Bold text is spoken in French but translated for the reader to EnglishB

Chapter 44 Bouchard Estate – Wedding

"But Elizabeth, are you sure? You really want to give up our room to the bride's parents?"

"Yes, Lucas, I think that it is the right thing to do. They have a room booked at the hotel in town, but tomorrow is the bride's day, and she will be here at the estate. She will want her maman with her during her preparations the morning of the ceremony."

"That is very thoughtful of you my love, but what of us?"

"Well, Jack is quite settled at the other house with Marcel, so I can sleep in with Laura. And I am sure that you can share with Antoine, I know he has a spare bed in his room," replied Elizabeth with a tone that let him know she had thought about this and would be unrelenting.

Lucas knew when to fold his cards but thought perhaps he could get some sympathy and attention out of his sacrifice. "But I will miss you next to me; I am not quite sure that I can sleep without you there," he told her with just the right touch of a pout.

Just as he planned, she stepped in close to him and placed her hands on his chest and looked up into his eyes, "I will miss you too; being in your arms and snuggled close is my guilty pleasure. It is hard to give that up for what could be a week. I understand that they plan to stay on after the wedding to explore the region."

He groaned as he brought her in closer and placed a tender kiss on her head as he took in the scent of lilacs in her hair. "A week, that is a lot to accept. Maybe we should take their room at the inn?"

"Lucas Bouchard, we can manage for on week…. Well, I think so anyway. And just think how much more our trip together to Paris will mean? And just so you know, Rosemary packed some items in my bag that she expressly said I was to save for Paris. I know that she will not have disappointed you, she has become quite fond of you, you know."

Lucas groaned, more loudly this time. "Are you trying to kill me altogether?", he laughed and buried his face deeper into her hair.

"Mmmmm, well I will imagine wearing her gifts and you will imagine looking at me in them and by the time we arrive in Paris….."

"I might not let you leave our room to see the sights," he interjected.

"Now that is some big talk there Bouchard, watch out and I may hold you too it. Come now I need a kiss."

"Always my pleasure," he said as he placed a hand on her cheek and pulled her up close for a tender kiss that soon deepened as their discussion had him thinking about their nights ahead in Paris. They were both breathless when they came up for air," are you sure we don't have time for a little interlude now? asked Lucas hopefully.

"As lovely as that sounds my darling, it is past time for me to join Annette and the others in the kitchen. The bride and family will be here for lunch, and then they will be getting ready for the civil ceremony at the town hall later this afternoon." I need to join the others and you need to move our things to our respective rooms so that troom can be refreshed for our guests. I have packed a small valise with things from the dresser, if you would transfer my dresses to the closet in Laura's room, she has made room for them. And there is a basket on the dressing table for my items there. You will also need to transfer your clothes, no small feat, and the trunks. Perhaps you can get one of your many relatives to help you," she said in that school teachery voice that he loved.

"At your command my love. Now we better get you out of here before I change my mind and throw you over my shoulder. If you see Antoine, tell him I could use some help."

She giggled as she wiggled out of his arms and headed for the door. She glanced over her shoulder and gave him a saucy grin before heading out.

"How will I make it this week?" he thought to himself. He knew Elizabeth; she would be flirting with him all week and on the way to Paris. She might kill him before they got there.

The bride and her parents arrived for lunch which was served out on the patio so that they all could enjoy the view of the rose garden. The heat of the day warmed the roses that cast a beautiful scent in the air and the wind chimes on the edge of the house twinkled in the gentle breaze.

Annette greeted the bride warmly, "I am so glad you are here with us again. We are so looking forward to the ceremony and reception tomorrow. Our dear George is so excited in anticipation, it warms my heart. And these must be your parents?"

"Let me present my parents, Mr. and Mrs. Renaud. Papa, Mama I would like to introduce you to Annette Bouchard, the wife of George's cousin Pierre."

Annette greeted each in the French way and then introduced Lucas and Elizabeth who were nearby.

The bride's father took Lucas's hand and shook it, "I understand from the innkeeper that our room at the inn has been booked by another couple and that you, Mr. Bouchard, are responsible for giving us lodging here at the estate."

"Please, it's Lucas. It is my wife who you should thank. She is the one that suggested that the bride needed her parents with her." Lucas put his arm around Elizabeth's waist pulling her forward for an introduction. "May I present my wife Elizabeth."

The bride's mother moved forward and kissed Elizabeth on both cheeks, "thank you so much for this gesture, I can't tell you how much it means to us to be with our daughter in these hours as she is preparing for her new life with George."

The bride added her own kisses to both Elizabeth and Lucas exclaiming, "this is so kind of you, I know the Bouchards to be a wonderful family but here you are practically newlyweds yourselves, this is very generous."

"We are happy that we could help welcome your parents to the family in this way. The room should be ready now, and someone will take your valises up. I am sure you would like to freshen up before luncheon," Elizabeth told them. Annette asked the housekeeper to assist them so she could get back into the kitchen.

"You have such a kind heart Elizabeth," Lucas told her. "I tell you that it is your beauty that captivated me, but it is your kind heart that made me fall in love with you."

"And you my dear Lucas, your handsome face and suave demeanor had me a bit light-headed from the start, but it was your kind, gentle manner that pulled me in." She rose on her toes to plant a kiss on his cheek and then sashayed towards the kitchen.

The house was bustling with the influx of extra staff to help with the preparations for the reception. Food preparation started that afternoon and resumed in the morning as the chef's prep cooks and the servers arrived. Giant bouquets and garlands of flowers arrived to create a whimsical world for the reception that would begin in the late afternoon. The ceremony would be held at the local church and would include the families and close friends. Other guests would join them at the reception that would begin with a traditional cocktail hour where hors d'oeuvres would be served as family and guests were reunited for this special occasion.

Elizabeth dressed in a gown that was made especially for the wedding. She was radiant in soft blue. She and Laura headed down to the foyer once they had finished primping and helping each other to get ready. She didn't know how the sight of Lucas dressed in an elegant suit always took her breath away, but it did. He and his cousins stood beside George as they prepared to make their way to the church. The Bouchard cousins were a very handsome group, but Lucas stood out. Certainly, the other women would say the same for their men, but in this case his height and elegant carriage gave him that extra panache. Lucas stepped out of the group to come and complement Elizabeth and Laura on their appearance, kissed Elizabeth with a peck on the lips, and then headed out with the groom and groomsmen.

It wasn't traditional in French weddings, to have a large wedding party, but George had insisted on having all his brothers and male cousins stand with them. The bride had her two sisters, best friend, and Georges two sisters in attendance. George's brother Pierre had to hand him a handkerchief when the bride began her procession down the aisle with her father. She wore a simple but extremely elegant gown at the height of French fashion and was a vision as she approached the groom. The ceremony began with a traditional Catholic mass followed by the wedding itself. As the bride and groom recited their vows, Lucas sought her out and told her with his eyes what she was already feeling in her heart. He smiled slightly so as not to attract attention away from the bride and groom, but his expression said everything to her. They had stood before one another just five months previous saying their own vows. It had been the happiest day of her life since the birth of her son.

Once the ceremony was over, and the couple signed the church registry, adding their names to the legacy of couples before them, the wedding party headed back to the house for the reception. It was a magnificent affair in French tradition with the finest wines and food. The wedding "cake" was in old French tradition a croquembouche, a mountain of crème filled puffs topped with a fine swirl of caramel as fragile as glass.

With the confection came a champagne toast followed by the traditional dances with the parents. The guests joined in the dancing on the patio and the festivities lasted until the early morning long after the couple had retired for the night.

The family finally rose in the late morning, except for a couple of the men that had to attend to the animals at dawn. Staff had arrived to clean up from the party, and so by the time the couple appeared all was in order. Of course, the flowers remained as a reminder of the beautiful wedding the day before. They all in joined a light late breakfast before saying farewell to the couple who were off to their honeymoon in Venice.

Lucas and Elizabeth held hands as they watched the car drive away. Someday they would come back to Europe and make their way to Italy. He squeezed her hand, and she knew exactly what he was thinking.

The week flew by faster than they could have imagined. The bride's parents were ardent in their desire to see the region and so Antoine had been enlisted to conduct the tours which included Elizabeth and Lucas. Jack joined them if they thought they would be seeing something that interested him as well. Otherwise, he was more than content to spend the days with his cousins, the young stallion, and the puppies. They roamed the farm and fields with supervision from Laura.

Lucas was anxious to go to Dole to the place that Louis Pasteur had lived. He wanted Jack with them as their son was always fascinated by discussions of science and the like. The home/laboratory was on the river that ran through the town, and they took their time looking through the institute and speaking with the attendants there who were all well versed in the history of this great Frenchman. Jack was fascinated by the idea of a creature that was too small to see but that could cause people to get sick. His fascination by these bacteria was surpassed only by the process of Pasteurization that was explained to them. Jack was an engineer at heart, and this fascinated him.

I want to be a scientist, and help people like Monsieur Pasteur," Jack declared.

"That is a noble goal young man," said his papa as he smiled at the little boy and then over at Elizabeth. She was obviously moved by the words from her son, but also perhaps at the prospect of him growing up. Tears were welling in her eyes as she smiled back.

The week passed quickly and soon they were saying farewell to everyone at the estate as they prepared to depart for the train station. Jack was a bit clingy that morning, but he would say a brave "au revoir" to his parents with Laura lovingly at his side. She kissed Lucas and Elizabeth and promised to take very good care of him. They both knew that she would be good to her word and that he would receive a lot of love not only from her, but from all of those at the Bouchard Estate.

Antoine took them to the station commenting on their large amount of luggage, including a trunk. Elizabeth explained that the trunk was mostly empty except for a couple of everyday gowns and evening attire. Lucas, with Rosemary's help had ordered a new wardrobe for Elizabeth and the trunk would be used to ship it to Hope Valley once the modistes finished the alterations after Elizabeth's fittings.

"Ahhh," said Antoine, "our schoolteacher returns to America with a Parisian wardrobe, you will be the toast of the town."

Lucas added, "she is always the toast of the town. She may wear some different clothes, but Elizabeth has the love of everyone on her own merit."

Elizabeth blushed slightly as she smiled at them," Lucas, my love, flattery will get you everywhere."

"That is our Lucas, always the charmer," Antoine noted as Lucas's face spread into that smile that had his dimples showing themselves to the delight of everyone. His smile always started from within, shining in those beautiful eyes, as it then spread to encompass his whole face.

"My lord he is so beautiful," Elizabeth thought to herself.

Antoine waited with them to board the train, telling them "I will see you in a few days in Paris. I should arrive the day before the celebration for the end of the war. I have a room booked in the same hotel." He embraced each of them and watched the train until it pulled out of the station with Lucas and Elizabeth waving to him from the window of their compartment until he was no longer in sight.

Lucas took Elizabeth's hand and kissed it gently. "Our next adventure begins," he told her. She leaned her head on his shoulder as they made their way to "the city of love", Paris.