him… Well, they liked Rafe well enough. She’d have to trust them with her secret and pray they kept it.
Chapter Ten
T HE BORROWED HORSE PROVED TO be much faster than Norah, and they reached Charleston in the early afternoon. Rafe made his way to Jeb Greene’s sawmill, and was welcomed by not only Jeb and his brother, but Mrs. Greene bearing a bouquet of flowers, as well. She hugged Livvie as she handed her the colorful arrangement of daffodils and roses. Livvie brushed back tears as she thanked her.
Hauling himself up into an old buggy, which once been black with shiny brass trim but was now grey with green, Jeb swung his arm for Rafe to follow, and the two horses trotted along the street for a mile before Jeb swung into the drive of a modest red brick home with white trim. A small sign hanging from a post on the fence said, “Micah Greene, Justice of the Peace.”
“Well, this is it, then,” Rafe said as he helped Livvie down from the wagon. She nodded and smiled at him nervously. He put his arm around her shoulder and squeezed reassuringly, leading her up the walk to the front stairs. The door opened and a short, middle-aged man stood there, a huge grin on his bearded face, and no hat on his balding head. He straightened his bow tie and jacket, and came out to meet them.
“Welcome! Welcome! Jeb has told me all about you, and the missus and I are so happy to be celebrating your nuptials with you on this fine, fine day!” He hugged them both in a crushing hug and planted a wet kiss on Livvie’s cheek. In the doorway a small woman of about forty waited, smiling wide.
The party entered the small foyer and were led to the back. The porch had been closed in to make a large room, and here they were made to stand, side by side, in front of a small podium. Micah put on small round reading glasses and brought a small cloth bound book to within four inches of his face. Jeb, his brother Clayton, and his wife stood with Micah’s wife behind the young couple.
Micah glanced up at them and nodded at the book. “I use the Book o’Common Prayer, 1662. Hope that’s satisfactory to you. Seems to me it’s lasted this long, must be a good one!” They nodded. Rafe reached over and took Livvie’s hand, but they kept their eyes on the man who would join them in matrimony. Micah began.
“Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here in the sight of God, and in the face of this congregation, to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony, which is an honorable estate, instituted of God in the time of man’s innocency, signifying unto us the mystical union that is betwixt Christ and His Church; which holy estate Christ adorned and beautified with His presence, and first miracle that He wrought, in Cana of Galilee; and is commended of Saint Paul to be honorable among all men, and therefore is not by any to be enterprised, nor taken in hand, unadvisedly, lightly, or wantonly, to satisfy men’s carnal lusts and appetites, like brute beasts that have no understanding, but reverently, discreetly, advisedly, soberly, and in the fear of God, duly considering the causes for which matrimony was ordained:
First, it was ordained for the procreation of children, to be brought up in the fear and nurture of the Lord, and to the praise of His holy name. Secondly, it was ordained for the remedy against sin, and to avoid fornication, that such persons as have not the gift of continency might marry, and keep themselves undefiled members of Christ’s body. Thirdly, it was ordained for the mutual society, help and comfort, that the one ought to have of the other, both in prosperity and adversity. Into which holy estate these two persons present come now to be joined. Therefore if any man can show any just cause why they may not lawfully be joined together, let him now speak, or else hereafter for ever hold his peace.”
He looked around at the room as if there were a hundred in attendance, then nodded solemnly at the silence.
Chapter Ten
T HE BORROWED HORSE PROVED TO be much faster than Norah, and they reached Charleston in the early afternoon. Rafe made his way to Jeb Greene’s sawmill, and was welcomed by not only Jeb and his brother, but Mrs. Greene bearing a bouquet of flowers, as well. She hugged Livvie as she handed her the colorful arrangement of daffodils and roses. Livvie brushed back tears as she thanked her.
Hauling himself up into an old buggy, which once been black with shiny brass trim but was now grey with green, Jeb swung his arm for Rafe to follow, and the two horses trotted along the street for a mile before Jeb swung into the drive of a modest red brick home with white trim. A small sign hanging from a post on the fence said, “Micah Greene, Justice of the Peace.”
“Well, this is it, then,” Rafe said as he helped Livvie down from the wagon. She nodded and smiled at him nervously. He put his arm around her shoulder and squeezed reassuringly, leading her up the walk to the front stairs. The door opened and a short, middle-aged man stood there, a huge grin on his bearded face, and no hat on his balding head. He straightened his bow tie and jacket, and came out to meet them.
“Welcome! Welcome! Jeb has told me all about you, and the missus and I are so happy to be celebrating your nuptials with you on this fine, fine day!” He hugged them both in a crushing hug and planted a wet kiss on Livvie’s cheek. In the doorway a small woman of about forty waited, smiling wide.
The party entered the small foyer and were led to the back. The porch had been closed in to make a large room, and here they were made to stand, side by side, in front of a small podium. Micah put on small round reading glasses and brought a small cloth bound book to within four inches of his face. Jeb, his brother Clayton, and his wife stood with Micah’s wife behind the young couple.
Micah glanced up at them and nodded at the book. “I use the Book o’Common Prayer, 1662. Hope that’s satisfactory to you. Seems to me it’s lasted this long, must be a good one!” They nodded. Rafe reached over and took Livvie’s hand, but they kept their eyes on the man who would join them in matrimony. Micah began.
“Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here in the sight of God, and in the face of this congregation, to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony, which is an honorable estate, instituted of God in the time of man’s innocency, signifying unto us the mystical union that is betwixt Christ and His Church; which holy estate Christ adorned and beautified with His presence, and first miracle that He wrought, in Cana of Galilee; and is commended of Saint Paul to be honorable among all men, and therefore is not by any to be enterprised, nor taken in hand, unadvisedly, lightly, or wantonly, to satisfy men’s carnal lusts and appetites, like brute beasts that have no understanding, but reverently, discreetly, advisedly, soberly, and in the fear of God, duly considering the causes for which matrimony was ordained:
First, it was ordained for the procreation of children, to be brought up in the fear and nurture of the Lord, and to the praise of His holy name. Secondly, it was ordained for the remedy against sin, and to avoid fornication, that such persons as have not the gift of continency might marry, and keep themselves undefiled members of Christ’s body. Thirdly, it was ordained for the mutual society, help and comfort, that the one ought to have of the other, both in prosperity and adversity. Into which holy estate these two persons present come now to be joined. Therefore if any man can show any just cause why they may not lawfully be joined together, let him now speak, or else hereafter for ever hold his peace.”
He looked around at the room as if there were a hundred in attendance, then nodded solemnly at the silence.
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