"The girls did die at some point before you entered the house," Amelia said. "You brought four lifeless corpses into the mansion. I don't pretend to understand how, but the flesh was somehow reanimated by the spirit as our souls were transferred into these bodies."
"Do you know why a spirit would have involved itself in my family matters?"
"Uh— yes, I believe so," Amelia said haltingly.
"Why?"
"Because— the spirit was that of your father."
"My father?" Jeremy said incredulously.
"Remember, dear, this begins more than a hundred twenty years in the future. Your father has passed on by then."
Shaking his head, Jeremy said, "I'm sorry, my love, I'm having trouble believing this. Your story is just too…"
"Too incredible?"
"Yes, too incredible for words."
"When I decided to tell you, I knew that there was a high probability you wouldn't believe me, but I had to tell you anyway and allow you to make up your own mind. I'm not going to try to convince you, but I couldn't keep this secret from you if we're to be married. If you choose not to believe, that's acceptable. I've done my part by informing you."
"Does that mean that you will marry me even if I can't believe this story?"
"There is nothing in the world that would make me happier than becoming your wife."
He extended his hands towards her, and when she took them, he pulled her to her feet, then pulled her to him.
"And may I kiss you now, to seal our betrothal?"
"Yes, Jeremy."
"Oh, I like that so much better than Mr. Westfield," he said, smiling, as he bent his head and pressed his lips to hers for a long and passionate kiss.
After almost a minute, which seemed like mere seconds, she removed her arms from around his neck and pushed him gently away.
"Jeremy, stop. We're not married yet. What if someone was to come by here and see us?"
"Yes, dearest. Oh, I almost forgot," he said, reaching into his pocket and bringing out a small box that he extended towards her. "I picked this up recently, just in case you said yes."
Opening the box, Amelia found the most fabulous engagement ring she had ever seen. An enormous diamond occupied a center position on the gold band, with twelve tiny diamonds arranged around it, six on either side.
"Oh, Jeremy, it's so beautiful. I love it."
Taking the ring from the box, he pushed it onto her ring finger as she held up her hand. "The large diamond is you," he said smiling, "and the twelve smaller ones represent each child we'll have."
"Twelve children?" Smiling she added, "Oh my aching back."
"I like big families," he said. "I've always wished that I had a couple of brothers, and maybe a couple more sisters. I probably would have if not for complications when Anne was born."
"I'll do the best I can," Amelia said. "But it takes two, you know."
"That's the best part."
"I can't wait to tell Martha, Elizabeth, and Roberta."
"I wouldn't ask you not to tell your closest friends, but please ask them not to tell anyone else until I've had a chance to speak with your father. I haven't asked his permission yet."
Jeremy pulled her to him then, and kissed her again. This time he didn't ask permission, and she didn't slap his face. Instead, she just pushed him away after a few seconds, smiled at him, and said, "Not out in the garden, dearest. Not until we're married. The house is still full of wedding guests."
"Yes dear," he said smiling.
As they walked hand in hand back towards the house, Jeremy said, "It's difficult to imagine this fine new structure as a haunted house. But I suppose anything is possible in a hundred twenty years."
The ring was back in the jeweler's box by the time the couple reached the house, erasing all certain signs of Amelia's acceptance of the proposal, but the other girls immediately noticed her glow and correctly guessed the situation. They could barely contain themselves until, when on a pretext of freshening up just before lunch, they whisked Amelia upstairs to her bedroom. As soon as the door was closed, they excitedly began plying her with questions.
"One at a time," Amelia said.
"Just tell us what happened," Roberta said eagerly.
"Well, he promised not to repeat the story to another living soul. And when I was finished telling him the story, he said that he had trouble believing it."
"Does he think you're crazy?" Elizabeth asked.
"Perhaps a little, but he still wants to marry me. Look," she said, producing the ring from her handbag.
"Oh— my— God," Martha said in a reverent whisper, "it's beautiful."
Elizabeth and Roberta made similar comments as the three girls carried on for several minutes over the size of the stone and the quality of the setting.
"Jeremy said that the large stone represents me, and there's one smaller stone for each of our children."
This immediately started the girls counting.
"There are twelve," Amelia said. Smiling, she added, "He wants an even dozen."
"Oh Amelia," Martha said. "You're so lucky."
"Remind her of that when she's suffering from morning sickness, or when she's eight months pregnant and suffering from backaches while being kicked constantly by a baby that wants out of its confined space," Roberta said grinning.
"Oh, you're just jealous," Elizabeth said, "because Charles hasn't given you a ring yet."
"He will," she said confidently. "I'm sure that Jeremy has told them by now of his proposal to Amelia. That will get the others thinking about it."
"Do you think he'll tell them about us not really being us?" Martha asked.
"No!" Amelia said. "I made it abundantly clear that if he tells anyone, I'll first deny it, and then end our relationship. He won't tell a living soul, just as he promised."
"The question now is, should we do the same?" Elizabeth asked. "I was convinced that it was best never to say anything, but now I'm having second thoughts. I would hate to keep such a secret from Donald, only to have him learn about it later."
"You'll each have to make your own decisions on this matter," Amelia said. "I would never attempt to persuade any of you to follow my example. Each boy is different, and each would take the news differently. I felt confident that it would not affect Jeremy's feelings towards me or I would not have done it."
* * *
Anne and Gerald remained sequestered in their special retreat for two days, allowing only servants carrying meal trays to invade their privacy. On the third day they appeared together at breakfast, the last meal they would enjoy at the mansion for some time. They would leave before noon to catch a train, and then, following a two week honeymoon, they would reside in Boston.
As they prepared to leave the house, Anne embraced Amelia and whispered, "Goodbye, sister-in-law. I'll see you in a couple of months at the engagement party. Write me!"
Amelia was startled, and pulled back to look at Anne's smiling face.
Anne nodded slightly. "Yes, he told me this morning when I commented to him about how happy you looked. If anything could possibly surpass the joy of my own matrimonial union, this would be it."
"Thank you, Anne, for everything," Amelia said, returning the smile. "I couldn't ask for a more wonderful sister-in-law."
"I've known from the start that you two were destined to be together. I'm glad that both of you have finally realized it. I just wish New Bedford was a little closer to Boston. I'm going to miss you both so very much."
"It's only fifty miles as the crow flies. I'm sure we'll see each other often."
* * *
Within a few days, life at the mansion returned to normal. The last vestiges of the party were cleared away, and the guest bedrooms were cleaned and prepared for the next time they would be needed. The four couples enjoyed the last few days together before the girls would have to return home. Early Saturday morning they all boarded a train that would take them north to connecting lines that ran to their cities
where their families resided.
Arriving in Hartford on Saturday afternoon, Jeremy hired a carriage at the train station to first bring Martha home, then continue on to Amelia's house. Her parents were both at home, and Amelia immediately led Jeremy into the parlor.
"Daddy, Jeremy has something to ask," she announced, then looked towards Jeremy expectantly.
* * *
Chapter Fourteen
"Uh, Mr. and Mrs. Turner," Jeremy said nervously as they both looked towards him expectantly, "I've come here today to ask for Amelia's hand in marriage."
Mr. Turner, sitting in his favorite chair, refolded his newspaper and placed it on the table next to him before reaching into his vest pocket to retrieve a small match box. He carefully relit his pipe, which had gone out sometime in the past ten minutes, and looked up at Jeremy calmly as he puffed to get the tobacco lit.
"And you've discussed this fully with Amelia I take it?"
"Oh, yes sir."
"And she wishes to enter into marriage with you— if we consent?"
"Yes sir, she does."
"And I take it that you have strong feelings for her?"
"Yes sir, of course. I love her."
"Is that all?"
"All? I don't understand, sir."
"Do you like her?"
"I'm not sure I understand, sir. I've said I love her."
"Love between a man and a woman normally develops from physical attraction, while liking someone means that you can take pleasure from each other's company outside of the romantic aspects. It means that you have compatible interests and that you can enjoy spending long hours in pleasant conversation and close proximity without touching one another. Liking someone is far more important for a lasting relationship, and conjugal felicity requires both. Mrs. Turner was the most beautiful woman I'd ever met, and I was attracted to her from the beginning, but I knew her for some time before I understood that I truly liked her."
Jeremy smiled with understanding. "Yes sir. I both love Amelia and like her. She's intelligent, sensitive, observant, articulate, caring, and has a wonderful sense of humor. I would want to spend the rest of my days with her by my side even if we couldn't touch one another."
Mr. Turner puffed a couple of more times on his pipe as he studied Jeremy's face. "About this time I guess I'm supposed to ask a young man what his prospects are, but yours are well known to us. I'm sure you can provide for our daughter, and keep her in the style to which she's accustomed."
"Absolutely, sir. Amelia will want for nothing. I promise."
Looking at his daughter, Mr. Turner asked, "And you want this?"
"With all my heart, Daddy."
Taking one more puff on his pipe, Mr. Turner placed it in the holder on the table by his side and rose from his chair. "Then Mrs. Turner and I give our blessing." Extending his hand to Jeremy and smiling, he said, "Welcome to the family, son."
Jeremy beamed and pumped the proffered hand warmly. "I'll take good care of her, sir."
"The job will be easy for as long as you both like her and love her."
"Yes sir."
As Amelia's mother began to weep, Amelia moved to embrace her. There was nothing to say. The tears were both tears of joy that Amelia had found a wonderful mate, and tears of sorrow that her baby would soon be leaving the nest.
Before the day was over, a day in May had tentatively been selected for the wedding. Jeremy and Amelia both desired an earlier date, but Mrs. Turner insisted that it wouldn't be proper, given the short time that they'd known one another. Another reason was the amount of planning necessary and the preparations to be made.
Traveling back to New Bedford the next day, the happy couple informed Jeremy's father of the engagement, and the approval by the Turners. His reaction at hearing the news left no doubt of his delight.
"About time," he said as he congratulated them. "You two have been making sheep's eyes at each other since Anne's engagement party. The staff has been saying since January that Jeremy was seen proposing to you in my study, but I assumed that you would have come to me earlier if that had been true. I'm very happy for you both. Amelia, welcome to our family. Of course the engagement party will be held here at the house— if that's alright with both of you?"
Jeremy and Amelia both nodded. Anne's engagement party and wedding had been too perfect for words. Besides, at that point they really didn't care where the engagement ceremony would be held. They were still too pleased that their parents had both blessed the pending union to think about such small details as parties.
"Wonderful, children. I'll get together with your parents, Amelia, and we'll make all the arrangements. Don't worry about a thing."
With Anne away, and the other girls having returned to their homes, it would not have been proper to remain in the house where Jeremy was living, despite its enormous size and large staff, so Amelia returned to Hartford the following morning.
The weeks that followed were incredibly busy ones and telegrams passed back and forth between New Bedford and Hartford almost daily as the myriad of details for the engagement party were handled and plans for the wedding ceremony were begun. Arranging for printing of the invitations for the engagement party was the first priority, and then compiling the list of guests was second. Anne sent a copy of the list that she had compiled for her own wedding, which gave the names and addresses of everyone from the groom's family that must be invited, while Mrs. Turner compiled the list for the bride's family invitations. Martha was at the Turner home almost every day, helping with the invitations or whatever else had to be done.
Once the invitations had been mailed, the women could turn to other details, such as having new gowns made for the engagement party. A mid-summer heat wave made fittings in the floor-length skirts of the period almost unbearable at times, but time was limited and the women suffered through it.
As the responses from invited guests began to arrive, the final list of attendees were compiled and final arrangements for lodging, food, and beverages made. Mr. Westfield's housekeeper took care of decorating the house, and would oversee the preparation of the food for the party and the meals of the guests.
* * *
The engagement party on August 19th provided another opportunity for the young women to be together once again with their beaus. Arriving on Wednesday, the girls settled in and prepared for the event, while the boys, now all working in family businesses, arrived late Friday. Jeremy was around the whole time, of course, since he was now working in the family business with his father and living at the mansion, but Amelia would have little time to spend with him until the party.
Amelia's parents arrived on Friday. They were as impressed as every other first time visitor when the carriage drove up to the mansion. As the household staff carried the luggage to prepared rooms, Mr. Westfield welcomed his future in-laws into his home. It was their first meeting, and he escorted the Turners to the parlor just inside the foyer area so they could get to know one another.
Anne, Gerald, and assorted relatives and friends, all arrived either on Friday night or early Saturday. Amelia spent the early part of the day meeting, greeting, and helping people get settled for their visit. It was difficult at times because there were friends and relatives that Amelia hadn't met yet in this new existence, although she recalled names and faces from her memories. But she had the justification of being caught up with the details of the party and was excused for not immediately remembering all the pertinent facts about past events.
The guests began assembling in the large drawing room near the ballroom about seven p.m. that evening. Jeremy and Amelia were there to greet everyone and accept their congratulations, even though the formal announcement had yet to be made.
As with Anne's engagement party, a buffet style dinner would be served following the fourteenth dance. The guests would either eat while standing in the large dining room or corridors, or relaxing in one of the parlors or drawing rooms. The front parlor, with its windows opened wide, was reserve
d for those gentlemen that wished to enjoy a cigar and/or a brandy before the festivities began or during the dinner hour.
A half-hour before the dance was to begin, Jeremy was called away by one of the household staff. He returned about ten minutes later, and from the time that the band began tuning up, and the assemblage paired up to enter the ballroom, he never again left Amelia's side for more than a couple of minutes. Upon entering the ballroom and completing the Grand March, Jeremy and Amelia immediately lined up to dance the Quadrille with the other couples.
As the musicians completed the seventeenth dance, Jeremy's father climbed up onto the raised platform that served as a stage and called for everyone's attention.
"Thank you all for coming this weekend," he began. "This is our second engagement party here this year and I couldn't possibly be happier about welcoming Amelia into our immediate family, and her parents into our extended family. Amelia and Jeremy, come up here, please. Mr. and Mrs. Turner, would you join me also."
Once the family members were assembled on the low stage, Mr. Westfield continued with, "The wedding will be held here at the mansion in May. Everyone here today is naturally on the guest list, and you'll be receiving your invitations by mail. I'd like to ask Amelia's father to offer the toast, as soon as everyone is served."
The staff had been quickly circulating through the room serving glasses of champagne. Amelia's father held up his glass when it appeared that all had been served.
"Over the months that Jeremy has been courting Amelia, we've had an opportunity to get to know this very fine young man. My wife and I most happily give our blessings to this engagement and pending marriage. May Amelia and Jeremy know a lifetime of happiness together, enjoy only good health, and raise a large family."
Everyone raised their glass to the prospective bride and groom, and then drank their champagne. It was the happiest moment that Amelia had felt since Jeremy first proposed. As the musicians began to play the first waltz since returning from their break, the happy couple danced as the assembled guests looked on. Thereafter the floor was open to all who wished to dance.
When The Spirit Moves You Page 23
