Forced to Love (Historical Romance Collection) The Fires of Love & Hate

Chapter 7 It Takes Faith

CHAPTER 7--IT TAKES FAITH

Christmas 1896 arrived quickly and was accompanied by the long anticipated wedding of James and Dakota.  Although Dakota had no preference in the matter, James had specifically wanted to have the wedding on Christmas Day.  Being a very spiritual man and loving the winter for its simple beauty, he felt a special calmness and peace in the winter months that as he said, “Just isn’t there during the rest of the year.”  So, with the elegant Silver Creek Estate decorated in the most beautiful winter trimmings and Rebecca again going overboard with the guest list, Missouri society’s second biggest wedding of the year got under way. 

Dakota, a dainty figure with auburn hair and blue eyes, looked absolutely stunning in her long flowing wedding gown and was complimented perfectly by her sisters and Lucinda, who were all wearing brilliant emerald green bridesmaid dresses. 

Rebecca, knowing the weather would be less than comfortable, had a special tent set up that attached to the veranda and cascaded perfectly out over the court area, stopping just shy of the gardens almost fifty yards away.  To keep the large number of guests warm during the ceremony, Rebecca lined the tent with special wood-burning stoves and had her hired hands feeding them constantly.  It was a giant undertaking, but as she and Minerva had done with Hattie’s wedding before, they took on a monumental task and made it look easy.    

Things got underway just after eleven in the morning with Shannon walking his sister down the red carpeted aisle to the wooden altar at the far side of the tent.  Lovingly, he gave her away to James, who was waiting eagerly.  Newton, it seemed, was nowhere to be found, which sat just fine with the rest of the family.  Dakota, Hattie thought, had said it perfectly, “I don’t care if we ever hear from him again.  After everything he has done to this family, he is the last person I want to give me away.  Mama was right.  Pa’s only use for us daughters was to gain the things he wanted.”   

As the wedding neared its conclusion, Rebecca turned and signaled to George to take his place at the front of the tent.  Rebecca, it turned out, had a special surprise for everyone in the audience, but to make it work, she needed George’s help.  As George took his position, Rebecca waited anxiously for the moment to arrive. 

The Reverend, knowing what Rebecca and George were planning, continued with the final vows.  Then, as the moment arrived, he glanced at George before voicing with great pride, “I now pronounce you man and wife!”  At the exact same moment the Reverend glanced at him, George began pulling on a rope in the corner.  As he pulled, the crowd took in a collective breath as the far end of the tent rose up like the curtain on a Broadway stage, exposing the most breathtakingly gorgeous winter scene that any of them had ever seen.  With snow cascading down in big puffy flakes, it was if all of Silver Creek was a giant snow globe and God had shaken it for all the guests to see. 

With an endless sea of white as their backdrop, the newly married couple delicately kissed, and the crowd erupted into thunderous applause.  Rebecca shed a tear as the moment turned out exactly as she dreamed it would be, utterly beautiful.  

Locking arms, James and Dakota turned to walk back down the aisle and back inside the mansion to the immense and elegantly decorated ballroom (also known as the grand parlor) where the reception was to be held. 

Hattie, standing up front, continued to gaze out at the snow-covered gardens.  As her eyes hungrily consumed the beauty before her, she thought back in her mind about all that had happened in the past year, and in doing so, one thing became abundantly clear.  “Despite Pa’s antics and the trouble that Abner has caused me, this has been a great year, and today provided the perfect endin’.  My only hope is that the years that follow will be as wonderful as this one has been.”