Humphreys—"do you think I didn't know or that it didn't hurt my feelings? Well, I knew, and it hurt a lot. When I tried to hide the pain, you added the label of Ice Queen. How can you people sleep at night knowing the harm you've caused me and oth ers?
"I know you'll all be gossiping about this wedding, talking about what a disaster it's been. Well, I don't care. This time I really don't. All that matters is that Mason loves me and that we're married."
She stepped forward and rested her hands on his chest. “This wedding isn't about bets any more than it's about Paris fashions. This is about you and me and our future together. It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. They can talk all they want, but it won't alter the fact that our marriage and us being together is the right thing."
He removed her hands and crossed his arms, but at least he was listening.
"You know how I always came to you when I was upset or happy? Why do you think that was?"
"You said I was your best friend, like a brother." He spat the words like a curse.
"But now I realize it's because I've loved you all this time. Not like a brother, but like a woman loves the only man for her—the other half of her soul." She wiped at the tears streaming down her face, and goo smeared her gloves. She hoped she had the right words to convince him. Nothing had ever been so im portant in her life.
"Mason, you said I could count on you. Please mean it. You've always been honest with me, a solid rock I can depend on."
She saw the emotions warring in him and pressed her case. She stepped toward him and put her hands on his. "Please, Mason, you're too fine to pretend you don't love me. I love you as much. We belong to gether. Please marry me."
He exhaled. "I'd planned to ask you when the house was finished and furnished inside. Why else do you think I built it and painted it your favorite color? So, reckon I'll do the asking now. Beth, will you marry me?"
Tears streamed down her face, but now they were tears of joy. "Oh, Mason, I would be honored to marry you."
He pulled her into his arms. She'd never been so happy or so relieved.
The guests cheered.
From the front of the chapel, Reverend Moseley called. "Do you, Bethany Louise Pendleton, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband? "
Mason looked into her eyes. "You bet she does."
The minister snapped his book closed. "I now pro nounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."
And Mason did, a long, sweet kiss that curled her toes.
Those attending sent up another round of cheers accompanied by whistles and applause.
Mason and Beth rushed out the door. The rain had stopped, but the churchyard was a sea of mud and puddles.
Mason stopped her on the porch. "Grandpa's buggy is right over there. Wait here while I fetch it."
Beth shook her head and hiked up her train and skirts. "Oh, no, you're not leaving me, Mason Whit taker, not ever."
He took her arm. "Then hold on to my arm. The steps are slippery."
Folks leaving the chapel poured out. Ben, Jr., and Jamie Bigelow raced into Mason, hit him in the back of his legs, and his knees buckled. He went skidding down the steps to land in a mud puddle with a splash.
Beth tumbled after him and landed in his lap. Her crown of orange blossoms skewed like a crooked halo, and the pristine tulle floated with stems of straw on the murky water puddle. Mud splatters covered them both. They looked at each other and burst out laugh ing.
Mason kissed her gently. "Reckon this is the end of the jinx?"
The clouds parted, and rays from the setting sun spotlighted them.
She smiled at her husband. "Certainly. Remember? Happy is the bride the sun shines on."
Epilogue
June, 1890
Beth wakened to sunshine pouring in the window. Oh, no, she'd overslept again. This pregnancy drained her energy more than the others had, and she needed extra sleep. Thankfully, once her term ended the other babies had popped out as if she was created for childbearing.
Beside her,
"I know you'll all be gossiping about this wedding, talking about what a disaster it's been. Well, I don't care. This time I really don't. All that matters is that Mason loves me and that we're married."
She stepped forward and rested her hands on his chest. “This wedding isn't about bets any more than it's about Paris fashions. This is about you and me and our future together. It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. They can talk all they want, but it won't alter the fact that our marriage and us being together is the right thing."
He removed her hands and crossed his arms, but at least he was listening.
"You know how I always came to you when I was upset or happy? Why do you think that was?"
"You said I was your best friend, like a brother." He spat the words like a curse.
"But now I realize it's because I've loved you all this time. Not like a brother, but like a woman loves the only man for her—the other half of her soul." She wiped at the tears streaming down her face, and goo smeared her gloves. She hoped she had the right words to convince him. Nothing had ever been so im portant in her life.
"Mason, you said I could count on you. Please mean it. You've always been honest with me, a solid rock I can depend on."
She saw the emotions warring in him and pressed her case. She stepped toward him and put her hands on his. "Please, Mason, you're too fine to pretend you don't love me. I love you as much. We belong to gether. Please marry me."
He exhaled. "I'd planned to ask you when the house was finished and furnished inside. Why else do you think I built it and painted it your favorite color? So, reckon I'll do the asking now. Beth, will you marry me?"
Tears streamed down her face, but now they were tears of joy. "Oh, Mason, I would be honored to marry you."
He pulled her into his arms. She'd never been so happy or so relieved.
The guests cheered.
From the front of the chapel, Reverend Moseley called. "Do you, Bethany Louise Pendleton, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband? "
Mason looked into her eyes. "You bet she does."
The minister snapped his book closed. "I now pro nounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."
And Mason did, a long, sweet kiss that curled her toes.
Those attending sent up another round of cheers accompanied by whistles and applause.
Mason and Beth rushed out the door. The rain had stopped, but the churchyard was a sea of mud and puddles.
Mason stopped her on the porch. "Grandpa's buggy is right over there. Wait here while I fetch it."
Beth shook her head and hiked up her train and skirts. "Oh, no, you're not leaving me, Mason Whit taker, not ever."
He took her arm. "Then hold on to my arm. The steps are slippery."
Folks leaving the chapel poured out. Ben, Jr., and Jamie Bigelow raced into Mason, hit him in the back of his legs, and his knees buckled. He went skidding down the steps to land in a mud puddle with a splash.
Beth tumbled after him and landed in his lap. Her crown of orange blossoms skewed like a crooked halo, and the pristine tulle floated with stems of straw on the murky water puddle. Mud splatters covered them both. They looked at each other and burst out laugh ing.
Mason kissed her gently. "Reckon this is the end of the jinx?"
The clouds parted, and rays from the setting sun spotlighted them.
She smiled at her husband. "Certainly. Remember? Happy is the bride the sun shines on."
Epilogue
June, 1890
Beth wakened to sunshine pouring in the window. Oh, no, she'd overslept again. This pregnancy drained her energy more than the others had, and she needed extra sleep. Thankfully, once her term ended the other babies had popped out as if she was created for childbearing.
Beside her,
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