She smoothed a hand over the top of the suitcase. “In London, of course.”
My head snapped up. “London?”
“Yes,” she said, matter of fact. “At the town house.”
My eyes widened. “No.”
She paused halfway through scanning my wardrobe to make sure we had everything we needed, turning back to me. “No?”
“No.”
“Eliza—”
“I’m not getting married inLondon.”
One of her silver eyebrows swept all the way up. “Where exactly would you like to get married, then?”
I gestured out the window toward the rolling hills of the estate. “Right here. If the wedding is to take place in England, I want it to be here.”
“At the castle?”
“Yes.”
Miriam considered it for just a moment before she looked back at me. “That would be rather complicated.”
“It would be perfect.”
“Your father might disagree.”
“He might, but it’s my wedding.” I made a mental note to tell him that we had to relocate a royal-scale wedding to a countryside estate with minimal warning, but before I could ask Miriam for her advice, the bedroom door opened.
Several very strong footmen appeared, who’d clearly been recruited for the task of moving my luggage. Jesse walked inbehind them, stepping into the room with a casual ease that made it look like he belonged here. With me.
“Hey,” he said, sliding his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “I’m afraid it’s time. Are you ready?”
My heart started pounding, but I nodded and rose from the bed, looking around my room one last time, at the tall windows that had provided me with a view of the green hills every morning for as long as I’d been alive. The shelves of books I’d been collecting ever since I’d learned how to read.
Every corner of this place was quietly familiar, notches of my history written in every stone. I’d lived here my entire life and suddenly I was leaving.
Holly stood, trotting over when she sensed movement. Maeve followed a second later. I crouched down and wrapped my arms around them both.
“You two behave yourselves,” I murmured. Holly licked my chin in response and Maeve leaned against my shoulder like a furry paperweight. “You’ll see George every day and I’ll be back before you know it.”
Jesse stood quietly beside me, and when I finally stood again, he offered a small smile. “Ready?”
No.
“Of course,” I said, watching my suitcases disappear down the hall with truly impressive speed.
Jesse gave me a few minutes to say goodbye to Miriam and Stella, following the footmen out of the room so I had some privacy. I hugged them both, but quickly, letting go before the tears inevitably started falling. My heart was breaking when I turned my back on them and hurried out of the room to join Jesse downstairs.
Just a few minutes later, we were outside, the night air cool and damp from the steady rain. A car was already waiting, gleaming under the lamps at the front of the drive.
“Well, London awaits,” he said as we approached the car.
A driver appeared and opened the back door. I nodded, climbing in when prompted to do so and leaning back against the buttery soft leather seat. The engine started, and within seconds, the wheels were turning. Doing my best to keep from sobbing, I simply turned toward the windows and looked out into the night.
Jesse and I sat together in the backseat, the castle eventually fading behind us. The fields followed, then winding roads. All the while, I stared out the window, watching familiar landmarks disappear into darkness.
