A Wedding in Wottfordshire

"Stephen, stop!" I hissed, with great regret pulling his hand away and pushing him back a step as I nearly tumbled down off the boulder. I practically threw the bottom of my dress down as I righted myself and looked at him with what was probably a horrified, completely embarrassed look on my face.

I expected the same from him but he was grinning, and leaned in to whisper to me, "Catherine, my love, I so look forward to when we have a bit more privacy so we can finish what we started."

We were reasonably presentable by the time they approached, but my face must have still been bright red for Susannah ran over and told me to get out of the sun. "Cat! You're getting a burn!"

She'd been wearing a bonnet so she removed it and set it atop my head to make me look as if I was eight once more and then demanded that we hurry back before she started to burn too. Up the beach to our group we wemt, with her and Wilfred walking arm-in-arm and Stephen and me walking hand-in-hand.

As we did, I could see Stephen's desire written plain-as-day on his face and could feel the same thing in my heart. Kissing him, spending time with him, and being intimate had convinced me that I'd found Rob and I looked forward to spending more time with him and getting him to admit it.

And like he'd said, I looked forward to doing so much more with him.

***

By the time we were back to Wottfordshire, Susannah finally noticed that my 'sunburn' was almost completely gone, with only the actual bit of sun that I'd gotten remaining. She mentioned having gotten to my burn in time, never dreaming the actual cause of my redness.

The evening was somewhat like the one before, with dinner and dancing, but between Susannah, Aunt Eliza, and Uncle John, there was little time for me to be alone with Stephen. We danced several times, but Aunt Eliza kept introducing me to other young men, both out-of-town guests and gentry from Wottfordshire, and suggesting that I do a dance with them.

It was midway through the evening when she surprised me as I finished a reel by taking my elbow and saying, "Catherine, allow me to introduce Mister Nigel Andrews, a prominent dealer of horses in our town."

I turned to see Nigel smile and give me a little bow.

"Hello again, milady," he said, smiling, making me suspect that he'd known all along that he would be seeing me again this evening when we played out our little meeting earlier in the day.

"Hello again, Nigel," I replied, doing a curtsy and giving him a nod and a smile. Turning to my aunt, I added, "And thank you, Aunt Eliza. As lovers of horses, Nigel and I are actually old friends."

"Oh, really?" she said, but from her look, I suspect she already knew that, too.

Nigel thanked her, too, before turning his attention solely on me. "Lady Catherine, may I have this dance?"

I agreed and off we went for a waltz. He was a proper gentleman, keeping a short distance between us, unlike Stephen and several of my other dance partners. I smiled at him as we danced with him looking into my eyes with disappointment that this was only a dance and not more.

When the music ended and Uncle John stood up to say something, I asked Nigel if he'd like to get a drink.

"That's a great idea," he agreed and offered me an arm in escort.

With our drinks in hand, we stepped outside to see the sun setting in the west, and it leaned against him, resting my head against his shoulder.

"Nigel, it was very nice to see you today and to be able to dance with you tonight."

"I hoped we'd have an opportunity to do so tonight, and that it might give you a chance to rethink things."

He gave me a questioning look, but when I didn't reply he patted my hand and looked back at the sunset.

"Nigel, have you given any more thought about selling me that roan? Don't tease me; I know it's yours," I bluffed. "If it was anyone else's, you'd have given me the name and not thought twice about it."

He chuckled. "Cat, seriously, it's not mine. If it were, I'd probably give him to you as a wedding present, assuming of course, that it was for our wedding." He was grinning at me. "Say, the music's playing again. May I have another dance?"

We completed that dance together and would have probably done another but Aunt Eliza stepped in with yet another potential suitor for me—for that, I'd figured out early in the evening, was what she was doing—so Nigel moved on and I didn't get to speak to him again, but I couldn't find Stephen either. Whether it was five more dances or fifty, I'm not sure, but the evening eventually wound down and I escorted Susannah to her room with Stephen nowhere in sight. Wilfred gave her a kiss and went his way so I could take her inside and tuck her in for a good night's rest before her last full day as an unmarried woman.

With Hilary out, I struggled out of my dress again and slipped on my nightgown before climbing in bed and pulling my bedsheet over me. Practically exhausted, my thoughts clashed between Nigel Andrews, a good kind man who might possibly be Rob but who, I believed, would never have tried to rob me or take what I offered, and Stephen Doyle-Hyde, a rambunctious sort who just might.

Most of all, I wondered about Rob and what we would do together if I could ever confirm who he really was.

Wishing he was holding me tight, I wrapped my arms around a pillow that I imagined was him and tried to get to sleep as my thoughts continued to clash.

***

Chapter 8: Day Four—Wedding Preparations

Hilary came early to assist me with my dressing but I was tired and needed more sleep after yet another restless night.

"You plan to ride again this morning, milady?"

"No, Hillie, and we have some time before the tea. Hush now and take a nap with me."

She giggled as I pulled her down into the bed and wrapped an arm and leg over her to stop her squirming. I moaned softly as she settled in, fully dressed and snuggled against me. Still holding her but gently now, it wasn't long before I was asleep once more.

I awoke sometime later feeling breath against my cheek. When I opened my eyes and blinked them, Hilary was there, facing me and only inches away, smiling at me, with each of us having an arm over the other and the other tucked between us with our fingers laced together.

"Cat, are you awake now? Can we talk?"

As much as I wanted to sleep a bit more after such a hard week, I looked at her and said, "I guess so, sweetheart. What's going on?"

"There's so much on my mind, Cat. I don't know what to do."

Yes, that summed up my mind exactly, but this was her problem so I said, "Hmm, let me guess. Does it have anything to do with a surprisingly dashing young coachman of distant Spanish descent?"

Her cheeks flamed as red as her hair; she looked away from me but finally nodded.

"Hillie, talk to me, my friend, as if we were girls again, as friends rather than as lady and retainer. You were going to see Renald again last night. What happened?"

She nodded again, still looking away, as if afraid to look into my eyes.

"Sweetheart, you shared his bed?"

Tears were forming in her eyes. I could see them even though she refused to look into my own.

"Don't cry, Hilary. It will be fine. What's wrong? Tell me, it's just Cat and Hillie here, remember?"

She nodded silently. "Cat, we took off our clothes to hug and kiss and...well, we shared the bed and kissed and touched for a time...but...but I got scared. We stopped and didn't do what we'd wanted and Renald looked hurt. I felt so bad...and felt so bad for him."

I pulled her against me, placing my head against hers as I rubbed her back comfortingly. "Hillie, dear, it will be fine." I moved back a bit, trying to see her face again. "Now, look at me."

"Yes, Cat?"

"Sweetheart, if you're scared, either one of you, it means you're not ready. You need to stop, get to know each other better, be more comfortable together, and let things develop naturally rather than trying to push them along too fast."

"You think? Does that mean I didn't mess up?"

"Yes, I think so, and no, you didn't! Tonight, talk to Renald again. Tell him what I said if you wish, but more importantly, how you feel. And listen, dear, you listen to what he says too, how he feels. Take your time and you'll both know when the time is right to go any further; you don't have to rush or get to some specific point by some specific time. You're both young and have your whole lives in front of you, so relax and let things happen as they will."

Something I said seemed to get through to her and she nodded before sniffling one last time. I dabbed her tears before kissing her cheek and rolling out of bed to go do my morning business.

As I dressed with Hilary's help and we brushed each other's hair, I, too, thought about what I'd said. While we both wanted it all and both wanted it now, neither of us were on a schedule that forced us into action right away.

A clock chimed in the distance and it reminded me that while we didn't have a specific schedule for love, I did have one for the day with Susannah and the guests. A moment later, I knocked on the connecting door to her room.

***

The bridal tea we'd planned was much more than just a regular tea.

With all the female guests from out-of-town having arrived, they and some of the women of Wottfordshire were invited to what amounted to an all-day event including tea, yes, but also food, more food, games and more games, gossip, and finally gifts, for both the bride and the guests. Since I was Susannah's maiden of honor and her right hand, I was in charge of making sure things moved along with Aunt Eliza looking on and giving me a nod and a smile at each step along the way with Hilary assisting me and Mary helping Susannah.

In truth, we weren't far into the agenda before I was already wishing I could have skipped out to search for Rob or, maybe, to go out riding and shooting with the men. The whispered gossip by the important out-of-town guests combined with glances and raised eyebrows of the so-called gentry of Wottfordshire saddened me in a way, making me appreciate the simpler life of Humden and wish I was there, but responsibility required my presence until the bitter end. The women seemed to unite in giving advice to the bride-to-be, and the discussion was far more frank—and far randier!—than I'd expected or would have ever imagined.

Fluttering fans were the norm as the day went along, getting hotter by the moment due in part to the heat and in part to the discussion, making me wish, too, that I was out riding so the resulting breeze could cool me and my mount. Susannah saw my wistful look and mouthed a silent 'thank you' for being there for her and that helped get me through the rest of the afternoon.

***

It was late afternoon when the guests went inside and the women of Wottfordshire excused themselves to go home. We rushed Susannah upstairs to clean up and change clothes and were back downstairs at four on the clock as several coaches pulled up in the courtyard. Across town we went to the local church where the Anglican priest met us to go over the ceremony. Fortunately, the man condensed it considerably and we all knew our cues by the time we left to return to the manor. Stephen and I spoke briefly and he tried to approach me a few other times but the priest put us back in our places until our rehearsal was over.

When we prepared to board the coaches for the short ride home, Susannah did something unexpected, saying, "Ladies, might I ask you to take a different carriage back to the manor?" She took my hand as she said it. "I find myself needing to speak with my cousin in private."

Our riding companions looked surprised but nodded knowingly and went to find another carriage. As they did, Susannah took my arm and steered me into the coach.

"What's wrong, Suzie?"

"Wilfred admitted something to me today that I've suspected but never quite accepted. He's been with other women in the past, Cat; I know he's a lot older than me, almost twice my age in fact, so I'm not surprised, but now I'm scared. What if I don't live up to what he's experienced in the past? I'm really worried and don't know if I can live with that much pressure."

I gave a sigh, a long and frustrating one, as I looked out the window of my coach. Did my cousin want to deliberately sabotage her wedding with such silliness? She needed a good tongue-lashing or possibly even a spanking, but I loved and wanted the best for her, so I took her hands and leaned close.

"Suzie, does the man love you?"

"Of course."

"And you love him, too, right?"

"You know I do!"

"Then you'll love each other every day and that love will grow over time if you let it and nurture it."

"But Cat, I'm—"

"Shhh," I commanded, cutting her off since I was worried that her complaints might be getting too loud and getting to Renald, who I trusted, or others, who I didn't. "Speak softly, dear."

"Well, what if I'm not good enough?"

"Suzie, consider this, if you wish to play your violin in a symphony, what must you do?"

She frowned at me. "Practice, of course."

"Yes, practice. And practice and practice some more. By practice we improve. Such will be the case of you with your husband, for as you do it more...."

Susannah nodded, understanding. "By doing it more, I'll learn more."

"One would hope," I agreed. "Now, there are those who practice the violin for years who will never have the skill to play the symphony."

The carriage came to a stop and we felt Renald swing down before opening our door. "Miladies, we have arrived."

Susannah bit her lower lip again, showing a sense of frustration and defeat as Renald helped her down from the coach. When I joined her, she said, "Cat, I am done. You raise my hopes, but then dash them as surely as the sun rises in the east. I go to the garden to escape your torture for a few minutes before we prepare for dinner."

I took her arm and went along with her so she wouldn't escape. "Please, Suzie, let me finish."

She frowned at me but steered over toward a bench along the path and plopped down on it, pulling me down beside me. "Please, Cat, I would prefer a positive outcome of this exercise, or I will most certainly make you pay when I attend you at your wedding." She shook her finger at me. "And you best remember that."

I crinkled my nose at her in reply, hoping that she would have such an opportunity before too long if I could prove that Stephen was my Rob and win his heart as surely as he had won mine. She giggled at my display and we hugged before I continued, trying to give her hope and a suggested course.

"The difference between the player who plays the symphony and the one who plays but shrill is their skill, of course, but how does one gain that skill? We said that practice was part of it, but the other part is good practice under a skilled tutor—"

Susannah's eyes narrowed and she interrupted before I could complete my comment. "Cat, I will not play with the stable boy, the gardener, or the other staff like our Great Uncle Randall was rumored to have done, nor will I lend my husband out to serving maids or harlots in the guise of improvement," she spat. Whereas she was a bit unhappy with me before, now she was quite angry, and I worried for a moment that I might have to look elsewhere for a matron when my wedding day finally arrived.

My hands shot up to stop her. "No, Suz, you misunderstand. Not someone else; it is you and Wilfred! You must practice on your own body, to learn it, but then you must be willing to instruct each other on how you might improve to pleasure each other more. You must question each other on how to better serve and pleasure to make it a true partnership between you.

"That takes trust and the willingness to talk openly with each other, as we do now, for my father has told me that successful marriages that are truly happy for both parties are built that way. As you show your willingness to speak openly with him and to please him, I truly believe the man loves you so much that he'll be willing to speak with and listen to you, to please and pleasure you, too."

She was smiling, hope clearly written on her face as she gleaned the meaning of my words. "Thank you so much, Cat. I'll try to do just as you said. I really do love Wilfred and I know he loves me now. I really want this to work so we can be happy together. But...but...what if it doesn't? What if we're not?"

I suppressed a scream, wondering how many more hurdles she would throw in front of us, but with time passing and the big dinner rapidly approaching, I had time for now more. Therefore, I said, "Well, Suzie, there's one more thing you should always remember."

That lip bite was back as she anticipated my last bit of advice. Maybe I shouldn't have...

"If it doesn't work out, there's always the stable boy!"

I was laughing as I said it and running away as she jumped from the bench, hiked up her skirt, and chased me through the garden. When we came to a stop a few moments later, breathing hard, Susannah started laughing before giving me a hug and whispering, "Thanks, cousin. I needed that. I love him and I'll do as you said. Except for the stableboy."

Arm-in-arm, we headed into the manor to get ready for the banquet.

***

That evening, the so-called rehearsal banquet was held for the families, those in the wedding, and for the out-of-town guests. I'm not sure if anyone else noticed but Aunt Eliza had enlisted extra staff to help with serving and taking care of the guests. I might not have noticed either but I saw Geoffrey dressed as a server pouring wine for a guest during the gathering before everyone was seated for dinner. Our eyes met for a moment, but he glanced away quickly.

Since their time was getting close, I sat next to Susannah through the dinner while Stephen sat beside Wilfred, meaning there was no discussion during dinner between the two of us that didn't involve the couple, too. There were more speeches and then Uncle John invited us out onto the lawn for music, dancing, and, the special surprise of the evening, rides in a Montgolfier-type balloon. They'd set it up at the edge of the lawn behind screens and not started inflating it with its hot air until sometime during our banquet so it was a surprise to all.

Susannah was frightened but Wilfred promised her it would be safe so they took the first ride up, higher than the steeple of the little church where we'd rehearsed earlier in the evening and then four burly Scots cranked a big wheel to haul them back down. While they were at the top overlooking our area, I could see Susannah clinging to her man and then if the little tart didn't kiss him in front of everyone there, leading to randy, rowdy calls from the men and most of the women clapping a hand over their mouth while probably wondering why they hadn't thought of it.

With the couple safely back on the ground, Stephen grabbed my arm and pulled me into the line where we boarded the next flight with another couple and the pilot, who tended the stove to keep the air hot in the big balloon and who could, we were led to believe, operate the controls to land us if balloon somehow snatched the Scotsmen and their crank wheel up in the air with us.

Up, up, up we went and damn if Stephen didn't pull me into a kiss while I was trying to see as much as I could see. The other couple was doing the same so I went along for a few moments before pulling away to see the wonders of Wottfordshire stretched out around us and the sun setting in the distance as the band from Liverpool played down below.

"How high were we?" asked Stephen when we touched down.

"About 120-feet," replied the balloonist as he heated his furnace in preparation for the next flight. "I've had it much higher up at times, but Lord John wants to take as many trips up with people as possible so it will be remembered."