~Best of wives. Best of women.~

~chapter 16~

The time between the 9th and the 11th was filled with nothing but chaos, hectic planning and stress for the Schuylers, or at least just Philip Schuyler, the man behind it all. He managed to get reservations at the church, a trusted pastor and a dressmaker for the wedding dress all within a couple hours. Alexander and Eliza spoke and decided it would be best for him to wear his military attire, to express his commitment not only to the relationship, but also the commitment to his duty. The idea came from John, who didn't want people to think that just because he was now married that he would completely lose focus with what's going on in the world. With the idea impressing both Mr Schuyler and Washington, it was expected that Eliza would have also loved the idea.

With all the wedding talk, it was difficult to hide the news from anyone, especially Angelica.

"Since when were you getting married??"

Angelica asked, storming into her younger sister's room without warning. Eliza, laying down in her bed beside her future husband, sat up.

"Huh-"

"I just overheard mama and papa talking about it, since when were you getting married? When did this all happen!?"

"Ever since I asked for her hand in marriage, on Sunday." Alexander responded on her behalf. His casual tone came off as cocky, as if he was mocking her unintentionally for not knowing. Though he wasn't, Angelica took it that way, her feelings of anger mixed with confusion clouded her mind.

"And you didn't tell me?"

"It was a surprise for me as well. I needed time to process it, I didn't feel like openly sharing it. You did the same with Mr church."

"That was different, Elizabeth, I eloped. And I'm the oldest, you don't have the right to know everything that I do. But you, you're having a wedding, you're going to be the first of the Schuyler daughters to have an actual ceremony, and you're my younger sister, of course I want to know such things!"

'You're going to be the first of the Schuyler daughters to have an actual ceremony'...

"I'm sorry, Angelica, I am. But it's not like you missed anything, it's still days away."

"That's not the point, I shouldn't have found out on my own, I would've rather found out through you, or Colonel Hamilton. But it seems like neither of you have that kind of virtue."

Angelica stormed back out, leaving Eliza with guilt weighing heavily on her shoulders.

"She'll get over it" Alexander said, playing with her hair. She really hoped he was right, that she was only temporarily upset and would get over it quickly. She didn't want tension with her sister, especially so close to her wedding day.

But even though they were busy arranging, re-arranging, and setting up plans, it was still going nowhere. The dress was nowhere near finished, the church was yet to be decorated, invites were yet to be sent, it was all stressful, and for nothing. Because by the 10th, Eliza and Alexander had already made up their minds.

They were getting eloped.

__________~★★★~__________

December, the 11th.

"I'm starting to think that a simple feast would've been nice"

Eliza said, looking down at the paperwork her father had laid out on the gazebos table. They were out far in the back of the pastures, the wooden gazebo they all sat in gave a stunning view of the house, the lake, the barn, the land. It was as if they were in a painting, looking in instead of out.