Harriet handed the duchess a menu she’d been working on. “This is what I’ve come up with for the breakfast.”
Both other women scanned the paper. Harriet hoped it met their expectations. It was her first time planning such a breakfast.
“Scottish salmon? It’s wonderful. Have a sauce made to pour over it. I see steak tartar as well. Lobster or crab bisque would serve nicely instead of the steak. The steak will be rather heavy since the salmon’s going to be served.”
Harriet and Daphne agreed with the older woman’s evaluation.
“I can spare a couple of kitchen staff if you need them,” the duchess said.
“Let me have Cook come out and speak with us. I did show her the menu but hadn’t heard what she thought of it.”
Daphne went over to the door and opened it. She let a footman know what she needed before returning. “She should be here momentarily.”
“The duke and I would like to contribute to the cost of the breakfast and anything else. If you and Lucien are open to it, we’d like to host a soiree after you return from Somerset.”
“You don’t have to do that,” Harriet said.
“Yes, we do. But that can wait. This breakfast is what we need to prepare. It should be the best for you and Lucien, even if family are the only guests.”
She was right too. Here she was—about to marry a man she loved with her whole heart. Her life was about to change forever.
Chapter Thirteen
When Harriet enteredthe drawing room she took a deep breath. This was it and there wasn’t a thing she would change. What she hadn’t been prepared for was the fact her mother and father were there. The bishop was there as well, but he was performing the ceremony.
Walking past them, with just a hand squeeze to her father, Harriet proceeded to where Lucien and the bishop were standing. Lucien looked handsome as ever. He wore a dark-gray suit, was freshly shaved, and as she neared he smelled of wintergreen.
“Good morning, gentlemen. Are we ready?”
“Indeed,” the bishop said. He cleared his throat to signal to everyone it was time to begin.
In the background, Harriet heard her mother’s whispers but chose to ignore them. She hoped her mother would settle in and stay quiet.
Blocking out any outside noise, Harriet focused all her attention on Lucien and the ceremony. If it weren’t for the fact she knew what was going on, Harriet still felt that it was all a dream.
They repeated their vows and before she knew it, Lucien was placing a ring on her finger before the bishop deemed them husband and wife. Lucien leaned in and kissed her, sealing them together forever. In the background, the marchioness could be heard sobbing.
“The bishop has some papers for us to sign,” Lucien said. “Then we can all proceed to the dining room.”
Harriet looked up at him and nodded. She seemed to be at a loss for words suddenly. Lucien tucked his arm around her waist and guided her to a table on the other side of the room. The bishop explained to them what they were signing. One of course was a book the church kept on who married and when. Finishing that, all was official, they were husband and wife.
Lucien, Harriet, and the bishop all walked to the dining room then. Everyone was seated and Harriet took a second to admire the room. It had turned out splendidly if she said so herself. Most all the flowers had come from two separate gardens: Arthur’s, and Lucien’s parents’ London home. The remainder came from a shop in London the duchess used exclusively. The results were beyond her expectations.
They sat at the middle of the table and their guests on either side. Lucien’s mother to Harriet’s left, and her father to Lucien’s right. Her mother was next to her father and the same with the duke. Everyone was family now and rank didn’t exist. At least for this occasion. It was what she and Lucien wanted, and it seemed to be working, though with the occasional sniff from her mother’s direction. Harriet had warned Lucien beforehand her mother would play her act to the maximum.
“This has turned out beautifully,” Harriet said to the duchess. “You and Daphne thought of everything with such a short time to prepare.”
“Lady Daphne has an excellent staff and that made all the difference.”
“It does,” Harriet replied.
The wedding breakfast went smoothly. It was just what Harriet wanted. Not over the top, but still the best.
“I don’t know about you, but I’ve eaten about everything I can manage. It was delicious,” Lucien said.
“I agree,” she replied.
“I know you’d like to visit with everyone, but we need to go.”
