“Are you ready?” Samantha asked softly, almost reverently.
Grace gave her reflection one final glance as she memorized it, then turned to Samantha. “I can’t wait.”
Liliah giggled behind her gloved hand. “That’s the spirit.”
Samantha and Liliah advised Grace to wait a moment while they made sure it was the appropriate time for her arrival.
Grace’s hands grew damp under her gloves as she grew nervous. What if Ramsey didn’t arrive on time?
What if he didn’t arrive at all? What if he changed his mind, or what if—Her mind spun in a million different directions, and it was only by sheer force of will that she pulled her thoughts back into line. “No. It will be just fine,” she murmured to herself.
Just as her heartbeat slowed, Samantha and Liliah came down the hall, their lips pinched as if trying to hold back wide grins. It was at times like this that Grace could see the very distinct familial relationship between the sisters. Their expressions were nearly identical.
“Shall we?” Samantha asked, arching a playful brow.
“Let’s,” Grace replied, following the ladies down the hall, down the steps, and into the foyer.
They started toward the small chapel, but Samantha and Liliah didn’t open the doors, rather they kept walking.
“Samantha? I think—”
“Just follow me,” Samantha interrupted.
Grace twisted her lips, but obeyed.
As they traveled down the hall, Grace’s brow furrowed in confusion. They were passing the library, the study, and continuing back toward the end of the hall, but there was nothing there but a door that led to their small courtyard and garden area.
“I—”
“Shh.” Samantha didn’t even turn around, but issued the command efficiently.
Grace twisted her lips, and she increased her pace to walk just behind the ladies. As they reached the door, Samantha spun around with her finger on her lips. “Not a word. And don’t you dare peek till I tell you, are we understood?” Samantha had used her governess voice, and Grace felt obligated to obey, even as her curiosity was piqued severely.
“She must have been a rather strict governess,” Lady Liliah remarked, almost to herself.
“When she needed to be,” Grace replied.
“Which was often,” Samantha answered. “Now, close your eyes. I’m going to open the door and then, when I tell you, you may open your eyes and come out,” Samantha explained.
“Very well.” Grace sighed, her heartbeat picking its pace back up as she awaited the moment she could see what was going on. She closed her eyes. The sound of the door opening was punctuated by a spilling in of light. Samantha sighed, or maybe it was Lady Liliah, and then she heard the shuffling of feet followed by reverent silence.
“Now,” Samantha whispered.
Grace’s eyes flew open, and she blinked, allowing them to adjust to the bright light. As her eyes adjusted, she gasped with surprise at the transformation of the small area.
Brightly colored cloth hung in swags along the edge of the courtyard. The sun shone brightly from between two or three puffy clouds, and the colors, goodness, the colors!
Irises of every color lined the makeshift aisle that led toward a purple canopy where Ramsey waited, his eyes trained on her, cataloging every expression of wonder. Her heart pounded with an overwhelming sense of home, of belonging, and she was walking down the aisle toward him before she even gave her feet the command.
A vicar waited at the front, Heathcliff beside him, while Lucas stood just behind Ramsey, grinning at her with a knowing smile.
Heathcliff leaned over to Ramsey, speaking just loud enough for her to hear. “Aye, I think she likes it.”
Ramsey’s grin widened, and he reached out for her hand.
Grace nearly tripped on the small step, she wasn’t paying mind to her path, just the end of it, but she righted herself quickly and placed her hand in his.
The warmth seeped through her, warming her soul, her heart, everything. It was the strangest thing, she had come to London, never feeling more out of place and out of her element, only to find that home was a person rather than a place.
