Wellington Cross (Wellington Cross Series) (53 page)

“You look beautiful, Catherine.”

“Oh, thank you, but you’re the beautiful bride, Madeline. 
You’ve never looked happier.”  I was wearing my satiny green dress, which
had to be altered to allow for the baby.  I could no longer wear the
corset, and the crinoline had to be altered, as well.  I felt as big as a
hot-air balloon.  I was clasping my Celtic cross necklace around my neck,
the Wellington heirloom.

“I am happier than I’ve ever been, but I’m going to miss you.”

“No, you won’t,” she said.  “You’ll be far too busy loving
your husband and taking care of your babies.”  I laughed.  “We’ll
still be close.  I’ll just be right down the road from you.  We’ll
help you watch the babies anytime you need us.  Besides, once your
honeymoon is over, I’ll need your help planning
my
wedding.”

We took the carriage to Wellington Cross, where we were to be wed
in the main hall, surrounded by family, close friends and neighbors. 
Obviously, we had to be wed inside the house this time instead of outside since
it was cold.  We had married here on this plantation the first time
instead of Westover Church since it had been badly damaged when it was used as stables
during the war, so it was in no condition to hold a wedding.  I wanted to
be married in the same place again this time.  This place was special to
me, always had been.  Also, I didn’t want a bunch of gossip-mongers
watching me walk down the aisle, whispering and speculating, despite what Mrs.
O’Loughlin said.  I only wanted our close families and friends, the people
who loved us and understood how much we loved each other and what we’d been
through to get to this day. 

Jonas gave me away, just as he did the first time I married
Ethan.  “I’m going to miss all your hard work on the plantation,” he told
me before walking down the stairs to make my entrance.  He was smiling.

“Oh, really?” I asked, smiling back.  “Is that all I’m good
for?”

He kissed my cheek.  “No, I’m going to miss you, too.”

Reverend O’Loughlin performed the ceremony.  Chairs had been
pulled from the dining room for witnesses to sit on; some had to stand and
others sat on the floor.  Catherine was my maid of honor, and Jonas was
Ethan’s best man.  Lillie was the flower girl, dropping camellia pedals up
the hall before I came out.  She stood beside Catherine, wearing a lacy
white dress, looking like an angel.  She looked at her father and me
curiously during the whole ceremony.  Baby Lizzie was held by her
grandmother, Clarissa, cooing softly.  Fanny stood off to the side in the
back with her newest friends, Cora and the girls, along with Jake and
Zeke.  The women had prepared food to serve everyone after the
ceremony.  William stood alone by a wall, his eyes shining brightly with
what may have been tears.

It was a joyous day of celebration.  After promising to love,
honor, cherish, and protect each other, we went into the dining room for the
reception.  We ate splendid delicacies including quail, rockfish, crab
soup, wine jelly, and a big Heritage wedding cake, decorated with white icing
and fresh deep pink camellias placed on top.  After having some cake and
wine, Ethan and I danced in the main hall, which had been cleared of all the
chairs directly following the wedding ceremony. 

“I love you, Mrs. Wellington,” Ethan said, as we waltzed, pressed
as close to one another as we possibly could.

“And I love you, my husband.”  It felt so good to call him my
husband again.

“Close your eyes; I have a surprise for you,” he said.  We
stopped dancing, and I closed my eyes, smiling excitedly.  He took my left
hand in his and placed a ring on my fourth finger.  “Okay, you can open
your eyes now.”  When I opened my eyes, I was shocked to see my wedding
ring…the Celtic emerald ring that had been passed down through the
Wellingtons.  The ring that Jefferson had stolen.  The ring Ethan
gave me the first time we were married.

“My ring!  But how…where did you get this?”

“My father had it on him.  I found it in one of his pockets,
after…you know.  Anyway, I suppose he got it back from Jefferson at some
point.  Now it’s back where it belongs…on your finger, my bride.”  He
kissed my finger.

I looked at the ring on my finger and smiled.  “Thank you,
Ethan.  I can’t believe you got that back for me.  I’m so
happy!  Everything is perfect now.”

“I would have given it to you during the ceremony, but I wanted to
surprise you, and I wanted to do it in private.”  He kissed me on the lips
then.

“Ethan,” I breathed.  “Out here in front of everyone?” I
asked, surprised but giddy.  “This is not very private.”

“Yes.  We were just married, after all.  Is it not to be
expected?  At least for today, we are allowed to be indulgent in
public.”  And with that, he kissed me again very soundly on the lips.

That evening, after all the guests had gone home, Ethan and I
practically ran up the staircases to our third-floor bedchambers. 
Clarissa was taking care of both Lillie and Lizzie for the night, so that we
could be alone in our bedchambers for our wedding night.

We undressed each other quickly, between kisses and loving
caresses, till finally we were touching skin to skin.  It felt wonderful
to be free to do as we pleased with one another, not feeling guilty, not
worrying about hurting anyone’s feelings, not worrying if this was the last
time we’d be in each other’s arms.  We were at last husband and wife
again, and we cherished each other wholly. 

Ethan was very gentle with me, lifting me off my feet and placing
me gently on the bed, being careful around the bulging baby in my
abdomen.  He slowly caressed and kissed every inch of me, driving me
insane with passion.  He rose back up to kiss my lips and gently pulled me
on top of him as we made love, as he didn’t want to “crush” the baby by being
on top of me.  Our bodies flowed together as one with the baby right there
between us.  Ethan adored my blossoming breasts, engorged with milk soon
to be let out for the baby…for both babies.  I alternated between gasping
and crying out, grasping his arms desperately.  At our completion, I
collapsed onto his chest to catch my breath before rolling off of him and
pressing myself up against his side.  Facing him, I watched him recover as
our breathing slowed. The bed hangings were pulled together all around the bed
except for directly in front of the fireplace.  I could feel its heat on
Ethan’s side as I caressed him.

He turned to face me.  I gazed adoringly into his eyes, tears
forming.

“Maddie, what’s wrong?”  His eyes searched my face, moving my
loose hair out of my face.  “Did I hurt you?  Is the baby all right?”

“No, we’re fine…more than fine.  I’m just so happy that we
are together again at long last.  It’s quite overwhelming.”

He leaned closer and kissed me tenderly.  “This is the way I
love seeing you the most…hair down and wild, rosy cheeks, and smiling at me
like that.”  He kissed me on the forehead, smiling endearingly.

“Is my hair really that wild?” I asked, pulling at it to smooth it
down.

He laughed and shook his head.  We talked softly about how
happy we were to be together again.  We discussed baby name
possibilities.  We talked about needs since we had two new babies to take
care of, including more beds and finishing that extra room on the other side of
the sitting room for Lillie, as it was getting crowded in the nursery.  We
made plans for our future together, including plans for a trip to the ocean or
perhaps a mountain retreat for a proper honeymoon once the weather warmed up
and after this baby was born.  We talked about Ethan continuing to run the
cotton business, and I’d be right there at his side to help him as he
needed.  We’d worry about his father’s dealings with the Yankees later.

He then examined my engorging breasts, and even suckled them to
see if he could get any milk out yet.  I had to laugh.  It felt so
good to laugh, to be happy.  Then we loved each other again, before
falling asleep in each other’s arms, clinging tightly to one another, in
blissful peace.

A month later, on a full moonlit night in March, aided by
Catherine, Fanny, Clarissa, and Ruth Parsons, the midwife, I gave birth to a
baby boy, Godfrey Baldwin Wellington.  We named him Godfrey after Ethan’s
brother who had died young, and Baldwin, which was Ethan’s middle name and also
his great-grandfather’s name, the one whose portrait hung on the study wall.

Ethan came in to see his baby boy.  He sat down on the bed
beside me, and we both held him together.  Ethan kissed my sweaty
forehead.  “He’s so beautiful,” he said, looking at little Godfrey and
then at me.  “Thank you, Madeline.  Thank you for this beautiful baby
boy, our little heir of Wellington.”

“Thank you, my darling,” I said, tears in my eyes, “for bringing
us all together and making me the happiest woman on earth.”

He kissed me tenderly, love overflowing in his teary amber
eyes.  Then he leaned down and kissed Godfrey on the top of his head.

I’d never been happier in all my life.  I was married to my
Ethan again – my love, my life – and now we had three beautiful children to
take care of.  After all that we’d been through, we deserved some peace
and happiness.  I had finally come full circle and knew who I was, wife,
mother, and sister…knew where I belonged, at Wellington Cross with my adoring
husband and our families…and who I was going to spend the rest of my life
with…and all was well at the plantation again.