Letters and Love

Chapter Thirty: Noah

"Your wedding lunch will be at the cafe," Mrs. Royal proclaimed immediately. "It might not be fancy or have a cake, but I have apple pie."

My stomach rumbled at the mention of food. Elizabeth let out a laugh, her eyes sparkling with sudden humor. "I have had your pie and I think it will be more than satisfactory," she responded. "That is, if the reverend has no more objections to give?"

Right. I'd forgotten that Michael Rollins had just been objecting to marrying us. When I turned my gaze on the man I'd thought was a friend I could trust, I was surprised to see that his expression was one of defeat. He wasn't satisfied with what he'd just heard?

"Step inside and I will perform the ceremony," he said with a distinct lack of enthusiasm. He gestured at the saloon. "Unless the bottles have already been opened..."

His voice trailed away before he finished his sentence. Another excuse? While I knew there were those who used Sunday as a day to drink their sorrows away, I couldn't think of anyone who did so in our little town. Even if they didn, none would object to pausing the activity long enough for a wedding. Why was he offering so much resistance?

Did this have something to do with Burns' comment that they had "discussed" the situation and had agreed on something?

"They're here!" Elizabeth exclaimed, making me start. "If the reverend feels it would be too offensive to marry us at the saloon, I'm sure Martha will know of a solution."

"Martha? You mean Martha Harper?" Rollins twisted around to see the wagon that was coming into town. "They never come to town on Sunday."

Why did he sound so put out by the information? This was outside of enough!

"They are to be our witnesses for our wedding," I informed him, my tone sharper than it probably should have been. "Elizabeth asked Mrs. Harper—Martha—to stand up with her. Maid—no. Matron of honor, kind of thing. I'm just surprised to see them so late. Something must have happened."

Elizabeth's hand slipped from mine as she hurried forward. She and Mrs. Harper both began speaking at the same time when the wagon slowed. Mrs. Harper was all apology for being late and Elizabeth was trying to explain what had happened to us.

"It looks as though you have planned everything out, haven't you," Rollins said, turning back towards me.

"Isn't that what a man should do when he intends to be married?" I responded, eyeing him with suspicion. Time to face his disapproval head on. "I get the feeling you had a different plan in mind. What? Did you and Burns plan out how to appease his sensibilities without thinking to consult me?"

His face flushed. "It would have peacefully resolved everything for everyone involved," he objected, his tone defensive. "And isn't that what we all wanted? To resolve a misunderstanding?"

"Certainly, but you knew there had been no misunderstanding on my side. You also knew I was corresponding with Elizabeth with the intention of marrying her."

"I've seen more of the world than you have. I know how often these types of correspondences come to nothing. I assumed—"

"There's your problem," I interrupted, thoroughly annoyed. "You assumed. You assumed you knew better than me how to run my life. You assumed I would just do as you said. As someone who has seen more of the world, as you claim, you should have known what a stupid plan that was."

Careful. I couldn't afford to make him any more angry. Not when he was the only man in town to marry us. I didn't want to risk making him angry enough to refuse to perform the wedding.

"I was simply trying to help." Good grief! Now he sounded like a petulant child.

"I don't think anyone needs your kind of help." I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I'm disappointed. I wouldn't have expected this of you. I trusted you to help me."