Forget-Me-Not Bride (39 page)

Susan and Nathanial would, of course, be the first to put in an appearance. They always were. Kate and Perry would be hard on their heels, bringing their five year old daughter with them. Lettie and Will would have their seven year old son with them. A son who, to judge by his birthday, had been conceived on Lettie and Will's wedding night. Kitty would arrive with the federal commissioner, a gentleman she had married three years ago. They would bring Rosalind Nettlesham, now Dawson's dressmaker
extraordinaire
, with them. Stan and Edie would arrive noisily and in happy chaos, their three little girls whooping and shouting in the back of their battered buggy. And Marietta and Lucky Jack who, after several gold-rich years at Nome, had finally settled at Fairbanks, would arrive last and in great style.

Using an up-turned enamel mug Lilli skewered out tartsized rounds of pastry. Lottie and Nana were gathering flowers with which to decorate the mammoth dining-table set up in the school-room, where Lottie also, now taught. Leo was up on the hill-side behind the cabin, avidly bird-watching and making notes. The minute he saw the first of their visitors arriving he would be down to greet them.

She began spooning raspberry jam she had made last autumn into the tart cases. As she did so the baby within her womb stirred, its movements as light as butterfly wings. A smile of happiness curved her lips. Lettie, too, was pregnant again. And perhaps Edie would be, or even Kate or Susan or, now that she and Lucky Jack were married, Marietta. At the thought of Lucky Jack as a father her smile deepened and then she looked through the window and dropped her spoon with a clatter.

Ringan was back! He was back and, as always when she caught unexpected sight of him, tall and broad-shouldered, his hair as fiery as a burning brand, excitement spiralled through her.

Hastily she took off her apron. Hurriedly she made for the door. He waved when he saw her and, her heart singing with joy, she wiped a smudge of flour from her cheek and began to make her way over the forget-me-not starred grass to meet the man who was the centre of her world; the man she loved with all her heart.

First published in 1994 by Severn House

This edition published 2012 by Bello an imprint of Pan Macmillan, a division of Macmillan Publishers Limited Pan Macmillan, 20 New Wharf Road, London N1 9RR Basingstoke and Oxford Associated companies throughout the world

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ISBN 978-1-4472-3020-5 EPUB
ISBN 978-1-4472-3019-9 POD

Copyright © Margaret Pemberton, 1994

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