“Aunt Maddie made him,” Knut announced.
The tassel came off into Hallie’s hand.
Maddie walked into the parlor. “Knut dear, would you please go find Liv for me?” Turning to Agnes, she explained, “I suggested that since Hallie didn’t want a large ceremony, they might as well get married today. That is, if Pastor Treadwell is available.”
“Well, of course he’s available. We just love doing weddings. And this one, well, I must say I’ve been expecting it. Why only last Sunday Mary Oatt said that Charles said that Kit Howland was just frantic with worry after the fire. Well, I’ll tell you, when I heard that, I just knew something like this would happen.”
While Agnes rambled on, Hallie kept twisting the tassels. For some reason, she couldn’t still her hands—or her stomach. She was miserable. And this was her wedding day. It should have been the happiest day of her life, but instead it was the most humiliating.
After sending the twins away, Maddie had told both Kit and her, in no uncertain terms, that Kit would marry her... today. So the one thing Hallie used to dream of, her proposal of marriage, took place on the bedroom floor, with her reluctant future husband garbed only in a sheet.
Instead of hearing words of love, Hallie got: “I guess I have to marry you.”
“Hallie?”
She looked at Maddie, who was staring at the three torn tassels in her hand. “I think you should go up and get ready. The ceremony will be at four o’clock.” Maddie nodded slightly at Agnes, who was still grinning as if she were the bride.
Dear, dear Maddie was giving her an escape, and Hallie took it.
“You look lovely, Hallie.”Maddie closed the bedroom door.
Hallie sat on a small stool in front of the dresser and looked down at her dress. It was one of the four Maddie had insisted be made for Hallie when she had first moved in. Maddie had delighted in clothing them all. “Do you really think so?”
Maddie walked across the room and placed her hands gently on either side of Hallie’s face. She tilted her face toward the mirror. “What do you think?”
Hallie bit her lip and stared at her reflection. The sleeves and the gown’s huge skirt were made of deep emerald-green silk embroidered with white, long-stemmed flowers. The skirt split in front to reveal a white silk panel embroidered with the same long flowers, only done in the deep green. The snug-fitting bodice was also done in the white. Hallie took a deep breath. “I think it’s the most beautiful gown I’ve ever seen.” She looked in the mirror at Maddie. “I don’t know how to thank you. I’ve never had anything so lovely.”
“A beautiful young woman deserves a beautiful gown. Seeing you in it gives me great joy.” She smiled and her gaze went to Hallie’s head. “Now what are we going to do about your hair?”
Hallie pulled the pins from her wad of hair. “Cut it all off!” She held up bunches of her straight, fine hair. “It never does anything but hang.”
Maddie bent over the dresser and grabbed the brush. “Let me see what I can do.”
For the next few minutes Maddie worked silently while Hallie tried to shield her fear. Maddie had her best interests at heart when she had insisted on the marriage, Hallie knew that.
“You know this marriage is best thing for you, don’t you?” Maddie asked.
Hallie shrugged, not wanting to disagree, but feeling it was worse for everyone, not best.
Maddie twisted another thin braid high on her head. “You have so much love to give, Hallie, and if ever there was anyone who needed loving, it’s my poor, foolish, hardheaded nephew. His love runs deep, dear.Trust me.”
Hallie said nothing; she just handed Maddie another hairpin.
“Don’t give up on him. Men need us women to make them aware of what’s best for them. Have you ever known a man who didn’t need a woman’s guidance?”
“Kit,” Hallie answered.
“That’s not true. He needs you more than most.”
“Why would he need me?”
Maddie pinned the last braid into the intricate cluster of interwoven plaits. She acted as if she hadn’t heard Hallie’s question.
“I said—”
“I heard you.” Maddie set the brush down and placed her hands gently on Hallie’s shoulders. “I know my nephew, and I can tell that he already cares about you.” She picked up the last pin and secured her hair. “There. Take a look.” Maddie looked at her in the mirror. “You like it?”
“It’sperfect,” Hallie answered, close to tears, unable to believe that she could look like this. Maddie had her flyaway hair in at least twenty intertwined braids that softened her face and made her look...pretty.
