Wedding Bells in Oporto

Maggie smiled, liking the idea of making herself helpful to the captain. After all, she owed him quite an enormous debt of gratitude. But for now, she had sewing of her own to do, and she fished in her bag to find her needles. It would not be the most elegant of wedding dresses, but some ribbon would at least dress it up more than its everyday appearance.

Cotton tapped on the door of Vickery's room and then carefully let himself in. "Tea, sir," he said, cheerfully, and was answered with a groan.

"D'you have to be so damn cheerful first thing in the morning?" the officer asked, emerging from under his blanket and running a hand through his tousled hair.

"It's me weddin' day, sir," Cotton replied. "Ain't every day a man can say that. I'll bring your shavin' water up in a bit, sir." Maggie would probably be horrified at the way he spoke with the officer, but Vickery didn't seem to mind.

"So it is," Vickery said, accepting the mug. "Go and get yourself sorted out then. You can send Cavender up with the shaving water."

"He won't thank you for sayin' that, sir." Cotton had retreated to the door by now. "I'll ask Roper."

"I won't quote the King's Regulations at you - it's far too early for that, but don't go ordering him around."

"He might not be far off it, but he ain't a Corp'ral yet, sir," Cotton said with a shrug and slipped out to return downstairs, where he found Maggie busily sewing.

She smiled up at him, as did Cavender. "You want to take this other kettle up and pour out his water while its warm? It's not the boiled stuff, just warm. And I'll make you a cup of tea for when you're done. If the other lads don't drink it all first," she added, eyeing the other riflemen who were waking and rolling up their blankets. "Might have to send someone back out to that fountain."

He had been late in waking up only on that evening. He didn't know what contributed to it, though perhaps skipping on sleep to be up early and ready, while going to sleep late and exhausted and far too excited could've been to blame for that. The comfortable, much warmer, much nicer surroundings added to it. Even once he heard people talk, he just kept on lying curled at his spot, hands at his chest, knees up close to it, conserving as much heat as he could.

Tea, the mentions of it several times infact, finally drew him fully awake. That and the fact tea would return some warmth lost and it was 'terribly late' too. Even if in fact it was not!

He sat up stretched, heard his belly right away announce it's presence. Quickly he rolled up his blanket and looked into the direction of the awake few. He rubbed the back of his hand over his eyes and forehead and then yawned. He blinked and made himself to stand. Tying his blanket to his pack, he approached them timidly. "Good mornin." He greeted the lass first, thinking it proper before giving quick nods to Cotton and Cavender.

"Sounds like a good idea, that, Maggie," he said, before turning to see Pye coming over. "Mornin', there. Hope you had a good sleep an' all." He grabbed Vickery's tin hand-basin and poured some water into it. "Dunno about a towel. He'll have to use yesterday's shirt," he said with a shrug after looking around vainly trying to spot a towel.

"Morning, Zack," Maggie said with a quick grin for the rumpled looking rifleman. "Come'n get some tea before the hot water's all gone. A towel?" Maggie looked up at Cotton and then cast her glance over the clothes hanging in front of the fire, many of them her own. "Oh, not his shirt. Take this one, it's mine and its clean and warm for him. Though a bit stiff." She gave it a vigorous shake before handing it to Cotton. "Bring me his shirt and I'll clean it and hang it up to dry. It might be ready before you march, if you have to march today." Her wedding ribbons would simply have to wait. It was more important to please the captain on this nerve-wracking morning.

"Don't worry about doin' his shirt; I've got a clean one for him," Cotton replied. "Thanks for that, though." He smiled at her. "He ain't God, y'know. He's just a man with a bit o' money an' a nicer jacket. He don't bite less'n he's real upset over summat." He took the towel Maggie held out and draped it over his arm before picking up the bowl of water. "You get on an' finish up your weddin' dress an' just ignore the rest of 'em. I'm sure Joe Cavender wouldn't mind makin' me tea for me, after all."

The lad in question looked up and grinned ."Sure, I don't mind, mate."

"I know he don't bite. But he does give the orders." Including any orders that might banish the women if they were upsetting the rifles routine and efficiency, or choosing a different soldier to serve as his batman. "But do bring me towel back. It's got my name broidered in the corner."

"Thank you, miss." Pye smiled and hurried closer, then embarrassed realised he had no mug so he turned around again. Carefully threaded over his sleeping fellows, took his mug from his pack and returned again to hold it out to be filled. He grinned at Cotton and then looked apologetic as if taking a moment of Maggie's time was a bad thing to do!

"What is that ,ma'am?" He asked noting that she had been sewing something. Then even more shyly he turned to look at Cotton. "..If'un you need help, I can.. " He volunteered.

"A.. wedding dress?" He then looked rather stunned. "Whose?" He'd heard rumours but nothing exactly definite on when the wedding would be. Maybe tomorrow then, he wondered, or the next day or if it were.. when?

"Well, you an' Joe can fight it out to see which of you gets to make me tea," Cotton said. "I got to take this up to the Captain, and mebbe help him shave. Won't be long. An' of course I'll bring your towel back, Maggie." He grinned and slipped out of the room to go and do his duty as Vickery's batman.

Maggie grinned after Cotton and then sat down on the hearth to begin her sewing at last. "It's my wedding dress," she told Pye, taking the needle out of her mouth. "We're getting wed today!" And she laughed with happy surprise at her own announcement.

"Today?" Pye blinked. The fact he might have been debating with the other rifleman on who would make tea for Cotton was forgotten. He didn't mind whoever did it, as long as it was done, mind. And he could have his tea too, if he wanted.

"Today?" He repeated, stunned. He smiled , grinned even. "Congratulations, miss! Congratulations!" He hesitated and bowed his head again. "Cotton must be very happy to marry you, miss. He's very.. what they say.. very blessed. Must be um.. blissful? Is that the right word? And he should be too, miss. Since he is marryin' you!"

Maggie laughed again and looked pleased and slightly bashful. "Aww, thankee Zack. We'll just be jumping the broomstick, all quick like before you march, if you have to march today. Do you think it'll rain? Outside might be a bit more pretty than inside this house here."

"Dunno it will rain , ma'am. There's dark clouds up there, but... can stay all like that if they want to, or they might go n' squeeze themselves right on top of us, the darned things!" He looked at Maggie. "Whose... will.. um.. you're going to have some of em to come to see you marry?" He didn't know how to ask exactly. He wanted to know whether he could come as well, but at the same he knew that if he asked directly, it would feel like he was making them either be polite and decide or be equally honest. Any pressure from that, was not something he wanted to give them.

"Do you need any help with anything.. I mean... if you need somethin' ter get fetched.. or..." He dropped his gaze. "Don't think 's gonna rain.. Hope not!"

Maggie looked up from her sewing, a bit surprised by the questions. "I don't know, Zack. I think anyone of our friends can come. You can come of course. We ain't actually set up the banns in church and all that, you know. Nor there won't be a proper wedding breakfast. Won't be much proper about it at all, for a wedding, except that there's a bride and a groom. But we'd like our friends to cheer us on."

Pye looked at his hands. "..Well um. Only if you'd not mind it miss. I'd come but if'um I'um not invited then.. then I won't. N' I'd be ok with it too, couse I know it's somethin' important for you two, so I'd just be happy for you." He smiled warmly, showing he would really not have minded if he was told no. Maybe he would've been expecting it.

"Oh hush up and drink your tea, Pye," Maggie said with a smile, cutting off his bashful speech.

Cotton came back downstairs whistling, carrying Vickery's dirty shaving water. "What's up with you, Pye? You'm looking far too serious there, lad," he said, putting the basin down out of the way, and pulling his jacket off to see what he could do about the missing button. "You got any tea for me there, Maggie?"

"Sorry miss." Pye hurried to say, taking his tea and drinking from it. "Is , jus' I wouldn't want to ....impose on yer day. Couse.. couse I know it's real important." He smiled apologetically. "Is good tea, miss." It had no sugar of course, but it had a fair taste, not too strong, probably, not too light. He looked at Cotton and straightened up quickly. Almost like he saw a captain, only it was just Cotton. "Nothing. No reason."

Maggie clucked her tongue and put down her sewing again, but Cavender was already prepared and handed Cotton a mug.

"This lad doesn't want to come to our wedding," Maggie said, pointing at Pye with her foot, "And all because he heard there won't be any cake!"

"Hey - anyone can come. It's a weddin', ain't it?" Cotton said, unable to keep from overhearing Pye's last words to Maggie. "The more, the merrier, after all. It's the best day anyone has, an' I know I'd like to share it with folks. Can't help there bein' no cake. We ain't goin' to manage much in the way of a weddin' brekuss, neither."

Maggie grinned triumphantly at Pye.

Pye smiled at the pair. "Thanks." He said gratefully and looked like a puppy who had just been given a pat on the head and told he was a very good pup and that its master was most happy with him. His grin could not have been broader, and his mouth was starting to hurt from it too.

"How long from now will you have it? Where?" He asked, lifting his gaze.

"Well, when folks are up an' ready, an' Maggie's done her sewin', I should think," Cotton replied, hunting out his own housewife and pulling out scissors, needle and thread. If he took that button from there, he could replace the missing one without anyone being the wiser that he'd just shifted it. After all, his crossbelt and waist-belt hid several buttons.

He carefully cut the button off and threaded a needle, ready to start sewing it back on.

"Where will we go? Out front in the street? Or maybe that fountain where you got the water? There's a sort of little square there, isn't there? At least, Martha an' me passed a square last night, when Mister Sharpe was bringing us."