Page 72 of An Icy Christmas Engagement
Caroline folded her lips to keep from laughing. Louisa glanced over her shoulder, noticed something, and turned back to wink at Caroline before she slipped away. A moment later, Elizabeth took her place.
“Is she running from me?” Elizabeth asked, staring after Louisa. She clutched a soggy handkerchief in her hands.
“Yes,” Louisa sang before Caroline could say anything.
Elizabeth was not amused. She shook her head in disappointment. “That girl. Can’t she see that I know what is bestfor her? Mr. Johns is just dying to meet her and she does not want to give him the time of day.”
“Who is Mr. Johns?” Caroline couldn’t help but ask.
“One of the gentlemen I had hoped to pair you with if it did not work out with Lord Sotheby. But that is old news. You two, I cannot believe this has happened.”
Caroline accepted her mother’s embrace with surprise. She could barely dislodge herself from Cedric in the process, since he seemed determined to keep her by his side. “Mother, were you crying?”
“Can you blame me? It was such a beautiful ceremony and…well, I think I should apologise.”
“Mother, you don’t have to—”
“I do,” Elizabeth said sternly. “And I should say it to you both. I should not have been so disapproving. I want what is best for you, Caroline. I always have. And it is clear that Lord Colenhurst is exactly that.”
Tears pricked Caroline’s eyes. She reached out to squeeze Elizabeth’s hand. “Thank you,” she breathed.
Elizabeth dabbed her eyes. “Goodness, a lady should never cry this much in public. It is unbecoming! Though I suppose it is expected of a mother to do so at her daughter’s wedding. Now, where is Louisa? I shall not have Mr. Johns waiting any longer.”
Caroline smiled as Elizabeth went off in search of Louisa. Cedric bent at her ear.
“If we linger here any longer, someone else will come by offering their congratulations.”
“Is that so bad?” she whispered back to him with a smile.
“We have the wedding breakfast for that. For now, I want to enjoy the first few moments as your husband.”
She turned to face him, interlacing their fingers. “What do you suggest?”
The devilish glint that appeared in his beautiful eyes set her ablaze, but before he could say anything else, Harrison was upon them.
“Break it up, you two,” he said jubilantly. “You may be married but you are still in public.”
“For God’s sake, Harrison,” Cedric sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Don’t say such things in front of my wife.”
“Why not? She is not as delicate as you may think, Cedric. Is that not right, Caroline?”
“I’m afraid Cedric will never see that,” Caroline sighed, matching Harrison’s cheeky grin.
That only widened his smile. “Congratulations, you two. You make a wonderful couple. I can only hope to be as happy and in love when I decide to marry.”
“And when will that be?” Cedric asked with a raise of his brow.
“Not for now, certainly,” Harrison responded with ease. “And now that I no longer have to worry about someone trying to harm our business, I can finally enjoy my bachelorhood once more.”
“Something tells me not much will change then,” Caroline said and Harrison laughed.
“Smart of you, Caroline. Now, I’m off. I shall leave you two to get up to your naughty deeds in peace.”
Caroline giggled but Cedric did not seem amused by it. Once Harrison was gone, Cedric said, “I do not think we can escape them. They will simply keep coming.”
“How odd,” Caroline drawled. “One would think that we were not at our own wedding.”
“It will be hours until we are alone again,” he sighed. “I do not think I can bear it.”
