And Then They Danced.....

The Wedding Part Three - The Dance

We left you a short while ago, Dear Readers, waiting for the Wedding Dance to Begin. It has come to be expected that the Bride and Groom will dance their first dance together as Husband and Wife while the whole World, it seems, are watching! They better Look GOOD!

No miss-steps...

No wrestling for the lead.....

No Treading on the hem of the Gown.....

And they SURELY must gaze at one another.....

as if they were the only two people in the Entire World!

And look So Much in Love with each other.....

and So Happy with their Wedding Day....!

And All these things Arthur and Pollyanna accomplish with Ease.....

They Float around the Dance floor to the Enchanting Music.....

For they Are in Love.... and they Dance as if they Truly are One.....
It is Such a Pleasure to see!

But Eventually they are expected to Dance with their Parents.....

Pollyanna with her Father, Victor.....

And Arthur with his Mother, Celeste....
Perhaps it is their Farewell Dance.....
As they hand their children over to New Partners for Life....

And once those Dances are Begun...

it seems it is the signal for others to begin to dance as well....
So Will asks Daphne to dance.......

And Charles asks Helen to dance....

And before long the dance floor is crowded with dancing couples....
And Arthur re-claims his Bride.....

Celeste begins to feel a little unnecessary....

and takes matters into her own hands by joining the band for a few songs.....

She is warmly welcomed by the Amarettos...
and soon she fills the Hall with the Enchanting sounds of her voice......

As she sings her Favorite Love songs for Arthur and his Bride......

So Enchanting is her singing that the Whole Castle is wrapped in a Joyful feeling of Love.....
Even down in the Ancient Kitchens where Henry and Belle are preparing supper!

Henry looks up and says...

"Belle...., can you hear that music....?

I suddenly feel like Dancing...."

"Will you dance with me....?"

And Fathers are moved to dance with their little girls.....

And even little Boys are moved to dance.....

"Momma, I want you to dance with ME..." says Jasper!

How Could a Mother Resist?

"I would Love to dance with you , my Darling" she replies....

Everybody, it seems, is Dancing!

Except, perhaps, for Harold.....

who has followed Celeste up to the Gallery.....

Because He Knows how Enchanting her singing is......

And he hopes to catch her as she is leaving......

Just for a Moment.... Just for a word......
"Is that Wise...?" asks Celeste.....
"We cannot know unless we try..."replies Harold.....
and he holds the door open for her.....

"Are you Happy...?" asks Harold....

"I am happy when I sing" says Celeste.

"And you... are you Happy?" she asks.....

"I am happy when I chase Butterflies..." replies Harold.
"Then we are both happy" says Celeste gently.
"No Regrets....?" asks Harold.
"No Regrets" says Celeste...... "How could I have regrets with a son like Arthur....?"
"Will you dance with me.....?" asks Harold.....
"Is that wise.....?" asks Celeste.........

Meanwhile the Bride has decided it is time to toss her Bouquet.......

The unmarried young ladies and girls are gathered below......

Each hoping to be the lucky one to catch the bouquet.......
(which is Supposed to signify that you will be the next to wed......)

Pollyanna tosses......

And the Bouquet flies straight into Daphne's arms!

Oh dear...... do you see the look on Will's face?

Please..... NO! We are NOT having another Wedding any time soon!!!!!!

It is Time for the Bride and Groom to leave for their Honeymoon!

They are being very secretive about Where they are going!

I guess they want to be ALONE for a while!!!!

The children have gathered to throw rice on them as they leave.......

They make a mad dash for the Castle door.........
"Good bye!.... Bon Voyage!.... Good Luck...." everybody calls as they rush by....

And then it is time for the young ones to be taken home to bed!

It has been a Long and Exciting day!

The party is winding down..... as families head home.......
Helen and Charles are back at The Lovely Old Dollhouse with Victor and Joanna.
"Whew! We Did it! Another daughter Married!" says Victor.
"I'm SO Glad that is Over!" says Joanna.... "Now life can get back to normal.....!"

"She was Such a Beautiful Bride..." says Helen!

But not Everybody is done.......

Back at the Castle the Band is still playing....

Celeste and Harold are dancing........

It turns out they still have a lot to say to each other.......

Years and Years worth......

And Will and Daphne are still dancing.....

Even though Daphne does Not want to make too much of it......

Weddings tend to make Everybody think of .... well...... Wedding!.....
Even when that isn't necessarily Wise......

And even Henry and Belle are still dancing in the Ancient Castle kitchen.......

"I remember how you looked on the Wedding Day of Lord Roderick....." says Henry .....

"You don't...!" says Belle.....

"you never even looked my way...!

You had eyes only for Margery....!...

and Rose.... and Sarah...!"
"Ah, Belle" says Henry..."I looked... but I was a young Fool....!"

Ahhhh.... Weddings!

Thank Heavens we're Done with this one!

And Then They Danced.....