“Daughter, nothing could keep me from seeing you marry.” He cleared his throat. “Tell me, does Lord Shefford treat you well? ’Tis not too late to back out. I would stand by you.” A slow grin quirked his mouth.
“Thank you, Father, but you need not worry,” she returned, feeling the warmth of a faint flush tingeing her cheeks.
“We are so pleased you have found a love-match, Nora. It worried me when Mama told me you were betrothed. We wanted you to marry for the right reason—love. Having seen you together, I can see I worried needlessly,” her mother said, planting a kiss on her cheek.
A furious blush heated her neck. “We have not spoken of love, yet I feel my heart is engaged.” She took a deep breath. “Colin looks at me the same way Father looks at you.” She had expressed nothing thus to her parents in her twenty years. Nora bit her lower lip, discomfited and uncertain of their reaction.
“He has not mentioned his feelings?” Father queried, sounding surprised.
She dipped her head. “Not yet,” she smiled. “Yet, the things he does for me… I feel sure he shares my feelings.”
“Fear not,” her father rejoined with a slight smirk. “Sometimes the man’s brain is the last to resolve these things.” He glanced from her mother back to Nora. “Are you ready, my dear? We should not keep them waiting too long.”
“I almost forgot. I have something for you.” Her mother withdrew a black velvet box from her reticule. “It would mean so much if you were to wear this. I wore these pearls on my wedding day. They were my grandmother’s.”
Nora wondered what Grandmama’s reaction would be when she recognized them. She was certain there would be tears.
“Thank you,” she breathed, turning the delicate necklace over in her hand and running the pearls through her fingers. “They are lovely, Mother,” she whispered, leaning forward for her mother to attach them.
“There,” her mother said, softly touching the strand of beads and stepping back to admire them. “You look perfect.”
Peter Mason extended his arm for his daughter. Proudly, Nora accepted it, placing her fingers lightly on his arm, reveling in the feel of having him there to help her brave her way through the ceremony.
The small family arrived at St. George’s Chapel in time to see Grandmama and a small convoy from the orphanage arrive. Fourteen children followed her into the church, all outfitted in new suits and dresses. Nora inhaled a deep breath at the sight of all the carriages. She sent up a prayer that she would make it through the ceremony without creating undo attention. Their wedding had become the ton event she had feared. She had given her word. Her mother’s only wish had been to help with her dress. Nora could not be happier with the selection. The pearls looked perfect against her gown.
As she walked down the aisle, she focused her attention on her betrothed. He stood next to Jonathan, a tall man who bore a striking similarity to Colin except for his blond hair.
The ceremony was a blur until the Reverend called for them to recite their vows. Colin placed an emerald and diamond ring on her finger. As he slid the ring down her finger, he looked into her eyes.
“I know this is but a token, but I hope you will accept this ring as a sign of my affection. I love you, Lady Shefford. Marrying you has made me eternally happy.
Tears clouded her eyes as she looked from her finger to his face. “I love you, Colin. I had never thought to find my prince—until I found you.” She lifted onto her toes and placed her arms around his neck as his lips covered her own.
As they walked towards the door, he leaned close to her. “There is one more slight surprise, Lady Shefford.”
“What could that be, Lord Shefford, when everything I need is with me at this moment?”
“I will tell you when we reach our carriage.” When they arrived at the conveyance, four of the children stood beside it, waiting—Alice, Amy, Becca, and Benjamin. Benjamin stood next to his new ‘uncle’ Jonathan, proudly dressed in a black coat and pantaloons, with a gold Paisley patterned waistcoat.
“They are all ours, now.” Colin beamed.
“Mama… .” The smallest of her children smiled up at Nora with her hands arms outstretched.
“Her first word!” Filled with sudden emotion, Nora picked her up and nuzzled her with kisses. “Oh, Colin, I am so very blessed,” she said through her sudden tears, giving each child a hug and a kiss. “I would never have asked you…”
“You did not have to. I know that leaving these children behind would have been too much to ask—even for me. I asked them if they would care to live with us and be part of our family and they accepted. We will give them the love every child deserves.”
“Where will they stay while we are gone on our honeymoon?” A moment of concern assailed her. She could not send them back to the orphanage when they had just found a home.
“They will stay with me,” her grandmother’s voice declared from behind them as she moved closer. “My dear, you make a beautiful bride.” Grandmama feathered her fingers across the pearls. “I am so pleased you wore these. I have not seen them in years. They were my grandmother’s too, you know.”
Nora pushed back tears as she hugged her grandmother close. “Thank you for everything you have done for me… for us,” she said, swiping at her tears and smiling at her suddenly large family. “This has been a perfect day, Grandmama.” She saw her parents and three siblings approach and waved to them. It thrilled her to see them.
“We will see everyone at my mother’s house. For now, I intend to have a few minutes alone with my new bride.” Colin pulled her
