CHAPTER THIRTY REMEMBRANCE

The characters, places and situations of Doc Martin are owned by Buffalo Pictures. This story makes no claim of remuneration or ownership, nor do I make any attempt to infringe upon any rights of the owners or producers.

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Following this chapter we shall soon be rejoining Louisa and Joan on their holiday in France.

CHAPTER THIRTY

"Oh Ruth it's beautiful. You're beautiful. It is the perfect dress for your wedding."

Louisa and I were in Truro for the day. I had protested her taking time away from planning her son's wedding. She was adamant that we would have a day together and select a wedding dress for me. I remember our argument which I was doomed to lose.

"Ruth, what are you about? No, we'll do this. Do you think this is just about you? After all you're my favorite aunt and it will be great fun to do a day and buy you a dress."

"Louisa, I'm your only aunt, and that by marriage. I didn't even want to involve you in this. I told Hamish we could not marry before James's wedding in July. I had to speak with Al of course, and he must have let it slip; or was it Morwenna?"

"It doesn't matter. You do know Hamish and I became pretty good friends while you were ill last year. I promised to call him every day. You two deserve each other Ruth. He's a dear. Please don't shoot the messenger, but he's so over the top that he unintentionally let your news slip."

"Well, bugger that! So much for secrets."

How could I be upset? Over the years Louisa had become much more like a daughter to me. She was the only person I had ever told about my feelings for Hamish, and that many years ago. My regrets then had driven me to encourage Louisa and Martin to make a go of it. Louisa always said I saved their marriage. Well, that is what I wanted, but it was their effort that accomplished it. I was glad to nudge them in the right direction.

Actually rather than detract from her working with Emily and James she seemed to be even more excited and animated than before. In the end I was very pleased that she could be included and involved.

Now here I was in a beautiful dress and I had to agree with Louisa. It was the dress I wanted for my wedding. It was a calf-length ivory chiffon with lace appliqués over a silk underdress. It had a matching long-sleeved jacket that felt like gossamer.

Later we visited over lunch.

"I really love when we can get fresh asparagus. This is so delicious and can you believe the scallops? Martin isn't here to harrumph so I think we should finish with a treacle tart and lemon ice cream. Ruth, now that I'm involved in your wedding, and I am involved you know, I have an inspiration."

So it was Louisa who suggested we have our wedding at High Trees on the day after James and Emily's wedding. She was sure Father Luk would be glad to officiate. It would be simple with just a few friends present at the ceremony. Later we could have a reception in the big room for our High Trees friends and people from the village.

"Let's pay the bill and get on the road. I want to get home before it rains, but you know Ruth, I have to say you and Hamish just don't seem old to me."

"Well, that's nice to hear, but I wish you would tell my bones when I get out of bed in the morning. You know I almost died last year, but lying in that bed in hospital it was thoughts of Hamish that made me want to live. I read his letters and his poem and knew I had a reason for getting well. I'm just better when I'm with him. He feeds my soul but he helps this old body too. He likes long walks and loves to dance. But it's getting late. Let's take my new dress home. I'll sleep well after all our walking today. I certainly will not need supper after all that.

Thank you Louisa. Thank you so much."

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So we were together for our wedding Sunday afternoon after James and Emily were married the day before. The furniture had been removed from the smaller reception room at High Trees and even so it was a bit full. Having arrived on Saturday, Hamish's daughters and their families had decided to make a week's holiday in Cornwall and had let a large house on the coast near St. Ives. Add to them Martin's family, the Larges and a few close friends and we had a crowd.

Luk took charge and gathered everyone around us.

"Thank you for inviting Natalie and me to be a part of this grand occasion. Surely you don't think I have a sermon today. You two could teach us more about life and love than anything I could ever say. We're here to seal the vows you have already made to each other. So let me just say...

At this point we were interrupted. I felt arms going around my leg and looked down to see Al's daughter Mary Ann holding me. I took her hand and announced to Luk and all present that this was my Maid of Honor. I looked down at her to assure her all was well.

With a smile, Luk continued,

"You have experienced the joys and sorrows of life through many years on this earth. You have loved before. Hamish, you married and have a beautiful family who are with us today. Ruth, you have your family with you today too, not the least of which is this sweet child holding your hand. Now, in a way you could never have predicted or expected you have been brought together with a love and a joy as fresh as your youth. Ruth and Hamish I only have one question to ask you both. Will you pledge yourselves to be faithful with a love that will endure the rest of your days?"

And so it was that in a moment of time we looked at each other and said words that our eyes already expressed. Luk urged a kiss and we heartily complied. It was time to join our friends in the big room and celebrate.

Judith had discovered other musicians at High Trees and they had a quintet of strings and piano plus Judith's flute. Thankfully it was mainly us older folk present as I do not think young people would have favored our music. A few did dance and Hamish and I did fulfill our duty and danced a waltz. Louisa even talked Martin into getting out on the floor a bit. He was a good sport, because I know how he detests these affairs. I feared a diatribe at any moment about the harm we were causing ourselves eating the food.

Mr. Hennessy, who is the director of High Trees, happily took over as the spokesperson. Thus there were toasts and comments. He finally said it was time for the wedding cake, but first there was a surprise. Unknown to any of us he and his wife Margaret had cooked this up, literally. She is a love and we all call her Maggie. Suddenly from the kitchen one could hear the unmistakable sound of the bellows of a highland pipe filling. Mr. Hennesy then with great flourish announced,

"I present to you the groom's haggis!"

The piper began playing Scotland the Brave and led a small parade from the kitchen with Maggie carrying a silver tray with a haggis centered between flowers and fruit. They were piped around the room twice and finally the haggis ended up on the table next to the cake.

I turned to Hamish and firmly said, "Hamish, if you try to feed me that stuff I will take back my vows. You have been warned."

To my surprise quite a few partook of the haggis. Part of a bloody Scottish plot to undermine good food, I say. But of course everyone ate cake which was yellow and rich and moist with a butter-cream icing.

They were passing out small pouches of rice which I assumed would be cast over us as we left the hall. I was sitting next to Natalie, Luk's wife. She leaned over and said, "You know Ruth rice is symbolic of prosperity and fertility. It's so you will be blessed with many children to help work the land."

"That's a good one. Who do they think we are, Sarah and Abraham?"

We had eaten. We had danced. We had been well-wished into weariness. It was time to leave and they lined us up behind the piper who piped us out to Martin's car. Of course we had to march through a gauntlet of laughter and frivolous rice throwing.

Martin was to take us to our hotel where we would stay until Wednesday. Wednesday morning Martin would pick us up early and we would drive to Aberdeen. Louisa and Joan were to leave for a holiday in France.

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The white gown lay in a gentle heap on the beautiful Turkish rug surrounding our bed.

I always awaken early despite when I go to bed. The early dawn was filtering through the curtains and I watched Hamish gently breathing and the beautiful room in which we found our selves ensconced. I can't believe I had not wanted a wedding to begin with. In the end I was quite emotional. Breaking the Ellingham mold I suppose. If Martin could do it, so could I and it appeared we had. A lovely day...and an even more memorable night. And here we were dressed in what God had graced us with upon our birth, waking up on our first morning as husband and wife. I was reminded of something Luk had told Emily and James; that they would always have someone to lie down beside and someone to wake up with. I remember hoping that they were as happy as we are.

Martin had simply let us out at the entrance to this hotel cum palace. We were welcomed and grandly escorted to our beautiful room, which I know Louisa had chosen. To have had to check in would have been too plebeian, I assume. You would have thought Elizabeth and Phillip had come down from London.

It seemed fitting to be in this old hotel. We were old, weren't we? But like this hotel I hoped we were old like a 21 year old Glenlivet is old. Magnificently old. The brass and wood and wrought iron was not shiny and new but carried the patina of the touch of a thousand hands.

Ascending the wide carpeted staircase one could almost see one's face in the pressed metal ceiling had seen many a bride and groom pass through these halls wondering what life would bring. Here Hamish and I were in the same passages, wondering what life still had to offer.

The heavy door closed behind us and we were finally alone. Hamish took my hand and we embraced. He said, "Hello, Wife."

"Yes, hello to you Husband.

We realized that we were quite physically and emotionally spent. "Does that bed look as good to you as it does to me?" We simply removed our shoes and laid down on top of the sumptuous bedcovers and fell asleep. It is a wonder we did not sleep through the night, but around nine or ten we awakened, just as the sun was setting.

"Well, this doesn't seem very honeymoonish, does it?"

"Hamish, we were knackered. I was ready to get away from High Trees long before we did finally leave. I feel a bit rested now. Why don't you call for some tea and sandwiches and we can begin to enjoy this. I'm going to get out of this dress."

I got out of bed and went to open my bag to get my dressing gown. Upon opening it I discovered an elegantly wrapped gift which someone had slipped in unbeknownst to me. Hamish was in the loo so I had time to open it. On top was a card with a note in Louisa's unmistakable hand. "Wrap yourself in this so Hamish will have a gift to unwrap." I lifted out the garment and it was a beautiful full length white gown of the softest fabric imaginable. I heard the door of the loo, quickly hid the gown and pulled out my dressing gown.

When I had washed a bit and got comfy, I came out and there was a trolley with a china tea service and plates with light sandwiches, pastries and fruit. We had a small sitting room and enjoyed our supper watching the sun set through the large double window. When one looked back into the room the sun was reflecting in the armoire mirror and bathing the room in its glow. We sat for a long while savouring our tea and the evening. The lights were not on so we were slowly enveloped in darkness. Then the stars began coming out and by the time we went in and closed the curtain the sky was brilliant.

Lying here in the early dawn I thought how pleased Louisa would be that the gown had the desired effect. I had read articles, popular and scholarly, that spoke of romance among the older set. The past two years has been about the joining of souls which made this day so special. It seems deep romantic feelings are hardly only for the young. When Hamish first came to Portwenn that spring, we greeted each other quite formally in front of the others. They had no way of knowing, as Hamish and I confessed to each other, that our hearts fell on the floor and it took us quite some time to find them. So yes there are always articles and surveys about intimacy and old folk. All I can say is that it is bloody better felt than told.

I felt a hand on my arm and a kiss on my forehead. Slowly I realized that, awash in my thoughts, I had fallen back asleep.

"You always wake up before I do."

"I did, quite some time ago, but went back to sleep. I feel rested now after...well you know."

"Of course I know. And I know there are no return plane tickets in hand. We are together now Ruth, and I hope you are as glad as I am. We can enjoy this place for two days before we go home to Aberdeen. I think we should dress and go have a full English breakfast and then we'll take a walk."

"Oh yes, let's do that. But Hamish don't try to feed me black pudding. You can stuff it with your haggis."

"Ruth, it's sad that none of my wives have had my tastes in good food."

"It is to your credit that you have married intelligent women."

So we cuddled a bit and finally hunger got the best of us and we decided to dress and go down to breakfast. If we were taking a walk I wanted comfort so wore black trousers and a silk overblouse. Hamish put on kakis and wore his tweed jacket over a blue polo shirt I had given him. We both had really good walking shoes. Who knows if we would ever wear our "wedding" shoes again. We descended to the dining room which was sparsely populated. Most folk had already eaten. I let Hamish have his full English but I wanted cream tea with splits and scones and rasberry jam.

It was a clear morning and while not really warm it was not uncomfortable as long as we were walking. Everything was so green and so many flowers were in full bloom. The heather covered the hills around the hotel. Upon returning we walked around the hotel gardens profuse in color and beauty, especially the roses. We had been out perhaps two hours and Hamish said,

"You know Ruth, we could go upstairs and rest a bit and... you know."

"Yes, Hamish, I know."

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If you were to go to Pinterest and search Ralph McCluggage/Doc Martin Board you would be able to see Ruth's wedding dress. Emily's dress is also there.