Page 59 of The Lord's Compass
Her father had declined the idea of inviting additional guests in fear that word of the events causing this wedding would be too widely shared.
To Eric, none of that mattered. All that mattered was the woman beside him.
They repeated after the vicar, putting into words the sacred oaths that bound them together in marriage, committing their lives to one another.
It was the ultimate step in trust, he supposed. He added a vow to himself that he would allow this marriage to be at her speed, on her terms.
Even if waiting for her to catch up nearly killed him.
* * *
The wedding breakfastwas downright awkward.
Faith wished that the rest of their friends could have joined them, but her father had been resolute.
She knew better than to push the issue, for it would only cause additional discontent after he had just overcome his displeasure at her deceitful journey to Spain.
Faith considered that she was old enough now that she didn’t need to tell her parents of her every movement.
She had been wrong.
“Now, Lady Ferrington,” her mother began, speaking to Eric’s mother. “Oh goodness,” she said, stopping. “I suppose, Faith, thatyouare now Lady Ferrington, are you not? I will never call you that, of course, so do not fear, Lady Ferrington – the other Lady Ferrington – I will not refer to you as the dowager but as Lady Ferrington, if you are fine with that? Anyway, tell me, where are you going to live now that Faith will be the lady of the house?”
Faith had to hide her smile behind her hand at Eric’s mother’s quick blinking in response to her own mother’s rapid outpouring of words. It was difficult to keep up with her conversation even if one was accustomed to it. Their mothers had met before, of course, but they were not particularly close.
Faith’s eyes flicked over to Hope’s husband, Lord Whitehall, who she knew still had to take time to himself to recover after an evening spent with her mother.
“Where will Ilive?” Eric’s mother repeated. “Why, I will live in my home, where I have always lived.”
“But will not Faith be the woman of the house now?”
Faith wasn’t quite as amused anymore.
“She will be the countess, yes,” Lady Ferrington said slowly, her fingers tightly encircling the glass in front of her, the only outward sign of her annoyance. “However, I will be there to help ease her into the role, of course.”
“Do you have a dower house?” Faith’s mother persisted. Faith would have stopped her, but she was rather interested in hearing the answer to this. It was not that she didn’t like Eric’s mother – goodness, she had just basically met the woman – but she appeared rather as strong-willed as Faith was herself. It could certainly make for an interesting relationship.
It was also a reminder that they had fallen into this without considering what it would mean or what would happen once they were married.
“There is a dower house, yes,” Lady Ferrington said with a tight smile. “I am sure that, one day, I will live there.”
“What does one day mean?” her mother asked. “Tomorrow or years down the road?”
“Mother—” Faith began to interject, but Eric’s mother held out her palm to stop her, sending a small smile of thanks her way.
“I do not believe that is a point that must be discussed on my son’s wedding day,” Lady Ferrington said, folding her hands over one another in front of her in a clear indication that she was no longer interested in this conversation. “Tell me, Lady Embury, just what are you going to do now that your daughters are both married and you will be here in this house alone, as you have no sons to call your own?”
Faith exchanged a concerned glance with Eric. As far as she knew, their mothers were on friendly terms even if they were not rather close acquaintances. But it seemed her mother had pushed things too far.
“Lord Embury,” Eric said, standing, “I would like to thank you for your gracious welcome to your home, and for your trust in me to look after your daughter.”
Lord Embury eyed him with disdain. “Did I have a choice?”
“Father…” Faith said, not liking where this was going.
This wedding was supposed to bring them together, not tear them apart. When Eric had asked her if she was sure she wanted to go ahead, nearly half of her wanted to turn around and run out of that little chapel.
But the side of her that told her to stay just edged out the other. Part of it was because there was no escaping this – her father would make sure of it – but the other part was because, deep within, shewantedto be married to Eric.
