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In the silent pause that followed this proclamation, Clara said, “Yes, Miss F—”
“Don’t interrupt,” the old woman snapped. “I wish I could say that it has been a pleasure to serve you in this capacity, but frankly, it has been a most dreadful experience, and I am thankful it is over. I simply cannot understand your tendency to mutter in such a low voice all the time. Terribly rude.”
Clara blinked in surprise. Could she not hear what I had been saying this whole time?
“That said,” Miss Forsythe added with a weary sigh, “I was grateful for the opportunity to spend more time in the St. George household.” She extended a shaky finger toward Clara. “You will inform me when you and that guardian produce a child in need of a chaperone, of course.”
“Of…course, Miss Forsythe,” Clara said with a bemused smile. “And thank you.”
Miss Forsythe met this pleasantry with a dismissive wave of her claw, then turned to make her exit while grumbling something under her breath. Before the black-clad figure had fully retreated out the door, she stopped, turning back to look Clara over once more.
“You look most pretty today, you know,” said Miss Forsythe, her scowl unbroken. “Though I cannot say I care for the hairstyle.”
Clara and Sophia exchanged a look, followed by a shrug and a laugh. Then Sophia returned to work attacking Clara’s hair with gusto. As they did not have long until they were expected at the church, Clara sat in silence, lingering in whatever final worries her imagination could conjure.
What if our carriage does not get us to the wedding on time? What if Helena and Judith devise some final way to thwart us from being together? What if Edward changes his mind and no longer wishes to be with me? What if—
“There, finished!”
Clara returned to the moment and took in the sight before her in the mirror. Somehow, Sophia had succeeded in her task—her hair was now a virtual fountain of tight brown curls atop her head, with a thousand glittering jewels somehow woven in between each strand. The overall effect above her elegant blue gown and the handful of St. George family jewels Christopher had passed on to her, was completely stunning.
“Oh!” Clara said softly. “Sophia, it’s beautiful!”
“You say that as if you ever really doubted me.” Sophia laughed, and the two of them fell into a warm if careful embrace.
“I don’t know what I would have done without you, Sophia,” Clara said, wiping a tear away from her eye. “Nor you, Françoise. You have both been so wonderful to me throughout this whole strange time.” She dipped her head, afraid she was about to be fully overtaken once more by tears.
“Careful, we don’t have all day to spend fixing that again!”
The clock chimed three times, each tone sending a shiver of anticipation through Clara’s body.
“Is it…?” Clara asked, feeling the breath stolen from her lungs.
“Oui, my lady,” said Françoise in an unusually subdued voice, standing beside the open doorway. “It is time.”
Clara gave another quick hug to both Sophia and Françoise, her heart racing. Then she breathed out whatever lingering doubts might still exist within her and, leaving them behind on the floor of her former room, stepped out into the corridor of St. George Manor as an unwed maiden for the very last time.
* * *
From just ahead, Clara could hear Edward cough gently. The sound echoed through the dark, empty corridors of the manor, as did their footsteps—from what Mr Momplaisir had said, they would not be disturbed by a soul.
Yet she could hardly hear any of these lonely sounds over the rush of blood in her ears. Clara was not sure whether she wished more to tackle Edward where he stood and ravish him right in the corridor or to run off screaming into the night. She was so full of frantic energy she was not at all sure what to do with herself.
For a moment, in the dark and quiet of the corridor, Clara imagined that she might open her eyes to see Edward looking down at her on that fateful night when all this had begun. She found that she had been playing with the new golden band on her finger throughout the evening to reassure herself it had really happened.
“Nearly there,” said Edward, turning to give her a look at his glorious profile in the candlelight. Clara smiled, filled with renewed calm.
The ceremony was finished, the congratulations given, the dinner eaten and dancing concluded. Clara had enjoyed herself far more than she had realized—having only heard about weddings for her whole life, she had not imagined anything nearly as enjoyable as what had just transpired. Edward had told her this was a small affair compared to the usual extravagances of the wealthy, but to her it had been as grand as anything she had ever seen.
Sophia, as ever, had been a wonderful friend to have by her side, and Clara found herself most surprised to see the carefree young lady shedding more tears than any of them. Helena and Judith had been as atrocious as ever, though Clara had allowed herself a healthy bout of laughter at seeing Mr Fletcher ridicule them right in front of their faces. Christopher had delivered a toast to their health that would have made even the stuffiest of his ancestors proud of his oratory. And Mr Finch, to the amazement of the entire roomful of revellers, had proved to be a most excellent dancer!
But for good or ill, now they were all gone. Now the evening was concluded, she realized with a gulp.
Now is the time I have truly longed for, she thought, her breath catching in her throat as she stepped behind her husband across the threshold into her marital chamber. Every night I lay awake, wracked with desire for Edward’s touch…and now, this night, we may indulge as fully as we wish.
The thought was somehow terrifying, though Clara could not entirely identify why that should be so. In fact, she knew she should be exhausted, having barely slept for the past several nights and having spent the day in a tizzy. She was also unsure if she had actually managed to eat any of the excellent repast prepared for the celebration. Yet she felt herself virtually buzzing with excitement at what was to come.
“Well, Miss Clara? How do you like your new room?”
