before knocking.
“Well, if it isn’t the groom.” Colin said as he opened the door and motioned him inside. “Pray tell, what’s in the box?”
Eli looked at the box in his hands. “A gift for Miss Comfort. Several, actually.”
Colin grinned. “Did Wilfred help you pick them out?”
“He didn’t help – he did everythin’ himself,” Eli confessed.
Colin laughed. “That’s Wilfred for you. What did he choose?”
Eli held the box away from him. “I ain’t tellin’ you or nobody else. Ya’ll find out when Miss Comfort does.”
Colin laughed again and slapped him on the back. “Very well, but Harrison is going to have a hard time waiting. He’s worse than I am when it comes to surprises.”
“So I’ve heard,” Eli said with an arched eyebrow. Of the three Cooke brothers, it was well known around Clear Creek that Harrison was the most easily flustered. He might have to hide the box from Harrison entirely.
They went into the dining parlor, and Eli set the box on a chair against the wall. He peeked around for any sign of Harrison, then took off his coat and covered the box with it. “There, that oughta keep it safe.”
Colin laughed and motioned for Eli to follow him into the kitchen. “Is supper almost ready, sweet?” Colin asked Belle. “Our company has arrived.”
“Eli,” she said with a smile as she turned, handing a bowl of mashed potatoes to Colin. “Here, put this on the table. And Eli can carry this in.” She picked up a platter of chicken and held it before him. “Provided your hands are steady enough. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were nervous.”
“What … what makes ya say that, ma’am?” he asked.
“For one, you’ve never call me ‘ma’am’ before . It’s always been ‘Belle’.”
He noticed his breathing was a little faster than normal. Land sakes, she was right – he was nervous. “Well, maybe just a bit …”
“He’s come to bestow a gift upon his intended,” Colin informed her. “A box containing who knows what treasures?”
“Oh, I see,” Belle said with glee. “Did Uncle Wilfred help you pick something out?”
“Wilfred did all the picking, dear,” Colin informed her before Eli could.
“Oh, I can’t wait to see what it is!”
Eli’s face twisted up into a grimace. “Don’t I get a li’l credit? Listenin’ to you two makes me think I just put all my romantic notions in Wilfred’s hands. I did have some say.”
“Of course you did,” Belle said. “But my uncle does like to have his hand in it.” She hefted a bowl of vegetables. “Let’s take these to the table, then come back for the rest.”
“What else is there?” Colin asked.
“I still have to slice the bread, and put the corn on a plate.”
“I say,” Colin mused, “but didn’t our house guest help with the meal preparation?” He winked at Eli.
“Only the bread. Though she certainly had her hand in dessert.”
“You mean our dear Mr. Turner will have a chance to taste her cooking?” Colin teased.
“Her baking, and yes, come dessert time. Now go put the food on the table!”
Colin chuckled as he complied, leading the trio into the dining room. They placed everything on the table, then went back for more food as the family began to gather.
Eli felt himself getting nervous. Where was Miss Comfort? He edged his way into the foyer and glanced up the staircase, just in time to see his intended and Honoria come out of one of the bedrooms. He heard a funny sound … and realized he had gasped!
And with reason – Miss Comfort was stunning in a pink gown the likes of which he’d never seen before. She looked like a storybook princess. Honoria followed in her Sunday best. The two women were beautiful, and he had a momentary pang of regret at not taking a chance on Harrison and Sadie’s daughter. After all, it would’ve been easy to marry someone he already knew. But he also knew they would never have suited.
“Good evening, Mr. Turner,”
“Well, if it isn’t the groom.” Colin said as he opened the door and motioned him inside. “Pray tell, what’s in the box?”
Eli looked at the box in his hands. “A gift for Miss Comfort. Several, actually.”
Colin grinned. “Did Wilfred help you pick them out?”
“He didn’t help – he did everythin’ himself,” Eli confessed.
Colin laughed. “That’s Wilfred for you. What did he choose?”
Eli held the box away from him. “I ain’t tellin’ you or nobody else. Ya’ll find out when Miss Comfort does.”
Colin laughed again and slapped him on the back. “Very well, but Harrison is going to have a hard time waiting. He’s worse than I am when it comes to surprises.”
“So I’ve heard,” Eli said with an arched eyebrow. Of the three Cooke brothers, it was well known around Clear Creek that Harrison was the most easily flustered. He might have to hide the box from Harrison entirely.
They went into the dining parlor, and Eli set the box on a chair against the wall. He peeked around for any sign of Harrison, then took off his coat and covered the box with it. “There, that oughta keep it safe.”
Colin laughed and motioned for Eli to follow him into the kitchen. “Is supper almost ready, sweet?” Colin asked Belle. “Our company has arrived.”
“Eli,” she said with a smile as she turned, handing a bowl of mashed potatoes to Colin. “Here, put this on the table. And Eli can carry this in.” She picked up a platter of chicken and held it before him. “Provided your hands are steady enough. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were nervous.”
“What … what makes ya say that, ma’am?” he asked.
“For one, you’ve never call me ‘ma’am’ before . It’s always been ‘Belle’.”
He noticed his breathing was a little faster than normal. Land sakes, she was right – he was nervous. “Well, maybe just a bit …”
“He’s come to bestow a gift upon his intended,” Colin informed her. “A box containing who knows what treasures?”
“Oh, I see,” Belle said with glee. “Did Uncle Wilfred help you pick something out?”
“Wilfred did all the picking, dear,” Colin informed her before Eli could.
“Oh, I can’t wait to see what it is!”
Eli’s face twisted up into a grimace. “Don’t I get a li’l credit? Listenin’ to you two makes me think I just put all my romantic notions in Wilfred’s hands. I did have some say.”
“Of course you did,” Belle said. “But my uncle does like to have his hand in it.” She hefted a bowl of vegetables. “Let’s take these to the table, then come back for the rest.”
“What else is there?” Colin asked.
“I still have to slice the bread, and put the corn on a plate.”
“I say,” Colin mused, “but didn’t our house guest help with the meal preparation?” He winked at Eli.
“Only the bread. Though she certainly had her hand in dessert.”
“You mean our dear Mr. Turner will have a chance to taste her cooking?” Colin teased.
“Her baking, and yes, come dessert time. Now go put the food on the table!”
Colin chuckled as he complied, leading the trio into the dining room. They placed everything on the table, then went back for more food as the family began to gather.
Eli felt himself getting nervous. Where was Miss Comfort? He edged his way into the foyer and glanced up the staircase, just in time to see his intended and Honoria come out of one of the bedrooms. He heard a funny sound … and realized he had gasped!
And with reason – Miss Comfort was stunning in a pink gown the likes of which he’d never seen before. She looked like a storybook princess. Honoria followed in her Sunday best. The two women were beautiful, and he had a momentary pang of regret at not taking a chance on Harrison and Sadie’s daughter. After all, it would’ve been easy to marry someone he already knew. But he also knew they would never have suited.
“Good evening, Mr. Turner,”
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