In Search of the Past (Stacey and Shane Mcleod, #2) (26 page)

Stacey went to Mrs. McGraw’s shop to try on her maid of honor dress.  It fit perfectly. Annie and Hugh’s wedding motif has a valentine theme. The maid of honor and bridesmaids dresses are the same style and color.  They’re red satin, ankle length sheath dresses, with one long sleeve and the other arm and shoulder bare. The skirt has a slit down the back.  It looks very elegant. Mrs. McGraw boxed it up and Stacey took it home.

Annie and Hugh’s wedding day was on Saturday, February fifteenth, two p.m. at St. George’s church.  Hugh and Annie have invited Shane’s parents as well as Stacey’s. This will be the first meeting of Shane, his parents, Stacey’s parents plus Mr. Chen. Of course, Shane knows Eric from last summer.  Stacey has no worries about her dad, Eric and Mr. Chen. She feels sure Shane, his dad and her dad will do fine. However, Shane’s mother, and her mother, may be a different story. Elizabeth McLeod and Mr. Chen have communicated a few times by e-mail on preserving, after Stacey gave him the jar of preserves that Elizabeth sent him.

Elizabeth, shall we say, is a bit upset that her son is getting married in a barn. Jessica is ready for any snide remarks this sophisticated English woman may have to say about her daughter.  Jessie read and re-read the Christmas card Elizabeth McLeod sent. Jessie got the distinct impression that Elizabeth McLeod thought she was commiserating with people a class lower than herself. This raised Jessica’s hackles. Well, this wedding would give both women a chance to evaluate the lay of the land, so to speak. Neither Stacey or Shane are totally aware of the smoldering hostilities of these two women.

Stacey had supper ready by the time Shane got home from a hectic day at the hospital. He ate, showered and fell in bed.  Stacey had just finished the dishes and was on her way upstairs when the phone rang.  It was Shane’s mother calling. When Stacey answered, Elizabeth McLeod asked, “Who is this?”

Stacey looked at the phone, then put it back to her ear. “This is Stacey, Mrs. McLeod.”

“Oh Stacey darling, may I speak to my son?” 

“I’m sorry, Shane is sound asleep, he had a rough day at the hospital.”

“Well,” Elizabeth said. “I suppose I can tell you.  Shane’s father and I would like to stay over in the flat on Saturday night. We look forward to taking you both out to dinner. Do you think that will be alright, Stacey, dear?”

“Yes ma’am, as for as I’m concerned, you both are more than welcome.”

They talked for a bit and Stacey asked about Grandmother McLeod and Doctor McLeod? Elizabeth McLeod couldn’t have been more cordial.

The next morning before the alarm went off, Shane was kissing and exploring Stacey’s warm body. Shane was in an amorous mood with nothing on his mind, but making love to Stacey, when she said, “Oh, by the way, your mother called last night.” He was prone to enter when she said, “They wanna’ spend the night here Saturday night after the wedding and go home the next day.”

“Hum,” Shane said in the early moments of his delight. 

“I told them okay,” Stacey said. 

Shane, enthralled in blissfulness at the moment said, “Hum.” All of a sudden, Shane’s eyes opened, he fell on top of Stacey and said, “You did what?”

“Well, what the devil did you want me to tell her?  No, my future mother-in-law, we’ll wanna’ make love and you’ll be intruding.”

“Bloody well yes,” Shane said. Stacey picked up the phone and handed it to him: “Oh, you’re a cheeky wench.”

“Yes darling I know, now kiss me.” He did and all was forgotten.  They were back were they started when the alarm went off.  Stacey laughed and said, “I think that’s why they call it, a quickie.”

Shane was a bit late to work.  Sir Richard Heath was his first patient. He quite understood about traffic. He said, “If I had a beautiful young wife like yours, I might be in a traffic jam every morning.” They both laughed.  Shane liked this older gentleman and was happy to tell him that every test was negative.

Tuesday afternoon, Stacey called Mr. Chen and told him about Elizabeth McLeod’s call and the possibility it was gonna’ be a little awkward, would he please stay with them on Saturday too? “Of course I will,” he said. “I was afraid you wouldn’t need your ole’ mom-a-daddy, now that you’re married. Of course, Eric did predict you would get yourself in a tight spot before this was all over with.”

“You know I’ll always come running to you for help. And Eric’s probably right, but we won’t tell him, it’ll just give him the big head. Oh, yes, tell him there’s twin beds downstairs if he wants to stay too.” 

“I’ll tell him, and we’ll make it right. That’s what I’m here for little daughter,” he said laughing. “We’ll see you on Saturday.” 

“Thank you, Mr. Chen,” Stacey said. “I love you.”

When Shane came home, Stacey told him her plan. He wasn’t all that enthusiastic about the situation. “Well, Doctor McLeod, if you have a better plan, by all means kick it in gear,” Stacey encouraged him. He didn’t, but he did enjoy that light of defiance in her eyes. Because he was smiling, Stacey asked, “Are you laughing at me?”

“Maybe,” Shane said. “I haven’t seen that look since, Maxwell house.”

Stacey put her arms around him and said, “Maxwell house will always be special.”

Hugh and Annie’s wedding.

S
tacey had not had the chance to investigate more libraries, but today she decided to go back to the Historical society in London. There was always the off chance she might find some family familiar from thirteen-seventy to fourteen-forty-seven. She remembered Hampton Hall was located near London, and the Hampton families were more prominent politically than the Fitz-Morgan families were.

The old countess’s motto was, let sleeping dogs lie. She never wanted her family entwined in the politics of kings. It was too easy to lose ones head.  Stacey kept her cell phone near, as she didn’t want to miss one of Shane’s calls. She didn’t want to be secretive about what she was doing, but she didn’t want to argue with him either. She only had two free days to search. She remembered the Ashworth family was from Dorset in the south. Stacey wanted to rent a car and drive to Dorset, but when she consulted the map, she realized there was no way she could make it there and back in a day. She would just have to wait until a more opportune time to visit the library and historical society, where she was hoping to find information on the family of Colin Ashworth who was married to Jacquelyn, one of the Fitz-Morgan twins. Some of their descendants might still live there.

Stacey met Shane for supper at his Athletic club. He noticed her demeanor seemed preoccupied tonight, and asked, “Is there anything wrong, sweetheart?”

She looked at him with surprise and said, “No, no, of course not, my mind just went blank there for a while.” Shane frowned at her. “No, really Shane, my mind is on what all I need to do before this weekend. I want to have the flat all ready for mine and your parents on Saturday.”

Stacey looked down at her plate as she took a bite of food and thought, to herself, now you’ve started lying, or almost, part of it was true. If I tell him the whole truth, we’ll just get into an argument again and I don’t want that. I guess the best way to handle this is to just wait until June to continue my search of the past.

The week sped by rapidly. Stacey had plenty to keep her busy. On Wednesday they had dinner with Nigel and Megan, then went to the pictures. Thursday was the wedding rehearsal. Friday was a busy day with many things to do at the flat. Stacey wanted to put fresh linens in the guest rooms for everyone, then she helped Mrs. Wyatt with the dusting.  Shane called to remind her to pick up his morning suit from the cleaners.  On her way home, she picked up fresh flowers for the flat:

They had a late supper as Shane was late coming home from the hospital.  After supper he had to transfer some transcripts in his office.  Stacey cleaned the kitchen, took a shower and went to bed. She was reading James Patterson’s, ‘The Jester,’ while waiting for Shane to come upstairs.  When he came in, she put the book mark in, and laid the book on the bed-side table. Shane sat down on the side of the bed. Stacey sat up and they put their arms around each other. He kissed her and said, “I’ll take a shower and be right with you.”

“I’ll be waiting.” Stacey knew he was tired, but he seemed to need her. She wanted him to always know she was there, if for nothing more than to hold him in her arms. He was asleep in no time at all. 

Saturday morning at six a.m., Stacey and Shane picked up her mom, dad and Mr. Chen at the airport. Stacey introduced them to Shane, then asked as she looked around, “Where’s Eric, he did come didn’t he?”

“Yes, of course, he came sweetheart. He was very tired, so he grabbed a taxi and went to the hotel to take a nap.  He’ll ask for a wake up call and meet us at the church. So don’t worry,” her dad said.

At the flat, Stacey’s family became better acquainted with Shane over coffee and scones. The wedding was scheduled for two p.m.  Stacey knew they’d traveled all night and were tired.  She asked, “Would ya’ll like to take a nap until twelve?” 

“Oh, yes darling, please,” her mom said.

Stacey had made chicken salad sandwiches and coffee cake.  They could choose which they wanted. Mr. Chen was up when Stacey and Shane were ready to go.  Stacey asked him to wake her parents in time to get to the wedding.  She gave him the address of the church, and told him they would see them there.

By two p.m. the church was full. By three, the ceremony was over and the reception was in full swing.  Annie’s family was on their best behavior.  Stacey was looking for her family and Shane was looking for his. They met somewhere in the middle. Shane introduced everyone; Elizabeth was expecting Jessica Scott to be a dowdy little country woman in polyester about her own age. Instead she was introduced to a tall slender, red headed, green eyed beauty, who was at least ten years her junior. Stacey’s father was a tall handsome man with blue eyes and black hair, just starting to gray around the edges.

Sam Scott and Andrew McLeod were very friendly.  Jessica Scott was just as amazed as Elizabeth McLeod had been about her. Elizabeth was five-feet-five, blonde hair and blue eyes. 

She was elegantly dressed and carried herself regally. Andrew McLeod was also a tall handsome man with graying black hair and brown eyes.  He was an older version of Shane. Mr. Chen, wonderful as always sensed the under laying hostilities of these two women.  He kept the conversation on neutral ground. ‘Grandmother McLeod and the art of preserving.’

Eric stood back watching with a smile on his face. Stacey walked by where he was standing and said, “Not one word from you, do you hear, not one word.”

With the up-most of innocence, he said, “Are you talking to me? Are you talking to me?”

With that monolog, Eric and Stacey both started laughing. “Right now I’d like to run away with you to the lake. I don’t know what’s happening here and I’m not sure I wanna’ know,” Stacey said with a giggle, that started Eric laughing again.

Hugh and Annie came over to say, “Hello and goodbye.” They were leaving on their honeymoon on the same flight to Madrid as Stacey’s parents.  They would be going to the airport together.  Sam and Andrew shook hands and Sam apologized, “Sorry Andrew, that we don’t have more time for getting acquainted. I assure you we’ll rectify that in June.”

Stacey and Shane were so pleased that their dads liked each other, but they couldn’t say the same for their moms. Jessica could sense a pinned up frustration in Elizabeth. She couldn’t imagine why and didn’t have time to find out now, however, if this attitude persisted; she would have a talk with the little lady in June, when they came to her daughter’s wedding.

Elizabeth was incensed, that her son and poor little Stacey were to be married in a barn, when this elegantly dressed, red headed beauty, would go traipsing around Europe instead of using that money for her daughter’s wedding.  Elizabeth felt so bad for Stacey. She told Andrew, “Thank god, our son is marrying such a brave girl.”

That night in bed, Stacey and Shane were discussing the enigma of their mother’s attitudes.  Stacey told Shane, “Whatever their problem is, it’s theirs, not ours.”

“Things did go well at the restaurant. Our Mr. Chen is an amazing gentleman. Between he and Eric, they have my mother captivated,” Shane said. 

“Yes,” Stacey agreed. “They did keep things calm at the reception too.”

The lovers spent the next few hours talking and making love, with Stacey giggling because they were trying not to make too much noise. They finally fell asleep in each other’s arms.

Elizabeth told Andrew, “I’m so glad Stacey loves our son enough to defy convention and share his bed, even with us here.  Thank god, in a few months she’ll have Shane and us, of course to look after her.”

Andrew was so pleased about his wife’s attitude, that he wasn’t going to tell her, he was sure Stacey was strong willed enough to take care of herself and their son too, if it were ever necessary.  Andrew had liked Stacey from the beginning.  He couldn’t have been more pleased when Shane told them, that they were engaged.

Shane’s parent’s flight was scheduled to leave at ten a.m. for Edinburgh. Stacey had scones, tea and coffee ready. Shane’s parents insisted on taking a taxi to the airport. Shane’s mother said, as she kissed Stacey bye, “This is the way we want it darlings.  You two have so little time together as it is.  Mr. Chen, please tell Eric goodbye for us and when Stacey and Shane are married, I hope we see a lot of you then,” Elizabeth said.

“I assure you, you will Elizabeth,” Mr. Chen said as he shook hands with her and Andrew McLeod.

Mother and Daughter

S
tacey, Eric and Mr. Chen left on the four p.m. flight for Houston.  On the drive home Shane’s arms felt so empty. The flat felt the same way, so he took a hot shower and went to bed. He dreamed of Stacey, but when he woke, he knew his dream was no where near as good as the real thing.

Stacey was kept busy with school, the ‘Hanging tree’ and went with J.B. to Mesquite to watch her bulls buck. Bull riding was always exciting, but when they were your own bulls it was even more exciting.