The Brickmaker's Bride (31 page)

“Are you thinking of the child or of yourself, Uncle Hugh? I know Aunt Margaret will be difficult to live with when she finds out, but I’m praying she’ll soon see that her actions only make her look small in the eyes of others. Kathleen has asked forgiveness for what she’s done, but Margaret won’t even acknowledge that her behavior toward her sister is offensive and wrong.” He tapped his uncle’s chest with his forefinger. “And you know it is, Uncle Hugh.”

“Aye, but I must live with the woman. I’ve tried to talk to her, but you can see how far I get. Don’t say anything about the babe just yet. Let me tell her in due time.”

“Don’t wait too long or she’ll hear it from others, and that would be even worse.”

Hugh sighed. “Can you not keep news of the babe to yourselves for a wee bit longer?”

“I suppose we can. I haven’t told the girls. Laura and I agreed we’d speak to them together. I’ll explain to Laura and ask her to refrain from telling any of her acquaintances. Of course, I don’t know if Mrs. Woodfield will tell anyone of our plans, but I think she’ll cooperate. Right now, she’s more interested in the hurried wedding arrangements.”

His uncle’s shoulders relaxed. “And that’s as it should be. The wedding is the most important thing right now.”

“And the partnership agreement. You’ll see to it before my wedding day?”

Hugh patted Ewan on the shoulder. “First I have to get Margaret settled to the fact that you’re marrying Miss Woodfield. Then I’ll see about the agreement. You’d better get back to the brickyard. Don’t want any more accidents happening.”

Hugh turned and stepped back inside. The click of the closing door resounded in Ewan’s ears.

A
inslee, Adaira, and Rose, wearing dresses of burgundy velvet, led the procession down the stairway of Woodfield Manor. Wearing her mother’s reconstructed ivory satin gown, edged with fine Irish lace, Laura followed Rose down the steps. Laura’s mother had moved mountains to make certain the gown was a perfect fit for Laura—and completed on time. Seamstresses in Bartlett had worked day and night to recreate Mrs. Woodfield’s wedding dress into a slightly more modern gown. Wearing the rather ornate dress had been Laura’s one concession to her mother. Mrs. Woodfield had prepared a long invitation list, but Laura had held fast to her decision for a small wedding at home. Her mother finally agreed to the arrangement but only after Laura agreed to wear the fancy wedding gown.

In truth, both women knew there hadn’t been adequate time to organize a large wedding before the baby’s birth. Laura now believed her mother had prepared the long invitation list only as a ruse to gain Laura’s approval of the wedding gown. And it had worked.

An invitation had been sent to Hugh and Margaret, and though Margaret refused to attend, Hugh agreed he would be
present. Hugh had apologized for Margaret’s refusal, adding she still held fast to the idea that Laura was marrying Ewan to regain an interest in the brickyard. In addition, his wife believed that Ewan and Laura were attempting to cause her pain and embarrassment by adopting Kathleen’s child.

Neither allegation was true, but Margaret remained unconvinced and unwilling to attend the marriage ceremony. Ewan still hadn’t received his partnership agreement, but Hugh promised it would be waiting for him when he returned from their wedding trip to Pittsburgh. Laura wondered if Hugh’s promise was sincere, but only time would tell. Unless Margaret convinced her husband to break his promise, Laura held out hope that Hugh would finally keep his word.

Ewan stood near the fireplace in the grand parlor, looking more handsome than ever in his black formal wear. Since his uncle had deemed it impossible to stand as Ewan’s best man, his cousin, Ian, agreed to do the honors. Mrs. Woodfield had seen to proper attire for Ian, but the poor fellow still looked as out of place as a stem of thistle in a bouquet of roses. The preacher was positioned near Ewan’s side, and tall gold urns filled with fresh evergreens flanked either side of the fireplace. The three girls took their places to the left of the minister as Laura stepped forward to stand beside Ewan.

He tipped his head close. “You look beautiful.”

She smiled up at him, her heart swelling with joy and thankfulness that this fine man wanted to become her husband, that they would soon become parents of a newborn babe, and that Rose, Adaira, and Ainslee would become more than her friends. They would now be her sisters, and she and Ewan would have the family they both desired.

The preacher led them through their vows. After they had each promised to love and cherish the other for the remainder
of their days, he pronounced them husband and wife. “Ewan, you may kiss your bride.” The preacher smiled at the couple as he closed his Bible.

“This is the moment I’ve been waiting for all day.” Ewan grinned at Laura, then lowered his head and kissed her with such passion that the preacher cleared his throat. Ewan released his bride and turned to the preacher. “Is there something wrong?”

The preacher chuckled. “The rest of us would like to partake of the refreshments. I was afraid the food would grow stale if I didn’t interrupt that kiss.”

Ewan laughed and patted the preacher on the shoulder. “After conducting such a fine wedding, I would not want you to eat stale food.” He waved to the others. “The preacher is going to lead you to the refreshments.”

Mrs. Woodfield stepped to Laura’s side. “You and Ewan are supposed to go first, my dear, not the preacher.”

“We’re not in any hurry, Mother. We’ve already broken with many wedding traditions, so why not this one, as well?”

Mrs. Woodfield grasped the preacher’s arm. “Very well, then. Come along, everyone. There are refreshments to be enjoyed.”

Darach and Elspeth remained close to Ian and his wife as they followed Mrs. Woodfield into the other room. In the end, neither Uncle Hugh nor any of the other Irish relatives had appeared. Ewan wasn’t certain why, but he assumed Uncle Hugh feared Aunt Margaret’s wrath, and the others feared losing their jobs at the brickyard. Though he would have liked to have them there to celebrate and witness his marriage, he wouldn’t let their absence ruin their day. Herman Lofton had appeared to witness the marriage, along with several members of Mrs. Woodfield’s social circle.

Ewan grasped Laura’s hand and kissed her palm. “Remember the day Rudy Banks failed to watch the fire in the kilns and the damage we suffered at the brickyard?”

His question puzzled her. “Why would you think of that terrible event on our wedding day?”

“There’s a good lesson to be learned from all of the ruin we suffered that day.” He ran his finger across her lips. “The adversity at the brickyard was a reminder to me that love and bricks both need a slow, steady burn in order to become strong and withstand the test of time. I promise to tend the fire of love between us and never let it go out.”

He cupped her cheek in his palm, traced the curve of her cheek with his thumb, and once again claimed her lips, just as she had claimed his heart.

Laura held her hand to the light and watched the sun glint off the gold band on her finger.
Mrs. McKay
.
Mrs. Ewan McKay
. She turned and smiled at her bridesmaids, who’d gathered in her bedchamber to help her prepare for her wedding trip. “You all will need to teach me how to be a sister. I haven’t any practice.”

Ainslee flopped on the bed. “We’ll make sure you know all the basics.”

“And what would those be?”

“How to share secrets. How to giggle half the night. How to have a good cry.”

“Girls.” Rose held up the claret traveling dress Laura had chosen as her going-away outfit. “There will be plenty of time to tell Laura all those things when she returns. Her new husband is waiting.”

Adaira sank onto the bed beside her twin. “And how to put up with a bossy big sister.” She stuck out her tongue in Rose’s direction.

Laura chuckled and asked the girls to help her change. She
didn’t want to keep Ewan waiting on their wedding day. Once dressed, she pinned her matching hat in place and twirled in front of her new sisters. “How do I look?”

Ainslee crawled off the bed. “Too good for Ewan.”

They shared a laugh. The first as sisters, and it warmed Laura’s heart.

A knock on the door startled them. “Are you all kidnapping my bride?” Ewan called.

Rose managed to stifle her laughter. “She’ll be right out.”

Laura held out her hands and wiggled her fingers, asking the girls to join her. The four of them formed an intimate circle. “I want to thank you all for loving and accepting me into your family. You each mean the world to me, and I promise I will do my best to make our home one that is filled to the brim with love and faith.”

“And babies?”

The hope in Adaira’s eyes sent a familiar jolt of pain through Laura. “There will only be the one baby, I’m afraid. I had an accident when I was about your age. The doctor said I would never be able to have children.”

Beside her, Rose sucked in a breath, then squeezed Laura’s hand while Adaira shrugged. “It’s just as well. One screaming baby will be more than enough.” Ainslee slipped her arm through Rose’s. “And it just means Rose will have to get married a lot sooner.”

The four of them made a second procession down the staircase to where Ewan waited impatiently for his bride. He met her at the foot of the stairs. “Our trunks have been loaded. Are you ready?”

Laura glanced around. “I’d like to say good-bye to Kathleen and tell her we’re praying for her.”

Ewan feared they might miss their train if they delayed any
longer, so Rose offered to extend Laura’s message and hurried away to do so. Laura kissed her mother’s cheek, and then she and Ewan were whisked away by the well-wishers toward the carriage. Two gallant white horses snorted and pawed at the earth, eager to depart.

Ewan assisted her inside, then climbed in and settled himself beside her. “Ready to start our life together?”

“Absolutely.”

“Zeke, how fast can you get us to the station?”

Zeke lifted the reins. “I’ll get you there on time. You can be sure.”

“Wait!” Rose raced toward the carriage. She pressed her hand to her midsection and looked knowingly at her brother. “You can’t leave. It’s
time
.”

“Now?” His voice hitched.

She nodded.

Laura dug her fingers into his arm. “But it’s too soon.”

“God’s taken care of us every step of the way, Laura. It’s going to be all right. Have faith.”

She met her husband’s gaze, steady and sure. His belief was so strong. Could she ever feel as sure as he? As they walked back into the house and began the long wait, she thought of all God had blessed her with—three beautiful sisters, a mother who would do anything for her, a wonderful husband. He’d even delivered her from Winston.

Still, all that didn’t take away the pain of loss. Her beloved father had been taken away. Her ability to bear a child was gone. Why? Would she lose this child, too? Had all her trials fulfilled a God-ordered purpose? Had they been fires to strengthen her like bricks in a kiln?

Kathleen’s screams rent the air, and Laura stiffened. As if he sensed her fears, Ewan wrapped his arm around her shoulders
and drew her against his side. “Our baby is about to enter the world.”

Lord, please help my
unbelief.

Tears coursed down her cheeks as Laura presented their newborn daughter to her husband. “She’s perfect, Ewan.”

He took the babe in his arms and stroked the back of his index finger against the infant’s cheek. “Aye. That she is. I feel my heart is nearly bursting with love today. Very few men get a new wife and a new babe on the same day.”

Laura sat down beside him. “God is so good.”

“I’m glad you see that, my love.” He glanced up. “And how is Kathleen?”

“Dr. Balch says she did very well. From the size of our daughter, he says he likely miscalculated the date she was to make her arrival.” Laura dabbed at her tears. “Kathleen has given us a great gift.”

Ewan pressed a kiss to the baby’s forehead. “Aye, that she has.”

Watching Ewan fall in love with their baby took Laura’s breath away. Why had she ever doubted God? He’d not abandoned her. He’d taken every impossible situation and given her the family she’d always desired.

She was a wife.

And a sister.

And a mother.

Ten tiny fingers and ten tiny toes. Ewan had counted them twice already.

Everything was exactly as it should be.