“All done,” she said cheerfully and hugged him. “Good wishes for the future, Matthew.” She walked out and shut the door behind her.
“What’s this?” he asked, plucking at her nightgown.
“It is what one wears to bed.”
He stepped closer and then yanked it off her over her head and tossed it aside. “Maybe in the winter. When it is verra cold and ye want a little extra.”
Abigail tried to cover herself and hopped into bed, pulling the covers over herself. “So if the house catches on fire I can just run out naked?”
“At least ye wouldnae have to worry about flapping cloth catching fire,” he said as he shed his clothes and climbed into bed. “Was Jeremiah all right?”
“Just wanted to eat and be changed. The usual demands.” She squeaked in surprise when he pulled her into his arms then looked up to find him grinning at her.
“What are you looking so pleased about?”
“This. Soon it will be like this every night.”
“Even in the winter?”
“Depends on how bad the winter is, and you have those quilts. More blankets will help.”
She laughed and kissed him. That quickly led to more and Abbie willingly followed where he led. She decided there were many more advantages to getting married than she had considered.
Chapter Nineteen
Sealing the envelope, Abigail sighed and fought the urge to open it again and write a new letter. Iain had drawn a beautiful picture of the baby and was working on one of Robert and Julia on the day of their marriage when they had paid for a proper picture to be taken. She believed it would be something Jeremiah would like.
Glancing at the framed photograph on the edge of the desk she sat at, she sighed. They had been so young and had looked so hopeful and happy. It made her sad to think of how the life they had wanted together had been cut short. The dress Julia had worn had easily disguised her pregnancy so there was a sweet innocence to the picture.
Shaking her head, she pushed the thoughts of her dead friend aside. There were too many who had lost their chance at a future in this war, on both sides. She could not sink herself in misery over such things.
“Are ye finished?” asked Matthew as he walked into the small room Iain kept as an office so they could keep a good record of how much money they gained from all the things his family did.
“I am. I was just looking at the picture of Robert and Julia and feeling sad, especially since we will soon start the future they were denied.”
He stepped up behind her and kissed the top of her head as he massaged her shoulders. “It is sad, but ye have given that to her son.”
“Wehave,” she said. “This needs to be posted. And now I need to see if the others need me.” She shook her head. “I am not sure why they are doing so much work.”
“They want to.” He took the envelope from her. “I will post this and get out of everyone’s way.”
“Coward.”
“Thoroughly and nay afraid to admit it.”
Abigail laughed as he strode away then went to the kitchen where the women were busy making food for the ceremony tomorrow. “That is a lot of food. Are you sure we need so much?”
“We do,” said Mrs. O’Neal. “We will have all this crowd, the Joneses, the preacher’s family, and a few people who stayed in town, plus what few we have whom we can call neighbors.”
“Why?”
“There has been little to celebrate round here, dear. It has become almost custom to invite everyone to any kind of celebration. This one? A marriage? It is something that speaks to a lot of people, of happiness, love, and a future.” She shrugged. “It will be good for them. A happy time amidst all this killing.”
“I suppose. What can I do to help?”
“You finished that letter to the Collinses?” asked Emily.
“Yes. I forced myself not to pull it out of the envelope and try yet again. I had already tried writing it more times than I care to count and told myself that was enough. Jeremiah would be headed to school before I finished it if I didn’t stop.” She smiled faintly when David Jones’s wife, Sarah, laughed.
