Chapter 30

The crossing in the sleigh was wonderful. As we rode along, I studied the historic old buildings that lined much of the way. I thought about the men who had left their families back home, and had come to the New World to find work as lumbermen. I thought about the camps where the men would labor under dangerous working conditions. Many of them had perished as river rats. Those were the men who had climbed out onto the pileups on the water, in an attempt to free jams, so that the fallen trees could continue their journey down the river. I wondered what it would have looked like when the men came into town to spend some of their hard earned wages.

Most of all, I thought about the amazing woman sitting next to me. What had started as a trip to the south had turned into a whole new existence for me. Was it by chance that we had met that week, or was it all part of our destiny? My life now had a purpose that I had not experienced before. To say that I was a very happy man would have been to put it mildly.

"Does it have to end?" Anna asked as we pulled up to the Inn.

"I guess it does," I replied. I too was disappointed that the ride had come to its conclusion.

The photographer snapped some pictures as we climbed out of the sleigh. I knew I would be studying those pictures very closely in the future, as we relaxed around a blazing fire. I could only imagine what we might have looked like to the spectators and the few guests that had come to view our arrival. After shaking a few hands, and some pats on the back, we headed for the main entrance of the building.

"Wow!" Anna exclaimed as we walked through the heavy wooden doors and entered the lobby.

Several giant chandeliers hung from the ceiling, causing rainbows of light to sparkle here and there around the room. A great wooden staircase ascended upwards off to our right. I noticed some old paintings and a gilt covered frame surrounding a large mirror. Antiques sofas and other luxurious furniture were strategically placed around the room. I even noticed a miniature replica of a steamboat lying on one of the bureaus.

"I would say the room is decorated in French provincial style," I said to Anna.

"I am very impressed," she replied. "It is much like the elegant mansions that one might find in Moscow."

We checked in and headed up the stairs. Our bags had already been brought over, so the process went very smoothly. Anna smiled as she entered the room.

A hefty, four poster bed, stood solidly against the wall. A large window, with heavy drapes, looked out over the river valley. Soft velvet furniture and paintings were placed so that the entire chamber gave off the aura of elegance.

Anna started to cry.

"I think of the dirt streets back home. I think of the way my neighbors live in their humble homes. This is such a different life from the one I am accustomed to. It is almost like a dream."

I wanted to blurt out, "This is the life that you should have had. Don't you realize you are a princess?" But then I remembered what my contact had told me.

"You deserve this," I replied. "We deserve this."

I wasn't quite sure why I said that. I really did believe that she deserved it. As for myself, I was happy whenever something I had worked hard for came to fruition. I didn't feel entitled to anything. It was the idea that I could make her happy that was so appealing to me.

"It is just so wonderful," Anna said between her sobs.

She then proceeded to remove her wedding dress and fell unto the bed. The exposed parts of her body, not hidden by her white undergarments, made me stop and appreciate the pleasant sight in front of me. She looked so lovely and pure.

"I am exhausted" she said.

I removed my jacket and shoes, and then reclined next to her. For a moment, we took a break and just stared at the ceiling or gazed at the wonderful objects around the room. I thought back and tried to remember specific times during the ceremony, the reception, and our journey to the Inn. Some of the memories were already beginning to fade. I marveled at how quickly it had all passed, and then I smiled upon realizing I was finally able to call her my wife.

"I am just going to close my eyes for a moment," Anna said.

The next thing I knew, I could see that she had quieted. It soon became evident that her breathing had become very shallow.

I closed my eyes also. A wonderful peace came over me and I found myself drifting off into a state of much needed rest. I guess I hadn't realized how much stress had been building up over the last few days.

I awoke to the sound of the water running in the other room. Anna emerged wearing only her delicate under garments. Oh, how I wanted to take her right there. She was such a vision of beauty.

"I am famished," I heard her say. "Can we go down and get something to eat?"

I could see that the sky was already beginning to grow dark, as the sun set slowly in the west. I suddenly realized that, I too, was rather hungry, but the girl in front of me had my mind going in other directions.

Anna looked at me. "There will be time for that a little later," she replied with a giggle. I could see that she was already reading my mind.

The dining room was just as interesting as the rest of the Inn. The service was impeccable and the food was delicious. For an appetizer, we tried the Bruschetta Trio. It was excellent. For our main course, I had the Almond Crusted Walleye, while Anna ordered the Chicken a la King. I took a little taste of her cream sauce and found it to be almost perfect. We relaxed, took our time, and tried to savor every minute.

"I have a surprise for you," I finally commented at one point in our conversation.

"And what might that be," Anna replied. Her use of the English language had improved so much. Fortunately, she still had the little inflections that I loved so much.

"We are going to take a little detour before we head down to Charleston for our honeymoon. I have learned that the Great Lakes are almost completely frozen over. This has not happened for quite a few years. The ice is very thick around the Apostle Islands and it is currently possible to walk out and view the sea caves. They don't know how long the ice will be stable, so I think we should go now if we want to see that beautiful area. It has been many years since a walking trip to the caves has been possible. It's even been reported on the national news."

"Do you mean the caves that you told me about," Anna asked.

"The very same ones," I replied. "I have seen a few pictures and the ice formations are spectacular. I have booked us a room in a bed and breakfast for two nights. That should ensure that we have some time to explore the caves, just in case the weather might be lousy on one of the days."

"But what will we do if the weather is bad the whole time? Won't we get bored?" Anna gave me one of those pouty little looks that drove me crazy.

I had all I could do to restrain myself from grabbing her right there at the table.

"I think we can find something to do," I replied with a smirk. "Just wait until I get you upstairs."

Just then our dessert arrived. With great ceremony, the waiter presented us with a delicious looking chocolate lava cake. On one side of the plate was a perfect scoop of French vanilla ice cream. It looked delicious.

I took one of the spoons and carved out a small slice. I added some of the ice cream and then lifted the tasty treat up to Anna's lips. They parted, and I slowly eased the food between those amazing objects of beauty.

"Mmmmm!" the sound resonated from within the woman I loved. "That is really good."

After she had taken a few more bites, she then helped me with my first taste of the treat. It was really good. The warm and cold sensations felt nice on my tongue. We continued taking turns, trying to wring out every bit of pleasure, until there was nothing left but a smear of chocolate sauce on the plate.

I helped Anna get up from her chair and then put my arm around her waist as we walked out of the room and headed up the stairs. At the first landing, we turned toward the great window and gazed out over the river valley that stretched out before us. The lights of the city were already beginning to glow. It proved to be a beautiful sight.

"Thank you, Clint," Anna said. "You are truly my prince."

"And you are truly a princess," I replied, wondering if she had caught the slight change in the wording.

I think she was so caught up in the moment that the little slip went right over her head. We turned and continued up the stairs and to our room. It was time to consummate our marriage.

What do you expect me to say? Do you think I will list all the little wonders of my new wife's body? Do you think I will go into detail and explain the different positions we tried? Well ... I'm sorry, but that is just not me. I believe those are very personal things and that they should remain locked in the private memories of the two of us.

Let me say this; when Anna walked out of the bathroom, I was transported to a whole new world. I have seen beautiful mountains. I have sat at the base of magnificent waterfalls. I have enjoyed sunsets that simply took my breath away. I have watched the sky as the Aurora Borealis put on a display that was beyond description. But at that moment, what I saw in front of me made all the other events pale in comparison. Part of me just wanted to lie there and look, the other part wanted to touch and feel.

As Anna walked across the floor in her silky robe, I felt my body spring into action. I became aware that my breathing had increased. When she stopped halfway, and let her covering slid off her shoulders and onto the floor, I knew there was no turning back. As Raymond often states on his show, "The launch sequence had started".

Anna slipped softly into bed and slid over next to me. Her body felt so good. I truly felt a little tingling at each point where our bodies touched. For a moment, I just lay there and concentrated on the wonderful and sensual feelings I was experiencing.