XX
"I know it's a bit rushed…" Matthew walked quickly towards the exit of the hotel. There was so much to do.
"Rushed?" Tom's animated retort made Matthew smile as he held the mobile to his ear. "It's like something out of a 19th century novel. Off to Gretna Green without parental approval. I say… I say have you done something untoward my good man?"
"Your posh English accent needs improvement." Matthew mocked back. He sidestepped Tom's all to on the nose question. Was he rushing this wedding so they could return to England a married couple expecting a child rather than two individuals who engaged in reckless sex without considering the consequences?
Perhaps.
"I need you to go into my office and find my divorce absolute papers and scan them to me. The marriage licencing laws require me to show them." Matthew scratched his jaw with his other hand. His understanding from the website was that if a divorce was less than a month complete, the documents had to be presented at the of the issuing of a new licence.
He was less than ten days from his divorce from Lavinia.
"And tell no one else Tom. Not even Sybil. We want to tell the family ourselves." Matthew stopped in his tracks at that admission. How the hell would they even start such a conversation? Hello Robert … I think you know my wife…
No…that wouldn't do at all. Matthew pulled at his hair. They'd figure something out.
He and Mary had a long talk that same morning about their situation. He had asked if they should ask anyone from back home to the ceremony. Would she want her sisters?
"No…. yes." Mary vacillated. She sat down on the sofa. Reality was again sinking in after the thrill of Matthew's proposal and their celebratory love making thereafter. She had on one of his shirts as she had yet to unpack. Matthew wore his jeans and he was pulling on a sweat shirt bought at a shop in the hotel. He moved to take a seat next to her.
"So…?" He asked gently.
Mary looked pensive. "I had always assumed a wedding at the local village church with my sisters as bridesmaids."
"Arriving in a horse drawn carriage?" Matthew mused. "You would look so beautiful. I don't want to ruin that for you by making you marry here on my whim."
Mary lightly touched his face with her fingers. She rubbed her fingernail gently along his cheek, an enigmatic smile on her face.
His eyes were drawn to hers. He turned and brushed her fingers with his lips.
"You would do that for me?" Mary asked.
"I would." Matthew took her hand into his own. His eyes were shining and unblinking.
"I want to marry you. Here. Now. I don't want to wait." She put his hand down onto her stomach.
"Your parents might not like it." He knew she knew, but said it anyway.
Mary pursed her lips in thought, then spoke firmly. "This isn't about them or anyone else." But she did catch a quick flash of concern cross Matthew's face.
"What is it?" Mary responded warily. "You know you wear every emotion on your face. You can't hide it."
Matthew blinked suddenly then guffawed slightly in embarrassment. "So you keep telling me." He rubbed her knuckles softly. "It's to do with your father. You know I have somewhat of a strained relationship with him."
She curled an eyebrow saying dryly. "That's a polite way of putting it."
"I don't want that strain to affect us."
"Why should it?"
"Robert was a client and as such I am privy to some information that I believe he now wishes he never told me."
"You already told me about his financial mishandling. Is there more? Have you found the cause?"
Matthew looked at her carefully. He gritted his teeth. He could not go into this marriage with her completely in the dark. "I haven't worked it all out, no. But your father is in considerable financial difficulties. I don't know how much of that will affect you. Or the rest of the family."
"But…" Mary's eyes widened.
Matthew grimaced. "That's not all." He spoke slowly, thick with emotion. "Robert is keeping secrets. But he has to be the one to tell you. It's not my place or my story to tell." He clasped her hand. "You must believe that I don't like doing this. I don't want our marriage to start with secrets. But I do want our marriage to start here, right now. I can't explain why. It just feels right that we do this for ourselves. Robert's issues have nothing to do with us. I doubt I am destined to be his favorite son in law, but I will be the very best husband and father to our child I can possibly be."
Mary drew him close. His head rested against her chest, feeling the pulsating of her heart. It reassured him to hear, to feel it's beat. His arms enfolded her in a tight embrace.
She could feel his warmth, as if he was willing his love to answer her fears. Letting her know it was all going to be fine.
Mary said softly. "I have some fears too."
His arms became protective, a shield against the dark. Matthew awaited her confession.
"That we're truly fooling ourselves. Making more trouble when we already have so many. That it will be too much and our marriage won't work." Mary's hand idly played with loose strands of his hair as she spoke.
He rubbed his cheek against her skin, the opening of his shirt just making her décolletage visible.
"I can't deny those fears." His voice trembled. "But I don't think if we wait those fears will go away."
He sat up to look at Mary. "If we wait until we go back to England, to London and to Downton our reasons for not marrying will multiply. Our obligations to work or to family, both being reason enough to delay."
Matthew got up, suddenly restless. "We would give in. Let…let our real lives dictate what we do."
"Our real lives?" Mary observed. "As if what we're doing here is fantasy?"
"That's not what I mean…" Matthew furrowed his brow. "I feel the opposite actually. That being away from the day to day allows a kind of clarity. To see the things that matter and the things that don't."
She drew him down again next to her. "Then let's do this for us. It's seems crazy for me to say, but I've never felt more sure of anything in my life. In risk there is reward, my old coach used to say."
Matthew kissed her softly, relieved at her assent, and leaned back against the side of the sofa. "Then we will."
Mary suddenly had another panicked look.
"My darling?" Matthew got worried all over again.
"Where am I supposed to find a dress at such late notice? And where exactly does one get married in Vegas? I may be for a quickie wedding, but I still want to look like a bride." Her mock tone belied the seriousness Matthew knew was beneath. Mary did have standards to maintain.
He scratched his cheek in thought. "You handle the first crisis and I'll take on the second."
"What?" Mary was not really listening. She was glancing around the room in confusion.
He guffawed cheerfully. "Find whatever gown you want while I figure out the venue." He followed her until she found what she was looking for.
Rummaging under her coat and handbag, Mary picked up her smartphone. "I think I put Leila's number in my contacts. I'll text her to see if she can meet me again and we can scout around for a bridal boutique in Vegas. Or in an emergency," she turned to meet Matthew's eye and gave a parodic shiver as if this went against the grain of her being, "A consignment shop."
Her bright eyes belied her disdain.
"I'll leave you to it then." Matthew made a move towards the shower.
"Of course you will." She gave a sly look. "Grooms can never see the bride before the wedding."
"That might be difficult as I'm driving." Matthew ducked under her nose to give her another quick kiss. "But I'm warning you in retaliation, I won't tell you where we will exchange our vows. " He crinkled his nose impishly, "It'll be my secret."
Mary purred back decadently, "There are ways, my darling to extract such secrets from a man. …" And she moved towards him with purpose.
Matthew did not even bother to deny it.
XX
Matthew, despite Mary's best ministrations, kept his secret from her. He left the room, a lingering smile on his face.
Then the call from Tom asking for Matthew's accord on an issue related to the Crabtree property. Matthew had been reminded of his perusal of various US state laws regarding marriages between non-citizens and there he had clocked the statute regarding recent divorces.
So he asked Tom to forward his decree absolute.
He had an idea for a wedding surprise. One that would require the help of Michael Morton. He didn't relish confessing their plans to him, but it was essential that everything was timed perfectly.
Matthew walked out into the winter sunshine, a breeze tossing his jacket aside. He slid on his Ray Bans and got into the driver's side of the Mustang.
Where was the Las Vegas airport anyway?
XX
Mary looked over the selection at the second bridal boutique. Leila was continuing to be an utterly resourceful woman. Neither of them liked the trendy designs at the first place. The pant suits were rejected out of hand.
"Nothing with a deep plunging neckline or thigh high slits." Mary rejected dress after dress. "Ugh…" She shuddered replacing another dress that had what looked like a key hole at the bust line. "Like I'm just a body part waiting to be unlocked by a man?" She sniffed in disgust.
"I like this one." Leila, herself adorned with various tattoos and body piercings, let Mary's observations go. She agreed on the last criticism, but she had actually liked the Angelina Jolie-esque inspired slit. Instead she held up a floral lace applique design, popping with a three-dimensional effect. Sleeveless, but with a lush silk wrap, the gown was organza and tulle layered with a silk base.
Mary liked the sheer lace illusion neckline that dipped at the bodice.
"Yes." She took the dress from Leila's hands. "That's more like it."
"Would you like to try it on? We usually don't sell off the rack as these are samples to be fitted to each bride's size. But…" The woman eyed Mary up and down critically. "You seem about the right size to fit. Let me get someone to help you with that fitting."
"Thank you." Mary followed the women towards the back rooms. The excitement of finding the perfect dress tempered by the knowledge she would soon be showing the rounded form of a pregnant woman. It was daunting. Having a baby was indeed the last thing on her agenda. She had wanted a change in her life.
This was not exactly what she had in mind.
Downtown Stables. Her riding career. These were things she had wanted. Had dreamed of.
And she was doing them. Both had come true. Her first-place finish at the recent horse trials in Windsor had confirmed she was on the right path. True the delay in getting the right coach in Anna Smith had been a setback, but she had seen her future clearly. She would continue working on her own to improve her skills while competing at as high as level as possible until such time Anna would be available. Her Stables was going from success to success. They already had a waiting list of students. She had started writing the grant to help out students unable to pay the fees.
It was all good.
Of course none of it would have been possible without Matthew, Mary thought as she slipped into the silky soft wedding gown. He would deny it and say that he was just the silent partner in all her hard work, but she knew better. He had prompted her to pursue this dream. Had supported every idea she created. True he had his own ideas regarding account management and cost efficiency, but he had kept his own counsel rather than intrude.
Their lives had intersected at a seeming random moment. And had changed everything for them.
He had left his wife.
She had broken up with Henry.
They had fallen in love and were now about to be parents.
It was, if she took a moment to consider, overwhelming. This was going to disrupt everything.
All her dreams would have to be put on hold.
Perhaps it was that she was too exhausted to be cross at that. She knew she would crash and burn at some point after all this activity. The flights back and forth between the UK and Las Vegas. The time changes. The lack of a proper sleep.
Telling Matthew about the baby.
Having Violet remind her of the 'things that matter' as Matthew had said earlier that day.
Planning a wedding.
Were these signs of fatigue? Mary mused as the young woman adjusted the dress and buttoned the back.
Would she come to her senses after a good sleep and wonder what she did?
Mary stepped back and looked at her reflection in the triptych mirror. The gown fit like a glove around her slim, athletic body. Mary smoothed a wrinkle in the flowing skirt, moving the silk train around her legs. She stood straight backed and affixed her hair around her shoulders.
"Here." The owner of the boutique placed the silk wrap around her arms and shoulders and stepped back. "Beautiful," she exclaimed gazing at Mary from each angle. The woman had picked up on Mary's English aristocratic tone and bearing and Mary wondered if making the sale influenced her opinion.
She regarded again her reflection. No… it really was as if the dress was made for her. She could not believe her luck in finding it.
Maybe it was a sign that she and Matthew were not acting impulsively and recklessly. That this was meant to happen.
It felt so right.
So good.
That they would start this new phase of their life together, committed and happy.
Mary's wistful smile caught Leila's attention.
"You're going to be the most beautiful of brides. I think I hate myself." Leila's humourous sarcasm broke the spell.
Mary laughed and step down off the dais. "I'll take it." She told the pleased as punch owner. Her two helpers began to unbutton the back.
"Why don't we have a celebratory lunch?" Mary asked Leila. "My treat."
The younger woman nodded in delight as she helped Mary out of the gown. When the transaction was complete, the owner said the dress would be packed and delivered to the suite at the Aria by that same evening.
Mary and Leila ate at a small restaurant specializing in light fare. Mary chose a salad, while Leila an avocado Reuben sandwich.
"How are you so always put together?" Leila gushed. "I never even see you the least bit nervous."
Mary took a sip of the sparkling water. She demurred, "It's all an illusion. Like the swan atop the water while the feet are paddling madly underneath."
"I need to affect that then." Leila said. "Never let them see you sweat kind of thing."
"I'm envious of you," Mary admitted.
"Me?" Leila gasped, flabbergasted. "I'm nothing. A underpaid flunky?"
Mary sat up and took her hand. "You're not. You remind me so much of my sister Sybil. She's full of life and spit and fire. Wants to take on the world on her terms."
"I do not!" Leila blurted out. Then confessed, "Of course I do! How do you do that?"
Mary sat back, pleased she finally got Leila to admit her ambitions. "I told you, you remind me of my sister. I am always the cautious one. Weighing options, calculating decisions. She's always telling me how boring that is."
"Maybe you're taking a chapter out of her book then?" Leila observed coolly. "I mean getting married like this? In Vegas." She drew out the word, lifting her eyebrow.
Mary pressed her lips in a puckish smile. "I suppose that's true."
"Not that I blame you of course. But he's got to be more than just a hot piece of meat?" Leila leaned forward. "Otherwise I'd have no respect for you at all anymore." She shrugged and sat back against the seat.
Mary blinked furiously. Then the two burst into peals of laughter.
"I can't honestly believe we are doing this." Mary confessed, putting down her fork before taking another bite. She was feeling a bit of queasiness.
Was it nerves? Or morning sickness in the late afternoon? She really didn't know.
"It's exciting though. Mad love and everything. It's not just because of the baby I hope?" Leila ventured.
This girl was positively clairvoyant Mary thought.
At Mary's stunned look Leila said "I've noticed how your hand was unconsciously drawn to your stomach when you were dressing and undressing. As if you were protecting what was inside."
"I…" Mary shook her head in disbelief. "I didn't realize. And we were trying to keep it a secret."
"It's the little things. I just noticed it is all." Leila answered. "It's lovely. I wish I could find something close to what I think the two of you have."
"Thank you." Mary lifted her eyes to meet Leila's. "We want to be together and here is where we are. So here is where we're going to get married." She added, "I'm not sure I'm the sort to give this advice to anyone, but follow your heart."
Leila said, "You actually make me believe that it is possible." She finished the last bite of her sandwich. "Would you mind if I dropped you back at the hotel now? I've got to be on the road. Michael wants me in L.A. by morning."
"No. No. " Mary reassured. "You've been so kind to schlep me around this morning. Would you come up to our room before you go? I'd like to give you something for all your effort."
"A bribe to keep your secret?" Leila joked.
"Of course." Mary riposted with a wink. The women made their way towards the exit.
XX
Matthew looked at the selection of rings.
His eye was immediately drawn to a vintage diamond engagement ring. It was, according to the owner of the small shop off the strip he discovered by searching Google, "hand fabricated in platinum with high-quality round brilliant-cut diamond."
The elderly man handed the ring to Matthew.
Matthew admired the ring in his hand, then took it in his fingers to examine each facet more closely. It had a trio of small channel-set diamonds on each side. The accompanying wedding band had similar cut small diamonds.
"Do you have a corresponding men's wedding band?" He perused the selection but saw nothing that matched.
"Yes. Yes." The older gentleman sotto voice assured Matthew. "Here it is…" And he reached behind him and into another box and pulled out a hammer pressed platinum ring.
Matthew nodded, pleased at the design and shape.
"I'll take all three." Matthew shook the owner's hand.
"I hope you and your bride will have many years of happiness." The owner's hand had a tremor but he held onto each of the boxes carefully as he walked around to the cash register.
"Thank you. I'm sure we shall." Matthew's answer accompanied by a wisp of a smile. He had never felt so happy. He deliberately thrust from his thoughts any self-torturous guilt about how he should have been the same five years previous as Lavinia planned their wedding alongside his mother. He had simply let them get on with it. Worked up to the day of the wedding as he believed that was his role. To be the bread winner as old fashioned as that was.
How fatuous. How ultimately wrong. They grew apart rather than together.
That would not happen again. He wanted to participate in this wedding. In planning their future.
"I see you have a selection of necklaces over here…" and Matthew pointed to a case in the corner of the shop. He pointed to a bright-white diamond necklace, each of the diamonds collet-set in platinum.
"Yes sir. That is a beauty." The owner took out the long chain. "It would make a lovely present I imagine."
Matthew could not have agreed more. He was already envisaging sketching Mary in the necklace, and maybe nothing else.
"Could I interest you in some earrings to match?"
Matthew's eyebrow raised in interest.
He had to come to his senses.
Be practical.
They had so many reasons to be concerned that this marriage would not work. Warning flags on his divorce, her recent breakup. The immediate stress of a child.
He should reassert his micro managerial bean counter self.
But not quite now.
He handed over his personal platinum Amex card. You only live this kind of happiness once he mused. He wanted to savour every moment.
A beatific smile came over the elderly owner's face. This did turn out to be a good day for business.
XX
Mary was napping, the long flights catching up with her. She did not hear Matthew's click of the door handle.
She stirred as he entered the suite. Mary lifted her head from the sofa.
"Hello lovely." Matthew said, bestowing a kiss on her brow. "Long day?"
"What day is it more like it!" Mary sleepily rubbed her eyes. She indicated with her arms for Matthew to sit beside her. He slumped down, rather tired as well.
"Did you find what you want?" He asked innocently, giving her a sly side look. She had told him not to ask about her wedding gown as it was a secret.
She replied enigmatically, "I did."
"Good." He nodded.
They sat in companionable silence.
"Yourself? Find what you needed?" She countered with a guileless grin.
His mouth twitched in amusement. "I did." He gave it a bit more emphasis but offered nothing else.
"Good." She copycatted his earlier response.
He turned, his mouth flashing a quick smile. "What do we do now?"
Mary shrugged in a gesture of mock blasé. "Get married tomorrow?"
"What a good idea!" Matthew responded as he grasped her waist and pulled her onto his lap, tickling her as she squealed peals of laughter.
She came to rest on his shoulder, his arm draped around her. Mary could feel his warm breath. Using all his self-control, Matthew moved his lips across her face.
Then they came together in an enflamed kiss.
Matthew whispered. "So…umm…" his lips dancing around her ear. "…you're sleeping in the second bedroom, right?"
Mary sat back to see him. "What?"
"You said it was bad luck not to see the bride?" The twitch returned to his lips.
She narrowed her eyes. "And you said you were driving us to wherever so it's moot."
"True." He settled her back against his shoulder. "But I think just for tonight we should honour the old tradition."
"No sex before marriage." She challenged.
He wrinkled his nose and nodded sagely. "No sex."
"At all?" She dared, touching her nose slowly against his while placing light kisses on his lips.
He swallowed hard, but held firm. "…at all." His voice hoarse from her attentions.
"If you say so…." And she got up slowly, allowing his gaze to fall on her rear as she sashayed towards the larger of the two bedrooms in the suite. "You won't mind if I take this one, right?" And she threw him a sultry look over her shoulder.
"No…" He managed to croak out, his resolve failing.
The door clicked behind her. "…. Night. Night."
Matthew drooped against the sofa with a heaving sigh. It was going to be a long night.
XX
Mary finished her nightly ablutions, rubbing the moisturizer on her face and neck.
Restless suddenly after the nap, she was neither sleepy nor hungry, Mary replaced the cap on the jar. She moved over to the bed after closing the curtains as the flashing lights from the strip below strobed into her room.
Mary peeked through the slit down onto the busy street below. It was a fascinating city.
She was so engrossed that she barely heard the first patter on her door.
Another light tap.
Mary turned at the sound, a slender smile upon her lips. "You can't come in." But the smile now danced and played at the sides of her mouth.
"I know. Come to the door." His voice in that low register that made her body shiver.
She stepped towards the partition between them. Leaned her head against it.
"Can I kiss you good night?" His whispered entreaty.
"Because I need to…"
Mary touched the door that kept her from Matthew.
"…very much."
She said just to taunt him, "No. It's bad luck you said to look at me."
Matthew inhaled slowly and spoke, "I won't look at you. What about if I close my eyes and you do too."
She made him wait a second of agony before answering, "All right. But you mustn't cheat."
Mary heard his slow exhale as he opened the door and stepped inside. She closed her eyes.
They felt their way towards each other. Her fingers reached his chest, his heart beating fast. Mary's hand crept slowly up and slid towards his face.
Matthew felt her hand. He leaned into her touch.
His lips reached out and found hers. Their mouths parted and they kissed.
Mary briefly opened her eyes, whether consciously or not. Matthew pulled back, smiling.
His eyes still closed.
"Good night." Matthew licked his lips as he reluctantly let go.
Her hand was still on his chest. She closed her eyes again. "Good night."
And Matthew took a step back and closed the door once again between them.
Mary opened her eyes, cast down onto the floor. She barely moved for several moments as her body was flooded with such a sensation of love, of trust, it made her tremble with joy.
XX
"You mean we're getting married here?" Mary's voice squeaked. She was beyond shock.
"Yeah…" Matthew grinned as his eyes blinked in the sun."Don't you like it?"
The glare off the pink Cadillac outside hurt Mary's eyes as she took in the establishment advertising "We make dreams come true…"
The Las Vegas Elvis Wedding Chapel was about as far from a dream of Mary's as she could possibly imagine.
An Elvis impersonator standing by the door.
"He'll walk you down the aisle if you want?"
Mary's mouth fell open…
XX
:)...reviews, opinions all welcome!