Finn and another young man arrived as scheduled on Friday night. Unsure what to expect, Diamond was surprised by Janet’s intended. He was starkly handsome, with arctic gray eyes and a brisk, impersonal manner. She already knew Janet doted on him, but he didn’t appear to return her affection. Diamond hoped the man was undemonstrative and not as unfeeling as he appeared.
He displayed a bit of chilly anger when he saw their accommodations. “I can’t have my wife living in the slave quarters.”
“There’s nowhere else to go. Union officers have taken over my home.”
“Surely you can stay somewhere in town.”
“I thought it best to conserve the funds we have rather than try to secure lodgings in town.”
“Richard and I will stay in the house tonight, but after the wedding I will find you somewhere else to live. You can move to my property.”
“There are no buildings there.”
Finn eyed the cabin, lip curling. “We can surely throw up something better than this in a few days.”
A hint of color flared in Janet’s cheeks. “While I would be happy to live in a temporary home until we can build a more permanent structure, I’m not sure you’ll be able to find enough labor to build anything now. Most able-bodied men are off fighting the war.”
Finn sniffed. “And most are on the wrong side.”
“How can you stay up at the house?” Diamond asked, trying to prevent an argument. “It’s occupied.”
“By Union officials. Naturally they gave permission for me and my fellow officer to stay there.”
“Will they allow Janet to stay in her own house once she marries you?”
“The house is full of men. Even if they would stand for it, it wouldn’t be appropriate. Come, Richard, let’s go settle in.” He dropped a kiss on Janet’s cheek. “I will see you at the church tomorrow, my dear.”
“Wait. If you will be associating with Union soldiers, see if you can discover any news of my husband, Jesse. He took part in a recent skirmish and I fear the Yankees have taken him prisoner.”
Finn turned his cool gaze her way. “I’ll see if there is any news.”
“Thank you,” Diamond said. She felt he would keep his word even if he still appeared about as warm and toasty as an ice cube. His friend, Richard, was polite, but radiated disapproval of both her and Janet. Especially Diamond, since she was the wife of an enemy soldier. She wasn’t sorry to see the men go, but it still struck her as rude.
“That’s it?” Diamond asked once the men left, and the women had settled back into their chairs. “You will let them stay in your house while we stay here?”
“I don’t see what else we can do. Besides, I didn’t think it bothered you. You’ve never complained before.”
“It doesn’t bother me, not too much, anyway. But why didn’t he find you another place to stay tonight if he thinks so poorly of these cabins?”
“He will once we’re married. Until then, it’s not really his concern.”
Diamond wanted to roll her eyes. She didn’t like what she had seen so far from Finn and wondered if Janet was so dazzled by his looks she couldn’t see his personality. “Are you sure this is the right thing to do? We could go back to Little Rock.”
“And leave Father without his Union connection? He’d be furious.”
“If you’re set on marrying a Union officer, you have a house full of them. We could introduce ourselves, show them a little Southern charm and soon have one of them eating out of your hand.”
“Flattering, but I’m past my prime.”
“Nonsense.”
“I don’t think you have any idea how lucky you are—and me, as well—to have snared husbands. Men are dying at a rapid rate, creating a country full of widows.”
“You have a point, but I don’t think Finn is your only option.”
“I’ve wanted him since the first second I laid eyes on him.”
“He is good looking.”
Janet smiled. “You don’t like him. Many people don’t, but they don’t know him as I do.”
Diamond hoped she was right. Although her opinion of Janet had nosedived after her sister-in-law nearly got a man killed, she didn’t want her stuck in a bad marriage, particularly not in the nineteenth century when it would be difficult or impossible to get a divorce. “I expected Finn to take us out to dinner tonight to celebrate.”
“He’ll want to hobnob with the officers up at the house. He’s ambitious and you never know who might help advance your career. We will have plenty of time to celebrate tomorrow. But I have something I was saving for a special occasion.” Janet dug into her bag and retrieved a bottle of wine. She called to Sarah who was still bent over the wedding dress, putting on the final touches.
The three women gathered around the rough-hewn table and Janet poured them each a cup of wine. “To my future,” she said and raised her cup. Diamond and Sarah clinked theirs against hers.
“To the future,” Diamond echoed, wishing she didn’t know that for much of the South, the future would be bleak.
* * *
The next morning dawned warm and sultry. Janet had arranged for a carriage to drive them to the church since they had to bring their wedding clothes and a few discreet cosmetics. They set up in a small room off the sanctuary. As Sarah helped Diamond into her hoops, petticoats, and dress, Diamond longed for air conditioning. Or at least a pair of shorts. Wearing all the clothes required of a lady in the nineteenth century was nearly unbearable in the Missouri heat.
Once Diamond was presentable, Sarah took her time preparing Janet for her big day. Diamond was free to place floral decorations on the ends of the pews, check on the cake, and worry about Jesse. After taking delivery of the
