The Shepherd's Betrothal (18 page)

Drake and Sally roared with laughter.

I
an worked day and night trying to get ahead of his duties on the ranch so he could take a few days off after the wedding. Hope had been doing pretty much the same. She worked constantly, cleaning up the shop in order to make her wedding gown, which he couldn't wait to see. They postponed the shop's public opening until after their wedding trip: a steamboat ride down the St. Johns River.

Mrs. Sanders was in her glory helping to plan the wedding dinner. Everyone who had come out for the build was invited, along with a few others related to the Lang family and their business. The hardest part was to accept Drake Lang's gift of an additional room being put on his cottage as his wedding present to them. But he made a logical argument that if his daughter was to have the kind of wedding expected within his social standing, he would be paying more than the cost of the small addition.

Ian washed up with a quick dip in the river after putting out fresh oats for the sheep.

Gabe came up with one of his friends, Daniel Webber, who had a four-year-old son. Daniel said he'd watch over the ranch while Ian and Hope took their honeymoon trip down the St. Johns River. Oddly enough, he had seen more of Florida than Hope, who had been born and raised there. “Evening, Gabe, Daniel. Where's Mikey?”

“He's raiding Mrs. Sanders's cookie jar.” Ian smiled. He'd been favored with some of those cookies and knew they would satisfy any sweet tooth.

“I'm here for my next lesson, Ian,” Daniel said.

Ian went over the final steps in the care and feeding of his sheep with Daniel for the next hour. “Any questions?”

Daniel grabbed the tool for cleaning their hooves. “The axial wall cleaning is all I'll have to do?”

“Correct. I've trimmed their toes, heels and soles so they are fine for a while. What about the commands for the dogs?”

Daniel went over the basic commands. “Excellent. I really appreciate your willingness to help out in this way. Now remember, don't let Mikey spoil the puppies. He can run and play with them but he can't feed them treats.”

“I understand, and I believe Mikey understands.”

“Good. I know it sounds harsh but it's what makes me dogs workers, not pets.”

“Come now, I've seen how you love your dogs, Ian,” Gabe teased.

“Of course I do, but that's only after they've earned it.”

“I'm glad God doesn't ask us to earn it.” Daniel smiled. “I'd still be trying and failing.”

Ian chuckled and added, “I'd be right behind ye, Daniel. Are ye good to stay with the animals for a couple of hours so I can see me bride to be? I believe I need to have me suit fitted.”

Daniel laughed. “It's an experience.”

Gabe chuckled. “The first time a man is fitted for clothing is an experience. Just remember, the gentleman is only measuring your pant leg.”

Ian knitted his eyebrows then widened them. “Oh.”

“Exactly.”

“I hear the sheep. I think they need me.”

Gabe grabbed Ian and pulled him toward the wagon. “See ya later, Dan.”

Daniel laughed and waved.

* * *

Humiliation—that was what marriage was—humiliation. Perhaps not marriage but certainly the wedding-in-a-church part. Ian didn't realize how much humiliation until he'd been fitted and readied for his three-piece suit with tails and a top hat. Ian tugged at the tight starched collar. “Mr. McGrae.” The tailor slapped his hand. “Stay still.”

“I'm sorry.”

Gabe snickered. Mr. Lang turned his back toward Ian. “I can't wait until it is yer turn, Gabe.”

“If I'm fortunate one day, I hope so.”

Ian smiled. “Aye, I am the fortunate one.”

Mr. Lang turned and faced him. “That ye are, son. Me daughter is a rare gem.”

“Aye, that she is. And she's worth all this fussing.”

“Good.” Drake brushed his hand on the sleeve of his coat.

“Gabe, ye do this willingly a couple of times a year?” Ian laughed. “No man needs that much clothing.”

“It's my weakness,” Gabe admitted.

There was a tap on the plate glass window of the shop. Ian glanced over. Hope's fiery red hair glowed.

He smiled. She gave him a thumbs-up. She approved; the last thirty minutes of torture were well worth it.

She came in. “That's the phoniest smile I've ever seen you make.” Hope giggled.

Gabe and Mr. Lang joined in her jocularity. Ian couldn't resist. “Ah, me love, ye know me so well.”

Ian was happy to be joining this family. He missed his own but the Langs were good people who understood the value of life as well as the value of money.

“Mum said that if you have time, she has supper for you.”

“I don't know.” Ian turned to Gabe. “Ye know Daniel, would he mind if I was late?”

“Don't know. You could send a courier to let him know.” Gabe rubbed the back of his neck.

“I'll take care of it. You are a little pinned right now,” Hope offered.

“And ye are going to do this to women? I didn't know ye were a sadist.”

The tailor cleared his throat.

“Me apologies, sir.” The heat on Ian's face felt like he'd been out in the hot Florida sun with no protection for days.

Hope laughed. “Just remember you're doing this for me.” She winked. “I'll send a message and have the courier come back with a reply.”

“Thank ye.” He turned, the tailor's needle stuck him.

“Sorry.”

Ian groaned.

* * *

After dinner, Hope rode with Ian back to his ranch so she could take home Daniel and Michael. The entire family had spent the evening joking and teasing one an other, and Ian fit right in with the mix. Hope slid closer and snuggled with him.

“It is a good thing we be married in a few days.”

Hope giggled. “I'm looking forward to it.”

A horse and rider came up beside them. “Mr. McGrae, Miss Lang,” Sheriff Bower called out. Ian pulled the reins for the horse to stop.

“I'm glad I caught up with you. I wanted to report on the problems you were facing with your land purchase. Billy Newman confessed. He and Hamilton Scott worked together to defraud several folks with these false land claims. They would write a false title of land ownership, then threaten the owners with court action, as they did with you, Mr. McGrae. Then Mr. Scott, acting as S. H. Wilson, would ask for a small—or not so small—fee to give the false title of the land to the rightful owners. It worked several times. I'm hoping to recover the funds from the others who were swindled. But for now Mr. Newman and Mr. Scott are behind bars waiting for the judge.” The sheriff leaned back in his saddle and smiled. “The honorable Judge Paige will be presiding over their trial. His name was forged by Mr. Scott or Mr. Newman at least once.”

“Hamilton Scott?” Hope's voice faltered. “Is it true, Sheriff?”

“He denies the charges, but according to Mr. Newman, he's the one. Didn't you work for him at one point?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Did you know about this?”

“No, sir. I would have told you if I knew.”

Ian placed a loving hand on her knee. “Hope, Gabe said ye were fired falsely. Could that have anything to do with Mr. Scott's recent actions?”

“No… Well, wait a minute. The reason I was fired was that I corrected some paperwork. I caught the errors and fixed the paperwork before sending it out to the client. Mr. Scott said I sent the client the wrong paperwork but what he'd given me to send had so many errors I had to fix it. I thought he'd appreciate my thoroughness. Apparently, I was wrong.”

The sheriff raised the brim of his hat. “Miss Lang, I'd like you to write down your recollection of this event. I know the two of you are getting married in a couple of days but this information might help in our investigation. If you could remember who the letter was addressed to, that would also be helpful.”

“I'll do that later tonight before I retire for the evening,” Hope offered.

“Speaking of retiring, I best get a move on. My wife will be mighty happy I didn't have to go all the way out to your ranch tonight.”

“Good night, Sheriff, and thank ye.” Ian waved.

Hope watched Sheriff Bower leave. Ian picked up the reins. “I am glad ye were fired by that man. I would hate to think of ye getting involved, even in a remote way, in all this mess.”

“It was a blessing, wasn't it? For months I felt worthless, that I didn't have much to offer but…”

“But ye realized yer worth, and I'm mighty glad ye did.” Ian kissed the tip of her nose. “Now, we best relieve Daniel or he will not want to stay on the ranch while we are away for our honeymoon.”

“We wouldn't want that.” Hope smiled. Life with Ian was going to be exciting.

They made it back to the ranch and within no time Daniel and Mikey were riding back to town in the buggy with her. The number of things she needed to do before the wedding seemed overwhelming, and to add writing an account of what had happened when she'd been fired by Hamilton Scott was not top on her priority list. But she would do it so she wouldn't have to deal with it later.

The next morning she went to the dress shop to finish working on her wedding gown. Along the way, she delivered the account to the sheriff. As she approached the front door of the shop a thin woman with stringy blond hair stood biting her lower lip. “Hello,” Hope called out, “how may I help you?”

“Are you the owner?”

“Yes.” Hope removed her key from the pocket of her dress. “And you are?”

“Lily Powers. I was three grades behind you in school, Miss Lang.”

Hope searched her memory of the younger grades and visually tried to place Lily. “I'm afraid I don't recall you, I'm sorry.” Hope put the brass key into the lock and turned it. “What can I do for you, Miss Powers?”

“I'm looking for a job. I can sew pretty well.”

“I'm afraid…”

Lily cut her off. “Please, my mother takes in children and, while I don't have anything against children, I'd rather do something else with my life. I figured you'd need someone to give you a hand, since everyone's talking about your dress shop and you making practical work dresses. And since you are getting married…” Lily blushed.

Hope smiled and stepped into her shop with Lily following her inside. “I was going to say I would need to see a sample of your work but I'm afraid I won't be able to do that until after I return from my marriage trip.”

“Oh, well, I made the dress I'm wearing.” Lily pulled up the hem of her skirt and showed her stitching. “We don't have a sewing machine so I've done all this work by hand.”

Hope wanted to hire someone to do some of the sewing, and Lily had a fine hand for stitching. “I'll tell you what. I'll need you to learn how to use a sewing machine. Do you think you can have someone teach you the basics while I'm away?”

Lily nodded yes.

“Good. Then after I return you can show me a sample of your work with the machine.”

Lily beamed. “Oh, thank you, thank you, Miss Lang. You won't be disappointed. I promise.”

“I'll see you in two weeks.”

“Yes ma'am, two weeks. I'll be here with my sample.”

Hope smiled and said her salutations. She hadn't meant to give Lily the impression she'd been hired, but if she could master the sewing machine, Hope could use the help. The real question was could she afford it so early in her business?

Hope traced the Irish lace she'd been sewing on the bodice of her wedding dress. The lace was a pattern design her mother had taught her, that her grandmother had taught her. Rumor had it that this pattern went back eight generations. Hope smiled. Perhaps one day she'd be teaching this same pattern to her and Ian's daughter.

“H
ope!” Grace Martin burst through the front door. “We have to— Oh my, your gown is beautiful.”

Hope smiled. “Thank you. But that isn't what you came to talk about, is it?”

“No, I'm afraid it won't do to have me as a matron of honor. I'm in the family way.”

“That's why you're a matron, not a maid of honor.”

Grace rolled her eyes heavenward. Hope laughed then sobered. “Grace, please, you've been through all of this with Ian and me. You've helped me stay focused on the real issues that matter. You just have to.”

“But I'm expecting. You know how society feels about women who are in my condition. We are to try and hide it.”

“Well, aren't you glad I'm not having a high-society wedding? In fact, there are only a handful of people who will be at the church. The rest will be at the farm for the meal.”

Grace walked over to the gown and fingered the lace collar. “You are going to look stunning in this. And you put in a bustle?”

Hope laughed. “You remember how Ian, when he first came to America, took his dogs everywhere with him and everyone wanted one of his pups?”

Grace nodded.

“Well, that's what I'm doing with this dress. I know there will be gawkers looking on to see what I designed for my wedding gown. Then there are those who are only concerned that Ian and I were not formally courting for a year. But father made it quite clear he reinstated the betrothal.”

“Your father is a gem.”

“Yes, he is. Well, since you're here, you can help me try this on.”

Sally Lang walked into the store. “I'm here. Oh, gracious, ye did a wonderful job, Hope. I'm so proud of ye.”

“Thank you, Mum. Come help us put this gown on me.”

“Certainly.” Sally Lang plopped her purse in one of the chairs and walked over to the changing area.

After fifteen minutes the ladies had the dress on Hope. Hope felt like a princess. “I hope I didn't make this too fancy for Ian.”