Page 37 of Short-Straw Bride

The two hugged each other tightly for a moment, then separated. Cassandra reached for the solid blue polonaise with the striped trim that fit over the skirt and held it out so Meredith could slip her arms into the sleeves. As it settled into place with its elegant draping in the back, Meredith snuck a peek at herself in the bureau mirror. “I’ve never worn anything so fine, Cass. I feel like a princess.”

“Well, you should.” Her smiling eyes met Meredith’s in the glass. “Your prince is certainly handsome. No wonder your infatuation lasted all these years. The Archer men are a comely bunch—those rugged physiques and the mysterious air surrounding them. Did you ever learn why they are so adamant about keeping to themselves?”

After twelve years, the Archers were grown men and no longer faced the dangers that threatened them when they were children, but even so, Meredith couldn’t bring herself to share what little she knew. It seemed disloyal to Travis somehow, and if he was to be her husband, he deserved her loyalty. Perhaps if he grew to trust her, he would grow to love her as well.

Meredith turned away from the mirror and gathered up her shoes along with the button hook Cassie had dug out of the trunk. “I’ve been laid up in bed, Cass, recovering from an injury. We haven’t exactly had time to delve into the Archer family secrets.”

“I suppose not. More’s the pity.” She sat on the bed behind Meredith and began undoing her cousin’s braids. “I guess I forgot about your injury in all the wedding excitement. You seem to be much recovered.”

“The dizziness has passed, for the most part, but my head still aches a bit. Oh, and the area behind my left ear is rather tender,” she warned as Cassandra tugged a hairpin free near the spot where Samson’s hoof had collided with her skull.

Cassie’s hands immediately gentled. “I’ll be careful.”

Once the braids were undone, she ran the brush through Meredith’s hair and Meredith closed her eyes as the bristles massaged her scalp, sending delightful tingles along her neck.

“It’s too bad we don’t have time to roll your hair in rag curls,” Cassie said. “You look so pretty in ringlets. But the wave from your braids will give us just the right volume for a lovely French twist. And I have ribbons to dress it up even more. Travis won’t be able to take his eyes off of you when we get done.”

Meredith allowed herself a smile as she submitted to her cousin’s artful ministrations. She knew she was no great beauty, and the prettiest hair in the world couldn’t hide her limp or make up for the fact that she was a bride of duty instead of love. But if Travis could look at her this morning with appreciation flaring in his eyes when all she’d worn was a faded housedress, perhaps seeing her in full bridal finery would dissolve any lingering regret he harbored from drawing that short straw.

She’d vowed to the Lord last night to do her best to be the wife Travis needed, but in her heart of hearts, she desperately wished to be the wife he wanted.

17

Travis paced along the front of the house. An hour. Meredith and her cousin had been closed up in his room for an hour. How long did it take a woman to change her dress, for pity’s sake? He was going to be out a full day’s work at this rate.

Crockett was doing his best to keep the visitors entertained. Well, the parson, at least. The two of them were sitting on the porch discussing sermon topics and spiritual flock tending as if they had known each other for years.

Jim and Neill had returned to work on the lean-to, promising to come as soon as the women were ready. That left Travis with Everett Hayes, a man he respected little and trusted even less. They’d run out of things to say to each other after the first five minutes. So now, Everett Hayes sat on the porch eyeing the Archer pines as if he were measuring them for his mill while Travis paced the yard in front of the house, tension coiling tighter in his gut with each pass.

By the time the front door finally opened, he’d wound himself so tight, he nearly sprang out of his boots.

Cassandra stood in the doorway, one of those dazzling smiles on her face. “Thank you for your patience, gentlemen. We’re ready for you to take your places in the parlor.”

As she slipped back into the house, Travis mumbled, “It’s about time.”

Everett Hayes had the gall to wink at him. “Better get used to it, Archer. Things are never the same after you install a woman in your house.”

“That is true,” the parson said as he pushed up out of his chair, his expression slightly censorious as he glanced at Everett. “But if the Lord is installed, as well, the changes can bring blessing to a man.” He shifted his attention and peered at Travis. “Marriage is a sacred union, son, and not something to dread. As Ecclesiastes says, ‘Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. . . . A threefold cord is not quickly broken.’ Keep God woven into your relationship and this union will make you stronger. But if you treat it as a burden, it will become one.”

Travis stared into the kind eyes of the preacher and nodded. This was not the time to fret over work going undone or to stew about Everett Hayes and his connection to Mitchell. This was the time to focus on family, old and new. For that is what Meredith would be after today—family. And as such, she deserved his consideration and his patience. The work would keep.

“You all go in,” he said. “I’ll fetch Jim and Neill.”

Travis made his way toward the lean-to, and when his brothers came into view, he called out a greeting and waved them in.

Neill jogged over to meet him. “It’s time, Trav?”

“Yep.”

“It’s sure gonna be strange having a girl livin’ here.” Neill leaned against the wall of the shed, his knees and elbows poking out at odd angles. “I reckon I’ll hafta start pullin’ on my trousers before I go use the outhouse at night, huh?”

Travis fought to keep a straight face. The boy looked seriously aggrieved by the inconvenience. “Yep, I reckon so. But at least you won’t have to worry about the washing anymore.”

Neill’s face brightened considerably at that. “Jim told me that she’d be taking over the cookin’ but he didn’t mention nothing ’bout the washin’.” He bounced away from the shed and gave a little hop toward the house. “C’mon, Trav. Get a move on. We gotta get you hitched!”

Travis chuckled. “Go clean up at the pump, scamp. I’ll be there in a minute.” Neill trotted off, and Travis turned to Jim. “You think the kid’s glad to get off laundry detail?”

“He might change his tune when all his duds start smellin’ like flowers,” Jim groused.