However, the doctor advised that Henry should not travel so soon after his illness, as he may suffer a relapse. Nor did he have the patience to wait three weeks for the banns to be read. Besides, from what he understood, those would have needed to take place in his parish church in Lancashire. As one of Henry’s strongest flaws was his lack of patience, waiting that length of time to have the message delivered and the banns called, was out of the question.
As Eve’s sister was at the school, and he’d not ask his bride to marry without family, and some of Henry’s closest friends were at Harrington Manor, it stood to reason that they’d be married here, as soon as possible. Thankfully, Norbright, being the good friend that he was, had traveled to London on Henry’s behalf, obtained a Special License and accompanied Henry’s mother back to Harrington Manor. Henry knew that if he had married without her presence, he would have never heard the end of it.
During his time waiting, he and Eve took long walks on the beach and visited with his friends, and Henry came to know Cait, Eve’s only living relative. He also came to know the other teachers at the school and Miss Bernadette Hamilton had become a regular dinner companion. Not for himself, but because Lady Norbright wished for more ladies to even out the number at the dinner table. Keegan and Ashford were already familiar with Cait and Miss Hamilton from their visit last Christmas. However, by all appearances, it was Pickmore who had developed an interest in Miss Hamilton. The two had been in Egypt at the same time the artifacts were recovered from Napoleon’s army and knew a number of the same people, but had not met. Further, the two had become quite determined to locate the stolen mummy and artifacts and had made quite a game out of trying to determine who had taken the items and where they might be found. Apparently, the curse that the students so feared was not a deterrent to the likes of Pickmore or Miss Hamilton, and Henry had to wonder if he was losing his friend to a mummy or to Miss Hamilton. But, heaven help Kirksbury if the mummy did end up here. Despite the fact that no more strange occurrences, illnesses or injuries had occurred, Norbright’s sisters still feared being near Pickmore and the curse being transferred to them. Luckily Norbright laughed the whole thing off and offered to let Pickmore take up residence in the manor, as it would keep the meddlesome students off of his property.
Now the day had arrived, barely past a sennight since he’d asked for Eve’s hand, but far longer than he would have preferred to have waited. He dressed with care and suffered such a state of nervousness like he’d experienced only once in his life—the day he had asked Eve to be his wife.
“What if she changes her mind?” Henry whispered to his mother.
“Could you blame her?”
That wasn’t the assurance he wished to hear. She was his mother. Shouldn’t she promise him that Eve wouldn’t disappear and that the two would have a good marriage?
“I didn’t have to invite you,” he grumbled.
“Yes, you did, Dear.” She patted his cheek with her gloved hand.
“Your support would be welcome,” he reminded her.
At that his mother turned. “Henry, you’ve never needed my support or approval. You’ve been your own man since before you were off leading strings.” She smiled at him, love in her eyes. “You excelled in your studies until your tutor was at a loss as to what to teach you and we welcomed the day you left for Eton. Not to be rid of you, but we knew you’d be happy in a place where you would learn and study. And, you found friends that matched your intelligence and personality. You were finally with those who understood you.”
He wasn’t so difficult to understand, was he? “I thought I was an embarrassment.”
“Not really,” she chuckled. “Not that I don’t love you, but at times, when Society doesn’t know you as I do, it can be trying.”
He never cared for the opinion of Society, and perhaps therein lie the issue.
“You can be caustic, but in a way, it’s part of your charm. Further, Eve will never cower at a harsh tone, but stand up to you. She is exactly what you need.”
“Thank you, Mother.” Those might be the nicest words she’d ever spoken to him. For the longest time, he’d felt like an outcast in his family as he had little in common with his father and even less with his older brother. In fact, when he had inherited, Henry was fairly certain he would fail the example they had presented. That was why he not only attended every parliamentary session but kept himself abreast of the issues so he did not fail the man who had raised him.
“I predict that you and Eve will be quite happy and if you present my first grandchild within the year,I’llbe quite happy.”
Henry said nothing, as it wasn’t proper, but he had every intention of finally working on that grandchild when he and his wife retired this evening.
Wife! Eve was finally going to be his wife.
* * *
At one time, Eve had dreamed of the perfect wedding with the perfect gentleman, but when everything was lost, she had put such girlish dreams behind her. However, despite everything, today couldn’t have been more magical.
Though the wedding was small, Eve had Cait by her side. Further, she had no need for a fancy ceremony or even a wedding breakfast, but Claudia had insisted on providing such and it had been perfect. And Henry, he had his mother and his friends. The two of them needed little else.
All in all, it was a perfect day, filled with laughter and joy.
“I’m happy for you, Eve,” Cait said as the two walked along the beach. They’d excused themselves from the gathering to take some moments between just the two of them. Henry had kissed her cheek and promised to be waiting for her return. In her brother’s quest for riches and an easier life, he’d actually delivered Eve to the one person who could complete it. If only he’d lived long enough so he could see that for once, a bad decision had worked out for the best.
“I never dreamed I’d find such happiness.”
“He’s not who I would have picked for you, but I can also see where the two of you are perfect for each other.”
“How is that?” Did her sister not approve? Cait had not said anything before and now it was too late to bring up any misgiving about the union.
“You are both stubborn,” she laughed. “You never liked being told what to do, and Kilsyth likes ordering people about. It worried me at first, until I saw you stand up to him a few times and knew that you’d both found your perfect match.”
“I wasn’t always so stubborn,” Eve hedged and kicked at the sand.
“You refused to learn to speak proper English. You weren’t going to change yourself for others, remember?”
