Richie was tossing a stick for a couple of the many dogs that ran around the property on the driveway when a messenger pulled up and approached him.
"Duncan MacLeod?" he asked. Richie had just begun to shake his head when he added: "Richard Ryan?"
"Oui." A clip board was thrust into his hands to sign, then replaced with a small package before the messenger turned and left.
Richie looked down at the small package in his hands addressed to: Duncan MacLeod and Richard Ryan, at what he assumed was the Noel's address. With a shrug he happily ripped at the brown paper; there were two envelops inside one addressed to each of them. He opened up his envelope as he went into the house to find Duncan. He ran into Nicolas in the foyer before he could look in it.
"Hey, have you seen Mac around?" Richie asked him.
"I haven't," he answered.
"Thanks." Richie went on with his search.
"You may check the garden, Tessa went that way earlier."
Richie turned around. "Thanks." It was the first time Nicolas had said more than three words to him for the week he'd been there. He made his way through the house and out the back door pondering that thought. When he made it to the back terrace he used his vantage point to check the garden. He spotted Duncan and Tessa under the same tree as before. "For you," he announced handing the box to Duncan.
"Who is it from?" Duncan asked.
"I dunno… but they gave me money!" Richie exclaimed excitedly, pulling out the notes and coins.
Duncan opened up his envelope, extracting a small pile of train tickets and a letter. "Must be Connor," he mumbled looking over the letter.
"Hey Tess, what are these?" Richie asked plopping down next to her and shoving some foreign money into her hands.
"They look like Scottish pound notes."
"It's an allowance," Duncan said, waiving the letter. "Spending money for next week."
"Oh, these are English pound notes," Tessa pointed out as she sifted through the notes and coins.
"This is for you, too." Duncan pulled something out of the bottom of the box.
"Maps."
"So you can see where you're going."
"There are some Francs in here, too," Tessa added as she continued through the small stack of notes.
"Score!" Richie took up the money and began counting it.
"Looks like we leave in two days," Duncan continued. "And we'll meet Connor at London Charing Cross."
"What's that?"
"Train station," Tessa answered. "You're leaving in two days?" she asked, putting her head on Duncan's shoulder. "You just got here."
"It's only for a few days. And I'm sure there may be a present in your future."
"Oh?" she asked. "What?"
"A surprise."
"What kind of surprise?"
"One that you don't get to know about."
"A hint?"
"It will be bigger than a penny, smaller than an elephant."
"Oh, helpful." She looked over at Richie, who was sorting his money and counting it all. "I'm sure Nicolas could help you spend your money," she told him.
"Now that I have some cash he's gonna wanna hang out?" he retorted. "I can spend my cash on my own."
"But you'll need a ride into town to spend it."
"No thank you."
"Richie, I wish you would just give him a chance. He's not much older than you. You two are really a lot alike."
"I'm not gonna go ask to tag along."
"Alright," she sighed, as she made a mental note to get her brother to include the American in something.
The next afternoon, Tessa took Duncan to her childhood church. It was a small, traditional church with dark brick walls, polished wooden pews, and a large crucifix behind the alter and pulpit.
"What do you think?" Tessa asked anxiously.
"If it's what you want it's perfect."
"What do you want?" she asked. "Be honest."
"If it were possible, outside, but it'll be too cold for that. I think this will be perfect."
"We could wait," she offered.
"Why would I want to do that?" He kissed the top of her head.
"I want you to be happy, too."
"I am," he promised. "Have you thought about what flowers you want?"
"Whiskey Macs," she answered as the priest approached them.
"What?" he laughed.
"A type of rose, I believe," the priest smiled.
"Hello, Father Jehan," Tessa greeted.
"Tessa, I haven't seen you in so long. And you must be the fiancée?"
"Duncan MacLeod," Duncan shook his hand.
"It's nice to meet you."
"Likewise."
"I am so glad you decided to come home for your wedding," Father Jehan, continued. "Is the church as you remember it?"
"Exactly."
"We love it," Duncan added.
"Now… I feel a bit foolish saying this," Tessa blushed. "But if I don't Maman will. Duncan and I have lived together for quite awhile now. That is not a problem, correct?"
Father Jehan smiled, "Of course not, there are very few things that would prompt the church to refuse to wed a couple. Now, we have set a date?"
"October fifteenth."
"Such a lovely time of year. Shall I show you what amenities the church provides, so you can decide what of ours you would like and what you wish to get yourselves?"
When they were done with the church Tessa had an appointment with a dress maker to go over the designs for the gowns. Odette met her there and Duncan went to search out Whiskey Macs at a greenhouse.
"What beautiful designs," the dress maker commented looking at the sketches Tessa had made.
"Thank you."
"Now how many bridesmaids and flower girls?"
"Two bridesmaids and one flower girl. Odette, my sister," she touched her shoulder. "Is the maid of honor my good friend will be my second bridesmaid, but she cannot come into town easily. If I give you her measurements you can still make the dress without seeing her?"
"It may not fit as well as if she came in to see me, but it should be fine."
"Would it be possible to make last minute alterations?"
"As long as it is not anything too drastic, yes."
"What colors are you planning?" the dress maker asked.
"Ivory for my dress, and this blue for the bridesmaids and the sash for the flowergirl." She held out a swatch of the MacLeod tartan.
"A beautiful shade, this is your fiancée's family tartan?"
"Yes."
They looked through fabric swatches until they found a match so near perfect that no one would be able to tell that they didn't. Measurements were taken and Odette made an appointment to bring in her eldest daughter to be measured for her flower girl dress.
"In a week and a half I should have the patterns cut and pinned," the dressmaker said, stepping behind the counter and taking out her date book. "So… September fourteenth. Would you like to come in that morning to check the fit?"
"That would be lovely." Tessa took out her own date book and wrote the appointment in. "I do appreciate you taking our order. I know it is horribly short notice."
"I do not mind at all. I nearly specialize in last minute orders."
Tessa wrote out the first payment check for the dresses then left with Odette for home.
"How did you convince Nicolas to take Richie out for the day?" Duncan asked when they returned to the château.
"I just told him that Maman would not approve," she replied with a devilish twinkle in her eye. Duncan chuckled. "I know my brother," she smiled. "And I know Richie as well. I told him the one thing that would upset my mother the most would be if they two got along."
"You understand the male teenage mind so well, it almost frightens me."
They kissed then went to tally up how much they had spent on the wedding so far, and with Richie gone for the day they had the privacy of the bedroom to check over a few other things as well.
Nicolas and Richie showed up with just enough time to slide into their seats at the dinner table under the angry glare of Madame Noel. They shared a quick smirk with each other, then Tessa as dinner was served.
"How was your day?" Gaston asked.
Tessa smiled. "Very productive. We made arrangements for the church, the dresses and the flowers. We looked into a few caterers for the reception."
"And Richie and I are going to arrange for the kilts this week as well," Duncan added.
Madame Noel forced a smile. "How wonderful. Did you speak to Father Jehan?"
"We did," Duncan answered. "He said he was very excited to perform the ceremony."
Richie snorted into his soup, and Nicolas tried to cover with a cough. Tessa squeezed Duncan's knee and glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. It seemed she wasn't the only one getting sick of her mother's attitude.
Dinner was quiet after that. When they adjured to the parlor Richie stopped Duncan in the hallway.
"Hey Mac, can Nicolas come with us tomorrow?"
Duncan smiled. "You two had fun I take it?"
"Yeah, and he's never been Scotland. And I figured that it would be nice to have someone to hang with when you and Connor inevitably wander off into nostalgia-land. So is it okay?"
"Richie, we're leaving tomorrow."
"Too late?"
"I'll tell you what, give me a few minutes and I'll see what I can do. I'll be in, in a minute." He sent Richie into the parlor with everyone else for coffee and went to make a few phone calls.
"Where are you going to get roses this time of year?" Madame Noel was asking when he returned.
"A green house," Tessa answered. "It's all arranged."
"Roses for a fall wedding, practically winter. What will people think?"
"They aren't traditional roses," Tessa continued. "I doubt anyone will think anything of it."
"I bet they'll look nice," Richie commented.
"Of course you would," Madame snipped at him.
Richie opened his mouth to protest the comment, but Tessa cut him off quickly. "Richie has very good taste. And a great eye for color and lighting. You should see him when it comes to - -"
"I'm sure you think he does," Madame interrupted. "But who ever heard of roses at a fall wedding?"
"I'm sure you'd like them. I can take you to the green house tomorrow and show you."
Monsieur Noel cleared his throat. "I think we've had quite enough wedding talk for one night. And just where have you been?" he asked Duncan as the immortal sat down on the couch next to Tessa.
"Making a few phone calls."
"Another cousin?"
"Well, no. Actually, Nicolas expressed and interest in going to Scotland with Richie and I and I was checking to see if I could get him tickets for tomorrow. Which I have," he told the young man. "So if you'd like to come I have your tickets on standby."
Nicolas's face lit up in perfect synchronization with his mother's dimming. "I will pay you for the tickets," he offered quickly.
"Not to worry about," Duncan assured him. "You'd be doing Rich here a favor by giving him someone other than us old timers to be with."
"My son will not be going," Monsieur Noel answered.
"Papa," Nicolas protested. "I am not a child. I would like to go."
"Perhaps you would like to discuss it in private," Duncan suggested. "Then you can let us know what you decide."
"There will be no more discussion."
"I am going," Nicolas added.
"Do not speak to your father that way," Madame Noel snapped.
"We need to go pack," Duncan stood up, pulling Richie up with him. "Just let us know."
Richie smiled when they got up into their room. "Nicolas is so going."
"What makes you think that?"
"Tessa is down there."
Duncan chuckled, and gave Richie a noogie. "Get you bag packed."