The Bride Wore Blue Read online

  “I didn’t write the headline, and the article I wrote was much smaller than this, but yes, I did write about you.”

  Pencil sketches of her designs framed paragraphs about her childhood dream of designing clothes for princesses and entertainers. Kat and her editor had also written about the attire Vivian had designed for up-and-coming businesswomen and sang praises for her highly fashionable wedding gowns. Missing was the fact that she’d done all of it for her own sisters.

  This had to be a daydream. Vivian blinked, but nothing changed. She met Kat’s tender gaze. “This is unbelievable. I can’t believe you did this.”

  “My editor did exaggerate some, but it is true that you’re a talented fashion designer from the East and you’re now living in Cripple Creek.”

  “No, I meant this was so …” Her lips quivered. “Sweet of you.” Vivian ran her finger over the design for Kat’s wedding gown.

  “I was trying to help,” Kat said. “You really are a creative designer, and you would’ve eventually been at the top of your field if Etta Ondersma hadn’t been too shortsighted to hire you.”

  Vivian wiped her wet eyes. If sister love were a thread, it would be more binding than any rope out there.

  “I just thought the world that reads Harper’s Bazar should know about your talent.”

  “I don’t know what to say.”

  “You’re not mad at me?”

  “Of course not.”

  “I only hoped the article would help you find work doing what you love to do.”

  “Thank you.” Vivian laid the magazine on the table and pulled Kat into a tight embrace.

  She wasn’t sure how many women in the Cripple Creek Mining District cared about having their clothing designed and crafted specifically for them. Nor could she say how many women here even read the fashion magazine, but her sister’s gesture was priceless.

  Forty minutes later, Vivian and her sisters stepped onto the boardwalk on Bennett Avenue in front of the National Hotel. A landmark of her deceit, yes, but also a reminder of God’s amazing grace and her sisters’ sweet forgiveness.

  “I thought we might start at the mercantile on Second,” Nell said, swinging her reticule at her side.

  “Then we can check the new one on the other end.” Kat’s voice had already gained energy in her brief respite from motherhood.

  “Sounds good to me.” Vivian strolled up the street between Ida and Nell. “I just hope someone has what we need.”

  Ida giggled. “Carter wouldn’t care if you wore a flour sack.”

  “True enough, but I do.”

  Nell stopped midstride. “It seems only fair that Vivian gets the dress of her dreams. After all, a premier designer from the East fashioned ours.”

  They all giggled. Vivian looked up just in time to see a woman on the boardwalk ahead of them stop, divert her gaze from Vivian, and bend toward her husband’s ear.

  Vivian stilled. They weren’t the first to stare and whisper at the sight of her. No doubt many more were nattering behind her back, and she couldn’t blame them. “Perhaps we should cross the street now.”

  “In the middle of the block?” Ida asked. “Whatever for?” She followed Vivian’s gaze up the street. “Oh.”

  Ida and Nell locked arms with Vivian, and Kat laced her arm through Nell’s.

  “We will do no such thing,” Ida said. “Hold your head high, sis. ‘You’re forgiven’ has no boundaries.”

  Vivian blinked back tears, squared her shoulders, and fell into step.

  Sisterhood. A very strong bond indeed.

  By the time Vivian and her sisters had finished their shopping and returned to the boardinghouse, they were all weighed down by paper-wrapped packages. Yards of silk and chiffon. Rolls of lace and ribbon. Hosiery. Even a new pair of white ankle boots, a gift from her sisters.

  Hattie met them at the door, her finger pressed to her lips. “Our little prince and princess are slumbering.”

  Judson stood beside her, drinking from a coffee mug. He studied them and cocked a thick eyebrow. “A successful shopping trip, I see.”

  “Yes.” Nell giggled and kissed him on the cheek.

  Vivian felt her face grow warm. In just six weeks and three days, she’d have a husband of her own to kiss on the cheek. She’d liked having Carter close by while he was recuperating. Today was the first day she hadn’t seen him since he’d found her up at Ute Pass. Had it really only been twenty-four hours since Tucker took him away in the wagon? Too long.

  “Did William behave for you?” Nell asked.

  Judson lowered his cup. “Turns out I’m a pretty boring father. My boy slept through most of our time together.”

  Nell tittered and swatted his shoulder on her way into the parlor. Judson was anything but boring. Vivian followed Nell, and they set the packages on the sofa.

  Hattie was untying the strings on a smaller sack when she suddenly twisted toward Vivian. “I can’t believe I almost forgot to tell you that Etta Ondersma telephoned for you, Vivian!”

  “She did?”

  Her landlady nodded, her eyes glimmering. “She did indeed, and she asked that you reply as soon as you returned home.”

  “My guess is that she received her copy and has seen the error of her ways,” Kat said.

  Vivian’s pulse raced. “You really think that’s why she telephoned?”

  Hattie motioned toward the kitchen. “Best way to know for sure is to talk to her yourself.”

  The closer Vivian got to the kitchen, the slower her steps came. The article, even the parts of it that weren’t enhanced, didn’t change her past. Once Mrs. Ondersma knew the truth about her, the businesswoman would change her mind. And Vivian wouldn’t blame her. She couldn’t expect the widow to risk losing business because of who she employed.

  When Vivian finally reached the telephone hanging on the kitchen wall, she stopped and lowered her head. The prayer was quick but intense. If Mrs. Ondersma was actually interested in hiring her, Vivian knew she had a lot of explaining to do. Not the least of which involved making straight the ramblings of a rogue editor who had never even met her.

  Please give me the right words, Lord.

  She pulled the earpiece from the hook and gave the crank a quick spin. It was strange, talking to one of the girls at the telephone exchange. “Yes, please connect me with Mrs. Ondersma at Etta’s Fashions in Victor.” Clicks and buzzes followed.

  “Hello, Vivian? ”

  “Yes, Hattie Adams said you telephoned and asked for me.”

  “I did indeed. I read the article about you in Harper’s Bazar.” Her voice fairly danced across the words.

  “About that, Mrs. Ondersma.”

  “I had no idea you were so famous.”

  “I’m not really famous. My sister wrote the article, and an editor who hasn’t seen but a couple of my sketches made up the headline.”

  “I know the writer is your sister, but it’s still quite impressive, all of it.”

  She didn’t care that the article was basically a family advertisement? She would care about the rest of it. Vivian drew in a deep breath. “There’s more.”

  “Articles?”

  “No, not that. Things have changed for me since I was in your shop. You should know that I—”

  “If you’re concerned about that Homestead House business, don’t be.”

  Vivian gasped. “You know about that?”

  “Carter Alwyn saw some of your sketches and telephoned to recommend that I hire you. He said your talent was what I needed to grow my design business.”

  Vivian blinked back tears. “And he told you what happened?”

  “Yes. He felt I should know, and hear it from someone who knew the truth.”

  Oh, how she missed that man.

  “It’s what we do in our future, dear, that decides how important our past truly was.”

  Vivian wiped a tear from her cheek. “But people talk.”

  “They do indeed. And I think they’ll care more about
you being featured in a national magazine than they will about a stint on Myers Avenue that was no longer than a gnat’s tail.”

  Vivian liked this woman and had from the moment she’d stepped out of the back room of her shop wearing bicycle bloomers.

  “What do you say to working as a fashion designer and seamstress in my new Cripple Creek shop? The town has grown so much I think it deserves a designer of its own.”

  “Yes. Thank you!” Vivian jumped up and down. She was being given far more than she deserved.

  Thank you, Lord.

  26 October 1897

  Vivian opened the worn family Bible that lay on the table in front of her. Nearly eight weeks had passed since Carter proposed, and the day of the wedding ceremony had arrived amidst a flurry of activity. Vivian and her sisters had scoured the valley to find fabric and lace that would complement the wedding dress she’d designed. Ida’s sister-in-law Willow returned from Colorado Springs, and she and Miss Hattie had joined the sisters in taking turns sewing the dress and rocking babies.

  Willow stood in front of a mirror, baby Hope drooling in her arms. Kat sat at one end of the dining room table, arranging a bridal bouquet of purple asters and white daisies. Baby William slept in a bassinet behind Nell, who sat next to Vivian and sipped a cup of tea.

  “This was a wonderful idea, Vivian.” Ida seated herself across the table and looked down at the oversized Bible.

  “I think so too.” Vivian turned the gold-trimmed pages to the “Family Records” section. “I thought it would be fun to make the updates together as sisters. A new tradition.”

  Miss Hattie walked in carrying a tray of deviled eggs and cinnamon rolls. “I’m going to miss having a Sinclair sister living here. Attending a wedding has a way of brightening one’s whole year.” Blowing a strand of gray hair out of her eye, she set the tray on the table in front of Kat. “And it’s been glorious having love floating about the old house again.”

  Nell looked at Willow, a familiar twinkle in her blue eyes. “You are an honorary Sinclair sister, you know.”

  Miss Hattie brightened. “Oh, that’s right!”

  Willow met their gaze in the mirror and shook her head. “Don’t look at me. I have no intention of carrying on the Sinclair tradition of at least one wedding a year.”

  “Neither did I.” Vivian pressed her finger to her chin and smiled.

  Ida passed luncheon plates around the table. “I also know from experience that God’s intentions rarely match our own.”

  Willow turned to face them, her eyes a deeper shade of green. “True enough, but I’m focused on spending time with my parents, and I have a long list of sights I have yet to paint.” Her finger traced baby Hope’s forehead. “Besides, I’ve had my turn at love, and the memory of Sam is still too fresh.” She directed her attention to the lady of the house. “If you want to talk about second chances at love, Miss Hattie,” she said, an eyebrow raised, “I think you’re a better candidate.”

  Miss Hattie pressed her lips together and shook her head. “Perhaps we should turn our attention to the refreshments before we ready ourselves for the ceremony.” She set two cinnamon rolls and two deviled eggs on her plate and passed the dishes to Kat.

  Nell retrieved the fountain pen off the table and began writing in the Bible.

  William Judson Archer 1897, 27 July, a special delivery gift to Judson and Nellie Jean Archer

  Nell turned to the page for recording marriages and looked up at Vivian, her blue eyes glistening. Vivian poised the fountain pen on the line below Ida and Tucker’s.

  Vivian Dee Sinclair and Carter Alwyn wed 1897, 26 October

  She sighed, remembering her journey to this point. “Thank you, Lord.”

  An “amen” chorus echoed off the papered walls.

  Two hours later, Vivian stood at the top of the stairs, breathing in the sweet scent of her bridal bouquet. Willow and Miss Hattie watched her from the entryway, each of them holding a baby, while Kat and Nell descended the steps in front of her. Vivian stroked the sky blue satin sash, highlighting the narrow waist of her wedding gown.

  “You look gorgeous.” Ida cupped Vivian’s face. “I couldn’t be happier for you.”

  “Thank you, sis. God is good to shower us with grace and mercy … to clothe us in His righteousness.”

  “And good to send men our way who love us.” Ida winked. “You ready to step into your future as Mrs. Carter Alwyn?”

  “I’ve been ready since the day he flung me over his shoulder and hauled me up that mountain.”

  Ida laughed and then proceeded down the stairs and into the parlor. Vivian followed close behind. At the doorway, she paused and looked upon the other family and friends who had gathered to share in her and Carter’s joy. Morgan and Judson stood with their wives. Otis and Naomi Bernard and their four boys. Deputy Jon Ondersma and his wife. Deputy Gilbert Neilson from Victor. A polished Boney Hughes joined Miss Hattie near the window.

  Carter stood beside Tucker at the hearth, his hands pressed together in front of him. He looked as though he was praying, but his eyes were wide open, brimming with love and watching her every move as she glided toward him. Toward their future as husband and wife.

  “I do.” The words escaped her lips before she reached the hearth, and warmth rushed up her neck.

  “I do too.” Carter’s hearty baritone reply gained them a ripple of laughter from the onlookers.

  Her brother-in-law cleared his throat, his grin poorly disguised. “Dearly beloved …”

  READERS GUIDE

  1. Vivian is the baby in the Sinclair family and the last of the four sisters to make the move west. One of Vivian’s defining characteristics—and her defining struggle—is her natural rebellion. What’s good about Vivian’s determination to stand on her own two feet? What’s bad about it? What emotional state led her to make independence her highest goal?

  2. Deputy Carter Alwyn struggles to live up to his father’s law enforcement legacy. When in your life have you felt the pressure to perform? Did you eventually discover God’s will for you in that circumstance?

  3. Vivian’s disappearance and the discovery of her association with the brothel create tension between Ida, Kat, and Nell. What are some emotions or situations that often cause friction between siblings? What strategies did the Sinclair sisters use for reconciliation?

  4. Under the weight of shame, Vivian feels unlovable and, therefore, doesn’t consider herself marriage material. But God brings Carter into her life, and Vivian falls in love with him despite feeling unworthy of his love. Has God ever brought someone into your life who surprised you with an outpouring of grace?

  5. The “good people” of Cripple Creek look down on the “other women” and, by association, Vivian. Do you rate some sin worse than others? What does Romans 3:23 and 1 John 1:9 say about God’s view of sin?

  6. Vivian is influenced by many different people in this book, including, her sisters—Kat, Nell, and Ida; Aunt Alma; Opal; Hattie; and Carter. How does their influence affect her? What qualities do you look for in a mentor?

  7. Vivian is descending into a life of secrets, lying to the very people who love her and could help her heal from her mistakes. Often it takes a crisis, hitting rock bottom, before a person recognizes the need for repentance and change. What was the turning point for Vivian? Like Vivian, have you ever faced a crisis that sent you in a new direction, giving you a fresh start?

  8. Doc Susie is a historical figure who lived in Cripple Creek at the time this story takes place. Dr. Susan Anderson contracted tuberculosis while in medical school. Still, she returned to Colorado to practice medicine in mining camps. What qualities do you imagine Doc Susie must have possessed that made it possible for her to become a successful female physician in this era?

  9. Vivian is updating the records in the family Bible. Is there a family Bible in your household? Is anyone in your family tending to the family tree? What does legacy mean to you?

  10. Which of the Sinclair sister
s do you identify with most? Feisty, stubborn Kat? Gentle, romantic Nell? Ambitious, determined Ida? Independent, misdirected Vivian? What about that sister draws you? Why?

  Mona is available for book club conference calls where she joins your book club for a pre-scheduled fifteen-to-twenty-minute conversation via speakerphone or Skype. When possible, she’s happy to add an “in person” visit to a book club in a city she’s visiting. For more information, please contact Mona through her website: www.monahodgson.com.

  AUTHOR’S NOTE

  I don’t consider myself a historian by any stretch of the imagination. Instead, I am a writer of historical fiction, who enjoys doing the research involved in delivering a compelling story steeped in history. My historical fiction features actual people, events, and places. The Bride Wore Blue characterizes three factions prevalent in Western boom towns like Cripple Creek—outlaws, lawmen, and soiled doves.

  In each of the Sinclair Sisters of Cripple Creek novels, you’ll meet at least one real-life woman from Cripple Creek history. Doctor Susan Anderson, known as Doc Susie, is the primary real-life woman in The Bride Wore Blue. Her portrayal in the story is a fictionalization. Pearl DeVere serves as a second real-life woman from Cripple Creek history. Her portrayal is also fictionalized; however, many of the colorful details of Miss DeVere’s death and funeral are gleaned from Mabel Barbee Lee’s book Cripple Creek Days.

  In keeping with my commitment as a storyteller of historical fiction, I played with the actual dates of Susan Anderson’s return to Cripple Creek and Pearl DeVere’s death to meet the needs of Vivian Sinclair’s story.

  Harper’s Bazar, the magazine I feature in the series, offers a spelling twist. If you’re like me, you wanted to add another a after the z, but until the November 1929 issue, the magazine was spelled with only two a’s.

  I look forward to our time together in these stories.

  May you walk in peace having been justified by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and rejoice in the hope that is yours because of His redeeming work on the Cross.