“Oh, Alice…” Emily said, bringing her hand to her mouth as she suspected the box might contain her wedding gown. “Isit…?”
“It is,” Alice confirmed. “I thought at the last fitting that it might be ready soon. And Monsieur Delavan exceeded my expectations by having it ready in time to showGrandmamma.”
“Might I peek?” Emily asked reaching over and trying to lift the top of thebox.”
Alice playfully swatted at her hand and said, “Not yet. You already know what it looks like, and I want you to be as surprised as we all shall be when you try it on and we see how lovely youare.”
“Have you heard anything from Mark?” Aliceasked.
“Not a word since just before he left forHeidelberg.”
“NorI.”
Emily fell into a reverie as they left the outskirts of London and began traveling through the Essex countryside. The fullness of summer was upon the land and the trees fluttered gently in a light breeze. So, she found herself thinking about her new life to come and all the impending changes that would soon be uponher.
She would be traveling the country and later all over Europe. She would be married to the most delightful man she could ever have imagined. And she would be leaving her family, as would Ruth and someday Teresa, too, no doubt. She felt badly for her mother and father, but she knew they would always be welcome at Linfield Hall for extended visits if theychose.
When the carriage finally arrived, she and Alice were welcomed by the now familiarWesley.
“Good day, Mrs. Savoy, Miss Emily. The Duchess is expecting you in herquarters.”
“Thank you, Wesley, no need to show us up,” Alice said, as she carried the box with thegown.
“Very good,Ma’am.”
As they were heading across the entrance hall, the door to the library suddenly opened and Markappeared.
“Two of my most favorite of three ladies in the whole world,” he bellowed in an exaggeratedgreeting.
Emily rushed toward Mark and fell into hisarms.
“And I hope that third favorite lady is Grandmamma,” Alice said with asmile.”
“Noneother.”
“I did not know you would be back from Germany by now,” Emily said, overlydelighted.
“I wanted it to be a surprise. Grandmamma said she wanted to meet with the two of you for wedding planning and I insisted she not mention I wasback.”
“Oh, now all I want to do is stay here withyou.”
“We shall lunch together after your meeting. And if you are very, very good perhaps we can ride or walk or fish,” Markteased.
Emily withdrew and made a face of disgust. “Absolutely no fishing. It is cruel andrepulsive.”
“But you eat fish, do younot?”
“Well… yes, I do. But I do not need to see them beingcaught.”
“Then off you go and I shall see you later. I want to go over the results of my meeting with Herr Darmstadt with you after lunch. There are a number of items I should like to discuss with you about the contracts and thetour.”
Alice came over, gave her brother a kiss on the cheek, and pulled Emily away fromMark.
“Come, dear Sister, Grandmamma awaits and does not like to be keptwaiting.”
They ascended the stairway and headed to hersuite.
“Ah, there you are,” the Duchess greeted. “I saw the carriage arrive and wondered what was keepingyou.”
