by Rikki Dyson
“You’d want to keep it?” Shane asked quite surprised.
“Yes, of course, it would be a part of you and me.” Quickly she added, “but don’t worry, I’ve already told you I won’t expect anything from you or complicate your life in any way. I promise you, so don’t concern yourself needlessly.”
Shane sat up on the side of the bed and said, “You would bloody well take my child and forget about me?”
Stacey was now confused and said, “Yes, isn’t that what you’d want? You’re the confirmed bachelor. Remember?”
Shane took her in his arms once again and said, “No, that is not what I’d want, Stacey. I want you, for now and always. You may not believe this sweetheart, but I’m in love with you. I wanted to tell you yesterday. I know you don’t feel the same way and I know I’m getting on a bit.”
“What do you mean, ‘getting on a bit?”
“What it means is, I’m too old for you.”
“I don’t see it that way and you sure wouldn’t know it by the way we’re acting. And besides, if I had wanted a boy, there are plenty available. I wanted a man to teach me what I wanted to know. I knew it was you I wanted.”
“I’m glad you feel that way sweetheart because I’m very much in love with you. There it is, I’ve said it. Will you marry me?”
“Marry you?” Stacey sat stunned. She didn’t expect this. She really enjoyed having sex with him, but marriage, she wasn’t sure about that. Shane was sitting on the side of the bed waiting for Stacey to answer. When she took her own sweet easy time about answering, he started pacing back and forth. When she finally answered, no, he stopped pacing and asked, exasperated, “Why the bloody hell not? You may be carrying my child.”
“That’s the reason right there,” Stacey said. “When I marry, I want the man to love me, for me, not for a child I might be carrying.”
“I’ve already told you I love you. I’ve loved you for days now, I think I’ve loved you from the very beginning. From the first time I saw you in hospital my dreams were filled with you. The day you walked into my office, my body reacted to you. I couldn’t stand up when you entered or you would have thought me a licentious old man. I thought you disliked me so much there was no way you’d ever fancy me.”
“And why not?” Stacey asked.
“I’m much older than you, for one reason,” Shane said.
“How old are you, Shane?”
“I’m thirty three. I thought you knew.”
“No, I didn’t, but thank god. I wanted a man, not a boy. I’ve already told you that.”
“I love you Stacey. I want you in my life and yes, if you’re pregnant I want our child to know it was conceived in love not in lust. I’m asking you again, will you marry me?”
“Yes, yes I will,” Stacey said. Watching him standing nude had helped her to evaluate her decision.
Shane, astonished by her answer asked, “Do you mean it?”
“Yes, I think I’m in love with you too.”
Shane took her in his arms and kissed her. Stacey said with a smile, “We’ve had our first fight. I hear make up sex is wonderful, shall we find out?” They did and it was most exhilarating. Later, as they laid in each others arms and talked about the future and the possibility of a baby, Shane was telling her how beautiful and sexy she is.
“Whoa cowboy,” Stacey said. “I remember when you told me I was skinny.”
“That was my mistake, my most grievous mistake and those hospital gowns,” Shane said, with a roguish grin.
Chapter 13
To Grandmother’s House We Go
On Monday morning they went to the home of the bishop. He told them he had tried
everything he could think of with no results. He had one more thought. He would contact the
Vatican, they have archives there that may hold the answer. Stacey gave him her Texas address and her e-mail address and then thanked him for his help. When they walked out front to the car, Stacey stood thinking. She had no idea which way to go.
“Which way now?” Shane asked.
“I don’t know,” Stacey said, wistfully.
“Well I do, we’re going to Scotland and get married.”
“Are you sure about this Shane?”
“Yes I am sweetheart, I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.”
They reached his grandmother’s house in Edinburgh in the late afternoon. His grandmother was surprised to see him. She knew he was visiting the family. She was even more surprised to meet Stacey. Shane had never brought a woman home before and this one was a very young woman.
Shane kissed his grandmother and introduced Stacey. He then explained about the quest and subsequently he and Stacey falling in love. Mrs. Beebe brought in tea and Shane introduced Stacey and told her, “Beebe has been part of the family since I was young.” Over tea, Shane told his grandmother, “We want to get married. How do we go about it at Gretna green?”
“What’s the rush, Shane?” his grandmother asked.
“Stacey must go back to the states on Sunday. We want to be married before she leaves.” Shane’s grandmother looked at Stacey, then back at Shane. “Right,” Shane said. “There may be the possibility I’ve gotten Stacey pregnant.”
“I’m disappointed in you Shane,” his grandmother said. “There should have been ‘no possibility.’ You’re thirty-three years old and a doctor, why did you not protect this child?”
Stacey frowned at her remark and said, “Grandmother McLeod. I don’t mean to be rude, but first of all, I’m not a child. I’m twenty-one years old and none of this is Shane’s fault, I ambushed him. He had no way of knowing I was a virgin, until it was to late.”
Shane stood up and said, “See there Grandmother, I was ambushed.” With a smile, he put his arms around Stacey and said, “Isn’t she wonderful Grandmother? Now that I’ve been captured, I really don’t want to get away.”
His grandmother smiled and said, “Well, darling, you don’t have to go to Gretna green now days. You can marry right here in Edinburgh. I’ll make a few calls to hurry things along, if that’s what you both want.
“Why are you helping us, Grandmother McLeod?” Stacey asked. “I sense you disapprove of us marrying.”
“I don’t disapprove of you marrying darling. Shane is old enough to make his own decisions. I’m helping because I know what it’s like to be young and in love. Shane’s grandfather was a bit older than I was and my family didn’t approve. I was seventeen and he was twenty-seven. I was in my last year of school. Patrick had his orders to go to France. We wanted to marry before he left, so we eloped. I wore my dress that was made for the cotillion. It turned out to be my wedding dress also. It was a good thing we did, I had a baby daughter eight months later.”
“Thank you for understanding,” Stacey said. “Speaking of dresses, I need to go buy one as I have nothing with me.”
The phone rang and Shane’s grandmother talked for awhile, then told them, “You two have an appointment tomorrow morning at nine with Reverend Boggs.”
“Thank you, Grandmother, you’re a dynamo,” Shane said and kissed her cheek.
With a wave of her hand, Grandmother McLeod said, “I want to tell you a story, Stacey.”
Stacey sat down on the floor in front of her and said, “Yes, ma’am, I’m listening.”
“My mother was a twin,” Grandmother McLeod said. “Mother married seven years before her sister did. When my Aunt Jacquelyn became engaged, my mother bought beautiful silk material to make herself a frock to wear to her sister’s wedding. Before the frock was made, my aunt died. The silk material laid in a trunk wrapped in tissue paper for many years. When I was going to my school dance, my mother decided it was time to use the silk material. I was about your size, but not as tall. Would you like to see the dress?”
“Yes ma’am, I would, very much,” Stacey said.
“Shane will you look in my room in the bottom draw of the, Highboy? Bring me the silver wrapped box you’ll find there.�
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In the box was a beautiful dress. The colors were beige, yellow and apricot. It had spaghetti straps, a full skirt with a handkerchief hem and a thin shawl to match. “If it fits,” Grandmother McLeod said. “You’re most welcome to be married in it, if you wish.”
“Oh, it’s beautiful, Grandmother McLeod. Thank you,” Stacey said, and gave her a hug. “How have you kept it so beautiful all these years?”
Grandmother McLeod smiled and said, “I take it out ever so often and have it freshened up and the happy memories keep me sustained.” Stacey went upstairs and put the dress on and came down to show them.
“You look beautiful sweetheart, as if it were made for you.” Shane said.
“I wish Patrick were here to see you two. He would be delighted,” Grandmother McLeod said. There was a pause, “It’s a shame your parents can’t see their only children get married.”
Shane and Stacey looked at each other. “That would be wonderful Grandmother, but I want to be married to Stacey before she leaves,” Shane said.
“Yes, do get married,” Grandmother McLeod said. “If Stacey is pregnant, tell the world. If she isn’t, sacrifice a little and get married again, when your families can be a part of it. You, Stacey has school to finish, therefore, you can’t be here all the time.”
Stacey and Shane looked at each other for support. “Okay, Grandmother we hear you, if we’re pregnant we tell the world, if not, we keep it a secret and have another wedding, so our families can participate.”
“I think that would be a wonderful, generous thing to do,” Grandmother McLeod said. “I know it will be a joyous occasion for our family, as we thought Shane a confirmed bachelor.”
“This will come as a great surprise to my family too,” Stacey said.
Stacey went up stairs to remove and hang up the dress for tomorrow. She thought, to herself: Who would’ve thought I would be getting married? Two weeks ago I was just trying to find the answer to a dream. A part of her brain warned her, slow down girl, this is going way too fast. What’s the hurry? she asked herself. We could do a test to see if I’m pregnant. If I am, we can take it from there. I’ve never had normal periods anyway. This confusion bothered Stacey. Ever since her fall and subsequent dream, her life seem to be spiraling out of her control. Stacey folded the dress to put it back in the box, then stopped and held it up to her body. This was the first time she could remember not knowing what to do. She didn’t want to disappoint Shane, and she was sure she was in love with him. She chide herself for being such a fool and asked herself, what’s wrong with me? I’ve found the most wonderful man and all I want to do is be with him. I can’t imagine life without him now. Slowly she hung the dress up and went back downstairs.
Chapter 14
Getting married
They all had supper together. As Shane and his grandmother talked, Stacey watched their body language. She had often heard, ‘you can tell what a man is truly like by the way he treats his mother.’ In this case, it was his grandmother. Stacey could feel the love between them by the way Shane talked to her and the way she listened to him and would reach out and pat his hand.
“Will you be joining us at the ceremony tomorrow, Mrs. Beebe?” Stacey asked.
“Yes, of course dear, I wouldn’t miss it. I think what you young people are doing is ever so romantic.”
“Don’t encourage them Beebe,” Grandmother McLeod said. “These two will get into enough trouble on their own.”
After supper they sat and talked about Shane as a boy and looked at picture albums.
Grandmother McLeod asked many questions about Stacey and her life growing up on a ranch
in Texas. “You do realize, you and Shane come from two entirely different worlds,” Grandmother McLeod reminded her.
“Yes ma’am, we know, and we’ve talked about that. After I graduate, my world will be wherever Shane is. I’m well aware he is established at the medical center. I can always study archaeology wherever I am.” Shane smiled at Stacey, thinking how lucky he was to have found her.
Around ten o’clock Grandmother McLeod said, “Goodnight my darlings. I’ll see you in the morning. Shane, you will show Stacey to the guest room.”
“Yes, of course, Grandmother,” he said with a grin.
It took them awhile to say goodnight. As lovers often feel, they didn’t want to leave each others arms, but tomorrow was their wedding day. Shane kissed Stacey goodnight at her door.
They had an appointment at nine a.m. to have their talk with Ravened Boggs. Stacey was up early. Shane knocked on her door at seven. “Come in,” Stacey said. As soon as Shane saw her face he knew something was wrong. He was afraid she was having second thoughts, and the possibility of losing her was more than he could contemplate at present.
“What’s wrong Stacey, are you having second thoughts?”
“There is no baby, Shane,” she whispered to him. “Now we don’t have to marry.”
Shane took her in his arms and then asked, “Is that the reason you agreed to marry me, Stacey?”
“No, of course not.”
“Listen to me sweetheart,” Shane said. “I’m in love with you. Even if we never have children, I want to be married to you. Do you understand?”
With a bit of hesitation, Stacey said, “Yes, I think I do.” Stacey had never before been in love, however, she was sure she was in love with Shane. It just felt so right.
They went into Edinburgh and applied for their Marriage License. Stacey had to shop for shoes to go with the dress. Shane dropped her off at a big department store while he went to a jewelry store. Stacey was looking for beige heels. She found nothing she really liked. As she was looking around, she saw a sign that read, ‘originals,’ she walked through the door. A young woman asked, “May I be of help miss?”
“I hope so, I’m looking for a pair of beige shoes.” Stacey described her dress to the sales lady.
The young woman said, “I think we may have just what you have in mind. What size do you wear?”
“A six,” Stacey said.
When the sales lady brought out the shoes, Stacey could not believe her eyes. They were beige and apricot color silk. They were the most beautiful shoes she had ever seen. They were perfect. “How much?” Stacey asked.
“Nine hundred American dollars,” the lady said.
“I don’t have that much cash, will you take American express?”
“But of course,” the sales lady said.
Stacey couldn’t believe her luck. When Shane picked her up, she had to show him the shoes. She was so excited.
“Now show me what you bought.”
“No lass, not until I put it on your finger.”
“Are you superstitious, Shane?”
“No, not really,” he said, “but I’m not taking any chances.” Stacey laughed at him and kissed him while he was driving.
When they returned to Grandmother McLeod’s, she informed them, they would need to be at the Presbyterian church by two o’clock. She had made arrangements for flowers to be delivered to the church. Remembering her own elopement, she wanted this one to be a happy occasion too. Everyone was dressed by one o’clock. Grandmother McLeod and Mrs. Beebe looked beautiful. Shane was dressed in a nice suit and Stacey in her borrowed wedding dress and her good luck shoes. The dress came with a thin matching shawl, that could be worn around the shoulders or over the hair. Stacey chose to wear it over her hair until they were married, then she moved it to her shoulders.
By two-thirty they were married. When Shane put the ring on Stacey’s finger, she could hardly believe it. It was the most beautiful pear diamond she’d ever seen. She hugged it to her and smiled at Shane. As he kissed her, he whispered to her, “This tells the world, you are mine.”
Stacey whispered in his ear, “Even if there was no ring, I would still be yours.”
Shane kissed her again. Stacey could hardly believe she was really married. Everything had happened so fast, there was no turning back now.
&
nbsp; Reverend Boggs performed the ceremony. He would take nothing for marrying them, so Shane left a donation for the church. The reverend understood this was a secret marriage, therefore, whenever he saw Andrew and Elizabeth in church, he was to say nothing. He promised Jacquelyn McLeod, “My lips are sealed. Now when are you having me over for dinner, Jacquelyn?”
“Timothy Boggs, I call that blackmail.”
“Yes I know,” he said. “So when?”
She smiled, shook her head and asked, “Will Friday night do?”
The four wedding conspirators went home to celebrate with a glass of champagne. While Stacey and Mrs. Beebe were walking in the garden and admiring the roses and bluebells, Stacey noticed Shane talking with his grandmother. “There is no baby,” Shane told his grandmother.
“Are you a little sad, darling?” she asked.
“Yes, and no, I think this is best for both of us. Stacey is very young and she still has college to finish and now it would seem we have a wedding to plan for next year. We must leave in an hour or so,” Shane said, “We’ll drive as far as we can tonight that will get us to London tomorrow sometime. Stacey leaves for America on Sunday. We want to have as much time together as possible.”
“Thank you, Grandmother McLeod for helping us. I promise you, you’ll never be sorry you did,” Stacey told her.
Grandmother McLeod kissed them both and said, “Be happy my darlings, as I was with my Patrick.”
While they were drinking their champagne, Grandmother McLeod took out her family album where all the births, deaths and marriage records were kept. She told Stacey, “This will be yours one day to keep the family line recorded in. It goes all the way back to my ancestors who came to Scotland sometime in the fifteen century. See here darling, I’m adding yours and Shane’s wedding date in it.”
Marriage...August 25, 2002...Arthur Andrew Shane McLeod wed...Stacey Leighanne Scott. Ceremony performed by Reverend Timothy Boggs at St. Andrews Presbyterian church, Edinburgh, Scotland.
