heaven’s sake! Take what precious
time you have together, because whether you marry him or not he’ll
still be going back to the army.”
Delia allowed herself to slowly rise. She
stood there, sniffing. “Maybe you’re right.”
“We can’t live in fear, Delia. We just have
to…to accept things and try to make the best of them.”
“I will live in fear, I can’t help it!
I’ll live in fear of reading the newspapers and the casualty lists,
and I’ll live in terror of getting a telegram or a letter. I’ll
imagine the most horrible things, Catherine!”
“I think…I think we’re all afraid. But we
can’t dwell on it or we’ll surely lose our minds. Listen…I was
helping in the hospital some before Andrew came home, and I may go
back to it. I need to keep busy, and Mrs. Shirley sees to Andrew.
Why don’t you go with me, after Marcus leaves?”
“Oh, I couldn’t do that, Catherine. I
couldn’t stand it. I visit in the hospital sometimes and the smell
always makes me sick. Disinfectants, and blood, and—everything.
Besides—” Fresh tears threatened. “We just decided last night that
I should move back to Lexington and open up Marcus’s old house. Oh,
I’m going to miss you, Catherine!”
Catherine absorbed this news with a quick
pang of regret, but gave her friend a hug, saying lightly, “It’s
all right—it’ll be fun to visit each other. Now your face is as red
as a lobster. Let’s get some cold water up here right away, and
goodness, it’s time to get you dressed!”
Within moments, the room came alive with
bridesmaids, servants, and frantic activity. Assisted by her mother
and Catherine, Delia put on her satin gown, ivory-colored and
trimmed at the waist with a nosegay of orange blossoms. Finally the
time came for everyone to take their places at the top of the
stairs. Catherine held tightly to her bouquet and looked down to
see a large crowd seated in chairs just below. Off to one side
stood the pastor, the pale-faced bridegroom and his attendants.
The first notes of the processional music
began. Catherine made her way slowly, silently praying she wouldn’t
make a misstep and tumble down the stairs to land in an inglorious
heap before the guests. And there were so many!
Suddenly her heart jumped into her throat and
she almost tripped. She put her hand out toward the railing to
steady herself and continued down the never-ending staircase.
Clayton Pierce! What was he doing at Delia’s
wedding?
The ceremony seemed to take forever. The
minister droned on about the sanctity of marriage, but Catherine
heard none of it. Her heart thudded in her ears and her hands and
knees shook. When she had seen Clayton, he had looked directly into
her eyes and again she felt something like a bond with him. She
tried to explain it to herself and couldn’t. There was something
connecting them which she could not define but knew in her soul
wasn’t right.
No, it wasn’t right that her pulse should
quicken whenever she thought of Clayton. It wasn’t right that she
should care whether or not he thought her beautiful. It wasn’t
right that she found him more exciting than she had ever found
Andrew.
“And what God hath joined together,” said the
minister, “let not man put asunder.”
CHAPTER FIVE
T he wedding over,
people smiled and laughed and began moving into the huge dining
room for the reception. Clayton had disappeared. Catherine talked
with some of her friends, then saw Delia’s mother beckoning to her
and followed the older woman into the parlor.
Late afternoon sunlight poured into the room
through the windows, from which the draperies had been removed. A
rectangular standing mirror was situated at a point where it would
catch the most light. The effect was almost dazzling.
Clayton emerged from a room under the stairs,
which he was apparently using as a darkroom. He had removed his
coat and rolled his sleeves up
time you have together, because whether you marry him or not he’ll
still be going back to the army.”
Delia allowed herself to slowly rise. She
stood there, sniffing. “Maybe you’re right.”
“We can’t live in fear, Delia. We just have
to…to accept things and try to make the best of them.”
“I will live in fear, I can’t help it!
I’ll live in fear of reading the newspapers and the casualty lists,
and I’ll live in terror of getting a telegram or a letter. I’ll
imagine the most horrible things, Catherine!”
“I think…I think we’re all afraid. But we
can’t dwell on it or we’ll surely lose our minds. Listen…I was
helping in the hospital some before Andrew came home, and I may go
back to it. I need to keep busy, and Mrs. Shirley sees to Andrew.
Why don’t you go with me, after Marcus leaves?”
“Oh, I couldn’t do that, Catherine. I
couldn’t stand it. I visit in the hospital sometimes and the smell
always makes me sick. Disinfectants, and blood, and—everything.
Besides—” Fresh tears threatened. “We just decided last night that
I should move back to Lexington and open up Marcus’s old house. Oh,
I’m going to miss you, Catherine!”
Catherine absorbed this news with a quick
pang of regret, but gave her friend a hug, saying lightly, “It’s
all right—it’ll be fun to visit each other. Now your face is as red
as a lobster. Let’s get some cold water up here right away, and
goodness, it’s time to get you dressed!”
Within moments, the room came alive with
bridesmaids, servants, and frantic activity. Assisted by her mother
and Catherine, Delia put on her satin gown, ivory-colored and
trimmed at the waist with a nosegay of orange blossoms. Finally the
time came for everyone to take their places at the top of the
stairs. Catherine held tightly to her bouquet and looked down to
see a large crowd seated in chairs just below. Off to one side
stood the pastor, the pale-faced bridegroom and his attendants.
The first notes of the processional music
began. Catherine made her way slowly, silently praying she wouldn’t
make a misstep and tumble down the stairs to land in an inglorious
heap before the guests. And there were so many!
Suddenly her heart jumped into her throat and
she almost tripped. She put her hand out toward the railing to
steady herself and continued down the never-ending staircase.
Clayton Pierce! What was he doing at Delia’s
wedding?
The ceremony seemed to take forever. The
minister droned on about the sanctity of marriage, but Catherine
heard none of it. Her heart thudded in her ears and her hands and
knees shook. When she had seen Clayton, he had looked directly into
her eyes and again she felt something like a bond with him. She
tried to explain it to herself and couldn’t. There was something
connecting them which she could not define but knew in her soul
wasn’t right.
No, it wasn’t right that her pulse should
quicken whenever she thought of Clayton. It wasn’t right that she
should care whether or not he thought her beautiful. It wasn’t
right that she found him more exciting than she had ever found
Andrew.
“And what God hath joined together,” said the
minister, “let not man put asunder.”
CHAPTER FIVE
T he wedding over,
people smiled and laughed and began moving into the huge dining
room for the reception. Clayton had disappeared. Catherine talked
with some of her friends, then saw Delia’s mother beckoning to her
and followed the older woman into the parlor.
Late afternoon sunlight poured into the room
through the windows, from which the draperies had been removed. A
rectangular standing mirror was situated at a point where it would
catch the most light. The effect was almost dazzling.
Clayton emerged from a room under the stairs,
which he was apparently using as a darkroom. He had removed his
coat and rolled his sleeves up
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