Edward must ask mamma about that. He did, and mamma said "Certainly not;the last person in the world that shall see her in her wedding dress."But she should come down to him in half an hour. It seemed a very long half-hour. However, by way of compensation, he was alone when she did come. "Good news?" she asked eagerly.
"Capital: we are the best of friends. Why she is half inclined to _come._""Then--oh how good you are: oh, how I love you."And she flung a tender arm round his neck, like a young goddess making love; and her sweet face came so near his, he had only to stoop a little, and their lips met in a long blissful kiss.
That kiss was an era in her life. Innocence itself, she had put up her delicious lips to her lover in pure, though earnest affection; but the male fire with which his met them, made her blush as well as thrill, and she drew back a little, ashamed and half scared, and nestled on his shoulder, hiding a face that grew redder and redder.
He bent his graceful head, and murmured down to her, "Are you afraid of me, sweetest?""Oh no, no! Yes, a little. I don't know. I was afraid I had made too free with my Treasure; you don't quite belong to me yet, you know.""Oh yes, I do; and, what is more, you belong to me. Don't you, sweet rebel?""Ah, that I do, heart and soul, my own, own, own."A few more soft delicious murmurs, and then Julia was summoned to more rites of vanity, and the lovers parted with tender reluctance for those few hours.
Alfred went home to his lodgings. He had not been there above ten minutes, when he came out hastily, and walked quickly to the "White Lion," the principal inn in Barkington. He went into the stable-yard, and said a few words to the ostler: then returned to his lodgings.
The man followed him at a distance from Albion Terrace; watched him home;dogged him to the "White Lion;" and, by-and-bye, entered the yard and offered the ostler a glass of ale at the tap.
At Albion Villa they were working on Julia's dresses till past midnight:
and then Mrs. Dodd insisted on her going to bed. She obeyed; but when the house was all quiet, came stealing out to her mother, and begged to sleep with her: the sad mother strained her in a tearful embrace: and so they passed the night; clinging to one another more as the parting drew near.
Edward arranged the wedding breakfast for after the ceremony; and sent the ladies up a cup of coffee, and a bit of toast apiece. They could hardly find appetite even for this; or indeed time; there was so much still to do.
At ten o'clock Julia was still in the height of dressing, delayed by _contretemps_ upon _contretemps._ Sarah and her sister did her hair up too loose, and, being a glorious mass, it threatened all to come down and, meantime, a hair-pin quietly but persistently bored her cream-white poll.
"Oh, run for mamma!" she cried.
Mamma came half dressed, had the hair all down again, and did it up with adroit and loving hand, and put on the orange wreath, kissed her admiringly, and retired to her own toilet; and the girls began to lace the bride's body.
Bump came Edward's foot against the door, making them all shriek.
"Now I don't want to hurry you; but Dr. Sampson is come." The handmaids, flustered, tried to go faster; and, when the work was done, Julia took her little handglass and inspected her back: "Oh," she screamed, "I am crooked. There, go for mamma!"Mamma soon came, and the poor bride held out imploring hands, "I'm all awry; I'm as crooked as a ram's horn.""La, miss," said Sarah, "it's only behind; nobody will notice it.""How can they help it? Mamma! _am_ I deformed?"Mrs. Dodd smiled superior and bade her be calm: "It is the lacing, dear.
No, Sarah, it is no use your _pulling_ it; all the pulling in the world will not straighten it. I thought so: you have missed the second top hole."Julia's little foot began to beat a tattoo on the floor: "There is not a soul in the house but you can do the simplest thing. Eyes and no eyes!
Fingers and no fingers! I never did."
"Hush, love, we all do our best."
"Oh, I am sure of that; poor things."
_"Nobody_ can lace you if you fidget about love," objected Mrs. Dodd.
(Bump)! "Now I don't want to hurry any man's cattle: but the bridesmaids are come.""Oh dear, I shall never be ready in time," said Julia; and the tattoo recommenced.
"Plenty of time, love," said Mrs. Dodd, quietly lacing: "not half-past ten yet. Sarah, go and see if the bridegroom has arrived."Sarah returned with the reassuring tidings that the bridegroom had not yet arrived; though the carriages had.
"Oh, thank Heaven, _he_ is not come," said Julia. "If I keep him waiting to-day, he might say--'Oho!'"Under dread of a comment so significant she was ready at last, and said majestically he might come now whenever he liked.
Meantime, down stairs an uneasiness of the opposite kind was growing. Ten minutes past the appointed time, and the bridegroom not there. So while Julia, now full dressed, and easy in her mind, was directing Sarah's sister to lay out her plain travelling dress, bonnet and gloves on the bed, Mrs. Dodd was summoned downstairs. She came down with Julia's white gloves in her hand, and a needle and thread, the button sewed on by trade's fair hand having flown at the first strain. Edward met her on the stairs: "What had we better do, mother?" said he, _sotto voce:_ "there must be some mistake. Can you remember? Wasn't he to call for me on the way to the church?""I really do not know," said Mrs. Dodd. "Is he at the church, do you think?""No, no, either he was to call for me here, or I for him. I'll go to the church, though: it is only a step."He ran off, and in a little more than five minutes came into the drawing-room.
"No, he is not there. I must go to his lodgings. Confound him, he has got reading Aristotle, I suppose."This passed before the whole party, Julia excepted.
Sampson looked at his watch, and said he could conduct the ladies to the church while Edward went for Alfred. "Division of labour," said he gallantly, "and mine the delightful half."Mrs. Dodd demurred to the plan. She was for waiting quietly in one place.