*** Writers Note... Firstly may I again thank everyone for reading my little story. The reviews really have blown me away, I am so glad you love Bea, Colin, and the other couple of characters I have added. Secondly, I am actually heading off on holiday to the very area of Scotland that Bea worked in on Saturday and therefore I won't publish any more chapters for 2 weeks but don't worry they are all ready to go. The wedding gown is based on an early art deco dress from 1919s Paris.
**** I feel I need to add, after a few reactions to the cabin scene, that this is a T-rated story, there is a scene with similar content this week.****
Thank you all and let's go to a wedding.
CHAPTER 69
To everyone's relief, the day had gone exactly to plan. Nathan had eventually fallen asleep, he felt like a child on Christmas Eve. He woke early and lay for a while just thinking about the day ahead, it really did feel like a dream and until he actually brought his wife home later today he lived in fear that he would wake from it.
He got up and set a pot of coffee on the go, then went back up and had a wash, he would have a bath and then shave when he came back. He stripped the bedding off, nice fresh bed linen his Mum had told him. He had telephoned her and Allie again yesterday, they were both so happy for him, the promise of a celebration of some kind when they saw them next was enough for them. Mum had gone through a list of things he must remember to do, all but the bedding he had or would have done.
Coffee drank he headed into town. He was going to meet Colin for breakfast then they were both going to see Fiona and have haircuts.
Colin was already in the Cafe when Nathan arrived, on the table were four little packages, he smiled when he saw them he need not ask who they were from, the tartan ribbon was a give away.
"Happy Birthday and Happy Wedding Day, did you sleep?"
"Eventually" Nathan laughed. " Have you seen Bea this morning, is she alright ?"
"I have, as you can see, and she is fine. One of these is for you, one me, one Henry, and the other Jed, my brother's job this morning is to make sure you all have them and wear them. Don't worry I will check on her again later, she was just going to have breakfast too."
"I honestly don't think I will calm down until I lock the front door behind us tonight, I dread to think what I would have been like if we had gone all out with a church wedding and the full works."
"Well, if I am right I think you may get a surprise and have almost the full works anyway. There is an awful lot of hurrying and scurrying going on this morning, something is happening that is for sure."
"Bea said she thought plans were afoot the other day but we will just have to wait and see I guess. Let them have fun is what she said and that is what we will do. Now can I eat, will my stomach take it?"
Colin just laughed, "I will remind you of what a wreck you are this morning, you do know that?"
"I dare say you will, but you never know I might just get my own back."
Breakfast eaten, hairs cut, packages delivered, well not Jed's he would get that to him as soon as he and his wife arrived, Nathan went to pick up the crate and headed home. Colin headed to the livery to check on the boys, all 3 were fine. He did look at Hero's shoes and sis was right he was in need of new ones. Tomorrow when he fired up the forge he would do those, that would be his first job as smithy here in Hope Valley, the thought made him smile and again think how grateful he was.
After Colin had left Bea had gone down and eaten a little breakfast, she had to laugh as the absence of all the usual female faces just added to her thought that they were planning something. When she returned to her room she sat and looked at everything that was laid out, yes everything she needed and more really was there. Having washed her hair last night so it would be dry she headed off for a bath. Her supply of sandalwood soap and lotion was running low but she had made sure to save some to use today, it was Nathan's favourite. Hopefully, her packages would arrive soon and as that was on the list she had sent to Ethel her stocks would be refilled. Finding something similar here was added to the "After Tuesday" list.
It was just turned half eleven when Rosemary knocked at the door, she came in laden with
bags. "I hope it is alright Bea but I thought I could get ready here too and I needed to escape from Lee, he is like a man possessed this morning. Now how are we doing here, are we all sorted and on schedule?"
"Schedule, I didn't know I had one of those, but yes no hiccups. Mind I could just drink another coffee, I will pop down and see if I can get a pot."
"No, no I will do that, actually I could do with one myself, be back in a minute."
When she came back they sat and as Bea said "took 5". "Did you manage some nice flowers, Rosemary?"
"We did indeed, the office looks beautiful and lots in your lilac and purple colours. Lee even found thistles, the language when he was trying to pick them was choice mind. When are your flowers coming?"
"Mr. Henderson said he would have them here for me before 2 pm so fingers crossed that will go to plan, if not I made need to send Lee out for more thistles."
They both laughed, "He would love you for that."
They were just going to make a start on Bea's hair when there was a knock at the door, Rosemary answered and Bea heard a lady's voice.
"Forgive me, I am Mary Chambers, Jed's wife. We have just arrived and as I know Miss Bea has no family here I wondered if she needed help with anything?"
"Mary, come in, " said Bea " How kind of you, we are pretty well organised, I think but please stay, it may take the two of you to get me in my dress."
Turning Mary saw the said dress, well she would have said gown, hanging on the wardrobe door and let out an "Oh my".
"That," said Rosemary "is the reaction we want and I think we will hear all day, isn't it just divine?"
"Miss Bea I have never seen anything so beautiful, oh it really is like something out of one of the magazines. Wait until Constable Grant sees you. Jed had me laughing last night telling me how nervous he is."
"Yes Mary, our handsome, brave, heroic Mountie is a bit of a baby really, the sooner we get these two married the better. Right Bea hair, what are we doing?"
"Well these pin curls need to come out from the sides and those bits I will hold back with the combs, can you pass them please Mary they are in the lovely green box. Oh, and there are some long hairpins there somewhere too."
The ladies did a wonderful job, the combs were perfect, the curls just added to the wonder of her hair.
"Beautiful, just beautiful, Jed has tried to describe your hair to me, he said it was like..."
Bea laughed "let me guess, a dappled horse's mane? I get that all the time, even Nathan calls it my mane at times."
"That was it" Mary smiled "but he is right, that is the only way to describe it really."
There was another knock at the door Mary answered it this time, it was Colin.
"Colin, you can't come in,'' shouted Rosemary."
"Well I am just delivering this for you ladies courtesy of the groom, and I have to check all is well." He handed Mary a tray with a bottle of champagne and 2 glasses.
"Tell him everything is fine, and thank him for this Colin, is he coping?"
"Just about" Colin laughed " He is over in Lee's office now he couldn't wait, I think I need another glass, two seconds and I will get one."
"How sweet of him Bea, I know I have said it before and on more than one occasion but you have turned his whole life around, you have saved him, I honestly don't know what would have become of him."
"Rosemary I agree with you there, even Jed was worried about him, his spark had gone out is how he put it. No wonder the poor lad is all a quiver today."
Colin knocked again he handed Mary the glass, "Bea there is a man downstairs, a
Mr. Henderson, he has a big box for you."
"My flowers, bless him to bring them all the way from Union City."
"He did ask if he could see you, to make sure they are what you wanted, is it OK to send him up."
"Yes please do Colin, we will send the buttonholes over to Lee's. Tell Nathan I love him and I will see him very soon, and Colin I love you too ."
"I will sis, love you too. See you soon."
Mary let Mr. Henderson in carrying the longest box she had ever seen.
"Bea I hope you don't mind I just wanted to check I had fulfilled your dreams, I have had so much pleasure making this."
When he opened the box and took the bouquet out Bea just burst into tears, which set Mary and Rosemary away. It was more than she had dreamed of, she couldn't speak. It was a cascading bouquet, the heart of which was full of thistles, heather and cream, and pale lilac rosebuds, her tartan ribbon had been tied in beautiful tight bows and slotted in a couple of places, the cascade was formed by ivy, green and variegated. The handle had been wrapped in the ribbon and two long tails of it flowed down the length of the bouquet.
Bea got up and still crying gave him the biggest hug, "Happy Tears" she managed to say.
He took one of the buttonholes out of the box, they too were so right with their sprigs of heather and one thistle tied with the narrow ribbon. "These ladies I presume are yours," he said, handing the corsages to Bea and Mary." More tears.
"They are like tiny bouquets like Bea's, I have never had anything so pretty Bea, is this really for me to wear?"
"Mary of course it is, I bought long pins, the boys will need some of those too. We will need to get those over there."
"Let me do that, I will take them over and make sure they fix them right, I will check them too. We want no crumbled collars and crooked ties."
"I have no words really Mr. Henderson everything is perfect and thank you for bringing them all this way. You aren't heading straight back are you?"
"I was going to ask if we could stay and watch, I say we as I have Sally the lady from the lingerie shop with me. I asked her for help with the bows, my fingers aren't as nimble as they were, she guessed it was for you when I told her the story. When I told her I would be delivering them she asked if she could come along. Apparently, your gown is something she really wants to see, having seen it there hanging on the door she won't be disappointed, it truly is magnificent and now I see why you wanted the cascading flowers."
"Well please stay and join us afterward back here. I know Nathan would like to thank you."
"Then we will, and wait until I tell Sally I have had a sneak peek. As long as you are happy Bea then I am happy too."
She kissed his cheek, "You have brought me a true taste of home today and you will never know how much that means, thank you again."
With tears in his eyes he left them, yes that was the reaction he had hoped for, what a lady that was.
Mary had the boys looking their best in no time, all straight and tidy, buttonholes all in place. Double-checking they all had a handkerchief, you will all need one I tell you she had said.
When she got back Rosemary was all changed and she pinned her corsage on for her, Rosemary returned the favour. They all had a glass of champagne and then it was time to get Bea into her dress.
Both of them couldn't help but notice the scar that ran up the back of Bea's leg, Rosemary who knew part of the story had to fight back the tears, Mary just looked in horror. Even with her stockings on it was visible but neither said a word, today was not the day.
The dress fit her like a glove, she just slid into it. Mary fastened the back, what there was of it. Shoes on, her lovely necklace in place she turned, as she did the sunlight caught the crystals and the whole dress just sparkled.
Both Rosemary and Mary were dumbstruck, what a picture.
"Bea, don't move, this is my first picture of the day, now I go into photographer mode, let's see Lee beat this one. "
Several others were taken with the bouquet in hand, it was the right shape, of that there was no doubt.
"On my something borrowed, did you remember Rosemary, that is all I am missing, well that and a groom" she was laughing.
"I have a lovely lace hankie but I am not sure where you are going to put it?"
"In my something blue, Mary, will you fold it and put in my garter for me."
"Well I never, that is fun I just hope you don't need it, or else all the men are going to get a thrill."
The three of them were in fits of laughter when there was a knock at the door.
Bang on time it was Henry, one look at Bea and he needed his handkerchief.
"Happy tears I hope Henry?"
He struggled to speak " Nothing but Bea, what an honour I have today, what a privilege. Give an old man a minute to compose himself."