from her family had chosen to bless this union.

      A dark-haired woman whom she’d seen in town and knew only as Rosa sat several rows behind Gwynn.

      Jed Wheeler sat alone at the opposite end of the hard, polished pew Rosa occupied. He slipped a finger into his shirt collar and adjusted it.

      Meg smiled at Aldo and Hunt Eaton’s shy, grinning faces, wondering if they’d asked their parents’ permission or if they’d simply left her cattle long enough to attend.

      Reverend Baker smiled warmly and gestured for Meg to take her place beside Tye.

      Finally, she allowed herself to look at him, the man she was about to marry. His deep blue eyes gave away nothing of what he was feeling. He held his solid jaw stiff and met her gaze squarely.

      “Tye?” she questioned uncertainly.

      Something behind his eyes flickered. Surprise? Doubt?

      She extended her gloved hand.

      His unreadable gaze drifted across her hair, fell to her crocheted collar and then to her gloved hand. Without pause, he accepted it with both of his and held it firmly between his large palms. Heat seeped through the fabric of her gloves.

      “Are we ready, then?” Reverend Baker asked softly.

      “We’re ready,” Tye replied.

      The reverend nodded, and to Meg’s surprise, Fiona Hill, whom she hadn’t noticed sitting behind the organ before, unskillfully launched into a wedding song. Meg gave Tye a smile, pleased that he had thought to add music to the hasty ceremony.

      “Dearly beloved,” Reverend Baker began, once the last harsh notes reverberated into the morning air.

      Meg listened to the same words he’d recited over her and Joe that sunny morning so long ago. She didn’t place the same naive hope in the vows as she once had. Her first marriage had held promise and had been a union of love.

      Not that she didn’t take this one seriously, for she did. She meant to adhere to her pledge. But this was a business arrangement, an agreement, and she in no way felt the same love and anticipation she had when she’d married Joe.

      Tye understood that.

      “And repeat after me, ‘With this ring I thee wed.”’

      Tye released her left hand, and Reverend Baker waited expectantly.

      Meg stared in numb recognition at the silver band Tye held between his long thumb and forefinger. “Oh.”

      She hadn’t been expecting a ring. She had a ring. Awkwardly, she tugged off her glove and glanced at the gold band she still wore. Joe’s ring.

      But of course, she wouldn’t be able to wear the ring Joe had given her. Her face warmed in embarrassment. Without stopping to think about what she was doing, she twisted the band from her finger, dropped the ring into her pocket and extended her hand.

      “With this ring I thee wed.” Tye’s voice sounded oddly distant as he repeated the words. He took her hand and slid the warm silver band into place, his fingers strong and hard. She stared down, finding the silver piece strangely out of place on her finger.

      A new pain, deep and dull and laced with bitter resignation, expanded in her chest. She blinked back the humiliating prickle of tears and unthinkingly gripped Tye’s hand hard. His other came to rest over the back of hers, its gentleness and warmth a much needed reassurance.

      “I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride.”.

      Without a second’s hesitation, as if he feared she might balk or bolt or burst into tears, Tye leaned forward and kissed her cheek, then quickly straightened.

      With a characteristic lack of finesse, Fiona banged out the wedding march, and Meg allowed Reverend Baker and Tye to escort her to the back of the tiny building. One by one, the few guests offered congratulations and stepped out into the sunshine.

      Gwynn gripped Meg’s fingers. “I hope this is right, Meg,” she said shakily. “I do wish you the best”

      “Thank you for coming,” Meg managed to say around the knot of distress in her throat. “I’m going to be just fine. Don’t worry about me.”

      “Well, you come to me if you need anything.” She glanced around. “Harley doesn’t know I came. So I’d best hurry home before he figures out where I went.” She pressed her cheek against her sister-in-law’s. “I’ll see you in church tomorrow.” She rushed down the wooden stairs.

      Her concern touched Meg.

      “This is Rosa Casals,” Tye said from beside her.

      “Of course,” Meg said, turning to greet the dark-eyed woman. “Thank you for coming.”

      “I just wanted to congratulate you both. Here’s a little something from me and Lottie. It’s not much.” She pressed a small, paper-wrapped package into Meg’s hands.

      “Why, thank you!” Meg said with surprise. A wedding gift!

      “Well, goodbye and good luck,” Rosa said. “Hatch, I’ll see you before I leave town.” Hastily, she left the church.

      Meg looked at the package in her hands. None of her Telford family except Gwynn had come to this ceremony. None of the other church members. If her hired hands and Tye’s two friends hadn’t come, no one would have witnessed their marriage.

      Tye stepped into the small cloakroom with Reverend Baker, and Meg realized he was paying him for the ceremony. “Come sign the certificate, Meg,” the reverend called easily.

      A few minutes later, they stood outside the building, and the surroundings seemed oddly ordinary compared with the rest of this surreal day.. “Well,” she said. “Do we need to go get your things?”

      Tye nodded.

      Gus pulled up the wagon, Purdy riding in the bed, then got down and climbed in beside СКАЧАТЬ