In the Land of the Long White Cloud

Gwyneira thought sadly once again about Helen. Maybe she knew something about her lost pupil. But she had yet to hear anything from her friend, nor had she found the time or opportunity to make inquiries.
    Dorothy and Elizabeth looked happy, at least. In their blue serving dresses with white lace aprons and bonnets that had been tailored for the wedding, they looked very tidy and sweet, and they had not forgotten any of their training. However, in the excitement, Elizabeth dropped two of the most expensive porcelain plates, but Gerald didnot notice, the Maori girl did not care, and Gwyneira ignored it. She was more worried about Cleo, who only partially responded to James McKenzie. Hopefully everything would go well during the sheepdogs’ show.
    The weather was exceptional and the wedding took place under a richly ornamented canopy specially erected in the lush and blooming garden. Gwyneira recognized most of the plants from England. The fertile land seemed receptive to all the new plants and animals that the immigrants brought with them.
    Gwyneira’s English wedding dress garnered many admiring looks and comments. Elizabeth, in particular, was beside herself.
    “I’d like to have one like that when I get married,” she sighed longingly, no longer swooning over Jamie O’Hara, but Vicar Chester now.
    “You can borrow it, then,” Gwyneira said generously. “And you too, of course, Dot!”
    Dorothy was pinning Gwyneira’s hair up at that moment, which she did much more adeptly than Kiri or Moana, if not as capably as Daphne. Dorothy did not respond to Gwyneira’s gracious offer, though Gwyneira had seen how she looked after the youngest of the Candlers’ sons with interest. They were a good fit age-wise—perhaps something would develop in a few years.
    Gwyneira made a beautiful bride, and in his black-tie wedding suit, Lucas did not look bad either. While Gwyneira twice stumbled over her words, Lucas spoke his vows confidently and with a steady voice before placing an expensive ring on his wife’s finger and kissing her modestly on the lips when Reverend Baldwin encouraged him to. Gwyneira felt strangely disappointed but quickly pulled herself together. What exactly had she expected? That Lucas would take her in his arms and kiss her passionately like the cowboys in the penny dreadfuls did with the lucky heroines they’d just saved?
    Gerald was hardly able to contain his pride. Rivers of champagne and whiskey flowed. The multicourse meal was delicious, the guests excited and full of wonder. Gerald shone with happiness, while Lucas remained astoundingly even-keeled—which annoyed Gwyneira a little. He could at least have pretended he was in love with her.But that couldn’t really be expected of him. Gwyneira was attempting to put her unrealistic romantic ideals behind her, but Lucas’s casual aloofness made her nervous. Then again, she seemed to be the only one who noticed her husband’s strange behavior. The guests expressed only admiration for the lovely couple and gushed about how well the bride and groom suited each other. Perhaps she just expected too much.
    Finally Gerald announced the sheepdog demonstration, and the guests followed him to the stables behind the house.
    Gwyneira looked despondently over to Igraine, who stood with Madoc in a paddock. She had not been able to ride for the last few days, and it looked unlikely to happen for the next few days as well. As was customary, some of the guests planned to stay a few days longer, and they would have to be catered to and entertained.
    The shepherds had fetched a herd of sheep for the demonstration, and James McKenzie prepared to release the dogs. Cleo and Daimon were first supposed to circle around the sheep grazing freely in the field beside the house. As a result, they desired a starting position directly across from the sheep. Cleo executed this task perfectly but then noticed Gwyneira and lay down far too far to the right of McKenzie. Gwyneira measured the distance with a look, catching the eye of her dog in the process: Cleo looked at her imploringly—and made no move to react to McKenzie. She awaited Gwyneira’s command.
    That didn’t have to be a problem, however. Gwyneira stood in the front row of spectators not far from McKenzie. He was now giving the dogs the command to assume control of the flock—generally the critical point of such a demonstration. Cleo managed to form up her group quite capably, and Daimon assisted