by Tamara Gill
Edward grinned. “Of course I can. I would wait forever for you.”
Chapter Nineteen
A few minutes later, the open carriage stopped in front of Sarah’s door, and before she knew it, Edward was handing her out. He tucked her hand under his arm and laid his free hand over hers for a moment, then led her up the steps and into her father’s house.
“Has my mother returned to the drawing room, Baxter?” Sarah inquired as she removed her bonnet, gloves, and spencer and handed them to the butler.
“She has, miss. I believe she is awaiting your return.” Baxter accepted Edward’s hat and gloves with a bow and stepped out of the couple’s way.
Beaming up at Edward, Sarah bounced on her toes once. “Shall we go in?”
Edward grinned at Sarah’s excitement. “By all means,” he said, extending his elbow to her again.
Her joy still clear in her face, Sarah tucked her hand in the crook of Edward’s elbow and allowed him to escort her to her mother.
Mrs Payne stood when her daughter and the duke entered the room. “There you are,” she cried. “I knew you could not be much longer. Come sit and tell me how it was. The sunshine is so beautiful today.”
“It is a gorgeous day, indeed,” Sarah agreed as she approached the sofa. “We had a wonderful ride.”
Mrs Payne’s sharp eyes saw the gentle manner Edward displayed toward Sarah and the tenderness in his smile, and she grew excited. She looked at the clock on the mantel. There was still a half-hour before her husband would arrive home from his warehouse, and she was certain the duke would be asking for an audience. Thinking quickly, she invited Edward to dine with them.
“I would love to, thank you,” Edward graciously replied. “Your husband will not mind?”
“Not at all,” Mrs Payne exclaimed. “It is not uncommon for one or both of us to invite people to enjoy a meal with us. We are always happy to have company, are we not Sarah?”
Sarah’s smile had not dimmed since she had entered the room, and her gaze was most often centered on Edward, but she replied immediately. “We do. I have met many of Papa’s business associates and the ladies from Mama’s favourite charities over the dinner table.”
Edward’s eyes had hardly left Sarah’s, once he had seated himself. Now, he replied, “What an excellent way to meet new people. I am happy to accept your invitation, and pleased I will not be a burden on you or your staff.” He did not notice Mrs Payne’s wide smile or that she moved to the corner to ring the bell. Nor did he see when she gave quiet instructions to the butler.
When Mrs Payne returned to her seat, she picked up her sewing and resumed her project, which was embroidering a row of flowers for a chair cushion. It was clear to her that Sarah and Edward were paying her not a bit of attention, and if her suppositions were correct, they would frequently be demonstrating such incivility toward those around them for quite some time. With a grin, she kept her focus on her hoop and waited for one of them to notice her.
Finally, the quiet penetrated Sarah’s consciousness and she jumped, turning to see her mother apparently engrossed in her sewing. Only the twitching of her lips gave away the fact that she did not have her whole attention on the stitching. “Did you inform Cook that we have a guest, Mama?”
“I did, yes.” Mrs Payne said, allowing a smile to overtake her features. “Several minutes ago. I fear you did not notice me making the changes.” She lifted her chin and fought a giggle. “You were otherwise engaged for a few minutes there.”
Sarah blushed but chuckled and smirked. She glanced at Edward, who had turned his eyes down to stare at the pattern on the covering of the sofa, the tips of his ears red. “I apologize for ignoring you, Mama.”
“I, as well, Mrs Payne.” Edward lifted his blushing face to address his future mother-in-law. “It was very badly done of us.”
Mrs Payne let go of her needle and waved a hand as though to brush his words away. “It is well. I have my embroidery and my own thoughts to amuse me.” She sniffed and then winked at Sarah, who giggled.
“You are teasing us,” Sarah cried with a laugh. “For shame, Mama!”
The three of them broke out in laughter at that point, and it was several minutes before they regained their composure. The door opened just as they were quieting.
“What is going on in here?” Mr Payne boomed. “I leave a sedate and genteel home and come back to a house full of joviality.” He grinned as his wife and daughter sprang up out of their seats, followed by Edward.
“Mama was teasing me and the duke, Papa.”
“She made it so easy to do, as she always does.” Mrs Payne gazed fondly at her only child. She turned her loving look toward her husband when he lifted her hand and bowed over it, bestowing a gentle kiss on the back just above her knuckles.
“She does at that,” Mr Payne agreed, repeating his bow, this time to Sarah. Then, he turned his attention to Edward. “Welcome to our home, Your Grace.” He bowed once more. “I confess I am surprised to see you here today.”
Edward returned Payne’s greeting before he explained himself. “I had urgent business to attend to with your daughter.”
Mr Payne’s brows rose. “With Sarah?”
“Yes, sir, and now, I find that I require a moment of your time, if you have some to spare.” Edward looked Sarah’s father in the eye, standing tall and strong and confident.
Mr Payne’s eyes moved from Edward to Sarah and back, and then, with a quick glance at his wife, replied, “Certainly. Come with me now. I believe we have time before the dinner bell rings, do we not, Mrs Payne?”
Mrs Payne assured him it was so. “Indeed, you do, Husband. If the meal is ready before you have completed your business, I will ask Cook to hold it a few minutes.”
“Excellent. Come, then, Your Grace, my study is this way.” Mr Payne led the way out of the drawing room.
The gentlemen had no more than left the room when Mrs Payne dropped any pretense of holding in her excitement. “Sarah, child,” she began, moving toward her daughter and reaching out her hands for Sarah to grasp. “I have waited long enough. Tell me now; the excitement on your face when you returned from the park, the way you have stared at the duke this past half-hour and had that stare returned! What is happening?”
A broad grin once more lit up Sarah’s face. “Oh, Mama, it is the very best news!” She took a deep breath and the words tumbled out. “The duke has asked me to marry him!”
“He has?” Mrs Payne’s smile grew larger at Sarah’s words. “That is wonderful news. I am so happy for you.” She hugged her daughter tightly, then urged her to sit on the sofa, settling herself beside her. Holding Sarah’s hands tightly, Mrs Payne asked one more question. “So you love him? When we left the party, you gave no indication that you had formed an attachment with anyone.”
“I do love him, Mama. He and I shared so many talks and experiences at the party. We spent so much time together that it was as if we had known each other forever.” Sarah looked down as she continued to explain. “When the announcement was made at the end of the party, I was crushed. I was certain he loved me as much as I loved him. I was heartbroken that I was mistaken.”
“You never let on,” her mother exclaimed. “My poor girl!” She leaned forward to kiss Sarah’s forehead. “I wondered at the time why you did not beg for more time before your father chose a mate for you.”
Sarah’s smile had faded as they spoke, and now she allowed her lips to lift slightly. “There was no point in it, not when my heart was broken and I would never be happy.”
“And then, today, the duke came for you.”
The grin was back, brightening Sarah’s countenance. “He did. He explained the whole thing to me while we were in the park. His mother tried to force him to marry Lady Anna. He had told me before he did not want her, but when the announcement came and he appeared so pleased, I thought he had lied to me.”
“You believe him now?” Mrs Payne needed to be sure Sarah truly loved the duke and
would be happy with him.
“I do,” Sarah was firm. “He never proposed to Lady Anna. That was a falsehood his mother created and Lady Anna went along with it. It is me Edward loves.”
Mrs Payne inhaled and smiled, the joy on Sarah’s face filling her heart with pleasure. “I am so happy for you. I can see that he loves you, and that you love him. All my dreams for you are coming true.”
Sarah and her mother talked a few more minutes, passing time until her father and Edward returned.
Chapter Twenty
Mr Payne returned to the drawing room with a look of pride on his face. Edward followed, his eyes immediately seeking out Sarah’s. The ladies had risen to their feet upon the gentlemen’s entrance, and now, Edward held out his hand to his beloved, giving it a squeeze before letting it go. He took his place beside Sarah, turning to face the others in the room.
Mr Payne cleared his throat and took his wife’s hand. “I have excellent news.” He kissed Mrs Payne’s fingers and lowered the hand once more, retaining his grasp on it. “I have just now given the Duke of Amblingshire permission to marry our Sarah.”
“Thank you, Papa,” Sarah breathed. Though she had been certain of her father’s response, she had still been nervous. Now, she felt her body relax. She looked at Edward, her eyes once again filled with tears of joy.
“What excellent news,” Mrs Payne’s reaction was similar to her daughter’s, and she reached into her reticule for a cloth with which to wipe her eyes. The bell rang for dinner just then, and the four of them proceeded to the dining room, eager to celebrate Sarah’s good fortune.
“I might have two desserts tonight in light of this happy news,” Mr Payne chuckled as they walked into the dining room.
“Now dear, let us please use some restraint. You look for any excuse to have more than one dessert.” Mrs Payne laughed as she shook her head in mock dismay.
“I feel the need to agree with my future father-in-law,” Edward added. “Any excuse for an extra sweet is always a good idea. And I have to say that any way to celebrate my current happiness is high on my list of things to do.”
Sarah tucked her hand into the crook of Edward’s arms as they walked together. “I am not interested in feeling left out. I am most happy to partake in extra dessert. Mama? Join us?”
Mrs Payne simply shook her head with a giggle. “Of course. How can I resist?”
Edward could not help but feel overwhelmed with happiness. The woman he wanted to spend his life with had agreed to do just that. And the family he was going to become a part of was a joy to be with. He felt as if his life had just taken the most perfect turn.
***
A week later, Sarah broached the subject of the dowager with Edward as they strolled the paths in the park, having decided to walk instead of ride.
“How is your mother? You have not said much about her.”
Edward sighed and tilted his head as he thought how best to describe his mother’s condition. “Mother is… well, I would say at this point she is resigned.”
“She still does not approve of me?” Sarah bit her lip.
“It is not that she does not approve of you. She thinks you are a very nice young lady. It is only that she is finding it difficult to give up her haughty wishes.” Edward laid his free hand over the one that rested on his arm, entwining his fingers with Sarah’s. “She will come around, I promise you.”
“Will it help if my mother and I visit her? I would far rather have her aligned with me as I go into our marriage than against me. I am entering a whole new world. There may be things she will be able to teach me that I have not yet learned. I should like to have her support.”
Edward nodded. “I had intended to have your family to dine soon anyway. Perhaps it would be best if you and your mother were to meet the dowager beforehand.”
Sarah looked up at Edward, tilting her head to the side. “Do you know what days of the week she is at home? We can send our cards around, and if she is available, we can attend her.”
Edward squinted as a ray of sunshine pierced the cloudy sky. He looked down at Sarah with a soft smile. “I think we can do better than that. I hereby invite you and your parents for tea this afternoon. I happen to know Mother has nothing on her calendar for today. I will send a note around when we get back to your house, if you have some writing supplies available.”
Sarah smiled. “I will check with Mama, but I am almost certain we have nothing planned, either. And,” she teased with a wink, “I will see if I can pry the paper and ink from my father’s desk drawer for you to use.”
Edward chuckled. “Thank you, my minx.”
Sarah’s smile grew wider. “Anything for you, Your Grace.”
As promised, Sarah asked her mother if they had plans for the afternoon, and, discovering that she had none but that Mr Payne would not be home until later than his usual hour, told her about the invitation to tea. When her mother tilted her head at the last minute planes, she also shared her hopes that the dowager would come to accept and welcome Sarah into her family. Edward seconded everything Sarah said, noting that his mother needed to give up her wishes once and for all, and that sooner was better than later. So, with Mrs Payne’s agreement to have tea at Edward’s house, Sarah led her betrothed to her father’s study and showed him where the paper and ink were.
Edward insisted Sarah sit with him, pulling a chair next to the one he was using behind the desk. He wrote out the brief note, and sealed it with Sarah’s father’s wax and his own signet ring. Then he set it aside and turned to look at the lady by his side. “Have I told you today how beautiful you are?”
Sarah blushed but her lips lifted in a small smile. “I do not believe you have. You are slacking in your duties, Your Grace.” She batted her lashes at him.
“Well, then,” Edward said, “let me remedy that immediately.” He stood, pulling Sarah up out of her chair, and wrapping his arms around her. “You are the most beautiful creature I have ever beheld, Sarah Payne, and I can hardly wait to make you my wife.” When he had finished speaking, he lowered his head and pressed his lips to hers for a kiss.
Two hours later, Edward escorted Sarah and Mrs Payne into his palatial home on Grosvenor Square. As he led the ladies to the formal drawing room, Sarah’s hand tucked into the crook of his elbow, he said a silent prayer that his mother would come around quickly, and stop clinging to hopes that would never be fulfilled.
Escorting Sarah into the room, with her mother following behind, Edward saw the dowager rise from her chair. He stopped in front of her, bowing in greeting. “Good afternoon, Mother. I trust you have had an enjoyable day.”
The dowager lifted her lips in a slight smile. “Good afternoon. My day has been pleasant so far.” She held herself stiffly, her face an indifferent mask. She turned to their guests. “Miss Payne, Mrs Payne, welcome.”
Sarah and her mother curtseyed and returned the dowager’s greetings. Sarah did her best to school her expression, but her stomach was full of butterflies and her heart raced. She could not remember ever feeling so nervous before. She swallowed her feelings down as best she could before she replied. “Thank you, Your Grace. It is an honour to be invited.” She swallowed again as she listened to her mother’s similar greeting. When she felt Edward squeeze her hand where it rested on his arm, she looked up, into his warm gaze, and immediately relaxed. She returned his soft smile with one of her own.
“Please,” Edward’s mother invited, “be seated.” When her son and his guests had made themselves comfortable, she turned to Sarah with what appeared to be a sincere smile. Sarah was taken by surprise, but was happy at the unexpected turn. The woman had her pride to protect, Sarah reminded herself as she tried to understand the woman who would be her mother-in-law. “Congratulations on your engagement, Miss Payne. I can see that you make my son very happy.” Her voice was smooth, though there was a hint of emotion there.
Sarah glanced over at Edward, who sat beside her on the couch, and smiled. Turning back to
the dowager, she said, “Thank you. He makes me just as happy. He is a wonderful gentleman, very kind and caring.”
The dowager smiled at her son. “He is my pride and joy, and I am happy to hear that others agree with me.” She chuckled at Edward’s blush but did not tease him any further. Turning back to Sarah, she confessed, “I owe you an apology, Miss Payne. I wished for Edward to marry someone else, and attempted to force his hand. I disparaged you in the process, disdaining you for your father’s background and occupation. I should not have done that, and I am sorry. I ask your forgiveness.”
Sarah’s eyes had grown wide as Edward’s mother spoke. An apology was unexpected but welcomed nonetheless. “Thank you, Your Grace. I hope that when you see how happy your son and I are together, your fears and worries for him will be eased.”
The dowager inclined her head, acknowledging Sarah’s words. “It has been brought to my attention that the announcement you heard the last night of the party caused you great pain.” She drew in a deep breath. “That was also my fault, or at least, I was behind it. If I had not convinced Lady Anna to tell her father she had accepted Edward’s marriage proposal, the announcement would not have been made, and you and he would not have been dealt such a blow. Again, I apologize.”
Sarah could see the effort it took Edward’s mother to make a second confession. Her compassionate heart, which had already been inclined toward liking the dowager, urged her to ease the lady’s discomfort. “Truly, ma’am, it is in the past, all of it.” On impulse, Sarah laid her hand on the other lady’s arm. “Everything turned out as it should. I did have pain, more than I have ever felt before, but then Amblingshire came for me and made it right. I am very happy, and I do not like to see you feeling so low for what must have been a natural inclination to see your child well-settled.”
Tears tried once again to well up in the dowager’s eyes. “Thank you,” she whispered. “You are very kind. I begin to see why my son fell in love with you. I do not know anyone else in my acquaintance who would so quickly forgive such an offense.”
