Vincent laughed, seemingly finding this an endearing quality.
‘Then you have my blessing with regard to the special license. However, there will be costs involved and you will need to secure an audience with the Archbishop of Canterbury.’
‘This will not be a challenge, my Lord. Please do not concern yourself with the cost or the inconvenience. I have this all in hand and I will ensure it will cause minimal disruption to you and to Lady Hannah, I assure you,’ Caleb asserted.
‘Very well then. I suppose there are no further definitions to discuss?’ Vincent came to stand.
‘I appreciate your understanding,’ Caleb nodded, standing too. ‘My Father was correct – you are a fine and honest man.’
‘As was he, Your Grace. I must thank you for attending today to iron out these details – I shall inform my daughter of the plans and do send word via your man once you have confirmation on nuptial dates and arrangements.’
‘I will, of course,’ Caleb bowed.
Vincent bowed with a smile and Caleb departed to make an appointment with the Archbishop of Canterbury.
***
‘I am quite without words,’ Sophia clutched her palm to her chest, sincerely struck.
Hannah lowered her eyes to the floor, willing the tears not to drop. Telling her best friend the news made it sound real for the first time.
‘You say your Father agreed the match several years past?’
Hannah nodded. ‘Apparently soon after I was born. The Duke was aged ten when it was agreed.’
‘Yet your father allowed you to debut in the belief you had a choice of many bachelors?’
‘I suppose he did not know if the Duke would be willing to assent to his late Father’s wishes…’ Hannah shrugged. ‘They required his consent. Sadly they do not requiremine…’
‘He ishandsome…’ Sophia attempted to placate her.
‘And rude! Miserable and uncharismatic!’
Sophia made a sympathetic face and poured Hannah some tea from the pot.
‘These are delicious…’ Sophia indicated a plate of neat jam tarts.
Hannah held up a palm ‘I couldn’t eat a thing, thank you. My stomach is in knots.’
‘He may yet be kind,’ Sophia suggested. ‘Men do not always demonstrate their most favourable assets when meeting a lady for the first time…’
‘He met me knowing that I was going to be his bride – yet had not even a smile for me!’ Hannah protested.
Sophia allowed her shoulders to droop. No matter how she tried to appease her friend, it was an unavoidable notion that the Duke had appeared quite unfriendly and cold – there was no escaping that unfortunate fact.
‘Is there any possibility your Father might reconsider?’ Sophia suggested.
‘None. My Father is a man of his word – and in this case specifically, his word was to a dead friend, whose memory he honours. There will be no reconsideration; he is resolute. It shall be so. My best path would be to accept it,’ Hannah explained sadly.
‘I saw you with the Duchess…’ Sophia ventured, then narrowed her eyes apologetically, squirming slightly.
Hannah’s eyes met Sophia’s with an expression of horror in them.
‘His Mother? Did you then, also see how she scowled upon me as if I were a street rat?’ Hannah asked breathlessly.
‘Unfortunately, I did. However, you must not take this too personally Hannah – the Duchess of Montwood, Her Grace Anne Exley, is renowned for her demeanour.’
‘Is that so?’ Hannah asked quietly, not sure how this information should comfort her.
