Indulgence (173 page)

When he heard the door shut, Albert came out of the kitchen
and asked, “How’s Anne this morning, Henry?”

“That gal is just fine. Wanted me to give you this,” Henry
replied, handing a small envelope to his brother.

“Henry, I don’t like the idea of Anne gallivanting around
the countryside with Young running loose. I know you were with her, but until
he’s caught, I’d prefer I be the one to take her riding,” Albert told him.

“Albert,” Henry began, “Anne wasn’t gallivanting around the
countryside. She wanted to go riding, and I took her. I wouldn’t let anything
hurt that gal, you know that.”

“I’m sorry, Henry. I know you wouldn’t let anything happen
to her. I just want her close to me, just in case Young should be around.”

“It’s alright, Albert. I know you didn’t mean anything by
what you said,” Henry said, smiling at his brother.

“Thanks, Henry,” Albert said as he took a cup of coffee,
walked to the front porch, took a seat, and opened the ivory envelope. Inside,
on creamy ivory stationary, she had written,

Albert, my love,

Today is the day we have dreamed of for so long. Delight
in the knowledge that we will soon be one. I love you, my darling. I will see
you at five, don’t be late.

Anne

Smiling, he folded the note, placing it back in the
envelope, and put it in his pocket. Albert wasn’t the least bit nervous, and he
knew she wasn’t, either. This was the day they had both fought for, to be
married and united forever.

The rest of the day passed quickly for Albert as he prepared
for his wedding. His brothers, as usual, had received a tongue-lashing from
their father for bickering. Thomas had stressed that today was Albert’s wedding
day and they were not to upset him. Albert just laughed; nothing could upset
him today.

At three o’clock, after Anne had bathed, she sat at the
dressing table, brushing the long auburn curls back, twisting and pinning her
hair up in a more formal style. Soft tendrils of curls framed her face. She was
in the process of checking the items she would need for today, Albert’s ring,
her dress, when there was a knock at her door.

“Anne, may I come in?” Thomas Stuart asked.

Opening the door, she greeted him, “Please do.”

“Anne, is there anything I can do for you? Anything you
need?”

“No, Father, I believe I have everything. I was just going
over a few last minute details.”

“Anne, I was hoping you would do Albert’s mother and me the
honor of wearing these today,” he said, opening a black velvet box. Inside were
perfectly matched pearl earrings and necklace. “I gave these to her on our
wedding day and thought Albert’s wife should have them now.”

Accepting the box, her eyes misted and she exclaimed, “It
would be my honor to wear something that belonged to Albert’s mother.”

“Anne, I know this has been difficult for you, not having a
woman here to talk to and assist you with everything. I hope we’ve helped in
some small way,” Thomas declared.

“You’ve all been wonderful. As I told you the other night,
you are all my family, and Albert is my life. I don’t need anyone else,” she
said kissing his cheek.

Thomas cleared his throat and dabbed his eyes with his
kerchief. He said, “It’s time I went and checked on my son and got dressed
myself. I’ll be back for you at four-thirty so you can go marry your groom.”

“I’ll be ready,” she said, smiling at the grey haired man
she had grown to love as her own father.

After leaving Anne, Thomas made his way to Albert’s room,
preparing to knock as Ben and Henry rushed out of their brother’s room,
arguing. “I told you not to make Albert mad. Now with all your foolishness, you
gone and done it, Ben,” Henry said, scolding his younger brother.

“What have you two done now?” Thomas bellowed.

“I didn’t do anything, Father, it was all Ben,” Henry
exclaimed.

“It was not,” Ben declared. “I just asked Albert about
tonight, how he’s going to handle the reception when all those gals he courted
show up.”

“We didn’t invite anyone Albert saw socially,” Thomas
pointed out.

“No, we didn’t,” Henry said. “Ben did! He invited a couple
of them as his dates.”

“Benjamin, you didn’t!”

“They’re my dates. They’re not going to be a problem,” he
promised.

“Benjamin,” Thomas began through clenched teeth, “I don’t
care how you do it, but you un-invite those girls, and do it now. I will not
have your brother’s wedding turn into a three ring circus. Now take care of it
immediately! You have two hours until the wedding.”

“But,” Ben pleaded.

“Now, Benjamin!”

Ben Stuart knew that tone his father used left no room for
discussion. “Yes, sir, I’ll take care of it right now.”

“Now I mean it. You two stay away from Albert until it’s
time for the wedding,” Thomas warned.

“Yes, sir,” they both answered.

Shaking his head, Thomas knocked on his eldest son’s door.
“Albert, may I come in?”

“Come in, Father,” a deep voiced answered from the other
side of the door.

When Thomas entered, Albert was busy shaving. “Albert, I’m
sorry your brothers have upset you.”

“I’m not upset,” Albert declared, continuing to shave.

“But, Henry said. . .”

“I just acted mad to get them to leave. They were just
fooling around, asking foolish questions.”

“But, what about those girls Ben invited?” Thomas asked.

“Father,” Albert said, wiping his face with a towel he had
thrown over his shoulder, “Anne knows everything about me. I’ve been completely
honest with her. Anne and I are committed to each other. There’s no one or
anything that will ever come between us.”

“You’ve told her everything?” Thomas asked.

“Everything. We have no secrets,” Albert said. “Anne knows
everything about my life just as I know everything about hers.”

“Good, son, it’s important that you and Anne always be
honest with each other. Don’t keep anything from her, Albert, and don’t try and
shoulder everything. Anne is going to be your wife, sharing in everything,”
Thomas told him. “Albert, you’ve been my rock, my confidant, my strength. From
the time you were a boy, you’ve been right beside me building Sky Valley. I
will miss our times together, but I’m happy you’re starting your own life now.
You’re marrying a young woman who has brought out the best in you. I’ve watched
you grow from a small boy to a rambunctious teen, to a troubled young man. Then
a mere year ago, you met someone who turned you upside down and now, before me,
sits the man I always knew you would be. You’ve reaped the rewards of living as
a moral, honest man. I’ve always been proud of you, Albert, but never more than
now.”

Albert listened to his father, fighting tears that gathered
in his eyes, as he hugged the older man, saying, “Anne tells me when I feel
something for someone I should tell them, otherwise, I may never get the chance
again. I have something to tell you now, Father. I’ve been with you and seen
you have emotional and physical pain that I didn’t think a human being could
survive. How you managed to raise the four of us alone for as long as you have,
I will never know. I only hope I’m half the man you are, and when Anne and I
start our family, I pray I can be half the father you are.”

“Albert, you’re a fine man and will be a wonderful father.
Son, I love you,” Thomas told him.

“And I love you, Father.”

Clearing his throat and wiping his eyes, Thomas asked, “Now
is there anything I can help you with?”

“No, I think I’m pretty well ready, other than dressing and
I can do that on my own,” Albert said, grinning.

“In that case, I’m going to bathe and dress,” Thomas told
him. “The next time I see you I’ll be bringing your bride down the aisle to
you.”

After Thomas left, Albert finished packing items he had used
and could not pack until now. Looking around his room, he thought of all the
emotional highs and lows this room had shared with him. He thought,
I won’t
need the solace of this room ever again. I have Anne at my side to share my
life, my dreams; together there is nothing we can’t overcome.

Soon, it was time for Albert to dress for his wedding. Not
wanting to be rushed, he took his time, tying and untying his tie, combing his
hair. Finally, pleased with the results, he slipped on his suit coat and walked
into the hall to meet his brothers.

Downstairs, Anne was doing the same. Stepping into the satin
gown, she took care pulling it into place, buttoning the pearl buttons at her
side. The gown she had chosen was the latest style from New York, fitted
through the bodice and waist with small straps over the shoulders. Anne
fastened the clasp on the pearl necklace around her slender neck and then the
earrings that had been Albert’s mother’s. Looking into the mirror, she realized
she no longer looked like a twenty year old girl, she looked like a woman about
to marry the man of her dreams.

A knock on the bedroom door brought her from her
daydreaming,”Anne,” Thomas asked. “May I come in?”

“Yes,” she answered.

When Thomas opened the door, the beautiful woman standing in
front of him took his breath away. After a moment, he began, “Anne, you’re a
beautiful bride. Shall we go see your groom?”

“Yes,” she said, smiling, “I think I’ve kept him waiting
long enough.”

As Thomas took her arm and laid it over his, he kissed her
cheek and told her, “Let’s go get you and my son married.”

When Anne and Thomas stepped out of the house, he paused
briefly, “All set?” he asked.

“Yes, sir, I’m ready.” She smiled at him.

Albert, standing under a large canopy, had seen Anne come
out of the house with his father. He was stunned by how beautiful she looked as
Henry leaned over and said, “Albert, you’ve got to be the luckiest man in the
territory.”

Smiling at his brother, he watched as his father brought his
bride down the aisle to stand next to him. Thomas took her hand and wrapped it
through Albert’s arm. Anne smiled up at the tall, handsome man next to her.
Albert placed his warm hand over hers, smiling down at her.

The minister began the wedding ceremony by having Albert and
Anne face each other. As Albert looked into her stunning blue eyes, he repeated
his vows, and his heart melted as she looked at him. Slipping her ring on her
finger, he then patiently waited as she repeated her vows. When the minister
pronounced them man and wife, Albert took her in his arms and kissed her,
holding her longer than propriety dictated. Smiling at each other, they
proceeded down the aisle, and well-wishers applauded as the minister introduced
them as Mr. and Mrs. Albert Stuart. After greeting their guests and accepting
hugs and kisses from his father and brothers, George led Albert and Anne to their
table.

Leaning over and kissing her, Albert said, “Well, Mrs.
Stuart, you were right on time.”

“So were you,” she said, smiling at him as she caressed his
face.

“I see Father gave you my mother’s necklace and earrings.
They look beautiful on you,” he told her.

“Thank you, it was a privilege for me to wear them today,”
she said.

“I just realized something,” Albert began, smiling, “You’re
my wife. Finally, after all this time.”

“Yes,” she said leaning into him. “And you’re my husband.
And you best never forget it.”

“I never will, sweetheart,” he promised.

The Stuart-Wallace wedding would prove to be the largest and
most lavish wedding ever performed in the territory. Guests from as far away as
San Francisco had made the long trip to celebrate the marriage of the eldest
Stuart son to the beautiful and gracious young woman from London.

Noticeably absent was Anne’s father, although no one in
attendance had the audacity to voice his or her questions on John Wallace’s
absence. Henry and Ben were the first to toast the newlyweds as each brother
made a speech before encouraging the guests to join them in toasting.

George and his family had outdone themselves with the dinner
fare. Rounds of beef, succulent legs of lamb, and tenderloins of pork
accompanied by tables overflowing with every imaginable side dish. Pastries
most people in attendance had never seen, much less tasted, before. The wedding
cake, however, was the piece de resistance. Seven layers of each a different
flavor, each one separated by assorted berries, jams, and glace, covered in a
snow-white butter crème frosting.

After dinner, they sat talking quietly until the music
began, and Albert led her to the dance floor. Taking her in his arms, they
glided across the floor, their eyes only for each other. As they danced, Albert
pointed out, “If I were a gambling man, I would bet neither of my brothers will
be capable of moving tomorrow. As fast as they are drinking champagne, they’ll
be worthless for days,” he laughed.

“Albert, let’s enjoy our wedding and not worry about Henry
and Ben. They’re grown men, and this is a celebration, so let them celebrate,”
Anne told him.

“You’re right; I’m not their keeper anymore. I have someone
else I prefer to watch over,” he said, kissing her forehead. “Someone who
pleases me far more.”

After cutting their wedding cake, the couple decided it was
time to begin their goodbyes and depart the reception. Albert had hired a
carriage to take them to their new home. As Thomas and his brothers saw them to
the conveyance, Thomas told them, “We will take care of everything while you’re
gone. Have a wonderful time. We’ll see you when you return.”

On the ride to their new home, the newlyweds sat holding
hands, Albert’s arm around her. He looked down at the reflection the carriage
lights made. When they pulled up in front of the house, Albert helped her out,
taking her hand, and guiding her up the stairs to the front porch. He had her
wait there as he opened the front door and set their small bags inside.
Returning, he lifted her into his arms as he carried her across the threshold
into the foyer.