This is an extra long chapter, wrapping up some things. Just one more to go after this - Stella D.

Chapter 25: The Reception

Saturday Afternoon

Then it was off by taxi to the Camelot Hotel, the finest venue in the area. Louisa had her heart set on having the reception there, handled by professionals, to avoid any chance of repeating the disaster perpetrated by the Larges on their first catering attempt at the non-wedding. Martin balked at first, because he most recently associated the hotel with their frantic search for young James Henry when Mrs. Tishell had made off with him. Louisa reminded him it was the site of their first official meeting at the PCT interview five years ago, not counting their awkward encounter on the flight into Cornwall.

"Remember I challenged you on your interpersonal skills, and you said your work was nothing but dealing with 'bodies' when you meant to say 'people,'" she said. "And I lit into you after the meeting and you started gawking at my eye again. I thought you were so strange, then you diagnosed my acute glaucoma. I was right about your social skills, but when you walked away and turned to look back at me and then bumped into that doorway I thought perhaps you were rather endearing, in spite of everything. I still think so."

So together they passed through the same doorway where he had bumped his head all that time ago and now it was the entrance to their wedding reception. The very room where she had been the lone dissenting vote when the PCT committee voted to hire him was now transformed with paper hearts, pink and white balloons, and a banner that read "Doc and Louisa." It was filled with music, food and drink, and lively conversation.

Louisa was holding the baby, feeling how thrilling it all was. Over here, Bert and Al were trying the finger foods from a table filled with savouries and sweets, no doubt with Bert disparaging the rival caterers' efforts.

Over there, her new father-in-law, drink in hand, was hovering over Morwenna, apparently attempting to persuade her to take a visit to his hotel room upstairs. "I'm not drunk," Morwenna insisted. "At least I'm not that drunk."

Louisa saw Ruth approaching with two glasses of white wine and smiled. She knew Martin's aunt, now her aunt by marriage, still had her doubts about them as a "chalk and cheese" couple but it was clear Ruth bore no ill will toward her. If anything, the traumatic events of the recent past had brought them closer together and Louisa now found she rather appreciated Ruth's wry outlook on life.

"Oh Ruth, thank you," she said, as the older woman handed her a glass. "I can't believe I'm married. Do I look married?"

"Now you do," Ruth replied. "A day to remember." They clinked glasses and Louisa saw Tom, Harvey, and a Mediterranean-looking woman she didn't recognize approaching them.

"You made it. I'm so glad you're here," she exclaimed. "Ruth, this is my brother Tom, and his friend Harvey. He's Muriel Steel's nephew, you remember Muriel was a friend of Joan's. Everyone, this is Ruth Ellingham, Martin's aunt." She raised her eyebrows at her brother and added, "and who is this with you?"

"This is Selini Stephanidis, my, uh, friend from Santorini. We've been video chatting and, well, we've patched things up and decided to make a fresh start of it on my home ground." Selini smiled and hugged Louisa. "It is a beautiful wedding, you are the beautiful bride, so happy," she said.

"Selini doesn't speak much English," Tom explained.

"So whatever happened with the Spanish shipwreck?" Ruth inquired.

Tom and Harvey looked at each other. "We've got lawsuits going against the Bowdens and the Tonkens, they're suing us, everybody's suing everybody else, and the government is threatening to get it listed as a National Heritage site and arrest us if we remove anything else from it," Harvey said. "So basically it's a mess."

"At least the Prescotts are out of the picture for a long time to come," he added.

Tom and Louisa glanced at each other. Shortly after the Prescotts' arrest, Eddie had insisted that his brother be seen by an eye doctor, as Dr. Ellingham had recommended. Emrys was diagnosed with a primary brain tumour of the frontal lobe, which was likely responsible both for his droopy eyelid and his overly aggressive behaviour. The tumour was reportedly responding well to radiotherapy. In gratitude to for potentially saving his life, Emrys had spared everyone the ordeal of a trial for his assaults on Martin and Christopher by pleading guilty in exchange for a minimum 20-year sentence. On being arrested at the surgery Eddie was found to have cocaine on him so he ended up being sent away for five years. It was happy news but for the fact the brothers were to do their time at Dartmoor, a reminder to the Glassons that their father was also currently a "guest of Her Majesty" there.

"But we've come into some money after all," Tom piped up to lighten the mood. "Turns out the Esmeralda map is a valuable historic artefact. Several museums and private collectors are very interested in acquiring it. We're holding out for six figures. The map may be worth more than the wreck. So we're going to put the money into a new business. Glasson & Steel Dive Adventures. We'll take the tourists on dives to see the Esmeralda, newly discovered soon-to-be National Heritage site, and other amazing wrecks off the Cornish coast."

"We'll tell them firsthand how it was discovered by us personally, Steel & Glasson," said Harvey.

"We're still working on the name," said Tom. "But here's the beauty part. We'll specialize in searching for clues to the historic existence of Lyonesse."

"You don't think there's really anything to it, do you?" Louisa asked.

"You don't know what's there till you look," said Tom. "And there's plenty that would pay for a chance to look. We want to collect the evidence and then maybe publish a book about it, with maps and everything. Selini here is an expert on Atlantis, so she can help us link the two together."

"There are plenty that want to believe," said Ruth, now on her second glass of wine. "My mother's family were the Trevillians, legendary in Cornwall as the descendents of the last survivor of Lyonesse. The first Trevillian supposedly rode his white horse ahead of the tsunami to reach safety on high ground. Uncle Dick, Mother's brother, was so proud of that legend. He didn't appreciate it when I said it was a myth. A family coat-of-arms depicting a white horse rising out of the ocean doesn't add up to a factual history. 'No use whistling for Lyonesse!'* I told him, 'nothing beneath those waves but the Torrey Canyon†.' That was the reason he cut me out of his will and left the farm only to Joan and Christopher."

"Well, perhaps I shouldn't have also diagnosed him as a hypochondriac for his habit of circling illustrations in Gray's Anatomy where he thought he might be growing a tumour," Ruth confided, now positively glowing with tipsiness. "I wasn't very tactful in my youth."

"So it's ironic that you ended up with the farm in the end," commented Louisa.

"I think Joan wanted to make it up to me. Don't worry though, Martin will have it someday when I cash in my chips. Whether he wants it or not."

"You've married into an interesting family all right," said Alex, who had come to join the group. As the others began an enthusiastic debate about whether there really was any evidence behind the Trevillian legend, he took Louisa aside and handed her a beautifully wrapped small box.

"I know you said no wedding gifts, but it's just a little something for you. A souvenir of your Port Liac adventure."

Louisa tore the paper and opened the box. Inside was a translucent figure in celadon green about six inches high.

"Oh, a mermaid!" she exclaimed. "Just like the one on the map!"

"A glass one for Miss Glasson," he said. "Well, Mrs. Ellingham now. I remember you said you were afraid to go into the artists' shops for fear little James would break something, so I had them craft something special for you."

"It's exquisite." She kissed him on then cheek. "You are the sweetest brother-in-law anyone could hope for. I know we'll always be friends. I hope there's no, um, awkward feelings."

"Well the best man, or brother, won. I'm even getting used to going by Alex now instead of Martin. I changed the nameplate on my surgery. Oh don't worry about me, I'll bounce back," he grinned. "You remember the barmaid I told you about at the Golden Lion, the one before Fiona?"

"Yes, Rita. She has a little boy. Her husband was working abroad."

"Well she's back in Port Liac, she's officially filed the divorce papers. So we'll see where things head from there."

Louisa could see across the room Chippy Miller, wearing a suit for once instead of his usual fisherman's yellow kit, was talking to Martin and the conversation was plainly not going well. Then Chippy walked away and Christopher moved in to talk to his son. Louisa could tell by the angle of Martin's shoulders and the tension in his lower lip he was still not at ease around the old man.

"Oh dear." She tucked the little mermaid in its box and handed it to Alex. "Could you give this to Ruth? She'll see that it gets safely to Fern Cottage. I think perhaps it's time to intervene."

She went over to her husband and father-in-law. "So you've gone and done it. Never thought I'd see the day," Christopher was saying.

"So you decided to show up. What about Mum?" Martin replied.

"She wanted to come but she… uh… was feeling a bit under the weather."

Martin gave a sceptical grunt. Christopher began shaking salt on a plate of smoked mackerel.

"The fish contains adequate sodium already," Martin said. "You should limit salt intake, at your age especially. Hypertension is a major risk factor for stroke and any number of diseases. When did you last check your blood pressure?"

"Don't be such an old woman," Christopher scoffed. "I'm a doctor, I know perfectly well what I'm doing."

Alex came over to help diffuse the tension. "They do say doctors do make the worst patients," he said.

Martin grunted again, but gave in to Alex's attempt to lighten the mood. Louisa was pleased to see the two of them had established something of a rapport after Martin had gotten over the shock of learning he had a brother and Alex overcame his shyness at getting to know the brother he had long regarded as a remote, unapproachable figure.

She took Martin's arm and gently guided him away. He was still glancing at his father, with an unsatisfied look, as if there was unfinished business there. She wondered if he would ever get the chance to really have it out with the old man. "I saw you talking to Chippy Miller," she said, hoping to get his mind off the situation.

"Why did you invite him? He's hardly a close friend," Martin said.

"I didn't invite him. In fact a lot of people here weren't invited."

"I'd better move them on then," he declared.

"No, it's nice them showing up and wishing us well," she said in a soothing tone. "It's nice."

"They're not thinking about us, they're thinking about free food and cider."

"Well it's the way things work around here Martin. You might've wanted a nice quiet reception, but the village didn't."

"If they're so determined to have a party why don't we just leave them to it?" he replied.

"You have been to a wedding before, haven't you?" Morwenna broke in. "There's the cake cutting and the dancing to go yet."

"Yeah," Louisa teased him. "Just a bit longer."

He agreed reluctantly. Fortunately, just then Penhale started banging on a glass to get people's attention. They mostly ignored him and he banged harder until the glass shattered, to everyone's amusement. Undeterred, he unfolded his notes and, evidently determined to be a part of the wedding party, began the best man speech that Martin had explicitly told his actual best man he didn't want.

"Today, a great man, a great physician," he began, "and the greatest thing to happen to Portwenn since the new parking area at the beach." That got a laugh. "Married…"

Louisa looked proudly at Martin. Bert, clearly enjoying his share of free cider, yelled "You're a tosser, get off!" That got another laugh.

Penhale ploughed on. "Married one of our natural treasures, Louisa Glasson." Martin looked at her and Louisa felt a warm glow of pleasure and embarrassment. "There were a few road blocks and diversions en route. And a quick stopover at the maternity ward. Baby." More laughter. "But happily they have arrived at their destination."

"Oh please sit down," Bert heckled.

"Back in 1984, Tina Turner asked the question, 'what's love got to do, got to do with it?'" Penhale continued. "And the answer is…"

Bert cued the DJ: "Go." The music started to softly play. "Bert! Bert, I haven't finished my speech!" Penhale protested that he had some good jokes, but Bert declared him done, the crowd was getting noisy again, and the music was picking up.

"I think that's meant for us," Louisa said.

"Is it mandatory?"

"You don't have to if you don't want to, Martin."

She wiped her face with a lace handkerchief and Martin took her to the dance floor as the crowd cheered. "I may be a touch rusty," she said. "Or not very good."

"I learnt at school. It was compulsory." Martin moved her about expertly, then groaned as she stepped on his foot. "Sorry! It's been a while," she said.

He was gracious but couldn't resist asking "Did you have dance lessons when you were a child?"

"No."

"I thought not."

The music continued and people joined them on the dance floor. Martin started scrutinizing the Larges and Penhale, who were huddling by the door. "They're plotting something."

"Oh God, I hope it's nothing embarrassing," she said.

"Why don't we leave while we still can."

He was right, it was time to go, she thought. "Yes. Good."

She picked up James, wrapped him in his blue blanket, while Martin grabbed the nappy bag and they slipped outside but there was no chance for a quick getaway. Bert, now wearing a chauffeur's cap, was waiting for them, next to a red and white Bentley.

"Ah. You're not going to get off that easy my lovers," he said. "We have a surprise for you. You can't have a wedding without a honeymoon." Others began spilling out into the parking lot, obviously in on the plot.

Louisa was delighted at the thought. "Martin! Was this your idea?"

"Absolutely not."

"We have all chipped in and you will be whisked away in this fabulous vehicle to a luxury vacation with all the trimmings," Bert said.

Alex took Martin aside and assured him "It's all been taken care of, between the old man and myself. That Large fellow was planning to bill you for what the whip round didn't cover. He always seems to looking to line his own pockets."

Martin gave another of his characteristic grunts. "Hardly surprising. Well, thank you then."

Ruth was reassuring Louisa she was perfectly capable of looking after James. Louisa was less keen on leaving him behind. "Oh Ruth, I… I don't know."

"It's only for one night dear. He won't feel you've abandoned him. And even if he does he's far too young to remember any of it."

Louisa sighed. "Oh, just one night." There was no stopping whatever it was they had planned for her and Martin.

"Bags all packed and ready to go," declared Morwenna. "In the boot," Bert added.

"What do you mean, you've been in our bedroom?" Martin said.

"Riffling through your ironed boxer shorts," she grinned. "Oh yes!" Bert added.

Martin was incredulous. "What?!"

Ever diplomatic, Al took that moment to intervene. "The Large Restaurant has donated a fully stocked hamper to get your honeymoon night off with a bang Doc."

"Oh Martin, can we?" Louisa pleaded.

"Uh… if you… if you really want to," Martin stammered.

"Quick," said Bert. "Before he changes his mind."

They got in the car. "Oh bye James," Louisa said. "Ruth, thank you so much. Now listen, there's food in the fridge. He likes banana custard. But don't let him get a hold of the spoon or you'll be sorry. And he's not been sleeping very well."

"Yes dear, you've already told me," Ruth said.

Bert started the engine. Martin leaned out of the car, advising "You might want to try a vigorous rocking motion."

Louisa leaned out too. "No, not too… not too hard though. And he loves his purple dinosaur, it's the little one on the bed."

"Mind your dress," Morwenna said, as they closed the door and made their final goodbyes. Penhale appeared at the window on Martin's side of the car.

"Doc, I didn't finish my speech," he said. "I've got this great joke. This man goes to the doctor, he says 'doctor, doctor…'" The car started to move and Penhale raised his voice over the noise. "…'I think I need glasses'…"

Martin got out of the car, tore off the tins cans the pranksters had affixed to the back, and tossed them, hitting Penhale. People laughed and Martin and Louisa drove away, grateful for some quiet at last.

To be continued…

*Ruth is quoting the first line of Sylvia Plath's poem "Lyonesse."

†The Torrey Canyon was an oil tanker that struck a rock and sank off the coast of Cornwall in 1967, causing an environmental disaster. The wreck is still out there.