microphone.
Nathaniel slipped his arms around Susanna, pressing her back to his chest.
“ Well, ” Daddy said, his voice rattling with emotion, as he smoothed his hand over his waistcoat and lean middle. He looked good. Strong and vibrant and fit from Mama ’ s strict diet. Susanna could almost erase her memory of him lying in the hospital bed weak from a heart attack at forty-eight. “ Most of you have known Glo and me a long time. Therefore, you ’ ve known our Susanna, too. Queen Campbell and Prince Stephen, Prince Colin, Jonathan, the staff from Brighton, it ’ s good to have y ’ all here for this little shindig. I ’ d like to thank everyone for their hard work in pulling off this surprise wedding. ” Daddy swerved to face the royals, sitting among the Truitt, Vogt, and Franklin clans. “ If y ’ all wondered what kind of man and king this fella here truly was, let me tell you, you ’ re sitting among his generous, kind heart right now. Not only was this spontaneous wedding his idea, he put boots on the ground to make it happen. Put his money where his mouth is, and y ’ all know how we like those who do as much as they say. And you know why he did it? ” Daddy stepped toward them. “ For this beautiful girl here. Our Susanna. ” His voice quivered, breaking down. “ ’ Cause he loves her that much. ”
Susanna trembled, feeling the love in her daddy ’ s confession. It was watching him grow in his faith and in his love for Mama that repaired most of her childhood fears.
“ Suz, you ’ re about the best girl anyone would ever want to know. Well, you and my girl Avery. And I mean that,kitten. Y ’ all are probably thinking I ’ m saying that ’ cause she ’ s my daughter, and if so, well, you ’ re right. ”
A merry laugh rippled among the guests and Nathaniel sweetened her temple with a kiss.
“ But I know it because I ’ ve watched her. She ’ s loyal, almost to a fault. She loves people. Genuinely. But watch out now, ’ cause if you take advantage of her she ’ ll give you the dickens for it. She encourages folk. But she won ’ t tickle your ears. She ’ ll tell you the truth in a way you can swallow it. When she was born, Glo and I felt sure God sent us an angel straight from heaven. She never cried ’ cept when she was hungry. But then as a little girl, she didn ’ t have it so good. As much as we loved her, Glo and I didn ’ t love each other well and we fought. A lot. Couple of kids we were. ” Daddy wiped under his eyes with his finger. “ And Susanna, ” —he cleared his throat with a deep cough— “ would hide out in her closet, pretending it was her secret garden because she didn ’ t know if our anger was ever going to spill over on her. So I guess it ’ s fitting that today her wedding and reception are in a garden. ” Sniffles rippled up from the tables and through the air. “ Suz, you found true love and I pray that your marriage will always be the safest garden you can ever find. Nate, son, see to it that my little girl is always at home in your palace and in your arms, hear me? ’ Cause I think a girl ’ s daddy trumps a king any day, and if I hear of you doing anything to hurt my girl, I ’ ll hop on over to Brighton and take you out back for a discussion. ”
The men hammered the table with their fists and the women hooted. “ Go, Gib! ”
Nathaniel bowed toward Daddy. “ I am duly warned. ”
“ On that note, Nate, King Nathaniel II, welcome to the family, son. It ’ s good to have another man. I ’ ve been outnumbered by girls for thirty years. ”
Queen Campbell rose from her seat. “ Move over, Gib, it ’ s my turn. ”
“ Mum! ”
The dowager queen stood next to Daddy, smiling, looking regal in her fitted but simple summer suit.
“ When Nathaniel was seven or eight years old, one of our maids became quite ill. A chambermaid. So most of her chores had little to do with the family on a day-to-day basis, but when young Prince
Nathaniel slipped his arms around Susanna, pressing her back to his chest.
“ Well, ” Daddy said, his voice rattling with emotion, as he smoothed his hand over his waistcoat and lean middle. He looked good. Strong and vibrant and fit from Mama ’ s strict diet. Susanna could almost erase her memory of him lying in the hospital bed weak from a heart attack at forty-eight. “ Most of you have known Glo and me a long time. Therefore, you ’ ve known our Susanna, too. Queen Campbell and Prince Stephen, Prince Colin, Jonathan, the staff from Brighton, it ’ s good to have y ’ all here for this little shindig. I ’ d like to thank everyone for their hard work in pulling off this surprise wedding. ” Daddy swerved to face the royals, sitting among the Truitt, Vogt, and Franklin clans. “ If y ’ all wondered what kind of man and king this fella here truly was, let me tell you, you ’ re sitting among his generous, kind heart right now. Not only was this spontaneous wedding his idea, he put boots on the ground to make it happen. Put his money where his mouth is, and y ’ all know how we like those who do as much as they say. And you know why he did it? ” Daddy stepped toward them. “ For this beautiful girl here. Our Susanna. ” His voice quivered, breaking down. “ ’ Cause he loves her that much. ”
Susanna trembled, feeling the love in her daddy ’ s confession. It was watching him grow in his faith and in his love for Mama that repaired most of her childhood fears.
“ Suz, you ’ re about the best girl anyone would ever want to know. Well, you and my girl Avery. And I mean that,kitten. Y ’ all are probably thinking I ’ m saying that ’ cause she ’ s my daughter, and if so, well, you ’ re right. ”
A merry laugh rippled among the guests and Nathaniel sweetened her temple with a kiss.
“ But I know it because I ’ ve watched her. She ’ s loyal, almost to a fault. She loves people. Genuinely. But watch out now, ’ cause if you take advantage of her she ’ ll give you the dickens for it. She encourages folk. But she won ’ t tickle your ears. She ’ ll tell you the truth in a way you can swallow it. When she was born, Glo and I felt sure God sent us an angel straight from heaven. She never cried ’ cept when she was hungry. But then as a little girl, she didn ’ t have it so good. As much as we loved her, Glo and I didn ’ t love each other well and we fought. A lot. Couple of kids we were. ” Daddy wiped under his eyes with his finger. “ And Susanna, ” —he cleared his throat with a deep cough— “ would hide out in her closet, pretending it was her secret garden because she didn ’ t know if our anger was ever going to spill over on her. So I guess it ’ s fitting that today her wedding and reception are in a garden. ” Sniffles rippled up from the tables and through the air. “ Suz, you found true love and I pray that your marriage will always be the safest garden you can ever find. Nate, son, see to it that my little girl is always at home in your palace and in your arms, hear me? ’ Cause I think a girl ’ s daddy trumps a king any day, and if I hear of you doing anything to hurt my girl, I ’ ll hop on over to Brighton and take you out back for a discussion. ”
The men hammered the table with their fists and the women hooted. “ Go, Gib! ”
Nathaniel bowed toward Daddy. “ I am duly warned. ”
“ On that note, Nate, King Nathaniel II, welcome to the family, son. It ’ s good to have another man. I ’ ve been outnumbered by girls for thirty years. ”
Queen Campbell rose from her seat. “ Move over, Gib, it ’ s my turn. ”
“ Mum! ”
The dowager queen stood next to Daddy, smiling, looking regal in her fitted but simple summer suit.
“ When Nathaniel was seven or eight years old, one of our maids became quite ill. A chambermaid. So most of her chores had little to do with the family on a day-to-day basis, but when young Prince
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