Lilyanna nodded as she imagined the picture Mrs. Bainbridge had painted in her mind of the two rivers, as well as Elijah and herself. Humility filled her as she realized the truth in her words, as well as the importance of what she and Elijah were about to promise each other.
As silence ensued between them, she felt Mrs. Bainbridge twist, braid, and gently place Lilyanna's long locks to rest elegantly atop her head, eventually using a hot iron to leave soft ringlets trailing down her temples and neck.
She watched as Mrs. Bainbridge then moved to look through her reticule on the desk.
"Now, I do not have a comb or any hair décor," she said, "but I do have these pretty flowers I picked this morning I thought might match the dress."
She pulled out a handful of small forget-me-nots, and Lilyanna nodded.
"I think they will look quite nice," she said. "I have also brought a comb of my own, if you think it will work."
"Oh, splendid!"
Lilyanna stood, walking to where her own reticule was placed on the table near the bed. She retrieved the small, pearl comb her mother had given her, tracing her fingers over the white gems as she turned around and handed the comb to Mrs. Bainbridge.
"How beautiful," she said as she admired the fancy work.
Lilyanna again took her place on the chair by the desk. "My mother wore it for her own wedding many years ago. When I was younger, she caught me sneaking into her bedroom to simply stare at the comb so many times that she presented it to me as a gift when I came out into society."
She looked straight ahead as she felt the comb's teeth slide through her hair, Mrs. Bainbridge's hands resting on her shoulders shortly after.
"I believe your mother loves you very much, my dear," she said gently. "She does want the best for you, after all."
Lilyanna nodded, feeling a lump in her throat. "I believe so, too," she said. "But I do not understand her reasoning. If she loves me so, why can she not support me in my decision to marry Elijah?"
Mrs. Bainbridge moved to Lilyanna's side so they could better see each other.
"No one on earth has known you better than your mother, Lilyanna," she said. "Sometimes parents find it difficult to see their children grow up and gain minds of their own. In your situation, I believe your mother has held on to your early days so tightly that she still believes you to be a child incapable of making the right decisions. Therefore, she wishes to make those choices for you, for she still believes you to be the child she had to protect and serve selflessly for many years."
Lilyanna nodded, Mrs. Bainbridge's words making complete sense.
"I do believe," Mrs. Bainbridge continued, "Mrs. Crosgrove will come to see you as the adult you are. She will discover the choice you made to marry Elijah, the man you love, was the right thing to do, for it shall make you happier than you ever dreamed possible."
"Thank you," Lilyanna whispered as she brushed away her tears.
"Of course, my dear," she said. "Now, let me finish this up before we lose Elijah and Roddy to their impatience."
Mrs. Bainbridge returned to scattering the flowers in Lilyanna's hair before standing back and saying, "There. I think that will do."
She handed a small looking glass to Lilyanna, and Lilyanna moved her head left and right to examine Mrs. Bainbridge's handiwork.
"It looks beautiful," she said, grinning from ear to ear.
"You look beautiful," Mrs. Bainbridge corrected.
She smiled at the compliment and again looked at her reflection. Since deciding to go to Gretna Green, she had strived to push aside her childhood dreams of her wedding day, resolving to be happy with days-old clothing and rain-soaked hair, all the while hoping Elijah would not be too disappointed with her appearance.
However, as she saw the dark circles gone from underneath her eyes, the blond ringlets outlining her face gracefully, and the blue forget-me-nots accentuating her eyes even more than the dress, she felt a flutter of excitement for him to see her.
She put down the looking glass and reached out to Mrs. Bainbridge, pulling her into a firm hug. Mrs. Bainbridge did not seem as taken aback as Lilyanna felt, so surprised she was at how natural it felt to show affection to her future mother-in-law.
"Thank you, Mrs. Bainbridge," she said. "Again, I will never be able to repay the kindness you have shown me. I have always felt…" she paused, swallowing the lump in her throat. "I have always felt unheard, that my feelings did not matter. But your family, since the moment I met you, have all been so welcoming to me, so kind. I never feel so happy as when I am around you all."
"Oh, my dear," Mrs. Bainbridge said, "I assure you, it has been a pleasure getting to know you. You are a beautiful woman, inside and out." She paused as tears filled her eyes, her hands reaching up to cup Lilyanna's face. "And may I express to you my joy at having Elijah choose such a woman to wed. I am so pleased with the blessing of having not only one daughter to dote upon, but two."
Lilyanna smiled, her tears spilling over her cheeks.
"Now, now," Mrs. Bainbridge said, wiping away Lilyanna's tears after brushing away her own, "we must dry these before Elijah sees and thinks I have upset you in some way."
Lilyanna's stomach lurched at the thought of seeing Elijah, and her nerves and excitement for what was about to occur thrilled her to the tips of her toes.
"Shall we?" Mrs. Bainbridge asked.
Lilyanna nodded, grinning from ear to ear. "Yes," she said.
As they walked out the door and made their way down the old, creaking steps of the inn, Lilyanna felt the comb from her mother in her hair, the handkerchief from her father in her hand, and tried to feel her parents' love for her, praying they would someday forgive her.
Upon reaching the bottom of the stairs, Lilyanna finally spotted Elijah near the doors leading outside the inn.
She stared at him handsomely dressed in his black top hat and tails, tall boots, and clean cravat, until he noticed her presence, and his clean-shaven face broke out into a smile, causing Lilyanna's heart to pound in her chest.
They drew near to each other, and Lilyanna watched as Elijah mouthed out, "Beautiful," to her. Her mind instantly transported to when he had done the same thing after she had played the pianoforte in front of him, and she knew then exactly what he had referred to.
Mr. and Mrs. Bainbridge stepped aside for a moment as Elijah reached out to hold Lilyanna's hands in his own.
"You look stunning, Lilyanna," he said.
"Thank you," she replied, looking down at her feet. "Your sister was kind enough to lend me her dress, and your mother, well, she did everything else."
Elijah tried to focus on Lilyanna's words, but the beauty standing before him, her elegantly-styled, blond hair, her striking blue eyes, her feminine form, became suddenly overwhelming, and he struggled to breathe.
He stared into her eyes and thought of how blessed he was to be marrying such a woman. He could see the kindness radiating from her, could feel the love she had for him as she looked back up at him, and his heart warmed.
He felt all the fears from his past choices, past thoughts, disintegrate as he looked at her, and he thought of how happy he was to overcome his fears of attaching himself to someone, and one as kind and beautiful as Lilyanna Crosgrove.
Lilyanna looked up to see Elijah staring at her, and she blushed at his gaze. "Shall we continue?" she asked, feeling suddenly shy.
"Of course," Elijah said, though his gaze remained on her as they followed Mr. and Mrs. Bainbridge out the inn doors.
"My father and I have arranged everything," he said, "and they are expecting us. The blacksmith, well, the priest, Mr. Elliot, admitted it was most unusual to have parents accompanying an eloping couple, so I am sure we shall be remembered."
Lilyanna smiled as they walked arm in arm together across a few small streets until they reached the white blacksmith shop.
They approached the doors but had to instantly jump out of the way, for a man and his very young looking wife ran out of
the shop hand in hand, both laughing and running haphazardly without a care in the world.
"Ah, young love," Mrs. Bainbridge said with a giggle of her own.
"Are you going to act the same way, Lilyanna," Elijah said with a wink, "when we are finally pronounced man and wife?"
Lilyanna shook her head. "Of course not," she said quietly, "for that would be entirely improper for me to do so, Mr. Bainbridge."
"I see," Elijah continued, "and you do not consider running away with a man improper?"
"Not in my opinion," Lilyanna said, reaching up to kiss him on the cheek.
"Come along then, son," Mr. Bainbridge said as he looked at Lilyanna and Elijah behind him. "There will be plenty of time for that after the wedding."
Lilyanna blushed as they followed them through the blacksmith shop doors to enter into the low-ceilinged structure.
Sun shone through a few small windows, but Lilyanna's eyes had to adjust before she could see the simple, dark room where a middle-aged woman stood waiting for them.
"Good morning. I am Mrs. Elliot," she said with a smile. "And who is getting married on this beautiful day?"
Elijah's parents motioned toward Elijah and Lilyanna who had already stepped forward. "We are," Elijah said.
"Fine, fine," Mrs. Elliot said, her Scottish accent thick, "and you are both twenty-one or over?"
Lilyanna knew what she needed to do as the woman winked, so she simply nodded her head, sending a silent prayer heavenward to receive forgiveness for her fib.
"How wonderful," she continued. "And will you be needing any witnesses this morning?"
"No," Elijah said, motioning to Mr. and Mrs. Bainbridge. "My parents shall do the honor."
"Oh, parents, you say?" Mrs. Elliot said, her eyebrows raised. "We do not see many smiling parents at our weddings, but we are happy to have you, nonetheless."
Mr. and Mrs. Bainbridge nodded their thanks.
"Shall we get started?" she continued, not waiting for a response. "If you will all follow me."
Mrs. Elliot led the way under a small archway until they reached a man with a long nose and black coat.
"This is Mr. Elliot, my husband," she said. "He will be performing your wedding. 'Tis a pleasure meeting you all. Have a wonderful day!"
She left the room as quickly as she had entered, and the attention then turned to Mr. Elliot.
"Good morning," he said with a smile. "The Bainbridges, is it?"
They all nodded, and Mr. Elliot smiled again. "Yes, I thought it might be you, as you have a pair of happy parents at your side."
"Yes, they do," Mrs. Bainbridge said, looking as proud as ever.
"Wonderful," Mr. Elliot said. "And I understand you folks arrived late last night but decided to sleep before exchanging your vows?"
"Indeed," Elijah said.
Lilyanna felt impatient and wondered if Elijah was experiencing the same.
"That is far smarter, if you ask me," Mr. Elliot continued, "for that way you can be awake for the celebration after the wedding."
He winked at Lilyanna who glanced away, feeling Elijah's grip tightening on her hand.
"May we begin?" Elijah said, his voice somewhat gruff.
"Of course, of course," Mr. Elliot continued. "I only speak now, for most weddings, you see, I do not get the chance. Many couples run right in and out, but I figure since you stayed the night here, you would not be in any sort of rush."
No one responded, and though she tried to smile pleasantly, Lilyanna felt her patience disappear even more.
"All right, then," the gentleman said with a sigh. "I suppose we should get started. Are the witnesses ready?"
"Of course," Mr. Bainbridge said.
"In that case," Mr. Elliot continued, "I am honored to be here to perform the union of this beautiful couple. You both seem happy together, and I hope you will have a long and joyful life. Now, if you will take each other by the hand—"
"Where are they? They must be in here!"
Lilyanna's heart fell to the pit of her stomach as the voice outside the room grew louder with each new word spoken.
"Elijah," she said, grasping his forearm.
"It is all right, Lilyanna," he said, pulling Lilyanna closer to his side.
"Stop! You must not go in there!" they heard Mrs. Elliot cry from outside the room.
Despite the woman's screeches, however, Lilyanna soon found herself face-to-face with Captain Crosgrove and a red-faced Mrs. Crosgrove, and her heart fell into a gnawing feeling of despair.
Chapter Twenty
"You see!" Mrs. Crosgrove said, her nostrils flaring as she pointed a shaking finger toward Mr. and Mrs. Bainbridge. "I told you they would have brought her here!"
Captain Crosgrove remained silent, looking from the Bainbridges to Elijah to Lilyanna, his face surprisingly calm.
"You cannot be in here!" Mrs. Elliot said, having followed Captain and Mrs. Crosgrove into the room.
Mrs. Crosgrove simply ignored her.
"Father, Mother," Lilyanna said, searching for words "how…"
"How?" Mrs. Crosgrove said with a sneer. "Your father found your note you left on your bed, that is how. He went in search for you early in the morning, but to his great astonishment, he found your wretched message, and we decided at once to stop you from ruining your reputation once and for all. We thought we were too late, but upon entering the dismal inn here, we overheard the name of Bainbridge and demanded to know of your whereabouts."
"But, Mother," Lilyanna said, still trying to find her voice, "why?"
"Never mind why," Mrs. Crosgrove said. "You will cease your questioning at once, young lady. I have already packed your trunk and brought it with us. We are leaving this place for your aunt's home directly where you shall stay until this nonsense has left your mind for good."
Mrs. Crosgrove walked forward, reaching for Lilyanna's arm, but before Lilyanna had a chance to react, Elijah stood in between the two women.
"I am sorry, Mrs. Crosgrove," he said, his full stature towering above her, "but I cannot allow you to take Lilyanna away."
"You dare call her by her given name?" Mrs. Crosgrove said, seething, though she took a step back from him, shrinking only slightly. "You dare to command me, her mother? I knew you were no gentleman."
Tears spilled down Lilyanna's cheeks as regret encompassed her.
I should have married Elijah last night, she thought. We should have had the ceremony the moment we arrived in Scotland.
"Now, see here," Mr. Elliot chimed in, "as I tell everyone who does so, you cannot simply barge in here. This is my private establishment, and I have been given the right to wed this young couple in—"
"No, you have no right. She," Mrs. Bainbridge said, pointing to Lilyanna, "is nineteen, and her father and I have not given our consent to marry that scoundrel of a man."
"Mother," Lilyanna said, but she was not heard.
"Come now," Mr. Elliot continued. "He cannot be so terrible. Look at how smartly dressed he is."
"No, you shall hold your tongue and keep your opinion to yourself."
"Do not speak to my husband that way!" Mrs. Elliot shrieked.
"Please," Lilyanna said, but her voice was lost in the midst of the commotion.
"Oh, dear, Roddy," Mrs. Bainbridge said.
"It is all right, Joycey."
"This young couple…" Mr. Elliot said, but Lilyanna did not hear the rest.
She looked to the Bainbridges, who stood in silence, exchanging worried glances, then next to her mother who stood in front of Captain Crosgrove and screamed at the Elliots. Finally, her eyes ended on the man whose arm she tightly grasped.
"Elijah," she said, and he immediately turned to her, "what are we to do?"
She could see his eyes flicker with self-doubt, but he placed a comforting hand over hers resting on his arm. "Everything will be all right, Lilyanna," he whispered. "I promise."
He placed a hand to her cheek and smiled.
"How, Elijah? How are w
e to ever be happy together with so much opposition to our union?"
"Do you love me, Lilyanna?" he asked, his gaze penetrating her soul.
"Yes, but—"
"Do you love me?"
Lilyanna stared back at him, focusing on the brown warmth she saw in his eyes. "Yes," she said, smiling softly, despite her tears.
"Then we will find a way to be together."
Lilyanna nodded, trusting wholeheartedly in Elijah's strength. They stood staring at each other until their attention was drawn away to Captain Crosgrove whose voice finally came forth amidst the uproar.
"That is quite enough," he said, and the noise in the small blacksmith shop slowly died down.
Lilyanna looked to her father, realizing for the first time he stared at her and Elijah.
All eyes moved to his oddly saddened face as he began again.
"That is enough," he said even more calmly. "No more arguing, not on a day such as this."
Lilyanna frowned, perplexed, looking to her father for some explanation.
"We cannot stop this wedding, Mrs. Crosgrove," he said to his wife, though his gaze remained on Lilyanna as she clung to Elijah.
"Whatever can you mean?" Mrs. Crosgrove asked, scowling. "Lilyanna is not yet twenty-one, and we do not give our consent. There is nothing more to it."
"Yes, my dear," he replied, "but I am giving my consent."
Mrs. Crosgrove gasped, and Lilyanna searched her father's eyes, fearing to hope in case his words were not the truth.
"You must cease in your jesting," her mother went on. "You could never consent to a disagreeable union such as this. We came all this way to stop it from happening, so stop it!"
Lilyanna watched as Mrs. Crosgrove, having kept herself bottled up for so many years, finally revealed her true self to her husband.
"No, my dear," Captain Crosgrove responded calmly, "you have come here to stop this union. I came here to stop my daughter from making a mistake." He paused, looking to Lilyanna, his brows turned up. "But as I see now, this marriage taking place is no mistake."
When Two Rivers Meet (Regency Romance) Page 27