Shadows

VII

April turned into May, but hardly anyone noticed the change of month. Preparations for the wedding continued to dominate our time. Charlotte Plumb monopolized Mama's sitting room. She made it clear she did not wish anyone to disturb them. Finally, the invitations went into the mail, and the RSVPs began to arrive. I never realized we knew that many people.

The chartreuse bridesmaid gown hung in my wardrobe. I tried to avoid looking at it. However, the bright color attracted my attention every time I glanced inside. The sight of it made me want to croak. Caustically, I vowed to destroy the ugly dress as soon as the ceremony ended.

"My bridesmaids will wear pale yellow and carry clusters of white roses," I dreamed aloud. Grayson and I sprawled beneath an elm overlooking the meadow pond. Our horses nibbled at the grass nearby. "I'm going to walk down the aisle holding a cascade of yellow daffodils."

"Lovely," Gray murmured, selecting a finger sandwich from the picnic basket between us. "You will make a beautiful bride, Prissy."

"More beautiful than Miss Plumb," I remarked smugly. "Her dress is too tight. Her breasts spill out over the neckline. I don't know how she manages to keep them in place."

Grayson grimaced and threw his sandwich into the overgrowth. He cringed at the mention of women's body parts. They did not seem to entice him.

"Lottie wants us to carry purple gladiolas as our bouquets," I continued, making retching noises. "Imagine chartreuse and purple. She has no color sense."

"I wish you wouldn't make those noises while we're eating, Priss," Grayson complained, glancing in my direction. He returned the raspberry tarts to the picnic basket. "Why don't we forget Miss Plumb and wade in the pond? It's quite warm for May, don't you think?"

"I thought it was my temperature rising over the wedding," I remarked, pulling off my shoes. "I would like to wade, but Miss Young thinks it's still too cold for swimming. She said not to go into the pond."

Daintily lifting my calico skirt, I rose and edged into the meadow pond. The calm waters refreshed me immediately. Grayson approached more cautiously than me. Dipping his toe in, he withdrew it sharply. He wrapped his arms around his slim torso and shivered.

"I didn't realize it was still this cold," he criticized sharply. "Brr."

"It's not that bad, Gray," I called back, wading further into the pond. I lifted my skirt higher and felt the water rise around my knees.

As I drifted further from shore, I recalled past picnics beside the meadow pond. Joel usually accompanied us with his fly fishing gear and chastised Gray and me for splashing and chasing the fish away. We would glance at him furtively and continue with our pleasure despite him.

Finally acclimating to the cool water, Grayson paddled along the pond's bank. I continued moving forward until the water reached my waist. My lilac-sprigged skirt floated on the surface around me. When my brother drew close enough, I sent a wall of water over his head.

"I'll get you for that, Prissy," Gray hollered, plunging toward me. Grabbing me by the waist, he pushed me below the surface. I struggled against him, finally pushing myself back into the fresh air.

"Oh, my hat," I exclaimed, watching the floral confection bobbing on the rippling water. Hastily I rushed for it, but it moved further away. Grayson joined in the chase. Nevertheless, each time we reached it, it drifted an additional distance. Joyfully, our laughter floated across the vast meadow.

"Coo, Joel, look at the wildlife at play," Miss Plumb's Cockney-accented voice called stridently over our heads. "You never know what you might see while riding along country lanes."