Chapter XVI: The Wedding

VAL threw herself heart and soul into the preparations for Theo's wedding, bringing forward so many ideas and innovations that Theo's original plan of having a quiet affair seemed in danger of being overruled. But Val insisted that, though it might be quiet, it need not be plain, and so Theo consented to some elaborations.

"I don't care how few people you choose to have present," said Val, "if you will only let me arrange the effect. A chrysanthemum wedding it must be, and I can have it such a lovely one. I do wish you'd consent to having six bridesmaids."

But Theo stoutly refused to have more than two.

"And a maid of honor," persisted Val.

"Well," agreed Theo, reluctantly; "but you must be the maid of honor."

"Oh, yes. I shall not allow any one to usurp my place, and you'll let me manage the rest, decorations and all. Do, please."

"But I will not have more than two bridesmaids."

"No; I promise you. But you give me leave to do as I choose about the rest."

And Theo consented.

So for the next few days, Val's small figure was seen darting in and out of the gate, on business intent. And when her arrangements were all complete, she made them known to Theo.

"It is going to be perfectly lovely," she said. "The chancel will be a mass of yellow chrysanthemums. I have scoured the town and country for them, and every one is saving them for us."

"Oh, Val!"

"Well, there wasn't any other way; and if you could see how delighted they all are to do you honor, you blessed darling!"—giving her a rapturous hug. "You are so good and sweet to every one, of course they are glad. Even Mrs. Reed had a little measly plant, and she was tickled to death when I asked her to loan it. Do you want to hear the rest, sweetness?"

"Oh, Val, how you do run on! You are the most outrageous flatterer I ever knew."

"Oh, do let me get excited and forget my elegant diction once in a while, I haven't had a chance for so long. I couldn't bubble over to Mrs. Westerly. She is a dear woman, but not the kind to excite ardent expressions. I can even do better with the Colonel. Oh, Theo, you will be like a tall white lily among—but let me tell the rest, or I'll spoil the effect. Well, as I said, yellow entirely about the chancel, and the church will be dressed with garlands of autumn leaves. First of the bridal party will come two little pages in yellow breeches, dark red velvet coats, and white waistcoats—"

"Oh, Val, I said only two bridesmaids, and you promised me faithfully."

Val threw back her head and laughed merrily. "Of course, but the pages aren't bridesmaids; they are your little cousins, Tom Preston and Nelson Carter. I think it was the greatest stroke of diplomacy on my part, asking them; for we had left out nearly the whole faction on both sides of the house. But now the Nelsons, the Prestons, and the Carters are all delighted. I have been wearing out my very soul getting up those costumes, Miss Ingratitude; and if I say it, as shouldn't, the youngsters look like pictures. Now, Theo, don't look so serious. Do you really care? It won't make a bit of difference. The church is so small, anyhow, that it will not more than hold a gathering of the clans and those you must ask—so—do you care? It will be so pretty."

Theo relaxed somewhat, only saying, "Jack and I always said we did want a quiet wedding; it will be such a solemn time, anyhow, and we didn't want to make just a show of it."

"Well-beloved bride-elect, it will be so quiet, you can hear a dew drop."

Theo frowned down the absurdity, and Val went on:

"Well, the pages come in first, carrying each an end of a garland of chrysanthemums, red, yellow, and white; then come the two bridesmaids in pink, carrying pink chrysanthemums; then come I in pale yellow, with a basket of the same flowers; and then the lovely white bride, with her white chrysanthemums, the only white spot in the mass of color. I consider that arrangement the crowning success of my life. Every one says it is the most artistic thing ever conceived by mortal brain. I have lain awake nights thinking it out.

"And oh, Theo, the Colonel is perfectly lovely; he has been so interested, and has let me drag him 'hether and yen,' as Mrs. Barton says. I think he was pleased as Punch to be asked to give you away. And Archie, the dear soul, has, I am sure, lost a year's practice by rushing around the country hunting up yellow chrysanthemums with me. Now do say it will be lovely."

And Theo was forced to confess that it would be, and that she would be entirely satisfied if Jack would.

"Oh, Jack's all right," Val assured her. "You are such a sentimental pair, you two."

Theo blushed as she protested, "Oh, no, we are not."

"I don't mean that you are silly and romantic, but you have such ideas about solemnity, and seriousness, and responsibilities, and all that."

"I think we should have," returned Theo. "I believe ever so many girls when they marry think no further than their trousseau and their elaborate wedding, and of course it is fascinating in a certain way; that is why I didn't want to have anything showy. I knew it might absorb me too much. But you, dear monkey, have taken all that off my shoulders, so my responsibilities and seriousness can have full play. Oh, I forgot to say," Theo continued, "I had a letter from Fan Parkhurst this morning; and she will be here, and Jamie, too. Fan is perfectly delighted at the idea of being my bridesmaid. I really believe Fan is going to turn out well, hers is such a strong character. I should like to have Jamie for one of the ushers. Would you believe he could ever grow to be such a great tall boy?"

"If Gilbert Rogers cannot come, Jamie could take his place."

"So he could. I wonder if Gilbert will come. Just think: we shall all be together again, all but dear old Nan. You saw her letter, didn't you? Oh, no; there it is on the table. Read it, if you like."

Val interested herself in the letter, smiling once in a while.

"That is a very Nan-like epistle," she remarked at the close. "Did you notice this?" and Val read:

"'At first, I rather resented your marriage. It seemed something away off in the dim future, but that it is really at hand overcomes me and yet, after all, Theo, you are one who should marry. You will be happier so, and I altogether approve of Jack; but at the same time, incredible as it no doubt appears to you, I look around my little studio and say, 'I am very thankful it is Theo, and not I;' and then I laugh and say, 'It is well to be satisfied with what one cannot help;' and I was very wise, or, rather, very fortunate, to find such an interest in life as my work, which keeps me content.'"

"Dear old Nan!" responded Theo. "Yes, that sounds very much like her. She would be one of my bridesmaids if she were here; but no doubt she is glad to be out of it all."

"What a contrast Fan will be to your cousin Dolly," said Val; "Fan is so dark and Dolly so fair. I think it is rather nice it should be that way."

"So do I," agreed Theo. "There is Jack's whistle. I must see what he wants," and she flew down to meet him.

"I have a letter from Gilbert, and he is coming," announced Jack. "Isn't that great?"

"And I have one from Fan, promising to be with us. So that is all settled. What do you think of Val's arrangements, Jack?"

"I think they are quite artistic."

"But just a little pretentious, don't you think?"

"They might be if they were carried out by hired service, but it will all be done for love's sake."

"Yes, I know. Every flower there will represent some one's good will; and dear little Val never worked so hard in her life. It makes me very humble to receive so much tender consideration."

"You never were troubled with egotism," said Jack, smiling at her, "haughty as my lady sometimes is."

"Don't remind me, please. I want to be all humility. Where every one is thinking first of me, I should be the last to think of myself. I can't do anything for anybody these days. Isn't there something I can do for you, Jack?"

"You have done more for me than any one in the world," was Jack's reply, made just as Archie burst into the room with,—

"I might have known I should find you here, old man. Why didn't I come here first, instead of racing to the hotel? You can't dawdle away your time here. Don't you know there are a thousand things to be done? We don't want to leave everything till to-morrow. Come along, Theo. Go try on your wedding-gown, or your gloves, or something. You'll have enough of Jack after a while," and Archie dragged him off.

"To tell you the truth," Archie confessed, linking his arm in his friend's, "I have to keep moving. I'm such a confounded idiotic beggar that I get all used up when I sit down and take time to think. If it were any one but you, old man, I couldn't stand it. I get into a perfect rage whenever the idea merely suggests itself to me. Indeed, once in a while I am strongly inclined to pitch into you. I'd like to know what business you have coming here and carrying off my sister, anyhow. Confound you!"

Jack laughed. "You're pretty late in the day, old chap. Why didn't you raise this serious obstacle sooner?"

"Much good it would have done, hastened the disaster, most likely. Confound it, Jack, I don't want to see you, after all. Go where you please." And Archie, having reached his office door, rushed in and slammed it after him, leaving Jack standing outside, half angry.

He waited a few minutes, however, and then knocked, when Archie admitted him, with his agitation somewhat calmed down.

"I'm all right now; you're safe," he exclaimed. "Come in, and I'll guarantee you shall not be assassinated. Seriously, Jack, I'm all broken up; but don't mind it."

Jack respected his chum's condition of mind, and they proceeded to discuss the business for which Archie had sought him.

Though no one suffered more than auntie at this time, no one was more cheerful. Only once did she really break-down, and that was when Theo, in her bridal array, came for a last kiss.

There had been much flutter and excitement going on, and no one had taken time for anything but the business just at hand.

First, Fan's arrival with Jamie caused some flurry, and seemed to be the signal for much whisking about from room to room of pink skirts or yellow skirts, and much racing up and down-stairs, with inquiries for this one's bouquet or that one's gloves. Then came Dolly Preston with an army of relations to be settled; next the little pages appeared, to be put through their paces and instructed to act just so; then the music had to be thought of; and in the midst of a conference with Professor Rheinstein as to what would be most desirable, in walked Gilbert, so glad to see them all, and so delighted to talk of what he called Jack's luck, that when Archie at last bore him away, he was still talking to Val about it over his shoulder.

Then the arrival of presents by express, by mail, by hand, was a source of excitement, so that Miss Nelson had little time for a contemplation of her loss. But it was very real when Theo at last stood before her, just as Val had said, "like a tall white lily." And when auntie turned from her mirror, before which she had been completing her own toilet, it was to hear the dear girl say,—

"Kiss me, auntie."

And then auntie dropped into the nearest chair, her hands trembling and her face quivering. But Theo was beside her in a moment, gathering the dear head close to her own, the bridal veil falling over both.

"I am not going to leave you, auntie; don't make it hard for me," she implored. "I am your own little girl just the same. Oh, auntie, please don't cry, for then I shall cry too, and I have been trying not to all day."

So auntie forced back the tears, and the hard moment was over for them both.

At the last hour, one of the ushers failed them, so Jamie proudly took his place, and Theo was married, with those she loved best about her, with those who best loved her guiding her first steps into her new life.

"Hit sutt'nly was a pretty weddin'," commented Mammy, whom nothing could detain from the church. "Miss Theo sholy look gran'. I keep a sayin' to mahse'f all de time, 'Yuh a angel, honey; yuh a angel. B'ar me away on yo' snowy white wings.' I sings dat to mahse'f when dat music start up so sof' an' low, 'Oh, come, angel ban'.' I sholy dues, Miss Val. I know yuh git hol' o' things yuh make 'em hum. 'Deed, miss, hit hu't mah pride to hear talk 'bout dat little no-'count weddin'."

"How well Fan looks!" whispered Val to Archie, amid a buzz of conversation, when, after the ceremony, the bridal party had returned to the house.

"Yes," responded Archie; "and doesn't Gilbert think so?"

Then, after looking in that direction, they turned to each other and smiled.

"That's an idea, isn't it?" said Val.

"Yes. I rather like it," returned Archie.

"So do I," replied Val. "Weddings always encourage such things. Come, let us be a pair of old match-makers. Help me dispose of Jamie; he looks at Fan as if he wanted to grab her, and I never saw Fan look so happy as she does."

And the two made their way across the room, and soon had Jamie occupied, so that he forgot Fan and her companion.

"What a change in Theo's little friend, Fan Parkhurst!" remarked Mr. Smith. "She was the most untamed youngster I ever saw, a few years ago,—as wild as a deer."

"She has certainly improved. I fancy her wildness consisted in her not being trained; it wasn't skittishness," replied Miss Nelson.

"Exactly. She could romp, and run, and climb trees, and all that, in sheer exuberance and childishness, but there wasn't a bit of harm in it. And I think her worst pranks at home came from a desperate feeling that no one understood her, and the hedging about her of conventionalities resulted in a frantic effort to break through the barriers."

"She has a straightforward, brusque way yet, but she is less rude than many who profess more polish. How pretty our little cousin Dolly Preston looks, and did you ever see a more exalted countenance than Jack's? The contemplation of his complete happiness has done more to bear me up than anything else these trying times. Bless the dear, good boy! I do believe he does deserve my lovely child. You are laughing at me, Colonel. Just why?"

"At your enthusiasm over your crows."

"Do you think they are not whiter than most?"

"Honestly, I think they are. Perhaps, though, there are others who doubt it, who believe you overrate them."

Miss Nelson shook her head, smiling. "I know their frailties; but I know, also, that they aim very high. Look at Val, Colonel; isn't she a picture in that yellow gown? You were right. Travel has been an immense advantage to Val. But there goes our bride. I must leave you."

And Miss Nelson followed Theo, who had left the room to change her bridal robe for her travelling-dress.

Really going away from home forever! Theo had asked to have just a few last moments all alone in her own little room; and she stood there, her hands clasped over her heart, looking around her. Going away to Preston! Going away from auntie, from Archie! For a moment, she bit her lip almost in hopeless rebellion. Then the thought of Jack came over her, and she sank on her knees.

Half an hour later, she appeared, ready for her journey.

"Am I really Mrs. Allen?" she said, as the good-byes crowded upon her.

Her foot was on the step of the carriage, when she turned to Val and whispered, "Oh, Val, think of auntie every minute; don't forget that she needs you."

And Val did not forget. But running back to the house, put her arms around the shaking figure; for when the rest trooped forth with showers of rice and old shoes, auntie alone remained behind. Val remembered.

"Oh, auntie, I need you. Don't forget me," she said. "I have been away from you so long, and I love you, I love you."

And this was comfort for auntie and Val.

But Archie! No one followed him when he went up to Theo's room and shut the door; for Gilbert was absorbed in Fan; Mr. Smith, Val, and Miss Nelson were busy with the last departing guests. No one followed Archie? Oh, yes. Posie-Cossie pattered up behind him, whined, and scratched at the door, and upon being let in, looked inquiringly around, then went up, putting beseeching paws on Archie's knee, and gave a little pitiful bark, then jumped up in Archie's lap. For a long time, they stayed there, finding help in each other,—the man's hand resting on the small creature's scraggy head, and the little dog looking up once in a while for assurance that one friend at least was left.