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Maxwell.
    There was laughter from the group gathered for the occasion as he took his seat in the front row.  Max looked down at her for a moment with his eyebrow raised but her eyes were dancing with amusement and emotion, as she squeezed his hand in hers. 
    The vows were simple and the ceremony was short.  Twenty minutes later, the preacher pronounced them man and wife and they were introduced to the congregation as Mr. and Mrs. Maxwell Farmer.  They turned to face everyone, and Harriett realized for the first time just how many people had come out for her wedding to Max.  The church was standing room only, and there was very little room to stand.  She took a deep breath, trying to calm her raging heart.  She told herself it was Max over and over in her head, having to remind herself that this wasn’t a man who would mistreat her.
    For a moment when she heard her new name, Harriett felt overwhelmed with panic.  What if he was just like Arthur?  What if Higgins wasn’t there to save her this time?
    Higgins met her eyes and slowly his lips turned up in a smile, as if to say he knew what she was thinking and it would all be okay.  She breathed deeply a few times, and rested her head for a moment against Max’s shoulder.  He was a good man, she told herself for the fiftieth time since she’d arrived in Seattle.  Everything was going to be fine, because he was a good man.
    They walked to the back of the church and she was introduced to more people than she could count.  At the very end of the line, she met his sister, Mary.  Harriett accepted the other woman’s embrace and thanked her for taking care of the wedding plans.  “I don’t know how I could have done it without your help,” she told her with a smile, kissing the older woman’s cheek.
    Mary, a rotund woman with red cheeks and a booming laugh, just smiled at her.  “You’d have gotten married at a justice of the peace and been done with it.”   She squeezed Harriett’s hands, obviously thrilled to have a sister-in-law.  “I was thrilled to be able to help.”
    Harriett nodded.  “I’m sure I would have.”  She was amazed at how quickly and easily the other woman accepted her.  She could tell this was going to be easy for her.
    “I’ve planned a small wedding lunch at my house.  Just you and Max, Fred, and the girls and me.”   Mary didn’t ask if they wanted to attend.  It was obvious that when she made plans, she was used to the people around her falling in line and doing what they were told.
    “Is Fred your husband?”   Max hadn’t mentioned Mary’s husband’s name when he mentioned coming to Seattle with them.
    Mary nodded.  “Yes, poor Fred is the father of eight girls who he has no idea what to do with.”   Mary’s voice sounded filled with love as she spoke of her large family.
    Harriett laughed softly.  “I’m sure he’ll figure it out eventually.”  She walked with Max toward his buggy. 
    “We’ll follow you over, Mary.”  Max helped her into the buggy and climbed up beside her.  In Harriett’s ear he whispered, “I didn’t know about the wedding lunch.  I was hoping to take you home and have a private lunch.”  He sounded extremely put out that he was going to have to go spend more time around people when all he really wanted was to be alone with his wife.
    Harriett blushed, knowing he had more on his mind than just a meal.  She leaned her head against his shoulder and sat quietly beside him.  She was looking forward to marital relations with Max, but she was happy for the reprieve as well.  No matter how much she cared for him, there was still that small amount of fear in the back of her mind that he would hurt her. 
    Max stopped the buggy in front of a large two story home made entirely of wood.  He helped her down and slipped his arm around her waist as he walked toward the front door.  “I certainly hope they don’t expect us to stay all day,” he told her.  He frowned at the