“Let me think who you might enjoy meeting. I shall find you a most delightful companion while I am gone. Would youlikethat?”
“Very well,” Lydia said with little enthusiasm. She would much prefer going back with Ellen to Honeyfield, and her little cottage, but it would be even worse to be there during Edwin’s wedding celebrations than to stay inLondon.
Ellen was looking around at the surroundings outside the carriage. She shaded her eyes when something caught herattention.
“Hmm, I think I may have found the perfect companion for you,” she said andpointed.
Lydia looked to where Ellen was pointing and saw a man on a horse galloping toward them. He was not on the carriage path but was recklessly charging through the park itself where horsemen are notallowed.
The sun was bright in her eyes, yet, as the rider approached, she was suddenly shot through with a bolt of recognition. The rider was none other thanEdwin.
He galloped up to the carriage, jumped off the horse, and climbedaboard.
Lydia was completely frozen in disbelief. She finally stammered out, “What… what are youdoinghere?”
He knelt before her in the carriage, took her hands and said, “Lydia, my Lydia, I have comeforyou.”
“What do you mean? Is mymotherill?”
Edwin looking wildly disheveled, replied, “No, my darling, it is not your mother. It is I? It is I who is overwhelmed with pain andsuffering.”
Lydia shook her head. She could not grasp what was going on. “Then it is you… you are ill?” shestammered.
“I am ill for loveofyou.”
Lydia just staredathim.
“You are getting married to Caroline Beaufort… in what, a few days? I don’t understand what you aresaying.”
Ellen scooted over to the other side of the carriage to make way for Edwin. He got off his knees and sat next to Lydia, still holding herhands.
“I have broken off the engagement. I want only tomarryyou.”
Lydia pulled herself together and would not allow herself to accept what he wassaying.
“But you need the marriage. You need the settlement. How will you accomplish your dream for the arboretum if you do not marryCaroline?”
“I do not know. I donotcare.”
“And your mother, what does she sayaboutthis?”
Edwin laughed. “I thought she was going to have a stroke when I told her. But she is far too strong and mean to let my disobedience faze her in anyseriousway.”
Then both Lydia and Ellen laughed. Lydia turned to Ellen. “Did you knowaboutthis?”
“I did. But he swore me to secrecy. He wanted it to be a surprise. And I guessitwas.”
“Edwin…” Lydia said softly. “Edwin, you wantmeto beyourwife?”
“I do. Lydia Fernside, I absolutely and totally love you. Will you accept my plea and bemywife?”
“Oh, Edwin, of course, I will marry you, you silly goose. How could you even think Iwouldnot?”
* * *
The three ofthem were lunching at Wiltons as planned. They were into their second bottle of champagne and the oysters had transitioned to a fine beeftenderloin.
Lydia was hungry for every detail. “And how did you know about this,Ellen?”
