“We’ll ask her, love,” Fitz said, leaning over to kiss Moira on the temple, “but such an occasion might still be a bit overwhelming for her, so we should not count on her presence.” Moira and Fitz both seemed sad but resigned to the idea. Grace noted the way Sidney bowed his head before the others could see his devastated expression.
CHAPTER22
The rest of the day passed by in a blur. While Moira whisked Grace away to go over details of the wedding breakfast and to arrange for a dress to be altered, Henry called for Smyth to help him make plans.
“I am delighted at the news of your impending nuptials, Your Grace,” Smyth offered with a smile, flooring Henry at the rare sighting. Smyth was a serious man who usually took his job caring for the duke with utmost gravity. “Everyone at the manor was hoping you would find a good woman to bring home as our duchess.” Henry became overwhelmed thinking about his staff’s reaction. He had been the duke for only a year and had spent so little time at the manor that he did not realize the staff was so affected by what he did. It was another area where he would need to continue to grow, and now, thankfully, he would have Grace to help him. Thinking about the way she had been generous in her praise to the staff here at Geffen House, he knew they would be well taken care of upon his return home.
Informing Smyth that he would be leaving for London tomorrow to secure a special wedding license, Henry received a long list of preparations from Smyth to pick up on his way out the door. As it would be a quick trip, he did not need Smyth to accompany him, but the man fretted at making him a wedding ensemble out of the clothes he already had at Geffen House. Henry could honestly care less what he was wearing as long as he was presentable to Grace, but he would not let Smyth know. He had no desire to belittle the man’s occupation or his excitement over clothing him for such an occasion. List in hand, Henry went to find Reid.
He found him in the library, intently reading the latest newspaper from London, which was hardly a surprise. Hearing Henry enter, Reid lifted his head before folding the paper and grunting. “The unrest among those in the trades and the serving class is growing. If Parliament won’t agree to extending more rights and easing taxation, I fear violence may soon break out.”
“Do you think it has become that serious?” Henry asked, brow furrowed.
“I do. That’s why I was working so hard to get something, anything, through the House of Commons before the last session came to a close,” Reid sighed in frustration. “We’ll have to deal with this first thing when Parliament reopens. I’ll bring you up to speed on what we need to have approved in Lords to help us out in Commons, but that will be a much harder battle, as it’s the peers who feel most threatened by change.”
“Let me know what you need, and I’ll champion it,” Henry told him. “But first, I need your assistance. Will you accompany me to London tomorrow?”
“Of course, I was going to offer anyway when I saw you at dinner,” Reid said with a smile, summing up why Reid was such a good friend. With dinner in mind, both men headed out to join the others.
Dinner proved to be a rather interesting affair as Fitz made the announcement of the engagement between Henry and Grace. There were several shocked faces before common etiquette was remembered, and hearty congratulations were offered all around. Stanhope looked a bit crestfallen at losing his chance with Grace, but he did not interfere with others celebration. There were a few young ladies who looked sad, and Lady Wrexham had a particularly sour expression on her face. Overall, however, people did genuinely wish them well on their impending union.
The next morning, Henry said goodbye to Grace at an early breakfast, then mounted his horse and rode off toward London with Reid. He could still hardly believe that Grace had consented to marry him, but in just a few short days, she would become his wife.
* * *
Grace willed away a headache that was trying to take hold while Moira pestered her about decorations for the wedding to spruce up the chapel at Geffen House.
She loved Moira dearly and was truly grateful that she was hosting and planning the wedding for them, but the level of detail involved was exhausting. “Since it will be such a small group, could we not hold the ceremony in your formal parlor rather than the chapel?” Grace asked. “It’s just so grand and cold in the chapel, it might be nice if the space were more intimate, and then there would be less to decorate.”
“Well, I suppose we could, if that’s what you really want,” Moira replied, “though that’s not very majestic.”
“I know it might disappoint you, and I so appreciate your love and enthusiasm for the wedding, but I neither need nor want something grand. This will be a second marriage for me, and it is a marriage of convenience after all.”
“Oh, come now,” Moira tutted. “I know it’s too soon for love, but don’t give me that ‘marriage of convenience’ nonsense. I can see that the two of you care for one another,” she said. “Henry has stars in his eyes when he looks at you, and in return, his looks make you blush. I know there’s deeper affection than you want to let on.”
Recalling their kisses near the roses, Grace felt her cheeks heating even now. “There, that!” Moira exclaimed, looking at the rosy hue overtaking her neck and face. “Whatever were you thinking of just now to bring that on?”
“After I agreed to marry him, Henry asked if he could kiss me, and I allowed it.” Grace shared.
“Based on that blush, I would wager it was a good one,” Moira smirked.
“I have no further comment on the subject,” she said with finality, much to Moira’s amusement.
Just then, Hudson entered the room holding a large box. “A delivery for you, my lady,” he said, bowing before Grace.
“For me?” she exclaimed. Taking the box from the footman, she said, “I wonder what it could be, or who it could be from. Thank you, Hudson.” The footman beamed at her before bowing a second time and leaving the room.
“Is there a note?” Moira asked, peeking over Grace’s shoulder. “Look, there, attached to the side of the lid.”
Grace pulled out the note and scanned to the bottom for a name or a signature. “It’s from Henry,” she said. Moira elicited a sigh at the gesture, while Grace returned to the note.
My Dear Grace (or should I say, My Dear Duchess?),
I should return with Reid tomorrow, as I was able to get the license this morning. Do not be cross with me, but this was an instance where I fear I needed to use my influence as a duke in order to move things along. As the end result is undeniably for the greater good (that result being our union), I regret nothing.
I am sending a few things ahead from London. I hope you enjoy them and know that I am thinking of you in my absence. I am eternally grateful that you have chosen to be mine.
I will see you tomorrow (though not soon enough),
