Chapter 7 #2
Whatever the reason she’d chosen him, there had definitely been some heat to the kiss. And he was pretty sure she’d noticed the heat and had liked kissing him, maybe even enough to influence her decision not to marry Giles.
If she’d liked it once, she’d probably like it again. But for now and the near future, he’d honor her request and wouldn’t kiss her.
“Whatever you want, darlin’.” He tried to speak as sincerely as possible so that he didn’t scare her any more than she already was.
“Thank you,” she said stiffly as they continued to make their way to the front.
The reverend had taken his place near the pulpit and was waiting for them. Sterling was still in his position by the altar, although his gaze was riveted to Violet, who was trailing after them.
Beckett almost couldn’t believe this was happening, that he really was getting married.
After all the setbacks, he’d nearly given up hope.
While Hyacinth was the last person he’d expected to walk down the aisle with, he wasn’t disappointed.
Nope, maybe he was even a little excited about the fact that she’d agreed to marry him.
As they reached the altar and halted in front of the reverend, Beckett settled his opposite hand over her fingers that were tucked into his arm.
He didn’t want her to let go, and he also wanted to show her that he could be sweet and tender.
Those qualities might not come as easily to him as they did to Sterling, but he could work at winning her affection. Couldn’t he?
Violet took her place beside Hyacinth. Then the reverend opened with a prayer and short homily, encouraging them to love each other as God had laid out in Scripture—sacrificing for each other, bearing each other’s burdens, being patient with each other’s faults, and forgiving one another when necessary.
Beckett hadn’t observed his own parents’ marriage, since his ma had died when he was young.
It probably wouldn’t have been good anyway with the way his pa had carried on with so many other women.
But Beckett had seen Sargeant and his wife, Sunshine, interact lovingly and display what a good marriage was supposed to look like.
Could he eventually learn to love Hyacinth like that and have a strong marriage? Could he be a husband who sacrificed, bore her burdens, and was patient and forgiving?
Even if their marriage was starting off as a mere arrangement, it didn’t have to stay that way forever.
As the reverend ended his sermon about the reasons marriage was ordained, he smiled kindly at Hyacinth and then Beckett. “Please face each other and hold hands.”
Beckett shifted to face her.
She moved more slowly, seeming to hesitate again.
He reached for both of her hands and clasped them in his, giving her no choice but to turn toward him.
When she was in position, she didn’t meet his gaze and instead focused on the reverend.
“Beckett Thorpe,” the reverend started again, “wilt thou have this woman to be thy wedded wife, to live together after God’s ordinance in the holy estate of matrimony?
Wilt thou love her, comfort her, honor and keep her in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, keep thee only to her, so long as you both shall live? ”
Had his pa believed he would keep his marriage vows when he’d married Ma? No one ever went into marriage thinking that they would cheat with other women and have illegitimate children, did they? So what had happened to Pa to cause him to forsake his vows?
His pa had been a terrible person all around, not just with women. Beckett had vowed to be different. He was different, wasn’t he?
The reverend cleared his throat and stared at him expectantly.
Beckett swallowed hard.
Hyacinth had finally lifted her gaze to his face and was studying him, a tiny crease forming in her forehead.
He had to push forward. He was doing the right thing by marrying her. He was giving her what she wanted—the chance to get away from her sister and father. And he was doing what was right for the Double T and the many people who lived there.
“I will.” The words came out rough, but they were out.
Hyacinth’s frown only deepened.
Thankfully, though, she was quicker to answer the reverend’s question when it was her turn. And thankfully, when it was time to speak their vows, they both did so smoothly, without any more hesitation.
“Now for the exchange of rings.” The reverend extended his open prayer book toward Beckett.
Beckett fished in his pocket for the ring box and pulled it out. He flipped open the top to reveal a gold heart shape with rubies surrounding a diamond in the center.
He’d purchased it in town the day before and didn’t care that it had cost a year of ranch-hand wages.
Beckett hadn’t used any of what he’d inherited from his pa in all the years he’d been gone. But he’d wanted to get a ring for Hyacinth that proved he was wealthy and would also be something she enjoyed. So he’d telegrammed his lawyer, Mr. Dickinson, and had him wire the money yesterday.
Beside him, Sterling whistled softly under his breath. No doubt the boss was champing at the bit to know how Beckett could afford a ring of solid gold and with as many jewels.
Hyacinth’s eyes widened as she took in the ring.
The reverend made the sign of the cross and then began to lead Beckett through the words of the ceremony. “With this ring, I thee wed. With my body, I thee worship. And with all my worldly goods, I thee endow. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.”
As Beckett slipped the ring on Hyacinth’s finger, she met his gaze again.
The worried line was gone from her forehead, and her eyes now held questions.
Like Sterling, she was probably wondering how he’d been able to afford such a ring.
All he could tell her was what he had before—that he had Giles beat by a mile.
The rest of the service went by quickly, and within minutes, the reverend closed his prayer book. “I pronounce that Beckett and Hyacinth be man and wife together in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.”
Quiet amens echoed from the others.
Beckett released a soft sigh. It was official. He’d done the impossible. He was married.
“Beckett,” the reverend continued, “you may now kiss your bride.”
“No.” Hyacinth took a rapid step back from him, bumping into Violet. “We aren’t kissing.”
The reverend’s brow shot up.
“It’s okay, Reverend,” Beckett interjected. “We’re in a hurry to leave and will save the kissing for later. Right, darlin’?”
He hoped Hyacinth could see the warning in his eyes not to object too much. The reverend still needed to give them an official marriage certificate to take with them, and they couldn’t chance him denying them one because he questioned the sincerity of their vows.
She nodded. “Right.”
Beckett squeezed her hand before he offered the reverend a smile.
“Very well.” The revered smiled back. “Then it looks like we’re done here.”
“Looks that way.” Sterling clamped Beckett on the shoulder affectionately.
“We might be done here,” the reverend continued, “but now you’re just beginning the labor of building a loving marriage, which takes much intentional effort and doesn’t just happen by chance.”
Was that where so many couples went wrong? They didn’t intentionally build their marriages and instead left the blueprint and building of their marriage to chance? Any house being constructed that way would eventually crumble.
Beckett didn’t want that to happen to his marriage. But what could he do to be intentional?
He didn’t know, but he was ready to find out.