This walk was slower than Jessica probably would have preferred, but Catherine refused to rush and spoke briefly to everyone she could. She might have missed a few people, but it wasn't intentional. Jacob did the same on his side of the walkway.
By the time they reached the portico, Catherine definitely felt the winter chill. She hoped the staff members hadn't been outside very long, though they were all dressed more warmly than she was.
Once inside with the doors closed behind them, she was joined by her dresser, stylist, and several others as they walked to the throne room where photos would be taken. Jacob...
She didn't know exactly where Jacob went, but she knew he would meet her there.
Her team fussed over her makeup and hair and dress before they spent twenty minutes or so taking photos with family and those who would have been in the wedding party if there had been one.
When they were done, she was whisked away again, this time to a room set aside for the day as a dressing room. Oncethey'd helped her out of the wedding gown, Catherine reached for the robe that had been left there earlier in the day, wrapping it around herself and tying the belt around her waist.
"I need a minute to just sit, please. I'll be right back."
The looks exchanged among her team contained suppressed annoyance, but she didn't care.
Once on the other side of a screen, she sank into a chair placed there for historic reasons rather than ones of comfort.
Looking down at the engagement ring her mother had worn and the new wedding band placed there by Jacob at the cathedral, it hit her.
Now she felt like she was married.
12
This night couldn't end soon enough to suit Jake.
The banquet hall and, later, ball room were filled to capacity with men in tuxedos and women in evening gowns of all colors of the rainbow. Dinner had been some of Catherine's favorite foods since it was in her honor. The birthday cake had been traded for a wedding cake once the decisions about the wedding celebrations had been made.
He didn't know where Catherine had gone - probably to fix her gown or resituate her tiara or something of that nature. Surely she would meet him in the ante room where he waited for his turn to enter.
Catherine's father and Madeleine came into the small room.
"The rest of the kids are being taken in another way to be seated at tables near the front. The littler ones will stay for about half an hour and have cake, watch a couple of the dances, then go to back upstairs." Mumeleine sank onto one of the chairs. "I'm ready for all of these celebrations to be over. I know Kinsey is too. It's a lot of planning and public pressure and public appearances and all of those things."
"I'm discovering she's far more introverted than I would have expected." Jake found himself too antsy to sit down.
"Definitely. When we got back to her dressing room, she insisted on going behind the changing screen and just sitting there by herself for a few minutes. It was probably close to ten before she was ready to get her evening gown on." Madeleine's head tilted backward against the chair. "I don't blame her." She stood and walked to a mirror, fussing with her hair a bit.
Catherine had confided in him that she'd tried to give her stepmother a title and a couple of tiaras to choose from when appropriate occasions came along.
Madeleine had refused.
Technically, she still held titles based on the ones Anthony still had. She was the Duchess of Nordfell, but never used it in any official or unofficial capacity.
Jake understood where both women were coming from. Catherine wanted to honor the woman who'd come into her life and the lives of the rest of her family at a critical time and made such an impact on all of them. He felt the same way Madeleine did about the titles. Catherine had told him he'd be getting a title or two, but he didn't particularly want them either. He knew it would happen anyway, but didn't feel like it was something he deserved simply because he'd married the queen.
The door to one of the inconspicuous corridors opened, allowing Catherine to enter. Jake moved to her side, worried about her. She looked tired and worn out.
He needed to make sure they were able to get out of the city for a few days once the coronation was over in a week.
"Are you ready?" her father asked her, his voice gentle as he likely noticed the same things Jake did.
Catherine nodded. "The sooner we get started..."
Jake knew the end of the statement, but wasn't certain it held true in this situation. The ball wouldn't end until it ended, regardless of what time they walked in.
Madeleine took the arm of Anthony and together they exited the ante room. Jake offered his arm to Catherine who slipped her gloved hand into the crook of his elbow. He covered it with his free hand.
"As soon as we can, we'll get you out of here so you can get some rest," he promised.
