Chapter 3: A Quiet Wedding
With the exception of Troy, the Rats were now civilians, having been transported to London, by a private cargo plane being used to transport British war vehicles back home. Only Hitch knew the plane was one of several owned by his father's various businesses. Troy had a three month leave before reporting to his next post in Washington, D.C. They had decided to visit one another's families before settling down in their post-war lives.
Since they were in England, Moffitt's home was their first destination. While the British officer was welcomed by his parents, the other team members spent the day exploring London, at least what was left after all the bombing. It was quite different from when they were there prior to going to North Africa. Over the next several days they met Moffitt's parents and spent time getting to know them, swapping stories, and sharing meals. They laid a wreath on the grave of Moffitt's younger brother, Ian, drank in several pubs, and toured Cambridge.
Hitch received word that Isla was at her grandmother's house in Scotland, so they added Edinburgh to their itinerary. Two days before they were to leave, Tully received a telegram from Mary Ellen. She was heading to Scotland and would meet him in Edinburgh.
"Isla had to have a hand in this," Tully proclaimed. "She really can do anything she sets her mind to!"
"She is pretty amazing, but I don't see how she was able to pull this off," Hitch was skeptical. "I think it's more a happy coincidence."
"I don't care how it happened, I'm just thrilled it happened,
Tully was anxiously awaiting their journey to Scotland.
Isla met them at the train station and drove them to her grandmother's house. It was in the country several miles from town. The house was large, yet seemed cozy and comfortable, as though the walls had seen generations of love and happiness, which was quite true. Mary Ellen was due sometime in the next few days and Tully tried to be patient.
While Hitch was showing the others around the place, Tully sought out Isla for a private conversation.
"Isla," he began, "you've convinced me that you can do anything." She smiled at him, acknowledging his statement was true. "I want to ask Mary Ellen to marry me, and if she agrees, I'd like to get married as soon as possible, before we return home."
"Won't your parents and family be disappointed to miss your wedding?" Isla asked.
"I think they'll just be happy for me, and we can have a big party to celebrate when we get to Kentucky," Tully replied.
"What about Mary Ellen? Won't she want her family and friends to be with her on her special day. She's probably been planning her wedding since she was a little girl and have her dad walk her down the aisle."
"If that's what she wants, then that's what we'll do," Tully explained, "but I think she'd rather get married quietly and avoid all the hoopla. She's kind of shy, like me."
"I think she's perfect for you, Tully," Isla said, "and I'm very happy for both of you. I think you will have a wonderful life together."
"Thanks," Tully grinned. "Anyway, if she agrees, what do we need to do? Who do we contact? Do you know a minister who would marry us?"
"I think the pastor of this parish would marry you or you could elope to Gretna Green," Isla commented.
"I've heard of that," Tully admitted.
"Let me see what I can do," Isla smiled knowingly.
"Thanks, Isla," Tully replied. "Maybe you and Hitch might join us, and we could have a double ceremony?"
"No thanks, Tully," she replied. "We're not to that point, yet. We both have too many things to do. I'm supposed to dance again in London in two weeks as part of the victory celebrations. We're doing an encore performance of La Sylphide."
"So maybe Mary Ellen and I could see you dance as part of our honeymoon." Tully suggested.
"I'd like that," she agreed.
Mary Ellen arrived two days later, and Tully went alone to meet her at the station. They took the long way to Granny Mac's house, arriving just in time to get cleaned up for an evening out with dinner, and dancing.
Over the next two days, whenever Tully wasn't with Mary Ellen, he was in private conversation with Isla. The others were suspicious of what was going on but kept their questions to themselves. On the afternoon of the second day, Tully asked Hitch to go into Edinburgh with him.
"Okay," Hitch said when they were alone in the car and heading towards town. "What's going on?"
"I want you to help me pick out a ring," Tully replied, glancing at his friend in the passenger seat. "I'm going to ask Mary Ellen to marry me and if she agrees, Isla's been helping me plan a quick wedding while we're here in Scotland."
"Well done, Tully," Hitch exclaimed. "I wondered if you were going to propose. This sounds like one of your better plans. I'm happy for you."
"She hasn't said 'yes' yet," Tully reminded him.
"She will, she's crazy about you," Hitch was confident.
"Want to make it a double ceremony?" Tully teased.
"No way!" Hitch said emphatically, "we are nowhere near all that."
"Isla said the same thing when I suggested it to her," Tully laughed.
"We think a lot alike," Hitch grinned.
They returned several hours later, and Tully found an opportunity to show the ring to Isla and tell the other Rats his plans.
The following morning, Tully and Mary Ellen went for a walk through the orchards and woods on the estate until they came to a lovely site on the banks of a babbling stream that ran through the property. The presence of a hand carved bench attested to the fact it was a well-visited place of peace and calm.
They sat together on the bench and talked for a while. Tully took her hand in his and spoke, "Mary Ellen Hayes, I love you with all my heart and I believe you feel the same about me."
"I love you, too, Tully," she replied, and he slipped off the bench onto one knee if front of her.
"Mary Ellen, will you do me the great honor of becoming my wife?" he asked, taking the ring box from his pocket. She was momentarily stunned and had to take several deep breaths before answering.
"Yes, Tully, I will," she said with tears in her eyes and her face shining at his. He slipped the ring on her finger and gathered her into his arms for a long kiss, followed by several others.
Everyone observed them as they approached the house a short time later. The smiles on the couples' faces said it all. There were congratulations and kisses for the bride-to-be as everyone offered their well wishes. Isla had prepared a festive luncheon for the occasion after which Tully and Mary Ellen booked long distance calls to their families to share the news and their plans to be married in Scotland.
While waiting for the calls to be put through, Isla and Mary Ellen discussed plans and made a list of everything that needed to be done. The wedding would take place in three days at Granny Mac's house. Only the Rats and Isla would be present along with the Presbyterian minister of the local church and his wife. All of them, including Mary Ellen would be in military uniform, with Isla wearing her USO Volunteer attire. Moffitt and Isla were asked to be the witnesses and Hitch would play the piano. Troy would stand in for Mary Ellen's dad and "give away" the bride.
As Mary Ellen and Isla were reviewing the list, Mary Ellen confessed,
"Is it wrong of me to wish I was wearing a wedding gown instead of my uniform? I know rationing makes it impossible having anything new, even if there was time to make something. I've always envisioned myself in a wedding dress."
"Not at all," Isla assured her. "If you'd like something more than your uniform, we could check to see what's in the local shops, which is probably not much, or better yet, let's check Granny Mac's closets. I'm sure we could find some wonderful things we could use." The two went upstairs to explore the cedar closets. As the guys returned from the various errands Isla had given them, they could hear the two young women laughing and talking excitedly on the upper levels of the house.
The afternoon before the wedding, Isla and Mary Ellen went into Edinburgh to finalize details with vendors, have their hair and nails done, do a little shopping and have tea together. That evening, the guys took Tully to a local pub for his "stag" party that consisted of drinks, darts, and reminiscing about their times together, especially in North Africa.
The time came for the wedding to begin. The parlor was decorated with large bouquets of flowers and garlands. Hitch began playing the piano as Isla came down the stairs, wearing a short-sleeved, lavender ankle length dress with a full skirt. She wore flowers in her hair and carried a nosegay of heather and thistles. Hitch transitioned into The Bridal Chorus by Richard Wagner and Troy escorted Mary Ellen down the stairs. She was dressed in a long, white satin dress with a veil attached to a wreath of flowers on her head. Her bouquet was of purple heather, white roses, and thistles. Tully had never seen anyone so beautiful, and a tear appeared in the corner of his eyes as he watched his wife-to-be approach.
The ceremony was brief, and once Tully had kissed his bride, the celebrating began. A photographer took pictures. Two local girls had been hired to serve the meal and keep the champagne flowing. There was a small, lovely cake to cut, and Isla "caught" the wedding bouquet since she was the only unmarried woman in attendance. They danced to music on the phonograph and had a great time. Mary Ellen changed into her going away dress and the couple said their goodbyes. They were spending their first days of wedded life in a small cottage on the estate that was used as a guest house. From there they would be traveling by train through Scotland, making their way to London.
"Happy?" Tully asked his wife after carrying her across the threshold.
"Deliriously so," she assured him, kissing him on the tip of his nose. "I'm so glad we did this."
"I promise I'll do everything in my power to keep you happy and content," Tully said, wrapping his arms around her.
"I'll hold you to that, Tully Pettigrew," she said kissing him.
"You can count on it, Mrs. Tully Pettigrew," he responded, returning her kiss.