Page 24 of Persuading Penny (Jane Austen Association #4)

“A re you nervous?” Keely said as she adjusted my veil over my upswept hair.

“No,” I said, looking at my reflection. “I’m excited.”

My white dress was simple, no lace or no crystals. No long train. Just an elegant sleeveless bodice with a long smooth silk skirt that skimmed the floor.

We were in my old room, the room I’d grown up in. It felt strange to be back in my own house after months at the cottage, but Richard and Reagan were set to head back to the States the following morning. They were leaving for London right after the ceremony. Copperfield Corner was ours again.

Mum and Dad were downstairs greeting the few guests that were to attend the ceremony. They both seemed so excited... happy, even my dad.

A light tap sounded at the door, and it opened slightly, Abbie’s head popping in. “The cast has arrived,” she said. “They all came together.” She looked at me and smiled at my unasked question. “Bridget didn’t come. They say she’s already in London preparing for her next project.”

I nodded, relieved. Having invited the entire cast and crew, we couldn’t very well exclude Bridget, but I’d clung to the hope that she would not attend.

“Is anybody missing?” Keely said.

“Nope. Everyone’s here. Cliff is ready and waiting. Hugh is doing his best to keep him calm. The children are ready. They’re eager to do their part.”

I went to the window to look down into the yard where dozens of chairs were set up. Most were already taken by guests. Mum greeted the last arrivals and guided them to the empty seats.

Gabriel Tillsbury, the pastor stood at the altar, ready and waiting.

I turned to Abbie. “Looks like we’re all set. Is anyone missing?”

She smiled and I realized she’d already answered that question from Keely. I glanced at Keely. “I guess I am a little nervous.”

“Everyone is here,” Abbie said once again. “Your father is eager to come up to get you. He seems a bit nervous but...”

“I’m ready.” I picked up my bouquet. “Could you send him up?”

She nodded and backed out of the room.

“If you don’t need anything else, I’ll leave you two,” Keely said, joining Abbie in her retreat.

I nodded. “Thank you.”

Moments later, Dad was at the door. His eyes filled with tears the moment he saw me.

“My princess. Look at you. How beautiful you are.”

“Thank you, Dad.”

He came to me, slow tentative steps. I’d never seen him so unsure of himself. He held his hands out to me, a silent request that I set my hands in his. I did.

“Will you ever forgive your dear old fart of a dad for meddling in your life? All I wanted was...”

I squeezed his hands. “I’ve already forgiven you, Dad. I know you wanted what was best for me.”

“And I selfishly wanted what was best for me, too. I wanted to ensure that you would be well taken care of. I wanted you to marry a big name, a prestigious name, a British name. I wanted to boast that my daughter was a... a Seagram.”

I laughed. I felt no bitterness towards him. Everything had worked out as it should. Perhaps if I’d married Cliff all those years ago, our lives would have taken a different turn.

He looked at me. “Aunt Sally told me about Steve Seagram. I can’t believe I was willing to throw you to the wolves... to a wolf like that. I was so impressed by the family name, by that fortune, by the status his name would bring to our name. But I was wrong. I was so wrong.”

“And how do you feel now? How do you feel about Cliff?”

He smiled, a crooked and shy smile. “He seems like an upstanding fellow. American, but...” He chuckled. “I guess I can get used to that.”

“He loves me, Dad.”

“I know. It’s so easy to see, and I know you two will be happy.”

“Penny,” Keely called through the door. “It’s time.”

I looked at my father. “Ready?”

He nodded and turned to open the door.

*****

W e’d written our vows , simple, to the heart and a little poetic. In addition, Cliff took a moment to add;

“ Love’s not Time’s fool, though rosy lips and cheeks, within his bending sickle’s compass come; Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks but bears it out even to the edge of doom .”

I joined him in finishing Shakespeare’s well-known sonnet. “ If this be error, and upon me proved, I never writ, nor no man ever loved .”

Tommy ran up to us, the rings in his tight little fists. He’d refused to hold the small cushion Reagan had bought for the occasion.

“Thank you, Tommy,” Cliff said as he took the more delicate ring from the boy’s hands.

“I wuv you, Uncle Cliffy.”

“I love you, too, Tommy.”

Tommy then held his open hand up to me and I took Cliff’s larger and slightly sticky ring.

“I wuv you, Aunt Penny.”

Aunt Penny. Oh, my. I was an aunt. I cupped his cheek, touched by his statement. “I love you, too, Tommy.”

I smiled at him, then looked at Georgina standing nearby with her basket of rose petals.

She seemed eager to join in the ceremony.

While she’d sprinkled a few petals along the aisle as my father had walked with me, she still had so many petals in her basket, and I could see her playing with them, eager to toss them about.

Cliff took my hand in his, and I brought my gaze back to him. With a slight tremor to his hand, he slipped the delicate ring on my finger as he repeated what the pastor had just said. “With this ring, I thee wed.”

I slipped on his ring, repeating the same line. We kissed, a tender kiss filled with so much love.

The pastor blessed our union, and we turned to walk back up the aisle. I saw my mother, her cheeks streaked with tears, a smile like I’d never seen before lighting her face.

And my father, his face red, his eyes shining with tears held back, pressed an emotional grin.

He’d given Cliff a stern warning as he’d given his daughter away. “You take good care of my little girl, or I’ll come take care of you.”

Cliff had smiled and nodded. “Yes, sir.”

*****

R ichard had gone all out preparing a magnificent buffet for all the guests. There were plenty of cold salads, three choices of hot entrées – beef, chicken or pork – and once everyone had gorged themselves on the great meal, he’d brought out his true talent; the wedding cake.

The simple and elegant cake, chocolate and raspberry, with a gloriously shiny chocolate glaze, was a hit and not a single portion remained, much to the chagrin of the children who’d hoped for a second piece.

“When are you going to make a cake like that for me, Daddy?” Georgina implored her father.

He looked at me and winked. “When you get married, my princess.”

She shot him a playful pout and crossed her arms over her tiny form. “That’s not fair.”

“What about me, Daddy?” Tommy said. “Do I have to get married to have a cake?”

“Yep.”

The little boy took up the same pose as his big sister.

Cliff looked at his brother. “You really outdid yourself,” he said gesturing to the nearly empty buffet table. There’s not a single thing that people didn’t like, even your black bean salad.”

“Consider it a well-deserved wedding gift. I put a a lot of love into every dish.”

“I don’t doubt it.”

Reagan came to join us and after a quick, telling glance at her husband she looked at Cliff and me. “I’m so sorry, but we really need to get going. We have to be in London several hours before our flight leaves.”

I nodded my understanding. “I’m so glad all four of you were able to stay for the ceremony. It wouldn’t have been the same without you.”

“Yeah,” Cliff said. “Everyone would have gone home hungry.”

The men laughed.

“We’re going home?” Georgina said.

“That’s right.”

“By plane?”

“Yep.”

“Can I keep my dress on?” she said, grasping the hem of her frilly pale pink dress.

Reagan shrugged. “Sure. Why not?”

“Can I get out of this suit?” Tommy whined. “I’ve been cute enough for one day.”

We all laughed.

“You can get in your jammies if you like.”

“Yes!” the boy shouted.

Richard reached out for my hand and kissed it, then shook Cliff’s hand. “Congratulations to you both. I’m so happy to finally see you two together.”

Cliff looked at him with surprise. “What do you mean, finally ? You didn’t know about our past.”

Richard clapped Cliff on the back. “That’s what you think.” He winked at me as Reagan pulled me in for a tight hug.

“I do hope you’ll come visit us in the States. The kids just love their Uncle Cliff and they’re so eager to get to know more about their Aunt Penny.”

“We’ll be sure to go,” I promised.

After hugs and kisses to the kids, the Healys left Copperfield Corner.

As Cliff and I turned to return to the few remaining guests, Keely and Hugh came up to us.

“What a beautiful ceremony.” She looked at Cliff. “And your brother is quite a talent. I thought he was a lawyer.”

Cliff laughed. “He is. Cooking is just a pastime.”

“Even more impressive.”

Hugh shook Cliff’s hand as I gave Keely a final hug.

“I know you two are set to go off on your honeymoon, and I’m going to have a lot on my plate with post-production, but I was hoping we could have a quick meeting... let’s say in a month or so.”

“We’ll be back and very well rested before then,” I said.

“You two can come for dinner.”

“Sounds good.”

As she and Hugh left, the others also took their leave. They stopped by, commented on the fantastic food and offered more good wishes for a happy and long life together.

With everyone from the movie gone, only my mother and father remained.

“Well,” Mum said. “Are you two off to your honeymoon tonight?”

Cliff smiled. “We’ll be sleeping in Bath tonight and taking a flight out to Bali tomorrow.”

“Bali,” Dad said. “Where the hell is that?”

Mum shushed him. “I hope you have a wonderful time, dear.” She cupped my cheeks and cried.

“Mum,” I said. “I’m not dying. I’m not moving. I’m just going on my honeymoon.”

“Oh, I know. But then what. Where will you live? Will you move to the United States? Will you become an American? We’ll never see you.”

“By the time you come back, we’ll probably have sold Copperfield Corner,” Dad added with a touch of sadness. “Between the debts we still owe and the house being way too big for just the two of us...”

“Dad,” I said, sympathizing with his concern over the house. “I thought renting out the house had fixed that.”

He shook his head. “It’s going to buy us a few more months, but then...”

“If I may,” Cliff interjected. “I’ve already contacted your creditors and have made arrangements with them. If you choose to sell Copperfield Corner because it’s become too large, that’s your prerogative, but your debts should not be the reason.”

Dad smiled. “Do you mean to say that you...?”

“Yes, sir. All is taken care of.”

“I don’t know what to say.”

“Say thank you, Boris,” Mum said. “Simply say thank you.”

“Thank you seems so inadequate.”

“And as far as moving to the States is concerned...” Cliff went on.

Mum held her breath.

“I have a lot of work to do here in the UK. Here in Bath, near London, northern England, and I’m hoping to take time to visit Scotland and Ireland.”

“And then...?”

Cliff smiled. “Then I plan to settle right here in Bath. I’ve been looking around for an appropriate property; something big enough, homey enough, beautiful enough...”

Dad gave him a hard slap on the shoulder. “Look no further, son.” He gestured to the property surrounding us. Copperfield Corner is the perfect spot for you two to settle down and raise a family.”

“I appreciate that, Mr. Copperfield, but...”

“Of course, Molly and I wouldn’t stay here. No, no, no. I’m quite ready to move to a smaller place. This property is just too much work. I realize that now. Oh, I might have grumbled a bit about the smaller cottage, but I’ve come to appreciate a property that requires less work.”

“Dad,” I whispered, surprised by his declaration. “But you love Copperfield Corner. You’ve been fretting about losing it for so long. We could help you with the work that needs to be done.”

He shook his head. “I wouldn’t be losing it, dear. You’d be moving here. You’d have Copperfield Corner. It’s not like I’m selling it to strangers. And soon, my grandkids will be running around this place. What more can an old man ask for?”

“Oh, Boris,” Mum cried, holding her hand over her mouth. “I’ve been longing to move to the heart of Bath. I’ve had my eye on a unit at Royal Crescent for weeks now.”

“Royal Cresent?” I said. “That’s where Keely lives.”

“Seems like everything is working out for the best,” Cliff said. “You two will be in the heart of Bath, Penny will retain her childhood home, and I’ll be able to work on my unfinished documentary without rushing. I can take all the time in the world.”