Chapter 18
THREE WEEKS LATER
T he day of the wedding was here and Maggie felt so anxious that she thought she was going to retch.
“Maggie?” said her mother, coming into the ladies’ solar where Ladies Eleanor and Martine were helping her finish dressing. “Everyone is ready for the ceremony. Are you?”
“I suppose so,” she said, her hand going to her stomach. “I am so jittery that I feel ill.”
“Ill?” asked her mother.
“Yes, her stomach has been upset for the last week,” said Martine. Martine and Eleanor were acting as Maggie’s bridesmaids today, while Emma was going to throw petals of flowers out in front of Maggie as she walked to the altar.
“Maggie, when is the last time you had your flux?” asked her mother with a grin.
“It was … oh, I suppose I did miss one,” said Maggie, understanding what her mother meant. “Do you think I’m … pregnant?” It was such a wonderful thought that Maggie was almost afraid to say it aloud.
“I’ve been a midwife for a long time, Daughter, and yes, my guess is that you are,” answered her mother.
“Oh, Maggie, congratulations,” said Martine. “Our children will all be playing together soon.”
“Mayhap she’ll have twins like you,” Eleanor chimed in.
“Twins?” Suddenly Maggie started picturing having not only twins, but even triplets. Multiple births seemed to run in this family. She supposed it would be all right. After all, if she was going to have six sons like Evan wanted, it would mean she’d be pregnant a lot. Having them a few at a time might be easier.
“You have made me so very happy, Maggie.” Her mother gave her a hug. “I am the luckiest woman in the world.”
“Luck?” Maggie’s hand went to her crystal. “That reminds me, Mother. I want to give you back your lucky necklace.”
“Nay, you keep it,” said her mother, raising her hand in the air. “You might need it birthing all those babies that you and Evan will be having. Plus, you can give it to Emma when it is her time to be a midwife or for her to give birth.”
“I will, Mother,” Maggie promised, feeling just as lucky as her mother did right now. “Have you given it any more thought about moving into Saltwood Castle with us like Evan offered?”
“I did, and thank you, but I will be living in town instead, with Gertrude and Harold,” she answered. “They both got jobs at the alehouse right here in Hythe. I didn’t have time to tell you, but I was offered the job of midwife in town, since Gunnora left and it is said she has no intention of returning.”
“Oh, Mother, that is wonderful,” said Maggie. “Evan said I will be midwife to everyone in the castle. Mayhap we can even work together sometime like we did in the past.”
“I’m sure that will be nice.” Her mother pulled out a piece of cloth from a pouch at her side. “Do you remember this?” Unfolding it and holding it up, Maggie saw what it was.
“That is a curtain from our home in Ashenden, isn’t it?” asked Maggie. “The one on which you sewed the names of all the babies that you delivered through the years.”
“That’s right,” her mother answered. “I put a new name on here although it is late. Look.”
Maggie took the cloth and inspected it. “You added Emma’s name to the curtain! Thank you, Mother.” She gave it back.
“I was more than happy to finally be able to do it. Gertrude saved the curtains for me years ago while I was in hiding. Lord Ashenden rented our home to another tenant when I disappeared. But Gertrude was able to get the curtains and also save the table and chairs that your father carved for me. We’ll be using them in our new home in town.”
“Mother, that is wonderful. What a stroke of luck!”
“Yes, I guess so. I suppose I don’t need that lucky necklace anymore, after all.”
“Neither do I, even though I will keep it,” said Maggie. “However, I have another lucky charm now, and that is Evan.”
The women all laughed about that.
“Maggie, everyone is waiting,” said Evan’s mother, sticking her head inside the room.
“I’m ready,” said Maggie, thrilled to be marrying Evan, but nervous, since his father was the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports and Maggie knew he probably would have wanted his son to marry a noble. Plus, she was going to be meeting all of Evan’s relatives today. From what she’d heard there were plenty of them. Supposedly, even his Uncle Storm and his whole crazy family traveled here all the way from Scotland. “Let’s go,” she said, letting out a deep breath, her hand going to her crystal pendant hanging around her neck. She swore she’d never take this off and never be so careless as to lose it again. After all, she was feeling very lucky in life right now, and she never wanted that to end.
Evan stood at the altar out in the courtyard of Saltwood Castle, waiting for his bride-to-be. Normally, the wedding would take place at church or in the chapel. But since his father liked to do things in big ways, he’d invited half the people in England to the wedding today, and this was the only place big enough to hold all the guests. It wasn’t really half of England, but with all of Evan’s relatives alone, the place was more than crowded.
“Are you nervous, Cousin?” Daegel asked from the side of his mouth, standing next to Evan. Charles stood next to Daegel at Evan’s insistence. The boy was family now. Since Maggie didn’t have a lot of family members to join them, Evan wanted to make it special for all of them.
“Why should I be nervous?” Evan whispered back. “You are the next one who will have to get married, so I’d think you’d be more nervous than me.”
“Oh.” Daegel’s expression changed quickly. “I didn’t think of that. Our sisters and cousins will be giving me a hard time next, won’t they?”
Evan smiled. “Like I said, you have more reason to be nervous than I do.”
Evan said the words, but when the minstrels started playing the music and he saw Maggie walking down the aisle, his heart sped up a good amount. Since Maggie didn’t have a father, Brother Ruford walked her down the aisle. Little Emma was in front of her throwing petals of roses from a basket as she walked. Her doll Erszba was sitting in the basket as well. Eleanor and Martine were behind Maggie, straightening out her long train.
“God’s eyes, she’s beautiful,” mumbled Evan, his eyes focused on Maggie who looked like an angel or possibly a queen right now. With Eleanor and Martine helping her, Maggie no longer wore the clothes of a commoner or the uniform of a midwife. Today she was dressed like a noble. She wore a blue velvet gown with gold brocade trim. Gold buttons trailed down her arms, leading to the long tippets that hung to the ground. The train of her gown spread out behind her, swishing over the cobblestones as she walked.
Her bright blonde hair was twisted into some kind of knot that wound around her head, topped off by a gold circlet crown. A thin white veil was attached to the headpiece, hanging down her back all the way to her waist. Strands of blonde curls framed her face, not being restricted like the rest of her hair. And in her hands she held a bouquet of pink roses with small white flowers interspersed. Evan had no idea what the white flowers were called, and neither did he care.
All he cared about was the beautiful, amazing woman with the bright blue eyes whom he once knew as a midwife, but who was now about to be his wife.
The music stopped when Maggie got to the front, and he took her hand as they stood before the priest.
“Family and friends,” said the priest. “We are gathered here today for the wedding of Sir Evan Blackmore and Lady Margaret Whitlock.”
Maggie’s eyes shot over to Evan in alarm. “Evan, you need to tell him I am not a lady,” she whispered.
“Shhh,” he told her. “Everyone knows. But since you’re going to inherit the title once you marry me, it doesn’t really matter.”
“Oh,” said Maggie, letting out a deep sigh. “I’m not sure I’ll ever be used to having a courtesy title.”
“Just think of it as doing something wild, crazy, and exciting.” He smiled at her and winked. She smiled back, and it seemed to help her nervousness.
They said their vows, and then Evan slipped the ring he’d bought onto Maggie’s finger.
“It’s beautiful!” she gasped, not having seen the ring before now. It was a gold band with etchings of leaves engraved into the gold. Nestled at the top was a big blue sapphire.
“I wanted to get you a stone to match your gorgeous blue eyes,” he told her.
“You may kiss the bride,” said the priest, and Evan wasted no time in doing so.
The crowd cheered and clapped and the minstrels once again started up with the music.
“We are married now, Maggie,” said Evan, as they walked down the aisle, greeting everyone. “Now, I don’t want to scare you, but this is my Uncle Storm MacKeefe from Scotland.”
“Hello,” said Maggie, as Storm stood there with a tankard in his hand.
“Ye are a bonnie lass, Maggie dear,” said Storm. “What in the clootie’s name are ye doin’ marryin’ someone like my nephew, Evan?”
“I … I love him,” said Maggie, still sounding overly nervous. Her concerned eyes shot up to Evan.
“Maggie, he’s jesting,” said Evan.
Storm laughed heartily and slapped Evan on the back. “I didna mean to scare off yer lassie,” he told him. “Here, have a tankard of Mountain Magic. Ye look like ye need it.” He shoved his drink into Evan’s hand.
“I’ll take some,” said Maggie, reaching for it, but Evan held it to the side.
“You don’t even know what’s in this tankard,” he told her. “It is some of the strongest whisky ever brewed, and not to be taken lightly.” Evan raised the tankard to his mouth to take a swig.
“Oh, then I don’t want any.” Her hand went to her stomach. “I don’t think it would be good for our baby.”
Evan spit a stream of whisky in the air when he heard this, not realizing that Daegel had walked up, hence getting soaked.
“Are you pregnant, Maggie?” asked Evan.
“Yes. I believe so,” she told him.
“Then we have something else to celebrate today. To our baby,” Evan called out, raising the tankard high in the air.
“Give me that,” griped Daegel, pulling the tankard away from Evan and taking a drink.
“Boys! Dinna waste that whisky by spittin’ it all over the place, or ye’ll never get me to make more.” Storm’s grandfather, crazy old Callum MacKeefe, who was known for making Mountain Magic, walked up, waving a bony finger in Daegel’s and Evan’s faces.
It surprised Daegel and a stream of Mountain Magic shot out of his mouth into the air.
“Ye fool! What did I say about wastin’ my whisky?” complained the cantankerous old man.
“Who is that?” Maggie whispered to Evan.
“Oh, you’ve got a lot to learn about my family, sweetheart,” mumbled Evan, pulling Maggie to the side as Callum started going off on one of his tangents. “But that can wait until later. Right now, I want to talk about baby names.”
“What?” Maggie giggled.
“Yes, Brother,” said Eleanor overhearing and walking up with Martine. “What E name will you be giving your first child?”
“You can use Elrod if it’s a boy,” suggested Martine. “After all, I told David we will never be using his father’s name. Ever.”
“Or how about Ella if it’s a girl?” asked Eleanor. “Oh, wait. Mayhap not.” Her hand went to her stomach. “If I have a girl again, I might want that name, so we’ll have to figure this out.”
“It doesn’t matter to me, what we name our child,” said Maggie. “As long as the baby is healthy.”
“Then you’d be all right with Erszba, if Emma doesn’t mind that we steal her doll’s name?” asked Evan.
“Nay,” she told him. “Anything but that.”
“Well, you’d better start thinking about it,” said Evan. “Since finding six boys’ names that start with E might not be easy.”
“Evan, please.” Maggie looked at him and raised a brow. “I know you are excited but we just got married. We have nine months to think of a name. I don’t have one now, because I never thought I’d be pregnant this soon.”
“I’m sorry, sweetheart,” said Evan, giving Maggie a big, passionate kiss. “I understand about surprises and I welcome excitement and change. You might not have thought you’d be pregnant this soon, but I never even dreamed that I’d one day be Marrying the Midwife.”