Once, she had wondered if the day would ever come. And then she had hoped that it wouldn’t. But now, she wondered just what this day was going to mean for them all. The last day she would spend with her family at her side every day.
It was a sobering thought. But she would not dwell on it now. It would not do to get upset now. Not when she had so much to do today.
Instead, she allowed Arabella and Valery to help her dress in her day clothes, insisting that it was far too early to dress in her wedding finery. And then she followed them downstairs, determined to enjoy this day to its fullest. Especially with her sisters.
“Ah, my darling.” Her mother’s overly enthusiastic greeting almost made her falter, but she was not going to let her parents ruin her last day with Valery, Arabella, and Marigold. “It’s such a lovely day for a wedding. And you are positively glowing today.”
“Thank you, Mother,” Diana replied promptly, trying to be as polite as possible.
Perhaps this would change things for them. Perhaps they would grow… closer. Though the physical distance might help with that.
“What are you going to do now?” Marigold asked her.
Diana pulled her in for a hug. “I’m going to enjoy these moments with all of you.”
Marigold looked saddened at the thought, staring at her with a serious expression that Diana answered with a smile of her own.
“Do not be so morose. It’s not as though we’ll never see each other again.”
Marigold didn’t say anything but simply squeezed her tighter, understanding just what it was that Diana was giving up. But Valery and Arabella were as excited as ever, chattering about the wedding and how beautiful the ceremony was going to be.
“What is all this noise, then?” a voice called out, and they immediately turned toward the front door.
“Philip! You’ve made it!” Diana exclaimed, grateful to see her brother.
“Of course. My spinster sister is getting married. I had to come and see the unlucky soul she is going to torment for the rest of his days,” Philip teased.
Diana couldn’t help but smile even wider.
If anyone could make her feel better about all of this, it was Philip and the girls. And when he pulled all of them in for a hug, it felt like everything could be all right after all.
By the time they had a light breakfast, it was already time to get ready to leave. The carriage was set to arrive by ten, and Diana was still not ready. A process that took even longer than expected because her sisters could not stop crying long enough to fasten the long row of buttons along the back of her gown.
“What will we do without you?” Marigold asked, clutching her hands yet again.
“You shall get on just fine without me,” Diana replied, though she wasn’t really sure. Just as she was not truly sure how she would get on without them.
Still, there was nothing to be done about it now, and she reminded herself that she had done this for Marigold. That it was for the best, no matter how much she would be giving up herself.
And so she drew in a deep breath, and when Margaret knocked and informed her that the carriage had arrived, she was able togive each of her sisters a hug without bursting into tears. Though she was certain that there would be plenty of tears later, when she actually had to say goodbye.
“I will see you at the church in just a short while,” she told her sisters.
They each nodded in turn, though they gripped her arms a little tighter and hugged her again before she made her way down the stairs.
It had never been suggested that her sisters ride with her in the carriage, though there was certainly enough space for them. This was a time for Diana to be alone. To consider what was to come. To prepare herself for the wedding. Where everything would change.
As she settled into the carriage with Margaret, she tried to take a deep breath. Tried to smile. Tried to show her family that she was pleased with what was happening.
But as soon as the carriage pulled away from the house, she struggled to take another deep breath. Struggled to even continue on without telling the driver to stop and take her back home.
But that would not do.
By the time they had arrived at the church, she was feeling… ready enough to allow Margaret to help her out of the carriage and carefully make her way inside.
The girls would come soon. And her mother. And then it would be time for the ceremony to begin. Time to pledge herself to someone whom she barely knew. Who would take her away from her family and the only home she had ever known. And for what? Certainly not for love.
With a sigh, she settled into a small alcove and tried to take a few more deep breaths so that when it was time for her to walk down the aisle, she was ready.
