.
Conversations of the Heart
A Journey of Love
Chapter 7. ~ The Wedding Night ~
Their guests were still enjoying the reception when Lucas and Elizabeth departed for Union City. Everyone understood that they needed to set out early enough to reach UC at a reasonable hour. There had been a joyful and teary send-off; everyone gathered outside the saloon to wave goodbye and wish the couple well. Rosemary and Lee had Jack with them; they would make sure to reinforce that Mama and Lucas would be back in a couple of days and that when Lucas returned, he would be living with them and that he would then have his very own Papa. This had all been explained by Elizabeth and Lucas in advance, but Jack, of course, wanted to go with them when the time came to say goodbye. After a few minutes alone with his buddy Lucas, Jack was excited to remember that this was all part of the "plan" so they could be a family. No understanding of the process, but certainly the outcome, he was satisfied. He hugged his Mama and Lucas and went contentedly back to Rosemary's arms.
They had left still wearing their wedding attire, as Lucas had promised the hotel concierge and his wife that they would so that they could see them all dressed up in their wedding finest. They drove until out of view of the Queen of Hearts; Lucas then stopped the car to remove the array of cans and other noisemakers that Fiona and Mike had rigged to the car. Lucas stowed them in the backseat and they were on their way again. Both were a bit tired from the long day but were joyful and content, feeding off of the adrenaline rush that was still ongoing and perhaps a bit on the excitement of what was upcoming. They chatted about the wedding and the reception, both the touching and humorous moments, and about the overall festivity of the reception which was quite the community event. They even had to use Abigail's as an extra place for overflow seating for the lunch buffet. Gustave had organized staff members at Abigail's to act as runners between the venues. Both Elizabeth and Lucas made rounds at both the Queen of Hearts and Abigail's, so they could greet all of their guests.
They had both eaten a hearty lunch and were expecting to have a light evening meal, but Gustave had insisted that he send them off with some hot tea and cocoa and a few confections to enjoy on a rest stop along the way. Both enjoyed the break, and shared a couple of affectionate kisses, but continued their light and friendly mood during the rest of their trip. When they arrived at the hotel, Lucas pulled up in front and handed his car keys to an attendant that was waiting for them. Lucas had everything planned to the last detail with the concierge. He and his wife were eager to help make this brief honeymoon perfect for the couple. The attendant quickly alerted the rest of the staff who swung into motion. Lucas helped Elizabeth out of the car and was quickly greeted by a maid that helped her with her dress. Lucas was attended to by one of the bell boys who took in their luggage. No check-in was required but they did stop in the lobby to be admired in their wedding attire, before being ushered up to their suite.
The hotel had carried out Lucas' orders with exactness. The room was lit with soft candlelight and gentle music came from a Victrola that was set up for them. The drapes were open so that the moonlight could shine through the windows. They were on the top floor of the hotel so privacy would not be an issue. Flowers befitting Valentines were perfectly placed. A fire was lit in the fireplace, and in front of it was a table elegantly set for two. The crystal of the glasses sparkled in the firelight giving the room a magical ambiance. A bottle of the finest French champagne was set to chill in an ice bucket next to the table. A pitcher of ice water with lemon slices was set on a smaller side table; the bell boy poured them each a glass before asking if he could get them anything else. He left with assurances that everything was perfect and Lucas handed the bell boy an envelope for the concierge containing some additional instructions.
Elizabeth went into the bathroom that adjoined the suite to wash her hands, adjust her hair a bit and remove the veil that had been put back on for the lobby showing of the wedding couple. Lucas had stowed their luggage temporarily and was sitting on a small couch near the fire. He exchanged positions with Elizabeth when she returned and went to freshen up himself. He returned and joined her on the couch where he put his arm around her and they enjoyed some companionable silence as they both gazed into the fire. She leaned against him happy to enjoy this quiet time after all the day's activities. From time to time, he would squeeze her hand or kiss her cheek in a silent "I love you."
After a while, Lucas asked her if she would like to join him for dinner. The staff was set to arrive at a predetermined time unless Lucas were to communicate a delay for the light fare that they would be serving. As if on cue, Elizabeth's tummy rumbled and she eagerly agreed to have dinner served. He escorted her to the table and held out the seat for her while she arranged her dress and sat down. He poured them each a glass of champagne making sure that he kept his to a minimum as he had all day so that he would be not be affected during the drive and throughout their evening. A waiter arrived to serve the first course, a light consommé. This was followed by an assortment of small hors d'oeuvres and a Niçoise salad, one of Elizabeth's favorites. They were then served a palate-cleansing sorbet followed by a lovely dish of creamy chocolate mousse to share. During dinner, they had resumed the friendly chattiness that they had shared in the car. But as the dessert was served, Lucas began giving her bites off his spoon and the tone suddenly changed as he watched her enjoy the decadent dessert. Her moans of pleasure as the silky dessert played on her tongue, were beginning to unravel him and after a few moments, she looked up at him and met his gaze and knew that time for friendly banter was over. They were headed for yet another new beginning.
He cleared his throat as if he couldn't speak, and then in a deep soft tone he asked, "Elizabeth may I show you something prepared especially for you?" He helped her out of her chair and then took her hand and led her to a door that went to an adjoining room he had also rented. He had her wait while he took a package from his suitcase. He looked at her and then gave her a tender kiss on the cheek and said, "Elizabeth, I hope you don't mind but this package and what I am about to show you are from Rosemary. She wanted you to have a special gift and gave the instructions to the hotel personally. She has a note attached to the package. She told me that I am to show you to this room and leave you for a little while. She said you would understand once you see and read her note."
Lucas opened the door and was not at all surprised that the room was lit by candlelight and a fire was warming the room. A beautiful copper bathtub was placed in front of the fire and the scent of orange blossoms that he had noticed all day in her hair filled the air from the bathwater. There was a beautiful tapestry-covered screen set to the side that could ensure privacy if desired. Soft towels were stacked on a small table along with another pitcher of lemon-infused water.
Elizabeth let out a sweet, "oh my goodness," as she saw the beautiful setting before her.
Lucas looked at her with a soft smile and gently ran a finger down her cheek. "Enjoy your present my sweet. Take your time, I would say we have all the time in the world, but I think that would be an overstatement at this point." He winked at her while giving her a mischievous smile. And with that, he gave her one last kiss on the cheek and approached the door back to their suite saying, "I will leave the door ajar so that if you need anything you can call me."
"Lucas, before you go, I need your help. This dress has two dozen tiny buttons down the back that I cannot reach. Fiona did them up for me while Rosemary was fussing with my makeup." She looked at him and a blush started spreading across her cheeks.
"Allow me, my magic hands are at your service," he said as he gently turned her so she was facing away from him. Those magical hands were trembling as he started to unfasten the buttons. But as he made progress, they became steady as he figured out the right trick to best unfasten them. At various points along the way, he nuzzled her neck and applied gentle kisses on her shoulders and back. His beard tickled her sending thrilling shivers down her spine as he made his way through all the buttons. She was holding the dress up in front of her but when he had unfastened the last of them, he rose up and held her from behind and gently removed the dress from her hands letting it fall to the floor. She gasped as he nuzzled her ear and then placed a kiss on her neck. His arms were around her as he still held her hands from behind. He whispered to her, "I will be waiting for you…." And then he left the room leaving the door just ajar as he had promised.
Elizabeth reached out for the chair that was placed between her and the tub. She felt shaky and quickly sat down to gather her composure. She picked up the package that Lucas had left on the little table by the bath and began to read the note.
Dearest Elizabeth,
I can't tell you how much your friendship means to me, you are my best friend and the sister of my heart. I love you so much and you know that your child, that special part of you, will be loved by Lee and me, come what may. I know that you and Lucas have waited; I don't know for a fact but my guess is that it is his first time. I believe he has been waiting all this time for you and only you. I am sure he is a bit nervous, but I also know that he knows you so well and that everything will be perfect.
I hope that you will accept my gift in the spirit intended. As a woman, I think I can assume that you are already pleased with my gift and I am not thinking of the package which you are to open after your bath. After a long day on my feet in my wedding dress, I know that I couldn't wait to have a chance to bathe before retiring for the evening. So, I hope you enjoy the tub with orange blossoms in the water, as I instructed the hotel, to match the scent that we washed your hair with this morning.
Lucas didn't know exactly what I had planned, although I imagine he knows now. I told him you would be most appreciative of this chance for a little "girl time". He seemed willing to take my advice and let me do this for you. So, take a little soak and you will come out feeling so much more presentable and relaxed. I think you should keep your hair up as it has been, so as not to get it wet. I am sure it still smells divine still.
And then after you bathe and dry off, open the package. It is a special present for you to wear. I know I gave you a gift at your bridal shower but this is something special and a little more personal than the attire we presented in the company of the mothers. I know you will sigh and roll your eyes when you see it but remember it is for your husband more than for you. He will find you enchanting. Think about nothing but enjoying your time in Union City.
With all my love,
Rosie
Elizabeth smiled to herself, "leave it to Rosie". She had been wonderful taking a lot of the load of the wedding preparations and here she was also helping to plan a wonderful wedding night. She quickly undressed as she had been convinced to keep undergarments according to the "new a la mode" style… with fewer constraints. She then stepped into the bath and lowered herself into the heavenly scented water. She tried not to linger too long as she knew that Lucas was waiting patiently or more likely impatiently in their suite. So, she quickly cleansed and then got out of the tub, dried herself with one of the fluffy towels, and then wrapped herself in another. She then sat down and opened the package. Out of the box, she pulled out two garments. It was the most delicate peignoir set she had ever seen. It was a beautiful combination of the thinnest ivory-colored silk and the most delicate white lace. She slipped on the nightgown held up by the thinnest of straps. She looked at herself in the full-length mirror and then donned the matching robe. As she looked at herself, she knew that she had never looked more beautiful. Her cheeks were flushed from the warm bath and the anticipation of him seeing her. Her eyes that were always beautiful had that extra sparkle. She knew that the hotel staff would attend to the candles so she just set her dress and undergarments on the bed. She set her shoes alongside the bed and walked to the door. She took a deep breath and began to open it.
Lucas was sitting on the couch as she entered and quickly rose to his feet. He had a stunned look on his face as the ensemble Rosie had selected left only a little to the imagination. After a few heartbeats, he regained his composure slightly and started walking to her as she entered the room to join him. He led her to the fire so that she wouldn't be chilled from her bath. "You look beautiful. You simply take my breath away. I am the luckiest man in the world; not only do you have the warmest heart and soul, but you are physically beautiful beyond words." She blushed with his compliment and smiled shyly. He moved close to her and brought his hands to the combs in her hair. "May I?", to which Elizabeth nodded. He gently removed the pins he found and then the combs. Her tresses fell over his hands and then he lifted them savoring the weight and silky texture. He breathed in the scent of her hair and skin and stepped back to look at her as she stood dazzling him in the firelight. He smiled at her a bit shyly and came to her and kissed her softly savoring the taste of her lips as he gently removed the cover of her peignoir set leaving it to fall to the floor. "Are you warm enough my darling?" Again, Elizabeth nodded as she moved in closer and deepened the kiss while running her fingers through his sumptuous locks.
As they ended their kiss and she pulled away just a bit, she looked closer to see that he had changed out of his wedding suit and was wearing a short robe called a "smoking jacket" and a lightweight pair of slacks. She looked at him, never taking her eyes off his as she undid the tie on the robe and he let it slide to the floor at her gentle insistence just as he had done to hers. She placed her hands on his chest just like she might have done if he were wearing a jacket and she placed her hands on his lapels. And he lowered his forehead to hers and looked into her eyes and now and again he would capture her mouth in a sweet gentle kiss. The kisses were getting more desperate and she found herself letting out a moan of pleasure. Suddenly he swept her up in his arms and he asked her in a whisper, "shall we?" She didn't trust herself to speak, so, she nodded her head, and he then crossed the room and gently placed her on the bed.
The moonlight shined into the window and fell on the bed giving her a magical glow that highlighted her beauty in a softer, more ethereal way than the firelight which had made her sparkle. He looked at her now, as he stood by the edge of the bed. "Elizabeth, I want to look at you. Is that okay?" She nodded, so he held her gaze as he lifted each hand which she had instinctively raised to cover her chest and kissed each before placing it at her sides. The moonlight disguised her blush that he knew was flushing her cheeks as his eyes wandered from head to toe. Her long dark hair was spread out over her pillow and the creamy silk of her gown molded her curves. She was utterly magnificent as she reminded him of an elven queen from a fairytale.
"Elizabeth, I am enchanted by how beautiful you look with the moonlight casting a glow over you. You are always beautiful but never more than this night… this moment She reached out her hand and took his, and gently pulled him toward her. "And you my husband, are so divine that you take my breath away. You are always so handsome, but never more than this night… this moment. Come…. join me; I want to feel your arms around me."
With that, he lay down next to her and wrapped his arms around her as she shifted her head to rest it on his shoulder. "I love you Mrs. Bouchard" he whispered, and he gently kissed the top of her head.
"And I love you, Mr. Bouchard." She tilted her head up to receive his kiss. Just sweet at first but as the kiss deepened, they both knew it was time they take the next step in their journey. As he had written her, she was his first, his only, and now his love and need for her overwhelmed him. This was the call as old as time, and he let his instincts lead him as he formed this final bond with his soulmate. He had waited for a lifetime to experience this one special perfect moment.
For a time, they lay there in the quiet and shadows that were cast in the moonlight. They turned on their sides so they could gaze at one another. He raised his hand to cup her face and rubbed his thumb along her lips. She was mesmerized by the look in those beautiful eyes as he whispered, "I love you Elizabeth, so deeply, so desperately. Can you feel it? Could you feel my heart reaching for yours, my soul seeking to join yours?"
Elizabeth looked up at him with a sweet contented smile. "Yes, she said, and we found each other in that special moment. And I could not love you more." He rolled to his back and pulled her in close as she rested her head on his chest and listened for his heartbeat. He kissed her forehead and then felt her breathing signal that she had drifted off and so with a smile of deep contentment, he followed her into sleep.