Fair Game, page 25
part #2 of A Fair to Remember Series
"I'd hate to have to get used to someone new," Millie quipped. "Or take a chance on getting another Lila."
Dinah laughed. "It's nice to know I'm appreciated." She picked up her tortoiseshell brush and began smoothing her dark brown curls into place. She found it hard to believe that after becoming such an integral part of their lives, the great fair would come to an end in another two months.
But offsetting that bittersweet thought was the joyful knowledge that the adventure of life as Mrs. Seth Howell was about to begin. In a few short minutes, she and Seth would pledge their love to each other forever.
A wave of excitement left her dizzy. She closed her eyes and took a breath to steady herself. One week from proposal to wedding left her with little time to do anything but walk through the past few days with her mind in a whirl. Theirs had been a far shorter engagement than convention would dictate, but Seth wanted to tie the knot right away... and Dinah felt no inclination to argue with him.
"I still can't believe it," she told Millie. "I thought my whole life was in a shambles, but God pulled all those broken pieces together and made something wonderful from them."
Millie fussed with Dinah's jacket collar. "I never knew a preacher's wife before. So what are the two of you going to do after the fair is over—go out and be missionaries to the Hottentots?"
Dinah laughed until tears sprang to her eyes. "Right now, we plan to stay here in Chicago, but who knows what lies ahead? The important thing is that we'll be together."
Together. Even now, she could scarcely believe it. She pressed her hands against her waist to quell the flutter in her stomach.
A quick tap sounded, and Mrs. Purvis poked her head around the door.
Dinah stepped forward for her inspection. "How do I look?"
The landlady studied her from head to toe, and her eyes glowed. "You're lovely. Absolutely lovely. I was wondering, though..."
Dinah pivoted and glanced in the mirror. Had she missed something?
Mrs. Purvis slid into the room, holding up a white satin dress.
Dinah caught her breath.
The landlady smoothed her hand over the glistening fabric. "This was mine. I don't have a daughter to pass it along to, so..." She shrugged. "I wondered if you would like to wear it. It's all pressed and ready to put on. I would have brought it to you earlier, but I just finished adding a ruffle around the bottom, since you're a bit taller than I am."
Dinah's cup of joy overflowed. She swooped down on the older woman and big hug. "Mrs. Purvis, you are a treasure."
Mrs. Purvis laid the gown on the bed and fluttered her hands at Dinah. "Better get changed quickly. Time is getting short, so I'll be heading back downstairs. I want to make sure everything is in place and check on that young man of yours."
Dinah stroked the satiny folds with her fingertips, hardly able to believe she was about to wear such a lovely confection. When Seth saw her in just a few minutes...
Just a few minutes! She slipped out of the jacket with lightning speed and reached around to the back of her blouse. "Millie, can you help me with these buttons?"
* * *
The Reverend Amos B. Hall leaned against the counter in Mrs. Purvis's kitchen and sipped from a glass of water. "That's a fine young woman you're getting, son."
"I couldn't agree with you more." Seth gripped his mentor's hand. "Thank you very much for agreeing to perform the ceremony for us. We feel very honored."
The minister's eyes twinkled. "The pleasure is mine. It's always nice to play a part in furthering the course of young love." He set the glass down and pushed open the swinging door. "I just came back for a swallow to wet my throat. I'll see you out there in a few minutes."
Seth looked at Mac. "Do you have the ring?"
"You've asked me that fifteen times already, and the answer is still the same. It's right here in my vest pocket."
Seth pulled out his handkerchief and used it to wipe his moist palms. He poured another glass of water from the pitcher on the counter and took a deep swig.
"If I was your trainer," Mac said, "I'd say you needed to sit down for a bit."
Seth emptied the glass and set it on the counter. "It wouldn't do any good. My feet want to keep moving." He paced the kitchen, trying to think of something to keep his mind off his nerves. "You have that big fight coming up. Did you ever decide what you're going to do?"
Mac's lips set in a firm line. "I had a long talk with my trainer. I told him I'm going to fight it clean or not at all. I knew McGinty was up to his neck in fixing fights. That didn't seem so bad. But trafficking in women..." His mouth twisted as though he'd bitten into something sour. "I don't have the stomach for that. I don't want any part of it, or him. I'm going to make it on my own, fair and square, or drop out of the game altogether."
Seth looked into his friend's face, heartened by the conviction he saw there. "What would you do then?"
"I don't know." Mac shrugged and grinned. "Maybe if I get bored enough, I'll drop into church now and then."
Seth gripped his friend's shoulder. "I'll look forward to that."
The door swung open again, and Mrs. Purvis entered. "Everyone is in their seats, and Dinah is almost ready. I'll crank up the phonograph in a few minutes. I just wanted to check on you boys first."
"We're fine," Seth assured her.
Mac burst out laughing. "One of us is, at least."
Mrs. Purvis fanned herself with both hands. "I'd forgotten how many things there are to do on a wedding day. It seems like I've been running my legs off since the crack of dawn. So exciting, the way all this has turned out." She hurried to a cupboard, took out paper, pen, and ink, and sat down at the table.
Seth blinked. "What are you doing?"
Mrs. Purvis dipped the pen in the inkwell and scribbled rapidly. "I'm making a list."
A chuckle rose in his throat. "A list of things that need to be done? Isn't it a little late for that?"
Mrs. Purvis made no reply. She scratched a few more words on the paper and held it up so he could read it. "A list of my successes. Look: Annie Trenton and Nick Rutherford; Dinah Mayhew and Seth Howell. I feel it's important to recognize my newfound gift." Her eyes took on a dreamy look, and she stared into the distance. "I wonder who else I may bring together before the fair is over."
She hopped up and scurried over to tuck the writing materials back in the cupboard. "Well, no time to waste. I'll start the music now."
* * *
Dinah stood still so as not to wrinkle the dress of her dreams.
Millie finished weaving the last of the summer flowers into Dinah's hair. She stepped back to survey the results and gave a satisfied nod. Then her expression clouded. "What a shame your aunt couldn't be here today."
Dinah only nodded, not trusting herself to speak. It would have been wonderful to have Aunt Dora stand in for her mother and to have Uncle Everett walk with her up the aisle. But that wasn't to be. Aunt Dora's time was now occupied with tending to Gladys. The physical effects of the drugging had worn off quickly enough, but it would take far longer for her emotions to heal. Some wounds went much deeper than the physical. Dinah knew that only too well.
As if sensing her thoughts, Millie added, "I'm sorry your father won't be giving you away."
"He already did that years ago." Dinah blinked rapidly, then shook off her gloom. This was not a day for sadness. The only tears for now would be tears of joy. Today she would forget the past and set her sights on what God had in store.
Millie handed her the bouquet of white daisies, and together they walked down the hallway and waited until the musical strains from the phonograph came floating up the stairs. Dinah gripped her friend's hand and squeezed it tight. "It's time."
Millie nodded and started down the stairs. Dinah took a moment to offer up a prayer of gratitude before following. Thank You, Lord, for this day. For Seth. For being my Father.
She paused outside the parlor and peered through the crack in the open door at the faces of people who had become dear to her during her time in Chicago. Mrs. Johnson stood near the front, handkerchief at the ready. Even Mr. Thorndyke had come to witness this special day.
Behind them stood her girls and their families, every one of them dressed in their best. Dinah took a deep breath and stepped forward to meet her future.
The little girls' mouths formed perfect O's when they caught sight of Dinah in the white satin gown. If she needed any further assurance of how she looked, she found it the moment her eyes met Seth's. Smiling, she made her way toward him.
Seth's friend, Mac, stood beside him, and directly in front of them was Reverend Hall. Dinah knew the man would always be connected in her mind with the turning points in her life. The first time she saw him was the night she embarked on a deeper relationship with God. Today he would start her and Seth off on their journey into matrimony.
She joined hands with Seth, gripping tightly as though she held a lifeline.
Reverend Hall cleared his throat. "Dearly beloved," he began.
Dinah heard the words continue to flow, but all she could think about was Seth, standing there beside her, about to become her husband. She responded automatically to the minister's questions and heard Seth do the same.
"I now pronounce you man and wife."
Dinah felt her chest constrict so she could hardly breathe. The moment had come. She and Seth were joined together in the eyes of God and man.
The minister raised his hands in benediction. "Seth, you may kiss your bride. May you walk together in the joy of the Lord from this day forward."
Dinah's heart seemed to stop, then leaped as Seth tilted his head toward hers. His eyes darkened, and she heard him whisper, "From this day forward."
She nodded solemnly, the truth of the words echoing in her soul. She stood on the threshold of a new beginning, a future that held the assurance of God's love and acceptance and a life ahead with Seth.
"From this day forward," she repeated. Lifting her face to his, she melted into her husband's embrace.
Thank you so much for reading Fair Game. I hope you enjoyed exploring this breathtaking moment in American history as much as I did!
I’d like to ask a favor—would you take a quick moment to leave a review? It doesn’t have to be long—just a sentence or two—and I’d be grateful for your honest opinion.
And it’s simple! Just CLICK HERE to leave your review on Amazon.
A Note from the Author
Some time ago, I came across a history of the United States printed in the 1940s. Intrigued, I thumbed through its pages and found my attention caught by a passage about the World’s Columbian Exposition, held in Chicago in 1893. Those brief paragraphs sparked my interest and set me off on a trail of research where I became immersed in a fascinating moment in America’s history.
After winning the honor of hosting the great fair, Chicago opened its doors to the world and invited people from every nation to come to the White city. And come they did! Over 27 million visitors passed through the gates during the fair’s six-month duration. Along with sightseers, the fair also drew those who would prey on the unsuspecting, which gave me the basis for this series.
By the time it was all over, America had established its position as a forward-thinking, cultured nation, and innovations such as the Ferris wheel and the Midway, hamburgers and carbonated soda, Cracker Jacks and ragtime music had become American institutions.
Set against the backdrop of a fascinating moment in America’s past, the three titles of A FAIR TO REMEMBER—Ticket to Tomorrow, Fair Game, and A Bride So Fair—combine history, romance, and intrigue.
Join me in reliving the moment that ushered in the twentieth century in America!
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Emily Ralston finds more than she bargained for
when she joins the crowds of young women
making their way to Chicago in search of
independence and adventure and
takes on a job in the Children’s Building in
A Bride So Fair, Book 3 in the
A Fair to Remember series.
Here’s a brief excerpt:
Emily looked down at the little boy cradled in her arms, and her heart knew she was doing the right thing, even though her mind told her otherwise. This child had already been abandoned once today. She couldn’t bear the thought of doing it to him again.
Gently she slid the boy from her lap and stood him in front of her so she could look into his face. “It doesn’t look like your mama is going to be back right away. Would you like to go home with Miss Lucy and me?”
Adam gave her a long, searching look and then nodded.
“All right.” Emily stood up and smoothed her skirt. “Now that we’re all agreed, how will we manage it?”
With their decision made, Lucy seemed set for action. “I’m ready to leave. I only have to sign out.” She scrawled her name on the time sheet on Emily’s desk and grabbed her hat from the hat rack.
Emily retrieved her reticule from her desk drawer and pulled her straw boater from its hook, realizing as she did so the gravity of what they were about to do. She fumbled with the hatpins until she had anchored the boater firmly upon her head.
Drawing a deep breath, she took Adam by the hand and moved to the door. She had one hand on the doorknob when Miss Strickland’s strident voice carried from the next hallway.
“Are you still here, Miss Welch?”
“Emily and I are just leaving.” Lucy called. She reached around Emily and yanked the door open, then shoved Emily and Adam outside onto the pavement. Then she pulled the door back toward her to screen the two of them from view.
Emily could hear Miss Strickland’s voice growing closer. “Did you deal with that abandoned child as I told you to?”
“It’s all taken care of,” Lucy called. “He just left. We’ll see you in the morning.” She slipped outside and pulled the door closed behind her before meeting Emily’s gaze. “What?”
“How could you say that? I never intended to lie to her.”
Lucy shrugged and pulled Emily and Adam along with her, past the wooden chairs lining the walk outside the front entrance and across the walkway that ran along the south side of the Woman’s Building. “It wasn’t a lie—not exactly anyway.” When Emily didn’t respond, she jutted out her chin and added, “It is all taken care of, isn’t it? And he did just leave the building, didn’t he?”
If you enjoyed this glimpse into Emily’s story, you don’t have to stop reading. CLICK HERE to purchase A Bride So Fair today!
Also by Carol Cox
A Fair to Remember
Book 1 - Ticket to Tomorrow
Book 2 - Fair Game
Book 3 - A Bride So Fair
Arizona Territory Brides
Book 1 - Land of Promise
Book 2 - Refining Fire
Book 3 - Road to Forgiveness
Book 4 - Copper Sunrise
The Arizona Territory Brides Collection - all four books in one volume
Other Historical Novels & Novellas
A Woman’s Place: A Texas Ranger Novella
Truth Be Told
Trouble in Store
Love in Disguise
Journey Toward Home & The Measure of a Man
No Match for Love
Contemporary Novellas
Danielle
Practically Christmas
To learn about more of Carol’s titles,
check out the Books page on her website!
Carol Cox, Fair Game
