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Once again, the Shakespeare Festival employees worked their way down the line. This time they gave final instructions.
"All right! How is everyone doing? Just to remind you, you are entitled to two tickets per person, no more. If you are with a group and you want to be sure your tickets are together, choose one member of your group to ask for all the tickets. But stay together so that we can count you. Okay?" They looked around to see the crowd nod. "Okay! Let's move the line up so that we will be ready to give out tickets. Distribution begins promptly at 1:00."
Chris, Georgie, and Kitty collected their belongings and stood up. Once people picked up their blankets and lawn chairs, the line condensed. Distribution went smoothly, and soon the trio had their tickets in hand and a beautiful afternoon to enjoy.
Lizzy stopped her group and pointed to a vine that was climbing the trunk of a tree.
"Anybody know what this is?" A woman reached for a leaf and Lizzy grabbed her hand. "Here's a hint. Don't touch it!"
"Poison ivy?" asked the woman.
"You bet. Now, do you know how to identify it?"
"Aren't the leaves supposed to be shiny?" asked a tall man.
"And I thought part of the leaf was supposed to be red," said a shorter man.
"Nope. Not necessarily. The new leaves tend to be shiny, and the leaves do turn red in the fall. But at this time of the year, they are green and not particularly shiny. The one sure clue is in the symmetry of the leaves. What you think of as three leaves is really one compound leaf with three leaflets. See how the side leaflets are not symmetrical? Okay, now look at the overall leaf. It is symmetrical. That pattern is a sure identification of poison ivy."
"Shouldn't the park people get rid of it?"
"In an area this large, it isn't possible. They do try, but it spreads too much. The roots grow quite a distance underground and send up shoots."
Lizzy's cell phone rang, and she excused herself for a moment. She checked the caller ID and answered, "Hi, Georgie, did you get the tickets?"
"Yes, we did. When we got voice mail on your office phone, we figured you were still out with your group."
"Nearly finished."
"Oh. Well, it's so nice, we're going to hang out in the park instead of visiting you in the museum."
"That's fine. Enjoy. We'll see you at dinner. Six o'clock."
"Six it is. Bye."
Lizzy made sure her group all had their bearings and knew how to get to the park exits. After sending them on her way, she made a phone call and then walked to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. By the time she got there, Anne was waiting for her. They found a bench in the medieval section and sat down.
"Richard called a few minutes ago. He said they met the minister, and he's willing to do the ceremony at the house."
"Good! It's the only way this works. I mean, you can't corral everyone and say, 'Hey, let's all go to church so we can get married!' Imagine everyone getting all excited and piling into cars. It would be crazy."
"I can't believe it, Lizzy! It's a month away. What do you think?"
"I think it's going to be wonderful. Can Sarah have your dress done in time?"
"Niles says she's already on it. I'm going to have a fitting of the real dress early next week." Anne dug in her pocket and pulled out an envelope. "Niles dropped these off and asked me to give them to you. It's for your green dress."
"Ooh, what lovely fabrics. This man has great taste. This one is sort of shimmery. Look how it changes color when the light hits it."
"Any of these greens would look good on you, Lizzy. Show the swatches to Will. I'm sure he'll step up to the plate, as they say, and get your some nice green earrings."
"Anne, he has already given me so much."
"The man is besotted. Take advantage of your situation!"
"Anne!"
"Oh, be that way! I have to go, but before I do, I have to ask. Have you thought about what I suggested the other day?"
"I don't know, Anne."
"Lizzy, it would be perfect. We talked it over, and-."
"I don't know."
"You, Georgie, Jane and I would look so good together. We'd make a perfect picture."
"I'll think about it. Now, I have to get back to work."
Lizzy finished checking the volunteer schedule for the coming weeks and closed the file. She leaned back in her chair and stretched.
"Hi there."
"Aack! Will, you startled me. I almost fell out of my chair."
"Sorry, Love. I didn't mean to sneak up on you. Are you going to be done soon?"
"Yes, I've finished the schedules, hooray! It's always tough in the summer. In addition to tracking all the activities I have to staff, I have to remember who's on vacation when. How did your trip to the island go? Anne said Richard told her it's okay to have the wedding at the house. That's all I know."
"You'll like Jake. He's a distant cousin, so I don't know him very well. But he remembers Richard and me from family gatherings when we were kids. He seems to have a good sense of humor. We're planning to go out to the island the first weekend in July so that you can meet him. And he wants to meet Georgie, since she'll be Anne's maid of honor. We can invite Jane and Charles along, too. They could use a break from wedding planning."
"Will, the weekend will be about wedding planning."
"True, but from what I've observed about wedding planning, it's pretty boring except when it's your own. And then it's exciting and stressful."
"That sounds like a good description. I'm glad Jake is being so accommodating. He should be able to do the same for us."
"You definitely want to get married on the island? Not in Montclair?"
"It's such a beautiful setting out there. And you said you'd pay for the wedding, so that makes your family home a logical choice. And it has the added advantage of being a way to minimize Mom troubles."
"I'm all for it. Are you ready to set a date?"
"Yes, I am.
"Hallelujah."
Lizzy and Darcy arrived at the restaurant before the others. They ordered drinks and read the menu while they waited. When the others arrived, Darcy signaled the waiter to open the wine. Pop! went the champagne cork.
"What are we celebrating?" asked Georgie.
Darcy held up his hand to make a toast. "To us! Lizzy and I have set a date. Finally!"
"Will! Don't say it like that. You make it sound as if I've been stalling for years like Nathan Detroit."
Georgie giggled, "I'm trying to imagine Will singing Adelaide's Lament."
"I would sing it, but I can't remember the words. It's a long time since I've seen 'Guys and Dolls.' That was another of Richard's triumphs."
"Richard?" asked Chris.
"Oh, yes," replied Darcy. "He was quite the musical comedy star at his high school. He did make a good Nathan Detroit. But the performer I remember was the one who played Big Jule. He's the character who keeps saying, 'We came her to shoot crap, let's shoot crap.' He was funny because he emphasized the p in crap, almost adding a second syllable. A real scene stealer."
"Bet Richard didn't like that," laughed Georgie.
"They were friends, so Richard let him live."
"Have you got everything, Charles?"
"Yes."
"Toothbrush? Tape recorder? Computer?"
"Yes, Jane, all packed."
"This is going to be strange. I've never stayed here without you."
"It's your home now, Jane. You live here. You can stay here without me. And you've survived my road trips before."
"I know. But I'll miss you."
"I'll miss you, too. But it's only for a few days. And you're going out to Jersey for the weekend, so you won't be here all alone the whole time. What's the agenda for the weekend?"
"More dress shopping."
Charles groaned.
"Don't do that."
"But, Jane, you're constantly going dress shopping."
"I know. It seems that way to me, too. But Mom doesn't have her dress for our wedding, and she, Lydia, and Mary need dresses for the ball."
"Thank God I have my trusty tux all ready to go. I have to run or I'll miss my plane. I'll call you when I land."
As they settled into their seats in the Delacorte Theatre, Chris looked around and whistled softly, "Wow! This place is huge. and it wraps around the stage so every seat has a good view. The set looks like a giant wave."
"It is," said Georgie. "And see the boat at the bottom of it? That's the shipwreck. 'Twelfth Night' begins with Viola and Sebastian being shipwrecked and separated."
"Shakespeare needed a genetics lesson," said Chris. "He didn't know that identical twins are always the same sex."
"Twins are a good dramatic device," said Kitty. "And so what if it's unlikely that boy-girl twins would look so much alike? It's a fun play."
Behind them, two women read the program and sighed, "Ooh, Jimmy Smits. He plays the Count."
Mmmm," said her companion. "I think he's hot."
Darcy looked at Lizzy with raised eyebrows and she shook her head.
"No," she whispered, "I think he's nice-looking, but I won't be drooling over him."
"Ah."
"Ah what?"
"Nothing, just wondering who you think is hot," he said softy.
Lizzy smirked and said, "You have to ask?"
This conversation was cut off by the dimming of the lights. The sky was just beginning to darken, and the stars had not yet appeared when Julia Styles as Viola made her entrance by sliding down the wave, causing the audience to gasp. Before long, the audience became accustomed to this unusual way of entering as other characters also slid into scenes.
The wrecked ship also did duty as the set for a house, and a few plants in pots stood in for a garden. At intermission, the group discussed the set. Chris preferred what he called "real scenery." Darcy disagreed.
"No, I like a minimal set. It lets you use your imagination. And for a stage and theater as large as this, complicated scenery might be distracting. I saw the RSC do "Much Ado" on a nearly bare stage once. For the eavesdropping scene, all Benedick had to hide behind was a wooden folding chair. I had no idea Derek Jacobi was such a good physical comedian. He clumped up and down the stage with that chair, following the other actors."
"But then they know he's listening."
"Of course they know, Chris!" said Kitty. "That's the point of the scene."
"Yes, said Darcy. "It's funny because he's trying to listen without being noticed, and he doesn't know that the other characters intend for him to overhear. In the movie version, there's a similar thing when Brannagh collapses the lawn chair, and the other actors have to pretend they didn't notice anything."
"There's a lot of potential for physical humor in Shakespeare," remarked Georgie. "Some of the humor is very broad. Think of 'Comedy of Errors,' another plot based on twins and mistaken identity. That one is very silly. So is this one, in places."
"I'm a little disappointed in Christopher Lloyd's Malvolio," said Lizzy. "I had expected him to be more over the top."
"He's funny, though."
"Oh, yes, he is. It just isn't what I expected. Oliver Platt's Toby Belch is unusual. This Toby has a bit of a mean streak. Usually Toby is just played as a good-time Charlie, loves his drink, enjoys a good joke. But this Toby really wants to shame Malvolio."
"You guys are so into this!" said Chris. "I haven't read that much Shakespeare, just what I had to for English class. If I ever get some free time, I should read more Shakespeare."
"No!" said Georgie, "See more. There have been lots of movie versions. We should rent some and have a mini-Shakespeare fest."
"Go out to Madison and the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey," suggested Lizzy. "Mom and Dad go, and they're always saying how good the productions are. Lydia is hoping to get into one of their internship programs next year."
The lights blinked and people returned to their seats. Darcy and Lizzy held hands in the darkness, as did Chris and Georgie. Kitty counted the days until Sandy would return to the city.
"That was fun," said Lizzy as she poured herself a glass of milk.
"Yes it was," agreed Darcy.
"Can I get you anything?" asked Mrs. Reynolds.
"Mrs. R! I hope we didn't disturb you."
"No, I was reading and I heard you in here. Was the play good?"
"Yes, very."
"That's nice. Miss Anne called. She said she got your message and asked that you check your email before you go to bed."
"Thanks, I guess I'll do that now. Goodnight, Mrs. R."
"Goodnight."
Lizzy and Darcy went into the study and Darcy opened his email program.
"Here it is." He clicked on Anne's message. A conga line of frogs danced across the screen. Beneath the frogs were the lines:
You've set the date!
I can hardly wait!
You've set the date!
It's gonna be great!Love,
Anne
p.s. Hey, Darce, what color are these frogs????
He clicked "reply."
You're crazy! And yes, I do know my colors!
He clicked "send" and shook his head. "I'm glad she isn't a blood relation. I'd hate to think insanity ran in the family."
"She's just excited, that's all."
"Mmm, if you say so. Have you selected the fabric for your green dress yet?"
"How do you know-never mind, I know. Do you want a vote? I'll show you the swatches." Lizzy led Darcy to the bedroom and dug the envelope out of her purse. "Here."
Darcy dumped the scraps of fabric onto the bed. "They all look pretty much the same."
"Some are lighter than others. I'm leaning toward this one." Lizzy pointed to an emerald green square.
"What color would you call that?"
"That's em-uh, bright green."
Darcy reached over and picked up a small box from his nightstand. Smiling, he opened it and said, "I think that fabric is emerald green. Shall we see if I'm right?"
The box held a pair of emerald and diamond earrings.
"Will! They're gorgeous! How did you do this so quickly?"
"I called my favorite jeweler, and he brought a few pairs over to my office. I chose these, but you can change them if you'd like something else."
"Oh, no. They're perfect. But you shouldn't have done this."
"Why not?"
"I don't need an expensive pair of earrings just because I'm getting a new dress."
"Yes you do."
"Will, these must have cost a fortune. Look at all the diamonds around the emeralds."
"They're small. And I'm told that they're essential. Emeralds don't have a lot of sparkle. So the diamonds sparkle and fool the eye into thinking the emeralds are sparkly. Of course, the earrings will never shine as brightly as you do, Love."
"You're too good to me, Will. How can I thank you?"
"Hmm, I'm sure I'll think of something."
June 22
In the third department store they'd been in that morning, the Bennet women finally found dresses that looked promising. Mrs. Bennet selected a mid-calf dress that would be perfect for Jane's wedding, and was in the process of trying on a yellow gown for the ball, while Lydia slithered into a bright pink dress one size too small.
Lizzy took one look at Lydia, glanced at the tag, and left the dressing room. In a minute, she returned with the same dress one size larger.
"I don't need that."
"Yes you do. That looks terrible so tight. Try on this one."
Lydia huffed and took the dress from her sister. Lizzy shook her head and checked on her mother. Jane had just zipped up the dress.
"Oh, Mom!" said Lizzy, "I really like this one. It fits perfectly. Don't you agree, Jane?"
"Yes. It's lovely.
They returned to the racks of gowns to continue browsing.
"What about you, Lizzy, you need a gown for the ball," said Mrs. Bennet.
"No I have one."
"Really? Why didn't you tell me?"
"In all the fuss about buying the wedding dress before I'd set a date, nobody asked about a ball gown," said Lizzy. She picked up a dress and held it out. "Try this one on, Mary."
"Yes, Mary, this one would look wonderful on you," said Jane as her sister held up a one-shoulder, pale mint green, chiffon gown with a scarf hanging from the shoulder. "Bias cut, only the slender can wear that."
"Hmph!" said Lydia, "For once, it's good to be scrawny. Ooh, ooh, OOH! Check this out!" Lydia held up a fuschia satin halter dress. The v-neckline plunged almost to the waist, and the skirt was slit high in the front.
"Oh, no," said Lizzy. No way are you wearing that, not for my-uh, first big social event with Will's family."
"But it's gorgeous," whined Lydia.
"Tacky," said Jane.
"Slutty," added Mary.
"Oh look it's my prom dress!" Lydia giggled, pointing at a red dress. "And it's still not on sale. I hate it when something I've already bought shows up on the sale rack a week later."
Lizzy looked at Jane and shook her head they tried to imagine Lydia in a tightly fitted red satin dress with a fishtail train.
"That was her prom dress?" squeaked Jane.
"Uh-huh," nodded Mary. "Please, you guys, lock me up if I ever show interest in something like that."
"And to think I almost said she could use her prom dress for the ball," groaned Lizzy.
"Shoes next!" declared Mrs. Bennet, herding her daughters toward that department.
When they returned to the Bennet home, the car was filled with garment bags and shoe boxes. Mr. Bennet laughed at the procession of finery.
"And to think, we'll have to go through this all again for Lizzy's wedding," he said.
"Don't even mention that!" said Mrs. Bennet, sinking into a chair. "I think shopping for Jane's wedding and the ball has quite worn me out."
"Not me!" cried Lydia.
"You are never tired of shopping, are you Lydia?" asked her father.
"Nope!"
"Let's have lunch," suggested Jane. "Come on Lydia, you can help us."
"I'll take the dresses upstairs," said Mary.
"Dad, could I talk to you for a minute?"
"Certainly, Lizzy." As they walked to his study, he asked, "How awful will the credit card bill be?"
"Not a pretty sight, I'm afraid. That's what you get for having all daughters."
"Ground rules!" said Jane as she pulled into the parking lot of the bridal shop. "I will make several selections. You may each make one. I will listen to your opinions, but I make the final choice. Lydia? Are you listening?"
"Yes! Why are you picking on me?"
"Because I can count on Lizzy and Mary to be reasonable."
Once inside, they looked through the samples. Lizzy and Mary picked out tailored styles. Lydia picked out a lacy ruffled lavender dress. Holding it in front of her she twirled around.
"Yuck!" said Mary.
"No way!" cried Lizzy. "I will not wear some frou-frou monstrosity!"
"Well, you picked dresses that are too plain!"
"How about these?" asked Jane, holding up two dresses.
"The blue," said Lizzy.
"Yes, the blue," said Mary.
"I still like the lavender one," said Lydia. "But I guess I could go with the blue."
"Hurrah!" said Jane. "Now let's get you all measured so the shop can order your dresses."
Lizzy returned to the apartment empty-handed. Darcy greeted her with a hug, then asked, "What? No purchases?"
"Not me, no. Mary, Lydia, and Mom got gowns for the, uh, ball, and Mom got a nice mother-of-the-bride dress for Jane's wedding. And after lunch we settled on bridesmaid dresses. Jane found something we could all agree to, so they're on order. And then we'll have to go for fittings. The bridesmaid dress system is amazing."
"How so?"
"The dresses are delivered to the shop sized, but more or less shapeless, then the shop takes them in at the waist to make them fit. I think it's a way to make more money. Even if a woman is a perfect size 10, she has to get an unfitted 10, and have it altered."
"Weddings are big business."
"I know. There was an article in the Style section last week about the way couples get into debt for huge weddings. Some were divorced before the wedding was paid for."
"Ouch! That's terrible!"
"I know. I talked to Dad today and reminded him that we're paying for everything, for which he's grateful. He's dreading the next credit-card cycle as it is. I told him about our plans."
"And?"
"He's happy that we've set a date. I didn't tell Mom. She was exhausted from the dress shopping. I figure I'll catch her on a calm day and when Lydia isn't around to make suggestions."
"What sort of suggestions?"
"Just today, she told Jane it would be romantic to arrive at the church in a coach pulled by four white horses, and to release a huge flock of white doves at the end of the ceremony."
"What if the birds spook the horses?"
"I know, disaster! What if the birds poop on the crowd outside the church?"
"Or come back to eat the rice and get underfoot?"
"Will, nobody throws rice any more. Churches don't like stuff to be thrown. It's messy. Rose petals, maybe. A lot of weddings give out little bottles of bubbles."
"It should be rice. That's traditional."
"Rice was a fertility wish. Most couples nowadays aren't looking for fertility immediately. How about confetti? Oh, that was another of Lydia's suggestions. Instead of rice, throw sequins because they'd sparkle in the sun."
June 23
"Brunch was delicious, Aunt Sue."
"Thank you, Will. I'm so glad you could all come up this morning. I think it's finally sinking in that you children have truly grown up. And getting married."
Lizzy saw that Chris and George looked uncomfortable, and added, "Well, some of us are getting married. Some of us have a ways to go yet."
"He'll be fine by the wedding," said Anne, patting Richard's hand.
"Funny, Annie."
"Ooh, he's so cute when he's acting insulted!" Anne pinched her fiancé's cheek.
Sue smiled and said, "Poor Jake. He's going to regret his decision to officiate when he sees the two of you in action."
"Don't worry, Aunt Sue," said Darcy. "He remembered us from some family reunion. More specifically, he remembered us dodging Anne. I think he has some idea of what's in store. I'm just hoping he can make them behave themselves."
"Excuse me?" huffed Anne. "When do I not behave myself?"
"Let's don't go there," laughed Lizzy. "I think it's time to drop the bomb."
When Anne had finished outlining the wedding plan, she looked around the table and added, "We're telling as few people as possible. Obviously, Darce and Lizzy have to know, and Georgie because she's my maid of honor, and Chris because he's Georgie's date."
"Do you think Mark will mind that Darce is my best man, Mom?"
"No, Richard. You and Will have been so close, especially since your return to New York. Mark and Erica did ask me about your wedding plans the other day, but that was only curiosity. I just said nothing was decided."
"We want to minimize the list of people we tell," said Richard. "First, it improves the shock value, which appeals to Annie."
"Hah!"
"Don't try to deny it, Darling, you're an anarchist at heart."
"Great, an anarchist marrying a government spook."
"Wonderful, isn't it? And to get back to my original train of thought, in addition to the fun of the surprise, there is the fact that fewer people knowing in advance will mean less fuss and less attention."
"Speaking of fuss and attention," said Matt, "When are you going to tell Catherine?"
"As late as possible," said Anne. "I'm going to talk to Dad about it and work out a strategy."
"Definitely the way to go," said Lizzy.
"Lizzy?" said Darcy. "Do you have that little notebook you've been carrying around?"
"Yes, it's in my bag." Looking at the others, she explained, "I've taken to carrying a small spiral notebook. When I think of something we have to do for the ball or for our trip, I write it in the notebook. Too many details to trust to my memory. Will, do you want to make an addition to my 'to do' book?"
"Yes. Buy smelling salts!"
Posted on Thursday, 14 August 2003
June 29
Lizzy, Georgie, Chris, and Kitty arrived at the apartment tired and a little dusty. Mrs. Reynolds greeted them with offers of cold drinks. Lizzy declined in favor of a shower. The others accepted iced tea and went out to sit on the terrace where their dusty clothes didn't matter.
Lizzy had just joined them when Darcy arrived.
"You're home!" cried Lizzy as she ran to kiss him. "Did you get a lot of work done?"
"Yes, with all the time we'll be taking off, it was good to get some extra time in. Mmm, it's always nice to get home, but a greeting like this makes it even better."
"Come out to the terrace, the kids are out there."
"Then I'll stay in here for just a minute or two more."
"But Will they're, uh, mmmph."
When they walked out onto the terrace, Chris made a show of looking at his watch.
Lizzy swatted him and said, "Don't start!"
Darcy sat on a lounge chair and Lizzy perched next to him.
"How was the BioBlitz?" he asked.
"Great!" replied Kitty. "We did a few leaf-litter quadrats, but mostly we recorded. It's going to take a while to tally everything, but from what I heard, they expect to make the estimate of 800 species."
"And Chris thought new York had only pigeons and rats!" laughed Georgie, giving him a hug. "See how diverse the city is?"
"I couldn't believe it," said Chris. "Will, how many kinds of moths do you think they caught last night?"
"A dozen?"
"Seventy-eight. Can you believe it? Seventy-eight species of moths."
"That's impressive."
"And ten species of spiders and twelve of fungi," added Georgie.
"I'm not crazy about the spiders," said Kitty.
"Now, now," said Lizzy, "All God's creatures have their place."
"As long as their place isn't my place, that's just fine."
July 2
After a hurried supper, Mrs. Bennet and her four daughters drove to the bridal shop.
"You didn't have to drive us, Mom," said Jane.
"But I want to see what you've picked out."
"They're blue and they're very pretty," said Lizzy.
"I still like the-"
"Let it go, Lydia!" said Mary. "We aren't wearing any frilly lacy lavender, um, what did you call it, Lizzy?"
"Monstrosity."
"Right, lavender monstrosity."
When they arrived, they were greeted effusively and shown to a fitting room with comfortable chairs and coffee in flowery china mugs. The woman from the shop explained that they had given up on offering cookies. Women going for fittings always refuse calories.
One at a time, they tried on the bridesmaid dresses and were pinned, tucked, and chalked, as the owner of the shop clucked and fussed. While Lydia stood on the platform having her hem pinned, Lizzy took her mother out of the room.
"Mom, are you making Jane's wedding cake?"
"I want to, but Jane says it's too much trouble."
"How long would it take?"
"Oh, nearly a whole day if you work alone. It isn't constant work. You have to wait for the cake to cool before you can assemble and frost it. And then the frosting has to set a bit before you can do the decorating."
"Maybe that is too much to do the day before the wedding."
"You can make it a bit easier by doing some things a day ahead. You can bake the cake ahead, and do the roses ahead, too. Remember, I showed you and Jane how to make roses on a flower nail."
"Right, I do remember," said Lizzy, thinking of her mother's foray into fancy cakes.
"You were getting pretty good at it."
"My lone culinary success."
"It was more craft than cooking. You always were very clever with your hands."
"Thanks, Mom. Um, how would you feel about a practice cake?"
"What do you mean?"
"Would you make a cake for the ball?"
"A wedding cake for the ball?"
"Well, it's our engagement party."
"But not a wedding cake, not for an engagement party."
"So we wouldn't put a bride and groom on top. A small flower arrangement, pink roses, that's the main decor for the ball."
"I'll be happy to make a cake, Lizzy. But I do think a sheet cake would be more appropriate. I can put pink roses on it, of course."
"Yes, I guess so. By the way, I was wondering, where will you get the things to hold up the layers for Jane's cake?"
"Oh, that's no problem at all. I already have them. I've had the graduated cake pans and the layering pieces for years."
"Really?"
"I knew my girls would marry one day, you know."
When Lizzy arrived home, she found a note from Darcy, saying that he would be across the hall at Richard's apartment.
She knocked and Darcy answered the door.
"Hello, Love, how did it go?"
"Just jolly. The woman hovered a bit too much. I have to say my other fittings here in the city were more pleasant. Well, Niles hovered a bit, but Sarah kept distracting him with irrelevant questions. I think they've worked together for years."
"I have to meet this guy."
"I'm sure you will. I think Anne invited him to the ball."
"With our without a date?"
"With, I hope. He's had far too many nice things to say about you and Richard."
Anne looked up as they entered the living room. She laughed and said, "Oh, he puts it on pretty thick when he wants to. How's things in the 'burbs?"
"Good. Mom was pleased with the dresses. Jane's dress is done and hanging in her closet at home. We have to go back for one more try-on and then we get to keep our dresses, too."
"Think you'll ever wear it again?"
"I might cut it off to wear as a cocktail dress. I don't think I'll keep it long."
"What color is it?"
"Blue."
"Hey, Darce, Lizzy needs sapphire-"
"Anne! Stop that!"
"Just trying to help."
"That's my sweet Annie," chucked Richard as he gave his fiancée a hug.
Lizzy looked at the cards on the coffee table. "Are those responses to the ball?"
"Yes, we're sorting through last week's collection. Almost all yesses. Here's the list so far." Anne held out a pad.
"Good," murmured Lizzy as she scanned the list. "Em and George are coming, that's good. Chris's parents, and their note says they're bringing Nikki."
"Nikki?" asked Richard. "Isn't that Chris's old girlfriend?"
"Not girlfriend. Really an old pal. And inviting Nikki was Georgie's specific request."
"Good for Georgie," said Darcy.
"Poor Nikki, coming to the ball stag," said Anne. "She'll have to dance with the toe-stomping sons of Mother's friends. Unfortunately, the obligatory friends-of-Mother are mostly replying in the affirmative."
"Good," said Richard. "I want to get a look at these guys. And I want them to eat their hearts out that you're no longer available."
"Speaking of going stag," said Lizzy, "I asked Mary if she was going to ask Peter to come out for the ball."
"I hope she will," said Darcy. "I like him."
"She's feeling a bit funny about it."
"I'm sure he can afford the airfare."
"It isn't that, Will. She's afraid of appearing to assume too much, especially if she asks him for the ball and then Jane's wedding."
"Aren't they keeping in touch?"
"Yes, they email often and call sometimes, too."
"She should just ask him," said Anne. "She shouldn't hang around waiting for him to ask if he can come out. He may feel that he'd be intruding on a family event."
"I wonder if we should do something," said Darcy.
"No!" said Lizzy. "That would embarrass Mary too much. I suggested she tell him about the ball and the wedding and tell him he's invited to both, but not be disappointed if he can come to only one."
"Tell her he could stay here if pre-wedding activities get to be too much at your parents' house," said Darcy. "We'll be away for almost two weeks right after the ball. Mrs. R would look after him."
"I'll mention it to her," said Lizzy as she poked through the stack of cards. "Oh! Look, Will, the Masons are coming. You guys are going to love this couple. Will bought his company, and we got to be friends on our trip out there. She's already suspecting it's an engagement party, nothing gets past her. Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. I asked Mom about making a cake."
"Will she do it?"
"She'll be happy to make a cake, but she says you can't have a tiered cake for an engagement party. I may have to tell her it's for your wedding. I'll leave that bit of info as late as possible. At least I know she has all the stuff for a wedding cake. You know, the things that go between the layers and so forth."
"Really?"
"Oh, sure. I think she bought that stuff the first time Jane went on a date!"
July 3
"I've never heard of July Third fireworks," said Lizzy as Darcy turned off the Parkway. "Why do they do it tonight?"
"It leaves the Fourth for a rain date. And when you see the crowd and the traffic, you'll see how nice it is to know that you won't have to get up early the next day to go to work. Fred always takes advantage of the next day off to make this a big party."
"This is a long commute for Fred," said Lizzy. "Is there any other way to go to the city than to drive?"
"Yes, there's a train service, and also a ferry not too far away. Fred never drives. As long as I've known him, he's used a limo. Here we are." They pulled up in front of a deceptively small-looking house. Fred's wife, Janette, met them at the door.
"Will! Good to see you. And this must be your fiancée."
"Yes, this is Lizzy Bennet. Lizzy, this is Janette."
Janette took Lizzy's arm. Turning to Darcy she said, "Will, the boys are out back with the beer. Come on, Lizzy, let me introduce you to the girls."
As Janette led her to the kitchen, Lizzy said, "What a lovely home. It's much larger than it appears to be."
"Yes, that's why we bought it. The man who built it kept it low and followed the slope down to the river. We added a sun porch and a deck, extending the house even farther. Well, here's the kitchen. Let me introduce you. Liz, here are Kennetha, Marion, Paula, Clea, and I believe you already know Kelly. Girls, this is Lizzy Bennet."
"Hi!" said Paula, "I've been dying to meet the woman who bagged Will Darcy!"
"Hello, nice to meet you all."
"Anything you want to know about being the corporate wife, just ask us," said Marion. "You name it, we've been there, done that."
"I've had a taste of it already. I went to San Francisco with Will on an acquisition trip."
"I heard about it from Dev," said Kelly. "I hear you charmed the seller no end."
"One of the sellers anyhow. The other one was, um, interesting."
"Interesting how?" asked Clea.
"He had the most obvious trophy wife I've ever seen."
"Sssss!" Paula hissed and held her fingers up to form a cross. "The scourge of the corporate wife! You help him climb the ladder, years and years of pushing his a$$ up ahead of you and then, bang! He kicks you off the ladder and pulls up some young thing."
"Don't mind her," laughed Kennetha, "A friend of hers just got dumped after fifteen years of marriage."
"Hey," Paula went on, "I told Gary, you do that to me and you just see if you live to tell the tale."
"You tell him!" laughed Clea as she high-fived Paula.
Lizzy laughed until she cried as the women told stories of horrible business dinners and other adventures on the way to the top.
"Of course," said Janette, "You're starting at the top. You don't have to push Will's a$$ up the ladder."
"Not that it wouldn't be a great view," said Kennetha, winking at Lizzy.
The kitchen erupted in laughter as Fred arrived to get more ice. "Geez, what are you girls talking about? They can hear you laughing in Red Bank."
"It's only across the river," said Janette to Lizzy. Turning to her husband, she added, "We weren't all that loud."
"Yes dear, of course you weren't loud, dear. By the way, I'm ready to start grilling."
"Great, we'll bring out salads and all that stuff in a few minutes."
They feasted on all-American Fourth of July fare, upscale style-steak instead of hamburgers, and chicken-apple sausages instead of hot dogs. Still, there was corn on the cob, potato salad, and watermelon for dessert. After the food had been put away, Fred lit the citronella candles and the guests moved their chairs to face the river. Some guests stretched out on blankets. Lizzy and Will lay side-by-side on a blanket, looking up at the stars.
Lizzy propped herself up on her elbows and said, "Isn't it pretty, all the boats out on the river with their little lights on."
"Those are anchor lights," said Fred from his lounge chair behind them. "It lets the other boats know that you're anchored and it's their responsibility to maneuver around you. It's about time to start. Janette?"
"Got it." Janette turned on a large portable radio. The announcer was describing the setting and talking about the fireworks.
"When he's done with the intro, they'll start the music," explained Darcy. "The music goes with the fireworks."
Whistle, pop, bang! The fireworks began. Bursts of red, green, and purple were followed by explosions of shimmery gold. When the radio station played "God Bless the USA," the fireworks spelled out USA.
"Wow!" breathed Lizzy. "How do they do that?"
"I don't know," said Darcy. "I guess it has to do with the way the fuses and chemicals are arranged in the shell."
Fred added, "These are done by the Grucci family, the people who do Macy's fireworks in the city."
"Impressive. No wonder people come from all around to see this."
"Oh, yes, when traffic hits the saturation point, the police have to close the roads into town."
The radio played "Give Peace a Chance," and the fireworks made peace signs in the sky. A group of people in a boat sang along loudly and held up their hands in peace signs. Next, "All You Need Is Love" was accompanied by fireworks that formed a heart shape.
"Dad would love this," laughed Lizzy. "He remembers the 60's fondly and says that, despite the saying, it is possible to have been there and remember it!"
When the fireworks ended with a blazingly bright (and loud) finale, Janette announced that dessert was ready.
"We had dessert, we had melon," said Lizzy.
"Time for pie," said Janette. "You have to have some pie. It's from Delicious Orchards."
"Ooh!" cried Paula, "Which ones did you get?"
"Strawberry-rhubarb, blueberry, and peach-blueberry . Lizzy, the place that makes these is famous around here. At Thanksgiving people stand in line to get their pies, they're that good. Come on, have a piece. You may as well stay and have dessert. You can't get out of here until the traffic thins out."
Lizzy accepted a slice of peach-blueberry, but declined ice cream or whipped cream, saying, "No, no! I just had a fitting on my dress for my sister's wedding. She'd kill me if I split a seam walking down the aisle!"
Darcy laughed and held out his piece of strawberry-rhubarb, "My tux has a little room to spare, so pile on the ice cream!"
"You say that now," said Dev, patting his stomach, "Give it a few years and see how much of that you can pack away."
July 5
Chris and Georgie took mugs of coffee out onto the porch and settled into the swing.
"It's so quiet," said Chris. "Just us and this big house and the gardens. The fireworks were pretty good last night."
"You didn't mind not seeing the ones in the city?"
"No, it didn't matter. Fireworks are okay, but they don't knock me out. When is everyone getting here?"
"Soon, I think. Traffic should be light since most people drove out yesterday or the evening before. They're supposed to come here first, and pick me up. You can come, too, but you don't have to. I'm not even sure that I have to go, but in case they want me to sign something, I should be there. This is probably the only weekday until the day before the ball that they can all be out here to do this."
"Right. And then when is the minister coming over?"
"Tomorrow for lunch. Will says he's nice. I don't think they met his wife. I forget her name, but she's coming to lunch tomorrow, too."
"So we'll have to be on our best behavior?"
"I think that's a lost cause. I don't remember him, but he remembers us from a family reunion when I was very little. Richard and Anne were doing their usual thing, and he remembered that. So I think he's well prepared for this group. And Jane and Charles will be there, so that dilutes the Richard-and-Anne factor."
"And what is the Richard-and-Anne factor, if I may ask?"
"Anne! Hi! You know what I meant, the bickering and teasing that goes on whenever you two have an audience."
"Hi Gorgeous! Hi Chris. What makes you think it goes on only when we have an audience?" Richard stood behind his fiancée and wrapped his arms around her waist.
"Because," said Georgie, "Most couples have better things to do when they're alone."
Richard laughed and Anne blushed. She recovered and asked, "Did Darce and Lizzy get here yet?"
"Not yet."
"Hello," said Mrs. Clark, walking out onto the porch. "It's good to see you again. Would you like some coffee or do you want to go up to your rooms?"
"I'll take our bags up," said Richard. "Then I'll come down for coffee."
Anne settled into a wicker chair and Richard returned to the car.
"Two weeks, Morticia," said Chris. "And counting. Nervous?"
"Don't call her that any more," said Georgie. "Haven't you noticed the shift in her color palette?"
"Yeah, come to think of it, you have ditched the black."
"Not permanently. When winter returns I'll go back to my usual wardrobe. These pastels are my country clothes. Besides, you can't go for your marriage license wearing black. I think it's bad luck or something."
Lizzy, Darcy, Jane, and Charles arrived together. Declining coffee, they took their bags to their rooms and then were ready to go to City Hall.
Charles and Chris declared themselves to be excess personnel, and decided to remain at the house. The rest of the group headed out to deal with the local bureaucracy.
The clerk, who introduced herself as Maisie, handed out forms and asked to see identification. Passports and birth certificates were duly examined.
"Super! You're all who you say you are!" Maisie looked about sixteen and had a tendency to giggle like a cheerleader. "Now, anyone been married before? No? Good, then I don't have to ask to see divorce papers. I always hate to have to bring up divorce when people are being married, it's such a downer, you know?"
Everyone nodded. Georgie stifled a giggle.
"Now, how long have you known each other? Oh! I didn't mean bride and groom, I meant the witness."
"All our lives," said Darcy. "Richard and I are cousins."
"Cool! That is so nice! And you're going to be your cousin's best man. Usually it's, like, college roommates and that sort of thing, but family is nicer. All right. Well, you just fill in all the blanks, and be sure to sign at the bottom." Maisie paused and looked at the group in front of her. "Yeah, you all look sane and sober."
Georgie stifled another giggle and Lizzy gave her an elbow in the ribs. Meanwhile Maisie initialed the forms and whisked them off to her desk, saying, "Okay, now I have to give you the official paperwork. Oh, and you do know that it isn't legal until it's signed by your minister after the ceremony!"
Everyone chucked politely at Maisie's little joke. Fees were paid, papers were collected, and everyone made certain that his or her identification had been returned.
"Good luck!" called Maisie as the left the office.
Once they were outside, Anne groaned, "Lord, could she have been any more chipper?"
"I think it's interesting that your witness to get the license doesn't have to be one of your witnesses for the wedding," said Lizzy.
"But you'll go to City Hall with Charles and me, won't you, Lizzy?" asked Jane.
"Of course. After all, I've known Charles for as long as you have."
"That's true. We both met him the day of the marathon."
"But it was clear which of us caught his eye, Jane," said Lizzy. "In fact, Georgie, remember when I ran into you and Will? I was giving Jane a little time and space to work her wiles on Charles."
"Which worked, apparently," chuckled Darcy. "I didn't have as much luck with Lizzy so quickly."
"I don't recall you wanting to," she retorted.
"All right, I admit it, we did get off to a slow start," said Darcy as he held the car door for her. "But I think we've improved considerably since then."
Darcy got in the car, and before either of them bucked their seat belts they leaned toward each other and kissed.
"Ahem!" said Jane, "Somebody's sister is in the back seat, you know."
"What are you gonna do, Jane, tell Mom on me?" laughed Lizzy.
When they got back to the house, Charles and Chris reported that they had already stowed coolers of refreshments on the boat. City-hall clothes were quickly exchanged for boat clothes, and the group set sail on Long Island Sound.
Richard let Darcy take over steering, with Lizzy to supervise. Anne and Jane were comparing notes on wedding details, so Richard joined Charles and Chris.
Where's Georgie?"
"She went downstairs-"
"Below."
"Below where?"
"Below, Chris, or if you prefer, below deck. Not downstairs."
"Oh, then she went below to check on the provisions. Provisions? Is that the right word?"
"Yes, very good, sailor."
"Open this, someone." Georgie appeared with two bottles of champagne and a bucket of ice and glasses. Charles took one bottle and Richard the other, and they had a race.
"I won!" cried Richard.
"But you lost the cork, thereby losing points for contaminating the environment, whereas I held on to my cork," said Charles smugly.
"Now, boys, let's don't fight," said Jane, who arrived in time to help Georgie hold out glasses to be filled. Lizzy got glasses for herself and Darcy.
"A toast!" cried Chris. "We need a toast."
"Captain's privilege," said Darcy.
"Who says you're captain?" asked Richard.
"I'm the one steering at the moment." Darcy paused, and seeing that Richard had no comeback, he went on, "So I propose a toast to our lovely ladies. We are four lucky men!"
"Here, here!"
"To our ladies!"
When they had drunk the toast, Lizzy spoke up, "And as the fiancée of the captain du moment, I claim the next toast. To our men! May they continue to appreciate us!"
"To our men!"
"Anyone else?"
"Yes!" said Georgie, "To Maisie!"
This toast was met with laughter, and the toasting ended and small conversations resumed.
After a while, Charles moved to the stern to offer a top-up to Lizzy and Darcy.
"Thanks, Charles," said Lizzy. "I was sorry to see that the Hursts can't make the ball."
"Louisa is very disappointed, but they'll be in Paris. They booked the trip way in advance, and you know what a hassle it is changing plane tickets. It would cost them a fortune. Plus Louisa got them into a great hotel on an employee thing because it's in the same group as her hotel. It's bad form to start messing around with favors."
"I understand. We'll save them a party favor. We haven't heard from Caroline."
"She says she isn't going. I think she can't get a date."
"She could go stag. There will be some single men at the ball."
"No, she doesn't want to do that. Frankly, she mostly wants to feel sorry for herself. And I have no time for that. Let her miss the ball. Her loss, not yours."
"Well, the most important member of the Bingley family will be there."
"Thanks, Lizzy. I think I'll go forward and sit with Jane."
"Charles," said Darcy, "Let me know when people are ready for lunch. I'll find somewhere to drop anchor."
A half-hour later, Richard approached the stern. "Hey, Darce, how about stopping for lunch?"
"Fine. Got any place in mind?"
"Yes, there's a nice cove over there." He pointed toward the shoreline.
"Looks good."
"Okay," replied Richard. Then in a louder voice he called, "Ready to come about!"
"Hey," said Darcy, "I'm still steering, I should get to say that. You want to take over?"
"Sure. Step aside and let a master take her in."
Darcy rolled his eyes and Lizzy giggled.
"All he needs is an eye patch," muttered Darcy.
They lowered the sail, dropped the anchor, and dug into the lunch cooler. Mrs. Clark had provided them with cold fried chicken and salads, with brownies and grapes for dessert.
While they were eating, Richard looked critically at Anne and said, "Have you been sunbathing? You're tan! You never tan!"
"I know, I usually burn. But I've been sunbathing bit by bit. My dress is lacy and Niles says a tan will show it off well. So for a change I will not spend the whole summer fish-belly white."
"Do you have sunscreen on now? I don't want you to burn."
"I'm fine, I did put on sunscreen. How's everyone else for sunscreen? I have some in my bag."
"I'm fine."
"Already put some on."
"Thanks, I'm covered."
"Good, I'm glad we're all being so careful. This is living, isn't it? So peaceful, quiet. We've managed to avoid the most obnoxious boaters."
"Shh, don't speak too soon, Annie," said Richard. "You'll jinx us and we'll have nothing but Sea-do's for the rest of the day."
But their luck held out and they had a peaceful afternoon relaxing on the boat. Lizzy and Anne crawled out on the front to discuss the ball.
"We girls should sit down together tonight and go over checklists. Jane and Georgie may think of things we've missed," said Anne.
"Good idea."
"I did get a sample of the party favor. I brought it for you to see. I really think Summer Ball and the date is enough. It isn't fair to call it the Fitzwilliam Summer Ball. Richard is the only Fitzwilliam. You, Darce, Georgie and I aren't Fitzwilliam and we're all giving the ball. Richard and Aunt Sue agree. I'm thinking of having our names put around the edge. I'll show you tonight and we'll see what you think."
"Good, I'm glad you took care of that," said Lizzy. "I've got an idea for the no-gifts note, and I'll show you that tonight. Anne, What's the significance of the lavender lace under your wedding gown?"
"Oh, that."
"Yes, that."
"Silly, I suppose. The lace comes for a dress that was one of many debutante horrors Mother bought me. I wore it to the one dance for which Richard was my escort. It was our first date, at least in my mind it was a date. In his mind, it was doing a family duty to get his mother off his back. But I kept the dress. I kept several as a perverse reminder of the year from hell. I thought it might be nice if I had a keepsake from that dress in the dress I'll wear to marry Richard."
"That's sweet. Did you tell him about it?"
"No. I'll tell him when I'm wearing it. He'll probably tease me about it, but that's all right."
"Does that lace count as your something old?"
"I suppose. I also will wear my mother's pearls, which are old. Dad gave them to her when they were married. When she died, he put them away for me. I guess my something new will be my new shoes. I think my something borrowed should be something I borrow from Georgie, since she's my maid of honor. And for something blue, I don't know. Not the garter. Too common. Maybe blue thong undies?"
"Anne!"
"I don't know. Maybe I'll ask Georgie to lend me something blue and that will take care of two things at once."
July 6
Anne joined the rest of the group waiting on the porch for their guests.
"Did you look in the dining room? The table looks lovely."
"Yes, I noticed the nice flowers," said Lizzy. "Are the roses from the garden here?"
"Probably. Mrs. Clark is good at arranging flowers. Even if they don't come from the garden, she buys flowers and does them herself instead of buying arrangements."
They turned to look in the direction of the driveway when they heard a car approaching. It stopped, and Jake and his wife got out. Richard walked down the steps to greet them and walk them over to the group.
Introductions were made, and Jake and his wife Maura were offered a cool drink and a seat on the porch.
"What a wonderful setting," said Maura. "The breeze off the sound is delightful."
"I love it here," said Darcy. "I remember what a big deal it was to sit on the porch with our grandparents. They'd have their afternoon tea and we'd have milk and cookies."
"I remember sitting here in a thunderstorm once," said Georgie. "Dad was trying to stop me from being afraid, so he taught me to count the seconds between the flash and the boom. He said that if you see the flash and have time to gasp, you're all right."
"That's a good point," said Jake. "I wish I could explain that to our dog. He runs for the basement in a thunderstorm."
"I don't think he gets the connection between lightning and thunder, dear," said Maura.
"No, I suppose not. So, tell me where you want to do the ceremony."
"On the porch," said Richard. "Let's try it out. Everyone go stand on the lawn. Anne, go inside to make an entrance. Darce, go with her and stand in for Uncle Lewis to give her away. Jake, you and I stand here and wait for the bride, right?"
"Yes, with Darcy here, of course."
"Of course. But since he's doubling for Anne's father at the moment, we'll just imagine that he's here."
Everyone took up his or her position, and Richard called for Anne and Darcy to come out. Humming the Wedding march, they walked in a dignified manner to the top of the steps.
"What do you think?" asked Richard. "Are we up too high? Should we stand halfway down the steps?"
"No," said Lizzy. "That's too awkward in long dresses. The bridal party should stay up at the top. Will, as father of the bride, hand her over to Richard and step back." She paused and nodded, "Yes, that works. There's plenty of space for everyone at the top. And we aren't craning our necks to see you."
"Now, everyone slowly move away and see how far away you can hear me," said Jake as he began with, "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today in the sight of God and these crazy people. Can you hear me now?"
"Yes!"
"Good. Your crowd won't be farther back than that, will they? Then I won't need a mike. Okay, you can come back now."
Lizzy joined Anne at the top of the stairs and said, "That's a nice walk from the door to the top of the steps. Enough for everyone to get a good look at you, but not so long that you feel you'll never get there. I know someone who got married at St. Patrick's Cathedral, and she said it was the longest walk of her life up that aisle."
"I bet. Is the florist decorating the porch? We should have cascades of flowers or baskets or something hanging from the railing."
"I don't think we asked for anything on the porch," said Lizzy. "We'd better check the order."
"Maybe Mrs. Clark would like to do that," suggested Darcy.
"Did you order bouquets?" asked Maura.
"Omigod! No! How could we forget that?" cried Anne.
"How many attendants will you have?"
"Just the maid of honor. No parade of bridesmaids."
"Then your florist should be able to do those, too. You still have time to order them."
"Oh, it's a bit of a giveaway, though," said Lizzy. "You don't order bouquets for a ball. Especially not white roses or lilies or such."
"I can order them and have them delivered to the church," said Maura. "Florists deliver to the church all the time, although the bouquets usually go to the brides' homes. Still, if I ask that they be delivered to the church it should be no problem. Decide what you want and let me know as soon as possible."
"Thanks, Maura, that's a big help."
"Sometimes the attendants prefer to carry a basket rather than a bouquet, so you might think about that."
"Probably a bouquet, but we'll discuss it."
"You do have a photographer, I hope?"
"Yes, we do."
"Video?" asked Jake.
"No," replied Anne. I don't want to have a video of my wedding. If I trip and fall, Richard will send it to one of those TV shows." Turning to Richard she added, "And you may as well know right now, that when we have kids, there is no way I'm allowing the delivery to be videoed. No way. Got that?"
"Yes, darling."
Mrs. Clark called them in to lunch, and as they moved to the dining room, Darcy whispered to Lizzy, "Any bans on videos I should know about?"
"Total ban. Not our ceremony, not any deliveries, and certainly not any conceptions, either," she hissed back.
At lunch, Maura asked, "How are you going to deal with press at the ball? Have the society editors been asking for invitations?"
"Yes," replied Anne. "I've had a few calls. Someone from Awful Augusta's office even called. What nerve! As if I'd let her within a mile of this place. I'm telling them all that we will send out a press release and a few digital pictures, which they will have permission to use only for an article on the ball."
Georgie picked up the explanation, "Chris will have his digital camera with him, and he'll take some pictures. We'll have the press release written in advance. He and Will can use Will's notebook to email the release and a few photos to the various papers. And the editors will see them when they check their email."
"If nobody minds," said Anne, "I might give Susan Russell a heads-up. Not tell her anything specific, just let her know that something good might be in her email."
"Really?" said Maura. "You'd give special treatment to a gossip writer?"
"Yes. We all are sick and tired of Augusta Elton's misreporting, and it always makes me happy to see someone trump her. And nobody trumps Augusta better than Susan. Plus, it's the easiest way to make the announcement."
"I almost forgot to ask," said Jake. "How did things go at City Hall?"
"Fine," said Darcy, "Although the clerk was a bit flaky."
"Flaky?"
"Yeah!" chirped Georgie, "Like, totally."
"Maisie?"
"Yes. How did you know?"
"Crazy Maisie. Could I see your paperwork, please?" asked Jake. "I want to make sure everything is in order."
While Richard went to get the envelope, Jake explained, "She's a sweet thing, but a bit scatty. She once had to do a birth certificate and a death certificate on the same day, and she typed the deceased's name on the birth certificate, and the baby's name..."
"Oh, no!"
"Oh, yes. Fortunately, the Registrar, her boss, saw the papers before they were delivered, and the mess got straightened out. But we've all learned to keep an eye on her handiwork. I just want to make sure she doesn't have Richard marrying Georgie or something like that."
Richard handed the envelope to Jake, who perused the contents. Nodding, he returned the envelope to Richard, "It's all in order. Put that somewhere safe. Remember, no license, no wedding."
"We won't lose it," said Darcy. "While we're all here, we should recap the schedule for the weekend. We'll be out here on Thursday afternoon. Family will arrive during the day on Friday. Small family party Friday night. You and Maura are welcome to come, if you can make it, Jake."
"Good, I'd like that. Then I can talk to the parents. I know it's just a technicality, but it would be nice to see them before the ceremony. Which brings up an interesting point. Who knows about this and who doesn't?"
Anne looked down at her plate sheepishly.
"Anne!" exclaimed Jake. "You haven't told your parents yet?"
"Daddy knows," she replied softly.
"I don't believe this!"
"Believe it," said Lizzy. "Volatile mothers are best kept in the dark for as long as possible. Sometime Saturday afternoon is soon enough. Why don't you just be good old cousin Jake who lives nearby and let it go at that?"
"I do not intend to lie to anyone."
"Now, dear," said Maura soothingly, "I don't think anyone is going to ask you if you're here in an official capacity. You can always have a nice chat with the fathers if that relieves your sense of duty."
"You guys are still crazy, you know that?"
"You got it!" laughed Richard.
"All right, then," said Darcy. "So we have a small family thing on Friday night. Saturday morning the additional staying guests arrive in the morning, as do some of the day-guests. We have a barbecue on the beach-"
"My luau!" exclaimed Richard. Anne rolled her eyes. Darcy shook his head.
"Whatever," Darcy continued. "Then Saturday afternoon is for recreation. The girls have some sort of day-spa thing set up, painting their faces or some such thing."
"Massages, facials, manicures, all that wonderful girlie stuff," said Anne. "We want to look our best for the ball."
"If you walk out on that porch with some sort of green slime on your face," said Richard, "I'm going to regret agreeing to the no-video ban."
"Don't be silly. When you see us, we are going to look so gorgeous, you won't believe your luck."
"We have to set up rooms for the day guests to use for changing into their formal wear," said Georgie. "It'll be like that scene in Gone With the Wind where all the ladies take a nap in the afternoon while their maids trot off with the day frocks and bring back the evening dresses. Fiddle dee dee!"
Jake shook his head, "You lot really are crazy. We have to be going. I'll be in touch next week just to double-check details, time and so forth."
"And call me if you need any local favors, especially things you'd rather have done without your names attached to them, like the bouquets," said Maura. "Boutonnieres, too, come to think of it."
"The florist is doing a batch of those for us already. We didn't do anything about corsages because we weren't sure about our dresses when we ordered the other flowers."
"I can't carry flowers and wear them at the same time," said Georgie. "That will look funny."
"Let me talk to the florist. I'll bet he can make part of the bouquet so it breaks away to become a corsage or a wristlet. Call me next week and I'll have some details."
"Thanks, Maura. Thanks, Jake." Handshakes and hugs all around, and then Jake and Maura left. Lizzy stayed at the top of the stairs and waved goodbye as they drove away.
"So, said Darcy softly as he stood behind her and slipped his arms around her waist, "How do you like the view from here?"