Marjorie was beginning to think she might earn extra money if she offered to sew for the officers’ wives at Fort Ridgely, just up the road.
To the east of the house and up on the ridge near the ruins of Daniel Two Stars’s old house, Ironheart and Jeb had filled Jeb’s wagon half full of corn and just stopped to get a drink of water when a man mounted on a gray stallion trotted up the road from Fort Ridgely.
Daniel Two Stars had come home.
Twenty-five
Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing . . .
—Proverbs 18:22
“Auntie Jane!” Timothy poked his head in the library door and hissed. “SHHHH! It’s a surprise!”
Jane looked up from her reading just in time to see Timothy’s round face wreathed in a smile. Then he giggled and disappeared. Frowning slightly, Jane returned to her reading.
Fanny Laclede came next, inviting Jane downstairs to tea. “I know it’s a bit early,” she said, smoothing her dark hair with a gloved hand. “But Richard and I have an engagement this evening, and we were hoping to speak with you about something.”
When Jane closed her book and stood up, Fanny said, “Perhaps you’ll want to freshen up. Richard and I—” She hesitated, then said quickly, “We might have guests.”
“I certainly don’t want to interrupt your entertaining, Mrs. Laclede,” Jane said, trying to hide the hurt she felt at Fanny’s intimation that her appearance was too dowdy for the Lacledes’ social circles.
“Oh, no. It’s not that. It’s just—” Fanny hesitated again, pursing her lips. “Oh, bosh. I’m no good at this.” She sighed. “There is a surprise, and you’ll want to look your best. Now don’t say another word. Just freshen up and hurry downstairs. We’re waiting.” She hurried away.
The idea of someone waiting on her sent Miss Jane into a flurry of activity. She rushed into her room and pulled down her best dove-gray walking skirt. The white waist she always wore with it was missing the top button, but she pinned a cameo over the space and hoped it looked all right. Looking in the mirror, she pressed her lips together with displeasure at the state of her hair. “Ah well,” she muttered, “it will have to do.” Her frizzy hair had been the bane of her existence since she was a girl, and there was no willing it into place on a humid day like this. She pushed a few pins into it and with a last adjustment of her skirt, a quick glance at the full-length dressing mirror in the corner, she headed out into the hall.
Rebecca and Timothy were waiting at the top of the stairs, their faces bright with excitement. They both looked behind them as Miss Jane approached, then back at her. When she reached the top of the stairs, cries of “Surprise! Surprise!” echoed up toward her. Before she could react, Meg and Aaron Dane were charging up the carved mahogany staircase. “Surprise, Miss Jane! Surprise!”
“Goodness!” was all Miss Jane could manage in the way of a greeting. She let herself be led down the red-carpeted stairs, across the foyer, and into the Lacledes’ opulent receiving room where Richard and Fanny stood to one side, smiling happily as they watched Gen and Simon Dane greet their friend. Elliot Leighton held himself apart until Miss Jane caught his eye.
“I never!” she said. “What—how?” She finally just laughed and shook her head as Elliot bowed low and kissed her hand.
“They’re married!” Meg said, painting to Gen and Simon. “And we’re on our way to Grandmother Leighton’s. And we stopped to say hello!”
Simon smiled at Meg and then looked back to Miss Jane. “I guess that about summarizes it,” he said. He motioned her onto the sofa next to Elliot. Miss Jane blushed and opened her arms to Hope. “Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten me!” she said as Hope leaned shyly against Gen’s skirt, eyeing Jane carefully.
Reaching into her pocket, Jane smiled triumphantly and produced a peppermint. Hope grinned and threw herself pell-mell into Miss Jane’s lap. “Bribery,” she laughed. “It works every time.”
“Unka Lee!” Hope shouted, reaching up to pound Elliot on the shoulder.
“Uncle, is it?” Miss Jane handed Hope into Elliot’s outstretched arms, smiling when Hope grabbed a handful of silver hair and hung on.
And so began a reunion that was to last for nearly two weeks. The Lacledes insisted the Danes and Elliot stay with them. “It’s a half-empty albatross,” Fanny said of her parents’ mansion. “Having you here will relieve some