Then, his mind threw up an image of Helena sprawled on his library table, the creamy mounds of her breasts hanging out of her stays.
If he was honest, he had not been able to stop thinking about how close he had come to ruining her, and how much he did not regret it.
It was foolish, allowing his body to dictate his emotions like this, but he could not seem to do a thing about it.
Soon enough, the Lord Chancellor returned, brandishing the special license in his hand, and congratulated Silas on his impending nuptials.
After Silas greeted him with a bow, he left with Benedict by his side, holding the paper that would secure Helena’s safety.
Helena smoothed down the blue satin gown, her eyes on her reflection in the looking glass, wondering if she had ever worn anything so fine.
Her dark hair cascaded down her back, and her blue eyes seemed to shine even more when reflected against her gown.
Amelia had brought her a string of pearls to wear around her neck, with matching ear bobs, rejecting all of Helena’s attempts at refusal.
“They are a gift, and you cannot refuse them.”
“These are too dear for me to accept.” Helena had protested, trying to put them back in Amelia’s hands.
The younger woman had simply moved away from her, her arms crossed, and shaking her head. “They are not too dear for me to give them to you. We are sisters now.”
Helena gave a sigh of defeat. “Very well, I shall wear them to the wedding ceremony, but should you feel the need to take them back afterwards, you absolutely should.”
Amelia snorted derisively. “If that is what it takes for you to accept them, then I agree to your terms.”
So here she was about to walk down the aisle, unable to recognize herself.
She had never looked like this.
Before being taken to the St. Margaret’s, she had worn simple homespun around the house. She had a few gowns for when they had visitors, but those were also simple as befitting her status as a girl who was yet to come out.
Thisdress, with its flowy sleeves, square neckline lined with white lace, tight bustier, and long train, was like something she’d only seen in pictures, and perhaps her mother’s wardrobe. She’d never dreamed that one day she would wear something like this.
In fact, she had never dared to dream of a future outside of endless chores, cold knees from crawling on the cold stone floor of the abbey, and endless punishment.
Now, she was at least free.
The thought brought a small smile to her face as she walked down the aisle of the village chapel.
The pews were filled with the castle staff, beaming at her with joy. She smiled shyly back, nodding to a few that she knew well such as the maids who usually brought her water in the morning to bathe, or the girls who served her breakfast.
She recognized the priest from the church waiting, and Benedict, beaming at her from Silas’s side, ready to bear witness. Amelia sat in the front row literally vibrating with happiness. Helena could not help but reflect that merriment back at her.
Finally, when she could avoid it no longer, her eyes slid to meet Silas’s. She had barely seen him in the last two days, what with all the preparations, and the fact that he’d had to dash to London to get the special license.
She could understand the urgency. Until she was Silas’s wife, she was still her mother’s daughter, and therefore subject to the whims of her legal guardian, Uncle James. He could burst into the door this minute, and try to stop the wedding.
Her eyes involuntarily went to the door, though she knew that the estate was heavily guarded. She couldn’t help a flutter of nerves. If she was honest she would admit that it was easier to worry about a potential invasion of the wedding, rather than think about who she was marrying and what would happen after the ceremony.
Duchess Helena?
It seemed quite ridiculous to her. Yet here she was about to marry a duke.
She knew that wherever her mother was, she was probably hysterical.
She’s probably wailing, screaming and casting up her accounts.
It helped settle her a little bit, because finally she was at the altar and taking her place at Silas’s side.
