CHAPTER XI.
In less than a week after the Crolys had signified their intention ofaccepting the invitation to Roselands the news of their safe arrival wascommunicated to the family at Ion, and as soon as the doctor thoughtMrs. Croly sufficiently rested to see visitors, Grandma Elsie and Rosiecalled upon them there.
They were mutually pleased--Mrs. Croly delighted with the prospect ofhaving so charming a daughter as Rosie.
And now preparations for the wedding went on rapidly, the bride-elect,and those who were to be her attendants, being particularly interestedin regard to their attire for the great occasion, and keeping thedressmakers very busy in fashioning their finery.
Then, as the time drew near, relatives and friends from a distance beganto arrive.
To the great joy of Mrs. Calhoun Conly her parents were among thefirst, and their and her near relatives from Indiana and Louisiana soonfollowed; their coming giving great pleasure to both her aunt Annis andherself, as well as to the Ion family. Mrs. Betty Norris and her brotherDr. Robert Johnson, their half brother Dr. Dick Percival, and his sisterMrs. Molly Embury of Magnolia Hall, with her husband, were among thelater arrivals, and about the same time came Captain Donald Keith,having succeeded in obtaining a furlough for several weeks.
He, Dr. Percival, and several others of the family relatives were atfirst domiciled at Woodburn, where they were made very welcome and mosthospitably entertained. Donald's was the first arrival, though only aday or so in advance of the others. He and Captain Raymond met with allthe old cordiality, evidently glad to renew the comradeship of earlierdays, while Violet's greeting was warm and cousinly, and that of theyoung girls such as they might be reasonably expected to bestow upon avalued friend and relative of the family.
Donald, hardly realising how many months and years had rolled by sincehis last sight of them, was surprised at their growth in height andbeauty, and did not wonder at their father's evident pride and delightin claiming them as his own.
But for the few days between his coming among them and the wedding therewas little opportunity for becoming intimately acquainted, so greatlyinterested and occupied with the preparations for it were they, and,indeed, all the family connection. He furtively watched them, however,while Captain Raymond, calling to mind a talk he had had with Donald atWest Point, some years before, in regard to his eldest daughter, did thesame by him whenever the two were together in his presence. He notedwith pleasure that Lucilla evidently cared for Captain Keith only as arelative and friend of the family, never thinking of him as a lover oradmirer of herself, or likely to become one.
"She is still satisfied with her father's affection," was his pleasingthought. "She evidently cares little or nothing for other men, and I mayhope to keep her altogether my own for years to come; though there aresome half dozen or more young fellows who, as I plainly perceive, arelooking upon her with longing eyes."
That fact was evident to Violet, also, and she jestingly referred to itat one time when, for a few moments, they were alone together.
"My dear," she said, "be watchful if you would not be robbed of Lu,perhaps of Gracie, also; for the dear girls are entirely too charmingfor you to hope to escape an effort from somebody to take them fromyou."
"I agree with you in that idea, but am not alarmed," he said with a lookof quiet confidence, "believing that my daughters still love theirfather better than any other man, and are satisfied that he seeks theirbest good in refusing to consider them as yet old enough to leave hiscare and protection for that of anyone else."
"I am sure you are right," returned Violet, "and very glad I am to thinkI shall not lose their sweet companionship for years, if ever. I feel,though, that it would be very selfish in me to want them to missentirely the great happiness I have found in wedded life," she addedwith a look of ardent affection into his eyes. "But I fear there arenot many husbands equal to mine."
"I hope there are," he said with a smile that was very loving andtender, "and I am sure it could not fail to be the case if there weremany wives as worthy of love and entire devotion as is mine."
"Thank you," she said with a pleased smile. "I cannot tell you how oftenI rejoice in the thought of my husband's blindness to my many faults."
"If there is any such blindness, my dear, I am quite sure it is mutual,"he returned with a look of amusement, adding, "and we will try to keepit up; won't we?"
"Yes, indeed," was her laughing rejoinder, "and I hope Rosie and herWill may be led to follow our good example in that respect."
"As I do," he rejoined; "and, knowing them both as I do know them, Ithink there is every prospect of it."
This talk was upon a side veranda where they sat watching their twolittle ones at play together in the grounds.
"Papa!" cried Ned at this moment, running toward them, "didn't you hearthe telephone bell? I thought I did."
"No, my son," returned the captain; "and if it is ringing, one of yoursisters will answer it, no doubt. They are both upstairs."
"It did ring, papa, and I answered it," said Lucilla, stepping from theopen doorway and coming swiftly toward him. "Rosie was calling to methat there is to be a rehearsal of to-morrow's wedding ceremony, thisevening, and asking if we can come over and take our parts. May we? Willyou take us?"
"I say yes to both queries," was the pleasant-toned reply. "I will orderout the carriage and we will all drive over directly after tea. I havebeen told that our gentlemen guests are all to spend the evening thereor at Beechwood or Roselands."
"Oh, I like that!" exclaimed Lucilla. "And now, our wedding dressesbeing entirely finished, Grace and I are going to try them on. Will ourfather, Mamma Vi, Elsie, and Ned come up presently and see what theythink of our appearance in them?"
"Of course we will," answered Violet. "I can speak for myself and thechildren, and have not a doubt of Captain Raymond's desire to see howwell the dainty gowns become his young-lady daughters."
"He hardly considers them young ladies yet, Mamma Vi," laughed Lulu."And I am sure I don't want him to, for I dearly love to have him callme his own little girl," she concluded, with a look of ardent filiallove and respect into her father's eyes. "I hope he will let me alwaysbe that to him."
"Always, while you wish it, daughter mine," he responded in low, tendertones, affectionately pressing the hand she had laid in his. "Now go,array yourself in your finery, and we will follow in a few moments," headded in a little louder key, and she hastened to obey.
"Oh, mamma!" cried Elsie, who had drawn near enough to overhear nearlyall that had been said, "mayn't I try my wedding dress on, too? You knowit is almost finished--all but sewing on a few buttons, Alma said awhile ago."
"I have no objection," said Violet, rising. "Come, and I will help youput it on."
"Your wedding dress, Elsie? you are not old enough to get married,"laughed Ned. "Is she, papa?"
"No, indeed! very far from it," the captain said. "Even her oldersisters are much too young for that; but they seem to so have namedtheir new gowns because of having had them made expressly to be worn atthe wedding."
"Yes, sir; I suppose that is what they mean. Aunt Rosie's will be theonly real wedding dress, and I heard mamma say it was very handsomeindeed. And I like my new suit you bought me to wear to the wedding; andyour new one, too."
"I am glad you are satisfied," his father said. "The dress of the ladieswill be noticed much more than yours or mine, but it is only right thatmen and boys should take pains to be neatly and suitably attired. Now Ithink we may follow your mother and sisters and see what they have toshow us."
The dresses were pronounced by all beautiful, perfect in regard to fit,trimming, and suitability to the occasion on which they were to be worn;very becoming, also, the captain remarked in an aside to his wife; aremark to which she gave a hearty and unqualified assent.
"We'll wear these dresses to Ion to-night, won't we, mamma?" askedElsie.
"Oh, no, child!" replied Violet; "the rehearsal will be gone throughwith in ordinary attire,
and these grand dresses kept perfectly freshfor the wedding. Come, now, we must make haste with the change, for thetea bell will ring presently. It is well you took a good nap thisafternoon, for I fear you are likely to be kept up late."
"Probably a little later than usual," said their father, "though, asto-morrow is to be so exciting a day, I intend to bring you all home inpretty good season; that you may be able to take such a night's rest aswill give you the needed strength to go through the trying ordeal."
"There, papa," laughed Grace, "you talk as if we were all going to bemarried."
"Dear me, but I am glad we are not!" exclaimed Lucilla, "and that I amnot the one that is."
"Quite a lucid remark, my child," laughed her father. "But now I willleave you to make the necessary changes in your dress that you may beready for a drive on leaving the tea table."
They hastened to obey, helping each other and laughing and chattingmerrily as they worked. They were ready when the summons to the teatable came, and, directly after leaving it, all entered the familycarriage and drove to Ion, greatly enjoying the balmy air, the easymotion over the smooth roads, and all the sweet sights and sounds oflovely summer time in the country. They never wearied of those familiarthings, daily blessings though they were.
The sun was near its setting when they reached Ion, where they found agathering of friends and relatives unusual in its size, though notnearly so large as it would be on the coming day, when the great eventwas to take place.
Walter was one of the first to greet them, having reached home thatmorning and been ever since much excited over the situation ofaffairs--the prospect of losing Rosie, his youngest and only singlesister out of the home nest, as a permanent resident there.
"Glad to see you, Vi!" he exclaimed, seizing his sister, Mrs. Raymond,in a warm embrace. "Glad to see you all--Brother Levis, Lu, Gracie, andyou little folks. Of course you haven't forgotten Uncle Walter in thelong months since we parted in Paradise Valley?"
"No, indeed!" answered several voices.
"And we are all very glad to see you at home among us again--I must notsay little brother, according to former custom, I suppose?" added Violetin merry accents; "for you have grown into a fine young gentleman."
"Thank you," he returned with a slightly embarrassed laugh. "Well, Imean to try to be, as well as to seem."
But others were crowding about, and in the exchange of greetings,questions, and answers, there were time and opportunity for no more.
There was a pleasant bustle, a good deal of mirth and laughter, theyoung folks going about from room to room to examine the tastefularrangements for the grand affair of the morrow--then, the last one ofthose selected to take part in the ceremony having arrived, they wentthrough their rehearsal; so that even the little flower girls might beperfect in their parts, knowing just how and when to enter the room,where to stand and what to do.
They were greatly interested and very anxious to do all in the bestpossible manner, that no one might be mortified by their failure and ledto regret that they had been chosen to perform that particular part.They succeeded admirably, and were delighted with the praise freelybestowed upon them by one and another of the onlookers, including theguests and the members of the different families present.
When all seemed perfect in their parts, which no one found verydifficult, some simple refreshments were served, and presently afterCaptain Raymond and his family departed for Woodburn, Captain DonaldKeith and Dr. Dick Percival accompanying them.
It was something of a disappointment to both these gentlemen that, veryshortly after arriving there, Captain Raymond advised his daughters toretire, in order that they might feel entirely rested and refreshedbefore entering upon the exciting pleasures and fatigues of the comingday.
"I know it is the best plan for me, papa," returned Grace in cheerfultones, and began her good-nights at once.
"For me too, since I want all the beauty sleep I can get in preparationfor to-morrow," laughed Lucilla, "though of course it is by no means sonecessary for the bride's attendants as for herself."
"Ah! is that because they are so much handsomer to begin with?"
"Oh, papa! please refrain from asking such hard questions!" was theresponse in tones of mock entreaty; "hard because they seem to imply agood deal of vanity in me. I was only meaning that, of course, thebride's appearance will attract the most attention."
"Ah! was that it? Well, my child, say good-night and go; get to bedquickly, put aside thoughts of to-morrow's gaieties, and indulge insleep so sound and refreshing that you will be ready to give your fatherhis usual companionship in his early stroll about the grounds."
"I'll do my best to follow all those directions, sir," she said with abright, pleased look. "Good-night, gentlemen," turning toward theguests. "I hope you will both sleep well and find to-morrow'sfestivities very enjoyable." And with that she hastened away, leavingthe three gentlemen alone upon the veranda, for Violet was seeing herlittle ones to bed.
"What a rich man you are, Raymond!" remarked Keith, half unconsciouslysighing slightly as he spoke.
"You are right," returned the captain cheerily, "my wife and childrenbeing by far the most valuable of my possessions. I only wish that youand your friend here," glancing at Dr. Percival as he spoke, "wereequally wealthy. But you are younger men, and may hope to become as richas I am by the time you are my age."
"Hardly; so far as I am concerned, at least," returned Keith drily;"seeing I am already some ten or a dozen years older than you were atthe time of your first marriage, Raymond."
"Yet by no means too old to hope yet to become in the near future ahappy husband and father. I am at a loss to understand why you have notfound a mate before this."
"Ah, none so blind as those that won't see!" returned Keith with aslight laugh; then changed the subject of conversation by asking aquestion in regard to the plans of the young couple expecting to beunited on the morrow.
Captain Raymond answered the query. A moment's silence followed; thenKeith, turning to Dick, said: "I presume you and I are of about the sameage, doctor?"
"Quite likely; and confirmed bachelors, both of us, it would seem," wasthe nonchalant rejoinder. "I am some years older than Cousin Vi."
"Not too old for reformation, however," remarked Captain Raymondpleasantly. "And let me assure you that a wife--such as mine, forinstance--is a very great blessing; doubling the happiness of life."
"I don't doubt it, sir," said Dick; "but such an one is not to be pickedup every day."
"No, certainly not. I have always felt myself strangely fortunate insecuring so great a treasure."
"As you well may," remarked Keith pleasantly; "yet your good fortune hasbeen largely owing to your undoubted worthiness of it, Raymond."
"In which opinion I agree with you heartily, Cousin Donald," respondedViolet's sweet voice close at hand, taking them by surprise, for, in theearnestness of their talk they had not perceived the sound of her lightapproaching footsteps. "I think there is nothing good which is beyond myhusband's deserts," she added as all three rose hastily to hand her to aseat, Donald saying:
"So you overheard me, Coz! Well, please remember that it was I whobrought you two together. An act which seems to have born abundance ofgood fruit in the happiness of all concerned."
"I think it has," she said, her husband adding, "And for which I, atleast, owe you a deep debt of gratitude."
"And not you alone, my dear," said Violet; "and in return I can wish himnothing better than wedded happiness equal to our own."
"A wish in which I heartily unite with you," said Captain Raymond.