“They went ahead early this morning,” Guy said. “Their babies were being fussy, and she saw no reason not to depart when they were all already up.”
Kendal had spoken to the Duchess of Wharton—the only duchess in her own right he knew of—and her husband Lord Quartus only for a few minutes yesterday because they were busy attending to the children. “I hope they feel better soon.”
“Once they have a full set of teeth, they’ll be fine.” Meg had strolled up to them. “Giffard was horrible when he was teething.” She glanced at her husband. “We’re ready when you are.”
“Lunch?”
“I’ve had baskets packed for today.”
“Very well.” Hawksworth gave her a quick kiss. “We’ll ride in front.”
He and Guy strode off to where the horses waited, and Kendal followed. Before they mounted, the other gentlemen joined them. He’d never been part of a large family group before. Or a large group of men. Thus far, he liked it a great deal.
They rode to the front of the carriages, and some outriders flanked the coaches while others rode behind the last carriage. Berwick and Melbrough traveled in the latter’s coach.
Stopping at their own estates turned out to be an excellent idea. They had sufficient bedchambers, room for the servants, a nursery for the children, and stabling. Five days of traveling didn’t feel that long at all.
They arrived at Whiteadder Hall on Saturday afternoon, and the group soon settled into the large house, which had been renovated and improved many times over the past four or five hundred years.
Once they’d washed the dirt from the road and eaten, Kendal took Thalia around the gardens. “The house had a moat and walls at one point. I saw the plans in the muniments room.”
“You would never know by looking at it now.” She turned to him, and he drew her into his arms. “I am glad my family gave us time together.” They’d had time to speak for hours in the evenings.
“It gave us time to know each other better. I love you even more now.”
“Yes.” She smiled up at him, and he could not resist kissing her.
If only he could take her to his bedchamber. But he’d agreed with her family that the rest would have to wait until they’d wed. “We can look at the chapel if you wish.”
Sliding her fingers down his arm she took his hand. “Let’s do that. Do you know the story behind it?”
“I think Berwick will have to be the one to tell it. He’ll do a much better job than I will.”
Kendal took her around to the other side of the hall to the small stone chapel where in two days they would be married. If all went well.
CHAPTER 6
THALIA WAS ENCHANTED. Unlike the squat chapel with plain glass her family had at Somerset, this one was tall, rising two levels above the ground floor. Stained glass windows lined the one side she could see, and a massive double wooden door was studded with hardware that shone like gold when the sun caught it. A covered walk built with arches and columns connected the chapel with the main house.
This is where she would be married. “I have never seen anything like it!”
“Come and see the inside.” Giles grinned at her.
Berwick and her sisters, aunt, and mother stood in the open door exclaiming over the chapel.
“May I see it too?” Thalia asked.
Her mother, who had been absent for much of the time, finally felt she could join them, turned and smiled. “I think you will be very happy with it.”
Thalia stepped inside. Instead of boxes, the chapel had pews covered with bright blue cushions. Statues of saints stood in some niches, stone crypts in others.
Berwick came up next to Thalia and she indicated the crypt. “Are many in your family buried here?”
“Only one or two.” He stepped to one of the stone boxes and touched something.
Suddenly the top and side of the crypt opened, revealing stairs. “How ingenious.”
“And helpful.” He closed the box again. “These stairs lead back to the cellars in the house. Naturally, that was more helpful when the place was fortified. Others go to rooms in the Hall, and one leads to a cottage in the woods beyond.” He smiled smugly. “My ancestors had a great deal of foresight, I’m happy to say.”
Giles slipped his arm around her.
He glanced to the nave. “I think my vicar would like to meet you.”
“Your Grace.” A short man with sandy hair walked up the aisle and bowed.
“Mr. Kennedy, I trust you received my letter?”
“I did, and I am very happy to be conducting a wedding. It’s been too long since we have had one.”
Berwick performed the introductions, then the vicar took out a notebook. “I shall need your full names for the banns.”
Thalia glanced at her family, all of whom had frowns like hers. “Banns? But we wish to be married on Monday.”
Mr. Kennedy smiled gently. “In Scotland, the banns can be called three times on the Sunday before the ceremony.”
“Oh.” That was interesting. “I am Thalia Elizabeth Joan Trevor.”
“Giles Horatio William, Duke of Kendal.”
“Excellent.” Mr. Kennedy inclined his head. “Who will give the bride away?”
“The Marquis of Hawksworth,” Meg said.
“You will both need witnesses.” He glanced at the assembly. “I assume that will not be a difficulty.”
“Not at all,” her aunt said.
“Now, what time do you want the ceremony?”
Giles looked at her and shrugged. As far as she was concerned, the earlier the better. “Is nine o’clock too early?”
“Not at all.” The vicar smiled. “I shall have everything ready.” He turned to leave, but stopped. “You do know that, unlike in England, you must consummate your marriage for it to be legal in Scotland?”
“We do now,” Giles muttered.
Thalia took a breath and let it out. They would have to make love before her father could stop them. “Thank you for the information.”
“I should have told you,” Euphrosyne said, looking guilty.
Once the vicar had left them, they all looked at each other, and she wondered who would be the first to speak.
“Well,” Aunt said brightly. “It looks as if we will begin the wedding breakfast without the two of you. With your father here, there really is no other choice.”
Thalia did not even want to think about what Somerset would do if they had not consummated the marriage before he realized she had married the wrong man. But how were they going to do that? He might very well try to abduct her as he’d done to her sister.
Berwick pointed to a stone box near the nave. “Fortunately, the stairs in that one lead to a bedchamber.”
Giles drew her even closer. “How helpful.”
WHEN THEY GATHERED after dinner that evening, they received word that Somerset would arrive late on Sunday evening, and a chill ran down Thalia’s spine.
“He cannot do anything to stop us.” Giles rubbed her back. “I, we, will not allow it.”
“This must be very carefully planned.” Hawksworth’s brows lowered. “Berwick, you must keep him busy away from the chapel during the ceremony. He cannot know Kendal and Thalia are married until they are well away.”
Quartus swallowed his wine. “He tried to stop Anna’s and my wedding during the ceremony by objecting. Fortunately, the rector declared that as we were both of age, that was not a valid objection. We were in England, so once we’d signed the register, he couldn’t do anything about it.”
Markville dropped his head into his hand. “Why any man would not wish one of his younger sons to marry a duchess is beyond me.”
“There is no accounting for him.” Meg lifted one shoulder. “He tried to compromise both me and Hawksworth the night before our weddings by having a man appear in my bedchamber and a woman in Hawksworth’s.”
“Guy and I were able to get ahead of him to allow our marriage,” Laia said. “If he had not been convinced of a scandal, he would not have allowed it. As it was, he arrived demanding I return home with him.”