Perilous Assurance

  Chapter XV

  It was time.

  Mattie gazed at herself in the full-length mirror, as her mother fastened the last of the row of tiny, covered buttons that ran down the back of the gown.

  "You look stunning, Mattie." Elizabeth dabbed at her eyes as Mattie hugged her, and she moved aside for her daughter to turn and check out the gown at every angle.

  Mattie tilted her head as she eyed herself. Yes, the simple sheath in the lightweight cream brocade was perfect. She brushed her hand across the straight bustline and snug waist, and adjusted the spaghetti straps on her shoulders. She turned to the side and saw how well the gown accentuated her tall, slim figure, and the short train in the back was exactly what she'd wanted. She peered closer and made sure her light makeup was still intact and brushed a strand of her hair back. She'd decided to keep her hair in her normal style - long and loose, with no veil, and she rubbed her fingers across the small pearl earrings that had been worn by her mother's grandmother on her wedding day. She smiled at her reflection and saw Ava come up beside her, holding her bouquet. Mattie took the loose bouquet of white garden roses, ranunculus, hellebores, and lily of the valley from her future mother-in-law and gazed down at the pale blue ribbon entertwined among the flowers, a bridal ribbon handed down through the previous three generations of the Adamore family. She smoothed the cream ribbon around the base of the floral arrangement and took a deep, relaxing breath, gazing around the suite at her family, anxious now to get the ceremony moving along.

  "I'm ready." Mattie breathed as her father entered the room, looking handsome in his black tux. They hugged, and she saw tears in his eyes as he was preparing himself for the emotional walk down the aisle with his only child. The mothers hurried out of the suite to the assigned location so Caleb could walk them to their seats for the intimate evening ceremony on the hillside in back of the inn. The rehearsal dinner at the inn the night before had been a blend of moving and often hysterical story-telling by family members during their toasts to the couple, and she knew the reception after the ceremony today would be even more so. But, that was later. Right now, all she could think of was walking down that aisle, and seeing Clay standing in front of the arbor, knowing that he was waiting anxiously for her to join him.

  Mattie and her father stood in the doorway, and she heard the trio of violinists play the first notes of Pachelbel's Canon in D, and she thought her heart would burst with nervous anticipation. She tried to keep her breathing normal as she saw the rows of white chairs lined up in the distance, and the small arbor set up on the crest of the hill. The sun was about a half hour away from the point of setting, and the orange-purple horizon was the perfect backdrop for the glow from the lit candles in the glass sconces.

  "Are you ready?" Her father eyed her, and he reassuringly patted her left hand, which she'd rested in the crook of his arm. They smiled at each other, and Mattie nodded.

  They stepped out onto the patio and walked slowly toward the arbor, as the emotional strains of Canon in D swelled, and their guests turned toward them and stood as they reached the aisle, and she saw the rose petals strewn on the stone path. She lifted her chin as she spied the wedding party in front of the arbor, and tears came to her eyes and her heart fluttered as she saw Clay, devastatingly handsome in his black tux, his hands folded in front of him. She saw him reach one hand up and wipe his eye as he gazed at her, and now, there was no one else present but him as his riveting gaze drew her closer. The guests and surroundings blurred now as she passed, her eyes fixed on his as she neared. She and her father reached the arbor, and he hugged her warmly and she turned to face the love of her life. Clay held out his left hand and she placed her hand in his.

  "You look breathtaking, Mattie," he whispered, his dark eyes soft, and she smiled, and they both relaxed as they turned to face the minister, with the majestic and serene view of the Atlantic Ocean before them. After the short opening words, the violinists began to play her favorite intermezzo - Meditation, by Massenet, from the opera Thais, and the candlelight glowed and flickered as the sun set. The violinists laid down their bows, and Mattie turned and handed her bouquet to Fran. The ceremony continued with the vows and exchange of rings.

  "I now pronounce you husband and wife," the minister intoned, and Mattie's eyes filled with tears as she looked up into the joyful face of her husband, as he bent to kiss her. They pulled back and smiled broadly at each other as it all sunk in. They'd done it. They were married. Mattie wiped her eyes, and slipped her hand around Clay's arm and they walked back down the aisle to the sounds of Beethoven's Ode to Joy and the applause of their family and friends.

  "We did it, Mattie." Clay grabbed her around the waist, lifted her off the floor and spun her around as they reached the inn and had a moment to themselves. "I love you, wife." He raised his brows at her and kissed her enthusiastically and she responded joyfully.

  "I love you, husband." and Mattie laughed along with him as they kissed again, knowing the entire group of guests would converge on them at any time. Their matron of honor and best man entered the inn and gave them hugs all around.

  "Congratulations, you two," Caleb clapped Clay on the shoulder and hugged Mattie.

  "It was beautiful Mattie. I cried the whole time, can you tell?" Fran wiped her eyes as she and Mattie hugged, and they turned as the parents entered and there were more hugs and tears.

  The group turned in unison as the guests entered the inn, chattering exuberantly among themselves, and they went into the small ballroom for dinner and dancing. Everyone found their seats at the round tables, covered with white linen, topped with lit white candles in simple glass globes. The lights dimmed. Mattie took Clay's hand and he escorted her to the center of the room and pulled her close, as Etta James' bluesy rendition of My Love played.

  He held her tightly as they swayed slowly to the sultry rhythm.

  "My wife...my love...you look absolutely gorgeous," she felt his warm breath against her ear as they swayed together, and his hand pressed against her waist. She gazed up at him and ran her hand gently along his bearded jaw. She was drawn into his loving gaze, and the group of family and friends watching them faded into the distance, and it was only him...only him.

  "We're married..." Clay whispered as he lifted his head and she gazed up into his beautiful dark eyes, full of wonder, and she saw them glisten in the darkness as he smiled down at her.

  "I love you..." they kissed softly and held each other tightly as they swayed together.

  Clay kissed her softly and they reluctantly pulled apart and turned to their family and friends, who were hooting and clapping as they made their way back to their table.

  The rest of the night was one of joy and celebration as the dinner was served, the toasts were made, the cake was cut, and finally, a few people went out on the dance floor as the DJ played Twist and Shout, and by the time the rambunctious song was over, most of the guests were packed in the center of the room. The dancing continued for hours as Mattie and Clay, as well as most of the adults and children let loose to Marvin Gaye's I Heard It Through The Grapevine, as well as other songs by the Rolling Stones, Percy Sledge, the Righteous Brothers, and the Beatles, with slow songs interspersed to allow for winding down.

  Finally, at eleven, Mattie and Clay, totally exhausted, bid their guests goodnight, and after urging them to stay and dance for another hour and reminding them of the breakfast buffet in the morning before their journey home, they exited the ballroom, and walked arm in arm to their suite.

  "Wait, Mattie." Clay pushed open the door and before she could walk in, he scooped her up and carried her across the threshold, then set her down gently in front of the bed.

  She gazed up into his beautiful dark eyes, and knew that she would love this intense, thoughtful man, no matter what may come in their future, for the rest of her life. He was her husband now, and she was his wife. How glorious that sounded to her. She raised her arms over his broad shoulders and ran her hand along the back of h
is neck as she lifted her face to his. She felt his soft kisses on her forehead, and his grip on her waist tightened as his lips trailed down to her jaw, and under her earlobe, and onto her neck, and she sighed with happiness. She pulled back and gazed at him through her lowered lashes, and she began to undo his collar, and he took over for her and slid the black tie through the stiff collar, as she unbuttoned his shirt. She couldn't take her eyes off his, as he shrugged out of his crisp, white shirt, and she ran her hand along his shoulders. She felt him start to unbutton the back of her dress, and groan a little in frustration, so she turned her back to him, and he sat on the edge of the bed and slowly released each tiny button from its cloth loop, and she felt him grasp the zipper and bring it slowly down until her dress hung loosely at her sides. She smiled softly as she felt his strong hands gently slide the straps down her arms, and her eyelids fluttered as she felt his warm lips on her shoulder.