River Deep, Mountain High
Standard disclaimers apply to this piece of Christy fan fiction.
This story continues where the TV series left off.
Any similarities to other works of Christy fan fiction are unintentional and purely coincidental.
A/N: I'm slowly but surely getting there…Hope you enjoy this chapter.
Chapter 49
By mid-afternoon, Christy was on her way to Neil's cabin along with her mother, Miss Alice, Ruby Mae, and Fairlight to begin to get ready for the wedding. Neil had already been told to vacate the cabin no later than noon and was off with Jeb and some of the other men to get ready at the Spencer's and stay until the time for the wedding. Under no circumstances would Neil be allowed to see Christy before she walked down the cabin steps to meet him by the river where the ceremony would take place. Fairlight and Jeb would make sure their paths did not inadvertently cross.
When Christy arrived, her trunks and suitcases had already been delivered to the cabin courtesy of Jeb and his wagon and mules. Everything was bright, fresh, and airy. Neil's cabin had been thoroughly cleaned, though it still looked very much like the residence of a bachelor. In time, Christy mused, she would bring a woman's touch to the place. Still, it began to feel more like home than she originally expected. She was already familiar with the cabin and knew where to find most anything. The lingering scent of Neil's pipe left a spicy perfume in the air that brought her a sense of comfort and familiarity.
Christy already bathed that morning at the Mission, so all she really needed to do was get dressed and style her hair. As she peeled off her everyday skirt and blouse, the lavender scent of the bath salts that clung to her skin began to fill the air around her with fragrance. Standing close, Ruby Mae noticed it right away.
"Ye shore do smell purty, Miz Christy," the redhead said, eyes closed as she lowered her nose to the folded pile of clothes that Christy had just handed her. "I aim to smell jes' as nice on my weddin' day."
"Thank you, Ruby Mae," she smiled. "I have extra bath salts that I'll be sure to save for you."
"Ye really mean it, Miz Christy?" she exclaimed, practically jumping up and down with excitement.
"Of course, I do. Now, if you could do me a favor and hand me that robe."
The younger girl, who was actually now a woman only a few years younger than Christy, placed the pile of discarded clothes in a drawer in the bedroom. Then she reached for the plain robe that hung on a hook next to the mirror.
Covering herself in the robe, Christy sat down in the bedroom by the vanity and mirror and began to brush her hair in long strokes until it shined and curled just the way she liked. It reminded her of the first time she came to Neil's cabin after she had fallen into the river when she and David were trying to cross on their way to Lufty Branch. The room seemed very much the same. He had even left out the lovely silver brush and comb set that had belonged to Margaret. This would be where she got ready for school each morning, she mused.
Opting for a simpler style to match that of the dress, Christy arranged her hair so that the sides were pulled back from her face and secured in a small twisted bun with the rest left to hang in long, loose spirals down her back. When she was pleased with the final result, she went back out to the main room, ready to slip into her wedding gown.
The women gathered around Christy, primping and preening her until everything looked just right. The dress was simple yet stunning. The beauty of the fine fabrics and understated details added romance and elegance to the uncomplicated silhouette. The gown suited Christy to a tee; it fit both her body and tastes perfectly.
"Lordamercy, Miz Christy," Ruby Mae said, "yer the purtiest bride the Cover ever did see."
Julia beamed in agreement. "You look lovely, dear."
"Neil's likely ta fall out on the ground when he sees ye," Fairlight added.
Christy appreciated the compliments tremendously. It bolstered her confidence even as she began to feel her heart race with anticipation. The moment suddenly became more real to her as she stared at her reflection in the mirror and admired what she saw. At first glance, the woman in mirror hardly seemed like it was her. Where was that nineteen year old woman-girl who first stepped foot off Old Buncombe in El Pano and into the wilderness, into the great unknown?
What stared back at Christy was the face of a woman. Naivety and innocence were tempered by reality and life experience. The changes that had slowly taken place over the past several years left its mark, giving her a more mature, womanly appearance to her features. Her face had thinned out some, with the fuller cheeks of girlhood finally gone, and she liked what she saw. Even her body seemed different. It was more curvaceous, the gentle swell of her breasts barely visible at the square neckline of the dress.
Christy stared back up her face to see that her eyes remained unchanged. They were still full of hope and optimism and curiosity. Though the struggles she had endured had given her the insight that came with maturity and experience, Christy realized that the essence of herself was not much different than that of the girl who first came to Cutter Gap after all. She had the same fierce determination…the same zest for life and eagerness for adventure. And she knew that life in Cutter Gap – life with Neil MacNeill – would be nothing if not an adventure.
Startled out of her trance-like state and back into the present, Christy saw her mother's reflection move to stand alongside her own. Approaching from behind, she placed the lace chiffon veil on her daughter's head, attaching it with her favorite pearl-tipped hairpins. Julia smiled at Christy in the mirror, her expression radiating pride and love, and even a little bit of sadness. It was always difficult for a mother to watch her little girl suddenly become a woman before her eyes on her wedding day.
Ruby Mae interrupted the sentimental moment, rattling off the famous wedding rhyme to see if Christy indeed had everything she needed to get married. She approached it like a checklist. "Somethin' old…that'd be Neil's great granny's ring. Somethin' new…yer weddin' dress, since it don't look a bit like it did when ye first pulled it out of that thar trunk. Somethin' borrowed…yer mama's hairpins. Somethin' blue…" She paused and scrunched up her brows in alarm when she realized that Christy was missing something blue. "Miz Christy! Ye cain't rightly git married without somethin' blue! Hit would be bad luck!"
She wracked her brain and searched the area for something blue that Christy could use to make her wedding day complete. Ruby Mae was getting herself into a real panic, though Christy was relatively nonplussed. She tried to calm the frantic girl down since adhering to every wedding tradition was not important to her, and she was in no way superstitious to fear an unpleasant outcome by failing to have something blue when she walked down the aisle.
Miss Alice then came out of the shadows and approached Christy and the rest of the women. She had been keeping at somewhat of a distance during the busy week of pre-wedding activities, feeling that it was not her place to interfere in this special time to be shared between Christy and her mother. She did not want to unintentionally overstep any boundaries. However, fearing Ruby Mae's distress might transfer to the bride, she decided it was appropriate not to hold back.
Removing her glasses, she tucked them into her waistband. Then the quiet Quaker woman pulled out a small drawstring bag and handed it to Christy. "Miss Huddleston, I believe this might do."
A questioning look on her face, Christy opened the pouch and pulled out a gold chain with a locket. It was Margaret's locket, she instantly recognized. It was a brilliant shade of blue with mother-of-pearl inlay. She found the tiny release mechanism and opened the locket. Inside were still the photos of Miss Alice and Neil MacNeill. She stood and stared slack-jawed, finding herself at a complete loss for words.
"Miss Alice," she finally managed to say, looking up at the woman who was her mentor, her friend, and a second mother. She shook her head. "I couldn't take this. It belonged to Margaret."
Alice quickly silenced her. "Nonsense. I had been planning to give it to you for quite some time," she remarked. "Only I had not found the right moment. But I cannot think of a more perfect time to give you this locket." She reached out her hand to barely graze Christy's cheek with her trembling fingers. "Thee is like a daughter to me, Christy. Please, will you accept it?"
Christy could see that Miss Alice, who was typically so poised and composed, was becoming quite emotional. Tears were beginning to form in her eyes, though the expression on her face told Christy they were tears of happiness. Miss Alice was at peace with Margaret's passing, and it appeared to give her joy to pass on something so precious from her beloved daughter – the flesh of her flesh – to the young woman she had grown to love nearly as much.
A slow smile spread across Christy's face. She nodded thankfully and pulled the Quaker missionary into an embrace. Alice saw Julia Huddleston from over Christy's shoulder. She was smiling with approval, letting Alice know that she was not threatened in the least by the special bond shared with her daughter.
"Thank you, Miss Alice. I love you, too," Christy said, acknowledging the words she knew were in Miss Alice's heart, words she could never quite bring herself to say.
Christy and the ladies began to hear the crowd gathering down by the river. The moment she had been waiting for and dreaming of was rapidly approaching. Her pulse quickened as the women began moving at a fast pace to get the final details of the look completed.
Fairlight and Julia draped the tartan sash across Christy's left shoulder and carefully secured it with the gold broach Neil had given her. A simple unadorned safety pin hidden between the folds of the sash held it in place at her right hip. The fabric in the back hung freely, falling several feet in length and splaying out among the satin and chiffon layers of her skirt.
Alice helped Christy fasten the locket around her neck. It was the perfect accent, she thought. A dusting of power, a dab of color on her cheeks and lips, and the finished product was complete. Julia examined her daughter from a few feet back, eying her from head to toe with a scrutinizing eye. Then, her expression softened, and a bright, teary-eyed smile formed on her lips.
"Christy, darling," she nearly cried, "you look absolutely exquisite. Doctor MacNeill with be breathless when he sees you. Your father and I are so proud of you, dear."
"Thank you, Mother," Christy replied as she pulled her mother close. "It means so much to me that you accept Neil and our decision to live in the Cove."
"Of course, dear. You two were meant for each other. Besides, you're no more than a train ride away," Julia said. "You and Neil will always have a home with us in Asheville."
As the din from the guests outside grew louder, Fairlight quickly slipped out of the cabin to check with Jeb to find out if everyone was ready. She returned not a minute later.
"Miz Christy, I brung this for ye. Jeb said hit's from Neil." Fairlight handed her a wreath of goldenrod intertwined with wild mountain laurel.
Christy immediately recalled the time when Neil had made a similar wreath and placed it on her head. They had been walking and talking together in the clearing by the Mission with the lovely pastoral setting found only in Cutter Gap as their backdrop. With his strong, masculine arms, he pulled her up behind him on Charlie, and they rode off together in a panic when they saw smoke rising from the forest. However, in her fantasy dream, it was different. They were trotting jauntily on his horse without a care in the world, her arms wrapped tightly around his waist. Christy could not believe Neil had remembered. He was constantly surprising her.
"Help me pin it on?" she asked Fairlight.
The blond woman set the wreath atop the lace veil, using additional hairpins supplied by Julia Huddleston to fasten it in place. Fairlight eyed her friend with wonder. She was so happy that she and Neil found happiness together.
"You look like a May Queen, Miz Christy." Ruby Mae's face gleamed. Her grin was so broad it made her freckles appear to dance on her cheeks. "'Ceptin' hit's June," she quickly corrected herself.
Fairlight could hear the music begin to change in the background to a softer, slower melody, the signal that the men were ready and the guests were gathered for the ceremony. She smiled and glanced at Mrs. Huddleston knowingly. Turning to her daughter, Julia asked, "Are you ready, Christy?"
Without a doubt in her mind or question in her heart, Christy held herself upright, standing just a little bit taller than usual, and gave her definitive response. "Yes, Mother. I am."
***
When William Huddleston knocked on the cabin door, Fairlight and Miss Alice quickly exited the cabin and took their places among the wedding guests. Ruby Mae excitedly scampered down the steps to assemble with Becky O'Teale and Zady Spencer who would be the other bridesmaids.
The music, provided by Jeb on the dulcimer and his son, John, on harmonica, changed yet again. Aunt Hattie began to sing along to the musical accompaniment, indicating the start of the processional. Her angelic voice resounded strong and clear.
Love divine, all loves excelling,
Joy of heaven to earth come down;
Fix in us thy humble dwelling;
All thy faithful mercies crown!
Jesus, Thou art all compassion,
Pure unbounded love Thou art;
Visit us with Thy salvation;
Enter every trembling heart.
Holding bouquets of wildflowers, Ruby Mae, Becky, and Zady walked slowly and rhythmically from the bottom of the steps of the cabin down toward the riverbank where Neil and the guests were waiting. Then Christy, flanked by her parents on either side, descended the stairs carefully and deliberately about fifteen feet behind the girls.
Christy walked through the trees, which were decorated with clusters of wildflowers and ribbons, toward the river's edge. When she came in sight of Neil, his gaze locked to hers, and the world and everything else around her seemed to fall away. She scarcely heard the music as the sound of her own heart fluttering in her chest filled her ears. The faces of her friends and loved ones became mere blurs in the distance, for all she saw was Neil.
It was the moment she had been waiting for. Standing there was the man she loved with a look in his eyes that made her heart skip a beat. Christy began to feel her own eyes glaze over with emotion. Neil looked so handsome. His hair was neatly combed beneath the traditional Highland bonnet, the ends shining in the sunlight like copper. He was dressed in his grandfather's kilt and a white shirt beneath a more formal black vest and jacket adorned with gold buttons that she had never seen before. The plaid came up from the right hip and across his left shoulder to hang loosely down the back as hers did. Christy loved that he requested that she wear the sash made from his clan tartan. Honoring Neil's heritage was important to her because it was important to him. It made her look as though she truly belonged to him, and he to her.
The instant Neil saw his bride walking towards him, he was utterly transfixed by her beauty. She looked radiant, he thought. He noticed that Christy had worn her hear in long soft curls beneath the translucent veil and floral crown of green and gold. He was glad that she chose not to cover her face with the veil because he wanted to be able to see her and look into her eyes when she came to him. The gold chain around her neck caught a ray of the afternoon sun that shone through the foliage, causing Neil to look down to see the familiar blue locket around her neck. It matched the color of her eyes, he mused.
When Christy finally reached the newly built arbor where Neil stood, the groom stepped forward and shook the hand of her father and placed a kiss on her mother's cheek. The bride kissed each of her parents, and then they handed her over to Neil and moved to the side. Julia Huddleston dabbed the corner of her eyes with a lacy handkerchief, and William put his arm around his wife and smiled at her with loving reassurance.
Standing before Neil, Christy felt her breath catch in his throat. She surveyed the rugged features of his face, the fullness of his lips which were upturned in a gentle smile. Suddenly, he seemed younger to her, the lines somehow softened.
While Aunt Hattie began the next verse of the wedding hymn, Neil leaned in towards Christy slightly and whispered, "I'm glad you wore your hair down today. It reminds me of the time I started to fall in love with you."
"When was that?" Christy wondered. She hardly ever left the Mission with her hair down. She thought wearing it up made her look older, more teacherly. There was only one time that immediately came to mind. "When I served you burnt chicken and was shared a dance by the river?"
"No," Neil replied with a smile. "It was long before that. It was the time you fell into the river not long after you first arrived. You came out of the bedroom in my cabin wearing the lavender dress, your hair brushed out and dripping wet. I could not take my eyes off of you. You took my breath away in that moment, just as you do now."
Christy could not help but smile wider at the recollection. That was only the second time she had ever seen Neil, yet according to his confession, he had started to love her even though they were practically strangers. They way they argued only minutes later, resulting in his storming off to the river with his creel and fishing poles, certainly indicated his feelings toward her were quite the opposite. After all this time, and even on her wedding day, Neil MacNeill still held many mysteries, and Christy looked forward to discovering them.
"And I thought you stared because you thought you'd just seen a ghost," she remarked. After all, she had been wearing Margaret's dress, who he believed was dead at the time.
Neil shook his head, his expression tender. "I only saw you from the very first."
Seeing a flash of sadness touch her eyes, Neil brushed Christy's cheek with a gentle hand. As if reading her thoughts he said, "I believe Margaret would be happy for us, Christy. Truly."
Reassured by his words and soft touch, Christy also felt her heart tell her that he was right. Before she died, Margaret had made her peace with Neil, and, perhaps, without knowing it, Christy had made her peace with Margaret as well.
Looking beyond Neil for the first time since he came into view, Christy saw David step out of the shadows and walk towards them. He was dressed in his best Sunday suit and had a bible in his hand. He smiled and nodded at her, seeing the surprised expression on her face. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Miss Alice looking quite pleased, with Jacob Ferrand beside her. When David said he would be unable to perform the ceremony, they had made arrangements for Doctor Ferrand to return to Cutter Gap to officiate. Realizing that David had changed his mind, Christy was filled with joy. It was the greatest gift he could have given her.
Her mouth silently formed the words "Thank you", and he gave an acknowledging nod in return.
Christy stood by the river that flowed through Cutter Gap – her home – surrounded by family, friends, and neighbors, about to be joined by God to the man she loved more than she ever dreamed possible. An overwhelming peace entered her soul. Everything was absolutely perfect; she just had to remind herself that she was not dreaming.
The music then stopped, and Aunt Hattie sang the last verse of the song, her voice ringing with purity and clarity.
Finish, then, Thy new creation;
Pure and spotless let us be.
Let us see Thy great salvation
Perfectly restored in Thee;
Changed from glory into glory,
Till in heaven we take our place,
Till we cast our crowns before Thee,
Lost in wonder, love, and praise.
Her last suspended note dissipated into the light breeze, and then everything was quiet except the peaceful rhythm of the river behind them. Christy inhaled deeply, squeezing Neil's hands tightly in hers as she gazed into his eyes replete with love for her. She was brought out of her reverie only when David signaled that the ceremony was about to begin, and she heard those beautiful, magical words fall from his lips.
"Dear friends, we are gathered here today in the presence of God and this company to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony."
***
TO BE CONTINUED