Page 129 of Valour

“Are you quite alright, Boss?” Fliss affixed the veil carefully.

She had been alright. She wasn’t quite so sure now. “Nervous.”

“Valour in the face of fear.” Fliss winked and stepped back, her eyes lighting. “You look simply stunning.”

Ernie’s words echoed through Charlotte’s mind.

You are as stunning as the frozen continent, my dear.

She knotted her fingers together. The day was bittersweet, but she thought he approved of Arnold, if the visitation she had received in the tent had really happened. He would want her to be happy. And she was. Stupendously so. And hadn’t she grown past the feeling of nervousness? Hadn’t she grown into something bolder and brighter on the voyage?

She brushed her fingers over her upper arm, the gold fabric delightfully luxurious. Underneath it, by Hester’s request, Mei had tattooed Valour in the face of fear. Of her three tattoos, it was Charlotte’s favourite. She straightened her spine.

“Boss?” Fliss’s voice snapped her back to herself. “The others are waiting. Shall we?” Fliss offered her arm.

Oh, gosh. It was time already. Where had the morning gone? Could she stay in the bedroom all day? But Fliss was pulling her to the staircase, and at the bottom, Rufus, Betty, Peggy, Valerie, Hester, Odette, Mei and Alma waited, all dressed up in their finery, a collective “Ooooh” going up.

Peggy clapped her hands. “You look wonderful, Boss.”

“Thank you,” Charlotte murmured, allowing herself to be led down the stairs.

“I’ll admit it, you outshine me,” Hester said, grinning and linking her arm through Charlotte’s, pulling her out of the open front door. “We are suitably late. But it’s always good to keep men waiting.”

Out on the street, two white carriages waited, the horses stomping, ribbons and bows festooning everything. The sun still shone brightly, and not a cloud marred the clear blue sky.

Charlotte’s palms were sweaty. She must not touch the dress, must not mark it. Alma thrust a beautiful bouquet of pink roses into Charlotte’s hands and passed a smaller one to Hester.

Flowers. Roses. Roses were nice. The house was also nice. Safe. “Can we go back inside?” she asked, leaning into Hester’s side.

“You’re not getting cold feet, are you, Boss?” Hester smiled kindly, then bundled her unceremoniously into the carriage. “Here, let’s bring Marjorie along. She’ll set you at ease.” The dog bounded into the carriage, sprinkling white hairs everywhere.

Hester climbed in, followed by Fliss, Peggy and Odette. The siren had changed into a more presentable dress, still dark green, and a little too lacy to be entirely proper, her ample chest on show. She sat opposite Charlotte. “Would you like me to sing in the church? I’d be honoured.” She leant in, her smile wide enough to show her most of her teeth, including the pointed canines.

“Oh! No—I mean, no thank you.” Imagine, a siren singing at her wedding and the men all falling over themselves. Charlotte flushed, her hands still shaking.

“Suit yourself,” Odette huffed, folding her arms.

“Hush, or you’re out,” Hester growled, and Odette rolled her eyes and looked out the window, her mouth clamped shut.

The ride to the church wasn’t long, only taking ten minutes, but it reminded Charlotte of a carriage ride two and a half years ago, with black horses instead of white, and a churning began in her stomach. She ran one hand over the Valour tattoo, the other rested between Marjorie’s ears.

Her dress was covered in little white hairs.

The peal of the church bells drew closer.

And closer.

Until they pulled up outside the church.

This was it. Charlotte closed her eyes and took a deep breath, and then she was hurried out of the carriage on a tide of Hester, Odette, Fliss and Peggy, the others joining from the carriage behind, Marjorie darting between everyone’s legs.

“Charlotte, my darling! You look wonderful.” Her father was there, waiting, in his finest suit. He offered her his arm, and she took it, hoping he wouldn’t notice her trembling hands. His eyes caught on Odette. “Who is your friend? I don’t believe we’ve met.”

Odette smiled wide and reached out to pat his cheek. “And aren’t you a silver fox?” She licked her lips.

Oh, no. Her father was gazing stupidly at Odette. “Get her inside!” Charlotte whispered to Fliss, who nodded and whisked Odette into the church, the rest of the crew following, leaving her standing with Marjorie, Hester and her father. She wiped her brow.

Charlotte imagined all the people staring at her. People who were on the other side of those wooden doors. There was a buzz of noise, and the organ started playing.