Eleanor couldn’t help feeling a pang of envy at the fact that Marina was able to have such a thing. She would have liked very much to be married to someone for whom she felt the same things she knew her sister felt for Jacob. That didn’t seem to be something that would happen for her, and it made her sad—and angry—to realize it. But her sadness and anger didn’t matter today, because it was as she had just finished saying—today was about Marina. And as long as her sister was happy, that would be enough for Eleanor right now.
She wrapped her arms around Marina. The two were almost exactly the same height, and as she looked at their reflections, Eleanor thought they could nearly have been twins. Marina’s face was ever so slightly thinner, and her nose was a bit longer, but they had the same bright eyes and auburn hair. It occurred to her suddenly that once the wedding week was over, Marina would be moving away, going to live with Jacob at his home. She had known this, but she hadn’t allowed the thought into her mind because it was too painful. Now she was really confronting it for the first time.
“I’m going to miss you so much,” she said sadly.
Marina put an arm around her shoulders. “I’m going to miss you too,” she said. “But you don’t have to worry. We’ll still see one another all the time.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“Trust me,” Marina said. “You’d get into too much trouble without me around to stop you, so I’ll have to come back all the time.”
Eleanor laughed, and Marina laughed with her. Sometimes they fought about this matter, but today it seemed funny, even happy—a vital part of their lives together. Eleanor knew that she would miss this when Marina was gone—would miss being reminded to make safe choices and to stay out of trouble. It was enough to make her nearly wish that she had actually listened to her sister’s advice from time to time.
“We’d better go down,” Marina said. “The guests will be arriving very soon. They may be getting here already, and Mother and Father won’t like it if we aren’t there to greet them.”
“You’re right,” Eleanor agreed. “We should go down and get ready.”
“Do I look all right?” Marina asked, turning to face Eleanor.
“You look beautiful,” Eleanor assured her. “You’ve never looked so beautiful in all your life. Jacob isn’t going to believe his good fortune when he sees you—he won’t know what he did to deserve such a lovely bride.”
Marina laughed. “Now you’re being silly.”
“No, I’m telling the truth,” Eleanor assured her. “You’re positively radiant, Marina. I’m so happy for you. You deserve every bit of this.”
The two of them left Marina’s bedroom and went down to the foyer. Their parents were already there, and though Eleanor’s mother’s gaze flickered to Eleanor for a moment, and she looked as if she wanted to say something critical, she managed to abstain. She turned her attention back to Marina instead, and at once she and Eleanor’s father were full of praise and admiration for their eldest daughter. Marina beamed and blushed, and Eleanor was pleased to find she felt nothing but happiness for her sister. She had meant what she’d said. Marina did deserve this.
“Here come the first of the guests,” Eleanor’s father announced. “Everybody stand here so that we can greet them.”
Eleanor took her place at the end of the line.
The first guests to arrive were an elderly couple Eleanor didn’t know by sight. They approached Eleanor’s father with smiles on their faces.
“Lord Barrington,” Eleanor’s father said. “Lady Barrington.”
“Lord Crestley,” Lord Barrington said. “What a pleasure to see you. And you, Lady Crestley. And these must be your lovely daughters.”
“My eldest, Lady Marina,” Eleanor’s father said, beckoning Marina forward.
“Oh, it’s a pleasure to meet you, dear,” Lord Barrington said. “We’re so pleased to be here to celebrate this happy occasion with you.”
“You look lovely,” Lady Barrington put in. “What a lucky gentleman Lord Hartford will be to have you on his arm.”
“That’s so kind of you to say,” Marina said. “I feel I’m the lucky one! But I suppose that’s how it ought to be in a good marriage, shouldn’t it? Both parties should feel lucky to be there.”
“Yes, I quite agree,” Lord Barrington said. “A very well-reasoned point. And I’m so happy for you that you both feel that way—it makes me believe this will be a good marriage.” He turned back to their father. “You raised her well, Lord Crestley.”
“I thank you,” Eleanor’s father said with a warm smile.
Now Eleanor did feel a bit jealous. It wasn’t something she was aware of having wanted until this moment, but she did wish that her father would smile like that about her once in a while.It seemed unlikely that anything she did would ever earn such complete approval.
But she pushed those unworthy feelings away. As she had reminded herself many times since this day had started, everything should be about Marina right now. Whatever feelings Eleanor was having could wait for another day. She didn’t need to indulge them right now.
And now Lord Barrington was looking at her. “And is this your other daughter, Lord Crestley?”
“This is my younger daughter, Lady Eleanor.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lady Eleanor.”
