That made me feel very humble.
I got real close to Alex and Will, as I helped out on the farm. I met the whole family, and all of them, even the kids, accepted me without reservation. For the first time in my life, I felt as if I always had a home here, to come back to.
Rick arrived, with Macey in tow. I went with Will to collect them from the airport. I had hired a Mercedes 200 series for the honeymoon, so picked Will up from his barracks on the way. He was in civilian clothes, and he was very helpful at teaching me how to cope with the British road system, and their very strange driving habits. I nearly became violently insane when I met my first roundabout, but after my sixteenth, I could even control my frothing at the mouth.
Rick and Will hit it off immediately, both being officers, I guess. Macey just brought his huge grin into Scotland, so the world seemed a brighter place. We stopped off and Will gave us lunch in his officers’ mess. A few raised eyebrows at the black face in the Black Watch Officers’ Mess, which caused Rick and I some mirth.
However, after a couple of whiskies the starch seemed to evaporate, and we were made to feel very welcome. The Black Watch was a very old and respected infantry regiment, with honours going back to before the US was even formed. I had always been under the impression that British army officers were foppish and fools, but these guys were professional and down to Earth. Perhaps my impressions were based on Hollywood and not reality.
I had to refuse the many fine malt Scotches, as I had to drive, but Rick and Macey were well lubricated by the time we set off, leaving Will behind.
We arrived at the farm at about four o’clock, and I saw my beloved was not best pleased. Our gift was a blessing, but as she had the ability to focus on me, so always knew where I was and what I was doing. It had its disadvantages. She said nothing out loud, but I knew I was in the doghouse.
It didn’t last long, as her mom’s reaction to Macey was a joy to behold. I don’t think she had ever met a black skinned person, ever. She was charm personified, but she insisted in speaking very slowly to him, just in case he found the language hard to understand. Macey found this hilarious, playing up to her something rotten, until Gilly hit him.
Rick found himself treated like royalty. He was a colonel, so Jeanette went whole hog to give him the best of everything. We had to run through the wedding service with the minister of the local Presbyterian Church. Then Richard took us all men to the pub, where they conspired to get me incredibly drunk.
The wedding day itself passed so fast that I wish I had the ability to rewind my memory and replay it slowly. I was made to stay with Alex on the night before, as it was supposed to be unlucky to see the bride on the day of the wedding. I met up with Rick at the church, which was a short drive along a narrow lane.
I was in my dress uniform, with medals and sword, as were Rick and Macey. Will appeared in his dress uniform, which included a kilt and sword. All the members of the expedition turned up, and it was good to see them. I knew no one else, apart from Gilly’s family, which was considerable.
The one thing I do remember, and will never ever forget, was the vision of my wife as she appeared in the doorway of the church. Her dress was magnificent, with a veil and train. She held on to her father’s arm, with her four nieces as bridesmaids, and two nephews as pages.
The organ started playing, so we stood. I looked down the nave to she had stopped in the doorway as the pages tried to straighten the train. I always thought the middle bit was an aisle, but was firmly told that the aisles were the bits at the side of the church.
She stared into my eyes, as the sun streamed through the open door, highlighting her blonde hair, so that she appeared to have a halo around her beautiful head. She looked so much like an angel that I found a lump in my throat and tears formed in my eyes.
‘My God you are so beautiful!’
‘And you are so handsome, so many medals.’
‘I love you.’
‘Oh, I love you so much.’
I watched as she walked, or floated, down the aisle towards me. I was oblivious of everyone else, and it was like that moment in the island village. We were the only people in the whole world.
I recall nothing of the service, except the words, “I now pronounce you man and wife.”
We signed the register and left the church. Rick, Macey and Will were already outside and, much to our surprise, Will had arranged for a full guard of honour comprising of officers from his regiment, in full dress uniform. We were forced to duck under two rows of officers with raised and crossed swords, with Macey and Rick forming the last pair.
Craig took far too many photographs, for which we were both very grateful later, as neither of us remembered much at all. The reception was back at the family home, in a huge marquee in the garden. The food provided by the family was wonderful, as were the flowers.
If you have never been to a Scottish wedding reception, then you haven’t lived. Firstly we had champagne as we stood and greeted everyone as they arrived, and then the speeches, while most people were still relatively sober.
Gilly’s uncle, Sam MacLeish, made a speech in which he referred to the shock he received when he heard that Gilly was getting married. This was quite a common theme at weddings, but in her case, everyone knew how true it was!
I made a very short speech, thanking her parents for their gift to me, their daughter, whom I promised to look after. I also thanked Jeanette for never losing patience and having the faith that her daughter would eventually turn into the beautiful bride that she now was.
Rick, as best man, praised the bridesmaids, everything and everyone. I think Macey had slipped something else into his champagne, because he came out with some terrible jokes, and some events of my life that I was completely unaware he knew about.
The food was served, so the wine, beer, and whisky started to flow. They decided on a buffet style, allowing Gilly and I to just mingle, moving on to speak to as many people as possible. I took my sword and hat off, as I was very warm in my tunic. Many of the young Scots lads wanted to know about my medals, so Gilly embellished and invented many tales of my heroism. I think she’d imbibed too much champagne as well.
These same lads were transfixed by Macey, so when I last saw him he was surrounded by about twelve of the kids, spinning them some gruesome and wholly fictional tales of combat.
Gradually, the reception turned into a party, so we cut the cake, slipping away to change out of the wedding clothes. When we returned we were blessed by the vision of a much lubricated Macey trying to do the Highland Fling!
At least they hadn’t a spare kilt in his size!
We stayed for a while, as a small three piece band of locals started playing Scottish dance music. The sight of Macey doing a very energetic Strip the Willow (A dance) with a very large Scots lassie will stay with me for a very long time.
Rick came over to us, placing an arm on each of our shoulders.
“Ed, I hoped and prayed I would see this day for you. Never did I imagine it would be as wonderful as this.”
“That makes two of us Rick,” I said.
“All the NCOs and Officers back home had a whip round, so here is your wedding gift from the guys,” he said, giving me an envelope.
opened it. I was speechless, for it contained a cheque for $1,000.
“It will help you guys fit out your first home,” he said, as I showed it to Gilly.
“Rick, what can I say? Thank you all so much,” she said, giving him a huge hug.
“You guys will have to keep in touch, you hear?”
“We will, Rick, and thanks,” I said, shaking his hand. A very attractive and wealthy local widow grabbed him, and despite his protestations, she frogmarched him onto the dance floor. We noticed he didn’t scream too loudly!