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BOOK: A Lady of Notoriety (The Masquerade Club)
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He grinned. ‘I think you are saying yes.’ He picked her up and whirled her around. The horse caught wind of the excitement and whinnied. When he set her down again, he still held her. ‘No travel.’ He kissed her. ‘We’ll stay wherever you wish to be. I have found what I was searching for in you.’

He leaned down and placed his lips on hers. She flung her arms around him and held him in the kiss. He wanted it never to end. What a marvel. What a miracle. She loved him.

And he loved her back will all his heart and soul.

Epilogue

T
hey arranged for the banns to be read right away in the parish church in Vadley and St George’s in Hanover Square. Daphne did not make Hugh take rooms nearby, but rather welcomed him into her home and her bed for a blissful wait until they could speak their vows before God and witnesses.

Hugh had written to his family as soon as he knew the exact day of their wedding ceremony. It pained him that none of them responded to the invitation, because he wanted to share his happiness with them. He refused to let them diminish his joy, though. He’d not been happier than during these four weeks and only expected his happiness to grow.

He could no longer see the cool, perfect beauty that Daphne had once been. Now he noticed only her warmth and kindness. It made her more beautiful in his eyes.

Their wedding day was becoming a bigger celebration than he thought it could ever be, because the whole village seemed to want to celebrate the day with her. It made him happy that others could see in her what he now saw.

He laughed aloud. He was no longer blind.

* * *

The wedding day arrived and he was banished from her bedchamber while she dressed in a new gown. He walked to the church with Mr Quigg, her estate manager, a man who had nothing but good things to say about her. Quigg had agreed to stand up with him at the wedding, for want of anyone else to do it. People had already gathered, and he greeted those he’d met before and was introduced to those he hadn’t. He and Quigg entered the church and the vicar strode up to speak with them.

While they were speaking, the arrival of carriages sounded from outside and Hugh assumed Daphne had arrived. The doors from the vestibule opened, but it was not Daphne, nor anyone from the house.

Down the aisle strode Hugh’s mother and the general, followed by Ned and Adele, Phillipa and Xavier, Rhys and Celia. His family. They had all come.

He bounded down to them, kissing his mother, Phillipa and the wives, hugging his brothers and shaking hands with Xavier. Moved more than he could ever remember, he stepped back. ‘You’ve come.’

‘Of course we’ve come,’ his mother retorted. She did not sound precisely happy, but she was here. ‘We are family.’

He quickly introduced them to the vicar, who made certain they were seated in an honoured place at the front.

Hugh turned to Quigg. ‘Do you mind? I want my brothers to stand up with me, now that they are here.’

‘I do not mind at all,’ the man said, smiling.

‘Will you, Ned? Rhys?’ Hugh asked.

Ned’s smile looked forced, but he nodded. ‘I will, if you wish it.’

Rhys peered at Hugh. ‘Are you certain you want me, as well?’

Hugh smiled. ‘I want both my brothers.’

They were all sorted out when another carriage was heard, as well as cheering and clapping. A man stepped in. ‘The bride has arrived.’

More of the villagers and Daphne’s servants and workers came in and took seats. The organ started to play, and Hugh saw Phillipa take Xavier’s arm and place her cheek against his shoulder. The doors opened again and Monette walked up the aisle to take her place by the altar.

What would his mother think of that? Hugh wondered. Daphne’s lady’s maid was to be her witness and Carter, now her butler, would give her away.

Then Daphne appeared in the doorway and Hugh forgot about anything but her.

She wore a simple blue dress with tiers of blue lace at the hem and sleeves and a matching hat and veil covering her face. The dress, which might not compare with one made by a mantua maker in Mayfair, had been lovingly designed and sewn by Monette. It allowed Daphne’s happiness and beauty to shine through.

She stopped when she saw Ned and Rhys standing beside Hugh. He smiled and gestured to where his mother and the others were sitting.

Daphne broke away from Carter and walked over to them, grasping their hands. ‘I am honoured and grateful you have come,’ she said. She paused in front of Xavier and Phillipa. ‘I—I have no words.’

Phillipa, looking pale, accepted her hand. ‘Best wishes.’

Xavier nodded stiffly.

Daphne glanced towards Hugh.

She returned to Carter, but before coming to Hugh’s side at the altar, she greeted Ned and Rhys, thanking them, as well.

Finally, she came to Hugh, and the vicar began, ‘Dearly beloved...’

* * *

Later, at the hastily organised wedding breakfast with the family, Daphne sat next to Hugh, too happy to eat. Somewhere in the house, governesses and nannies were seeing that Rhys and Phillipa’s children were fed and entertained. Outside, the villagers were celebrating with food and wine. The family conversed together as if this was a family dinner. Or at least how Daphne imagined a meal with a large family might be.

She reached for Hugh’s hand under the table.

He grasped it and squeezed. ‘What do you think, Daphne?’

She gazed up towards the ceiling. ‘I think somewhere in heaven there is an abbess who is smiling down at me and saying, “Did I not tell you so?”’

He looked puzzled, but leaned forwards and kissed her anyway.

Daphne laughed for the joy of it.

* * * * *

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ISBN-13: 9781460335031

A LADY OF NOTORIETY

Copyright © 2014 by Diane Perkins

All rights reserved. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical,
now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

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BOOK: A Lady of Notoriety (The Masquerade Club)
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