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Filled with pomp and circumstance.
On New Year’s Day, William awoke at eleven thirty to rather loud knocking. “Are you decent William? Is my son up yet?”

William grabbed his dressing robe. “Come in Mrs. Sweeney,” he called.

Justin stumbled out of his room in his dressing robe with rumpled black hair and stubble. “I was up Ma. I was letting William sleep.”

The tall matronly woman pointed her finger at her son after she put down her bags. “Don’t lie to me. You both were drinking last night.”

“We didn’t drink much and we’re not hung over.”

“Good. I’ve brought you both some sandwiches.” She removed a gift box from her bag. “Now William, I need to give you some advice about tonight.”

“What? Why you?”

“Justin didn’t tell you.” She saw that William looked confused. “I’m a mid-wife. Because Justin was so much younger than his brothers, I used to drag him and his sisters with me on deliveries. His sisters are mid-wives themselves now. Justin may not know about all female issues but he can deliver a baby blindfolded.” Immediately, Justin flushed and ran to his room. “I know all about all kinds of feminine issues. That’s what I’ve come to talk to you about. I’ve had this chat with all my children on their wedding day.”

“I’m not sure this conversation is appropriate.” William quickly took a few bites of his sandwich.

“A bride’s wedding night is just as memorable as her wedding day. It can be a pleasant or painful memory depending on you. Which do you choose?”

Putting his embarrassment aside, he made his choice. “Pleasant,” he answered.

“First, get her tipsy. This will help her to relax.”

“Elisabeth is very ….excited about it. I’m not sure that really applies.” William opened the present to find lavender oil.

“Even if she’s excited, her body will be tense which is very bad. Her body needs to be relaxed. As for the oil, you use it the same way most men do by themselves.”

William blushed. “Shouldn’t you be talking to Justin about these things?”

“Not until the night before his wedding,” she answered. “Jane is a nice girl and I don’t want to encourage scandalous behavior. Now finish your sandwich and I’ll make sure Justin hasn’t gone back to bed.”

William took the last bite of his sandwich when he heard Justin panic. “Ma!”

“Relax; I’ve seen it all before. I’m just glad you’re nearly ready.”

William finished his sandwich and bathed. Afterwards, he donned his dark grey morning coat, a periwinkle vest that the Leveaus made, dark gray trousers, a cream color cravat that matched his shirt and lavender gloves stitched in black. He looked smart in his morning coat, the trend nowadays having replaced the frock coat. Elisabeth loved him in a frock coat and he thought he looked rather dashing in it. Bucking the trend, he grabbed the double caped frock coat that Ezra had given him and replaced his morning coat. Then he grabbed the other frock coat from the closet that belonged to Justin and headed to the kitchen.

“Justin change of plans. You’ll be wearing this.”

Justin poured a drink into a flask in the kitchen. “Sod off gentry traditions,” he remarked.

“What’s that you’re pouring?”

“Mint julep for fresh breath and to calm your nerves,” he replied. “I’ve got your back. I’ve got the rings, arranged the carriage and held this for you for today.”

William studied the linen handkerchief monogrammed with his initials using golden hair. “This is Elisabeth’s hair.”

“So you will always think of her,” he stated. “I also have three pounds for the minister.” The odd number would bring luck as well. “These will also bring you luck.” Justin pinned a right side up horseshoe charm on one side and a clover on his other lapel. “Also there’s a bottle of honey wine waiting for you and Elisabeth in your home.”

“Honey wine,” William said incredulously.

“In the olden days, a man would capture a woman a feed her honey wine to keep her from running off. Hence the phrase honeymoon. You should be very glad I didn’t arrange for a hen to lay eggs in your bed.”

“What!”

“It’s an Irish tradition to ensure fertility. By the way, once I make the toast you need to finish your Champaign before Elisabeth does or she’ll have you whipped.” Then he put a pence in William’s pocket. “You’ll know when to use this.”
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At two thirty in the afternoon, William awaited his bride at St. Paul’s, the church he attended since childhood. An artist sat quietly in a corner preparing to do a portrait of the couple at William’s behest. Nervously, William looked over the grand arches and wooden pues filled with people now illuminated in a multitude of colors as the sunlight filtered through the stained glass windows. The scent of orange blossoms which represented chastity, purity and fertility and roses representing love permeated the air. Suddenly, the high arched ceiling felt as if it was closing in on him. “She’s late.”

“She’s a woman and they’re always late,” Justin replied. “Here take a swig of this. It’ll calm your nerves.”

“I can’t drink that in a church. I’ll go to hell.”

Justin grabbed his arm and dragged him to the corner. “Go to confession when you get back from your honeymoon,” he said as he handed William the flask. After two swigs, he snatched it back and they returned to the altar.

Suddenly, the church bells rang through the air scaring away evil spirits and announcing the bride’s arrival.
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On New Year’s Day, Elisabeth woke up late in the morning. Last night, the ladies of the house enjoyed a subdued celebration without the men, especially the groom, to avoid bad luck. Since she awoke first, she decided to see where she would be spending the rest of her life. Climbing upstairs, she snuck into William’s attic bedroom. Immediately, she saw why he chose it. The spacious brown and beige vaulted room had a huge bed, a mirrored triple dresser, several wardrobes some of which were empty in anticipation of her clothing and a few sofa chairs in areas where the ceiling height was low. Through a doorway on her right, she found the master bath with a longer and wider than normal porcelain bear foot bathtub. It appeared to have been constructed that way in order to fit into a rectangular annex in the room half the length of the tub. Then she walked over to the bed. Unable to resist, she pulled back the covers and found a long folded linen a third of the way down from the headboard. Giggling a little she climbed in. Quickly, she kissed William’s pillow and climbed out.

A few years prior, weddings were required to take place in the morning. Recently, the church decreed that they could take place until three in the afternoon. Elisabeth decided to have the wedding at two-thirty with a reception to follow afterwards. Though she wasn’t hungry, Anne insisted she eat some eggs and toast. After that Elisabeth luxuriated in a gardenia scented bath.

“Something old, something new,
Something borrowed, something blue,
And a silver sixpence in your shoe.”

Elisabeth recited the rhyme as she dressed. First, she put on some lacey undergarments. Instead of long bloomers, she shortened them to just cover her thighs and added lace. Baby blue crocheted thigh high stockings composed the blue portion of her wardrobe to ensure fidelity, good luck and to keep the witches away. She topped them with a lacey white garter. On behalf of Jane, silver earrings that had the shape of an upside down lacey fan comprised the something borrowed portion of her wardrobe. From Anne, a strand of periwinkle pearls handed down from several generations represented the something old. Beneath her dress, Elisabeth tied a small satchel containing small piece of bread, some cloth, a piece of wood, and a single pound to ensure they would always have food, clothes, shelter, and money for their future.

Anne rushed in to sew the one last stitch remaining on Elisabeth’s dress. Leaving one last stitch to be done avoided the evil that came from wearing a completed dress before the wedding day. The dress comprised the new portion of her trousseau. Though Elisabeth designed it, the Leveaus made it for her. The A-line off the shoulder princess cut satin cream fitted bodice snugly covered her hips before it flared out in a dozen layers of sheer material that hung diagonally following the line of the snug bodice. A few periwinkle flowers adorned the layers but not in an overly busy fashion. She wore her hair down letting her golden tresses fall down her back. Her veil had a tiny faux pearl braided band across her forehead and when folded back a periwinkle band of flowers across the top of her head.

Next to her Jane wore a plainer A-line satin periwinkle dress. “You’re beautiful.”

“Indeed, you are a gorgeous bride.” Anne stood next to her in a fashionable more matronly royal blue dress.

“Thank you,” she replied. As she dabbed her perfume on, she fully realized that today she would marry the man of her dreams, a man who loved and supported her, a man who embodied the stable and loving aspects a girl wanted in a husband and at the same time a bit of a wicked bad boy that made her tingle with excitement. Tears of joy formed in her eyes.

Immediately, Anne dabbed them before they fell. “Tears on your wedding day means you’ll have no reason to cry during your marriage.” Then she put a silver six pence in Elisabeth’s shoe to ensure wealth for the couple.

For the cold January afternoon, Elisabeth donned a royal blue velvet cape. With one last look in the hallway mirror for luck, she joined Heath and Rose who waited there. Another look would bring bad luck so she looked no more and the entire wedding party moseyed towards the chapel a couple blocks away. Various flower blossoms covered their path to ensure happiness and fertility for the couple. Crisp crystal clear skies provided another good omen for the upcoming nuptials.

When Mr. Dobson, the rather elderly chimney sweep that the Pratt family retained for years, greeted the party Anne smiled while Rose scowled at the most fortuitous omen anyone could wish for on their wedding day. Mr. Dobson kissed Elisabeth’s cheek and wished her happiness in her marriage.

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As Elisabeth entered the church, the church bells chimed. In a small vestibule, she removed her cape, inhaled deeply and took Heath’s left arm. The pianist played the bridal hymn and they marched down the aisle. Strolling down the aisle, she only saw her William who disregarded the fashion trend and wore the coat she found quite debonair. Then Heath lifted her veil and placed her hand in the warm loving hand of the man of her dreams.

William gazed into the emerald eyes of his beloved, a stunning vision in white who became his heart’s desire the moment he first saw her and became his truest friend beneath a tree in Battersea Park.

Both of them barely heard the prayer the vicar recited until he began the meat of the ceremony. “William and Elisabeth, I now invite you to make your vows in the presence of God and his people.”

“I, William Pratt take you, Elisabeth Sommersby, to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward; for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part; according to God's holy law. In the presence of God I make this vow.”

“I, Elisabeth Sommersby take you, William Pratt, to be my husband, to have and to hold from this day forward; for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part; according to God's holy law. In the presence of God I make this vow.”

They parted hands awaiting the rings. Justin purposefully dropped the rings to dispel any evil in them before he gave them to the vicar to be blessed. “Heavenly Father, by your blessing let these rings be to William and Elisabeth
a symbol of unending love and faithfulness, to remind them of the vow and covenant which they have made this day
through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Everyone in the chapel said, “Amen.”

William placed the gold helix banded ring with a row of tiny diamonds and emeralds, unique like his bride, on the fourth finger of Elisabeth's left hand. “Elisabeth, I give you this ring as a sign of our marriage. With my body I honor you, all that I am I give to you, and all that I have I share with you, within the love of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.”

Elisabeth placed the ring she chose for William, a thick gold band with an etched painted blue butterfly on it, on his left hand. “William, I give you this ring as a sign of our marriage. With my body I honor you, all that I am I give to you, and all that I have I share with you, within the love of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.”

The vicar then addressed the guests. “In the presence of God, and before this congregation, William and Elisabeth have given their consent and made their marriage vows to each other. They have declared their marriage by the joining of hands and by the giving and receiving of rings. I therefore proclaim that they are husband and wife.”

The minister joined their right hands together. “Those whom God has joined together let no one put asunder.” William and Elisabeth kneeled before he recited a marriage prayer and blessing. Then they rose before the minister. “You may now kiss the bride.”

William slipped his arm around Elisabeth’s waist and pulled her against him. With his other hand he tilted her chin up. At first he gently brushed his lips against hers but then the kissed deepened. Several moments passed as they kissed, much to the discomfort of some of their more proper guests. Afterwards, they strolled arm and arm down the aisle. Before they exited, they signed their marriage certificate followed by their guests signing the guest registry as witnesses to their joining. Outside the church, Justin’s father and his three brothers held Irish broadswords to form an arch for the couple to walk through to ensure a safe passage through life.

As they strolled to their reception to be held at one of Anne’s friend’s home, Elisabeth reeled from the entire ceremony especially the end. “I can’t believe how improper you were with that kiss but I’m glad.”

“Some cultures believe that during the ceremonial kiss we transferred part of our souls to each other for eternity. A part of me will always belong to you.”

Elisabeth pulled him into a passionate kiss. “Part of me belongs to you. I love you so much William.”

A young boy holding several pink roses approached William. “Would you like some roses for your lady? Only a pence.”

William handed the boy the pence that Justin gave him before the ceremony and then presented them to his bride. Heath chuckled nearby. “Now she’ll know who wears the pants in the family. The one who makes the first purchase after the ceremony is the boss.”

“We’re partners,” William stated.

“Of course,” Heath replied. “These I give to you.” He handed William an open box with a pair of Elisabeth’s shoes. “She’s in your care now.”

“I gladly accept that responsibility.” After William accepted the shoes, Justin ensured their delivery to the couple’s home.
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At Mr. and Mrs. Forsyte’s, Anne’s friends’ home, the older couple greeted the newlyweds and welcomed them in. William and Elisabeth stood side by side in the parlor greeting the guests who eagerly wanted to shake the blessed couples’ hands for good fortune in the coming year.

After the last guest arrived, they gathered around a huge dinner table. Everyone held up their glasses of Champaign awaiting Justin’s toast. The bride and groom’s glasses had a piece of toast at the bottom of the glass. “May the road rise to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face, the rains fall soft upon the fields. And, may God hold you both in the palm of his hand.”**

**Irish blessing.**

Everyone took a sip of Champaign. “Drink up so you’ll go to heaven,” Justin ordered. “When we drink, we get drunk. When we get drunk, we fall asleep. When we fall asleep, we commit no sin. When we commit no sin, we go to Heaven. So, let's all get drunk and go to heaven.”**

Everyone drank their Champaign and William easily finished before Elisabeth. Justin smiled knowing that his advice would help William rule the family. William needed all the help he could get since he was completely smitten with Elisabeth.

Then they all sat down for a meal of roast pork, roast beef, potatoes, carrots, peas and corn. All were served with a fruity wine and Darjeeling tea. For desert, they ate petit fours and short bread cookies. Then they served the wedding cake, a white frosted cake filled with fruit and ribbons that had charms attached, a horseshoe for luck and a penny for wealth. A less fancy cake for the bride and one for the groom were also served. Everyone ate a little of each for luck.

Once they finished their meal, everyone adjourned to the living room where Elisabeth handed a sprig of myrtle from her bouquet to each of the single ladies.

Afterwards, the bachelors gathered around for the garter toss. “Your brothers are married,” William whispered.

“They want to peek at Elisabeth’s legs. Somehow they convinced their wives to let them participate,” Justin replied.

Elisabeth sat down in front of the group and William kneeled before her. Hesitantly, he lifted her dress a little, then a little more. “You’ll have to go a little higher William.” And he did. “Higher William,” she purred.

Justin’s brothers watched with great interest. “No wonder he’s so whipped,” one commented anonymously.

Once William’s cheeks turned crimson, he reached her garter and slowly slid it down amongst some whistles. The passel of men gathered behind William as he tossed it behind his back. Just as he did, all of them ducked letting it hit Justin in the face much to his surprise. However, he simply stared at it as it hit the ground. Then Jane ran over, picked it up and put it on like a head band on him.

The couple mingled for a little bit before they left for their carriage. Amongst the cheers, everyone threw candy to wish the couple a sweet life. Within moments, they arrived home. After William helped Elisabeth out of the carriage, he swept her off her feet and carried her over the threshold to avoid a bad luck trip. A chilled bottle of honey wine awaited them in the parlor. He placed Elisabeth on the loveseat and started to pour.

“Aren’t you going to take me upstairs and ravage me?”

“Of course,” he replied. “The honey wine will give us more energy and its tradition.”

Elisabeth sipped some and giggled. “This is really good.” Once she downed the glass, she threw her arms around William. Moments after they excellent kissage started, a cacophony of noise erupted outside and didn’t stop. “What’s that?”

“Shivare,” William stated angrily.

“Is it for luck?”

“No just annoying. If I don’t let them in for a drink they won’t leave!” William opened the door and everyone poured in. Justin was nowhere to be seen. William handed out cups and poured some port since Elisabeth refused to let anyone touch the honey wine.

Minutes later Justin arrived with Jane, both looking disheveled. “Sorry ‘bout that. I didn’t know.” Then he poured for the other half of the room. “Everyone out and leave your glasses in the parlor.”

Finishing her second glass of honey wine, Elisabeth molded herself to her husband. “William,” she purred.

Justin winked at William. “Go conquer. I’ve got this covered.” Then he herded everyone out the door.


Chapter End Notes:
How did you like the traditions? On the vote for Justin vs. Keegan, think of a much smaller person. Up next their wicked wedding night and a sultry honeymoon in Malaga, thus earning the NC-17 ratings. I appreciate all the reviews.



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