Page 10

T he waters of the Trinity River shimmered under the waning sun as Jack and Jane stepped onto the steamboat’s deck. Fort Worth’s banks dissolved into the horizon.

“Quite the sight,” Jack said, the churning water echoing his voice.

“I can’t imagine a more beautiful place to watch the sunset.” Jane hugged her shawl tighter against the river breeze. Seeing her shiver, Jack placed his coat over her shoulders.

“Thank you,” she replied, cheeks flushed from more than just the cold. His coat was warm from his skin, and it felt so good she wanted to lose herself in it.

Onward they journeyed, hands intertwined. “Jane, there’s something I need to ask.” He revealed a ring—old, adorned with intricate engravings and a star-like stone. “This belonged to my mother. Now I want it to be yours.”

Heart racing, Jane sought confirmation in his eyes. Could he really mean...

“Jane,” he said, “will you marry me?”

Overwhelmed by a whirlwind of emotions, Jane’s fingers trembled as they grazed the ring.

“You can take your time,” he assured her, sensing hesitation.

“Thank you,” she whispered. As twilight painted the sky, Jane pondered his proposal and the priceless heirloom in her hand. Uncertainties lingered like shadows at her thoughts’ edge, but one revelation emerged crystal clear:

Her answer was yes.

The steamboat’s paddlewheel churned the Trinity waters, ripples gliding like dancers. Jane watched Jack, his silhouette framed by fading light. Their uncertain future stretched before her, akin to the untamed Texas frontier.

“Jane?” Jack’s hopeful voice tugged at her resolve.

Inhaling crisp air, she found courage. “Yes,” she whispered over the river’s rush. “I will marry you.”

Jack’s radiant smile dissolved Jane’s concerns momentarily. As they made their way back to the Dailey’s home, however, uncertainty rekindled within her chest.

That evening, with children asleep, Susan knit in the parlor. The needles’ clicks filled the silence.

“Jack asked me to marry him today,” Jane murmured.

Susan paused her knitting and looked up. “And?”

“We’re to be married,” said Jane, a mix of sweetness and bitterness. She’d always told herself she wouldn’t marry a man who didn’t own his own house and have a way to earn a living, but she felt too much for Jack to hold herself to it.

“Why look so somber?” Susan asked gently.

“I’m happy but afraid of the unknown.”

Susan nodded slowly. “A new chapter can be frightening. But love often guides us through uncertainty.”

Jane smiled faintly, comforted yet adrift in a sea of what-ifs. As night deepened and Susan resumed knitting, Jane clung to the rhythmic sound—an anchor amidst her turbulent thoughts.

Jane fidgeted with the locket at her throat, a relic from her orphanage days. Susan watched her, silently encouraging.

“Jack is...a cowboy,” Jane said hesitantly. “I fear we might not have enough to live comfortably.”

Susan chuckled softly and set her knitting aside. “Did you not know? Once you’re married, Jack’s father plans to move back East. Their ranch will be yours. Unless there is some major catastrophe, you and Jack will never have to worry about money.”

“The ranch?” Jane’s eyes widened at the thought of vast pastures and security.

“Yes.” Susan’s smile was reassuring. “You’ll have your home, your land, and your cowboy. It’s one of the largest ranches in this part of Texas.”

“Why wouldn’t he tell me himself?” Jane wondered aloud, imagining cattle grazing and fences reaching toward the horizon.

“Perhaps he assumed you already knew,” Susan replied, gently touching Jane’s hand. “Or maybe he wanted to marry for love alone.”

Jane smiled at the thought of love beyond riches, warmth blossoming within her like dawn breaking after a long night.

As Jane climbed the narrow staircase to her room, Susan’s revelation echoed in her mind. She had been captivated by Jack’s affections without considering their future together. Lying in bed, she whispered about Jack’s waiting ranch, wondering why he hadn’t mentioned it.

Her money worries may be over, but that didn’t stop all worries.

At dawn, Jack knocked on Susan and David’s door. Jane greeted him with a furrowed brow.

“Jack, what brings you here at this hour?” she asked.

“Can’t a man visit his betrothed with the dawn?” he replied. “I have something pressing to discuss.”

Inside the parlor, Jack clasped his hands and spoke of his father’s desire to pass down the ranch and retire back East. He proposed marrying soon.

“Your father’s ranch?” Jane repeated. “Why have you never spoken of this?”

“I thought everyone knew,” Jack said, surprised.

A mix of emotions flooded Jane—relief, confusion, and affection for Jack. His confession solidified their future together. Agreeing to marry soon, they joined hands with relieved smiles.

Together, they would forge a path under the vast Texas sky – grounded by land and lifted by love.

*****

J ANE SAT AT THE KITCHEN table, her fingers tracing the wood grain, lost in thought. The morning sun cast a glow over the sisters as Cassandra spread out fabric swatches of ivory and lace.

“Jane, what do you think of this one?” Cassandra asked, holding up a delicate silk piece.

“It’s beautiful,” Jane replied, picturing herself wearing it on her wedding day.

“I’ll start on the dresses straightaway,” said Cassandra.

Amy chimed in, “I’ll take care of the feast—fresh bread, apple pie, and a hearty stew. We’ll get it to the church right before the wedding.”

“Thank you,” Jane answered, grateful for her sister’s generosity.

“An intimate wedding with all those we hold dear,” Jane mused, thinking of Jack’s reaction.

“Especially when he tastes my cooking,” Amy teased, causing laughter among them. With her sisters’ support, Jane felt ready for life’s next great adventure.

*****

J ANE WATCHED JACK FROM the porch as he leaned against the fence, his gaze lost on the horizon where the sun began to dip low in the sky.

He had that faraway look he often got after a long day working with his hands, and she knew better than to disturb him when he was like this.

But the wedding was looming, and her heart fluttered with a mixture of anticipation and unease.

“Jack,” she called out gently, hesitant to break his reverie.

He turned, a slow smile spreading across his face as he saw her. “Evening, Jane. You look beautiful as always.”

“Thank you, Jack.” She twisted the fabric of her apron between her fingers, a habit when nerves caught her tongue. “I wanted to talk to you about the wedding plans. There’s much to decide, and I thought...”

“Whatever you want, Jane,” Jack interrupted with an easy shrug, pushing away from the fence and sauntering over to her. “I trust your judgment.”

Her heart sank a little. His nonchalance felt like disinterest, and she couldn’t help but voice her concern. “But don’t you care about our wedding? It’s our day, not just mine.”

“Of course I care,” he said, his dark eyes meeting hers earnestly. “It’s just... Well, there’s been a lot going on, and Pa’s been having me up each night, talking about the ranch.”

“Is something the matter?” Jane asked, her brows knitting together in worry.

“Nothing’s wrong,” he assured her, his hand finding its way to her shoulder in a comforting squeeze.

“He’s just teaching me everything I need to know.

It’s important stuff, Jane. One day, all this—” He gestured vaguely towards the vast expanse of land that stretched out before them. “—will be ours to tend to.”

“It’s so hard to believe,” she said softly, a warmth blossoming within her at the thought of sharing a future so intimately tied to the land and the man before her.

“Trust me,” Jack said, his voice steady and sure. “I’m leaving the wedding to you because I trust you’ll make it perfect. And besides,” he added with a grin, “if I started making decisions, we’d end up saying ‘I do’ on horseback or in the middle of a cattle drive.”

Jane couldn’t help but laugh, the sound mingling with the rustle of the leaves in the evening breeze.

In that moment, she understood. His heart was in his work, just as hers was in their future together.

Her worries eased, replaced by a sense of purpose.

This man, who would one day stand beside her as they faced the world, trusted her with the beginnings of their life together.

“All right then,” she said, her spirit lifting. “You focus on learning about the ranch, and I’ll handle the wedding. Together, we’ll start our new chapter the best way possible.”

“Agreed,” Jack replied, his smile reflecting the last rays of sunlight. “And Jane?”

“Yes, Jack?”

“Thank you for understanding.”

Jane watched Jack return to his duties, the deepening twilight surrounding her. Their roles may be different, but their path was shared, bound by love and faith.

*****

J ANE TRACED THE QUILT’S patterns as she sat on the porch swing, the Texas stars emerging in the sky. A cold breeze signalledsignaled nighttime’s approach.

“Jack,” she said softly, “I’m truly excited to be your wife in little over a month.” Her eyes met his, shimmering with hope and trepidation.

Leaning against the porch rail, Jack smiled playfully. “Well, Jane, I think I’ll be there if you promise to show up for the wedding night.”

Blushing, Jane murmured her confirmation, heart racing like a captured bird.

“That’s a date I wouldn’t miss for all the cattle in Texas,” he replied, stepping closer and tilting her chin up for a tender kiss.

After bidding each other goodnight, Jane retreated to her room, thoughts swirling with questions about the wedding night.

Resolved to seek advice from her sisters in the morning, she lay cocooned in blankets under the starlit sky, praying for wisdom and love to guide her into this new life with Jack.

Jane stood at the church’s threshold, wildflowers adorning its rustic wooden pews. Her heart thrummed with anticipation, fingers lightly grazing her delicate lace wedding gown.