Free Seth (Prairie Grooms, Book Three) by Kit Morgan Page B

you’ve never been to one of our town picnics.”
    “ I dare say, but I’ve not attended any of your town’s annual functions. You will have to excuse my ignorance. We’re still learning, my sisters and I.”
    “ Well, then you and your sisters are in for a real treat.”
    Eloise smiled. “I do hope so, because lately, everything else seems to have gone sour.”
     
    * * *
     
    The next day, Eloise, Sadie, Belle, Constance, and Penelope, met at the mercantile to finish the wedding dress and make final preparations for the picnic. Eloise, having gone to bed with a headache after her talk with Jefferson the night before, forgot about the last- minute details of her dress. But no matter, they would finish it today and she’d be married on Saturday. Funny, but the thought didn’t make her feel as giddy and excited as she thought it would; probably because Constance hadn’t spoken a word to her all morning. The tension between them was palatable, and filled the mercantile the moment Constance joined them a half hour ago.
    Penelope put the final stitch on a sleeve, and glared at them both. “If you two don’t start speaking to each other, I may have to scream.”
    Constance fidgeted in her chair. “I have nothing to say.”
    “Neither do I,” s aid Eloise.
    “Well , I have plenty to say,” announced Penelope. “You two are being ridiculous! I’ve not heard either of you utter one word to each other all morning. This has to stop!”
    “ Penelope,” said Sadie. “Let them be; they’ll come around soon enough.”
    “They’re my sisters,” Penelope said. “It’s my job to ensure they get along.”
    Belle giggled. “This makes me wish I had sisters. I grew up an only child and had no one to disagree with.”
    “ Me, too,” said Sadie. “And even though Belle and I are like sisters, we’ve never had a disagreement that caused us to give each other the silent treatment.”
    “ I say,” said Eloise. “You’re making a big fuss over nothing. Constance and I have had a disagreement, that’s all.”
    “ Yes,” added Constance. “And we ask that you respect our right to disagree and… Oh, what would an American say?”
    “ I know what an Englishman would say,” said Eloise.
    “ What?” asked Constance.
    “Bugger. Off.” Eloise said in a flat tone.
    Penelope gasped. “Eloise! Mind your manners!”
    Constance giggled. “Why , sister! I’ve never heard you say such a thing!”
    “ As long as it has the two of them talking, it’s fine by me,” said Sadie.
    “Really ,” said Belle in exasperation. She returned to her sewing, and smoothed out the section of dress she’d been working on. “Now, let’s see how this looks.” She stood. “Eloise, are you ready to try this on?”
    “ Try it on? Here?” she asked.
    “ Well, of course,” said Belle, “Unless you’d like to try it on at the saloon?”
    Eloise quickly shook her head. She then looked at the dress. Her eyes widened. “Oh, ladies, we’ve out done ourselves.” The other women stared at the dress as well. It was quite beautiful, and had much more intricate stitching than either Constance or Penelope’s had.
    “Come with me,” said Belle. “You can try it on upstairs in my old room.”
    Eloise got up and followed Belle through the curtained doorway behind the mercantile counter. Upstairs in the Dunnigans’ living quarters, Mrs. Dunnigan was just taking something out of the oven. “Is it done?” she asked.
    “Yes, Auntie,” said Belle. “We’ll let you see it just as soon as she has it on.”
    “ I’m sure it’ll look fine. We’re gonna have ourselves some picnic this year!”
    “ Everyone keeps saying that,” said Eloise.
    “ Well, it’s true,” said Belle. “We’ve never had a wedding during the picnic before.”
    “ I hope this dress looks as good on me as it does by itself,” said Eloise. “Do you think Seth will like it?”
    “ Of course he’s going to like it,” said Belle. “It’s the most