Review, Revision, Edit and UpdateAside from that significant addition, there were few other very minor issues to rewrite, involving punctuation and single word repairs (i.e. - using 'this' instead of 'the')
The Wedding
In a world gone mad with the sadness and tragedy of Covid19, it was as though this threat had never existed. The sun shone through the leaves of the ancient redwood. The wedding party, in the dappled sunlight, seemed blessed by fairy dust. Their big day had been magical. Martha Haverstock, radiant in her wedding dress all cream coloured and lace, wore a crown of yellow wild flowers that held a short veil drifting shoulder length at the back. Martha’s granddaughter Abby had gathered the wild flowers for her grandmother. The two of them made the chain of flowers that became the crown. Martha’s daughter, Joanie, dressed in a soft mauve summer dress, gave her mother away. James Edward Digby, the groom, was handsome in a grey summer tuxedo. He had thought it too informal, but Giles Thornton, the Estate chauffeur, had convinced him that today of all days, James’ butlerish formality needed to be set aside.
Leading the beautiful bride down the grassy aisle to her handsome groom were Martha's grandchildren. Nine year old Ben Richardson, ring bearer, dressed in his new summer suit of dove grey, walked proudly ahead of his sister. A little to firmly, he held a small cream coloured satin pillow. His precious two golden wedding rings tied securely in place, to present to the waiting ushers. Five year old Abby Richardson, walking between Ben and the bride, wore a brand-new dress of very light mauve, a cream coloured ribbon tied in a bow at the back, was at her waist. She carried a small bouquet of the wild flowers she had gathered. At the last minute, before they all began their measured walk, Martha picked out two tiny flowers from her crowned veil to tuck one into Ben's lapel and another in the cream coloured head band holding Abby's shiny brown curls. Martha pulled a lacy handkerchief from her bosom and wiped her eyes of tiny teardrops. Tucking it back in it's place, she took her daughter Joanie's arm and stood tall, ready for their walk in the sun.
No one recognized Samuel Forrester, James’ best man. Usually seen in the garden in a worn straw hat and work clothes, Samuel had been into Hartley fora proper hair cut. Mary Elizabeth Saunders, better known as Cook, had insisted that he do so. He didn’t know what a best man should wear, so Elizabeth went with him. A men’s clothing store, now open to the public, was their hunting ground. He wasn’t going to wear anything ‘too uppity’ and finally chose slate grey slacks, a short sleeved white shirt and a summer weight navy blazer. Elizabeth, Martha’s maid of honour, chose a good cotton dress that she could wear again - a sensible shirt waist dress in a deeper mauve than Joanie’s Maid of Honour dress.
No one recognized Samuel Forrester, James’ best man. Usually seen in the garden in a worn straw hat and work clothes, Samuel had been into Hartley fora proper hair cut. Mary Elizabeth Saunders, better known as Cook, had insisted that he do so. He didn’t know what a best man should wear, so Elizabeth went with him. A men’s clothing store, now open to the public, was their hunting ground. He wasn’t going to wear anything ‘too uppity’ and finally chose slate grey slacks, a short sleeved white shirt and a summer weight navy blazer. Elizabeth, Martha’s maid of honour, chose a good cotton dress that she could wear again - a sensible shirt waist dress in a deeper mauve than Joanie’s Maid of Honour dress.
Giles Thornton and Brigitte Smithson, Emelina Beaufort’s companion and secretary were the ushers for the very small group. Two of the invited guests were Emelina Beaufort and her sister, Desperanza Eliot. Emelina’s closet provided her with a flowing knee length dress in a floral print of lilacs. Dez’s closet was quite bare for what she would have called dress-up clothes. Emelina took her shopping and dressed her in grey dress slacks and a deep purple tunic. She lent her a glass pendant encasing a black dragonfly. Dr. Jeremy Crawford, a long time friend of Emmie’s, Matt Hamilton, and Joey Tucker, the young man recently hired for housecleaning were the only other guests. Reverend Tucker, from Hartley and Joey’s father, officiated this long awaited wedding, meeting the bride and groom only weeks prior to the wedding. His son Joey, had recommended him to Martha and James when he overheard a troubled kitchen conversation that no minister could be found.
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“James, wasn’t everyone beautiful? And my sweet grandchildren! So precious. It was such a magical day.” Martha sat back in the front seat of their car. “Martha, you were the most beautiful.” She reached her hand to James, he reached his to hers. “Martha dear, here we are. Do you like this little cottage?” His new wife and oldest friend took a deep breath. “Oh, James it is absolutely charming. However did you find it?”
The couple originally planned a ferry trip to one of the Gulf islands, but restrictions had changed their plans. James scoured the internet for a cottage to rent on Vancouver Island outside of Hartley. He was about to give up when a little cottage a few miles off the main highway and close to the ocean popped on the screen. Tucked into the trees, and close to the ocean, they could walk to a near by beach. It was close to a small town with groceries so they would have all the privacy they wanted. It would be a week of loving and happy relaxation for Mr. and Mrs. James Digby.
“It is such a happiness when good people get together — and they always do.”
~ Jane Austen
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