The wedding of Catherine Elizabeth Caden and Patrick McLendon tookplace on the twenty-first of December, in the parlor of the placecalled Heaven, in the area known as Natchezunderthe-Hill.

Sally stood up with the bride and the big Frenchman called Louis withthe groom. There was a moment of pain in Patrick's eyes when hethought of Jillico, who should have been by his side and wasn't, and inCatherine's when she thought about her family far away at Cadenhill.

But for all the residents and the guests of the establishment, alongwith the other members of Patrick's crew, a happy time was being had byall.

The parlor was glittering with candles. Green vines had been woven into an arbor and winter berries made bouquets across the greenery.

One of the other local establishments loaned Isabella their musician,who played a lively selection of saloon music, interspersed now andthen with soulful hymns.

By the time the bride came down the stairs, the house was humming withChristmas cheer, both liquid and emotional. Catherine reached the arbor and came to a stop beside Patrick, who was resplendent in an emerald-green frock coat and yellow vest. The pale ca 5 nary color matched the ivory lace on Catherine's satin wedding gown andmade them look as if they were wrapped in sunlight.

Sunlight and satin.

The minister, who'd taken one look at Heaven and refused to perform awedding ceremony in such a place--until he was told about the comingchild- stood before them, plainly uncomfortable.

Had the dress not been so tight, or the room so crowded as to make ittoo warm, or the minister so long-winded, Catherine would have beenfine. At least that was what Patrick told her when she came to as he was wiping her face with a damp cloth.

"You mean we aren't married yet?" She sat up, saw the corners of theroom move and lay back down.

"Only half-married, I fear. I still have to say my part."

"Get that preacher," she snapped.

"I don't intend to lose you now."

And so it was that from her place on a pink velvet couch, in the parlorof Heaven, Catherine Elizabeth Caden became Mrs. Patrick McLendon.

The dancing and feasting took up the early part of the night, theloving capped the activities with solemn joy and the promise offorever.

The following morning Catherine and Patrick slept late, then dressedand left their room with genuine regret. No matter where they wentfrom here, neither would ever forget Heaven and how they had found itin each other's arms.

They went in search of their hostess to thank her for her kindnesses.

They found the preacher, who'd stayed the night, in the kitchen havingbreakfast with the girls. He'd apparently gotten over his reluctanceto being in such a place. Isabella was in her office, staring out atthe muddy waters of the big river.

"We're leaving, Isabella," Patrick said.

"Will you visit us at Rainbow's End when the baby comes?"

"Of course. I wouldn't miss the birth of my godchild for anything. Butdon't you think you're going to have a hard time explaining all this toa child?"

"Any child of Catherine's will probably explain her conception to me,"Patrick said with a laugh and kissed Isabella on the cheek.

With a tear in her eye, Catherine held Patrick's arm tightly as theysaid goodbye to their friends.

A last hug from Sally was accompanied with the whisper, "Do you knowthat he's promised to drape my body in pearls? Dare I believe him?"

"Does it matter if he doesn't?" Catherine asked.

"No, I don't think it does."

Along with the crew and the slaves, Patrick and Catherine left once

more for Rainbow's End. This time Catherine paid close attention totheir route. She had no intention of having to find her way in and outalone, but you never know.

On arriving at the dock, Patrick consulted briefly with one of hishands before reseating himself on the flatboat, and nodding to thecrew, who pushed off again.

"Where are we going now?"

"Just be patient, Mrs. McLendon. And for once, don't askquestions." She kept quiet. There were times that it behooved a woman to be obedient. And then she thought back to the night, when over hisobjections, she'd come to Patrick's bed. There were times that it didn't.

She saw the pink before the cabin came into view.

"Patrick, the lilies, they're still blooming!"

"If they hadn't been we'd have painted them pink," he answered, giving

her a loving smile.

"And the cabin, it's been repaired and whitewashed. Oh, Patrick, alittle bench by the pond. It's beautiful. How did you do it?""I didn't.""Who?""It's your wedding present." Jillico stepped through the cabin door and stood waiting on the porch.

"Come in."

Catherine almost capsized the boat in her eagerness to get out.

"Holy hell," she swore.

"Get me a tunic, or some men's pants. These skirts are in my way."

Patrick helped her out and joined her on the dock.

"I seem to recall that you liked it better with no clothes at all," he

whispered in her ear.

That brought her movement to an abrupt stop. She looked up at Patrick and took in a quick shallow breath.

"Always!"

"If you want to be alone," Jillico called out, "you'd better check out

what I've done and see if it meets your approval."

For a moment neither Patrick nor Catherine moved.

"Of course, you managed without any comforts before. My guess is that

you won't even notice." He stepped out onto the porch.

"No, wait." Catherine tore herself away from the moment and moved intothe cabin."Oh, Jillico." There was newly built furniture, proper pots and pans and fresh bedding piled on a new bed."You did all this?""I did. That's why I didn't get back to the wedding.""How did you know?""Patrick sent word to the plantation.""Thank you. But what about the owner? What will he think when he returns."

"The owner isn't a he, it's a she," Patrick said and handed Catherine apaper."It's yours. I bought it for you as a wedding gift."Joy first, then disbelief swept across her face."How, Patrick? We need all our money for the family shelter. You didn't go out and rob anyone?"

"I did not. And neither did Stone."

"Then how?"

"It seems my small indigo crop brought a good price and I invested it

in land. Rainbow's End now runs from the Mississippi all the way to

this cabin. Whatever happens, you'll have something that's yours." "I already have something that's mine, a husband I love dearly and ababy, and" -she looked up at Jillico with tears in her eyes "--dear,dear friends who understand me and love me just the way I am."

Epilogue.

C/lizabeth Isabella McLendon was a baby when Thomas Pinckney negotiatedthe treaty with the Spanish for free navigation of the Mississippi in1795.

The flatboats floated down river, giving the Orleanians their firstreal look at the Americans who would settle the West. They weren'timpressed. They'd take their money, but not welcome them intosociety.

Spain gave Louisiana back to France but Napoleon made no attempt tosend officials to govern. The Spanish officials continued to rulewithout direction from Spain or interference from the French,eventually closing the port of New Orleans to all trade in 1802.

George Houston McLendon was a year old when Patrick had to find anotherway to ship his cotton and sugar.

Thomas Jefferson signed the papers for the American purchase of theterritory of Louisiana in 1803, just three months after the birth ofCaden Louis McLendon.

"I want to go to the ceremonies, Patrick," Catherine said as sheadjusted the baby in her arms so that he could nurse the breast she'dexposed.

"I'm not certain how safe you'd be," Patrick ar n gued, eyeing his sonwith pride, and if the truth were known, with a bit of envy.

"Tempers are flying high there. There're likely to be riots. New Orleans may belong to the United States, but it's still more Frenchthan English."

"Oh, pooh! That poor man is coming here into a hostile environment.

Our new governor needs to see a friendly face. We're invited to the dinner following the official services. Besides, when did danger everstopped me--us? "

She was right. Safety had never meant much to Catherine. Even after they donated funds to provide shelter for the homeless after the fire,Stone's pardon hadn't been forthcoming. Stone was no longer hunted,but he wasn't officially forgiven, either. That had never stoppedMrs.

Patrick McLendon from claiming her place among the planters' wivesalong the Mississippi.

Nine-year-old Beth came running into the room.

"Papa, come quick, my pig has babies, lots of babies. I want you tocome and tell Houston that he has to go away. He's worrying Eunice."

"Pigs!" Patrick rolled his eyes back in exasperation.

"It's hereditary. Okay, cherie, let's go and look at your pigs andstop your brother from interfering. We'll talk about going to NewOrleans later," he told Catherine as he left the room, firmly in tow bya nine-year-old with her lips pursed and her eyes filled withdevilment.

"That's all right. Papa," Beth said.

"Consuelo has already packed our things. I think we ought to go to seethe changing of the flags. After all, we're a part of history and weought to be there."

Already packed? That figured. Patrick grinned. He didn't know whyCatherine bothered to consult him. If he refused she had her own wayof changing his mind.

He felt a tingle shimmy up his backbone as he thought about the nightahead and how she'd come up with some new means of convincing him. She didn't have to; he'd already made up his mind to go.

New Orleans was rife with merriment. The French tricolor flag had beenflown for the past twenty days over the Cabildo, the governmentbuilding on the Place dAmes where Governor Laussat held office.

There were no hotels, for the citizens of New Orleans offered nowelcome to those passing through. Every plantation owner who visitedhad friends or family with whom they stayed. The McLendons were to be the guests of Patrick's banker, along with Louis and Sally, who'd lefttheir growing family at home.

The day of the ceremony, Patrick, Catherine, Sally and Louis left the house and, with hundreds of others, walked about the newly rebuiltcity. Beth had thrown a temper fit because she wasn't allowed to come,even after a passionate plea that it was part of her future as well.

They had traveled no more than a block before Patrick, acting on ahunch, turned back to discover the disobedient child lurking behindthem. After a stern discussion about children who disobey theirparents, she was allowed to accompany them, provided she remainedsilent and obedient.

"No frivolous cavorting, Beth!"

"Of course not, Papa," she agreed.

"I'll be very serious, I promise."

Patrick gave his wife a solemn wink, seen only by the woman whounderstood its significance.