“Of course, of course. Then how can I help?”
“You may take the dress out of the armoire and see that it is not creased.”
“Ah, yes… let me see now.” She went to the armoire and brought out the lovely white dress, with a field of white seed pearls sewn down the skirt and along the train. “Oh, what a beautiful dress. You are going to be a princess.”
Maria’s maid was fastening white jasmine in her hair and she was about ready to have the dress slipped over her head.
* * *
Anna was in her own room, which would not be hers for much longer as she would, from tonight on, be residing at Creassey with her beloved Harry. She sat at her dressing table and took a deep breath. What a journey it had been this past year. From two sisters and a father living a quiet and uneventful life to all of this!
But as happy as she was, she could not help but shed a few tears for her departing life. How she longed to have her father walking her and Dorothy down the aisle. Instead it had been decided to have Theodore Stewart do the honors. Not an unsuitable man, but not a substitute for their beloved father.
Anna was alone, with only her personal maid to assist her. It was so quiet. She would have loved to have Maria with her right now and Maria probably wanted her by her side today, too.
She could hear the many guests assembling in the great hall where the ceremonies were to be held. It was an exciting day, and she thought again of her beloved Harry. How suddenly they had come together. After years of being friends, they had become lovers. She would be leaving the home she had known all her life and would be living in another, not unfamiliar house.
She was ready. Anna stood up from her dressing table, resplendent in her bone-white satin gown with an overlay of the most delicate sheer creamy silk. She was wearing a tiered emerald and diamond necklace that had been her grandmother’s. Anna had wanted Dorothy to wear it, but Dorothy absolutely insisted the eldest sister should be the one to wear it.
There was a knock at her door and Warrick entered. “Miss Anna, it is time.”
Anna turned to him. “Warrick, I will be leaving after the wedding and I want you to promise me you will take good care of Mr. and Mrs. Garvey.”
“Of course, Lady Creassey.”
“Oh, Warrick, you are jumping the gun. I am not her Ladyship just yet.”
“But you will be shortly. I am just practicing calling you by your new title, ma’am. And yes, I shall make certain both Mr. and Mrs. Garvey are well pleased with our service. It is not as though either of them are strangers.”
“Thank you.” She picked up her bridal bouquet and was ready to step forward into her new life.
* * *
It was very noisy with so many guests talking while waiting for the ceremony to start. As Anna entered the great hall she saw the three grooms waiting at the altar, looking anxiously toward the back of the hall where the three brides had gathered.
Obviously, Harry was not available to walk Maria down the aisle, so Mr. Stewart had been assigned to usher all three brides to their grooms.
A full orchestra was situated to the side of the hall and when Mr. Stewart gave the signal, they began to play a triumphal march from one of Handel’s operas. The guests stood—many gasping at seeing three such lovely ladies.
Anna preceded Dorothy and Maria who had their arms linked with Theodore, beaming red-face and grinning at escorting three such beautiful brides.
The three grooms were also grinning as their brides approached.
The music ended, and each bride stood by her groom. The vicar, who had officiated at the Viscount’s funeral, was now happily marrying these three couples.
The vicar went through the marriage ceremony with each couple separately and, when it was over, he bid the grooms kiss the brides. The guests rose up in a spontaneous shout of congratulations and clapping.
The newly married couples could barely move back down the aisle, as well-wishers pushed forward to reach out and touch the magic couples as they passed by.
Dancing was ready to begin in a neighboring hall, while food and champagne were being served outside on the lawn—the weather being so mild—where pavilions had been set up with tables for dining.
Anna, Maria, and Dorothy gathered together at the back of the hall.
“Let me see yours,” Dorothy commanded her sister as she held out her hand with its new wedding band.
“They all look the same,” Anna said, also holding out her hand.
“Yes, but they are new to us.”
