gripped him. ‘The preacher won’t like being kept waiting.’ He left the room.
Lily closed her eyes and thought of Matt. Then she started counting, anything to keep her mind off her family. She lifted the white satin dream of a gown from the hanger on the picture rail. It was time she was getting ready too.
Oohs and ahhs rippled through the crowd of women outside the church as Lily carefully descended from the ribbon-and-flower-bedecked carriage in a cloud of white. Daisy came forward to help her with her train. ‘I’m glad it’s not raining,’ she muttered, ‘or this would get in a right mess. I want it to stay nice for when I get married – that’s if you’ll let me have it?’
Lily stared at her. ‘What do you mean, you get married? Are you trying to spoil my day? They’ll need you at home for a while.’
Daisy tossed her head and gave a harsh laugh. ‘I’m not going to rush into anything, unlike you! But don’t you worry over anything I do. You’ve made it plain that you no longer regard any of us as your problem by going to Australia.’
‘That’s not fair!’
‘What’s not fair about it? You know you’ve been like a mother to the younger two.’ Daisy straightened and glanced at May, who was waving to a friend in the crowd. ‘I’ll have to sort that little madam out now.’
‘Daisy, please will you stop it?’ commanded Lily. ‘You’re spoiling my day!’
‘I don’t want you to go.’ Her sister’s voice wobbled as she fluffed out the misty silver veil screening Lily’s worried eyes.
‘Please, don’t upset me now. Please, please! You know I don’t really want to leave you all.’
‘But you are and you look so beautiful,’ sniffed Daisy. ‘Not a bit like my sister at all.’
‘Thanks!’ Lily’s sense of humour suddenly asserted itself. ‘Am I the duckling that’s suddenly become a swan?’
‘I feel you’re a stranger and I’ve lost you already.’ Daisy swallowed hard.
‘Here’s Dad. Stop crying or you’ll ruin your mascara. Think of wearing this dress yourself one day.’
‘But you won’t be here to see me.’ Her voice wobbled and she turned away.
Lily had never been so glad that she was wearing a veil as when her father approached. She forced her lips into a smile.
‘You really want to go through with this, girl?’ he said, looking grim.
‘Yes, Dad,’ she whispered.
‘Let’s get it over with then.’ He crooked his arm. Lily placed her hand inside it and determined not to allow anything to spoil the precious moments ahead.
‘Lily Gwynneth, wilt thou have this man to thy wedded husband, to live together after God’s ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony? Wilt thou obey him, and serve him, love, honour and keep him in sickness and in health; and forsaking all other, keep thee only unto him, so long as ye both shall live?’
‘I will.’ Lily’s voice was quiet but steady as her gaze shifted from the new minister, clad in gold and cream robes, to Matt who looked austere but undeniably attractive in a pristine white shirt and charcoal-coloured lounge suit. Their eyes met and she felt warmth flood her, although into her mind popped the thought that he only fulfilled some of the traits she had sought in her perfect hero. Why was she marrying him? she thought with unexpected panic.
‘Who giveth this woman to be married to this man?’ said the vicar and the panic receded.
Albert cleared his throat but no words came out. There was no need for them but he should have taken Lily’s right hand to give it to Matthew. She sensed the struggle inside him and did not hesitate but grasped her father’s hand and did the job for him.
Afterwards, with Matt’s ring on her finger while a friend snapped their pictures, Lily was convinced she had done the right thing in marrying him. He was her present and future and life promised to be exciting with him. As for her family, they would manage fine without her.
Aunt Dora did not believe so and came into
Lily closed her eyes and thought of Matt. Then she started counting, anything to keep her mind off her family. She lifted the white satin dream of a gown from the hanger on the picture rail. It was time she was getting ready too.
Oohs and ahhs rippled through the crowd of women outside the church as Lily carefully descended from the ribbon-and-flower-bedecked carriage in a cloud of white. Daisy came forward to help her with her train. ‘I’m glad it’s not raining,’ she muttered, ‘or this would get in a right mess. I want it to stay nice for when I get married – that’s if you’ll let me have it?’
Lily stared at her. ‘What do you mean, you get married? Are you trying to spoil my day? They’ll need you at home for a while.’
Daisy tossed her head and gave a harsh laugh. ‘I’m not going to rush into anything, unlike you! But don’t you worry over anything I do. You’ve made it plain that you no longer regard any of us as your problem by going to Australia.’
‘That’s not fair!’
‘What’s not fair about it? You know you’ve been like a mother to the younger two.’ Daisy straightened and glanced at May, who was waving to a friend in the crowd. ‘I’ll have to sort that little madam out now.’
‘Daisy, please will you stop it?’ commanded Lily. ‘You’re spoiling my day!’
‘I don’t want you to go.’ Her sister’s voice wobbled as she fluffed out the misty silver veil screening Lily’s worried eyes.
‘Please, don’t upset me now. Please, please! You know I don’t really want to leave you all.’
‘But you are and you look so beautiful,’ sniffed Daisy. ‘Not a bit like my sister at all.’
‘Thanks!’ Lily’s sense of humour suddenly asserted itself. ‘Am I the duckling that’s suddenly become a swan?’
‘I feel you’re a stranger and I’ve lost you already.’ Daisy swallowed hard.
‘Here’s Dad. Stop crying or you’ll ruin your mascara. Think of wearing this dress yourself one day.’
‘But you won’t be here to see me.’ Her voice wobbled and she turned away.
Lily had never been so glad that she was wearing a veil as when her father approached. She forced her lips into a smile.
‘You really want to go through with this, girl?’ he said, looking grim.
‘Yes, Dad,’ she whispered.
‘Let’s get it over with then.’ He crooked his arm. Lily placed her hand inside it and determined not to allow anything to spoil the precious moments ahead.
‘Lily Gwynneth, wilt thou have this man to thy wedded husband, to live together after God’s ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony? Wilt thou obey him, and serve him, love, honour and keep him in sickness and in health; and forsaking all other, keep thee only unto him, so long as ye both shall live?’
‘I will.’ Lily’s voice was quiet but steady as her gaze shifted from the new minister, clad in gold and cream robes, to Matt who looked austere but undeniably attractive in a pristine white shirt and charcoal-coloured lounge suit. Their eyes met and she felt warmth flood her, although into her mind popped the thought that he only fulfilled some of the traits she had sought in her perfect hero. Why was she marrying him? she thought with unexpected panic.
‘Who giveth this woman to be married to this man?’ said the vicar and the panic receded.
Albert cleared his throat but no words came out. There was no need for them but he should have taken Lily’s right hand to give it to Matthew. She sensed the struggle inside him and did not hesitate but grasped her father’s hand and did the job for him.
Afterwards, with Matt’s ring on her finger while a friend snapped their pictures, Lily was convinced she had done the right thing in marrying him. He was her present and future and life promised to be exciting with him. As for her family, they would manage fine without her.
Aunt Dora did not believe so and came into
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