Chapter Seven

Anne: "Cotton, please come back to me."
Cotton: "I will certainly try."

When Cotton left to make arrangements for our wedding, I entered my parents' bedroom and peered into my mother's closet. For my wedding day, I would wear my mother's white lace wedding gown. I slipped it on and to my happy surprise, it fit me perfectly as though it had been made just for me. My red-gold hair was curled about my face as I gazed at my reflection in the full-length mirror. Cotton was right. Something HAD changed within me. I had bloomed like a bright, spring-time flower. It appeared I had suddenly reached the full peak of my womanhood. I tried not to think of the terrible deed in the woods that seemed to have caused this rare, glowing effect. Instead I preferred to think it was Cotton's love and the fact that we were about to get married that had placed that sweet, special sparkle into my eyes.

I had just finished getting ready when Cotton reappeared. He looked so handsome in his wedding attire. "Cotton!" I said when I looked him up and down. "I can't believe this is real. We are about to be married!"

"You look so beautiful," he said as his green eyes took in every inch of me. "I can't wait. Let's walk to the river. I shall officiate our marriage myself."

'Won't we need witnesses?"

"I have a surprise for you."

I grabbed the flowers off the table as we rushed out of the house. Minutes later, we had arrived at the river as the water gurgled against the rocks. It was such a lovely setting for a late spring wedding. A soft breeze blew my long red-gold hair as Cotton gazed lovingly into my eyes.

"Where is my surprise?"

Just then John Alden, Cotton's best friend stepped out of the nearby trees, a woman by his side. I recognized it to be Mary Sibley, a woman who had been rumored to be a witch. As I looked into her eyes, I suddenly knew it to be true. We were the same. Mary and I were witches.

Mary had left Salem and I hadn't realized that John had gone with her. She hadn't been able to stay when everyone in town was whispering about her behind her back, accusing her of witchcraft. Did John know of her bewitching ways? Or was he oblivious to her true nature, just like my husband-to-be?

"John," I said as I gave him an affectionate hug. "It's been so long since I have seen you. Far too long."

"Mary and I left Salem, but we don't live far. We wouldn't miss your wedding and when Cotton told us..."

Mary cut off his explanation. "We wanted to witness the marriage of Reverend Cotton Mather to the lovely and intriguing Anne Hale," she said as she gave me a look that told me that she knew ALL of my secrets, every single one.

When Mary hugged me, she whispered in my ear. "We need to talk after the ceremony," she said. "It's important."

I tensed, quite nervous at what Mary might have to say. Would she give my secrets away to my soon-to-be husband? I hoped and prayed my secrets would be kept safe. I didn't want Cotton to know that I had spelled him to fall madly in love with me. What if he found out about the bodies that were hidden in the basement? Would he still love me and want to keep me as his wife?

I must have been standing there transfixed, unable to focus, because Cotton was speaking to me, his arm banding around my waist to pull me closer to him. "Anne, it's time for us to be married. Are you ready, my love?"

"Yes, yes... Cotton, I want to marry you now."

His huge smile made my heart soar. I forgot all about Mary being a witch. I forgot all about everything but Cotton as he began speaking in his eloquent voice, beginning our wedding ceremony.

"Dearest Anne, from the moment I met you, I think I knew," he spoke. "I think I knew that somehow, someway, we'd be together... and that you'd be my bride. I love you so much... and today, I pledge my heart to you. I will love you... and nothing in Heaven nor nothing on earth can break such an incredible bond. You will be mine forever."

I was breathless, hearing him speak from the heart. Had my spell forged such an unbreakable love? He seemed entirely sincere. It didn't seem like just a spell. Tears filled up my eyes as I took in his words.

A single drop of salty wetness slid down my cheek. "Cotton, I love you more than anything... and I'd do anything...absolutelyanything to be with you... to be your wife."

A tiny sob was wrenched from my throat as he said, "Anne, do you promise to love, honor and cherish me for the rest of our lives?"

"I do."

"And I too, promise to love you, honor you, and cherish you with all my heart and soul," he said as his voice shook.

He tugged me against him, kissing me feverishly as I clung to him, never wanting to let him go. "It's official," he proclaimed after our hungry kiss. "Now we are married, and John Alden and Mary Sibley are our witnesses."

"The next wedding shall be ours," Mary said as she gazed at John.

John and Mary? I had always known that they were in love. I was glad that John had found some happiness. He deserved it. He was a good man and a dear friend to Cotton who was now my husband.

My husband! Cotton was my husband! I had gotten what I wanted, but what was next?

Our wedding night! The next sense of urgency I felt was to consummate our wedding. But before that could happen, Cotton turned to me with regret in his eyes.

"Anne, I am so sorry, my love," Cotton said as he held me and looked down into my face. "I have to help John with something... urgent. It could be life-threatening, but he is my friend and I must help him."

"Will you come back to me?" I asked.

"I promise. I will do everything in my power to come back to you. I love you, my sweet Anne."

"I love you, too," I responded as I held him so tightly in my embrace. "Come back to me, Cotton."

As he walked away into the trees with John, I felt a sharp sense of danger bubbling up inside my chest. I turned to Mary. "Where are they going?" I questioned.

"They have no other choice," she said sadly. "They are going to kill my son."