“Absolutely not,” he assured her, his eyes dark with emotion.
The ceremony was perfect, not overly long but with everything they’d wanted. Kate thought her heart would burst when she was finally able to turn and look out over the sea of friendly faces as Mrs. Marshall Riggs. They came down the aisle, her hand in his, their smiles nearly stretching off their faces.
The reception was a delightful affair of laughter, best wishes, good food and precious fellowship.
Rigg no longer looked ready to flee and Kate teased him about being late.
“The best things come to those who wait,” Rigg teased her back and stole a pickle off her plate.
At different times throughout the afternoon, people had pressed in on the newlyweds and they’d been separated. They thought nothing of this, secure in the knowledge that eventually they’d be alone.
Kate was talking with Joey when Jeff approached and announced that he needed her inside the church. Kate figured he was taking her to Rigg who was going to tell her it was time to leave. She unsuspectingly accompanied her brother-in-law.
“Now Katie,” Jeff began to speak the moment they were indoors, “you just need to stay quiet and go along with my little plan. I promise Rigg won’t be the least bit upset with you.”
“Jeffrey,” Kate said, “what are you up to?”
“Oh, it’s just an old custom called, ‘stealing the bride.’ ”
“No!” Kate spoke adamantly and turned to leave but Jeff grasped her hand and began to hurry her toward the front of the church. He was making jokes as they went, and Kate became weak with laughter. She also didn’t believe he would really go through with this.
Kate tried to reason with Jeff but he was talking as fast as he could and she couldn’t do anything to make him release her hand. Jeff stopped at the front of the church and opened a small door.
“In you go.”
“Not on your life,” she refused. Kate glanced into a small room, little more than a cubicle really, and gasped in surprise. Jeff had set a chair and small table in place on which sat a cup filled with something and a plate full of food.
“How long have you been planning this?”
“Since I found out Rigg was in love with you and if you don’t get in there right now, you’re going to ruin all my work.”
Kate looked at him indulgently. “Jeff,” she said with the patience of Job. “There is nothing to keep me in there, just as soon as you walk away, I’ll let myself out.”
“That’s a risk I’ll have to take,” Jeff told her sagely.
Kate shook her head, but being the good sport she was, she walked in and sat down. Jeff grinned, winked at her and shut the door.
“I hope you’ll forgive me Kate!” Jeff said softly as he flipped the small lock shut—a lock that Kaitlin hadn’t noticed. “Now that I think about it,” Jeff said, still speaking out loud, “I hope Rigg forgives me.”
“Where in the world is Katie?” May asked her newly married son.
“I don’t know. I haven’t seen her for about fifteen minutes. But she was talking with Joey just before I saw Jeff come and claim her.”
“Well, if you see her, please ask her to find me. I want her to meet the Crawfords.” May sailed off at that point to check on the food.
Rigg was stopped by a few more people but he answered them a bit distractedly. Where was his wife? Rigg checked with his father, Sean, Marcail, and then Nate. He’d decided to run Jeff and Gil down and question them when he spotted them in deep conversation at the edge of the reception. The closer he got to them, the more convinced he was that Kaitlin had not disappeared on her own.
“All right, where is she?”
“Who?” Jeff’s face was angelic.
“You know who!” Rigg said with a smile.
“You’re not having trouble keeping track of your wife already are you Rigg?” Jeff was appalled. “Now, let me see, why it’s only four-thirty! Married just these few hours and already apart. That’s not good, Rigg my boy, not good at all.”
Rigg was trying very hard not to laugh. Gil, on the other hand, had succumbed until tears came to his eyes. Jeff opened his mouth to start again when suddenly the shoe was on the other foot.
“Hello Rigg. Hello Jeff and Gilbert.” Kate’s voice was saccharine sweet. “I’m sorry I was gone so long, but a certain gentleman detained me. He insisted that I sit down in private, and have a bite to eat.”
Jeff’s eyes were sparkling with laughter and he gave Kate a mock bow. “You, madam,” he stated with great finesse, “are a worthy opponent.”
“Thank you.”
“Just what did he do with you?” Rigg finally asked.
“I’ll tell you later, after we’re on our way. Hopefully by the time we return, you won’t want to strangle him.” Gil began to laugh again and Jeff joined him. Rigg broke into their glee.
“Speaking of being on our way—” the bridegroom let the sentence hang.
“I’ll get my things.” Kate said good-bye to her brother-in-laws, her eyes telling Jeff he was forgiven.
“How did you get out of there?” Jeff whispered when he hugged her.
“Joey followed us and witnessed the whole thing.” Kate’s smile was so audacious that Jeff roared.
They took some time to say their good-byes to the family and remaining friends. Their plans for a honeymoon trip began in town with supper at the hotel and then back to their own home for the night. They would board the mid-morning stage the next day and start in the direction of San Francisco.
When they arrived in the city they’d stay at Aunt Maureen’s for a few days before taking the stage home again. A substitute teacher had come for the following week and Rigg left without a qualm, knowing Uncle Leo was in charge.
The days in San Francisco were idyllic as they toured the city by day and spent most of their evenings in the privacy of their lavish bedroom, having supper and falling even deeper in love with every minute they spent together.
“We start home tomorrow,” Rigg said almost sadly; it was their last night at Aunt Maureen’s.
“I’m looking forward to getting back.”
“You are?”
“Mmm hmm. My class will call me Mrs. Riggs. Doesn’t that sound wonderful?”
“Indeed it does. But I know something that sounds even better.”
“What’s that?”
“I love you Kaitlin, and praise God for our marriage.”
Kate gaped at him. He’d said the words in perfect Hawaiian. “How did—”
“Sean’s been working with me ever since I proposed.”
“Say it again.”
Rigg obliged. Kate, laughing in delight, threw her arms around her husband.
“The language isn’t important you know,” Rigg said as he kissed her softly. “No matter how I say it Katie, I’m head over heels in love with you.”
epilogue
“Stay dry!” Jeff called to Sylvia as she dashed from the shipping office to her carriage in the pouring rain. “And I’ll see you tonight.”
It was December twenty-third and Sylvia Weber was hosting an informal Christmas party at her sister’s house She’d invited nearly all the young people from church
Bill, who was watching from his office doorway, struggled with his feelings. He had no right to ask Jeff to change his plans but Rigg, Kaitlin, Sean and Marcail were coming to trim the tree and stay the night. This would be the first tree party where one of the boys would not be with them. It was also their first Christmas with Kate, Sean and Marcail.
“Dad,” Jeff turned when Sylvia’s carriage was out of sight, “What were you saying?”
“Come in and sit down.” The two men made themselves comfortable around the desk and then Bill looked his son in the eye.
“I was saying that your mother has been praying about her work here at the shipping office for many months. She doesn’t want to quit outright but she’s ready for a break.
“And now that Katie is expecting, she told
me she’d like to take a little time for herself before she becomes a grandmother.”
“Well, we can certainly fill in, Dad, for as long as we’re needed. In fact, she doesn’t ever need to come back. We’ll get by.”
“That’s what I’ve told her and that was going to be our plan until yesterday when Jake Bradford was in.” Bill watched his son closely and continued.
“Bobbie is coming back to town. She’s going to be married and wants to come home for a while before she makes that step. Jake tells me she’s been working at the shipping office in Jenner for over three years. She’s not going to be here permanently but it sounds like it will be enough time for your mom and me to make a decision on her working with us.
“I haven’t discussed this with anyone but your mother. If you say the word, I’ll drop the whole idea and no one need know we were considering Bobbie. We would all be working in this office together and if that’s going to be too uncomfortable for you, I’ll understand, and we’ll figure out something else.”
Jeff was thoughtful. It certainly wasn’t the first time he’d thought of Roberta Bradford. In fact, he wished she’d come home years ago. But never did he picture himself working with her six days a week. And how would she feel about it?
A few minutes of silence elapsed and then Jeff spoke with quiet conviction. “I hope we’ve all done a good deal of growing up in the last five years. I can’t say as I ever imagined myself working side by side with Bobbie, but I would like to see her. I don’t really have a problem with her working here, but she might.”
“That’s true. But if it doesn’t bother you, then I’ll ask Jake for her address.”
“I think that’s fine. She’s obviously an answer to prayer, and I mean it when I say it will be good to see her again.”
Kaitlin sat down in the living room to reread her father’s letter. It was a letter of joy. There was tremendous revival going on in the islands and, understandably, that was almost all her father could talk about.
He explained that his return would be delayed for an indefinite period of time and although Kate was disappointed, she was also accepting of the fact that he needed to stay in Hawaii. She shifted on the sofa to a more comfortable position and kept reading.
“Did the baby move?”
“Oh Rigg,” Kate laughed. “Your mother tells me I won’t feel that for a long time.”
“I guess not,” Rigg admitted softly and Kate smiled at him before going back to her father’s letter which, unfortunately, told them he would be delayed again.
“Did the baby move, Kate?” Marcail had heard the question from the kitchen and Kaitlin’s reading was interrupted once again.
“No,” Rigg answered. “And if we don’t leave her alone, we’re going to drive Kate out of the house.”
Rigg’s statement wasn’t too far from the truth. Rigg had been thrilled with the news that they were expecting and whenever he and Kate were in the same room, he could be found measuring his wife’s waist with the span of his fingertips.
Marcail had been a different sort of problem. For a solid week after hearing the news, she had stared at Kaitlin’s stomach. The question Kate had been awaiting came a week later. Kate remembered so clearly when her mother had explained the mysteries of conception and birth to her.
But Marcail had more questions at nine than Kate had had at 14. After an hour-and-a-half of intense conversation, there wasn’t much that Marcail didn’t know. Kate had recounted their conversation to Rigg and he’d been very practical about the whole thing; telling her that Marcail had obviously been ready and that explaining the facts to her was the best possible move.
Sean’s reaction had been much briefer.
“Good grief, Kate! Already?”
Kate had blushed to the roots of her hair but that only caused Sean to grin mischievously at his sister and brother-in-law. Rigg remembered very clearly what it was like to be 14 and gave his young brother-in-law a stern look.
Now it was December twenty-third and the four of them were putting on wraps to leave for the Taylors’.
“I won’t have any trouble being thankful this year.”
“About what?” Kate responded to her husband’s cryptic remark.
“Mom has us share every year what we’re thankful for.”
“And what will you say?” Kate asked and slipped her arms around her husband’s large frame.
“Well, that we’ve had plenty of rain for the crops, of course.”
“Of course,” Kate agreed, and smiled into his eyes.
“Ah, Kate-love,” Rigg sighed, “you’re awfully nice to have around.”
“And I’ll stay around too, just as long as you keep calling me that.” Kaitlin sealed her words with a kiss.
“The rain has stopped; what’s holding them up?” Sean called to Marcail from the porch.
“The usual, Sean,” Marcail stated in calm logic. “Just the usual.”
Books by Lori Wick
A Place Called Home Series
A Place Called Home
A Song for Silas
The Long Road Home
A Gathering of Memories
The Californians
Whatever Tomorrow Brings
As Time Goes By
Sean Donovan
Donovan’s Daughter
Kensington Chronicles
The Hawk and the Jewel
Wings of the Morning
Who Brings Forth the Wind
The Knight and the Dove
Rocky Mountain Memories
Where the Wild Rose Blooms
Whispers of Moonlight
To Know Her by Name
Promise Me Tomorrow
The Yellow Rose Trilogy
Every Little Thing About You
A Texas Sky
City Girl
English Garden Series
The Proposal
The Rescue
The Visitor
The Pursuit
The Tucker Mills Trilogy
Moonlight on the Millpond
Just Above a Whisper
Leave a Candle Burning
Big Sky Dreams
Cassidy
Sabrina
Jessie
Contemporary Fiction
Sophie’s Heart
Pretense
The Princess
Bamboo & Lace
Every Storm
White Chocolate Moments
Lori Wick, Whatever Tomorrow Brings
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