Page 60 of A Hopeful Proposal

Her husband thanked him and said he would think on it.

Sarah swatted her cousin’s arm. “Any man should be delighted to live with three gorgeous women, Flames.”

“Not if two of them are sisters,” Ralph assured her and dodged her second swipe.

Aunt Venetia’s daughters and their husbands were next in the receiving line. They were pleasant enough.

“We are so relieved that you finally foundsomeoneto marry,” Cousin Eugenia said. She was married to the third son of an earl who had more hair than wit and only a respectable fortune.

Sarah was able to respond quite civilly, “Yes. I asked the handsomest and most intelligent man I have ever met to marry me, and it worked out perfectly. Did it not, dearest?”

Christopher’s eyes twinkled, but he responded gravely, “Aye, dove.”

Eugenia’s face was a picture of surprise. “You askedhim?”

Squeezing her husband’s hand tighter, Sarah said, “Indeed I did. It was the best decision I have ever made. Come, darling. Grandfather is beckoning us.”

Poor Grandfather was sitting in a chair with his gouty foot elevated. He looked like a spoiled despot king observing his court. He still wore the curly white wig that had been all the fashion a decade before. He claimed he didn’t care for fashions, but Sarah privately believed it was because her grandsire was quite bald on top. Before he could berate her, she leaned down and kissed his cheek. “I am so glad you have come, Grandfather.”

Her grandfather took out his quizzing glass and peered through it at Christopher, whose cheeks were a telltale red again. “Your husband has the build of a laborer.”

Sarah kissed her grandfather’s other cheek. “Yes, he is very muscular and strong, but my husband is also highly intelligent. Something the blood in our family definitely needed.”

Cousin Eugenia’s husband, the Honorable Mr. Felix Fotheringham, took that particular moment to use a tiny shovel to partake of his snuff. He snorted it out of his hand elegantly but coughed loudly and then sneezed onto his wife’s blue gown.

Christopher flushed an even darker red, and the old duke guffawed loudly.

Taking Sarah’s arm, her grandfather pulled her down to kiss her cheek. “Saucy minx! You are quite the cleverest of my grandchildren, and should you ever need anything, know that I will come. I should have done more for you these last seven years. And I would have if I weren’t confined to this blasted chair.”

Kneeling, Sarah held on to the side of his armchair. The old Duke of Aylsham could barely walk, but he was still a force to be reckoned with. “You have done everything, Grandpapa. You made sure I was provided for when my father gamed away my dowry, and I have always known you love me.”

Her grandfather lifted one eyebrow, a little habit Sarah had learned from him. “It appears you have done pretty well for yourself without any help from me. Rumor has it that you are one of the richest women in England.”

She glanced up at Christopher and had to agree with Grandfather, but not about the money. Christopher himself was worth a fortune. Giving her grandfather one last kiss on his brow, she led her husband to meet all her aunts and uncles, cousins and second cousins, and a few third cousins. He appeared a little daunted by the sheer number and size of her family, but he was kind and polite as always, even when she said she would quiz him on their names and titles afterward.

Uncle Oscar’s butler announced that it was time for dinner. Sarah and Christopher were placed in the middle of the long banquet table. Looking around, Sarah sighed in contentment. Her father was not there, but he’d never been present for her. But her grandfather had been, as well as Aunt Venetia and Uncle Oscar. In fact, the dining room was full of her family. Sarah had been wrong; she had never been alone. There were so many people who loved her, including the man who held both her heart and her hand. She followed his gaze to where his two sisters were laughing with her younger cousins.

Her heart and stomach were full after an exquisite twelve courses. Aunt Venetia announced that there would be dancing after dinner, and on cue, a quartet began to play a lively country jig. Sarah realized she had never danced with her husband before, and that was something she meant to remedy immediately. Tugging him along behind her, they joined the set. Sarah curtsied to him, and he bowed to her. She saw Margaret dancing with second cousin Phineas, and Deborah with Sarah’s first cousin once removed, Septimius. But once the dance started, Sarah had eyes for only her husband. She loved each touch of his hand and when they twirled together.

Christopher asked her for a second dance, and Sarah knew in her heart that she had never been happier in her entire life. She flew through the steps with both grace and joy. Then she danced the next with Ralph and then Uncle Oscar, who talked about his artificial lake throughout the entire set. Her next two dances were with her cousins, who were all agog to learn more about Christopher.

Was Moulton really worth a cool half a million pounds?

Had he truly dug canals with his own hands?

And was it true that she’d proposed marriage to him? They had heard such from Cousin Eugenia.

How might one purchase stock in his company?

Sarah danced until there were holes in her slippers, but her heart was finally whole.

Aunt Venetia beckoned her and Christopher to the table that held their enormous wedding cake.

“Now, take off your rings,” her aunt said.

Christopher slipped off his plain gold band, and Sarah took off both her wedding circlet and the beautiful diamond-and-sapphire ring that her husband had given her to wear with it.

Her aunt instructed the butler to cut two pieces of cake from the top tier. “Now, Sarah and Mr. Moulton, you must put the cake through your rings.”

Smiling at the absurdity of such a tradition, Sarah pinched a bit of sponge and dutifully pushed it through the hole of her rings. Christopher did likewise.

“Ralph, I shall need your help for the next bit,” Aunt Venetia said. “We must follow the local traditions and break cake over their heads, and Mr. Moulton is a great deal too tall for me to reach.”

Her cousin, with an enthusiasm that did not speak highly of his character, grabbed the largest piece of cake and lifted it over Christopher’s head. Her aunt took the smaller piece and held it above her niece’s. Sarah started to laugh, and her husband smiled when crumbs and frosting fell into their hair and onto their fine wedding garments. Christopher picked up a large piece from off his shoulder and put it into his mouth. Everyone laughed and cheered. Then he cupped Sarah’s frosting-covered cheek and covered her mouth with a kiss that tasted of sweet cake. Their embrace was met with the loudest cheers of all.

Stepping back, Sarah shook her hair and spread crumbs into the crowd. Christopher hugged both of his sisters and covered them with pink frosting before taking Sarah’s hand and walking through the crowd. Her aunts, uncles, and cousins threw flower petals at them, and Sarah had never felt like such a glorious mess! The party followed them to their open landau that had old pans tied to the back (courtesy of Cousin Ralph) and a great deal of ribbons (Margaret and Deborah). Christopher helped her inside, and together they waved until they could no longer see the wedding party guests.

Sarah picked a rose petal out of his hair and kissed his nose before placing her lips on his. This time her husband didn’t tasteof cake but of Christopher. The most wonderful flavor in all the world.