Liz kissed the four of them in turn, the applause rose to a crescendo, and the family group, if Miss Jennings could be said to be of the family, sat down. Once they were all seated it was seen that Richard Abbot had effaced himself, had joined Elaine Winder and her young man at their table where, however, he was now without a chair. This a wine waiter fetched him.
John was first to speak.
" Champagne" he cried to another servant. "We must all have a toast."
"My dear tlhe bill!" Jane said in a low voice.
"Oh will you eve forgive us?" his daughter tremulously asked.
"This is on me" Mr Pomfret explained. "Bring the champagne glasses back" he ordered. "Order another dozen bottles. We shall have to toast 'em" he shouted to the room. Cries of "Good old John" greeted his yell. One of the male guests, rather drunk, seemed about to become dazed.
"Oh my God where's Richard?" Mrs Weatherby demanded in the same low tones.
"He's sat himself down at our table Mamma."
"I still feel quite faint John."
"You'll be right as a trivet Jane when you've some more wine" Mr Pomfret reassured. "You'll see if you aren't."
"But oh my dear aren't toasts so unlucky?"
"Well my boy your mother's a bit bowled over. Ah here we are, and fill them up. All round the room, mind! Now haven't you been a minx keeping this to yourself" he said to his daughter.
"Oh I did worry so" she cried to Jane. "But you see it was Philip's twenty-firster and people marry younger these days you know, if you see what I mean?"
Mr Pomfret rose to his feet.
"I'm going to ask you all to rise, be upstanding, and to-ah-lift your glasses and drink to-ah the happy couple."
Which, when done, set the party off again. And such a number of people came up to their table to offer con gratulations, to twit Jane with not having dropped the least hint, to kiss Mary and to slap John on the back, that it was not for some time later they were able to have private conversation.
WHEN they did find themselves alone once more at this table, John Pomfret incoherently took control.
"Well what's it to be?" he cried to the four of them.
"A white wedding Mary my Love with the old organ and a choir of course?"
"We hadn't got that far Daddy."
"But when, how soon? Now yon know the party we were to have, yon remember I told yon Jane, we'll make that into an engagement one, cocktails or something with the few intimate friends to stay over to dinner?"
"How wonderful for yon both" Liz cried. "What a bewitching minute this is!"
Jane smiled a trifle sadly, gazed at each in turn. "Isn't it?" she agreed with Miss Jennings. "So much in the one wonderful evening. Oh dear very soon i really quite simply believe I shall have to go home to my bed."
"Jane you'll do nothing of the kind" John Pomfret insisted. "Besides we none of us work tomorrow, we can lie in all day if we wish. It is a terrific occasion! I've been won dering the whole of my life what this moment would be like."
"Dear boy" Mrs Weatherby said to Philip but in tragic tones as she laid a white hand on his arm "if you only knew how your poor mother had dreamed and prayed, yes prayed!"
"But where are you proposing to set up house?" John demanded.
"We haven't actually discussed that have we Philip?" The young man did not answer, moistened his lips with a tongue.
"When I went to see Arthur Morris he told me once he was out of the clinic the doctors had advised him to get away in the country. So his flat at least will be on the market." Miss Jennings suggested.
"Good Lord Liz poor old Arthur has three whole rooms. They'd never be able to afford it."
"The sweet things mustn't start life in too big a little way" Mrs Weatherby approved. She gave her son's arm a squeeze. The young couple frowned what could have been a warning at one another.
"Bless me I don't know when anything ever before in all my time has given me such a crazy lift" the father exclaimed. "Who's to be best man Philip?"
"I couldn't say I'm sure."
"And the bridesmaids Mary?" John Pomfret insisted. "We'll have to be very careful there you know. Of course Liz here must be chief one. You'll do that won't you Liz?"
"Oh John dear you are sweet but you should be serious once in a while" Mrs Weatherby interrupted dolefully and fast. "He simply doesn't understand about these things" she explained to Miss Jennings then seemed to catch herself up. "Oh goodness listen to me" she laughed "the interfering mother-in-law just like you hear about all the time! No John the darlings will have to settle that for themselves."
"I'm too. old" Miss Jennings wailed. "Besides poor Liz's been bridesmaid so often. And I always seem to bring such rotten bad luck. They invariably divorce after I've been in the aisle."
"But now we are on the subject" Jane announced "Philip I'm certain your father would've liked you to hold the wedding under our rose window, darling, if he were alive. I know we have practically no connection with the village now but in a way it's still our very own precious church. I shall be buried outside under the yew by his side, I've put that in my little will." She brushed at her eyes with a handkerchief.
"Now Jane" Mr Pomfret expostulated "this is no time to speak of mourning, top hats and sidebands. What next good God? But where are you choosing for the honeymoon?"
"We hadn't quite got round to that yet either" Mary answered.
"Well you haven't thought of much then have you?" he said.
"Really John" Liz exclaimed. "When you're in love you can't make plans about one's plans." She drank another full glass down.
"I don't know when else you plot things out" he replied in obvious delight.
"John" Mrs Weatherby cried. "You're a changed creature! I hardly think that's quite nice do you darling?" and she turned to Liz.
"He's so thrilled" Miss Jennings explained.
"No but to talk of children, nurseries and so on at such a moment-why my dear you'll be positively indecent in a second!"
Philip Weatherby stifled a yawn.
"Who said a word about nasty sprawling brawling brats Jane?" John Pomfret demanded.
"You did. my dear" she said in a dry voice. "Not more than a minute ago. Didn't he darling?" she asked of Liz.
"It's all sho wonderful I don't know whether I'm on my head or my toesh" this lady explained.
"All right then we'll hold a ball, a dance."
"John there's so much to discuss" Jane said.
"I realize you'll say I'm crazy me dear" Mr Pomfret said to his daughter "but ever since you were grown up I've wondered what it would be like talking over marriage settlements with a middle-aged stranger and as I've often told you there's so little in the old kitty that I thought I'd have to take your future father-in-law out and make him drunk. And now good Lord it's going to be Jane that I've known all me life. I can't get over it."
"John do behave yourself" Mrs Weatherby sadly smiled.
"Well we shall be bound to have a chat one of these days won't we Jane?" he demanded.
"I expect you'll know where to find me" she replied and Miss Jennings winced, only she did so very slowly.
"But we shan't want any money" Miss Pomfret claimed with a weak show of determination.
"Nonsense monkey everybody does" her father said.
"Then hadn't you better discuss it with me?" Mr Weatherby asked.
"Philip darling do think before you speak like that." Jane cried.
"Well but you're a woman after all Mamma."
"And I should hope so too indeed. No but your Daddy and I will have to have a little talk shan't we you angelic creature" his mother proposed to Mary with some firmness.
"Of course Mrs Weatherby I'm sure Philip never meant-"
"Now who are you 'Mrs Weatherbying' dear? And you're never to call me 'Mother' because I would simply rather die that's all" she laughed. "You do agree with me don't you Liz? John you'd never like Philip to call you 'Father'?"