Rae flashed a look at Paul now. Paul had told that story on purpose to cover Link’s entrance. Paul was grand! Even if they all did think he was a little high hat with some people, he was a loyal friend. And he had done the courteous tactful thing.
But the unpleasant interlude was passed. Rae had a feeling that Minnie would not again appear on the scene that night. Unless somehow she managed to get into the church. That might happen. But she couldn’t do much damage there. They would all be busy rehearsing.
Rae looked down at her lovely dress and felt suddenly very grand and very happy. It was a beautiful gown, and the girls had all told her she looked wonderful. And she couldn’t help reading it in every one of the boys’ eyes. Except of course Curlin’s. Curlin never noticed dresses. He never noticed girls much anyway. That was what Minnie had said, wasn’t it? Disgusting! Well, Curlin was a splendid friend. They had known him ever since he was a small boy. Their houses in the country were next door to each other, and Curlin and Steve both had been as much at home in the Silverthorn house as they were themselves. It was like having three brothers. And they had always taken Rae into their fun, or their work, baseball or football or plowing or building a fence. She had had her part, and was always treated like a good comrade. She had never considered Curlin the way Minnie had been judging him that afternoon. It had been revolting for her to speak of him that way!
She studied Curlin from across the table. His strong face, the leanness of it, and the character expressed in the firm chin, the pleasant lips. He wasn’t quite as strikingly handsome as Paul, nor Steve perhaps, not as good looking as Link, but there was something about him that seemed so quiet and dependable.
Suddenly, as if she had been speaking her thoughts to Curlin aloud he looked up and caught her eye, seemed almost to study her for a moment, let his eye take in the pretty lines of her new garb, and then his glance met hers, and she saw for the first time in his face a flame of admiration. It was something well controlled but like a flame it could not hide its quick vital power. Rae smiled back shyly, her face flaming into lovely delicate beauty like a flower, and a sweet embarrassment covered her. She had a new dress on, his eyes said, and he liked it. His glance went quickly around the table and came back to her, and he seemed to be trying to make her understand that she was the prettiest girl in the room!
Silly! This was all imagination, set on fire by Minnie’s utterly senseless talk in the afternoon! But yet, several times before the meal was over she found herself seeking Curlin’s eyes, as if to find in them that same glad glance again. But nonetheless, she must have imagined it she told herself. Although he smiled pleasantly more than once, the smiles were not for her alone. As she sat thinking over the whole situation, Rae’s glance went from one to another.
Steve had always been what the boys called “a pretty boy” with his pink cheeks, his gold curly hair and big blue eyes. Steve made a wonderful girl when they dressed him up in girl’s clothes for a tableau or a play. And there was Paul Redfern. He was handsome and distinguished looking. She studied him a moment till he glanced her way and smiled. Paul was fine, with a certain dignity about him, a little like Link. Link had dignity too. She looked at him critically, and decided that even though he was her brother she was unbiased in her decision that he was the best looking man in the room.
Then her eyes went over to the groom, and to the best man who was seated so near to herself that she could scarcely tell how he looked. But he was nice enough, too. They had joked Sydney a lot by telling her she had picked out all the good-looking men for her wedding procession regardless of who they were, but she hadn’t picked out the best man. The groom had done that. Well, he was all right. Only she wished he wasn’t having to walk down the aisle with her. She would so much rather have had one of the boys she knew well. But of course the maid of honor had to walk with the best man.
Then suddenly there was a stir. The dessert was finished, even to the coffee, and someone had discovered that it was time to go to the church. Quickly they were marshaled into cars and on their way.
Then the great stone church loomed up among the tall trees along the broad lighted avenue and they had arrived.
The church was not brightly lighted yet, just a small light at the front door, a dim one in the windows up near the pulpit end. There were no crowds around. Mr. Hollis had taken care that this rehearsal should be very private and very quiet.
But the lights sprang up as soon as they were inside with the door fastened. Rae drew a breath of real relief when she heard the key turn in the lock. She had had a secret fear lest Minnie might turn up at the church and make trouble again, and perhaps make it necessary for Link to take her away. She didn’t want Link’s pleasure in the evening spoiled, nor her friends’, either.
But there was no sign of Minnie anywhere, and soon the rehearsal was in full swing. The organ was filling the great arches with exquisite music, and the girls in their pretty dinner dresses were making their slow graceful way up the aisle, learning the exact spot where each was to stop and become a fixture for the ceremony. Over and over again they tried it, gradually becoming perfect in the formal picture that the whole event was to be.
“I didn’t think we were going to get rid of our beloved cousin so easily,” murmured Sydney to Link. “How did you manage it so briskly and so completely, Link? It was you whom father bribed to dispose of her, wasn’t it?”
“Why, yes, I took her over to Mrs. Fremont’s,” said Link. “It isn’t far, you know.”
“Yes, but Min is difficult,” said Sydney ruefully. “I hardly expected you back tonight. Min has ways.”
“Well, I had no trouble,” said Link. “I just took her there and introduced her.” He grinned.
“Well, I’m sure it was one of two things. Either she found some unattached man there who was most attractive, or else you must have put the fear of death into her.”
But Link’s only answer was another grin.
At last they were done with the rehearsal, and Mrs. Hollis marshaled them into the cars and took them home, where a pleasant refreshment in the form of tiny sandwiches and hot chocolate awaited them. They had a lively time talking over old days and singing a few old songs, bits of reminiscences of their young days, recalling old times, telling now and then a funny story to the bridegroom, and getting really acquainted with him. And it was all so free and easy and happy that no one even remembered to think of Minnie Lazarelle and wonder why she had not returned. They were having the delightful evening together that they had all anticipated, and even Link forgot the incident of the early evening that had made a few unpleasant moments for himself and their hosts.
It was only after the young men had returned to Paul’s house and were merrily arranging themselves for sleep that the incident was mentioned.
“Good old Link!” said Luther Waite, sleepily, pausing beside Link and patting him clumsily on his head as Link was about to pull off his shirt. “You’re certainly my good angel, Link. Under ordinary circumstances that act you put over, taking that poor goof away, would have been left to me, and boy! I tell you if it had, they would have had to drag the river for my poor body, for I would have run to the ends of the earth before I would have escorted that dame anywhere. I certainly would not have remained to see what became of her in my absence, either, and that’s the truth.”
“Yes, Link, I’ll give you the credit of doing a very nice job in a most discreet manner,” said Paul with a smile of commendation.
“Yes,” chimed in Reeves Leighton, “how did you do it so neatly and with such expedition? I’ve seen others fail utterly who were almost as well equipped mentally and physically. Tell us your secret. What mysterious power did you invoke? We might get caught in some such a jam ourselves some day.”
“Oh, forget it!” said Link with a yawn. “Let’s turn in. I did a big day’s work this morning before I drove to town, and I’m not sure but I may have to do another tomorrow morning before I jump into my glad rags and go to the wedding, s
o have mercy, lads, and let’s get some sleep!”
They were up early, nevertheless, and Link was off to get his necessary work out of the way so that he could be on hand with the others that afternoon.
The hours seemed to move too swiftly as the day drew to a close, and excitement ran high. There were more and more presents to unwrap and place with the others, and Sydney sat at her little desk in the upper hallway and wildly dashed off notes of thanks. The girls hovered over the presents, admired and sometimes envied, and rejoiced over them all. Then suddenly they scurried to their rooms to get dressed, and the boys dashed back to Paul’s to do likewise, and not long after they appeared again as dignified well dressed ushers hovering around the church door, smiling and escorting the ladies to their places, and dropping back again to the door to gaze down the long awning-covered approach to see if the girls were coming yet.
It was Luther Waite who almost caused a panic among them. His station had been the vestibule at the left hand door, under the great curved stairway that led to the left galleries.
“Holy Mackerel, fellas,” he said under his breath, furtively peering out from the shadows. “If you see me beating it you’ll know that Minerva baby has come. If she turns up you can’t expect me to go on with my part. You’ll hafta get me a substitute quick! Because if she gets here she’ll freeze onto me and take me up the aisle, and smirk at me all the way, and that’s one thing I can’t take, fellas, I really can’t!”
“Oh, shut up, you goop!” laughed Lincoln Silverthorn. “She’s not coming, don’t you worry! Get back on your job and forget you ever saw her.”
“Oh, but I can’t forget, Link,” said Luther sadly. “She’s got my goat, and she might come, you know she might!” He was comical in his assumed distress. “And Link,” he added in sudden excitement, “I thought I saw her then, I really did. Right behind that man with the goatee. There! Isn’t that the gal with those pink doodads on her head?”
“Calm yourself, Lutie!” said Link, lowering his voice. “you take that gray lady and go on about your business. Don’t let any more fool gals get your goat. Besides, they don’t allow goats in this church, and you’ve got a job to walk back up the aisle with Sue Richards, so you’d better watch out. Get going, kid, and stop your nonsense!”
A few minutes later Link discovered the girl in question sitting far up in the back of the gallery, out of sight of the wedding party, but in a position where she could see the whole ceremony herself.
He had thought he recognized her slight form scuttling up the gallery stairs just after Luther had marched his gray lady in to her seat on the groom’s side of the church. When he could snatch a moment he hid himself for an instant behind the banks of palms up by the altar and searched the gallery until he discovered her pale wistful face. He only gave her a glance, but the impression he got of her was that she was sad and unhappy. Her lips were not vivid as he remembered them, her face was very white, and her eyes were big and tired looking. Also her attire seemed very plain, not at all bright and dashing as she usually was. And this for a wedding! It somehow gave him an uneasy feeling. He was suddenly reminded of the sharp words he had said to her last night and felt that perhaps he was to blame for her unhappiness. She deserved them of course, but it hadn’t entered his head that they would make any deep impression on her. A girl who broke every rule of courtesy wherever she was, who had barged into Sydney’s wedding unbidden, and come back again after she had been sent away! Could this be just another act she was putting on, with herself for persecuted heroine? Well, he was glad he had said what he had, anyway. It was good she should know for once what one young man thought of her.
She was wearing a black dress with a simple white collar, and a small black hat, not a crazy one. It wasn’t like her to dress so simply at an evening event. Well, he couldn’t bother his brains about her. He was only glad she was keeping in the background. So when he went back to the vestibule he whispered to Luther Waite.
“Don’t worry, Lutie, the bane of your life is sitting away up in the gallery back by the organ console. And she can’t get downstairs till after you’ve marched out with Sue Richards, so you’re safe.”
Luther answered with a relieved grin and the wedding came to order as a quartette of gorgeous voices began to sing:
“Fair bride and groom, greetings to thee,
Heaven’s choicest blessings descend rich and free,
Long may you live, loyal and true,
Happy in love ever rich, ever new.”
The last notes blended into the good old wedding march that always has a special thrill for the audience no matter how many weddings they have attended, and a breathlessness went over the church.
Now came the bridesmaids slowly, delicately, in all the colors of the rainbow, leading the procession. And how handsome the groom was, so happy-looking, with his pleasant stranger-best-man beside him! The groom was watching his approaching bride, and his face was as if a great happy light was over it. Did he know what a wonderful girl he was getting? Did he really know her well enough to take her away from them all? Would he treat her as a grand girl like that ought to be treated?
Sydney’s maid of honor wondered as these thoughts and questions surged about the electric atmosphere of the church, how he dared to face them all and just look happy that he was getting her. He wasn’t afraid that he wouldn’t have a happy marriage. He meant to have it. He looked as if it was all in his hands and he had entire confidence in himself. He had on his face the smile that was perhaps the sweetest and most childlike that he had worn for years, or might ever wear again. At least that was the impression Rae Silverthorn got as she looked at him from the vantage point of the aisle, and realized that he was looking straight over her beautiful pink maid of honor dress, back to his lovely white bride behind her. She was glad for Sydney’s sake that his eyes were all for her friend, and not at all for the general beautiful effect of everything, colors and flowers and pretty girl faces.
And the girl in black away up in the gallery saw his look, too, and her hungry heart winced. Would any young man, a nice young man like that, ever look at her that way?
The wedding party drifted into place and arranged themselves with no seeming effort, and then came Sydney on her father’s arm and the solemn service began.
Rae stood there sweetly beside her friend, her gorgeous sheaf of roses and delphiniums lying over her left arm so that there would be plenty of room without shifting them to receive the bride’s white roses and valley lilies when the proper time came. Then she settled to listen to the words of admonition, so gravely full of meaning, shadowing forth so many possibilities of life, and almost shuddered at them. Then came the vows. “Do you thus promise?” and Sydney’s clear voice so steady and so glad, “I do!”
It seemed long while they stood there, but the minutes were over swiftly, and then they were marching down in the procession, Rae with her hand on the arm of the best man. Oh, she was glad this wasn’t a permanent thing for all of them. She was glad she didn’t have to go off tonight with the best man. He was handsome, yes, and he was a lot of fun at the table last night, but if she had to go away with him forever tonight it would break her heart.
And how about the rest of them? Her mind traveled back along the line of the procession. Frannie and Steve Grant? Well that might be all right, but Lou McHale with Curlin, no, never! Whoever thought they ought to go together? Just because Curlin was so good-natured! And was she quite satisfied with Carey Carewe for her precious brother Link? Her heart shrank back from answering that.
And besides she was marching down the aisle with this strange best man and ought to be smiling up into his face and being fascinating.
Then they were out in the vestibule, hurrying down the enclosure to their cars, with so many curious eyes behind them studying how their dresses were made. My! She would have liked to be back there for a minute just to watch themselves all go by!
Minnie Lazarelle watched, and took in every detail, and almost gr
oaned aloud, there in the gallery. It was a lovely wedding.
The reception room at the Hollis house was all hung with silver wires twisted about with smilax, a white carnation at the end of each wire. It was a lovely pace for the bride to stand! And how lovely all their dresses looked together! How the rainbow colors brought out the beauty of the bridal white!
When they were seated about the bride’s table again Rae had a passing thought of the poor arrogant girl who had barged in when they were at the table the night before and spoiled things for a few minutes. Remembering her own experience with that girl she half expected to see her coming in again! Oh, that would be so horrid for Sydney to have to remember if it happened again. So worried for Link, for Link would be sure to offer to take her away if anybody had to do it, and he would be the one of course whom they would ask to help in case she came again, he had been so successful last night.
Then how quickly it was all over, Sydney, going up the stairs in her long white gown and veil, standing at the curve and throwing down her lovely flowers, and throwing them straight at Rae, her best friend, of course.
Rae hadn’t intended to try and get them. She felt it wasn’t quite modest to seem to be grabbing for the next chance to be married. For herself, Rae Silverthorn had no immediate desire to be married. Some day perhaps, if God willed it, but not now. And yet that bouquet came straight to her, as if with intention, and almost fell into her arms, as if the others reaching for it suddenly saw Sydney’s loving intention and drew their reaching hands back.
When Sydney came back in her going-away garb she seemed almost a stranger; lovely yet, but already gone from them, and Rae felt a sudden desolation settle down upon her. But there was too much hurry to give way to it, for they were all going to the station to see the bridal pair off, and there were confetti and paper rose leaves, and rice, and a few old slippers to think about as they started away. More rose leaves and rice for the station. Oh, this seemed all out of keeping to Rae, after that sweetly solemn sacrament of marriage.