Page 90 of Lady for a Season
“A special license, I know,” said Edward, finishing her sentence. “I have one. It is one of the last things I did before I left London. I did not know if I could find the courage to use it, but now I am glad I did. We will be married at eight o’clock tomorrow morning. Joseph will take the license to the vicar this afternoon and inform him of my intentions.” He gave a little laugh. “It is a good thing she is of age and that you had her registered as living in this parish under the name you invented for her, mother,” he said. “You made my task that much easier.”
They left her standing on the driveway, her face pale.
Maggie expected Edward to lead the way upstairs, but instead he walked briskly to the end of the hallway, still holding her hand, then opened a door which led downstairs, into the kitchens.
“What are we doing?”
“Giving orders for tomorrow, of course,” said Edward cheerfully.
“Aren’t you supposed to ring when you want to see a servant?”
“Why stand on ceremony? I prefer to do things my way.”
She giggled. “I scarcely recognise you. Charging about telling people what to do.”
He grinned at her. “I’m a changed man.”
“And what miracle brought that about?”
He stopped at once and came back up a step so that he could put his hands on either side of her face. “You did, of course. You are the miracle in my life. You have taken a broken man and putthe pieces back together. You took a poor wretch and turned him into a duke.”
“While you took a poor foundling maid and turned her into a lady?”
He shook his head. “You were always a lady. You are a greater lady than half thetonwill ever be.” He kissed her, a soft kiss at first which became more passionate, his hands leaving her face and clasping her waist, drawing her to himself, then broke away from her. “If I kiss you for one more moment I will forget myself and any right to be called a gentleman. Come,” and he took her hand again and guided her down the stairs into the kitchen, where a scullery maid gasped at the sight of them and hid behind a door.
“Mrs Barton?” he called out.
Mrs Barton came towards them, surprised. “Your Grace! What are you doing here?”
“I have a task for you, Mrs Barton. I know you can work marvels, but I’m afraid it will be a great bother.”
“Anything for you, Your Grace,” she smiled.
“I am to be married tomorrow. To Miss Seton.”
The cook’s eyes grew round for a moment, before crinkling into a deep smile. “Ah Your Grace, that does make me happy to hear. Congratulations to you, and Miss Seton,” she added with a bobbing curtsey to Maggie. “He couldn’t have done better.”
“Thank you,” said Maggie, suddenly shy.
“As it is our wedding tomorrow, Mrs Barton, I shall require a wedding breakfast of you. Our guests are all here, and the ball and dinner are already in the hands of Monsieur Cerf. But breakfast tomorrow will come after chapel, where we will be wed. So I need you to prepare your very finest breakfast, for we shall be both happy and hungry. I shall trust you with the bride cake.”
“It shall be perfect,” promised Mrs Barton. “And I shall be right pleased to make it so.”
Edward kissed her cheek. “I know it will be most excellent. The servants are to have cakes and wine the evening after the ball, to drink our health,” he called over his shoulder as he pulled Maggie by the hand back up the stairs.
Maggie glanced back to see Mrs Barton’s cheeks flushed pink and heard her calling for all her kitchen maids as they neared the top of the stairs, for no doubt they would now have to bake all afternoon and well into the night, though she did not think Mrs Barton would mind, excited as she was for Edward’s future happiness. Seeing Edward give instructions, without deferring constantly to his mother, confirmed to her how far he had come from when she first met him.
“If you are making arrangements for our wedding breakfast, I think I should speak to Celine about a wedding gown,” she said.
Edward pulled her close to him. “I would marry you in the clothes you are in now,” he said.
“Celine would die of shame.”
He laughed. “Very well. Go to Celine. Rest after all that has happened today. I will have a tray sent to your room. Tomorrow when I see you again you will be my bride. It has been a long day. We will say nothing to the guests till the wedding is done.”
Celine was full of joy at the news but looked surprised at Maggie’s choice of a wedding gown from those in her wardrobe.
“So simple?”
