Chapter 7
The week was a whirl of activity. Elizabeth wasn’t sure who was happiest—Annie or Jewel. Every time Elizabeth saw Annie, she would grow misty-eyed and say, “My wee bairn is gettin’ married. But look at ye. Ye positively glow.”
As for Elizabeth, she’d never been happier in her life. She suddenly had the energy of three women, and it was a good thing, since there was so much to do.
Her carriage pulled to a stop at the dress boutique on St. Charles Avenue in the Vieux Carré.
Elizabeth stepped out of the carriage and looked at the brick building.
How lovely it was with its beautiful wrought ironwork across the balustrades.
New Orleans was much prettier than London, and rich in cultural diversity.
The bell above the door rang as she entered the little shop.
“Miss Trent,” the young woman acknowledged as Elizabeth entered. “We heard that you were going to pay us a visit. Come this way, Mrs. Claremont has set everything up in the back.”
“Oui, you’ll make a lovely bride,” Mrs. Claremont greeted Elizabeth, taking both her hands. “Come sit down. We have much to do.”
Elizabeth looked at yards of silk and lace and pored over the latest fashion plates from Europe. Mrs. Claremont gave her suggestions and finally they agreed on the perfect dress. It would be made out of white muslin and satin trimmed with the most delicate lace Elizabeth had ever seen.
“I would also like to plan for a breakfast after the ceremony, keeping the tradition of my homeland,” Elizabeth said. “Do you have any suggestions? I want everything to be perfect.”
“That sounds lovely. We can handle the food and we must have many flowers, which will be hard to find this time of year. However, I do have some friends with hothouses. I will pay them a visit tomorrow.”
“When do you think I can be fitted?” Elizabeth asked as she stood to leave.
“I will be at Four Oaks in a week for our first and, I hope, final fitting. That is a promise I make to you, because you have been so good to me since you’ve arrived. I’ll make sure your wedding is perfect.”
Elizabeth hugged the dear little lady. “Thank you. I can’t wait to see what you’ve created.”
The invitations came next. Elizabeth bought very fancy paper to take back home with her, where she’d address the invitations herself, and then have the servants deliver them to their friends.
Today was the final fitting for her wedding dress.
Elizabeth stood patiently while the seamstress pulled and pinned the soft material.
Outside the large window in her bedroom, leafless trees were dark silhouettes against the winter sky.
She wondered what Jonathan was doing at the moment.
Was he thinking of her? Would he like to kiss her as much as she’d like to kiss him?
The chattering of the seamstresses faded into the background as Elizabeth’s attention turned back to the window. This week had been milder than usual. The rain had let up and the sun had begun to dry out the soggy ground. She hoped the weather would be perfect for her wedding day.
“Please turn,” Mary, the head seamstress, said.
“What?” Elizabeth had been so interested in the view outside that she hadn’t been paying attention.
“Please turn, Lady Elizabeth,” Mrs. Claremont repeated.
“Oh, sorry,” Elizabeth said as she complied with their request. She caught a glimpse of herself and smiled.
The gown’s design was new, and to keep the surprise, Elizabeth wouldn’t let Jewel and Annie come to any of the fittings.
They had protested strongly about being left out, but in the end, Elizabeth had won the argument.
The design Elizabeth chose was very feminine.
The bodice had an off-the-shoulder top made with delicate Brussels lace.
The long satin skirt fell to the floor. Around the hemline, the seamstresses had embroidered pink roses connected by snowy pearls.
She would wear a simple wreath of roses around her head to hold her veil, and carry a single pink rose in honor of her mother.
Elizabeth looked down to see that they were finally pinning the hem of the dress, and she sighed as she tried to stand perfectly still. She’d never had the patience for things like this, and today it was taking a lot of concentration to put up with the seamstresses.
Looking back out the window, she wondered about the prickling sense of foreboding that kept nagging at her that something was about to happen. It gave her an uneasy feeling that she wanted desperately to dismiss. Maybe it was just anticipation of her upcoming wedding.
“There. We have finished, Miss Elizabeth,” Mrs. Claremont said as she offered her hand to help Elizabeth down. “Your gown will be ready in two days. I’m not sure I’ve ever created a gown so lovely,” Mary said with a proud smile. “It will be long remembered.”
“I don’t know how to thank you. You have accomplished an almost impossible task, finishing this lovely gown in such a short time,” Elizabeth said, squeezing Mary’s hand.
“You have truly outdone yourself. I cannot believe you took my idea and turned it into something so enchanting.” Elizabeth stepped out of the garment and handed it to the seamstress.
Mrs. Claremont beamed. “You will be a beautiful bride.” She gathered her pins and tape measures, placing them in her sewing basket. “I must say, you’re the most excited bride I’ve seen in a long time. There seems to be a special glow about you that I don’t often see. I am very happy for you.”
“If you knew Jonathan, you would be excited, too.”
“I have seen him,” Mrs. Claremont said with a sly grin. “Oui, he is a fine one.”
Elizabeth blushed. “I think so.”
During the next week several parties were held in the honor of the future bride and groom. It was about the only time she got to see Jonathan, because Adam kept him so busy.
However, before the last party, Jonathan made a surprise visit to her room. Elizabeth shut her eyes, remembering.
“May I come in, love?” Jonathan asked, but didn’t wait for her to answer as he closed the door behind him.
“May I help you, sir?”
Jonathan’s brow had risen a fraction at her comment. “You can help me in many ways,” he said seductively. “However, I came to give you a present.”
Elizabeth rose from her dressing table. “A present? I thought maybe you had come to kiss me.”
“Well, now that you’ve made the suggestion,” he said, pulling her into his arms.
Their hot, passionate kiss made her warm all over, a small promise of things to come. When she parted her lips, she heard him moan with pleasure. She slid her arms up his chest and pressed her body into his.
After a few moments, Jonathan pulled back and looked at her. “It won’t be long before we’re crawling into that bed if you keep kissing me like that.”
Elizabeth laughed and stepped back. “How is this? Is it a safe distance?”
“The only safe distance would be at another plantation,” he admitted with a grin.
“You said something about a present.”
He slipped his hand under his jacket and pulled out a long box. “Indeed I did.”
Elizabeth wasted little time opening the box. There before her was a necklace of blazing red rubies and diamonds. “It’s beautiful!”
“Just like the lady who will wear it,” he said, and pulled the necklace out of the box. “May I?”
Elizabeth smiled and turned so he could fasten the precious stones around her neck. He lifted his left arm to her neck so he could fasten the clasp. At least his fingers were working even if his arm was still sluggish. Then he turned her back toward him. “The rubies remind me of your temper—”
“I’m not so sure that’s a compliment.” Elizabeth pouted.
“If you’ll let me finish. The diamonds remind me of your beauty. The rubies remind me of your fire.”
Elizabeth leaned up and kissed him on the lips. “That’s better.”
“Good.” Jonathan traced the stones of the necklace along her neck. “I’m so glad you will soon be mine. If any other man ever touched you, I don’t know what I would do. I can’t bear to think of you with any man but me,” he added in a whisper.
“Have no fear, I don’t want anyone but you.”
The Windjammer floated peacefully at anchor, softly nudging against the dock as the deckhands pushed loads of supplies up the gangplank, stocking the ship for the return trip to England.
Adam and Jonathan were at the New Orleans dock, trying to help out where they could.
“When do you set sail?” Jonathan asked Derek, who was repairing some riggings.
“The day after your wedding,” Derek replied with a smile. “Are you ready for the big day, son?”
“Is anyone ever prepared?” Jonathan laughed.
Adam walked up. “I most certainly wasn’t.”
“And he isn’t joking,” Derek quickly added. “Almost had to hit the boy over the head to make him realize he was in love with Jewel.”
“I remember,” Jonathan admitted. “He was pretty stubborn about the situation in England, also.”
“Let’s not talk about past history,” Adam said to put a stop to the teasing. “You look natural onboard my ship. Now that you’re going to be family, maybe you would like to be part of my shipping business.”
“You know I’ve always been a land lover.
” Jonathan leaned back against the mast. “Perhaps I’ll buy a small plantation and raise cotton.
Of course, I will have to return home and check on my holdings.
I just didn’t want to return so soon after the war.
You can just imagine if someone had recognized me during the battle.
The thought of my neck being stretched isn’t very appealing. ”
“I know. I have the same problem,” Adam admitted. “But with Derek and Annie returning and a good solicitor looking after my property, I believe I’ll remain here for a while.”
“I haven’t heard from my father in some time,” Jonathan said. “But he’s getting on in years and will need some help in the future, I know.”
“I can’t believe the marquess will ever be old,” Adam said. “He’s always been feisty.”