Page 46 of Beyond Montana's Sky
She lifted her chin to keep the welling tears from spilling over.
Ben grinned, making Edith smile back and briefly chasing the tears away.
Reaching the end of the aisle, she rounded the last pew to the left and stopped next to Delia. They turned to watch Maggie’s processional.
The bride radiated happiness and kept her eyes on her groom.
Since no one’s gaze was on her, Edith pulled her handkerchief from her bouquet, discreetly blew her nose and wiped her eyes, before tucking it back into the blooms. Glancing at her brother, she was just in time to catch his look of awestruck love, which made her tear up again. She reached for Maggie’s bouquet and held both together, inhaling the scent of roses and mint.
Caleb did a quick swipe of his fingers under his eyes and reached out to take Maggie’s hand.
Reverend Joshua relinquished her and moved to Ben’s other side.
“You’re so beautiful,” Caleb said quietly, the words meant only for his bride.
Edith could read his lips, and her emotion swelled. She couldn’t help glancing at Cai.
He watched her, his expression tender.
She had to look away.
The congregation waited until the music ended, the mood tense amid expressions of expectation.
“Dearly beloved—” Reverend Norton pitched his voice so all could hear but still sound intimate “—we are gathered together in the sight of God and in the face of this company, to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony, which is a holy estate….”
In the past, weddings always flashed Edith back to her own ceremony, standing hand and hand with Nathaniel, so overwhelmingly full of love and excitement. Later, when they went to weddings, they’d exchange glances and re-experience the special memory of their own ceremony.
After his death, attending weddings only brought bitter grief and loneliness, which she had to suppress, remaining stony-faced while in public. She’d come to dislike weddings and avoided them as much as possible.
This ceremony was different. Gone was her bitterness, and Edith was filled with joy for her brother and Maggie. For the first time, she also felt hope for her own future, imagining another ceremony—one in Boston, with a still unknown groom. She snuck a glance at Cai to see his gaze still on her, and her knees weakened.
Reverend Norton focused his attention on her brother. “Caleb Charles Victor, wilt thou have this woman to be your wife, to live together after God’s ordinance in the holy estate of matrimony? Wilt thou love her, comfort her, honor and keep her in sickness and in health; and forsaking all others, keep thee only unto her, so long as you both shall live?”
“I will.” Caleb’s tone was reverent, his gaze on his bride loving.
The minister turned to Maggie. “Do you, Magdalena Petra, take this man to be your husband?”
Caleb smiled at Maggie as if sharing a private joke.
A few times over the past months, Edith overheard him turning Maggie’s full name into an obvious term of endearment.
“I will.” Maggie’s response was quieter, almost a whisper.
As Reverend Norton continued the rest of the ceremony, Edith’s thoughts moved to Caleb and Maggie, and then back in time to Nathaniel and remembering their love—young and full of promise. She didn’t dare let herself look at Cai again.
Soon, the minister addressed the congregation and finalized the ceremony. “I pronounce that Caleb and Magdalena are man and wife.” He made the sign of the cross. “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.”
Caleb gently drew back Maggie’s veil and kissed her.
Some people cheered and clapped. Others remained quiet, apparently caught up in the solemnity of the occasion.
As Reverend Norton ended with the final blessing, Kael and Sophia rose and moved closer to the harp.
Blythe placed her hands near the strings of her harp and glanced at Sophia, who nodded a go-ahead. She commenced playing Bach’s, “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring,” and the two began to sing.
Edith returned Maggie’s bouquet.
Hand-in-hand, with beaming smiles, Caleb and Maggie moved down the aisle.
