Chapter XXIV: Happy Days
A/N: Another fun chapter, hope you all enjoy it. Cowgirl was quite a bit of help here! Looking forward to seeing what you all think! SSD
Now there were two weddings to focus on. Lucy and Erik were finally engaged; and they weren't keen on waiting long.
Cecily had a feeling that she was going to get teased today. With Lucy and Erik not waiting (Erik and Roland were working on convincing the priest that nothing untoward had happened), Roland and Ghislaine getting married in March of next year, in all likelihood (according to Aunt Mina) she and Harry were next.
She wasn't thinking that far ahead.
Back to the now, Lucy needed a dress that required minimal tailoring.
"Seen any dresses you liked yet Luce," she called out.
"Oh, I have. But none that can be ready in time," her friend groaned back.
"You best keep watch over what you might like, my darling niece. You're the probable next candidate," Aunt Mina cackled out. She was having far too much fun.
"Er mwyn Duw! Aunt Mina we've only started courting in April. I'm not sure Harry's even thinking about marriage," Cecily hissed.
"Oh he's thinking about it. I've seen how he looks at you. It may take him a little bit of time, but he'll do it," her aunt giggled.
"And we can nudge him along in the right direction. Even Sylvie will join in on the fun," Ada said from somewhere else she couldn't see her.
"Keep her husband out of it," Cecily called back, "Knowing him, he'd go over the top and scare Harry off!"
"Will can deal with him. He's already sent Lights a telegram on the subject," Ada replied.
Cecily went looking for Lucy. Unable to find her closest friend near the dresses, she took a deep breath and went to the lingerie section.
Upon finding her friend she asked, "Does Erik have a favorite color he likes on you?"
"Not particularly, he usually wants it off quickly," Lucy replied not quite looking at her.
"White it is then. And something you won't mind losing in case he tears it," Cecily couldn't help but snicker.
Lucy was uncharacteristically quiet.
In an almost shy voice she whispered, "You've… done things with Harry haven't you?"
"Not everything, but a few things. Aunt Mina has been most helpful," sensing what the next question might be, "I can ask her to speak to you if you'd like."
"Thank you. I'd like that. I don't want to ask my sister-in-law. I really don't want to know what she and my brother have done," Lucy was starting to sound like her old self.
Gwen came in a short time later saying, "Mrs. Murdoch may have found you a dress Lucy if you want to take a look at it."
Cecily and Lucy moved away from where they were. Quickly.
Matt had been going over what he wanted to say to his mother concerning Randall and well Arthur for his entire trip to the US. His uncle knew he was coming, his mother did not.
So many interactions of theirs he remembered as a child he now put through the lens of an adult's experience. Matt wanted to speak to his mother to try and gauge the field, then reveal what he knew. Truth be told, he wanted to congratulate her on getting one over on Wyndam!
He knocked on the door, only to find his mother being the one to open it!
"Matthew, what are you doing here; she asked as she hugged him.
"Surprise. You told me to come over and visit in your last letter, so I did," he replied.
"You could have telegrammed me at least. Erik and Lucy are getting married quickly so as to avoid her mother setting her up with an unsuitable husband," she explained.
Hobbling in the door Matt said, "If I'd told you, then it wouldn't have been a surprise." His foot was twinging so he leaned on his cane heavily.
"Mina who might this be," a woman with dark hair had walked into the entryway. She sounded Australian but not quite. New Zealander maybe?
"Matthew this is Ada Murdoch. Her husband Will is one of the murder witnesses and was the first officer on the Titanic."
Matt bowed over her hand and said, "Your husband must be one of the luckiest men I've heard of to have married you!" Grinning he asked his mother cheekily, "Did I do that right?"
"Yes, you did, Matthew." His mother turned towards Ada snorting, "I guess I did raise him right!"
"I would love to talk some more, but I have been travelling. A bath and a nap is something that I have been looking forward to." He bowed to them both and began to make his way up the stairs.
Bloody Americans, why do they have to make the damn stairs so steep!
He could feel his mother's and Mrs. Murdoch's eyes boring into him. It took everything he had not to trip and fall.
As per her usual when Will was away, Ada was letting Rigel cuddle with her on the bed.
Tonight, was Erik's stag night. Roland, Will, and Mina's son Matt who was known to Erik beforehand had gone out hours earlier.
Thinking of Matt, Ada considered how the young man had ascended the stairs with great difficulty despite his youth. Then she'd seen the shoe on his right foot.
She knew that kind of shoe well. Ada'd seen Sylvia wear one. It would also explain the cane Matthew used.
Obviously asking outright would be rudeness of the highest order. She'd need to be subtle.
On her way to get some water, with Rigel tagging along, Ada heard laughter coming from one of the sitting rooms.
Said laughter was quite loud and once she figured out which one it was coming from, Ada poked her head in. Mina was the one laughing uproariously, Cecily's ears were pinking; and Lucy's ears, face, and neck were carmine.
Upon noticing her presence, Mina called to her saying, "Ada why don't you join in on educating Lucy here," whilst giving her niece a side eye glance. "Every bride should be educated on certain matters before her wedding!"
Ah so it is *this* sort of conversation!
Grinning she replied, "Well as a married lady myself I should be more than able to provide some advice!"
"Aw, Hell no! If she's getting involved, I want the moonshine," Cecily declared, ears turning maroon.
"Bring two glasses, I have plenty of stories," Ada teased.
"And watch your language in front of a guest Cecily," Mina lightly admonished.
"If she's been around Charles Lightoller as much as I think she has she's heard far worse. Now the moonshine please," she begged her aunt.
"Go on, get it," Mina shooed her niece who was off like a shot.
"Cecily and Will act more like bickering, annoyed siblings than anything else. It's entertaining to watch," Ada giggled.
"Definitely closer to how she acts with Roland," Lucy piped in.
Cecily was soon back with two bottles. Mina raised her eyebrows at this.
"One of the bottles is for you three. The other one is for me. I do not want to know any of this," she groused.
Cecily sat down, Mina poured the moonshine into the glasses that were already there including a new one for Ada. Rigel was resting at her feet.
"I hardly think hearing from me will be that bad. Perhaps you could enlighten Lucy as what you and Harry were up to during that storm several nights ago," Ada smirked while sipping the moonshine, it was fairly strong.
Lucy turned to her friend in askance. As a reply, Cecily drank straight from her bottle of moonshine without making a mess. She'd clearly been taught how to do that, likely by her brother.
"It's really not that interesting Lucy," was her reply whilst reaching for some crackers.
"Judging by how red your face is getting, I'd say it is quite interesting," Lucy retorted smiling.
"Did he at least return the favor," Ada cut in.
"Yes," Cecily tried to reach for her moonshine, but Mina moved it out of her reach.
"And? Was it pleasurable," she continued.
"You heard me. What do you think," Cecily got the shine back and took a sip.
"Given what Will was doing to me, my memory from before is a mite fuzzy," Lucy giggled and reached for some wine at Ada's reply.
Mina had an all too smug smile on her face, "I did tell her that anything she does to him he should return the favor. Remember that Lucy."
"That goes double for when they've been drinking," Ada chuckled before continuing, "They might try to say that they're tired, but make it clear that they should tend to you before they fall asleep."
"What's Will like when he's drunk," Lucy inquired.
Before Ada could answer, the front door downstairs banged open and four familiar voices entered their hearing. Loud and clearing three sheets to the wind: Erik, Will, Roland, and Matt had returned.
"You're about to find out," Ada replied.
Cecily got up easily and steadily but was muttering "I don't want to know" over and over.
All of them were singing a bawdy drinking song. From the upstairs balcony the four of them, five with Rigel; they had a good view of the stag party.
Matt was the only one standing on his own, albeit leaning heavily on his cane. Will and Roland were on their own, but holding up a barely conscious Erik.
The soon to be groom was conscious enough to shout out, "Lucy, I'm home!"
"If you shout again, I'll drop you," Will threatened.
"Get me to Lucy, and I'll be quiet, for a little while anyway," Erik begged.
Roland and Will maneuvered Erik up the stairs followed by Matt. Once everyone was on the same level, they headed to the sitting room they'd been at previously.
Smirking, Cecily and Mina lightly pushed Lucy into the room. Will and Roland carried Erik in and plopped him in a chair.
"You have five minutes. Don't do anything stupid," Roland warned his friend. He grabbed one of the bottles of moonshine, Cecily grabbed the other.
Silence reigned for five minutes as the bottles were passed around. Ada was amazed that both Lethbridge siblings were speaking coherently, though no one would mistake them for Americans.
"Alright, time's up. You've got to wait till the wedding night. Lucy, head back to your room," Mina ordered whilst giggling. Lucy was giggling herself.
This time, Cecily went with Roland to grab Erik. Again both Lethbridge siblings were walking without staggering. Matt had already gone to bed.
Once everyone else was good and gone, Ada heard a low chuckle. Turning around, she saw that Will had a roguish, lewd grin on his face.
Knowing exactly what he was thinking, "Come on, let's get somewhere private," she ordered.
Still smirking, he moved closer almost on her toes, "Why? This sitting room is perfectly good."
Tugging on his shirt, "Because this door's lock needs to be fixed. We could still be easily seen and heard. Bedroom now!" Ada began tugging Will down the hall.
"If I do it right, we'll still be heard!"
Erik was squinting at the sunlight and cringing at the loud noises of the shipyard. Coming hear after a long night of drinking was not one of his smarter ideas, but he wanted to invite this particular individual in person. At least Lucy's wake up call this morning had been worth it!
Mercifully he got to the Florida quickly and was on his way to the sick bay.
"Good morning Lieutenant. You look like you had too much fun last night. Here, this will cure whatever you've got. Just don't ask what's in it," Doctor Kelly ordered.
"If this works, you're invited to the wedding. And I was going to invite you anyway," Erik choked down the vile concoction.
"Your bride would be disappointed if you drank as much as you did last night," the doctor from West Virginia drawled.
"I have no intention of doing such a thing. Your daughter Joanna and your Aunt Matilda are welcome to come as well," Erik continued.
"Do any of your companions from last night need this," the doctor asked.
"No sir, they have their own hangover cures. I'll see you on the 16th," he saluted and made his way back out.
Once he got back to the Lethbridge house, Erik went looking for Ada and prayed she was alone.
Erik finally found her in the kitchen with Rafaela, devouring her lunch.
"You're hungry. Must have worn yourself out last night," he chuckled.
"I worked up a good appetite. Will is still out cold," she replied.
This was the perfect opportunity to ask his favor of Ada.
"Roland and I made a bet last night you see, and I need your help to win it," Erik began.
"And what does this bet of yours entail? It had better not be you and Lucy sneaking off before the wedding," Ada warned.
"Actually, it involves getting Will into his kilt for the wedding. Roland thinks it can't be done," Erik laughed.
"Oh it can, the question is what are you going to give me in return? I'm assuming you want me to work on him," Ada had an evil gleam in her eyes.
Scrambling he blurted, "I'll owe you one?" Erik hadn't thought it would actually work.
"I'm going to have to eat more. Build up my energy!"
August 16th, 1912 1600
Having female relatives that she actually liked was an entirely new experience for Lucy when she met Erik's mother and two of his older sisters Ingrid and Eira. It was Eira who was responsible for educating/traumatizing an 11 year old Erik when she was 16 with certain information involving women.
She fidgeted with the skirt of her dress. Alabaster silk, it was smooth against her hands except where the seed pearls were in the shape of flowers.
Cecily and Gwen were her two bridesmaids in green. She'd teased Cecily that Harry would propose on the spot if he were there.
Speaking of Cecily, earlier today her friend had given her a present. It was a book. A completely illustrated copy of 1001 Arabian Nights. Aunt Mina had to have helped with the acquisition. Lucy had only lasted a few moments before slamming the book shut due to the utterly filthy images.
She'd get Cecily at a future date. Probably whenever she and Harry got married.
The reception for Lucy and Roland's good friend (and future best man) Erik was going over well Ghislaine thought. It was giving her ideas for how her own could go.
She saw Roland and Erik arguing animatedly. Erik was pointing to Lieutenant Murdoch in his kilt with considerable glee.
Once Ghislaine got closer, she heard Roland say, "Absolutely not! I will do just about anything else but not that!"
"Then you shouldn't have made that bet with me. Tell your lovely fiancée what you have to do!"
"What's going on with you and Erik? What bet did you get yourself into with him," she asked.
"I bet with Erik that he couldn't get Will to show up to the wedding in his kilt. I strongly suspect that he involved Ada. I should've specified he couldn't use her," her fiancé groaned.
"You lost I see. What do you have to do," Ghislaine inquired, grey eyes worried.
"I have to buy a kilt and get my picture taken in it," Roland groused.
"Your mother's family had a specific tartan you know," her future father-in-law said in passing.
"Great, now I have to use that one. I'll find out from him what it looks like later. You know, Ada mentioned a garment for women…"
Seeing where Roland was headed, Ghislaine headed him off at the pass, "Don't even think about it. If you want, get Cecily involved. I'm sure she'd enjoy giving Lieutenant Murdoch hell," she said with a smirk.
Kissing her full on the mouth, "This is one of the many reasons I love you!"
Roland then left in search of his sister, who Ghislaine saw being razzed by Matthew about being the next to get married. Cecily was blushing furiously.
"You know after seeing Lucy, and hearing about Cecily, I can't help but think that there might be something to sailors. I can't think of where to find them. The officers that is," Lucy's younger sister Gwen asked.
"Try the naval academies, they're filthy with them. I believe Mina has a son that will be graduating from the one in Britain, why don't we go speak to her?
Out of the corner of her eye, Ghislaine saw Lucy and Erik sneaking out. It would be her and Roland doing that at the next wedding reception.
And they would be sneaking out far earlier than this!
A/N 2: I had so much fun writing and typing this one! I hope you all enjoy this as much as I did! The next chapter is going to be a doozy, I already have a title for it: Dies Irae. Make of that what you will.
Fancast
Ghislaine: Sarah Gadon
Welsh translation
Er mwyn Duw For God's sake!