Breakfast over, the guests discreetly removed themselves; and the whole family joined in resetting the table for the luncheon, which was to be at two, Katy and Ned departing in the boat at four. It was a simple but abundant repast, with plenty of delicious home-cooked food,--oysters and salads and cold chicken; fresh salmon from Lake Superior; a big Virginia ham baked to perfection, red and translucent to its savory centre; hot coffee, and quant.i.ties of Debby"s perfect rolls. There were strawberries, also, and ice-cream, and the best of home-made cake and jellies, and everywhere vases of fresh roses to perfume the feast. When all was arranged, there was still time for Katy to make Cousin Helen a visit, and then go to her room for a quiet rest before dressing; and still that same unhurried air pervaded the house.
There had been a little discussion the night before as to just how the bride should make her appearance at the decisive moment; but Katy had settled it by saying simply that she should come downstairs, and Ned could meet her at the foot of the staircase.
"It is the simplest way," she said; "and you know I don"t want any fuss. I will just come down."
"I dare say she"s right," remarked Rose; "but it seems to me to require a great deal of courage."
And after all, it didn"t. The simple and natural way of doing a thing generally turns out the easiest. Clover helped Katy to put on the wedding-gown of soft c.r.a.pe and creamy white silk. It was trimmed with old lace and knots of ribbon, and Katy wore with it two or three white roses which Ned had brought her, and a pearl pendant which was his gift. Then Clover had to go downstairs to receive the guests, and see that Cousin Helen"s sofa was put in the right place; and Rose, who remained behind, had the pleasure of arranging Katy"s veil. The yellow-white of the old blonde was very becoming, and altogether, the effect, though not "stylish," was very sweet. Katy was a little pale, but otherwise exactly like her usual self, with no tremors or self-consciousness.
Presently little Rose came up with a message.
"Aunty Tover says dat Dr. Tone has tum, and everything is weddy, and you"d better tum down," she announced.
Katy gave Rose a last kiss, and went down the hall. But little Rose was so fascinated by the appearance of the white dress and veil that she kept fast hold of Katy"s hand, disregarding her mother"s suggestion that she should slip down the back staircase, as she herself proposed to do.
"No, I want to do with my Aunt Taty," she persisted.
So it chanced that Katy came downstairs with pretty little Rose clinging to her like a sort of impromptu bridesmaid; and meeting Ned"s eyes as he stood at the foot waiting for her, she forgot herself, lost the little sense of shyness which was creeping over her, and responded to his look with a tender, brilliant smile. The light from the hall-door caught her face and figure just then, the color flashed into her cheeks; and she looked like a beautiful, happy picture of a bride, and all by accident,--which was the best thing about it; for pre-arranged effects are not always effective, and are apt to betray their pre-arrangement.
Then Katy took Ned"s arm, little Rose let go her hand, and they went into the parlor and were married.
Dr. Stone had an old-fashioned and very solemn wedding service which he was accustomed to use on such occasions. He generally spoke of the bride as "Thy handmaiden," which was a form that Clover particularly deprecated. He had also been known to advert to the world where there is neither marrying nor giving in marriage as a great improvement on this, which seemed, to say the least, an unfortunate allusion under the circ.u.mstances. But upon this occasion his feelings were warmed and touched, and he called Katy "My dear child," which was much better than "Thy handmaiden."
When the ceremony was over, Ned kissed Katy, and her father kissed her, and the girls and Dorry and Phil; and then, without waiting for any one else, she left her place and went straight to where Cousin Helen lay on her sofa, watching the scene with those clear, tender eyes in which no shadow of past regrets could be detected. Katy knelt down beside her, and they exchanged a long, silent embrace. There was no need for words between hearts which knew each other so well.
After that for a little while all was congratulations and good wishes. I think no bride ever carried more hearty good-will into her new life than did my Katy. All sorts of people took Ned off into corners to tell him privately what a fortunate person he was in winning such a wife. Each fresh confidence of this sort was a fresh delight to him, he so thoroughly agreed with it.
"She"s a prize, sir!--she"s a prize!" old Mr. Worrett kept repeating, shaking Ned"s hand with each repet.i.tion. Mrs. Worrett had not been able to come. She never left home now on account of the prevailing weakness of carryalls; but she sent Katy her best love and a gorgeous broom made of the tails of her own peac.o.c.ks.
"Aren"t you sorry you are not going to stay and have a nice time with us all, and help eat up the rest of the cake?" demanded Clover, as she put her head into the carriage for a last kiss, two hours later.
"Very!" said Katy; but she didn"t look sorry at all.
"There"s one comfort," Clover remarked valiantly, as she walked back to the house with her arm round Rose"s waist. "She"s coming back in December, when the ship sails, and as likely as not she will stay a year, or perhaps two. That"s what I like about the navy. You can eat your cake, and have it too. Husbands go off for good long times, and leave their wives behind them. I think it"s delightful!"
"I wonder if Katy will think it quite so delightful," remarked Rose.
"Girls are not always so anxious to ship their husbands off for what you call "good long times.""
"I think she ought. It seems to me perfectly unnatural that any one should want to leave her own family and go away for always. I like Ned dearly, but except for this blessed arrangement about going to sea, I don"t see how Katy could."
"Clover, you are a goose. You"ll be wiser one of these days, see if you aren"t," was Rose"s only reply.
CHAPTER IV.
TWO LONG YEARS IN ONE SHORT CHAPTER.
Katy"s absence left a sad blank in the household. Every one missed her, but n.o.body so much as Clover, who all her life long had been her room-mate, confidante, and intimate friend.
It was a great help that Rose was there for the first three lonely days.
Dulness and sadness were impossible with that vivacious little person at hand; and so long as she stayed, Clover had small leisure to be mournful.
Rose was so bright and merry and affectionate that Elsie and John were almost as much in love with her as Clover herself, and sat and sunned themselves in her warmth, so to speak, all day long, while Phil and Dorry fairly quarrelled as to which should have the pleasure of doing little services for her and Baby Rose.
If she could have remained the summer through, all would have seemed easy; but that of course was impossible. Mr. Browne appeared with a provoking punctuality on the morning of the fourth day, prepared to carry his family away with him. He spent one night at Dr. Carr"s, and they all liked him very much. No one could help it, he was so cordial and friendly and pleasant. Still, for all her liking, Clover could have found it in her heart to quite detest him as the final moment drew near.
"Let him go home without you," she urged coaxingly. "Stay with us all summer,--you and little Rose! He can come back in September to fetch you, and it would be so delightful to us."
"My dear, I couldn"t live without Deniston till September," said the disappointing Rose. "It may not show itself to a casual observer, but I am really quite foolish about Deniston. I shouldn"t be happy away from him at all. He"s the only husband I"ve got,--a "poor thing, but mine own," as the "immortal William" puts it."
"Oh, dear," groaned Clover. "That is the way that Katy is going to talk about Ned, I suppose. Matrimony is the most aggravating condition of things for outsiders that was ever invented. I wish n.o.body _had_ invented it. Here it would be so nice for us to have you stay, and the moment that provoking husband of yours appears, you can"t think of any one else."
"Too true--much too true. Now, Clovy, don"t embitter our last moments with reproaches. It"s hard enough to leave you as it is, when I"ve just found you again after all these years. I"ve had the most beautiful visit that ever was, and you"ve all been awfully dear and nice. "Kiss me quick and let me go," as the song says. I only wish Burnet was next door to West Cedar Street!"
Next day Mr. Browne sailed away with his "handful of Roses," as Elsie sentimentally termed them (and indeed, Rose by herself would have been a handful for almost any man); and Clover, like Lord Ullin, was "left lamenting." Cousin Helen remained, however; and it was not till she too departed, a week later, that Clover fully recognized what it meant to have Katy married. Then indeed she could have found it in her heart to emulate Eugenie de la Ferronayes, and shed tears over all the little inanimate objects which her sister had left behind,--the worn-out gloves, the old dressing slippers in the shoe-bag. But dear me, we get used to everything, and it is fortunate that we do! Life is too full, and hearts too flexible, and really sad things too sad, for the survival of sentimental regrets over changes which do not involve real loss and the wide separation of death. In time, Clover learned to live without Katy, and to be cheerful still.
Her cheerfulness was greatly helped by the letters which came regularly, and showed how contented Katy herself was. She and Ned were having a beautiful time, first in New York, and making visits near it, then in Portsmouth and Portland, when the frigate moved on to these harbors, and in Newport, which was full and gay and amusing to the last degree. Later, in August, the letters came from Bar Harbor, where Katy had followed, in company with the commodore"s wife, who seemed as nice as her husband; and Clover heard of all manner of delightful doings,--sails, excursions, receptions on board ship, and long moonlight paddles with Ned, who was an expert canoeist. Everybody was so wonderfully kind, Katy said; but Ned wrote to his sister that Katy was a great favorite; every one liked her, and his particular friends were all raging wildly round in quest of girls just like her to marry. "But it"s no use; for, as I tell them," he added, "that sort isn"t made in batches. There is only one Katy; and happily she belongs to me, and the other fellows must get along as they can."
This was all satisfactory and comforting; and Clover could endure a little loneliness herself so long as her beloved Katy seemed so happy. She was very busy besides, and there _were_ compensations, as she admitted to herself. She liked the consequence of being at the head of domestic affairs, and succeeding to Katy"s position as papa"s special daughter,--the person to whom he came for all he wanted, and to whom he told his little secrets. She and Elsie became more intimate than they had ever been before; and Elsie in her turn enjoyed being Clover"s lieutenant as Clover had been Katy"s. So the summer did not seem long to any of them; and when September was once past, and they could begin to say, "month after next," the time sped much faster.
"Mrs. Hall asked me this morning when the Worthingtons were coming," said Johnnie, one day. "It seems so funny to have Katy spoken of as "the Worthingtons.""
"I only wish the Worthingtons would write and say when," remarked Clover.
"It is more than a week since we heard from them."
The next day brought the wished-for letter, and the good news that Ned had a fortnight"s leave, and meant to bring Katy home the middle of November, and stay for Thanksgiving. After that the "Natchitoches" was to sail for an eighteen months" cruise to China and j.a.pan; and then Ned would probably have two years ash.o.r.e at the Torpedo Station or Naval Academy or somewhere, and they would start a little home for themselves.
"Meantime," wrote Katy, "I am coming to spend a year and a half with you, if urged. Don"t all speak at once, and don"t mind saying so, if you don"t want me."
The bitter drop in this pleasant intelligence--there generally is one, you know--was that the fortnight of Ned"s stay was to be spent at Mrs. Ashe"s.
"It"s her only chance to see Ned," said Katy; "so I know you won"t mind, for afterward you will have me for such a long visit."
But they _did_ mind very much!
"I don"t think it"s fair," cried Johnnie, hotly, while Clover and Elsie exchanged disgusted looks; "Katy belongs to us."
"Katy belongs to her husband, on the contrary," said Dr. Carr, overhearing her; "you must learn that lesson once for all, children.
There"s no escape from the melancholy fact; and it"s quite right and natural that Ned should wish to go to his sister, and she should want to have him."
"Ned! yes. But Katy--"
"My dear, Katy _is_ Ned," answered Dr. Carr, with a twinkle. Then noticing the extremely unconvinced expression of Johnnie"s face, he added more seriously, "Don"t be cross, children, and spoil all Katy"s pleasure in coming home, with your foolish jealousies. Clover, I trust to you to take these young mutineers in hand and make them listen to reason."
Thus appealed to, Clover rallied her powers, and while laboring to bring Elsie and John to a proper frame of mind, schooled herself as well, so as to be able to treat Mrs. Ashe amiably when they met. Dear, unconscious Polly meanwhile was devising all sorts of pleasant and hospitable plans designed to make Ned"s stay a sort of continuous fete to everybody. She put on no airs over the preference shown her, and was altogether so kind and friendly and sweet that no one could quarrel with her even in thought, and Johnnie herself had to forgive her, and be contented with a little whispered grumble to Dorry now and then over the inconvenience of possessing "people-in-law."
And then Katy came, the same Katy, only, as Clover thought, nicer, brighter, dearer, and certainly better-looking than ever. Sea air had tanned her a little, but the brown was becoming; and she had gained an ease and polish of manner which her sisters admired very much. And after all, it seemed to make little difference at which house they stayed, for they were in and out of both all day long; and Mrs. Ashe threw her doors open to the Carrs and wanted some or all of them for every meal, so that except for the name of the thing, it was almost as satisfactory to have Katy over the way as occupying her old quarters.