Her Heart's Desire NH2 Page 12

  “Maybe you’re right.”

  Ethel Mae rolled her eyes. “Maybe.”

  Sally was ready to reply when she saw Rick heading in their direction. Her pulse raced in anticipation. She stopped and grabbed her friend’s arm. “He’s here, and he’s coming toward us!”

  “Shh… He might hear you. You don’t want to seem too eager.”

  “You’re right. I’m sorry.” Ethel Mae was right. It wouldn’t do good for her to show so much interest in him. She released her friend’s arm and clenched her hands together to hide her nervous energy. “What do you think he wants?”

  “He probably wants to talk to you.”

  “I hope so.” And she knew just the words he could say. He would tell her that the kiss showed him that he wanted to be with her instead of Ethel Mae. She nearly squealed in joy. “I really do hope so.”

  She picked up her steps as they approached him, mentally planning out the moment when he’d tell her that last night as he was in bed, it all became clear to him and that he knew, without a doubt, that he belonged with her. Then he’d kiss her for real, and they’d get married and live happily ever after.

  When they reached Rick, they stopped to greet him. “What brings you to the park?” Sally asked, hoping he’d say it was her.

  With a shrug, he said, “It’s Saturday, and I thought it’d be nice to go for a walk.”

  “We thought the same,” Sally said.

  “It’s a lovely day.”

  “Yes, it is.”

  He turned to Ethel Mae. “I was wondering if I might have a word with you for a few minutes? I won’t keep you away from Sally for long.”

  Sally’s heart stopped. There was no way he’d asked to speak to Ethel Mae when he really wanted to speak to her. There just wasn’t!

  Ethel Mae glanced at Sally uncertainly. “Alright.”

  “She’ll be right back,” Rick told her.

  She tried to return his smile but couldn’t as he turned away and led Ethel Mae away from her. This was it. He had made his decision, and even after her best efforts, he still wanted her friend. She felt utterly foolish in entertaining the notion that he’d end up with her.

  She watched as Rick talked to Ethel Mae, their backs to her so she couldn’t even see the expression on their faces. She wondered if he’d try his kiss on her but quickly dismissed that idea since they were right in the middle of the park where anyone could see them. When he’d kissed her the evening before, they were in a more secluded spot so it was a private enough matter. That was good. She didn’t know if she could bear to watch him kiss another woman.

  She could only imagine the things he was telling her right now. Words of love and admiration. Words she longed to hear him tell her but he wouldn’t. At one point, Ethel Mae laughed, and Sally thought she was going to be sick. Did he tell her about tripping on a crack in the sidewalk?

  Sally watched as Ethel Mae returned to her. Rick didn’t even bother looking back in her direction as he left the park. Her heart plummeted. This didn’t look good. It didn’t look good at all!

  When her friend was by her side, Sally waited for her to explain what she and Rick talked about, but her friend gave her a secretive smile and continued on the path they’d started. Groaning, Sally finally asked, “What happened?” when it became clear her friend wasn’t going to volunteer the information.

  “Nothing,” Ethel Mae replied.

  “Nothing? You were laughing. I don’t consider that nothing.”

  “Well, I meant that nothing of real interest happened.”

  Sally stared at her in disbelief. Since when had Ethel Mae ever held anything back from her? “Even if it wasn’t interesting, I’d like to know.”

  She shrugged. “He told me a few jokes.”

  “A few jokes?”

  “Yes, and they weren’t too bad.”

  Hardly understanding what her friend was saying, she dumbly asked, “All he wanted to do was tell you a few jokes?”

  “I suppose so since that’s all he did.”

  “Did he ask to see you again?”

  “I don’t remember.”

  “You don’t remember?”

  “I just remember him telling me some funny things that happened at his job.”

  “Like what?” In the times she’d talked to him, Sally couldn’t recall anything overly funny that happened at the courthouse. Sure, he had a sense of humor, but it seemed when it came to his job, he was serious.

  “I don’t remember.”

  “You don’t remember!”

  Ethel Mae stopped to face her friend.

  Sally halted her steps and waited for her to explain.

  “Maybe they weren’t that funny after all. Hmm…” With a shrug, she laughed. “They seemed funny at the time.”

  Ethel Mae started walking again, and Sally let out an exasperated sigh. “I don’t understand why you can’t remember any of his jokes.”

  “Sally, are you still talking about that?”

  “I just want to know what he wanted.”

  “And I told you that he wanted to tell me some jokes. Nothing else happened. Now let’s go to the mercantile so I can pick up a new hat. I want to look nice when Samuel takes me for a walk tomorrow.”

  Realizing that was all she’d get out of her friend, Sally reluctantly let the matter go. At least Ethel Mae still wasn’t interested in him. “Alright. Let’s look for the hat.”

  Though she couldn’t be sure, she thought she saw a knowing smile cross Ethel Mae’s face, and though she wondered about it, she followed her friend to the mercantile.

  ***

  “Oh come on, Sally,” Ethel Mae encouraged as she stood up from the couch in the parlor. “It’s such a lovely spring night. Why not enjoy it?”

  “I don’t feel like it,” Sally said, picking up a piece of the jigsaw puzzle that she thought might fit in the picture she and her friend had spent the past hour putting together. “Besides, we’re halfway done. We might as well finish it before we go to bed.”

  “Since when have you preferred to do something indoors when you could be outside?”

  Ever since it became clear that Rick was still in love with her friend, but Sally decided not to say it. She knew she’d been moping about ever since they ran into Rick earlier that day and she was struggling to put on a happy face, but even so, her heart ached and there was nothing she could do to stop it. It was much worse than when Michael told her he wouldn’t be courting her anymore.

  Ethel Mae groaned and walked over to her. “I think some fresh air is exactly what you need.”

  “I got fresh air earlier today.” And a lot of good that did her! “Don’t you want to finish this tonight?” She motioned to the puzzle.

  “Only after I’ve been outside for a bit. Come on. It won’t hurt to look at the stars.”

  Sally found the right place for the piece of her puzzle and put it in.

  “Good. You got it in. Now let’s go.”

  Before Sally could protest, Ethel Mae took her by the arm and pulled her to her feet. “I never knew you could be so demanding,” Sally said in surprise as her friend urged her to the door.

  Ethel Mae stopped in the entryway and handed Sally her bonnet. “Here.”

  “What do I need with this? It’s dark out there.”

  “Well, it might rain.”

  Sally’s eyebrows furrowed. “Rain? You just said it’s a lovely night for looking at the stars and you’re talking about rain?”

  She groaned again. “Oh, just hold it then.”

  “What is wrong with you?” she demanded as Ethel Mae shoved her out the front door.

  “Nothing. You just need to go outside for a while, that’s all.”

  Sally stumbled onto the porch, clutching the bonnet in her hand. “You make no sense to me.”

  “Do it because I’m your friend, alright?”

  “Fine. Alright.”

  “Go over there.”

  Sally looked at the bottom of the porch steps. “Why
?”

  “Because you can see the stars better from there.”

  “Are you coming with me?” Sally asked.

  “In a moment. I need to get something.”

  “What do you need to get?”

  “Something.” Sighing in exasperation, Ethel Mae pointed to the steps. “Will you please go down there? I’ll be with you soon.”

  “There are times when I don’t understand you at all,” Sally called out as her friend slipped back into the house.

  With a shrug, she proceeded down the steps and picked a spot on the lawn where she could get a good view of the sky. She thought she heard something from the side of the house, so she glanced over her shoulder but saw nothing. Shrugging, she studied the quiet street before she looked at the door of Ethel Mae’s house. What was taking her so long?

  She looked back up at the sky and wondered how long she should stay out there before going back into the house. It was ridiculous that she was out here. She could spend all the time she wanted to at home staring at the stars.

  Another sound caught her attention, and just as she was about to look at what caused it, a hand went over her mouth, stopping her from screaming. A cloth went over her mouth while someone else tied a cloth over her eyes. Then she was lifted up, and though she struggled against the person, his grip was too strong. Her pulse raced as she was carried to the street. The person gently set her down so that she was sitting upright, and if she was right, she was in a carriage.

  She tried to bring her hands up to uncover her eyes so she could see who this fiend was, but he tied her hands together and slipped something small, round and cold between her palms so she had to hold it. Remembering her feet weren’t tied, she got ready to bolt from the carriage but the person wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. The carriage moved forward, and she wiggled to try to get away from her kidnapper but he only tightened his hold on her.

  “I’ll take your blindfold off soon,” he whispered.

  She stilled. There was something familiar about the man.

  He settled back into the seat with her. “I won’t hurt you. Don’t be scared.”

  She wasn’t scared. Well, she was at first, but at the moment, her curiosity was getting the best of her. Who in their right mind would kidnap her? And more importantly, why?

  “We’ll be at our destination in five minutes, and as soon as we are, I’ll remove your restraints, alright?” he whispered.

  She turned her face in his direction, sensing he wasn’t going to hurt her but unable to figure out what would make him concoct such a stupid scheme. Seriously, such a man wouldn’t know the first thing about surprising a woman in a way she’d want to be surprised because no woman wanted to be abducted on the front lawn like this.

  Furrowing her eyebrows, she leaned forward and smelled him. She recognized the soap. It was Rick. She should have known. Only Rick would think something like this would be romantic.

  Her heart leapt in excitement. Romantic! Was he trying to be romantic? She focused on the object in the palms of her hand. If she guessed right, it was a ring. She tried to ask him if he realized she wasn’t Ethel Mae, but the cloth around her mouth prevented her from speaking. He did think she was Ethel Mae, didn’t he? Considering how dark it was outside, could he even tell what her hair color was? She reached for the bonnet she’d been holding but realized she must have dropped it when he put his hand over her mouth.

  Unable to tell him he got the wrong woman, she relaxed and waited as she swayed gently from side to side in the carriage. When it came to a stop, she heard the door open.

  Rick took her by the arm and whispered, “We’re here. Do you want me to carry you or do you want to walk?”

  She started to answer him but the cloth got in her way. She shook her head, hoping he got her silent message that she couldn’t speak.

  “Oh,” he whispered. “Nod for yes and shake your head for no. Do you want to walk?”

  She decided to shake her head, not because she wanted to be carried but because she didn’t want to try to walk while blindfolded. Who knew what she’d trip on?

  He led her out of the carriage and picked her up. She kept waiting for him to notice she was the wrong woman, but he didn’t. From the sound of it, he led her up a walkway and then a few steps before he placed her on her feet. She expected him to explain what he was doing, but a door opened and he picked her up again and carried her inside.

  “That’s an odd way of bringing your bride here,” a man said.

  Her eyebrows furrowed. She recognized the voice but couldn’t place where she’d heard it.

  “I wanted to surprise her.” This time Rick didn’t whisper, and when he spoke again, there was no denying the excitement in his voice. “Sally, I brought you here so we could get married.”

  “Take those things off of her,” Ethel Mae told him.

  “Oh! Right.” He removed her blindfold, the cloth covering her mouth and the binding around her wrists. “Sorry about that.”

  Sally was too busy looking around the unfamiliar parlor where Ethel Mae, Samuel, and an older couple stood with wide smiles on their faces. “What’s going on?” She knew it was ridiculous to ask such a question when she held a wedding ring in the palm of her hand, but she still had to ask it.

  Rick took her hands in his and smiled at her. “Will you marry me?”

  She caught his hopeful expression and glanced at Ethel Mae.

  “Yes, I knew I took you,” Rick told her.

  “He’s right,” Ethel Mae said. “I hope you don’t mind how devious I was earlier, but Rick told me he planned to elope with you and asked me to make sure you were outside so he could whisk you away.”

  Rick motioned to the older couple. “They’re Judge Townsend and his wife. He can marry us.”

  “What do you say, Sally?” Ethel Mae asked, her hands clasped together in excitement.

  Her shock finally wearing off, Sally turned her attention back to Rick. So he did want to be with her after all? She thought to tease him about his crazy plan to kidnap her the way he had, but considering the hopeful expression on his face, she didn’t have the heart. Maybe it wasn’t the smartest thing to do since he had scared her, but it was something he thought would be romantic. And when it came down to it, it was his intention that mattered.

  “Yes,” she told him. “I’ll marry you.”

  His smile widened and he squeezed her hands. He turned to Judge Townsend. “We’re ready whenever you are.”

  She glanced at Ethel Mae once more, still not believing this was happening. Ethel Mae giggled and motioned for her to face the judge, so she did. Rick continued to hold her hands while the judge started the ceremony. Her head was spinning as the judge spoke, and though she repeated the vows when it was her turn, she had a hard time grasping exactly what she was promising to do for better or worse and for the rest of their lives. But since Rick was a judge, he could fill her in on the details at a later time. She was sure it had to do with her being faithful and cherishing him for the rest of their lives, and she was more than happy to do that.

  When the judge pronounced them man and wife, Rick leaned forward to kiss her, and she swore this kiss was even better than the one they’d shared at the park.

  The others went over to congratulate them, and as she gave her friend a hug, Ethel Mae whispered, “You aren’t mad at me, are you?”

  She laughed. “Why would I be mad at you?”

  “Because I was deceitful all day. It was hard to keep quiet.”

  “I was afraid he wanted to be with you,” she whispered.

  “I know. That’s why it was so hard not to tell you.” She hugged her again. “I’m so happy for you, Sally. I’ve heard of whirlwind courtships, but I don’t believe any has been as much of a whirlwind as yours.”

  Sally grinned. “No, I suppose not. I wonder what my parents will say when I tell them?”

  “Probably congratulations. He said that he got your father’s permission before he talked
to me. He also asked me to bring your carpet bag with your things.”

  Sally’s gaze went to the spot in the corner of the room where her carpet bag rested against the wall. “He thought of everything, didn’t he?”

  “It seems like he knows what he’s doing.”

  “You sound surprised.”

  Ethel Mae shrugged. “I am. He seemed so unsure of himself all the other times I talked to him. I think being with you has done him a lot of good.”

  Pleased, Sally thanked her.

  Rick called out to her and asked if she would go over to the table to sign the marriage certificate. After she did, the group congratulated them again, and Rick picked up her carpet bag and joined her in going outside. Thrilled, she called out a good-bye to everyone, eager to begin her life as Mrs. Sally Johnson.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Sally’s head was still spinning from everything that just transpired. Rick took her hand and led her down the quiet street. She glanced back and saw the others decided to linger on the porch, her friend looking happier than she’d ever been as she stood next to Samuel.

  “I think she’s better off with him,” Rick said, directing her attention back to him. “Ethel Mae and Samuel. They’re a better couple than she and I would have been.” He squeezed her hand and smiled. “I hope you don’t mind that we eloped. I remembered what you said about surprises and romance and thought this would fit.”

  “It was very romantic,” she admitted. After all, what could be more romantic than marriage?

  “I should have brought you flowers. I didn’t even think of it. I was so busy getting your pa’s permission and then buying the house—”

  “House?”

  “Well, sure. Didn’t you wonder where I’m taking you?”

  She decided not to answer that in case she looked silly. The truth was, she hadn’t been paying attention to where he was taking her, but as he stopped and motioned to a yellow house nestled in a nice neighborhood, she realized this was her new home.

  “You bought this for us?” she asked, feeling as if she was dreaming. The sudden wedding, the house… It seemed too good to be true.