AllFreeNovel
Share Us
‘I want to marry you because I love you and I hope you love me. Because I actually don’t think I can live without you—and I know I can’t survive without you. So, Daisy.’ Seb let go of her hands and took out the ring. The ring that had miraculously arrived by overnight courier, the ring that Daisy’s sister had somehow known to have ready.
Slowly, looking up into her face, he lowered himself onto one knee.
‘Daisy Huntingdon-Cross. Will you please, please marry me?’
‘Get up!’ Daisy pulled him up, snaking her arms around his neck, smiling up at him, her eyes full of joy. ‘Well, the guests are already invited.’
‘They are.’
‘It would be a shame to waste my mother’s hard work.’
‘A real shame.’
‘And the chance to see my mother with a penis straw is not one to be passed up.’
Seb grimaced. ‘I can personally live without that image, my love. But knock yourself out.’
‘Say that again.’
‘Knock yourself out?’
‘No, the name you called me.’
‘My love.’ Seb’s heart felt as if it might explode from his chest as he bent his head, ready to capture her mouth with his. ‘My love.’
EPILOGUE
‘READY, DAISY GIRL?’
Daisy pulled at the waist of her dress with nervous fingers before smiling up at her father.
‘Ready, Dad.’
‘Well, I’m not.’ Rick Cross’s eyes were suspiciously damp. ‘I don’t think I will ever be ready to walk you down that aisle and hand you over to another man.’
Violet rolled her eyes. ‘It’s the twenty-first century, Dad. Nobody gets handed over.’
‘If anyone is in charge in this house, I’m sorry, I mean in this castle, it’s Daisy. I’ve only been here a few hours and even I can see she’s got that poor earl right under her thumb.’
Daisy stuck her tongue out at Rose. ‘How I wish I had made you wear frills.’
Her sisters looked stunning in the simple silk dresses she had chosen. The sweetheart necklines and ruched bodices were white, flaring out into yellow knee-length skirts. Her dress had a similar bodice although instead of bare shoulders, hers were covered with a sheer lace and her floor-length skirt fell straight from the bust in a sweep of white silk to the floor.
‘And I wish I had made that ring too large.’ Rose nodded at the band made of twisted yellow gold, white gold petals alternating with small diamonds that adorned Daisy’s left hand.
Daisy smiled down at the ring. ‘I don’t think you’ve ever made anything more lovely, Rose. I don’t know how you knew to make it but thank you.’
‘It goes better with your wedding ring,’ Rose said, but her eyes, so like Daisy’s own, were sparkling with pride. ‘You look beautiful, Daisy.’
‘Will Seb recognise you without a hat?’ Violet tucked an errant curl behind Daisy’s ear and tweaked the flowers that held her twist of hair back into place. ‘There, perfect.’
‘You picked a good dress.’ Rose was looking her up and down. ‘Your boobs are a little bit bigger but otherwise you don’t look pregnant.’
‘I’m not showing yet!’ Daisy still couldn’t mention the pregnancy without blushing. She’d told her mother and sisters during her hen night while Rose Skyped in; they had all been delighted. Especially as she hadn’t needed to lie to them—they weren’t just getting married because of the baby. They were getting married because they belonged together.
It was as simple and as wonderful as that.
* * *
Seb had expected to feel nervous. He was used to standing in front of large crowds, used to speaking in public. But when he taught or lectured he put on a persona. This was him, raw and exposed, in tails and a yellow cravat, ready to pledge his troth to the woman he loved.
He bit back a wry smile. He was even using her terminology now.
Sherry sat at the front, resplendent in something very structured and rigid. Seb knew very little about fashion but he was aware she was wearing something very expensive that mere mortals would never be able to carry off.
The buzz of voices came to a sudden stop as the band struck up one of Rick’s most famous tunes, a song he had composed soon after Daisy’s birth. The familiar chords sounded even more poignant than ever as a violin picked up the vocal lines, soaring up into the beams as one of the twins, Seb had no idea which one, solemnly began to walk down the central aisle followed by the other.
And then his heart stopped as Daisy appeared. All in white except for her red lipstick and the bouquet of daisies, her eyes shining and a trembling smile on her lips. His fiancée, his bride, the mother of his baby.
