guests and witnesses pressed closely about them and the ceremony proper
began.
The Rabbi spoke the benediction over a goblet of wine from which bride
and groom both drank. Then Joe turned to Hannah, her face still veiled,
and he placed the plain gold ring upon her right forefinger.
Behold you are consecrated unto me by this ring, according to the law of
Moses and Israel. Then Joe broke the glass under his heel and the sharp
crunch was a signal for an outburst of music and song and gaiety. David
left Joe's side and worked his way through the joyous crowd of guests to
where Debra waited for him.
She wore a gown of yellow and she had fresh flowers in the dark sheen of
her hair. David smelled their perfume as he hugged her surreptitiously
about the waist and whispered in her ear, You next, my beauty! and she
whispered back, Yes, please! Joe took Hannah on his arm, and then went
to the improvised dance floor. The band began with a light bouncy tune
and all the younger ones flocked to join them, while the elders spread
out at the tables beneath the palm-decked trellis.
Yet amongst all the laughter and the gaiety, the uniforms added a sombre
touch; almost every second man was adorned with the trappings of war,
and at the garden gate and the entrance to the kitchens were uniformed
paratrooper guards each with an Uzzi submachine-gun slung at his
shoulder. It was easy to pick out the secret service men. They were
the ones in civilian clothes who moved without smiling, alert and
vigilant, amongst the guests.
David and Debra danced together, and she was so light and warm and
strong in his arms that when the band paused for breath he resented it.
He led her to a quiet corner, and they stood together, discussing the
other guests in the most disrespectful terms until Debra giggled at some
particularly outrageous remark and struck his arm lightly.
You are terrible. She leaned against him. I'm dying of thirst, won't
you get me something to drink?
A glass of cold white wine? he suggested.
Lovely, she said, smiling up into his face. For a moment they studied
each other, and suddenly David felt something dark welling up from
within him, a terrible despair, a premonition of impending loss. It was
a physical thing and he could feel the chill of it enclose his chest and
squeeze out all the happiness and the joy.
What is it, David? Her own expression altered in sympathy with his, and
she tightened her grip on his arm.
Nothing. Abruptly he pulled away from her, trying to fight off the
feeling. It's nothing, he repeated, but it was still strong in his
belly and he felt a wave of nausea from it. I'll get you the wine, he
said and turned away.
He made his way towards the bar, pushing gently through the throng. The
Brig caught his eye and smiled bleakly across the garden at him. Joe
was with his father and he called to David, laughing, with one arm
around his bride. Hannah had her veil pushed up and her freckles were
beginning to emerge from under the makeup, glowing vividly against the
snow-white lace. David waved at them but went on towards the open-air
