“Well done, Caroline. I knew you would make the right choice,” said James.

Her Uncle Hugh reached over and took her by the hand. “I hope you don’t mind me coming along for the journey. I promised your mother that, after the disappointment of not performing the marriage rites for your sister, I would make sure I did them for you,” he said.

Caroline was still surprised that her mother had given in so easily and let her go.

“I feel sorry for Mama; she has waited so long for this day. And now she has to go and tell all those guests that the betrothed couple are not attending their own engagement party because they are eloping to Brighton,” she said.

Francis snorted. “Don’t worry about Mama. I expect that at this very minute she is already beginning to add to her plans for your post-wedding ball. Father will be delighted because now Newhall will be footing the bill.”

Julian smiled at her. “And it will be the best post-wedding ball all of London has ever seen.”

Caroline sat back and looked out into the night as the coach pulled away from her family home. The next time she set foot inside the house at Dover Street, she would be the Countess Newhall. All she could do now was pray that they were able to make it to Brighton before the Count and Countess of Lienz sailed.

Her mother’s sacrifice for the love of her daughter was not something she was going to waste.