Page 29

They forgot everything the minute they were together again.

—Emily Bronte

IT WAS EASIER THAN Blake expected to find Lula and Wickham.

After driving down Gooseberry Lane and having no success at spotting the limo, he turned onto Dogwood Drive and headed north.

Lula was a photographer. And what was the most beautiful thing in the area?

The mountains. And Wickham wouldn’t risk his job completely.

Which gave him a hunch. He headed back to Deerpark Cabins.

After driving down each road leading to an already constructed cabin on the property, most of them tucked into secluded wooded areas, he spotted the limo parked at the last of the completed cabins.

Of course, Wickham would have chosen the one that was farthest away and the most secluded.

He parked the pickup and climbed out, his hands balling into fists as he walked to the cabin door.

He pounded loudly. And again, when there was no answer.

Wickham finally opened the door, blinking, his mouth stuck open.

Lula sauntered up from behind him, disheveled, wrapping herself at his side until it seemed as if she was hanging on his arm.

At least they were wearing robes, and if he wasn’t mistaken, guest robes the cabin provided.

Blake’s jaw tightened and he grimaced. “I’d knock the daylights out of you, Lewis, except I don’t want Lula to end up with a wedding photo of you with a black eye, a busted nose, and missing teeth.

If you want any chance of keeping your job without me pressing charges for theft of this cabin and the limo, you’ll both be dressed and outside in two minutes, ready to head to Gatlinburg’s wedding chapel.

Otherwise, I’m calling the police and you’re both going to jail. ”

“The wedding ch-chapel?” Wickham stammered while Lula’s brows shot up.

Blake crossed his arms over his chest. “You didn’t think you could steal Lula’s honor and the reputation of her family without making it right, did you?

You will marry the girl. You’ve shacked up in one of my cabins overnight, and it won’t be long before the whole town knows.

What’s it going to be? A happy marriage with Lula, or jailtime for you and your accomplice? ”

“You wouldn’t consider me an accomplice, Blake, would you?” Lula protested, her eyes widening. Softening her voice, she leaned closer to Wickham, “Not that I mind marrying Lewis. We are in love, after all.”

“I guess it’s up to you then, Wickham. Will it be jailtime for auto theft, breaking and entering, and cabin rental theft?” Blake arched his brows, feet apart, arms crossed over his chest, and stood firm.

Wickham glanced at Lula. “I didn’t mean any harm. We were planning to make it right, and I didn’t think you’d mind about the limo and the cabin. Where’s that license, Lula, so we can show it to Blake?”

“On the counter where we left it last night.” Lula stepped away and rummaged through some papers strewn across the kitchen peninsula. She returned, holding it up. “But we aren’t ready for our elopement until I have time to shop for the perfect dress.”

Blake reached for his cell and held it up.

Wickham raised a hand. “No, no, we’ll be ready in two minutes. Lula, throw something on. We’re getting married sooner than we planned.”

“Make sure you bring that marriage license,” Blake warned. Phew! That was one less thing to worry about since everything was closed on Sundays in their county. He whispered up a prayer of thanks that the Lord had seen to that.

But Lula’s mouth dropped wide open, an indignant expression forming on her face.

“I don’t have a proper wedding dress ...

only what I wore to the dance last night.

” But one glance at Blake was all it took for her to begin sobbing, though Wickham told her to stop blubbering unless she preferred spending the night in jail.

When they came out of the cabin, Blake told Wickham to resume his seat behind the wheel of the limo and gave him the name of the Wildwood Chapel as their destination.

Wickham entered it into the GPS. Blake held open the passenger door for Lula and she climbed into the back seat in a huff, tossing her purse in first. She’d have to sit across from him, sniffling all the way to Gatlinburg.

“I wanted the perfect dress for our wedding day.” Lula pouted. “We aren’t ready. No arrangements have been made yet.”

“Your father will be there,” Blake explained. “I’d just like to know how you and Wickham stole the limo. It’s the one missing detail here.”

“Lewis told me you wouldn’t mind, but that I’d have to meet him at The Gathering Place,” Lula informed him.

“I see. Is that true, Wickham?”

“Yes, she drove to the diner and then I drove us to the community center. We arrived early and left early. I parked across the street behind some shrubs in another parking lot in both instances so no one would notice,” Lewis explained while keeping his eyes on the road. “And I apologize, sir. I overstepped.”

Blake maintained a stern face. Lula continued to pout. And Wickham drove on in silence.

At the chapel, Blake found Lula’s father in the vestibule and brought him up to speed on the situation while an assistant hovered nearby.

One glance at his daughter and Lewis Wickham in their state of frenzy made Hensley’s father’s eyes mist. He thanked Blake, cleared his throat, reviewed Wickham’s license to marry his daughter, and turned a stern eye on Wickham and Lula.

She attempted another protest. “I did eventually plan on a big wedding after our elopement, but not this private little ceremony without a proper wedding dress. And we were planning on telling you about our elopement and our bigger wedding plans too.”

“You can have a big wedding after you save your own money for it,” her father said with sorrow in his eyes.

“I would have paid for it all, but now you’ve gone and thrown away our trust by spending the night with a man out of wedlock.

You will make this right before the Lord and marry this man, seeing as how you have told me for weeks on end that you love and adore him.

And you will go and live with him directly after this ceremony.

You will not come directly home. You may bring him over for dinner in a month or two, when your mother and sisters are over the shock and worry you’ve caused.

We’ll need some space to adapt to our new son-in-law.

” Here, he cleared his throat and glanced sternly at Wickham.

“We’ve been worried sick about your whereabouts since last night when you disappeared after the dance.

Your mother hadn’t even been to bed yet when I left for the chapel. ”

“I’m sorry I distressed you and everyone, Father.” Lula’s eyes misted, but she seemed to understand her father meant business as he turned and took his place at the pulpit.

Her awkward glance at Blake reaffirmed that their options were few. Wickham attempted to straighten his sloppy tie. He hung his head, unable to do much but stare straight ahead in disgrace. As her father faced them from behind the pulpit, Wickham muttered, “I’m sorry, sir.”

Blake only had to nod and the two proceeded toward the altar.

Blake would remain present as a witness until the ceremony was over, and as added insurance that they wouldn’t try any funny business.

Hensley’s father kept it short. When he pronounced them husband and wife, the assistant who’d heard the entire fiasco snapped a photo and led them all to sign the official documents.

Lula’s face conveyed her horror at having their photo taken in their present state, but she didn’t object.

She might appreciate the memory later. Blake followed to sign as a witness.

Reverend Fitzwilliam drew Blake aside when he’d finished signing the marriage certificate and other paperwork, thanking him again. “I appreciate all you’ve done.”

“I’ll tell Wickham to take three weeks off and give Lula a proper honeymoon, preferably somewhere away from Tennessee until things settle, but he’ll need to call a cab for a ride back to his own vehicle.

I will likely assign him to a different job when he returns to work until I can trust him again with vehicles and cabin keys. ”

Hensley’s father nodded. “That’s very generous of you. I hope that they can both earn our trust again.”

The man was surely not in the best of moods, but Blake ought to ask before he lost the nerve. “There’s something else I’ve been ... uh ... meaning to ask you.” He raked a hand through his hair.

“What can I do for you, Blake? Something else on your mind?” Reverend Fitzwilliam leaned his head to one side.

“May I ask permission to ... to marry your daughter, sir?” There, he’d finally spit it out.

“Before I say yes, may I ask which of my four other daughters you are asking for?” His brows arched.

“Hensley June Fitzwilliam, sir.” Was he absentminded, or just making sure of the facts?

It was true a girl could fall in and out of love quickly.

He’d seen it happen, and not in his favor.

Maybe the man was making sure of the facts.

When the reverend grinned, he could safely assume he was not absentminded.

Blake figured it was partly his way of cracking a joke to ease the tension.

“I was hoping you’d get around to this. If Hensley will have you, I give you my blessing, especially after all you’ve done to save our family from a most deplorable situation.” Hensley’s father shook hands with him and patted him on the back.

“Thank you, sir.” Smiling, he shook hands with him and after having a word with Wickham, strode outside to the limo, and climbed in behind the wheel.