Deceived

hands. 'Those whom God hath joined together, let no man put asunder. Amen.' Then the Reverend Mr. Edwardes smiled at the couple. 'You may kiss the bride, your grace.'

Knowing her shyness, Valerian quickly and lightly brushed Calandra's lips with his own. She looked very surprised.

Oralia kissed her daughter and then the duke. 'I am so very happy for you both!' she said, her eyes filled with tears.

The newlyweds were then congratulated by their relations, Captain Conway, and the servants before they adjourned to the dining room for a wedding breakfast. While they ate, the trunks were being carried from the house, put into a cart, and taken down to the harbor to the ship. When the last toast was drunk, Captain Conway arose from his place.

'I do not wish to rush your grace, but the sooner I can weigh anchor today, the sooner we will reach England.'

'Of course,' the duke agreed, standing and drawing Cally up with him. 'You will want to change, my dear. Sally, take your mistress upstairs, and do not dawdle.'

'Yes, yer grace,' Sally said smartly. She and Martha had been invited to the table, being old and treasured retainers.

In a surprisingly short time the new Duchess of Farminster returned, dressed fashionably in a gaily flowered Pompadour taffeta travel dress, a broad-brimmed straw hat with blue ribbons, and lace mitts upon her pretty hands. 'I am ready,' she said in a breathless voice.

Oralia began to cry. Both her daughter and stepdaughter rushed to comfort her. 'I am being foolish, I know,' she sniffed.

'Now, Mama, you must reconsider your decision and come to England with Aurora and George in late autumn,' Cally said.

Oralia shook her head. 'I do not like to travel,' she replied. 'When you have had a baby or two, or three, bring them home one winter to St. Timothy for their grandmama to see before she dies.'

'Now, Mama,' Aurora said, struggling not to laugh. 'You are not going to die for many years to come. You are far too young. Give Cally your blessing, and a kiss so they may be under way.'

Oralia sighed, but did as her stepdaughter suggested, kissing first Calandra, and then Valerian Hawkesworth. 'Take care of my darling child,' she instructed the duke.

'I will, ma'am,' he promised her.

Cally then hugged her stepsister, her brother, and finally Martha. 'I shall look forward to seeing you in a few months.'

George grinned. 'Together,' he said.

'Forever!' Cally responded.

'As one!' Aurora finished their pledge.

Valerian Hawkesworth looked puzzled, and the trio laughed.

'Your wife will explain to you,' Oralia said. 'Now, go, before I cannot let you go!' She put her handkerchief to her mouth.

The duke helped his bride into the open carriage, and with a wave they were off down to the harbor, Captain Conway, Browne, and Sally following in their own conveyance.

'I do not know if I can bear it,' Oralia said softly.

'Be of good cheer, ma'am,' the Reverend Mr. Edwardes said. 'It is God's will that a daughter leave her mother's house for a husband. Your daughter has married incredibly well. Be thankful!'

'George,' Aurora said quickly, 'would you be so good as to take our kindly minister down to the boat and have Franklin sail him back over to Barbados. The winds are brisk today, and I believe he can be home in time for lunch. It was so good of you to come to St. Timothy to marry Cally and Valerian, but we cannot keep you further from your parish duties, Reverend Edwardes.' She smiled sweetly.

'Happy to come, Miss Aurora,' he replied. 'I hope I shall next see you wed to some fine young man. We have several suitable gentlemen in my parish, among whom might be one who would suit you.'

'Perhaps I shall come over to Barbados for a visit after my brother and I return from England next year, sir,' she replied.

'Your dear mama will be all right, won't she?' the minister inquired solicitously. 'Losing a daughter is hard, I know. My good wife and I have married off four in as many years.'

'Mama will be fine,' Aurora assured him.

'Come along, sir,' George said brightly, understanding that Aurora wanted the man gone before Oralia might say something revealing. He took the rector by the arm. 'I shall see to his fee,' he murmured to his stepsister, and then he hustled the Reverend Mr. Edwardes out the door before another moment could pass by.

PART II

ENGLAND, 1761

Chapter 4

'Is it always this cold in England?' Aurora asked Captain Conway as the Royal George prepared to dock at Dover. She shivered, drawing her hooded cape about her. The deep green wool was lined in rabbit, the hood trimmed with lynx. There were several flannel petticoats beneath her gown, and she was wearing knitted woolen stockings, but she was still chilled to the bone. She shivered.

'It's January, Miss Aurora,' the captain said, 'and in England January is always a cold month. Then, too, it's particularly icy out here on the water. It will be better once you're ashore, and your blood will thicken soon enough so that you won't feel the cold.'

'I hope so!' Aurora responded. England. It was the most colorless place she had ever seen. The sea was dark, as were the buildings on the shore. The sky was gray, and there was snow everywhere. She had heard of snow, but of course until then she had never seen it.

George joined her at the rail as the captain excused himself. 'Are you as cold as I am?' he asked her.

Aurora nodded. 'There is no color,' she remarked. 'It's quite grim. I cannot imagine Cally likes it much, although her letter, when she wrote, did not offer any complaint.'

'Mama lives for her letters,' George replied. 'We must see that Cally writes her more often. She cannot be so overwhelmed with her duties as a duchess that she has no time to write Mama.'

'Do Wickham and Martha have everything packed and ready for us to disembark? Do you think the duke will meet us?'

'He'll probably send a coach to take us up to London,' George said. 'And, yes, the trunks are ready.'

They returned to the salon to warm themselves. Very shortly the