Pat of Silver Bush (39 page)

The Bay Shore aunts and the Swallowfield aunts sent over baskets of delicious confections. Aunt Barbara’s basket was full of different kinds of cookies … orange cookies and date cookies and vanilla crisps and walnut bars and the Good Man Above knew how many more.

“Oh, oh, it won’t be much like Lorna Binnie’s wedding table,” exulted Judy. “Sure and poor Mrs. Binnie thought if she did be cutting her cookies in a dozen different shapes it wud be giving thim a different flavour. Now, Patsy darlint, just ye be kaping an eye on thim chickens while I do be getting me yard posts whitewashed.”

At first dawn Bold-and-Bad was shouting all over Silver Bush that he had found a mouse and Judy’s footsteps sounded on the kitchen stairs. The morning hush was already broken by the stir of last-minute preparations. It had rained in the night but now it was a fine and a new, lovely world with its face washed and blinking its innocent eyes at the sun.

“Sure and the day was ordered,” said Judy as she raked the lawn where robins were pulling out long fat worms.

Pat couldn’t eat a mouthful of breakfast. It was a shock to see Winnie eating so heartily. Pat was sure that if SHE were going to be married she couldn’t eat for a week beforehand. Of course she wouldn’t want Winnie to be like that silly Lena Taylor, who, it was said, cried for a month before she was married. But when you were going away from Silver Bush that day how could you have an appetite?

The forenoon was like a whirlwind. The table had to be set … oh, why did families have to be broken up like this? Among salads, jellies and cakes Pat moved as to the manor born. This time tomorrow Winnie would belong to another family. Everybody’s place was settled; Pat had a knack of dovetailing people rather cleverly … only herself and Siddy and Cuddles left at Silver Bush. The rooms bloomed under her hands. The little alcove Uncle Tom called Cuddle Corner was a nest of round golden pillows like small suns … It was dreadful to find pleasure in these things when Winnie was going away.

Flowers must be cut. As a rule Pat didn’t like to cut the flowers. She always felt such a vivid crimson delight in her splendid blossoms … a feeling that made the thought of cutting them hurt her. But now she slashed at them savagely.

The table looked beautiful. It would be such a shame to spoil it … turn it into an after-dinner mess. But, as Judy said, that was life.

“Anyhow, Silver Bush looks perfectly lovely,” thought Pat in a momentary rapture.

In a way it was all like an echo of Aunt Hazel’s long-ago wedding day. The same confusion when everybody was dressing. Gentleman Tom was the only calm creature in the house. Judy was distracted because Bold-and-Bad had been seen dashing through the hall with a very large, very dead mouse and the Good Man Above only knew what he had done with it. That vain Cuddles, who had been trying all the mirrors in the house to see which was the most becoming, was in trouble over the hang of her flowered chiffon dress. It had been a bitter pill to Cuddles that she was too old to be Winnie’s flower girl. Aunt Hazel’s six-year-old Emmy was cast for that part and Cuddles was secretly determined to look prettier than she did.

“What does my nose look like, Pat? Do you think it is too big?”

Cuddles’ nose had always worried her. How would it turn out?

“If it is I don’t see how you can remedy it,” laughed Pat. “Never mind your nose, Cuddles darling. You look very sweet.”

“Can’t I put a dab of powder on it, Pat? Please. I’m eleven.”

“That would only draw attention to it,” warned Pat.

Cuddles saw this. She cast a satisfied look at herself in the glass.

“I have decided,” she remarked in a matter-of-fact tone, “that I will get married when I am twenty and have three children. Pat, do I have to kiss Frank?”

“I’m not going to,” said Pat savagely.

Judy, who was set on “witnessing the nuptials,” as she expressed it, had again laid aside her drugget dress and her Irish brogue. Out came the dress-up dress and the English pronunciation as good as ever. Only the former was a bit tight. Pat had a terrible time getting Judy hooked into it.

“Sure and I had a waist whin this was made,” mourned Judy. “Do you be thinking it’s a trifle old-fashioned like, Pat?”

Pat got some lace and did wonders with it. Judy felt real “chick.”

Mother was dressed, sitting in state in the Big Parlour with her grey hair and her soft blue eyes. Pat realised with a swift pang that mother had got very grey in the year. But she looked like a picture in her pretty dress of silver-grey and rose, with the necklace dad had given her when she came out of the hospital … an amber string like drops of golden dew. Father was not going to the church after all. At the last moment he had decided that he simply could not leave mother alone. Uncle Tom must give the bride away. Winnie was not very well pleased over this. That fierce, immense black beard of his was so old-fashioned. But Winnie was too happy to mind anything much. In her bridal array she was an exquisite, shimmering young thing with face and eyes that were love and rapture incarnate. Pat’s throat swelled as she looked at her. Frank Russell suddenly became the man who could make Winnie look like this. She forgave him the offence of becoming her brother-in- law.

The kitchen clock was ten to, the parlour clock was five past, the dining-room clock was striking the hour. Which meant that it was a quarter past and time to go.

Sitting in the crowded church, with its decorations of tawny tiger lilies and lemon-hued gladioli … the C. G. I. T. girls had done it for Winnie … Pat thought busily to keep herself from crying. Winnie had warned her solemnly … “Pat, don’t you DARE cry when I’m getting married.” She had been so near crying at Aunt Hazel’s wedding long ago but this was tenfold worse.

It was odd to see the groom so pale … he was always so pink and chubby. But he looked well. She was glad he was nice-looking. If Silver Bush had to have in-laws it should have handsome ones. Uncle Tom’s magnificent beard looked purple in the light that fell on it through the stained glass window … like some old Assyrian king’s. Winnie had said, “I do.” How solemn! Just a word uttered or unuttered and a whole life was changed … perhaps even the course of history. If Napoleon’s mother had said “No,” in place of “Yes?” Why, it was over … it was over … Winnie was Mrs. Frank Russell … the bridal party was going into the vestry … Uncle Brian’s Norma was singing the bridal anthem … Pat recalled that long-ago day when she had slapped Norma’s face.

What was that dreadful old Cousin Sam Gardiner whispering to her over the top of the pew? “I wunner how many husbands and wives in this church would like a change.” How many, indeed? Perhaps old Malcolm Madison, who was said to have laughed only three times in his life. Perhaps Gerald Black, whose wife had such a passion for swatting flies that she had bent forward in church one day and swatted one on Jackson Russell’s bald head. Or Mrs. Henry Green, whose husband, Pat reflected wildly, looked like his own tombstone. She wondered if the story Judy told of him was true … that he had been whipped in school one day because the master caught him writing a love-letter on his slate to Lura Perry who was half gipsy. It couldn’t be … not with that Scotch-Presbyterian- elder mouth. Old Uncle John Gardiner was improving the wait by snatching a nap. Wasn’t there a story about his wooden leg catching fire one day when he dozed by the fire? There was Mrs. James Morgan who had never forgiven her daughter for marrying Carl Porter and had never entered her house. How COULD families act like that?

Mrs. Albert Cody … Sarah Malone that was. Judy had a story about her. “Oh, oh, she had one of thim aisy-going fellers … wint around wid her for years and years and niver got no forrader. Sarah wint away for a visit to her Aunt in Halifax and writ back great yarns av her beaus and fine times. That scared him and he writ for her to come home and be married. Sure and there hadn’t been a word av truth in what Sarah had tould him. Her aunt was that sick and cranky she niver wint out av the house.”

Sarah Cody was a Sunday School teacher and looked very meek and devout beside her easy-going Abner. Very likely Judy had made it all up.

(What was that horrid Mrs. Stephen Russell whispering … “made the mistake of choosing a prettier bridesmaid than herself.” It wasn’t true … it wasn’t … Allie Russell wasn’t half as pretty as Winnie.) Old Grant Madison, who had told dad once that he had read too many dreadful things in old histories ever to believe in God. How dreadful not to believe in God. How could one live? Mrs. Scott Gardiner had ironed out her wrinkles in some way … “beauty tricks,” said Judy contemptuously. Why in the world didn’t Winnie come back? But there was no Winnie now … only a mysterious stranger known as Mrs. Frank Russell. What was darling Cuddles thinking of as she gazed dreamily up at the tinted window, nimbused in its blue and gold. She was really a delightful little thing. Pat recalled in amazement that she hadn’t wanted Cuddles to be born.

Home again. Hand-shakings and congratulations and kisses. Pat even kissed Frank. But she hugged Winnie fiercely.

“Here’s a whole heartful of good wishes for you, dear one,” she whispered.

Then she must fly for her ruffled organdy apron. The chilled cocktails must be got out of the ice-house, the creamed chicken put in the patties, the wedding gifts placed with just the right emphasis. Children ran about the grounds like small roses. The house was full. Every Gardiner and half-Gardiner, every Selby, every Russell was there. “This looks like the Day of Judgment,” said old Cousin Ralph Russell. He caught Pat by the arm as she flew by him.

“Long Alec’s girl. I hear you’ve got to be a beauty, hey? Let me look at you. No, no, not a beauty … and you’ve no great brains they tell me … but you’ve got a way with you. You’ll get a man.”

How people did harp on getting married! It was disgusting. Even oldish Ellery Madison, who still congratulated himself on escaping traps, called Pat “Ducky” and told her he’d take her if she liked.

“If you wait till we’re both grown-up I might think of it,” retorted Pat.

“Oh, oh, but that’s the way to talk to them,” Judy told her as they lighted the candles. “‘Twas mesilf that shut him up quick whin he sez to me, sez he, ‘It’s time YOU were married, Judy.’ ‘How the min do be hating a woman that’s dared to do widout thim,’ sez I. Sure and I’ve been snubbing the craturs right and left. They’ve no more sinse than to be cluttering up me kitchen and ruining the rugs. Ould Jerry Russell sez to me, sez he, ‘Miss Plum, do ye be thinking God is God or just a great first cause?’ And Mark Russell sez, wid a face as grave as a jidge’s, ‘What is yer opinion av the governmint bringing on an election this fall, Miss Plum?’ Sure and didn’t I know they was pulling me leg? I sez to thim, sez I, ‘Ye haven’t the sinse ye was born wid,’ sez I, ‘if ye don’t know a widding is no place to be talking av God or politics. And I’ll thank ye to stop Miss Plumming me,’ sez I, and that finished thim. Sure and wasn’t the cirrimony grand, Patsy dear? Jake Russell sez to me, ‘She’s the prettiest bride ye’ve iver had at Silver Bush,’ and I sez to him, sez I, ‘For once in yer life ye’ve said a mouthful.’ But that platinum ring now, do ye be thinking it’s rale legal? I’m thinking Winnie’d fale a bit safer wid an old-fashioned gold one.”

“Judy, how can I BEAR to see Winnie go away?”

“Ye must sind her away wid a smile, Patsy darlint. Whativer comes after, sind her away wid a smile.”

Laughter and Tears

It was all over. Winnie had gone.

“Pat darling,” she whispered, with her eyes softly full of farewell, “everything was lovely. I’ve really enjoyed my own wedding. You and Judy were wonderful.”

Pat managed to smile as Judy had exhorted, but when Judy found her looking at the deserted festal board she said,

“Judy, isn’t it nice to be … able to … stop smiling? I … I hope there won’t be another wedding at Silver Bush for a hundred years.”

“Why, I wish we could have a wedding every day,” said Cuddles. “I suppose the next one here will be your own. And then it will be my turn. That is,” she added reflectively, “if I can get any one to have me. I don’t want to be an old maid.”

“Sure and don’t be hurting my falings,” said Judy. “I’m an ould maid.”

“I always forget that,” said Cuddles contritely. “You aren’t a bit like an old maid, Judy. You’re … you’re just JUDY.”

“Mr. Ronald Russell of St. John told me mother was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen,” said Pat.

“And ye’ll be loving Mr. Ronald Russell foriver bekase av it. But I’m thinking he’s right. Did ye hear him saying to Winnie, ‘Are ye going to be making a Prisbytarian av him?’ … maning Frank. And Winnie sez, sez she, Prisbytarians don’t be made, they’re born,’ sez she. Oh, oh, wasn’t that the answer to me smart gintleman? St. John can’t be getting far ahead av Silver Bush I’m thinking. He had his appetite wid him, that one. But I do be liking a man who enj’ys his vittles.”

“He’s a member of Parliament,” said Pat, “and they say he’ll be Premier some day.”

“And him ould Short-and-dirty Russell’s son! A fat chanct!” said Judy scornfully.

“I hope the pictures will turn out well,” said Cuddles. “I was in them all.”

“Innyway, Winnie wasn’t photygraphed wid her arm round her groom like Jean Madison was. Ondacint I call it. And now, Patsy darlint, will we start claning up or lave it till the morning?”

“Whatever you like, Judy.”

“Oh, oh, it’s ye are the mistress here now, wid Winnie gone and yer mother niver to be troubled. It’s for ye to give orders and for me to obey them.”

“Nonsense, Judy. Fancy me giving you orders!”

“I’d rather it that way, Patsy darlint,” said Judy firmly.

Pat hesitated. Then quietly accepted the sovereignty of Silver Bush.

“Very well, Judy. We’ll leave things just as they are tonight. We’re all tired. Do you remember the night after Aunt Hazel’s wedding when we did the dining room?”

“It’s the darlint ye was, working like a liddle slave to kape from crying.”

“And you told me funny stories: Judy, let’s have a bit of a fire … there’s a chill in the air and the first fire is such a delightful thing. And we’ll sit by it and you’ll tell stories.”