A Second Chance (32 page)

David’s eyes lit up when he saw her, and a
small answering smile warmed Beth’s face briefly. But they both
looked serious as they faced the minister. Frank thought he felt
Beth’s hand tremble when he was asked “Who giveth this Woman to be
married to this Man?”; almost, he thought, as if she feared he
might refuse to do so. He felt Lizzie’s eyes boring into the back
of his head, and realised that he had hesitated for a moment. ‘I
do,’ he said quietly, sensing Beth’s relief as the words were
uttered. He relinquished her hand and took his seat beside Lizzie
for the remainder of the short service.

‘I pronounce that they be man and wife
together,’ the minister said. David and Beth turned to face their
guests, and Frank heard a murmur of approval that he felt no urge
to join in.

‘I hope to God I’ve done the right thing,’
he muttered under his breath.

‘Of course you have,’ said Lizzie, as
sharp-eared as if he had been one of her children. ‘Now shut up
about it before anyone else hears you.’

After the ceremony there were photographs to
be taken. Old Mr Hatfield, who had served as Ruatane’s photographer
for many years, had become too tottery to haul his heavy equipment
about, and had sold it to an energetic young man who had recently
moved into the district. Young Mr Hart rushed about cheerfully,
attempting to coax a matching enthusiasm from his subjects.

‘Come along, there’s no need to look so
solemn!’ he said. ‘I’m sure you can all manage a smile for the
camera on such a happy occasion.’

Frank knew he must look as sombre as he
felt. He saw Lizzie and Amy smiling brightly, while Rosie was
clearly revelling in the attention, and seemed to be cajoling Mr
Hart into taking more photographs of her than were strictly
necessary, but Beth and David stayed resolutely solemn. Frank might
have thought Beth was already regretting her marriage, had he not
seen her slip her hand into David’s whenever she thought no one was
looking at them.

‘Ugh! Whatever is that animal doing?’ Frank
heard Susannah say. She gave a small squeal and moved away from the
wedding party, but Beth laughed aloud.

‘Look what Pip’s got!’

Frank followed her gaze and saw the little
black kitten walking towards Beth, stiff-legged and tail quivering
with pride, a mouse clamped firmly in its jaws. It dropped the
thoroughly dead mouse at her feet and looked up, clearly expecting
praise.

Beth thrust her bouquet at Maisie and
scooped up the kitten. ‘What a clever boy.’ She kissed the kitten
on the top of its head. ‘He’s given us a wedding present,
Davie!’

David fussed over the kitten with her, the
two of them smiling and talking quietly. Beth looked happy and at
ease for the first time all day. She persuaded Mr Hart to take a
photograph of herself and David with the kitten, then insisted on
taking the kitten up to the verandah and placing it on her lap when
they were called for the meal.

The wedding was small, but some formalities
could not be avoided. Frank made a brief speech, thanking the
guests for coming and wishing the bride and groom every happiness.
When David rose to make his own speech, Frank saw his hands shaking
slightly as he gripped the edge of the table. Frank recalled how
terrifying he had once found it to speak in front of a group of
people, even one such as this, where everyone was known to him.
Despite himself, he felt a tiny trace of sympathy for David.

David thanked everyone for their good
wishes, then looked over at Frank. ‘And thanks, Uncle Frank, for
letting me marry Beth,’ he finished in a rush. He sat down in
evident relief, to a ripple of laughter from the guests.

After lunch Arthur and Edie remained sitting
enthroned in the two most comfortable chairs, and Lily spent much
of the time in the parlour playing the piano, but the other guests
milled about, chatting to each other and to the wedding party.

‘They grow up fast, eh?’

Frank turned to find Bill at his elbow.
‘Yes, they do. Too fast.’

‘Must be hard giving one of your girls away.
I’m not looking forward to it with Emma.’

‘It’s harder some times than others,’ Frank
said in a low voice. Bill cast a quizzical look at him, but Frank
did not elaborate. He suspected Lizzie had entrusted Lily with the
knowledge of Beth’s pregnancy, and it seemed likely enough that
Lily would have told her husband, but this marriage was not
something he wanted to discuss, even with Bill. He mumbled an
excuse and moved away.

Lizzie saw him standing by himself, and
brought a mug of beer over to him. Frank glanced around at the
guests; his mood darkened when he saw David clutching a full
mug.

‘He’s getting through that drink pretty
fast,’ he muttered to Lizzie. ‘I saw him downing one a couple of
minutes ago.’

‘Well, it’s not going to do him much harm
drinking lemonade, is it? And we’ve got plenty of it.’

‘Lemonade?’ Frank echoed. ‘You sure it’s not
beer?’

‘Of course it’s not. Dave doesn’t
drink.’

‘Doesn’t he?’ said Frank, startled. ‘I
didn’t know that.’

‘You would if you took any notice of things.
No, he promised his ma years and years ago that he’d never drink,
and he’s kept to it, even when he was away working at that mine
place. He saw how his father got when he had too much, and Dave
didn’t want to turn out the same.’

‘Humph,’ Frank said, unable to find anything
to counter this unexpected piece of information. ‘Well, I suppose
that’s something.’

‘He’s not his father, you know.’

‘I never said he was.’

Lizzie pursed her lips at him, but let the
subject drop. ‘They’ll be wanting to get away soon. Make sure you
catch Dave first and tell him you’ll do his milking for him
tomorrow morning.’

‘I don’t know about that,’ Frank said, aware
that he was embarking on an argument he was likely to lose. ‘I
don’t know if it suits me to. We’ll be milking till lunchtime if we
have to do his as well.’

‘It won’t be that late, don’t talk rot.
Anyway, that wouldn’t hurt you, just this once. You don’t begrudge
the boy a lie-in, do you? He’ll have to milk this afternoon, you
know.’

‘That’s his look-out. It’s a silly time of
year to get married.’

‘Well, he didn’t have a lot of choice, did
he?’

‘Yes, he did,’ Frank said grimly. ‘I don’t
see why I should do his milking. It’s not as if he deserves it, the
way he’s carried on.’

He belatedly noticed how close to him Amy
was passing, just as Lizzie gave him a sharp dig in the ribs. Amy’s
serene countenance showed no sign that she had heard, but Frank
felt an uncomfortable stab of guilt to go with the after-effects of
Lizzie’s jab. ‘Oh, all right, then, I’ll do it for him.’

David looked at him warily when he
approached. ‘No need to worry about your milking in the morning,’
Frank said.

‘No, there isn’t. Uncle John said they’d do
it for me.’

‘Oh,’ Frank was taken aback. ‘Well, that’s
all right then. You’re sorted out.’

David sought Beth’s eyes, then looked back
at Frank. ‘We thought we might get going about now.’

‘Did you?’ Frank said, unable to think of
anything more useful to say.

He found Lizzie at his elbow. ‘Are you two
off? You’d better give me a kiss then, Dave, now you’re my
son-in-law.’

David obliged readily enough, and Beth
embraced her mother and Amy. Tears welled in her eyes as the
emotion of the day threatened to overwhelm her. ‘Come on, don’t be
silly,’ Lizzie said, but she gave Beth another hug, produced one of
the extra handkerchiefs she always had about her person, and wiped
the tears away quite gently. ‘You’ll be all right,’ she said,
tucking the handkerchief up Beth’s sleeve.

Beth turned to her father, hesitated, then
allowed herself to be enfolded in his arms. He thought he felt a
suppressed sob, and held her more tightly, but after a few moments
Beth pulled away.

Aware of Lizzie’s eyes on him, he shook
hands with David. ‘You look after her,’ Frank said, his voice made
rough by the tightening in his throat.

‘I will, Uncle Frank.’

The gig was brought around by Joe, with
Mickey and Danny coming along behind leading three cows. Along with
her kitten, a small bundle of clothes and an old pharmacopoeia that
Richard had given Frank, but which had immediately been taken over
by Beth as inspiration for her various animal remedies, Beth was
leaving home taking with her the cows that Frank insisted were
hers: Jewel, the once-sickly calf she had reared into a fine
creature, and Jewel’s two heifer offspring. The cows wore halters,
and were tethered to the gig on long leashes. It would mean a slow
walk to David’s farm, but the distance was short.

David helped Beth into the gig. He climbed
in after her, and they set off.

*

Amy waved as the gig pulled away, the young
couple’s attempt at leaving quietly thwarted by the hoots and yells
of Beth’s younger brothers. She was glad to see things settled for
David, but mingled with her happiness was an awareness that her
house would be a very different place from now on.

A voice interrupted her thoughts. ‘Your
dress is quite lovely, Amy,’ Susannah, said, admiring the black
satin gown. ‘Really, you look very nice indeed.’

‘Thank you,’ Amy said, startled by a
compliment from such an unexpected source.

‘You surely didn’t get that made in
Ruatane?’

‘No, it’s from Auckland. Sarah’s dressmaker
made it for me.’ There seemed no need to tell Susannah just how
many other dresses had been ordered at the same time.

‘Really?’ Amy was quite sure Susannah was
wondering how Amy could have afforded such a gown, and perhaps
speculating on whether Sarah had paid for it. ‘You were very
fortunate to be able to stay with Miss Millish.’

‘Yes, I was. Sarah’s been very kind to
me.’

There was a brief, awkward silence, which
was broken by Susannah. ‘I think it’s very nice that your son
should be marrying Lizzie’s daughter, with the two of you always
being such friends,’ she said, her manner stiff, but her sentiments
genuine as far as Amy could tell. ‘You must be pleased to have him
marrying so well. And… and I’m glad things are easier for you these
days,’ she finished in something of a rush.

And I’m glad for Tom’s sake that you’re
in such a good mood,
was the thought that came to Amy, but she
contented herself with a simple, ‘Thank you. It’s good of you to
say so.’

Susannah inclined her head and moved away,
and Amy looked around at the remains of the meal. There were no
servants here to pick up after her, even if she was wearing one of
her Auckland gowns. She gathered up some empty plates and carried
them to the kitchen.

It would be strange for her to spend the
night in Lizzie’s house, and to share a bed in the girls’ room. And
it would be a good deal stranger for her to share her own house
with Beth.

*

It was indeed strange, and not something Amy
found as easy to accept as she had hoped. She did love Beth, and
loved her all the more for how much she clearly cared for David,
but Amy could not watch her own special place in David’s life
evaporate without feeling a pang of loss. Beth came first with him
now.

It had to be so, Amy knew; it should be so,
even if it never had been between Charlie and her. She had no right
to feel resentment.

But it was not easy to consider things
sensibly; especially when she had not had a good night’s sleep
since Beth’s arrival. The noise those two made! Beth was such a
quietly-spoken girl most of the time that Amy would not have
expected to hear her through the wall. And had the bed really
creaked so loudly during the years she had shared it with Charlie?
She could not remember; but speculating on reasons it might be so
much noisier under David than under his father led to thoughts Amy
was not comfortable thinking about her own son. It was even worse
when the bed head started banging against the wall. The rhythmic
thump-thump-thump could not be ignored, even when Amy resorted to
putting her head under the covers. When the noise stopped for a
time, she lay awake waiting, knowing it would soon start again.
David and Beth had sent off for a new bed with some of their
wedding present money from Sarah; Amy could only hope that it would
be a quieter one.

In the daytime David often looked more
asleep than awake. Beth was almost as bad, but Amy found that
concerned her less.

A few weeks after the wedding, she watched
as David yawned hugely, rose from the breakfast table and made his
way somewhat unsteadily towards the door. He almost missed his
footing on the steps, she noted anxiously. A sensible voice inside
her head told her that David was quite capable of looking after
himself; she ignored it.

‘Dave’s looking very tired.’

Beth smothered a yawn with her hand. ‘Yes,
he is,’ she said, not quite managing to hide a small, contented
smile.

At the sight of that smile, Amy felt her own
mouth tighten. ‘Dave works hard, you know,’ she said, more sharply
than she had intended. ‘It’s all very well, this being just
married, but he needs to have a proper night’s sleep
sometimes.’

Her words sounded prim in her own ears; she
was not surprised when Beth looked hurt.

‘I think he’s all right. He’s not
complaining, anyway.’

‘Well, no, he wouldn’t,’ Amy said,
increasingly uncomfortable. ‘It’s up to you to look after him. And
you should be careful, you know. You need to think about the
baby.’

Beth looked startled. ‘Could it hurt the
baby?’

‘I don’t know for sure. I’m just saying you
need to be careful, that’s all.’ Amy felt a pang of guilt at Beth’s
anxious expression; she remembered David’s weary face, and resisted
the urge to take back her words.