Hunters

VI. Solemnization

VI. Solemnization

It was Tuesday 21 April 1885, and the Honorable Lecia Evelia Harper would be married.

When her mother’s knocking at the door awaked Lecia, the sun had not yet risen. Sleep still clung to her eyes and her feathery bed was too bewitching to leave. An eternity passed in the few moments she fell back into dreams until her mother knocked once again.

“Lecia! You need to be dressed!” the baroness called. It was a small miracle that she did not let herself in to pull Lecia out of bed, but, it being her daughter’s wedding day, she kindly offered some small vestige of solitude.

In the most unladylike way, Lecia sat up. Before setting foot on the floor, she embraced her last moments wrapped in the familiar sheets. Finally, she rose from her bed and unceremoniously tossed her covers to the floor. The cool wooden floors soothed her sore feet as she made her way to the washbasin. Groggily, she poured out clean water and soaked a cloth. With a grunt of displeasure, Lecia removed the almond and honey mask from her face; she had to rinse the cloth clean a number of times before she felt that all of the pasty cleanser was gone.

Her mother started to knock once again. The early hour guaranteed Lecia was ill mannered, and she very loudly announced that she was, in fact, conscious and did not need to be annoyed with yet another wake-up call. The door opened and the flickering candlelight of the hallway illuminated the joyous face of Florence Harper. Zora and Nettie were at her side, equally bright.

“Come now, time for a quick sponge bath,” the baroness said.

Lecia frowned as she shuffled across the room and followed everyone to the bath down the hall. Despite having been scrubbed raw from head to toe the night before, it seemed essential that Lecia be bathed again; she was not pleased. Her mother and Zora looked on as she soaked in hot rose water and was gently sponged from the neck down. It was a quick bath, she didn’t even prune.

Although the baroness would have been content to observe every step of preparation, she needed to ready herself for the event. Zora, too, needed to dress.

Once she was dried, she spread a light cream over herself. Her skin tingled from a mix of mint and citrus, and she felt refreshed. Her wedding clothes were already prepared, and she slipped into each layer. Though her gown was feather light and comfortable, Lecia could not help but feel suffocated by the muslin and lace. As her maid knotted the bow on the ribbon around her waist, Lecia was sure she would never breath again.

She sat patiently as her hair was released from the knot atop her head and an ocean of curls came loose. The heavy waves smelled of fresh lemons. Lecia’s maid carefully sorted out the glistening twists into an expertly crafted up do.

Lecia sat quietly at her vanity and stuck into her ears the diamond earrings Vaughan had sent. She hated wearing jewelry, but she admitted to herself—despite looking hollow and miserable from lack of sleep—that the earrings helped her look beautiful.

Nettie came back to her with a bowl of crushed strawberries and more cream. The maid carefully spread a modest amount of the vibrant red juice over Lecia’s soft lips and smiled as the bride struggled to refrain from licking it all off before it set in. Next, she delicately covered Lecia’s face—particularly the undersides of her eyes—with a shimmering peppermint crème. Instantly, the young woman’s face was more alive.

Lastly, an elegant antique tiara was placed upon her head to keep her veil in place. This, too, had been sent over by Vaughan. Although customary for extravagant gifts to be showered upon a bride by her groom, Lecia couldn’t help but feel that the lavish accessories were meant to somehow rectify coercing her into marriage.