Yet somehow, it was true. Four wedding days, twelve miserable months, and one accidental poisoning later, at long last Fate had seen fit to bring them together—though just yesterday Claire would have sworn that fickle entity was determined to keep them apart.
But today, from Claire’s vantage point, all was sunshine and serendipity. Since childhood she’d watched countless weddings at St. Michael’s, all with the same traditional words echoing round the old, familiar edifice, which having stood for six centuries already, seemed bound to endure at least that many more. Now it was Claire’s turn, and as she underwent the ritual, she felt the presence of all those couples who’d come before and all who would come after.
Most especially she felt the presence of her parents, married on this very spot some twenty-odd years ago. She felt their love for her and their blessings upon her marriage—upon the new family she was creating with Jonathan. Though her parents were no longer able to guide her, she knew she would always be guided by their example. For it was they who’d shown her what a loving marriage looked like.
After a burst of cheers and dried flower petals from the congregation (who barely filled the first pew, being comprised only of the other houseguests), Mr. Hanley lost no time expelling them from the church. Jonathan couldn’t fault the poor vicar, having seen how Rachael had manhandled him—and in lieu of the customary tip, left a large donation on the way out.
Back at the castle, it was time for Christmas dinner, which would also serve as the wedding breakfast. And though they had mulled wine for champagne and Christmas pudding for wedding cake, Jonathan could not have conceived of a better one.
The feast itself was magnificent (especially the dressed breast of lamb). But it was the atmosphere that truly filled him up. Everyone gathered round the table, loud and merry, laughing and bickering…it was exactly what he’d never had, growing up alone with maman.
In the process of gaining Claire as his wife, he reflected, contentedly gazing round the table, he had also gained this. A new family—big, boisterous, and loving—a lonely little boy’s wish come true.
It was almost enough to make up for the mother he’d lost.
Nineteen
AFTER DINNER, they removed to the drawing room for the exchange of Christmas gifts. Everyone seated themselves to await the guest of honor, who soon toddled in wearing a gown of frothy lace and holding tight to her nursemaid’s hand.
At a year and one half, little Georgiana had Rachael’s dark curls and Griffin’s leaf-green eyes, which were just then wide open and staring round at all the people come to dote and shower gifts upon her. With her mother’s intrepidity, she stood her ground against the mob. And with just a little instruction, she learned to rip open her parcels—the contents of which were no match for the delights of crinkly brown paper and long loops of string.
Only after the child had finished and returned to the nursery did the adults have their turn. First came the gifts Claire had made for the gentlemen, who each received a handsome enameled watch fob. For the ladies, Noah had chosen paisley shawls, and after unwrapping them with praise for his good taste, they immediately began to speculate upon the identity of the woman who must have aided him.
Sadly, this diverting topic was cut short by Lady Caroline fleeing in tears.
While the ladies exchanged guilty looks, chivalry came from an unlikely quarter: the always affable—and almost always thoughtless—Captain Talbot. Perhaps moved by the Christmas spirit (or just bored, having blown through all his gifts in one rapacious frenzy), the captain went gallantly to her aid. The gesture earned him near-universal acclaim, and brought Jonathan to feel he’d misjudged the fellow.
But one among them did not look on Talbot’s exit with approval: Elizabeth watched him go with an expression of shock and dismay. Seeing this, Jonathan nudged Claire, who promptly distracted her sister by demanding she open Claire’s gift.
The little velvet bag was duly opened, and Elizabeth seemed pleased by what she found within. Into her palm she tipped a delicate silver pendant in the shape of a heart, studded with diamonds and entwined with a rose formed of gleaming pink metal.
“What sort of metal is this?” Elizabeth asked. “I don’t think I’ve seen it before.”
“Indeed, you haven’t,” Claire said proudly. “It’s a new alloy called Russian gold. One mixes gold and copper to get the rosy color.”
Elizabeth admired its tones against her skin. “Lovely!” she declared.
“May I see?” Jonathan ventured to ask. Though he’d felt no hostility from her this morning, thus far he’d maintained a cautious distance.
To his relief, her answer was perfectly friendly. “If you’ll help me put it on afterward.”
“I’d be delighted.” They shared a smile as the piece exchanged hands, and he wondered whether he’d imagined her standoffishness last night.
“Exquisite,” he concluded after examining the pendant, favoring Claire with a doting look. “And quite fitting, too, given Elizabeth’s love of flowers.”
“Oh, I despise roses,” Elizabeth said cheerfully, turning round to present her neck. “So difficult to press!”
Jonathan cleared his throat as he fastened the chain. “Never mind,” he said, “it looks beautiful on you.”
“It does,” came Elizabeth’s muffled reply, for she’d ducked her chin to see for herself, “despite the evil rose! Thank you, Claire.”
Claire rolled her eyes good-naturedly. “Happy Christmas!”
“My turn next.” Jonathan rummaged in his pile, coming up with another gift from Claire. “I think I’ll open this one.”
“Oh!” Claire bit her lip. “Right. Before you do, however, I must warn you that it may not be…appropriate.” At his raised brow, she flushed. “Not that it’s inappropriate! Not at all! Only—well—to tell you the truth, it’s your gift from last year, and given what’s passed in the interval, I’m not certain how you’ll receive it. Whether you’ll still like to have it, or perhaps find it too…”
“Inappropriate?” he supplied.
