Jonathan woke to the sound of his alarm clock; he groaned and leant over to shut it off and turned on his side to go back to sleep. He then sat bolt upright when he realised what day it was.
‘Christ, I’m getting married!’ he thought, then, holding his head, “Ooh, what was I drinking last night.’ He got up very cautiously and reached to put his dressing gown on. He stood and went to the window and looked out. It was a sunny day, perfect day for a wedding. He stood for a while, a smile on his lips; a slight fluttering of nerves beginning in his stomach, which he tried to ignore.
‘Well, this is it, Jonny old boy, you’re finally getting married. Sure you’re doing the right thing?’ he mentally asked himself, he thought of Josie and his smile widened, ‘Definitely the right thing, never been so sure in my whole life.’ There was a knock on the door.
“Jonathan? Are you decent?” It was Evy.
“As decent as I’ll ever be,” he replied, “Come in, it’s safe!”
Evy came in; she was dressing in her nightdress and dressing gown. She sat on his bed, like she used to do when they were younger and looked at her brother.
“How are you feeling?” she asked.
“Sore. That husband of yours was encouraging me to drink. He spends a lot of his time complaining that I drink too much and the one night I don’t want to drink he keeps plying me with alcohol! Mind you he wasn’t the only one; Josie’s brothers are very encouraging, they can’t half put it away as well. Apart from Charlie of course.”
Jonathan walked around a bit, Evy watched him, smiling.
“Well?” she asked.
“I’ll be OK once I’ve had something to eat. Good, don’t want to be drunk on my wedding day.” He then stopped and looked at his sister. “Evy, I’m getting married today! How about that then! And it’s to a nice girl.”
“Jon, I always knew you’d meet a nice girl and settle down.”
“No you did not! You were always telling me I’d marry someone who only cared about money and had loose morals. Like whatsherface, err thing, a year or so ago, Shelley? Shirley? No, wait, Sheila! That was it! Although she was married. I think. Never met her husband, thank God.”
“Yes, I definitely prefer Josie.” Evy said.
“So do I!” he grinned. “Can’t believe that this time tomorrow I’ll be married.”
“Where did you finally decide to go for the honeymoon?” Evy asked.
“Scotland. Kenneth, Josie’s brother, has a cottage in the Highlands and he’s lending it us. It’s very secluded. We decided not to bother with France, Lord Roderick, no, sorry, I’m to call him Roderick now, he says that France is too close to Germany for his liking. He doesn’t trust Hitler, reckons he’s after more than just former German territory. So, off to Scotland we go! 10 days of just Josie and I. Bliss!”
“Oh, Jonathan, I’m so glad you’re happy at last,” she hugged her brother, “Now, Rick will be in later to help you dress. I’m going to go wake your bride. Don’t go anywhere near Josie, it is bad luck.”
“I won’t, I won’t…Not just a little hello?”
“No.”
“Not just a very tiny one?”
“No!”
“Just a tiny, little baby hello? Very small, hardly noticeable.”
“No, Jonathan!” She smiled and kissed his cheek, “’Bye.”
She left the room.
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Evy tapped on Josie’s bedroom door. Josie had been staying for the past few days, in one of the rooms that would form part of her and Jonathan’s living quarters once they had married. They had decided that there was no need to buy their own house when they could live in the Manor easily without disturbing Evy and Rick. It also meant that Alex would still be close to his uncle.
“Josie? Are you up? It’s Evy,” she asked through the door.
“Yes. Come in!” Josie called.
Evy went in; Lady Mackenzie-Watson was already there. It was obvious who Josie and Charlie took after, like the twins her ladyship was small and slim with dark curls and dark eyes and like Josie she was very beautiful. She was also obviously French, very elegant and very ladylike. Like her daughter she was always smiling. Evy had got to know Lady Henriette and Lord Roderick well since Jonathan and Josie’s engagement and had found them easy to get on with and was pleased to see that Jonathan was also welcomed gladly into the family. Evy knew he would be. Lord Roderick was one of the few friends of their parents who had given Jonathan a chance after he had started drinking after their parents’ death. He had always been willing to help Jonathan and her in their careers though with them living in Cairo and the Mackenzie-Watsons in England he hadn’t been able to do much.
“Morning!” Evy said as she entered.
“Morning Evy. Have you seen Charlie around?” Josie said.
“He’s here?” asked Evy
“Yes, he came with Mama. Probably been collared by Alex, they seem to be getting on well. Have you been to Jonathan?” she asked.
“Yes. He’s feeling a bit delicate though.”
“He went out last night with Dad and the rest didn’t he?” Josie grinned.
Lady Mackenzie-Watson laughed.
“What?” Evy looked slightly confused.
“It is a little thing that Roderick does, or has done, with each of his future sons-in-law the night before the wedding. For some reason he wants to see how much the can drink I think. It is very silly but he doesn’t listen to me. Henry and Kenneth are just as bad, they are quite ruthless.”
“I think Jonathan is used to drinking, he’s done enough of it in the past.”
“Poor Jonathan!” Josie giggled, “He is alright though?”
“Yes, he’s says he will be fine after he’s eaten. He’s had worse.”
“At least he won’t be as bad as Julian, Roni’s husband, you’ve met him.” She laughed and carried on. “He’s not used to drinking - he’s like Charlie. When he went out with Dad, Henry and Kenneth the night before the wedding they were rather relentless. He was definitely worse for wear. Kept going various shades of green when certain foods were put near him during the Reception.”
“It is dangerous and I wish your father wouldn’t do it. There is no point to it. I blame your Grandfather, he started it.”
Evy smiled, she could see where Charlie had got his seriousness from. She mused that the twins weren’t that different personality-wise despite appearances, they both had taken after their mother: Josie had inherited her more light-hearted side whereas Charlie inherited the more serious side.
Josie slid of her bed.
“Oooh Evy! I haven’t shown you my wedding dress yet. I can’t believe I had to wait till my wedding day to show you. My own sister-in-law! Still, it means it’s been easier to hide it from Jonathan. I want to surprise him.”
She showed the dress to Evy, it was cream coloured, with a full skirt to the ground, the bodice was fitted and it had small lacy sleeves with lace around the neckline and the waist with a simple bow at the back.
“It’s beautiful.” Evy breathed.
“I’m glad you think that. The dressmaker didn’t really like it. She was trying to get me to wear a more modern styled one but I don’t really like them. Well I do but I wanted my wedding dress to be different. I’ve always wanted to live a few hundred years ago because I liked the lovely dresses so I’ve always said to myself I would like my wedding dress to be like that. Silly I know.”
“It’s not silly. It’s your wedding. I never thought I’d be interested in mine. I’d always thought the girls I knew that were obsessed with clothes and fashion were rather superficial and that I’d not bother with fussing with a dress just who I was marrying. Then I realised it was fun. I dragged Jonathan along with me. After meeting Rick I started bothering with how I looked, not because I wanted to impress Rick, I knew he’d love me whatever I wore. No, I just liked seeing his face when I showed him something new. Thinking back to what I was like before I met Rick I’ve realised that marrying Rick really changed me.”
“I wonder if I’ll change after marrying Jonathan.”
“I don’t know. You might change him.”
Josie looked quite distressed at this, “I hope not,” she said, “I like Jon just as he is now. I won’t like it if he changes.”
Josie stated brushing her hair, deep in thought.
“Does Jonathan really want children? He’s told me he does but what if he’s just saying that?”
“He wants them, always has. That’s one of the reasons why he’s so close to Alex.”
“Good. I want to have quite a few kids. Big families are common with us.” She smiled at her mother.
“Well I can’t wait to be an auntie.”
Josie beamed. She had finished brushing her and she tied it back.
“Did Jonathan really come with you when you were choosing your wedding dress?”
“Yes. I took him to every bridal shop in Cairo and London. He complained at first but I think he enjoyed it. I wanted him to go with me; I didn’t really have anyone else. I didn’t want Rick to see the dress at all until our wedding day.”
“Awww. Mama came with me. Oh!” she put her hand to her mouth, “I should have asked you as well. Oh Evy, I’m sorry I should have asked but you were so busy, I didn’t know if you would have wanted to come.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“Yes it does. We’ll be sisters after today, I should have asked!”
“Josie, it really doesn’t matter. You’d better get ready.”
“Yes. Is Jonathan getting ready?”
“Yes. Rick is helping him.”
Evy and Lady Mackenzie-Watson started to help Josie get ready.