EMMA could not have been more of a princess had she been born into it. When she entered the Royal Chapel of the cathedral there was a collective gasp among the six hundred guests in attendance.
Caroline and Darcy stood across from one another on either side of the altar and turned to watch Emma in her magnificent silk gown with the lace overlay. She had the queen’s delicate modern fringe diamond tiara, the one with flared uprights tipped in diamond points. She wore large diamond drop earrings and a diamond cuff bracelet. It was hard to believe this was Caro’s friend who had once practically lived in yoga pants and Uggs.
Emma’s eyes were fixed on Adrian, whose gaze was glued to her, tears in his eyes. Caroline glanced at Darcy and saw that his eyes, too, were damp. Of course Caroline was bawling, watching her beautiful friend in a moment of sublime wonder. Caroline gazed into the audience, at the princesses wearing tiaras and royal sashes and the men in royal uniforms and military medals, others in white tie and top hats. She had to pinch herself to assure herself it was real. For she was about to become a part of this world in a very real way.
After the wedding, as Emma and Adrian rode off in the royal carriage to the palace, Caroline and Darcy decided to walk the short distance to the palace along the cordoned-off roadway.
“You’re okay if our wedding isn’t quite as dramatic as this?” he asked, his hand holding tightly to hers. “You won’t be a princess, but you will be a lady. Lady Caroline Weltenham, and all that goes with that.”
“Lady Weltenham sounds just perfect. As for that other stuff—are you kidding?” She nudged him. “Too much work. Just promise me two things. A tiara. And the Seychelles honeymoon. Anything else is icing on the cake.”
“Your wish,” Darcy said, leaning over to kiss his fiancée, “is my command.”
~*~