Page 26 of A Deal with an Artistic Lady (Marriage Deals #2)
One month later
Hannah and Caleb counted together to three and released their fists full of petals, over the newlyweds. Sophia shrieked happily, covering her hair and Albert lifted his hand in jest as if suspecting rain. The crowd laughed.
Hannah and Caleb approached Sophia and Albert to congratulate them and Sophia pulled Hannah into an embrace.
‘Whoever would have thought we would end up marrying a pair of best friends?’ Sophia gabbled excitedly.
‘You are absolutely radiant, Sophia,’ Hannah gushed, feeling quite emotional.
‘I feel it!’ Sophia’s smile was wide and jubilant, matching that of her new husband.
Caleb drew close to Albert’s ear.
‘Dutton the rake, settling down! The Eton boys wouldn’t believe it!’ Caleb jested. Albert batted him away playfully.
The wedding breakfast was for the same intimate group of loved ones who attended the ceremony; but the Camden dining room was lively with chatter and laughter as the Camden and Dutton families and associated friends bonded over banter and sharing stories.
At one point, Caleb leaned toward Hannah and gently asked;
‘Do you wish I had not applied for special license on our nuptials and that our wedding could have been more a celebration similar to this?’
Hannah took a moment of thought before responding.
‘I confess, at the time, I did.’
Caleb dropped his eyes in remorse.
‘But now I cannot bring myself to regret anything about our story. If we changed one detail, we may not be in the wondrous place we are now!’ Hannah smiled at him and he took her hand beneath the table, squeezing it and smiling back at her.
***
Hannah’s gift to the new couple had to be wheeled in by several staff members, such was its size. The canvas had been an enormous, exciting project to work with and Caleb had taken pleasure in helping her to choose the perfect gilt frame.
A huge cloth hung over the gift and Sophia clapped her hands in delight as Hannah and Caleb stood either side of the vast canvas to pull away the cloth and reveal the image beneath. When they did so, the artwork inspired a collective gasp from the wedding party. Hannah had painted the same view of the Gloucestershire hills that Sophia and Albert had admired together in Nathaniel’s exhibition, but she had employed a new perspective - the view from above as the crow flies. The sky showed thunderclouds gathering in the far distance and a bright sunshine spell of light in the foreground. It seemed to Sophia that the more she studied it, the more detail she could see.
‘Hannah, this is the most wonderful gift you could have given us!’ Sophia gushed, embracing her friend, with tears threatening.
‘It will be hung in our finest drawing room,’ Albert asserted. ‘Pride of place, forever more. Thank you, Hannah.’
As Hannah and Caleb rejoined the crowd, Evelyn and Vincent smiled proudly at their daughter.
‘It’s a glorious piece, darling,’ Vincent praised his daughter. ‘Why, I almost feel as though I am flying when I look upon it!’
‘Will you be exhibiting your work anywhere again soon, Hannah?’ Evelyn leaned in keenly toward her daughter.
‘Indeed, mother. Lady Wentworth was highly appreciative of the exposure afforded to her exhibition through the news sheets last month.’ Hannah stole an apologetic look at Caleb, wary of reminding him of this difficult time. He raised an eyebrow and shrugged, so she continued.
‘Lady Wentworth said that the attention garnered by the Alexander Burton furore procured her rather a lot of interested patrons. She has asked me to be her main contributor at her summer exhibition!’
‘That’s wonderful!’ Evelyn clapped her hands together in triumph. After all that had transpired her mother had reconsidered her stance regarding her daughter’s inclinations and had grown to admire her remarkable talent.
‘May I add,’ Caleb interrupted, ‘that Lady Wentworth has specifically requested she exhibit under the name Her Grace Hannah, Duchess of Montwood and not under any male pseudonyms.’
Hannah’s parents opened their mouths in impressed surprise.
‘What a brave young lady you are!’ Vincent smiled, putting his arm around his daughter.
Hannah could hardly reconcile these people with the parents who had spent her childhood trying to separate her from her paint palettes. She sighed, happily. Times were changing and she was excited to be one of the trailblazers – her parents were only acting upon the instruction of society and she had forgiven them.
Hannah turned to her sister, Clara who was standing with her husband, James.
‘Clara, will you likely still be here in the summer, potentially to visit Lady Wentworth’s exhibition?’
Clara turned to James, who was still staring in awe at Hannah’s painting.
‘Darling, when will we set sail for India?’ Clara touched his arm to obtain his attention.
‘I think, August,’ James confirmed.
‘Then we shall, sister! I will be the proudest person in the room!’
‘You may have to get in line after me!’ Caleb interrupted and they all laughed. Hannah felt so loved and privileged.
‘Oh look! Some new arrivals to the party!’ Clara announced.
They all turned to the entrance and Caleb stiffened as he saw Lord Nathaniel Bryant appear around the door frame. Only a second later, as he fully emerged, did they see that there was a young lady on his arm.
‘Is Lord Bryant courting?’ Caleb asked with piqued interest.
‘Yes!’ Hannah volunteered. ‘Sophia says he has fallen totally in love with the daughter of Baroness Cedarwood. This must be the lady..!’
Caleb looked at Hannah’s face as she informed him of these updates and he was satisfied that she looked entirely happy for her old friend, without holding any affectionate nostalgia or regret. Caleb nodded happily and determined to speak with Nathaniel later that evening to reintroduce harmony into their acquaintanceship. He had felt these past few weeks that he perhaps owed him an apology regarding the day at the exhibition and now that he saw Nathaniel was in a relationship and no threat to his marriage, Caleb felt secure that this conversation was timely.
Nathaniel caught Hannah’s eye and nodded at her with an amiable smile and Hannah smiled back fondly. Caleb witnessed it and felt content that their affiliation was nothing more than a friendship. He slipped his hand around Hannah, placing his warm hand on the small of her back. Gone were the days when this had felt awkward and territorial. Now, Hannah turned and flashed him one of her golden smiles.
Caleb looked around the room to see if any other guests had arrived that he knew and across the way, he saw his mother and sister, who had recently arrived and stood against the wall, surveying the room of people.
‘I am going to greet Mother and Emmeline…’ Caleb leaned in to inform Hannah.
‘I’ll come!’ she responded happily and they crossed the room, greeting their family.
‘Is this one of yours, Hannah?’ Anne asked with interest.
‘It certainly is!’ Hannah replied. ‘A wedding gift to Sophia and Albert.’
‘How kind,’ Anne responded and it was not laden with cynicism or sarcasm as her comments had always been in the past.
Caleb smiled gratefully at his mother, who he recognised was trying very hard to quell her temper and monitor the way she spoke to people. The regrettable shame she had inadvertently spilled upon her family had provoked an awakening in her and Caleb’s stern words had frightened her into thinking she could lose the respect and love of her only son if she did not change her ways. She had been on her very best behaviour for several weeks and Caleb appreciated it immensely.
‘It is wonderful Hannah, isn’t it, Thomas?’ Emmeline turned to the Marquess of Reigate, the gentleman who accompanied her often to social events and with whom she was quite taken.
‘Your Grace,’ Thomas addressed Hannah, clearly impressed, ‘this is your masterpiece?’
It never failed to astonish Hannah that she was now showcasing her art publicly to anybody who cared to look upon it and how far she had come in just this last month.
‘Indeed, it is,’ she replied with a smile and then turned to Caleb; ‘one of many!’
‘Oh, I meant to tell you, Caleb…’ Anne mentioned. ‘About Lady Lucinda Fairfax…’
‘Mother, really?’ Caleb looked exasperated and side-eyed Hannah apologetically.
‘No! No, I am not about to express sentiments about her fine piano-playing or dancing – I know what a bore that is to you all. I meant to inform you, that her parents have told me she is courting a rather dashing Earl!’
Caleb smiled, amused.
‘I am very happy for her.’ He turned to Hannah and whispered covertly. ‘Happier still that she will no longer be vying for my attention!’
Hannah giggled to herself. She looked about the room and concluded that she would always remember this wonderful day. Everyone she cared about was here together in this room and every face she looked at was smiling and rejoicing. She looked up into Caleb’s face and could see he felt it too.
-THE END-
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