NINETEEN
As Susie and I dressedfor the wedding, a knock sounded at the door. We looked at each other.
“Who is it?”Susie said.
“Lord of this manor,” the booming voice said.
Without expressed permission to enter, Lord Barry stepped into the room.
“Sir, this is quite unacceptable,” I said.
He looked up and down at both of us. “You’re both fully dressed. What’s the issue?”
He was right, but still.
“And you both look very lovely, I might add.”
Our dresses were simple and similar. We’d both agreed that it would look awkward if one had a glitzy princess dress while the other had a more unadorned silk slip dress.
We both opted for white floor length gowns with lace trim and a sprinkling of crystals at the bodice, but while hers was strapless, mine had delicate little cap sleeves.
“Thank you,” Susie said as she went up to him and planted a sweet kiss on his ruddy cheek. “That’s very dear of you, Papa Barry.”
He scowled. “Papa Barry?”he growled then pressed a reluctant smile.
“You’ll get used to it,” Susie quipped.
He chuckled, a sound I’d rarely heard. “Well, I just came to give you my blessing. It will certainly be nice to have such pretty mistresses at Barry Park,” he said. “Very nice, indeed. Of course, Britney will have her say. No doubt she’ll step up to maintain her rule here, but...well, I do hope both of you will be a good influence on her. The girl needs a little...well, reining in.”
I bit down on a smile. I’d never heard Lord Barry speak of his daughter in such a manner. “Did you come up for anything in particular?”
He took a hold of Susie’s hand, came to me and took my hand and looked at us both. “I just wanted to tell you how happy I am for both my sons. You are going to be a wonderful addition to this household.”
*****
OUR VOWS WERE SPOKENat noon on Christmas Eve at Christmas Park. The day was chilly, but, with the help of soft cashmere shawls over our shoulders, we still managed a double outdoor wedding.
Hugh gave me away while Ricky gave Susie away and Abbie’s husband, Gabriel, performed the short but emotional ceremony.
“How perfectly splendid,” Keely said as she came up to give Susie and me a big hug. “Did you notice how the sun came out just as you began your vows?”
We both nodded.
In the distance, as Keely and Susie went on about the beauty of the weddings, Ricky and Britney were embroiled in a heated conversation. Red-faced, Britney stomped her foot and stormed off only to be stopped by Ricky who grabbed her arm and pulled her back to him to finish the conversation.
Lord Barry came up beside me. “Welcome to the family, Darling,” he said softly as he gazed at his squabbling daughter. “Do you think he’ll manage to tame her?”
Smiling, I looked up at him. “There’s always the hope, isn’t there?”
Matthew and Kenneth joined us.
“Sons, how happy you’ve made me,” Lord Barry said. “It’s about time the family expanded.” He shot a quick glance at me then Susie. “And I do hope to see a grandchild or two very soon.”
“We’ll start working on that as soon as we leave here,” Kenneth said with a wicked grin.
