Hope Rekindled Read Free Page A

Voluminous amounts of material were fashioned over what seemed to be larger and larger bustles. Deborah was glad they’d chosen only a modest bustle. Anything bigger would have made her feel even more self-conscious. Still, she would have worn a bustle three times larger if required. She was marrying Christopher, and the gown was perfect. She felt like royalty—at least what she imagined royalty would feel like.
    Deborah had always planned to wear her mother’s wedding gown, and with the need to conserve money these days, it fit their plans all the better. Thanks to her mother’s and Sissy’s skill and the latest copy of Godey’s , the masterpiece looked as if it had come from an expensive shop in Paris.
    “Now turn and let’s see if we have the hem pinned straight,” Mother commanded.
    Deborah took hold of her mother’s hand and carefully turned on the chair. She let go and gripped the back of the chair as she made a full circle.
    “It looks perfect.” Mother sounded quite satisfied. “The train is so lovely.”
    “Won’t be no problem to finish it up in time,” Sissy said.
    Deborah allowed them to help her from the chair. She ran her hands down over the overlaid bodice and basque waist. “I feel like a queen.” She went to the cheval mirror they’d brought into the dining room.
    Gently plucking a piece of lace that had twisted on the sleeve, she set it right and smiled. “I have never seen anything more beautiful, and just knowing that you wore this gown first . . .” Tears came to her eyes as she turned to face her mother. “I’m so very blessed.”
    Mother embraced her gently. “As am I. I can hardly believe this day has come.”
    Deborah pulled away and gave a light-hearted laugh. “Neither can I. It seemed forever in arriving.” She gently touched the modest sweep of the scooped neckline. In just a couple of days, she would be Mrs. Christopher Kelleher. Dr. and Mrs. Kelleher. She giggled. One day it would be Dr. and Dr. Kelleher. Or maybe just “the doctors Kelleher.” She giggled.
    “You are getting giddy,” her mother teased. “Let’s get you out of the gown before you do something foolish.”
    “I wouldn’t be so silly.”
    “Oh, look at you!” Lizzie and Jael declared as they entered the room, each carrying one of Lizzie and G.W.’s twins. Rutger wanted out of his mother’s arms the moment they stepped into sight of his grandmother, however. At nine months of age, Rutger and Emily Ann, or “Annie” as she had quickly been dubbed, were getting into everything and charming everyone.
    “I swear, they grow by inches each and every day.”
    “I agree with that,” Lizzie said, wrestling her son. “Especially now that they eat from the table, as well as nurse. I can hardly believe they’ll soon have their first birthday. Here it is the end of March; June isn’t that far off.”
    Jael cuddled the calmer Annie. “I certainly wish I had a baby so sweet.” Annie laughed and reached up to take hold of Jael’s chin.
    “Maybe you and Deborah both will have a baby this time next year,” Lizzie said, her face revealing her delight at such a thought. “Then all of our children could be close in age and play together.”
    “I doubt we’ll even be in the area,” Jael said sadly. “Stuart doesn’t like the influence you have over me. He’s jealous of how close we are.” She sighed. “He wouldn’t be if it weren’t for all his revenge nonsense.” She shook her head and shifted Annie in her arms. “Sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”
    “But it’s the truth,” Lizzie said. “I’m afraid our lives will never be the same because of my bad decision to leave him.”
    “Leaving Stuart at the altar wasn’t a bad decision,” Deborah countered. “You should never marry someone you don’t love, and I know you don’t regret doing otherwise.” That comment brought to mind the fact that Jael had married Stuart for less than love. She hurried to redirect the