Page 211 of Storm of Bells
‘Why doesn’t that surprise me?’
Her eyes narrowed. The castor oil apparentlywas more sour than the chocolate was sweet.
‘When will you be throwing your first ball?’she demanded. ‘Now that you’ve married well, it’s your duty to seeto it that your sisters find suitable husbands, you know.’
‘Oh, I know.’ My smile broadening, I glancedover at Anne and Maria. ‘I believe I can definitely findsome…interesting people.’
Holy Moly, this was going to be fun!
‘Everyone! Everyone, it’s time!’ Waving herarms wildly, a beaming village girl rushed through the front door.‘The carriage is here!’
Everyone fell silent and turned towardsme.
‘Well?’ Extending his arm towards me, UncleBufford raised a bushy eyebrow. ‘What are you waiting for, girl? Doyou want to waste time?’
Through the open door, I saw the silhouetteof the church in the distance. I almost felt as if there were aninvisible string, going from me all the way there. A connectionthat couldn’t be broken. Firmly, I shook my head. ‘Not anothersecond.’
And I stepped outside, towards the church andmy future.
RemainingSilent
When Uncle Bufford andI stepped out of the manor, a beautiful coach drawn by a grumpygrey horse was waiting for us.
LadySamantha leaned towards me. ‘Err…I provided the carriage, and Iasked my son to provide a team of grey horses, since they’resupposed to be lucky. This is what he sent.’[36]
She gave me a pleading look that clearlyconveyed the messagePlease don’t dump him! Please!
A broad grin spreading across my face, Istepped towards the horse. ‘Long time, no see! How are you, oldfellow?’
I reached out to pet the nice horsy, and itsnapped its teeth, trying to take my fingers off.
‘Just as charming as I remember!’ Laughing, Ijumped back. Only then, as I could see around the coach, did Inotice what was beyond it.
From my feet all the way up to the doors ofthe church stretched a carpets of blossoms. All kinds of flowers,from daisies over cornflowers and bluebells to buttercups, formed abeautiful tapestry, more resplendent than any carpet human handscould possibly fashion. Yes, I had glimpsed this from upstairs, butfrom up close…it was just…
Moisture brimming at the corner of my eyes, Iturned to the villagers.
‘You did this? For me?’
A happy chorus of affirmation came in answerto my question. I looked back and forth between the people and thecarpet of flowers, not quite knowing what to say. As Uncle Buffordtook me by the arm and led me towards the carriage door, Irealized: that beautiful road of blossoms lead straight to him.
To my future.
I swallowed. For the first time it really hithome what that meant. I was getting married.Married. Thatdidn’t just mean spending the rest of my life with the man I loved.It also meant spending all those days with him on which I wasgrumpy, and those days when I’d like to scratch his eyes out. Andit meant far, far more than that besides.
We would beliving together. What washis would be mine and, much, much worse, what was mine would behis. Was he going to put a padlock on my wallet? Plus, what aboutin-laws? His mother was wonderful, but his father…the man hadn’teven bothered to show up for his own son’s wedding, for heaven’ssake! And as for my aunt—
I shuddered. Mr Ambrose hadn’t really gottena good, long look at her yet. What if he had yet to realize what acatastrophe she was, and that she was expecting him to pay forexpensive balls and parties? And what about housework? And sleepingin the same room, and…and…what about that thing that happened ifyou didn’t have any glove fingers?!
Beside me, Uncle Bufford’s beard twitched. Itwasn’t very likely, but somehow it looked as if he were smiling.‘You aren’t getting skittish now, are you, girl?’
I felt a flood of warmth for the grumpy oldgrizzly bear rise inside me. He’d done exactly what I needed rightnow: insulted me!
My spine straightened, and I sent a fiercesmile his way. ‘Of course not!’
‘Very well.’ Stepping forward, he opened thecoach door. ‘Should I help you into the coach, or will you helpme?’
‘The latter, definitely!’ Grinning, I hoppedup into the coach and helped pull my rotund uncle up the steps. Myaunt, sisters and other bridesmaids climbed in behind me.
