Part 25 (1/2)

Olive nodded and smiled for the first time in days. ”Thank you for listening. I do appreciate that you came to see me at once. I trust your judgment and I will have a word with the countess. After the wedding. I don't want to venture down that road and upset her just before her daughter gets married.”

”That's a good thought. Don't bring anything up until after Lady Daphne and Mr. Hugo have left for their honeymoon.” Charlotte finished her cup of tea and stood up. ”I'm sorry, but I do have to leave now, Olive. I've such a lot to do in the South Wing.”

”I understand, and thanks for coming.”

Charlotte smiled at her. ”Try not to worry, we'll solve this. Keep me informed, won't you?”

”I will.”

Leaving the servants' hall, Charlotte went up the back stairs, and made her way through the house to the South Wing. She swiftly processed everything Olive had said, impressed with her acuity. Olive had picked up on Felicity's strange behavior very quickly since returning to Cavendon. There was something wrong with the countess, although Charlotte had no inkling what this was. Certainly it did not have anything to do with Anne Sedgewick, of that Charlotte was quite certain. Rather, it was something to do with Felicity herself. She just wasn't sure what that could be. It was a puzzle. After Daphne's safely married I'll tackle it, Charlotte decided. One step at a time.

Forty-one.

When the bride and groom came through the church porch and out onto the steps the rain had stopped, the sun was s.h.i.+ning, and the sky was blue. Daphne lifted her eyes and looked up, breaking into smiles when she saw the arc of the rainbow in the sky.

”Hugo, look! There's a rainbow! And aren't we lucky the rain has stopped?”

”We're lucky to have each other, that's what I think, Lady Daphne Ingham Stanton.” He grinned at her. ”We're married, Daphne, well and truly married by the good vicar of Little Skell, and that's what matters most to me.”

The clapping and the cheering started as the villagers standing on both sides of the path edged closer to see their own beautiful bride, the daughter of their earl and countess. And beautiful she truly was, in her white lace wedding gown and flowing veil that surrounded her like a cloud.

”Congratulations, Lady Daphne! Congratulations, Mr. Hugo!” some of the villagers were already shouting, while others took up the chant, ”Hip, hip, hooray, hip, hip, hooray, for the bride and groom today!”

Stepping forward, Daphne and Hugo went along the path to greet their well-wishers, laughing when they were showered with rose petals. Some of the women were singing ”Here Comes the Bride,” and they had lovely voices, Daphne thought.

Daphne was surprised there were so many of their people in the grounds, but then the church could only hold a certain number.

On their way to the church earlier, her father had said that everyone from the three villages would be turning out to enjoy the wedding and give her a good send-off. Afterward, they would attend the tea party in Little Skell village hall, and he had added that this was his treat.

It was when she was lifting her hand to wave at the crowd outside the church gates that Daphne saw him. Richard Torbett. She was stunned. He was standing there, as bold as bra.s.s, glaring at her.

Taken by surprise, she stiffened, drew closer to Hugo, who sensed something was wrong, and glanced at her. ”What is it? Are you all right?” he asked worriedly.

”I'm fine. I almost slipped on the wet stones, that's all,” she quickly improvised.

Daphne couldn't resist glancing toward the road again and was shocked to see he was no longer there. He had been, hadn't he? Or had she imagined it?

All of a sudden thoughts of Torbett fled when she and Hugo were surrounded by their family. Her parents; Aunt Gwendolyn in her usual royal purple; her aunts Lavinia and Vanessa; Uncle Jack; her brothers, Guy and Miles, so smart in their morning suits; and the three Dees in their pink taffeta bridesmaid dresses. How adorable Dulcie was in her long dress and carrying her posy of pink roses.

Then came Major Gaunt and his three sons, thrilled to be with Hugo and attending his marriage, and incredibly excited that he was returning to live in Yorks.h.i.+re.

Finally they were able to extricate themselves, and went down the path and through the gate to the waiting car trimmed with white satin ribbons.

”Lady Daphne! Lady Daphne!”

She turned around and saw Genevra running across the road, waving something in the air. The Romany girl came to a stop, stood a few feet away from her, and offered her something. ”Lucky charm,” the gypsy said, coming closer. ”Don't lose.”

”Thank you, Genevra,” she said, taking the bit of bone from her, wondering what on earth it meant.

”You be happy,” Genevra muttered, and in her usual fas.h.i.+on she ran off without saying another word.

”Who was that?” Hugo asked, looking puzzled.

Before she could answer him, Daphne was surrounded by DeLacy, Cecily, Mrs. Alice, and Miss Charlotte. They began to help her into the car, lifting up her voluminous veil and long train, and DeLacy was taking her bouquet of white roses from her. A moment later she and Hugo were being driven away from Little Skell village and back to Cavendon Hall.

The house was virtually deserted, since the entire staff had gone to the wedding. Hugo took hold of her arm and led her into the library. Once inside the room, Daphne put down her bouquet and looked at the piece of bone. On it were tied little bits of silver and white ribbon, and there were carvings down one side. ”They're little hearts,” Daphne said after a moment, showing it to Hugo. ”Genevra's strange, but she's harmless.”

Hugo studied the bone, and murmured, ”Seven hearts altogether. What do they mean?”

”Lots of love perhaps,” Daphne said, turning to him.

”Then keep it safe.” Putting his arms around her, Hugo brought her close to him. ”I love you, Daphne, with all my heart, now and forever, as long as we both shall live. I meant those vows I just made in church, I truly did.”

”And so did I,” Daphne answered, standing on tiptoe, kissing his cheek. ”And it will be all right. Don't worry.”

”Oh Daphne, I know that, my darling.”

”I meant tonight. You and I together, starting our honeymoon here at Cavendon. It must begin tonight ... our married life, I mean. I want it to be that way.”

Hugo's face was full of love for her as he handed her the bouquet of white roses, and led her out of the library.

”We must go to the pink drawing room,” Daphne explained. ”For the family photographs. And then after that we can relax and dance the night away.”

”Not the whole night, I hope,” Hugo murmured, his smile suddenly flirtatious.

”Don't be a silly boy, I've better plans than that,” Daphne answered. And the look in her deep blue eyes told him everything he needed to know.

Part Three.

FROST ON GLa.s.s.

JanuaryDecember 1914.

I'll break and forge the stars anew, Shatter the heavens with a song.

Immortal in my love for you, Because I love you, very strong.

-Rupert Brooke.

We are dancing on a volcano.

-Comte de Salvandy.