9. The Wedding: Part I
The day of the wedding came faster than I had anticipated. I awaken in my bed beside Jack, still sleeping loudly.
"Jack! Wake up! It's the wedding day!" I exclaim, hoping to freak him out a bit. His eyes fly open in a panic and he sits up immediately.
"The wedding?! The wedding!" He exclaims as he jumps out of bed and throws on his clothes.
"Quick, Jack! We must make haste!" I shout, egging him on in his paranoia.
Jack finishes dressing and runs out of the room and down the stairs. Still sitting in bed, I hear the door slam shut behind him. I laugh at his anxiety and get out of bed and casually dress myself. I walk into Matt's room.
"Hey you—time for wake up," I say softly to him.
"Already?" he asks, rolling over.
"Yeah—I know it's early," I chuckle, ripping the blankets off him.
"Augh," he grumbles as he rolls off the bed. He sluggishly pulls on his clothes and together we walk downstairs. The rest of the crew is up and about. We tell them we'll see them at the wedding and we head out the door.
When we arrive at Will and Elizabeth's, we knock on the door and Will frantically opens the door.
"Thank God you're both here! Jack's being…" Will rants as we walk by him into the house.
"That's nice Will, but I have to help Elizabeth get ready," I say, patting him on the back and walking upstairs.
"Don't let her come downstairs, Lindsey! It's bad luck if I see her before the wedding!" Will nervously calls back to me.
"I know that Will!" I call back with a chuckle as I head up the stairs. "Elizabeth! I'm here!"
"Oh thank God!" She cries from the other room as she emerges only wearing her under garments.
"Oh my—how much more do you need to put on?" I ask, looking her up and down, realizing that her hair needs to be done as well.
"A lot," she pouts, anxiety shining through her face.
"Don't worry—we'll get it all done!" I say cheerily as we head into her room. There are two maids present smoothing out her gown and heading a curling rod in the fire. Me and one of the maids tie her into a corset and then fasten the gown around her tall slender body. Once the gown is on her, we smoothen out any more wrinkles and then help her slip on her shoes.
"Hair time!" I exclaim excitedly as the other maid begins curling her hair. I rummage through some of her things and find some makeup. While the maid fixes her hair, I apply her makeup. Within no time, she looks beautiful and ready for the wedding! The one finishing touch, as she stands to her feet.
"The veil," I say, as we attach it to the back of her head. I am in shock at how beautiful her gown is, but more so that it is not white. I stand there in the room staring at her and a quizzical look grows on her face.
"Oh what's wrong—do I look horrid?" she asks anxiously.
"No! You looks beautiful! Will is gonna be so excited when he sees you! I'm just noticing that your gown isn't white. Any reason for that?" I ask.
"Why would I wear a white gown?" she asks confusedly.
"In my century when people get married they opt to wear white as a symbol of purity," I reply.
"Oh no! Should I wear a white gown?!" She exclaims suddenly in a panic.
"No! Elizabeth! You look wonderful! If it's not a tradition for you here, then you needn't worry about it," I reply, calming her down. She breathes in a deep breath and then nods her head.
"Your turn, now," she says, nodding to her maids.
The maids re-heat the curling rod in the fire while they tie a corset about my petite frame, followed by the gown—a deep crimson. One maid does my makeup while the other curls and pins my hair. In even less time than Elizabeth, I too am ready for the wedding. As we ready to leave the room, the maids spray us each with some kind of perfume. I'm thankful for that, since I hadn't bathed that day—ah the good old Colonial days!
"Will?! Are you and Jack still here?" I call downstairs.
"They're gone already!" Matt calls up to us. I smile at Elizabeth and we descend the stairs to the foyer.
"You ladies look stunning," Matt says with a smile. Matt too is clothed richly in upper class clothing, complete with a tri-corner hat placed atop his head.
"You look so dashing!" I exclaim, walking over to him.
"Milady, a carriage awaits you," the butler says to Elizabeth. The three of us walk outside and into the carriage. The horses take off immediately down the narrow streets.
As we near the location of the ceremony, Elizabeth's face grows intense. I can tell she is nervous.
"You're going to be fine—you're just going through with what Barossa did, officially. It's like you guys are already married and just making it known to the state today," I say, trying to calm her down. She nods and smiles.
"You're right," she replies as the carriage stops. "I don't think Jack is walking you down the aisle. So what will happen is, you will walk first, then I will follow. You will stand on the opposite side of the altar, symmetrical to Jack's location," she rambles rapidly.
"I get it," I laugh as the carriage door opens. In the distance, we can hear the sound of a string quartet playing.
"Henry Purcell," Matt says as we exit the carriage. I smile at him—the music major that he was.
"So what are you singing?" I ask as we walk inside the stone framed building.
"You'll see, hm hm," he smirks.
"You bitch," I reply with a grin and a shake of my head.
"Ms. Swann, you may wait in this room here so your bridegroom shall not see you before the ceremony," a gentleman says as he leads her to a private room. Matt and I stand around watching guests enter the grand room in which the ceremony will take place.
"Sir, are you singing?" the gentleman asks Matt.
"Yes sir. I think I'm singing at the end of the ceremony," Matt replies.
"Please come this way—we have a special seat for you. The ceremony will be beginning shortly," he says. Matt hugs and kisses me on the cheek.
"You'll be fine," he smiles at me and walks away with the gentleman. I am left standing alone in the foyer just waiting for the signal to walk. I nervously begin pacing back and forth humming a random song.
"Lindsey you look stunning," a voice says from behind. I spin around and see Will, looking dashing as always in his formal tri-corner hat and dressed to the nines. I smile.
"You do too," I say hugging him, "congratulations," I smile at him.
"Thank you. I've waited for this day for so long—I felt that it would never come," he replies smiling.
"I can tell. You're just glowing!" I laugh at him as I place my hand on the side of his face. I suddenly turn around.
"Where's Jack?" I ask
"He's going up to the altar with me," Will replies, "he's too nervous to walk down the aisle with you," he laughs.
"Oh is he now?" I ask, raising an eyebrow and placing my hands on my hips.
"Am not!" Jack exclaims from behind me. I turn around and his mouth drops open at the sight of me.
"Jack! Wow," I says as I eye him up and down in awe at his formal attire and formal tri-corner hat. The only things that remain on him that are not formal are his rings and his hair.
"Okay, maybe only a little bit nervous," he replies, not able to take his eyes from me.
"Oh please," I roll my eyes.
"I'll be up at the altar, luv!" Jack says quickly and turns to run but Will catches him.
"Not yet, Jack," Will says through clenched teeth, so desperately wanting everything to go as planned.
"Aye. Just tell me when and I'm up at that altar!" Jack exclaims, motioning to the entrance of the hall. We stand there in silence only a moment more until the gentleman in charge signals to Will and Jack to enter, thus beginning the ceremony. I hug them both and wish Will luck. They exeunt the foyer and walk up the aisle. Once they are in place at the altar, I retrieve Elizabeth from the room and we line up at the door.
The string quartet begins playing Purcell's Chaconne from Dido and Aeneas and I begin walking rhythmically down the aisle to the moderate music being played. As I walk down, Will is smiling at me and I am smiling back at him—the excitement brooding in his eyes; the anticipation of seeing his beloved walk down before him. Beside him, Jack stands wide-eyed, not able to take his eyes from me. He has a serious look of wonderment on his face at first, but as I approach, a grin spreads across his lips. His smile widens as I reach the altar and stand symmetrically opposite of Jack.
The string quartet changes to Purcell's second Rondeau from his opera Dido and Aeneas. The guests all rise as Elizabeth emerges from the foyer, clad most beautifully. Will's smile brightens and spreads literally from ear to ear across his face. His eyes dazzle with each step she takes toward him. Jack too is smiling at this moment—he too knows how long they've waited for this instant.
She finally reaches the altar and stands between Will and me. The justice and reverend lead the ceremony as the string quartet fades their music from playing. The guests sit as the ceremony begins.
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here on this most wondrous day to witness the union of William Frederic Turner and Elizabeth Rose Swann," the reverend begins. I glance over at Jack and he winks at me when he catches my eye. I shake my head and keep smiling at him.
The ceremony is long, and by the time they exchange the rings, I am about ready for it to end.
"By the power of God invested in me, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride," the reverend finishes up finally. With hands joined, Will and Elizabeth kiss.
"Ladies and gentlemen—I present to you for the first time, Mr. And Mrs. William Frederic Turner!" the justice proclaims. The guests all clap politely for the newly weds as they exit through the aisle arm in arm. I go to leave the altar but Jack holds out his arm to me. I look over at him surprised and I take his arm as he escorts me down the aisle.
"Lindsey, ye look beautiful," he says softly as we walk down the aisle.
"Thanks Jack. You don't look so bad yourself," I snicker at him with a smile.
"Elizabeth was the main attraction today, but I couldn't keep me eyes from ye," he says more seriously. I look over at him and smile.
"Thank you Jack. I appreciate that a lot," I reply as we get out into the foyer. He turns me towards him and kisses me quickly before the guests exit the hall.