The Duchess (14 page)

“You will ask Aunt Olympia before we leave London?” she queried him.

“I will think on it, Allegra,” and bending, he gave her a kiss upon her forehead. Then he left the room.

His daughter's words had made a strong impression upon Septimius Morgan. While he was delighted with his daughter's engagement, and her bright future, the thought of spending the rest of his life alone had been a bleak one. Was Allegra right? Would Olympia accept an offer of marriage from him? Entering his library he found the object of his thoughts sitting by the fire. She looked up and smiled.

“I hope you do not mind my being here, Septimius. Sirena and her beloved are billing and cooing in the salon. I very much felt like a fifth wheel, I fear.”

“Shall I pour you a sherry?” he asked her, and when she nodded he filled two glasses upon the tray and brought her one. Then he sat in the tapestried backed chair opposite her. “We shall both soon be alone,
Olympia,” he remarked tentatively. “Morgan Court is such a large place for just one man, and the dower house at Rowley is much too small.”

“Yes, it is,” she replied.

“I should not like to spoil our friendship, Olympia, but perhaps we might take a suggestion that Allegra assures me both she and Sirena approve. Perhaps we should marry.”

“To whom?” Lady Abbott asked him, but her heart was fluttering.

“To each other, my dearest Olympia,” he said, laughing. Then he slipped from his chair, and knelt beside her. “Will you marry me, Olympia? Will you make me the happiest of men so we may spend our twilight years together? I realize that becoming Lady Morgan is a bit of a step-down from Dowager Marchioness of Rowley, but I hope you will consider it.” He looked hopefully up at her.

Her hand had gone to her mouth to stifle her cry at his proposal. Her plump and pretty features were rosy with both her surprise, and her pleasure. Finally, her hand dropped away, and she said, “I could only marry a man who loved me, Septimius.”

He stood, and taking her hands in his drew her up so they were facing each other. “But I do love you, Olympia. I believe I always have, though I dared not voice such sentiments while you were yet married to another. You are everything that your sister was not. Kind and wise and gentle. If you do not want to remarry, I will understand. I only beg you not to allow it to spoil our friendship.”

Olympia Abbott stood on her toes, and kissed Lord Morgan's lips softly. “Of course I will marry you, Septimius,” she said. “I never had any intention of allowing some other woman to snap you up now that Allegra is going to be leaving you.”

“We will wed before Allegra's marriage,” he said firmly.

“When?”
she asked him, rather delighted at his eagerness.

“The day after Sirena and young Pickford are wed,” he said with a chuckle. “That way both our girls will be able to attend us. Then Sirena and Ocky will depart on their wedding trip. You will come home with Allegra and me. We'll go to Rowley to get your possessions after Allegra is settled at Hunter's Lair. Then, you and I shall have the entire summer to ourselves. Next winter I shall take you to Italy.” He gave her a hearty kiss. “Italy is very romantic, Olympia.”

Lady Abbott actually blushed. “Ohh, Septimius,” she said softly. “I should very much like to see Italy.”

“We'll spend the winter in a villa outside of Naples,” he promised her, “and then in the spring we shall go to Rome and to Venice.”

“I have never been outside of England,” she told him, and then her face darkened. “But, Septimius, what if we should meet my sister and her husband? Perhaps we should not go to Italy.”

“Mayhap, my dear, we should seek out Pandora and her count,” Lord Morgan said.

“Ohh, no!” she cried. “Pandora behaved dreadfully running away and leaving you to deal with the scandal; but I know my sister. It doesn't matter how many years have passed, or that she is happily remarried. She would be furious to learn you took another wife, and that your second wife was her sister!”

“She will know eventually,” he said. “Besides, I do not care what Pandora thinks if you do not care, my dearest. I want you to have a wedding trip. France is certainly no place for decent people to go today.”

“Well,” Lady Abbott considered, “I should like to see Italy.”

“Then it is settled,” he responded, and gave her another kiss.

They were unable to keep their secret from their daughters, however. One look at Lady Abbott the next morning set the two young women shrieking with glee. They danced about the older woman until she finally ordered them to behave.

“He has asked you, hasn't he?” Allegra said. “Ohh, I am so glad! Sirena and I have wanted it forever!”

“Now we are truly sisters!” Sirena said laughing, and hugging her mother.

“When is the wedding?” Allegra demanded.

“I want to be there,” Sirena remarked.

“It must remain a secret from everyone else,” Lady Abbott pleaded. “I want you to have your day, Sirena.”

“Ohh, Mama, I shall have it no matter,” the young girl said. “Now, when is the wedding? Oh, do tell us, Mama!”

“We shall wed quietly the day after your wedding, Sirena,” her mother responded.
“And I mean it.
No one else is to know until the day you and Ocky marry. Especially your brother and his wife. Charlotte will, of course, be delighted to be rid of both of us, but I don't want her going about London gossiping. Do you both understand me, girls?
This is a secret.”

“Yes, Mama. But may I tell Ocky?” Sirena asked.

“Yes, Aunt,” Allegra said.

“You may tell your husbands-to-be,” Lady Abbott said, “but you must caution them to silence.”

“We will!” the two girls chorused.

Sirena's wedding day drew near. She and Viscount Pickford were to marry at St. George's in Hanover Square, the most fashionable church in London. It would not be a large wedding for Sirena did not want a
large wedding. Mostly it would be family and several family servants. They would be married at ten o'clock in the morning, for fashionable marriages were celebrated between the hours of eight o'clock in the morning and twelve noon. A wedding breakfast with a bride's cake would be served at Lord Morgan's home after the ceremony. Then Sirena and Ocky would spend the night at Pickford House, several squares over from Berkley Square; the viscount's seasonal guests having removed themselves from the residence earlier.

The Earl of Pickford arrived in London several days before the wedding to meet his prospective daughter-in-law. He was a slender gentleman with a headful of snow-white hair, and bright blue eyes that his eldest son had inherited. He was immediately taken by the sweet and gentle Lady Sirena Abbott. He had known her breeding, of course, for his son had asked his permission of his father before tendering a proposal. But far too often these overbred girls made bad wives. This girl, he quickly saw, loved his son. Not only that, she had character and manners. He was now twice as pleased as he had been earlier.

“After your wedding trip, you'll come home to Pickford?” the earl asked Ocky. “Sirena will want to see what you will inherit one day. She must grow familiar with her new home. You will be a most welcome addition to the family, my dear,” he told her.

“Oh, thank you, my lord,” Sirena answered him. Then she shyly kissed his cheek.

The season was winding down. Most of the young women who had not found husbands, or who were planning summer weddings, had left London with their families. Sirena's wedding day was upon them. Allegra's childhood friend, Rupert Tanner, had withdrawn several
days earlier to return home. The duke had been invited to stay at Lord Morgan's house until he departed London in a few days' time.

They awoke to a perfect June morning. The sky was a vivid blue with not a cloud in it. The sun shone brightly. In Lord Morgan's garden the Damascus roses bloomed in profusion, and perfumed the air. The servants hurried upstairs with trays for the bedchambers, for the dining room was being prepared for the wedding breakfast after the ten o'clock ceremony.

Sirena could scarce contain her excitement. She was a very beautiful bride in an elegantly simple gown of ivory striped silk with a scooped neckline and little puffed sleeves. The gown was tied beneath the waist with a silver ribbon, and there were tiny silver bows on each sleeve as well as at the tips of her shoes. A delicate lace shawl was draped about her shoulders. Her golden blond hair was affixed into a chignon at the nape of her neck, two ringlets falling to her right. Upon her head was another swath of lace that fell to the floor and was affixed with a small wreath of white roses.

“You are the perfect bride,” Allegra told her cousin. “I have never seen you look so gorgeous, Sirena.”

Lady Abbott began to sniffle softly. “She is right. I cannot believe that my baby is getting married. If only your papa were here to see it, my darling. He would be so proud at how well you have done.” Then she turned to her niece. “You are lovely, too, Allegra.”

“Thank you, Aunt. Now tell us before we go down to meet the others. When are you going to reveal
your
little secret?” Allegra said.

“Your papa and I shall make our announcement as the wedding breakfast comes to a close,” Lady Abbott answered.

“From that moment on I shall refer to you as
Aunt Mama,”
Allegra said with a smile.

“You are truly content that I will marry your papa, my dear?” Lady Abbott said. She could still not believe her good fortune.

“Aunt, you have been the mother I never remember having,” Allegra said generously. “I welcome you with all my heart!” Then she kissed Lady Abbott on both cheeks, giving her a warm hug as she did so.

There was a knock upon the door, and Lord Morgan popped his head in saying, “My dears, it is time we left for the church. You surely do not want to frighten your bridegroom, Sirena, by being late.”

St. George's on Hanover Square wasn't a great distance from Lord Morgan's house on Berkley Square. They rode in an open carriage, meeting Sirena's elder brother at the church. The Marquis of Rowley would give his sister away. His wife was already seated in the first pew as Lord Morgan escorted Lady Abbott into the building. The older woman glared at the younger until she gave way, moving down the pew to allow the bride's mother and Lord Morgan to be seated.

On the other side of the aisle were the groom's father, the widowed Earl of Pickford, with his sister, Lady Carstairs, and her husband. Behind them sat the two younger Carstairs, Ocky's first cousins, the Earl of Aston, Lord Walworth, with their own betrothed wives. In the third pew on the groom's side sat his longtime valet, Wiggins. In the second pew on the bride's side sat Lord and Lady Bellingham with Charles Trent, and behind them the two serving women, Damaris and Honor.

St. George's was the most fashionable church in the city in which to be wed. It was not one of London's ancient churches, having been built between the years 1721 and 1724. Its beautiful and graceful portico with
its six soaring pillars was the first ever built for a London church. There were elegant cast iron dogs flanking the main door. The east window of the church contained sixteenth-century stained glass rescued from a church destroyed during the Civil War in England, almost one hundred and fifty years earlier. The altar painting had been fashioned by Sir James Thornhill, and was entitled
The Last Supper.

To the soft strains of a Bach melody Allegra walked up the church's main aisle, a nosegay of white roses and purple stock in her gloved hands. Behind her she could hear Sirena and her brother coming along. At the altar Viscount Pickford stood with the Duke of Sedgwick, who was to be his witness. The rector of the church smiled perfunctorily as the young couple came before him. He had already performed fourteen weddings this month and had another twenty-five to celebrate before June was out. It was his busiest time in a successful season.

“Dearly beloved,” he began.

Allegra looked about her discreetly. It was a beautiful church, but she regretted that she could not be wed in her own church come October. She listened intently to the service.
With my body I thee worship.
A delicate blush suffused her features as she remembered Quinton's kisses the night of her ball. They had not kissed since. How did a man worship you with his body, she wondered? Then she was drawn back from her thoughts as Sirena pushed her own bouquet of white roses, green ivy, and silver ribbons at Allegra to hold while she knelt at the altar rail.

Allegra put her own thoughts aside, and concentrated on the wedding ceremony. When the church's rector pronounced her cousin and Viscount Pickford man and wife she blushed again as the bride and groom kissed
most enthusiastically before their guests. Her eyes met those of Quinton Hunter. His demeanor was serious, and to her relief not teasing. Would he kiss her as warmly once they were wed?

Sirena and Ocky hurried from the church. They were both laughing happily, and had eyes only for each other. The duke tucked Allegra's hand into his arm, and escorted her down the steps. The bride and groom were already driving off. The twenty guests followed behind them back to Lord Morgan's house in their own coaches and carriages where the wedding breakfast was awaiting them.

Lord Morgan's French chef had prepared a delicious meal which the servants passed around the dining table. There were eggs, poached in heavy cream, and fine Madeira sherry. There were pink country ham, rashers of bacon, a platter of lamb chops, and one of poached salmon in a dill sauce with carved lemons decorating its silver server. There were freshly baked breads, and little rolls with sesamed tops. There were several cheeses: a wheel of Brie from France, another wheel of sharp English Cheddar, and a nutty flavored cheese imported from Switzerland, which Allegra particularly favored, that had holes in it. There was a bowl filled with fresh fruit: sectioned oranges from Spain, slices of pineapple and yellow banana. There was a crystal bowl of fresh strawberries, and next to it a dish of heavy, clotted cream. A delicate wine was served throughout the meal until the bride's cake with its spun sugar icing and decorations was brought forth. Then the champagne was brought out, and several toasts were drunk to Sirena and Ocky.