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“Aggy and Mrs Kempton are going to help you with your hair and everything in the church. Come on,” he urged.
He stood beside the door and held his hand out to her.
Petal looked at it but didn’t hesitate to cross the room to him. She would follow him to the ends of the earth.
As she stepped through the door, it felt as though she was leaving behind a life of shadows and drudgery, and embarking on a new and entirely unexpected adventure t
hat would bring her many rewards. It held a few worries, doubts, and concerns, but then her old life did too.
Whatever lay in store for them on their married pathway together, she suspected that with Aidan’s loving guidance, and her father’s stoic support, there wasn’t much she couldn’t find a way of coping with.
It was thrilling to think that her future lay with Aidan. She didn’t care where they lived; or what anyone thought about their union for that matter. Not now. Not after she had experienced first-hand just how miserable life was without him.
It was an even bigger surprise to see the carriage waiting outside for them.
Aidan looked apologetically at her. “Jerry was going to come with me in case my legs grew weak, but given we are using the carriage, went to the church with your father instead.”
Petal opened her mouth to speak but then closed it again with a snap. It was the first time she had ever been inside one, and it was wonderfully luxurious. Aidan barely had the time to close the door before the carriage rumbled into motion, and they were on their way.
Inside the carriage, he held her hand all the way to the church. Once there, he handed her down with tender care and escorted her inside to join Mrs Kempton, Jerry, Aggy, Maisie, Rollo, and her father. Bored with the wait, they had decided to enjoy a cup of tea with the vicar and another kindly lady whom Petal knew was the verger who also played the organ.
“It is about time you got here,” her father grumbled as he pushed to his feet.
He studied the joy on his daughter’s face and shook his head in disbelief at her transformation. She looked blissfully happy.
“You look beautiful,” he murmured huskily as he hugged her. “Just like your mother did.”
Petal blinked tears away at the rare show of emotion from her father. She knew from his hesitancy that he still had his doubts, but at least he was willing to allow her to make this decision for herself. Given the problems they faced, his support was as essential to her as Aidan’s presence in her life.
Aidan shook his hand.
“She said yes,” he declared, aware that he was stating the obvious but not caring one jot.
“Good, then can we get on with this please?” Jerry suggested. He lifted his brows when Aidan grinned at him. “Like the man said, you took your time. We have been waiting for an age. Let’s get you two married while the vicar is here. He has an appointment to get to in an hour.”
Before Petal could speak, everyone lurched into action.
Aidan winked at her as he was dragged into the church by the Reverend and Jerry, leaving Aggy and Mrs Kempton to attend to her hair.
Petal found herself ushered into a chair at the table and waited patiently as instructed while the ladies adorned her hair with small blossoms, the delicate scent of which teased her nostrils every time she moved.
“Guess what?” Aggy whispered once they were alone.
“The master has said I can be your personal maid.”
Petal stared at her friend, a little unsure what to say. She didn’t like to think of her friend waiting on her, but could hardly refuse. Aggy seemed ecstatic about it, and Petal couldn’t bring herself to dampen her joy. Not after being handed so much happiness herself.
“We can have chats, and you can tell me what it is like above stairs,” Aggy insisted.
“You know what it is like above stairs,” Petal assured her. “Aidan has said he doesn’t want to go back to the ton, or entertain like they do. The house largely remains the same.”
As she spoke, a secretive smile stole over her face. The house would mostly stay the same, assuming she wasn’t already carrying Aidan’s child. The idea thrilled her; and filled her with such excitement that she positively yearned for it to become a reality.
“Well, that is for you and the master to decide.”
“Are you sure you don’t mind?” Petal asked doubtfully. “I mean, I am still a servant inside. I really cannot believe that this is happening. I want to pinch myself to make sure this is not all a dream.”
“It is no dream,” Mrs Kempton assured her as she re-entered the room. “You only have to see how the master looks at you to know how much he adores you.”
