speeches like that that make all the ladies hate you.” she said jokingly. She knew she was about to hear news that could be upsetting. Since she was already here and she knew that James wasn’t a typical man, she decided to wait and hear the whole story before she made a decision on how to feel about it. She wouldn’t let a crook in the road stop her from getting her dream if she actually had a chance to get it.
“But it’s true. I need a wife to improve my political standing and make my parents happy. Not to mention I’ll be needing a son to carry on the law firm.”
“A son I can probably manage, but I don’t think I’ll fit either of your other requirements. If anything, marrying a seamstress would make things worse.” Jewel said. James raised an eyebrow at her.
“Jewel, this isn’t New York. Nobody out here cares what you used to do. As long as you present yourself well now, that’s all that matters.”
“What about your parents? I’m sure they don’t want you to marry someone of my station.” Jewel said quietly. Her tone had grown serious, and she twisted her gloves in her hands. “I’m not just a seamstress, I’m a catalogue woman.”
To her confusion, James began to laugh. “It was all their idea in the first place. They’ve given up on finding a local girl who won’t flounce off the moment I open my mouth.”
Jewel stared at him, eyes and mouth opened wide in surprise. This part of his story was truly a surprise.
“Really? But they’re so, um, upstanding.” she said, fishing for words that weren’t rude. She’d wanted to call them snooty.
“I believe my father’s exact words were to ‘order yourself a wife from the Sears catalogue’,” James said drily. “As long as you’re not a saloon girl, I think they’re happy.”
“Well, I’d never seen a saloon in my life until last week, so I think I can meet that qualification.” They don’t seem happy with anything , she thought but didn’t want to say that out loud.
“Then you’ve got nothing to worry about.” James said with an air of finality. “And honestly, I don’t actually care whether they like you or not. You’re not going to marry my parents. You’re my wife.”
“Well, I suppose I will be your wife if you still want me. We do need to organize the whole “getting married” part, though,” Jewel reminded him.
Shifting in his seat, James pulled something out of his pocket. “I’ve actually had this since you got here,” he said, twiddling a small object in his fingers. “I just didn’t have the courage to give it to you.”
Jewel started smiling when he lifted her left hand.
“Jewel Wood, will you put up with an ill-spoken lawyer for a husband?”
“If you’ll put up with a wife who talks back sometimes, then I’d love to be your wife, James,” Jewel replied. “Besides, we can work on the ill-spoken part. You’re going to run for mayor, after all.”
“I am, am I?” James said. He slipped a ring over her finger, a plain gold band set with a deep green gemstone.
“Of course you are. I followed my dream. I always wanted to be something besides a servant and a seamstress in the grubby city. See how far removed from that I am now? You’ve got to follow yours, too. It’s time.”
“That doesn’t sound dreadful.” James said.
Jewel laughed. “I certainly hope not!”
“There’s more I need to say, Jewel,” he gulped and looked away from her. Then he took a deep breath and turned to look at her once more. He looked into her eyes and didn’t look away until he was finished with what he wanted to say. “I think you’re so beautiful. I’ve wanted to tell you since the day I saw you standing in the train station. I’m totally taken with you. I can’t believe my luck. Your spirit is sweet and lovely. Like a breath of fresh air. And I love it that you stand up for yourself. The day you told Pendleton off was terrific.”
“Oh, James. Thank you.” She was smiling broadly and
“But it’s true. I need a wife to improve my political standing and make my parents happy. Not to mention I’ll be needing a son to carry on the law firm.”
“A son I can probably manage, but I don’t think I’ll fit either of your other requirements. If anything, marrying a seamstress would make things worse.” Jewel said. James raised an eyebrow at her.
“Jewel, this isn’t New York. Nobody out here cares what you used to do. As long as you present yourself well now, that’s all that matters.”
“What about your parents? I’m sure they don’t want you to marry someone of my station.” Jewel said quietly. Her tone had grown serious, and she twisted her gloves in her hands. “I’m not just a seamstress, I’m a catalogue woman.”
To her confusion, James began to laugh. “It was all their idea in the first place. They’ve given up on finding a local girl who won’t flounce off the moment I open my mouth.”
Jewel stared at him, eyes and mouth opened wide in surprise. This part of his story was truly a surprise.
“Really? But they’re so, um, upstanding.” she said, fishing for words that weren’t rude. She’d wanted to call them snooty.
“I believe my father’s exact words were to ‘order yourself a wife from the Sears catalogue’,” James said drily. “As long as you’re not a saloon girl, I think they’re happy.”
“Well, I’d never seen a saloon in my life until last week, so I think I can meet that qualification.” They don’t seem happy with anything , she thought but didn’t want to say that out loud.
“Then you’ve got nothing to worry about.” James said with an air of finality. “And honestly, I don’t actually care whether they like you or not. You’re not going to marry my parents. You’re my wife.”
“Well, I suppose I will be your wife if you still want me. We do need to organize the whole “getting married” part, though,” Jewel reminded him.
Shifting in his seat, James pulled something out of his pocket. “I’ve actually had this since you got here,” he said, twiddling a small object in his fingers. “I just didn’t have the courage to give it to you.”
Jewel started smiling when he lifted her left hand.
“Jewel Wood, will you put up with an ill-spoken lawyer for a husband?”
“If you’ll put up with a wife who talks back sometimes, then I’d love to be your wife, James,” Jewel replied. “Besides, we can work on the ill-spoken part. You’re going to run for mayor, after all.”
“I am, am I?” James said. He slipped a ring over her finger, a plain gold band set with a deep green gemstone.
“Of course you are. I followed my dream. I always wanted to be something besides a servant and a seamstress in the grubby city. See how far removed from that I am now? You’ve got to follow yours, too. It’s time.”
“That doesn’t sound dreadful.” James said.
Jewel laughed. “I certainly hope not!”
“There’s more I need to say, Jewel,” he gulped and looked away from her. Then he took a deep breath and turned to look at her once more. He looked into her eyes and didn’t look away until he was finished with what he wanted to say. “I think you’re so beautiful. I’ve wanted to tell you since the day I saw you standing in the train station. I’m totally taken with you. I can’t believe my luck. Your spirit is sweet and lovely. Like a breath of fresh air. And I love it that you stand up for yourself. The day you told Pendleton off was terrific.”
“Oh, James. Thank you.” She was smiling broadly and
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