A Home at Trail's End (25 page)

Lavinia smirked at her niece. “So as you can imagine, this kindhearted miller was rather poor. In fact, he was so poor that the young woman's father refused to let her marry him. Both the miller and the girl were devastated.” She paused long enough for the women to express their dismay. “To make matters worse, the young woman's father decided his daughter must marry the pig farmer, who was very wealthy but not nearly as nice as the miller.”

“Oh, no!” Ruth said. Once again everyone laughed.

“What happened, Aunt Lavinia?” Belinda demanded.

“Well, when the good miller's friends heard his sad news and remembered how generous he had always been to them, they naturally wanted to help him out. They decided they would raise money to provide a dowry for his beloved.” She paused as the younger girls cheered.

“However, the miller's friends, like him, were rather poor. Alas, they did not have enough money to make a respectable dowry.”

Now the girls expressed their disappointment.

“Then they came up with another idea. Instead of giving them money, they decided to shower the couple with goods. They gave them linens and china and all sorts of things to set up housekeeping. And so the miller and the bride were allowed to marry and lived happily ever after.”

Now everyone clapped and cheered.

“So in some places, like Boston, it has become a custom to shower the bride-to-be with gifts, and that is exactly what we are doing.”

And now the women and girls came to Elizabeth and began to present her with a variety of wonderful presents. Susannah and Emily gave her a fine set of embroidered bed linens. “We were working on them in secret,” the sisters explained.

“They are beautiful,” she said as she thanked them.

Next she was presented a tea set from Amelia and Belinda. “We got it at the mercantile,” Belinda whispered.

“It's lovely! Thank you.”

On the gifts came…a vase from Flo, four teaspoons from Evelyn, a set of kitchen linens from Hannah and Tillie, a pair of knitted slippers from Mahala, a set of pillows from her mother, a kerosene lantern from Mrs. Taylor, a braided rug from Jess, an embroidered wall hanging from Malinda that featured a little cabin and said “Home Sweet Home,” and from Lavinia, the enameled red coffeepot that Elizabeth had admired in the mercantile just yesterday. Once again she expressed her sincere gratitude to everyone.

“You're not done yet, Mama.” Ruth handed her something wrapped in paper. Elizabeth opened it up to see a hand-drawn picture of a cabin nestled in the trees with a blue river flowing in front of it.

“This is beautiful, sweetie.” Elizabeth held it up for all to see. “My daughter is an artist.”

“I made the frame too,” Ruth said shyly.

“I love it!” Elizabeth pulled Ruth in for a hug. “You are all so wonderful,” she told everyone. “I am so very grateful for all my lovely friends, just as the miller surely was for all of his. You are all worth more to me than a dowry.” She held up the coffeepot and grinned. “I can assure you that Eli and I will put these items to good use, and we will think of all of our dear friends whenever we do. Thank you all so much!”

“One more thing,” Malinda said mysteriously. She nodded to Susannah and Ruth, and the two girls dashed to the bedroom and soon emerged carrying a big bundle between them. It was wrapped in brown paper and tied with string.

“That is from all of us,” Malinda proclaimed as the girls set it in Elizabeth's lap.

Elizabeth untied the string and unwrapped the paper and then gasped to see it. “This is your quilt,” she said to Malinda, holding the beautiful log cabin design up for everyone to see.

“We were making it for you,” Malinda told her. “That was the plan all along.”

Elizabeth held it up to her cheek. “It is beautiful. Thank you all so much.”

“That's why we didn't want you here when we finished it,” Malinda explained.

“Oh, my.” Elizabeth just shook her head. “I don't even know what to say.”

“That must mean it's time to serve the food,” Malinda declared. “But first let's all ask the good Lord's blessing and invite him to bless Elizabeth on her special day tomorrow.”

Good food, good fun, good friends…it was an occasion to remember always. Elizabeth could not recall the last time she'd had such an enjoyable evening. “A bridal shower is a lovely tradition,” she told Lavinia as the women who'd come from town were preparing to leave. They'd all come together in a wagon that the boys had hidden behind the barn.

“I'm not sure that we'll do this for all the upcoming weddings,” Lavinia confided. “But when I heard you and Eli were not allowing wedding gifts…well, I knew something had to be done about that.”

Elizabeth thanked everyone again. “I'll see you all tomorrow,” she called out as the wagon started to move.

Just as it was leaving, another wagon pulled into the farmyard from the opposite direction with lanterns hanging on both sides. Elizabeth was relieved to see that Matthew had come for Clara and Jess.

“How was your shower?” he asked her in a teasing tone. “Did you get all wet?”

“I got wet yesterday,” she told him. “Tonight's shower was much more pleasant. Goodness, you should see the lovely gifts these women brought for Eli and me.”

“Anything you want us to take in the wagon? I could run it on over to Eli.”

“That's a good idea,” Clara said. “If you take these gifts up to Eli, she won't need to trouble herself with it tomorrow.”

“And I have some crates and things as well.” Elizabeth remembered what she'd stowed in the barn. “Would you mind taking them too?”

“Not at all.”

With the help of the girls, they soon got the wagon loaded up, and Matthew and Jess and Clara were on their way. “See you tomorrow,” Elizabeth called out.

Back in the house, the girls were already cleaning up, and no one would allow Elizabeth or Malinda to help. “This was such a wonderful night,” Elizabeth said to Malinda as they sat together. “Thank you so much.”

“It really was Lavinia's idea,” Malinda said.

“The quilt was your idea,” Elizabeth pointed out.

“Well, yes, that's true.”

“I love it, Malinda. I don't even know how to thank you.”

Malinda smiled. “Just enjoy it.”

“Matthew is taking everything up to Eli.” Elizabeth shook her head. “I feel a bit envious though. Eli is up there in our house. Do you think he'll put things away?”

“I don't see why. Most men would think of that as women's work.”

“I hope he does.” Elizabeth sighed. “I am just itching to start keeping house—I mean in my own house.”

“Yes, I can imagine.” Malinda made a sad sigh. “Although I am going to miss you, Elizabeth. And Ruth and JT too.”

Elizabeth laughed. “You'll still have a fairly full house, Malinda. With your four and Will's two girls, you are not hurting for companionship.”

“That's true. But it's not the same as having my best friend right here.”

Elizabeth tried not to remember the times when she had felt like anything but Malinda's best friend. “And don't forget that in just two weeks, you'll have Will here as well. I expect he'll become your best friend…in time. And, of course, we will just be down the road. I predict our families will have many wonderful times to look forward to in the years to come.”

Later that night, after everyone had gone to bed, Elizabeth lay still, listening to the sounds of her daughter's and best friend's even breathing as they peacefully slumbered. And yet, as tired as she was, sleep was evading her tonight. Her mind seemed unwilling to quiet down as she pondered her life and how different everything had been just one year ago. She remembered being awakened in the middle of the night last December, feeling again as if James were leading her. She remembered her recurring dreams about traveling to Oregon. It all seemed so far away now, like a different world. And indeed it was. But it was about to change again. Marrying Eli and moving into their home together—tomorrow! As much as she wanted this, had been waiting for this, she suddenly felt uneasy. The more she thought about it, the more distraught she felt.

If she hadn't been sleeping in the middle of the bed, wedged between Ruth and Malinda, she would have gotten up and slipped out. She would have sat by the fire to think…and think. As it was, she didn't want to disturb them.

Finally, after what felt like hours, she remembered the way her mother taught her to put herself to sleep as a child. She would count her blessings. And so she started with each member of her family and then moved on to friends and even livestock, until finally she was thanking God for every single little thing she could think of—from ladybugs to forget-me-nots to hummingbirds—until eventually she felt herself drifting away.

Chapter Nineteen

W
hen Elizabeth woke up the next morning, she was alone in the bed, but it still seemed dark outside, so she didn't think she'd slept in. But when she poked her head out the bedroom door, it was clear that everyone else was up and busy. And when she saw the clock, she realized it was nearly nine.

“Oh, dear,” she exclaimed. “I didn't know it was so late.”

“There's our bride,” Malinda announced. “You were sleeping so soundly, we thought perhaps you needed it.”

“Bless you,” Elizabeth said. “I did have a restless night. But now I better get moving.”

“Is it time for me to get on my wedding clothes?” Ruth asked hopefully.

“Yes.” Elizabeth waved. “Come on in here, and we'll get at least one of us ready.”

Ruth entered the room, pushing the muslin curtains aside to let in a little light. “There sure are a lot of dark clouds out there today,” she announced sadly. “Do you think it will rain?”

Elizabeth peered out to see that the sky was gray and somber looking—the reason it had seemed dark even though it was late in the morning. “Don't worry, Ruth.” She reached for Ruth's new blue dress. “Rain on your wedding is supposed to be good luck.” She slid the dress down over Ruth's head and shoulders.

“How can rain be good luck?” Ruth asked as her head popped through the neckline.

“If there's been a dry spell and your crops need water, you consider yourself lucky when it rains. Remember?” She buttoned the back of her dress.

“Yes, but we haven't had a dry spell. And last night when I prayed before bed, I asked God to keep the rain away today,” Ruth told her.

“Well, come rain or shine, Eli and I are getting married this morning,” Elizabeth declared. “And it will be a very happy day. You can count on it.” She tied the sash in back of Ruth's dress, fluffing it out into a big bow before she turned her around. “Ruth Anne, you look lovely. And your grandmother will be relieved to see that the dress fits you just right.”

Ruth spun around to make the full skirt flare out. “And it will be good for dancing too!”

“Hold still now, and let's do your hair.” Elizabeth reached for the hairbrush.

As she brushed and braided Ruth's hair, she gazed out the bedroom window. Malinda was fortunate that their house had more than just one glass window. Still, Elizabeth would happily move into a house with no glass windows if it meant that she and Eli and the children could be together.

However, her daughter was right about the weather. It did look as if the sky might open up at any moment. Even so, Elizabeth was not going to let that get her down. Today was a happy day regardless of the weather.

“There,” she proclaimed as she tied the big blue satin ribbon at the bottom of Ruth's braid. “You are pretty as a picture.”

Ruth frowned up at her. “But you are still in your nightie, Mama.”

Elizabeth laughed. “Yes—and I can't very well get married in my nightie, can I? You go and remind Aunt Malinda that Grandpa wants the boys to come to the church early to help him, and I will get dressed.”

“Yes, Mama!”