Page 44 of Miss Hawthorne’s Unlikely Husband (The Troublemakers Trilogy #3)

Harley House, Mayfair, London

Two weeks later

E lodia had long considered the wedding she would have.

It had manifested a thousand different ways over the years but one thing had always held constant: The groom.

Now that it was her wedding day, after the years of waiting and the latest issue with her father more or less resolved, she found herself a bit surprised to see herself in a wedding dress.

It was made of an elegant ivory brocade silk trimmed with blonde lace.

Her jewelry of choice were her signature baroque pearl earrings and necklace, while a tiara of baby’s breath and myrtle held her gauze silk and lace veil in place.

She looked like a bride but she wasn’t sure she felt like a bride quite yet.

It was strange. She expected to feel nervous, unable to settle anywhere.

But instead, she felt… settled. Not numb, or unaffected, just calm.

As if she knew in her bones she was doing what she was meant to do.

Her gaze kept drifting to the mirror and lingering, taking in every aspect of her clothing and hair. The gleam of her pearls in the sunlight, the curls of her hair, the curve of her bare shoulders. There was something there that was new somehow, a certainty she couldn’t place.

“Don’t be nervous, Ellie,” Ada said while she finished tying off her bouquet of orange lilies and myrtle.

“I’m not nervous, Ada.”

“Aren’t you?”

Elodia shook her head. “I’ve been waiting for this. The only thing that matters is him becoming my husband. The skies could fall and it wouldn’t matter as long as we both get to say ‘I do’.”

“Well, let’s not tempt fate either way,” Regina said, walking over to her, one hand on her stomach.

“You should be in bed.”

“I will be after this. I compromised with Leo. He’ll let me go to the wedding itself so long as I sit out the reception.”

“I agree entirely.”

“But I had to be here. We were both at Ada’s and you and Ada were at mine. How could I not be at your wedding?”

“That is true.”

“You look so beautiful, Ellie.”

She was rather happy with her dress from the flounces and the blonde lace to the silk flowers decorating the wide bertha collared bodice and puffed sleeves. “Thank you, Gigi.”

“And I must toast, while we are here.” She handed them both champagne glasses.

“Indeed,” Ada said, taking her glass.

“To all of us. The ton didn’t want us, we thought we would have to trade love for supposed security, or position. We were told that we could only belong if we became something other than what we are. But I think it is fair to report all of that to be absolute nonsense.”

“Here here!” Elodia said, lifting her glass, “To eating our cake and having it too.”

“To eating our cake and having it too!” Ada and Regina chorused.

“Well, let’s go get you married to my brother.”

Elodia laughed. “Yes, let’s.”

They headed out of the room and down the corridor to the stairs. It was a shock to see her father standing at the foot of the stairs in a grey morning coat. He looked up at their arrival, and his eyes widened.

“If I may have a moment with my daughter, Mrs. Thompson, Lady Starkley.”

They glanced at Elodia and she nodded, giving them permission to leave her.

“My goodness,” he commented when they were alone.

“Yes. Do you suppose I shall pass muster?”

“Just about,” he replied. “You look beautiful, Miss Hawthorne.”

“Thank you, Father.”

“This dress is very like something your mother would have picked.”

“Truly?” Her father rarely mentioned her unprompted.

He smiled and nodded. “Truly.”

It had to mean something, didn’t it? “I didn’t think you’d come,” she admitted.

“I was invited,” he replied.

Her smile faltered and her gaze fell to their feet. Her eyes stung again. Was that it? Was he only here due to good manners? “Yes,”

He took her hand in his and she looked up at him. “I would have come even if you hadn’t invited me. You are my precious child. Whatever odds we have arrived at, I would never have given up the chance to walk you down the aisle. God willing, I will only have to do it once.”

Richard had been correct again. In the end, when given the option, her father had chosen her. He’d chosen to be her father and come to walk her down the aisle. She smiled and nodded, her throat aching and her heart unexpectedly full. Was this what she had been missing before? “Thank you.”

“Thank you , Elodia.” He placed his free hand on her shoulder, his eyes glistening with tears. “Thank you for being my daughter.”

“Even when I vex you?”

He chuckled and tapped her cheek with one finger. “If you didn’t vex me, you wouldn’t be mine,” he said, tucking her hand into the crook of his elbow and leading her out to the carriage.

*

Christ Church, Spitalfields, London

The day of Richard’s wedding had dawned brightly, against all his expectations of life in England.

He couldn’t complain, however. He’d slept unexpectedly well considering the anticipation crackling under his skin.

He’d dressed himself and arrived at the church, St. Bartholomew the Great, nearly an hour ahead of time to sit in the furthest back pew and wait.

It had been a good idea at the time. He didn’t want to risk anything ridiculous happening.

Like Rachel trying to set the vestments on fire or something.

His uncle was recovering from the thrashing Richard had given him, and he had fallen entirely out of favor with not only Melbroke but Lady Sterling as well.

Richard’s hands still hadn’t fully healed from the beating he’d given his uncle.

Word of the event had spread to be sure but not the news he had been hoping for.

He wasn’t likely to make a nuisance of himself.

But now his mind kept drifting to his parents, wondering how different things would be if they were here.

Would his mother have insisted on red banners or flowers?

Would she have given some of her bracelets to Elodia?

He liked to think his parents would have loved her as Ada and he did.

That they would have seen her loving heart and fiery spirit.

His eyes stung as he sat and waited alone, watching the last of the flower garlands be hung on the pews, the last of bows positioned.

He couldn’t stop his hands from fidgeting with his signet ring, but he drew the line at pacing.

He closed his eyes and took a few deep centering breaths.

No one wanted a blubbering groom or a man unable to control himself.

“Alright there, Richard?” Basil’s voice came and Richard felt a hand pat his shoulder.

“Yes,” he replied, opening his eyes and looking up to see Basil and Leo watching him with some sympathy.

“You wouldn’t be nervous about your impending marriage, would you?”

He shook his head. “I am not nervous, I am impatient.”

“Ah.”

“I want it done with.”

“A word of advice, old friend,” Leo said, “you only marry once, and you’ll want to remember it after the fact. Take it all in, especially your bride.”

So he endeavored to do just that. He looked at the flowers, the way the sunlight filled the church and brightened the stained-glass windows.

When Elodia appeared in her ivory silk and lace gown, her soft curls adorned with flowers, the sun glinting off her smooth brown skin, he didn’t try to stem the wave of awe and joy he felt.

She was here just as she had promised to be.

It didn’t matter that her father hadn’t quite given his blessing, or that she would be giving up the protection of the viscount’s rank in marrying Richard.

It didn’t matter to her that in the eyes of many she was sinking back to her natural level. All she saw was him, the man she loved.

So in the end, it didn’t matter what anyone else saw, or if they ended up commenting on the besotted grin on his face. All that mattered was the way her smile widened when she noticed his, the way his love for her was reflected in her eyes as her father walked her down the aisle.

Her father placed her hand in Richard’s then took his seat.

Ellie handed her bouquet to Isolde and turned back to him with the brightest grin.

Richard knew he was meant to hold her hand only when prompted, but he couldn’t let go.

Some irrational fear had taken hold of him at the idea of her leaving him, or of someone taking her away.

The pastor began the service and Richard’s grip on her only tightened.

When her fingers curled around his in response, something in his chest relaxed. No, Elodia was with him.

When the time came, he gave his vows with a fervor that equaled his grip and burned into his mind the memory of her tearful, delighted face.

When they exchanged their rings, her care in sliding the golden band onto his finger filled his heart with so much affection he couldn’t stop himself from kissing the golden band engraved with flowers on hers.

When the vicar announced them husband and wife, he wasted no time gathering her face in his hands and kissing her firmly on the mouth, drawing her bottom lip between his, swallowing her gasp.

Her fingers curled around his wrist and she kissed him back, reducing the applause in the church to a dull hum.

There were a few coughs when he drew away from her at last. The vicar wouldn’t meet his eyes and Leo and Basil were far too pleased but he didn’t care.

There was no room for shame in him anymore.

He was married to a woman he adored. The most brilliant, beautiful creature in the world, and she was watching him with an infinite amount of love in her eyes.