On the assigned Tuesday morning, Rose and Emmett met with the vicar at the Evans's home to discuss the wedding date. They agreed on a Saturday—just a month and a half from that week!
Yes, those few weeks would be a busy rush, but Rose and Emmett were more than eager to be married. Each had been trying to find someone special for all their lives. It wasn't that they needed a ceremony or a piece of paper to prove their love, but wedding ceremonies were a time-honored and revered tradition. Rose and Emmett knew this would be a joyful wedding, a symbol of their commitment—confirmation that the journeys of their lives joined them to each other in a crossroads.
As Rose and Emmett were leaving the Evans's home, the former received a surprise. Alice halted Rose at the door; startled, Rose wondered what Alice wanted of her.
"I do accept your apology, Rose," Alice said. Her tone was businesslike and her expression neutral, but Rose knew that Alice meant what she had said.
"Thank you, Mrs. Evans," Rose said warmly.
"Just call me Alice," she said, with the faintest shadow of a cordial smile.
Rose and Emmett left the Evans's residence and headed back to where they had parked their cars on the street, as each had driven separately. As they walked, Rose reflected upon Alice's congenial apology.
"Very gracious on her part," Emmett commented.
"I know it must not have been easy," Rose agreed.
Rose and Emmett were at the street now, but they stood on the sidewalk a few minutes later, talking.
"Now that the date of the ceremony is out of the way," Emmett said cheerfully, "I guess the wedding preparations will really go into motion now."
Rose chuckled.
"Yes, there's a lot to do, but with our sisters' help, it will probably be easier than we think."
"You mean with Hyacinth's help," Emmett kidded, and he pretended to look thoughtful. "Well, she might let us do something…maybe polish a few glasses or put stamps on the invitations…"
"Put stamps on the invitations? I'll let her have that task!" Rose laughed. "Hyacinth actually uses a ruler to align her stamps perfectly."
"Ah, a classic perfectionist! Are you sure there isn't any German blood in your family?" Emmett said with a grin.
"Don't suggest that to Hyacinth," Rose said. "She'll assure you that"—here Rose gave the best imitation of her eldest sister's voice as she could—" 'there's never been any foreign blood in our family. Proudly English through all generations.'"
Rose and Emmett had an unchecked laugh at Hyacinth's expense and then went their separate ways—for a time.
...
Rose stared at a broad array of sample invitations on Hyacinth's kitchen table. Because she had chosen a light blue as her wedding colors, there were several shades of muted blue, as well as an array of shades of beige. Rose settled on a cornflower-blue cared, embossed with a fleur-de-lis at the top.
"That's a nice one, dear," Hyacinth said, but then frowned slightly. "It does look a little more lavender than blue, though. It looked different at the stationary shop."
"I think it looks blue enough," Rose said cheerily. "Well, I'd better get these invitations sent off."
She opened the package of the cornflower blue—or was that lavender?—invitation cards and began writing and addressing them by hand. There would not be many guests, but Rose, who had always taken pride in her handsome handwriting, made sure that every word was written perfectly.
One morning, Rose and Hyacinth, their sisters, and Liz had a 'conference' at the Bouquet residence (where else?) to discuss the wedding reception. Violet thought that Rose and Emmett deserved a grand reception, and offered to pay for it. Rose was touched by Violet's gesture, but she wanted the reception to be relaxed and casual. Everyone gave their input, but it was Liz's that received unanimous approval—yes, that included Hyacinth!
"We could make it very personalized if we borrow the church hall," Liz suggested. "We could do all the decorating ourselves, and Rose and Emmett could pick the china and silver they want to use."
"I haven't any china, or silverware," Rose objected.
"I've got the silverware set that Mummy used for the holidays," Hyacinth said, "and the silverware set that was a gift from Aunt Shirley at Richard's and my wedding."
Liz chimed in, "I have wedding silverware, too, but I've never had occasion to use it; Trent and I have never entertained, and we were never fussy about our holiday place settings."
"Yes, there are some people who take a more…casual approach to holiday arrangements," Hyacinth said. Her tone was not unkind, but there was a slightly aloof inflection.
"I like casual for the holidays," Rose defended Liz, who smiled gratefully.
Daisy brought the conversation back on track. "Well, Rose, what do you think?"
"Liz, why don't you fetch your silverware set, if you would, and Hyacinth, you bring out your sets, and then I'll decide."
Thus, Liz went back to her home to retrieve her set of silverware, and Hyacinth fetched her own; a few minutes later, Rose was scrutinizing each set. They were all very lovely, but Rose finally decided to use Liz's silverware. Lightweight and beautifully glossy, each utensil had a pattern of raised leaves and tiny birds on the handles.
"It is a very pretty set, Elizabeth," Hyacinth said grandly, as if handing down a great favor.
"Thank you," Liz said, a little startled by the compliment.
Rose decided to use Hyacinth's beautiful crystal glassware for the reception; these had a frosted pattern of ivy leaves and the rims of the cups were beautifully scalloped. Not one piece had so much as a tiny scratch.
"Now that that's all over," Rose said with a sigh, "it's time to choose a wedding dress."
...
"Hyacinth, I'm not wearing white," Rose said for the fifth time as the two of them entered another dress shop. "It just doesn't feel right. Hey, that rhymes! 'I'm not wearing white—it doesn't feel right!' Almost like a mantra!"
Hyacinth frowned at this most improper display of spontaneous humor, but said nothing to reprove her youngest sister.
"Well, if you don't want white, at least get a nice pastel," Hyacinth said firmly, but Rose had already moved on. She looked through rack after rack, not quite finding what she wanted. Half an hour later, Rose had nearly gone through the entire store when a shimmer of pale blue caught her attention.
Pulling the dress off of the rack, Rose examined it critically. It was a beautiful silk creation with a slightly fitted bodice, lacy three-quarters sleeves, and a subtle floral design in tiny beads at the hem and the collar. Hyacinth nodded in eager approval.
"That's beautiful," she said with a delighted smile. "That color goes wonderfully with your hair."
"Thank you," Rose said.
"Now, don't forget our little agreement," Hyacinth went on, bossily. "Richard and I want your wedding dress to be a gift."
"Yes, and I am very grateful. I'd better try it on first, though."
Thus, Rose tried on the dress; it fit perfectly, but she refused to show it to Hyacinth.
"I'll show it to you, Daisy, Violet, Liz, and Richard next week, before the wedding," Rose said authoritatively. She and Hyacinth had planned to have tea and light refreshments at the Buckets' home before they went to the church for the wedding.
"All right, Rose. I guess I can wait," Hyacinth said agreeably.
...
Three days before the wedding, Rose and Emmett took another walk in the park, and as they strolled along, the 'star-crossed lovers' fondly remembered the night that Emmett had proposed.
"Emmett," Rose said suddenly, "when are you finally going to admit that our kiss last Christmas was more than just the result of 'overexcitement'? Ah, and let's not forget when Onslow gave you and Liz a lift to town and I had to sit on your knee," she added, smiling most flirtatiously.
Emmett laughed.
"I can't say I didn't enjoy those moments," he said playfully. "Rose, do you remember what you said the very first time we met?"
Rose did not have to pause to recall.
"Yes, I remember," she giggled, and quoted herself; "'I can see he's suffered! Women can be bitches!'"
"And here we are today," Emmett said, almost in awe, stopping to draw Rose into his arms. Rose looked at him with starry eyes and kissed him.
"Mummy always believed in what she called the 'forces of destiny'," Rose said seriously. "She said that sometimes two people are meant to be together, but they have to discover it themselves, before the opportunity passes."
"And we did," Emmett said thankfully. "Just in time."
If I was a sculptor, but then again, no
Or a man who makes potions in a traveling show
I know it's not much, but it's the best I can do
My gift is my song and this one's for you