Chapter Twenty-Six
"I cannot get married without my father here," Constance said as they drank their tea, hardly able to believe this was really happening. "I don’t know what timeline you were thinking of—"
"Whatever suits you," he said with a smile. "I’d wait months if you wanted, or go and get a special licence tomorrow. I mean it, Constance – I would do anything for you."
She found it hard to believe that anyone would do anything for her, and yet there was so much sincerity in his voice that her heart ached.
"I don’t want to wait months," she said, with a shy smile. "Just time to write to my father, and for him to get here."
"Will your father be angry that I did not ask his permission before asking you?" Ezra asked.
"I should think he’ll just be pleased that I’m to wed. And I think, from what Charity said, he’s possibly been dealing with some drama surrounding her chances to marry, so he’ll be pleased to have one of us off his hands."
"Well then," Ezra said. "We’ll have the banns read, and then marry as soon as he arrives – if that suits you. Or if you wanted a big society wedding, we could plan that too. I admit it’s not much I know about – my mother organised it all last time, you see.
But I rather feel you will not want her controlling everything… "
"It’s not that, exactly," Constance said, putting down her teacup, for the liquid inside was cold after being held for so long.
"But I do not think I want a big wedding anyway.
The thought of all those people looking at me…
it does not appeal. I just want the people I love there – and the people you love too, of course. "
"Do you mind being married from Northumberland? I know it would be more traditional to marry from your home, and if you wish to, we can. I had thought we could host the wedding breakfast here, but if you would prefer…"
Constance shook her head. "You know I love Gracewood Castle. I can think of nowhere better to start our life together."
Ezra beamed. "Neither can I."
◆◆◆
After Constance had left – declining his offer of a carriage and saying she much preferred to ride home by horseback – Ezra sat in his library, put his feet up on the desk, and smiled to himself. He had done it. He had overcome his fear and asked her to marry him – and she had said yes.
He would no longer live alone, no longer have the years stretching ahead of him with no change in sight.
There would be other fears to come, of course.
If they were to have a real marriage, then the fear of childbirth would always loom over them.
But he was determined today to be happy, and not to let the past overshadow it.
The banns would be read in the local church, and as soon as her father arrived, they would wed. And this new phase of his life would begin.
He rang the bell to call for a member of his staff, and was pleased when Soames attended him in the study.
"I’d like to give you some advance warning, Soames, and for you to tell the staff too. I do not have an exact date, but as soon as Lady Constance’s father arrives, we are to be wed."
Soames broke into a smile. "My congratulations, my lord. I am very happy for you."
"Thank you, Soames. I am very happy myself. I understand it’s difficult without a date, but Lady Constance and I wish to host the wedding breakfast here. Will that be a problem?"
"No, I shouldn’t think so. I’ll speak to Mrs Porter and she can get prepared. I presume we will have a few days’ notice?"
"Oh yes, definitely."
"Well then, anything fresh can be made then, and the rest in advance, I am sure."
"Thank you, Soames. It won’t be a large event – just family and some local friends – so Mrs Porter needn’t be too concerned. I’m sure she’ll do us proud, as she always does."
◆◆◆
"Well?" Charity asked, before Constance was even able to dismount from her horse. "What did he want?"
Constance laughed at her sister’s eagerness.
"To show me the castle," she said, jumping down from her mount.
"He’s already shown you his castle," Charity said with a tut. "He must have wanted something else."
"Well…"
"Did he ask you?" Charity asked, clapping her hands excitedly. "Did he finally do it?"
Constance couldn’t help but smile in response.
"He did."
"I knew it! I knew it! Oh, congratulations!" she said, pulling her sister into a tight hug. Then she pulled away. "You did say yes, didn’t you?"
Constance laughed, her heart full of joy.
"Yes, I did say yes," she said, hardly daring to believe it was all real.
Charity grabbed her by the hand and dragged her into the house.
"Come, you must tell Grandmamma – she’ll be thrilled! She said all along that there was something between you. And then you must write to Father. When are you marrying? And where?"
"Give me a minute to catch my breath," Constance said, struggling to keep up with her sister. "And yes, I must write to Father without delay."
◆◆◆
They had only planned for a small ceremony, but there was nothing they could do to stop the residents of Gracewood turning out in their finest clothes for the wedding of the Earl of Gracewood and the daughter of the Earl of Basingstoke.
When Constance saw all those people waiting in the church, she almost fainted.
"Nerves are perfectly normal," her father said, presumably noticing her going pale and quiet.
Constance nodded, a queasiness in her stomach that she hoped would not ruin the day. Balls were hard enough, with all those people waiting for you to make a mistake, all those eyes, all those lips ready to gossip.
But at least at a ball, one wasn’t the only person being appraised.
This day, though – this day was about her and Ezra. All eyes would be on the two of them, and she knew she was something of a curiosity in the county: the woman who had drawn the Earl out of his bachelor existence and back into society.
"He’s a good man," her father said, squeezing her hand. "I think you’ve made a good choice."
"Marrying him isn’t the bit I’m nervous about," she admitted, as she waited for the music to begin – her cue to enter the church and seal her fate.
Her father frowned. "Well, if it’s about being a countess, you’ll be just fine.
You’re a little quieter and more reserved than many, I’ll grant you – but you’re the daughter of an earl; you know what to do.
And the county hasn’t had a countess for years, so I’m sure they’ll be grateful to have your interest."
Constance swallowed. She hadn’t been thinking about that – but now it was in her mind, and it only added to her worries.
"You think I can do this? I always thought Charity would be the one marrying some titled peer, not me."
"I know you can do it," he said with a smile, reaching up to touch her cheek, his thumb stroking it delicately for a moment – and Constance nearly cried.
"You can do anything you want, my darling girl.
Charity will go her own way, and you will go yours – and the Earl is in love with you. Anyone can see that."
Constance blushed. "I think he is," she agreed.
"He hasn’t told you so?" her father asked with a frown.
"He has," Constance said, glancing towards the door, which stood slightly ajar, through which she could hear that the chatter had died down. It would soon be time. "It’s just hard to believe, if I’m honest."
"Well, you should believe in it, and trust it, and build your life upon it. I am confident you will be very happy together – even if it is not quite what I expected when you came up here for the Season."
◆◆◆
Ezra stood ramrod straight at the front of the church, waiting for the music to start and for Constance to walk down the aisle.
He wanted this, and he did not care how many people had come out to witness it. The sooner they were married, the better, in his mind.
And yet it was hard not to recall the first time he had stood in this very church – marrying Laura. That had been a grand affair, planned by his mother, with what had seemed like the entire county in attendance: tenants, farmers, and every local lord, lady and gentleman who could get there.
This time, though the locals had turned out once the banns had been read, the guest list was otherwise small – limited to his mother, her father and sister, and the Coldinghams, the Dunlochs, and the Aylesburys, who were still staying with them at Blackthorne Castle.
So, a few titled folk – but all people he now counted as friends.
His mother seemed to have accepted his choice, even if it wouldn’t have been hers, and he thought she was happy that he was at least remarrying, when for so long it had seemed he never would.
Then the organist began to play, and the doors were opened – and there she was. She looked nervous, and yet when their eyes met, a smile passed across her face that made his heart nearly explode.
He loved this woman with every bone in his body, and he meant to do everything he could to make her happy.
He never wanted her to feel insecure or unsure of his love, because she was the only woman he had ever felt this way about – and he rather thought that this was what soulmates were.
That this was the sort of love you only got once in a lifetime.
He’d had friendship with Laura, a steady partnership – but this…this was true love.
And it had simply stumbled into his castle unannounced and unexpectedly, on an autumnal afternoon.
Life certainly could be funny.