Reese smiled at the memory. It was the town’s most colorful and unusual wedding ceremony to date.
David Alexander, Reese’s best man, had stood alone at the altar.
Mary and Sarah were two of Faith’s attendants. They had worn beautiful gowns, which incorporated the Alexander’s red and green Highland plaid and traditional Cherokee wedding garb.
Typically, Joy had stubbornly refused to wear any color except pink.
Temperance was dressed in a velvet gown of brilliant emerald green, and though her gown was artfully sewn, it failed to hide her pregnant state. Kevin sat beside Temperance with their eight-week-old granddaughter on his lap.
Faith’s aunt, Virtuous Hamilton Jessup, and the two other members of
the Richmond Ladies Sewing Circle had put up quite an argument against a having a public ceremony. Virtuous pitched a fit at the train depot.
Reese understood how she felt. He’d put up quite an argument himself. But there was no dissension in the family ranks during the ceremony. And Reese was grateful that the very proper Richmond ladies did not allow their shock to mar the proceedings. And they had to be shocked. Because…
Faith wore burgundy silk. And because he marched down the aisle at her side. Her hand was firmly locked inside his elbow as she matched him stride for stride until she was practically running down the aisle.
Reese remembered the snickers of several guests as they hurried down the aisle and a comment about Faith being afraid he wouldn’t show up at the church. But he didn’t let those comments bother him. He knew better and so did the members of his family.
Reese smiled as he recalled the look on Faith’s face as she recited her vows. Tears had rolled down her cheeks as he removed the thin gold band she wore on her left hand and replaced it with a wider, heavier band. And he would never forget Hannah Colson’s expression when Joy carefully delivered the first wedding band back to its rightful owner.
Tears had sparkled in his eyes when the ceremony ended and Faith asked the good father to read a message to the guests. Reese would never forget the words. They were embedded in his heart.
“This is my public proclamation of love for my husband, Reese Alexander Jordan. I am honored to share my husband’s Cherokee-Scots-English heritage. I am proud to stand beside the man I love and prouder still to bear his children.” It was signed Faith Elizabeth Collins Jordan and duly witnessed and dated by the best man.
Agnes Everett and Hannah Colson had surreptitiously fanned the faint Virtuous Jessup when Reese Jordan made his own proclamation.
He produced a thick sheaf of white documents from inside his suit pocket. David solemnly handed him a candle from the altar.
“This contract is declared null and void,” Reese had proclaimed, setting fire to the corners of the papers. And once the papers had blackened to crisp ash, he dropped the ashes onto a tray and offered them to his bride. “I love you, Faith,” he whispered. “I’d like to renegotiate a contract favorable to both parties.” He bent down and kissed his wife.
Their daughter howled throughout the ceremony, then howled even louder a half hour later when the priest sprinkled her with water.
Hope Amanda Jordan, as she was christened, proved herself a person to be reckoned with.
Just like her father, snickered half of the crowd.
Just like her mother, snickered the other half.
And at the request of Faith’s Aunt Virt, Reese had a full account of the wedding, descriptively recorded and lavishly embellished by the local newspapers, sent to Richmond. Virtuous was cackling with glee at the idea of a copy residing in Lydia Abbott’s mailbox.
Reese saw to it that no mention of Champ Collins ever appeared in print. Champ remained a well-guarded, well-loved family secret, his memory toasted with every bottle of champagne opened in the Jordan household.
The End
* * *
Read Chapter One of Harvest Moon
Book 2 in the Borrowed Brides Series
Buy Harvest Moon
Something Borrowed, Book 3 in the Borrowed Brides Series
Buy Something Borrowed
Twice Blessed: A Borrowed Brides Novella