Chapter 4For reasons she wouldn't explain, Sharon didn't want to get married in St. Louis, so the wedding took place in Columbia, in Emma Darley's grand drawing room, where they had spent their first hours together. It was the first week of February, shortly after classes had been released for the semester break. The Bostwick's took the train from St. Louis and John's parents, who had not yet met Sharon, drove down from the farm and arrived on Saturday afternoon, the day before the wedding.
Smith wanted to put them up in a hotel, but they preferred to stay with the Footes, although the Footes had grown cold and distant since John left their job.
"Wouldn't know how to navigate a hotel," his father said seriously. "And the
Footes can take us one night."
That night, John rented a gig and
