Yellow Rose Bride by Lori Copeland Page B

light, she took off her coat and hung it over the hook. Cammy still preferred the use of coal-oil lamps throughout the house, but Vonnie insisted on electrical lighting in her workroom. Teague had contacted the Electrical Light and Ice Plant and paid for the wiring as a surprise for her eighteenth birthday. He had teased her, saying since it looked like he had an old-maid daughter on his hands, he wanted her to bring in some money.
    Smoothing her hair, she automatically stepped to the window to look down on the pens. The birds were settled for the night. Moonlight drenched the barn and the outbuildings. All appeared peaceful and serene. Only the emptiness in her heart reminded her of the startling upheaval that had so recently shaken her comfortable existence.
    She found her thoughts returning to Franz and Audrey. So much in love, they would be lost without each other.
    So much in love.
    The way she and Adam had been once. She could close her eyes and see the determined set of his jaw. She knew the way his eyes darkened when he was serious, the joyful lilt of his laugh, knew all his moods. They had walked hand in hand, sharing their dreams.
    He had been so intense, so determined they belonged together.
    â€œPromise me,” he had urged. “Promise we’ll stay together forever.”
    â€œI promise…I promise.”
    Well, forever hadn’t lasted long and it had been her fault. She leaned her head against the cool glass of the windowpane. Her inner musings turned to God. “What if I have to make Beth’s dress?” The thought made her sick, yet she knew Beth would ask. “If she asks me, Father, help me to make it as lovely as I can. Take this hurt and anger from me, and fill me with Your grace.”
    She stood by the window a while longer, feeling surrounded by God’s love. Then a coyote howled in the distance and the moment passed.
    Snapping out of her thoughts, she sat down at the sewing machine and attempted to pass the ivory thread through the needle with shaking hands.
    Adam, for all purposes, was gone. The marriage was over—never began actually. So why was she pretending she had “rights” to Adam Baldwin—God-given rights.
    As surely as Cammy had laid Teague to rest, she must now lay Adam’s memory to rest.
    Her resolve quickly crumbled and she laid her head on her arm and bit back scalding tears of remorse.

Chapter Seven
    B lowing a strand of hair out of her eyes, Vonnie pinned a seam to Jane’s slim figure. With a deep, weary breath, she smoothed her hair, tucking the errant strand back into place.
    She straightened and circled Jane slowly, examining the wedding dress with a practiced eye. The long train was unadorned. The front of the white satin dress was plain, with three tiny flounces edged with silver at the bottom.
    Honiton-point lace was arranged in three flounces, and long trails of orange blossom, with buds and foliage, carried down on either side of the flounced space. Two more trails were brought across the sides at a short distance below the hips, lightly tied together in the center where there was a small droop, and then allowed to fall to the edge of the dress.
    The long-pointed bodice was fashioned of white-and-silver brocade, and more Honiton trimmed the topof the bodice to form the upper part of the sleeve. A small wreath of orange blossom was carried all the way around the bust, with a miniature bouquet on each shoulder, and a larger one in the center, mingled with white heather.
    The matching Honiton-lace veil would allow Jane’s face to be in full view, and would be worn with a small orange-blossom wreath placed on her hair. Tool Bennett had spared no expense on his daughter’s wishes.
    â€œWell?” Jane said anxiously.
    Vonnie made another slow orbit, while Jane stood on the stool wiggling her fingers.
    â€œStand still. Don’t fidget.”
    â€œI’m trying. I’m really trying not to move a muscle.