Several dressmakers agreed to purchase the slightly used garments at a fraction of their original cost. Camilla couldn’t refuse the offers, and made arrangements with them for a delivery date. The money earned would go to pay her sister’s medical debt.
After making the final arrangements with the last shop owner, she and the children walked outside. Breathing in the fresh air, she pondered what they could do next. From up the street, thebongof the church bells rang through the town. She hadn’t been to church for so long, and she missed it greatly.
The wide doors opened at the cathedral-style building and several people walked down the few steps onto the road. At last, a priest exited the church, but stood at the top of the steps, waving to his congregation.
Although she hadn’t been to church in a while, there was one problem weighing heavily on her mind that she would like to discuss with the priest. Marriage to Malcolm. According to the marriage certificate, she was legally Mrs. Worthington. Yet how could she be married to this man if she never attended the actual ceremony?
“Children,” Camilla said. “Would you like to come with me to the church?”
Both James and Lizzy nodded, so Camilla hastened toward the man of God. Since she had stumbled across the certificate, she had been trying to convince herself this wasn’t possible—that a vital piece of information was missing. Things didn’t add up, and Camilla didn’t know how to go about finding answers. Now with the priest not far away, she would take a moment and see if he could shed some light on her worries.
The priest rested his gaze on the children and smiled, but when he turned his eyes to Camilla, his expression appeared forced. Inwardly, she groaned.He knows about Kat as well.
“Good day,” she said sweetly.
“It is a very good day,” he answered stiffly.
“Might you have a moment to spare to answer a question for me?”
“Only a moment, my child.”
“That is all I need.” She took a deep breath. “My question will seem a little strange, but I assure you I have a good reason for asking.”
“What is it, my child?”
“I want to know if proxy marriages are legal.”
The older man’s eyes widened and his bushy gray eyebrows lifted. “Proxy marriage, you say?”
“Yes. Can you tell me about it, please? I beg you, I desperately need to know.”
“I shall answer you to the best of my knowledge.” He folded his arms. “It was common for European monarchs and nobility to marry by proxy. Were you aware that Marie de’ Medici, the second wife of King Henry IV, was married by proxy?”
Camilla gasped. “No, I wasn’t aware. So, if she was married by proxy, then it is indeed legal to have another person stand in for an absent person who cannot attend their own wedding. Correct?”
“Yes, my child.”
Peace settled over her confused mind.I am married to Malcolm!Her heart flipped with excitement, yet at the same time, confusion filled her. Did shewantto be married to him? Little by little, she realized Malcolm was not the monster Kat had created in her mind, but she still needed to discover if he was doing something illegal behind her back. How could Camilla possibly want to be a criminal’s wife?
“Thank you, Father. We will leave you now and let you attend other matters of God.”
Now that she knew she was Malcolm’s wife, would she still want to find evidence against him? Could she possibly turn him in and see him hanged?
Camilla took a deep breath and released it slowly. First things first—she must obtain his trust. Maybe then he would open up to her and tell her the truth about his life. Then, and only then, would she decide what needed to be done.
With the decision in mind, she smiled and continued on her way with the children. Just then, a wonderful scent drifted around her and tickled her senses. Freshly baked sticky buns permeated the air with their wonderful cinnamon aroma. Her belly growled in response to the irresistible smell.
She stopped and crouched to the children’s level. “Lizzy? James? Are you hungry for a sticky bun?”
Happy, energetic eyes widened, and the children giggled. She laughed, joining in their mirth. She raced with the two into the next shop to buy the treats. Within minutes, the three left with rolls and icing-caked fingers and lips.
She found a small patch of grass, and they sat under a tree to eat their treats. The gentle breeze blew a lock of hair across her warm cheeks, and the shade from the tree prevented the sun’s rays from making them too uncomfortable.
“Oh, Milla,” James said in a voice filled with joy, “this is the best day in the whole world.”
“I think it is a wonderful day as well. Don’t you think so, Lizzy?”
The girl’s head bobbed, making her blonde ringlets bounce in rhythm, but still she said nothing.
