It was still early the following morning when Phebe sat calmly on the side of the four-poster bed in the room she’d been sleeping in the two nights since she’d set foot in San Francisco. The clock hadn’t yet struck seven when Christa had come sailing into her chamber unannounced, carrying a tray laden with food, a coffeepot, and several cups stacked one on top of the other. Caroline had come in right behind her, smiling at their startled houseguest as the two women proceeded to set the tray in front of Phebe and then had made themselves comfortable on either side of her, sipping coffee and laying out the plans for the day.

Her wedding day.

Phebe was still struggling to get used to the notion, but kept her emotions safely inside as she watched Caroline bend over a jewelry box she’d set on the small writing desk and pick through the elegant jumble of shiny metal and precious stones. Christa had a similar box on her lap. She held up a pendant with a large diamond in its center, hanging from an intricately woven gold chain.

“Here, this one would go wonderfully with that gown, if we can persuade you to wear it.” She smiled and swung the necklace back and forth from her fingertips.

The gorgeous ivory dress, covered in the most delicate lace Phebe had ever seen, had literally made her gasp in amazement when Caroline had held it up before Phebe as she’d stood in front of the tall mirror in the corner of the room. Now the elegant dress was draped over the coverlet next to her, and Phebe couldn’t resist reaching out and gently stroking the beautiful lace as she dutifully studied the necklace in Christa’s hand.

“It would.” Phebe had to agree the pendant was certainly perfect for the dress. But as lovely as the garment and the necklace were, they simply weren’t right for her.

She moved her hand away from the lace to smooth down the much coarser cotton of the crimson gown she’d put on earlier that morning. It was the nicest dress she owned. It had come in one of the donation boxes dropped off at the orphanage several years ago. But it had been a splotchy, faded yellow then, and the red-colored dye had been the only one she’d managed to forage in the laundry supplies that was plentiful enough to evenly cover a full-skirted gown with long sleeves.

Madam Wigg had declared it a lovely color, and even sat and supervised as Phebe carefully went through the process of creating a new dress from someone else’s castoff. While it certainly couldn’t compare to the lovely creation Caroline and Christa had urged her to wear, it still was something that had come from the place she’d called home, and been approved by the woman who’d stood in as her mother all her life.

It might not have been a conventional wedding gown, but it made Phebe feel as if Madam Wigg and her friends were with her on her wedding day. In her mind, that made it the perfect dress.

Christa lowered the necklace back into the large wooden box on her lap. “I don’t blame you. I wouldn’t wear this diamond either. Far too much glitter. It wouldn’t suit either of us. More in Lillian and Ammie’s style.”

Surprised, Phebe gave the outspoken Christa a puzzled look. “You don’t like that necklace? It’s beautiful.”

The petite blond shook her head and then shrugged. “It was a gift from my grandfather. He liked that kind of obvious show of wealth.” She grinned at Phebe. “You have a much quieter way about you. You’re well suited for Henry.” She started rummaging deeper in her box. “Which reminds me, there is something in here that you should have.”

Thinking of the room full of supplies for her school, and the land she’d been told about, Phebe wasn’t at all comfortable accepting any more gifts from the Frommer family. They’d been more than generous in keeping to their part of the bargain. Hoping to distract Christa, she raised her voice a little to regain the woman’s attention.

“Who are Lillian and Ammie?”

“Lillian Jamison is Ammie’s aunt, and you’ll meet Ammie Mayes in a bit. She and her husband, Ethan, are coming to the wedding.”

That name sounded familiar. Phebe searched her memory and saw a picture of a sign over the entrance to a stable. “Mayes? Does her husband own the stable and stockyard where the supplies are being stored?”

Christa’s head popped up and her lips curved into a smile. “He does. Ammie is a good friend. She helped come up with the plan that allowed Caroline to capture Adam.”

“I didn’t capture him,” Caroline immediately protested.

“He says you did.” Christa wiggled her eyebrows, then grinned.

Enjoying the same type of banter she’d been used to growing up with dozens of women, Phebe nodded and tapped a slender finger against her chin. “I seem to recall him saying that very thing last night at dinner.”

Turning her grin toward Phebe, Christa winked. “Yes, he did. I’m sure he used the word capture.” She lifted her hand and held it out. A necklace with a single pearl was nestled in her palm. “You should wear this. It belonged to our mother, and it should go to Henry’s wife.” She nodded before adding with a soft smile, “And someday your daughter.”

Daughter? Phebe blinked. She hadn’t even considered the children she and Henry might have. That is, if he wanted to have children. With her.

“Oh, he will.” Caroline’s voice brought Phebe out of her own thoughts.

“What?”

“He will,” Caroline repeated as her eyebrows drew together. “Didn’t you ask Henry if he wants to have children? That’s certainly an important thing to know before you marry someone.”

Completely unaware that she’d voiced the thought out loud, Phebe felt the heat rise in her face. It only made Caroline look even more concerned. She turned away from the writing desk as she continued to stare at Phebe.

“I don’t mean to embarrass you, but given that your mother isn’t here with you on your wedding day, I have to ask if you know what happens between a man and a woman that results in a child?”

“What?” Realizing she sounded like one of those parrots in the penny-press pirate stories she’d read to her students on occasion, Phebe closed her mouth and took in a deep breath. She didn’t think it was a subject that was suitable to talk about in front of the unmarried Christa. But on the other hand, there seemed to be very little these women didn’t discuss.

“During my time as a teacher, I’ve had the opportunity to read many kinds of books,” Phebe said, carefully choosing her words. “A number of them on science and biology.” Madam Wigg had also been sure she’d been made thoroughly aware of what the headmistress had called “what was what in a marriage,” but Phebe had no desire to offer that tidbit of information.

Caroline looked relieved when she nodded. “That’s good. I’m sure Henry will be a wonderful husband.”

“And know how to go about everything,” Christa chimed in, ignoring the exasperated look from Caroline. “If he doesn’t, you can be assured he has a book to help him along.”

“A book?” Phebe gaped at Henry’s sister. “So you don’t think he knows . . .” She stumbled to a stop, not sure what to say.

Christa waved a hand in the air. “Oh, I’m sure he knows. Adam would have seen to that. But whenever Henry isn’t sure about something, he simply consults a book. And I’m sure he’s bought one to tell him how to get on in a marriage.”

“What?” Caroline and Phebe said in unison.

Caroline stood and put her hands on her hips. “What are you talking about, Christa Frommer?”

Too stunned to get anything else coherent out, Phebe got to her feet and crossed her arms as she stared back at Christa.

Christa immediately grinned. “Well, the two of you certainly look like you’re related.” When Caroline gave a snort, Christa laughed. “I caught Henry as he was coming into the house with a book under his arm. I asked him what he’d bought this time, and he turned bright red and told me it wasn’t any of my business.” She shook her head as she laughed even harder. “Not Henry-like at all. He usually can’t wait to share his books.”

“No, it wasn’t,” Caroline admitted. She sent a sympathetic smile toward Phebe. “I’m sure it will all sort itself out. And if you ever want to talk anything over, have Henry bring you right back here so we can have a cozy chat among the sisters.”

The kind words had Phebe’s eyes welling up. She ducked her head as she fought to get her emotions under control. She’d been sure she’d left all her sisters-of-the-heart back in New York, and was overwhelmed to suddenly feel as if she’d found two more.

Phebe finally lifted her head and managed a watery smile for the two women who were looking back at her with so much understanding in their gazes. “Thank you. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate both of your friendships, and how much your family is doing for me.”

“Oh, Phebe.” Christa rushed forward and wrapped her arms around Phebe’s slender frame. “You’ve fulfilled our dreams.” Keeping one arm circling Phebe’s waist, Christa turned to smile at Caroline. “My wonderful sister-in-law has been wanting to start a place for children who have nowhere else to go and no one to turn to, and I’ve always wished for someone to come along who would make Henry happy.” She turned her head and nodded. “Henry is the kindest of souls, and he deserves to be happy.”

Phebe bit her lip. Simply watching him yesterday, being so solicitous to Kate, and doing his best not to embarrass or hurt Priscilla’s feelings, had already convinced her that Henry had a good heart. So good that maybe he was agreeing to go through with the wedding because he felt sorry for her being alone in the world.

She liked him. A lot. And it surprised her that she had no objections to marrying someone she hardly knew. But she didn’t want to become his wife out of pity. “Do you really think he wants to marry me?”

“Most definitely.” The sureness in Caroline’s tone helped silence Phebe’s doubts.

“Absolutely,” Christa agreed. “Before you arrived, he wasn’t keen on the idea at all. And if I know my brother, he was busy devising a way to avoid the whole thing. But since he’s laid eyes on you . . .” Christa looked over at Caroline and smiled.

“He hasn’t mentioned one word about putting off or not having a wedding,” Caroline finished Christa’s sentence as she walked over and joined the other two in a group hug. “He wants to marry you.”

“I would agree with that,” Christa said.

A movement caught Phebe’s attention, and she peeked between Caroline and Christa. Her eyes went wide at the sight of the woman standing in the bedchamber’s open doorway. The dark-haired beauty with striking turquoise eyes tilted her head to one side, an amused smile on her lips. “If the bride-to-be is somewhere in that tangle, I apologize for bursting in this way, but apparently you were all too occupied to hear my knock.”

Christa quickly unwound her arms, then crossed the room to give the new arrival a fierce hug. “Ammie! When did you get here?”

“Not long ago. I’ve been downstairs trying to keep your anxious brother calm.” She looked over at Caroline with a rueful smile. “Although I suspect the whiskey Adam offered him will do the trick.”

Caroline rolled her eyes heavenward. “Whiskey? At this hour of the morning?”

“He needs a whiskey to keep calm?” Phebe’s heart sank. That couldn’t be a good thing.

“No. He needs whiskey to keep from leaping up the stairs and dragging you down in front of the minister.” Ammie walked forward and held out her hand. “Hello. I’m Amelia Mayes. And you must be Phebe?”

“Our manners have deserted us.” Caroline laughed. She glanced at Phebe and inclined her head toward her friend. “Phebe, this is Amelia. She’s Ethan’s wife and a good friend of the entire family, including Adam and Henry.” She switched her gaze to Ammie. “And this is indeed Phebe Wigg. And we were just telling her the same thing. That Henry is very happy to be marrying her.”

Still tongue-tied over meeting someone who looked like a princess from a fairy tale, Phebe barely managed to nod her head in greeting to Ammie.

“We were also warning Phebe about Henry’s tendency to get all his information from books.”

Ammie laughed, making her brilliantly colored eyes sparkle even more. “That is true. The best marriage advice I can offer is that if he ever does or says something that puzzles you, ask to see the book he got it from.” She winked at Phebe. “It might help explain a lot.”

“That, and don’t let him put his new laboratory anywhere near a building you don’t want blown up or to catch on fire,” Christa put in.

Since Phebe had already seen evidence of the result of one of Henry’s experiments, she thought that was good advice. Feeling a little less intimidated, Phebe gave Ammie a shy smile. “I’m glad you could come to the wedding so early in the morning.”

“I wouldn’t miss it no matter what the hour,” Ammie assured her. “Ethan told me that you and Henry will be catching the morning train to Sacramento?”

That was true enough. Henry and Adam had spent the remainder of yesterday arranging for the supplies to be crated and delivered to the railroad’s freight office. Since Henry had been absent most of the time up until supper, getting everything ready for the move to their new home, Phebe hadn’t had a chance to ask him for any details. All she’d been told was to be ready to board the train immediately after their wedding this morning.

The quickness of all the arrangements once she and Henry had agreed to go forward with the marriage, made Phebe believe that Adam was concerned about giving Henry a rock-solid excuse not to marry Priscilla Janson, and getting him away from her father.

Christa reached into the jewelry chest she’d abandoned on the bed and took out the pearl necklace. Stepping behind Phebe, she looped it around her neck and engaged the clasp. Phebe reached up and ran her fingers gently over the pearl set into a network of gold lace.

Feeling the connection with Henry’s mother who was no longer on this earth, and the daughter who was hopefully in the future, Phebe felt a sense of peace. But it didn’t last long. The impulsive Christa grabbed one of her hands and started to pull her along.

“Let’s put Henry out of his misery.”

With the other two women flanking her, the small group headed for the top of the curving staircase that led into the wide foyer below. There were smiles and sighs as the women descended the stairs, stopping just out of sight of the open doorway to the large parlor.

“Give us a minute, then come in and walk toward the fireplace,” Christa said. She reached down and straightened Phebe’s crimson skirt.

Caroline moved to the table against the wall to their right and picked up a lovely bouquet of crimson roses tied together with a red ribbon. “I thought these would be perfect.” She leaned over and gave Phebe a kiss on the cheek before heading into the parlor. Both the other women followed suit, with Christa turning to give Phebe a wink just before disappearing from sight.

Standing alone, Phebe looked at the flowers she held, surprised to find that her hands weren’t trembling at all. Taking that as a sign that her heart, as well as her mind, knew she was doing the right thing, Phebe straightened her back and lifted her chin before stepping through the parlor’s doorway.

The furniture in the room had been pushed to the side, and the heavy wooden mantel over the fireplace was decorated with an avalanche of red roses. A man dressed in black with a white collar across his neck and a smile on his face held a book open in his hands. Phebe shifted her gaze to the right, where Henry stood, looking incredibly handsome in a dark suit. When his gaze found hers, she started forward, never taking her eyes off his, and telling herself to breathe with every step she took.

It seemed like a lifetime before she was finally standing in front of the minister. She took a deep breath and turned to face the man who would soon be her husband. She barely noticed when the minister cleared his throat and lifted his Bible until it was barely a foot away from his nose.

“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today . . .”