Word Count: 36,060
Summary of Events:
Parker rode around asking people who'd helped put out the fire if they'd seen Parthenia Swanson at any time, and found that more people hadn't than had, but the people who had seen her hadn't noticed her to be panicked, suggesting she'd known the fire would happen, and may've even set it herself. Rowynna went over to do laundry for her heavily-pregnant sister, and the two got chatting about Della's wedding and how Della herself was getting distressed by how much of it was actually what their mother wanted, not Della, and was considering eloping in order to have a more pleasant wedding before her mother's desired ceremony . . .
Excerpt of the Day:
“Too, I think Parker would rather have their ceremony be unobtrusive and quiet,” Lorena said. “As much as he is a North-West Mounted Policeman, I don’t think he did it for the attention, I think he did it more for the adventure, and I’ve been able to tell he’s not all that fond of Mother.”
“I haven’t seen him have much to do with her,” Rowynna said.
“Exactly,” Lorena said. “I did see him get a bit hot under the collar with Mother last Easter when she scorned him for being a Presbyterian. He can have a sharp tongue, but Linwood told me that when I talked with him about it after. He said Parker’s greatest shortcoming is probably that he is not gracious enough, he is far quicker to get defensive than to hold his tongue. Linwood says it’s because he was bullied as a child.”
“Oh,” Rowynna said. “I trust Della knows.”
“Yes,” Lorena replied. “That’s part of why she wants to elope with him a week before so that they can have their wedding, because she knows that he probably won’t like Mother’s decisions and wouldn’t enjoy being scolded by her if he were to complain and there could be a fight and everything.”
“So is she going to elope?” Rowynna asked.
“I don’t know,” Lorena replied. “I don’t know if she’s told Parker everything yet, I know she was planning on writing him a letter last time she visited me and talking of the idea, but I think it would be fine to do, maybe she could take the train to Macleod and they could get married there.”
“And if you’re fine enough with your baby I could go along,” Rowynna said.
Lorena chuckled. “How am I not surprised?”
“Well if they go to Macleod then Linwood gets to be there,” Rowynna replied.
“Very true,” Lorena agreed. “We’ll see how it all goes, though.”
“Would Mother and Papa find out about it, though?” Rowynna asked.
“That’s Della’s main concern,” Lorena replied. “She’s not sure how she can sneak out of town the week before her wedding, because to get married here in town wouldn’t work at all.”
“No,” Rowynna agreed, then an idea popped into her mind. “Unless . . .”
“Oh dear,” Lorena said, but with a smile.
“Parker’s family from Halifax is coming to the wedding, correct?” Rowynna asked.
“I’m not sure,” Lorena replied. “I think maybe his brother and his uncle at least.”
“So what if Linwood comes and gets Della — and me too — and takes her to Macleod on the pretence of meeting his family the weekend before?” Rowynna asked.
“Except that Mother and Papa would want to meet his family too,” Lorena replied.
“And they could, but maybe have it that they meet Della first in Macleod — and participate in the ceremony there — before coming to Frank with everyone and meeting Mother and Papa,” Rowynna replied.
No comments:
Post a Comment