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The sweet scent of the white flowers that grew in the small garden at her parents’ townhouse filled the air around Kitty. One of the servants had woven the flowers through her hair into a crown especially for their garden wedding celebration, and it was a perfect day.
Kitty inhaled deeply as the scent engulfed her, allowing her to beam happily at her new husband, James of Somerset, who stood across the lawn, speaking to his brother William and another lord.
Her white muslin gown blew gracefully in the light breeze, the material brushing against her arms.
Opting to keep her hair loose had been a trying topic, especially between Kitty and her mother, but Kitty had gotten her way in the end. It was her and James’s special day, and she could not be more thrilled at how it had turned out.
After three months, which seemed to fly by in a whirlwind of balls and social events, their engagement announcement, the planning of their wedding, as well as the new partnership James had entered with her father to save his business, things had become less strained between them. Kitty was still rather unfamiliar with her new title as the Duchess of Somerset, but James promised to ensure she would ease into it and her new responsibilities as a titled lady.
The day was a perfect autumn day, the blue sky in perfect contrast to the orange and red colors of the season. The private garden of the late duke had been opened and adorned with white flowers and ribbons, with delectable treats served by the maids. The guests conversed pleasantly, and Kitty smiled as her gaze enjoyed the lovely sight before her.
“Pardon the intrusion, Your Grace,” a female voice said beside her, and Kitty turned towards her new sister-in-law.
“Lizzie,” Kitty smiled. “There is no need for such formalities, please.”
“Only in public, I swear. It is something one must become accustomed to,” Lizzie shrugged nonchalantly. “How are you feeling?”
“Much better, I must admit,” Kitty answered. “I must thank you for your assistance last evening. For the entire week, in fact. All this would not be possible without you.”
“You are my sister now,” Lizzie answered with a smile and placed her hand lovingly on Kitty’s arm. “And it was my absolute pleasure. Who knows when my turn at a happily ever after will happen?”
“Give it time,” Kitty assured her. “When James and I ended our arrangement and my parents and I left Woodlock Manor, I was devastated. I was certain that I would become a spinster and spend my life caring for my parents. Not a marriage in sight. But things do follow the path they’re meant to, and I believe it will happen for you as well.”
“You are such a wonderful person, Kitty. My brother is truly lucky to have you as his wife,” Lizzie said, and squeezed her hand. “And I am lucky to have you in my life as well. I have always wanted a sister. I even begged my mother when I was a child, but now that I have one, a better sister I could not ask for.”
Kitty’s breath caught in her throat at the compliment, truly touched by her new sister’s words. She, too, had always longed for a sister.
“Your words are too kind, Elizabeth.”
“Please, do call me Lizzie. I insist. I never truly adored my name. In fact, I do despise it,” Lizzie chuckled.
“Perhaps Lizzie suits you better,” Kitty answered with a nod, the name was soft, informal, lovely.
“Indeed,” Lizzie nodded as well and glanced down briefly at Kitty’s skirt. “Are you going to tell James about...”
“Please don’t tell me you ladies are still discussing the wedding?” William exclaimed before Kitty could respond to Lizzie.
William approached, James beside him.
“The day has come, things were perfect, so there is no need to discuss it any further,” William continued.
Lizzie and Kitty exchanged glances and Lizzie turned to her brother. “Perhaps you should not have spent all your time at the refreshment table, as you are beginning to sound like a foxed gabster, brother.”
“I am most certainly allowed to kick up a lark at my own brother’s wedding, am I not?” William chuckled.
“Allow me to escort you to get some water, as I am most certainly not nursing you back to health tomorrow morning,” Lizzie said, and took William by the arm. “Excuse us,” she whispered and smiled at James.
Kitty watched the siblings walk away and marveled at marrying into a family where she got not only a husband, but a sister and a brother as well.
“What a wonderful day,” Kitty smiled brightly at her handsome husband. “And I am delighted that everyone is having a wonderful time as well.”
“Perhaps too wonderful,” James chuckled and motioned to William.
Kitty giggled and took James’ hand in hers. “Thank you, James. This wedding, the garden, the decorations—it is everything I had dreamed it would ever be. It’s a perfect day.”
“Even with my foxed brother?” James asked, his lips kicking up with amusement.
“Even then,” she smiled, pure and unadulterated happiness flowing through her. “There is something I wish to tell you, but not here.”
James tenderly caressed her cheek and glanced around them. “I am certain that we could slip away for a few moments.”
“I know just the place,” she whispered.
“Lead the way,” James winked.
Kitty led James through the back of the garden and his eyes widened as he recognized the hill in the distance. It was the hill he and Kitty had raced to—the race that she had won without a shadow of a doubt. It was also the hill where they had shared their first kiss, as two people wary of love.
“We are not racing again, are we?” James asked with amusement.
Kitty chuckled and shook her head. “Not today, my love. I wished to bring you here, to show you how far we have come, and remind you of the wonderful journey that is ahead of us. There is no other man in the entire world I desire beside me, except you. My love, my husband, my friend,” Kitty said, and took James’s hand, pressing it against her stomach, “and now the father of our child.”
James’s eyes widened with a mixture of disbelief, happiness and fear. “You are with child?”
“Yes, I am,” Kitty laughed, happiness unlike anything she’d ever felt before pulsing through her.
“How did this happen?” James exclaimed and shook his head. “Of course, I mean I am aware, but....”
Kitty laughed at her husband’s reaction to the news. They had spent many mornings speaking of children and how they wished to start a family. They had even toyed around with possible names for their future children, but when Kitty had felt the early signs of pregnancy, she had been overwhelmed.
It had taken her a week to fully grasp the situation, with the aid of Lizzie of course, and she wanted to inform James once she was ready.
“You are such a silly man,” Kitty chuckled, and placed her hands around James’ shoulders. “Tell me what you are thinking, please.”
“I am thinking that I did not believe it was possible to love you more than I already do, but now, my love for you had simply exploded. I watched you walk towards me from across the garden wearing this beautiful white gown, like an angel—my angel—and time stood still. I love you with all the depth and breadth of my heart, my beautiful Kitty.”
“And I love you, James Seymour, in all your entirety, with everything in me,” Kitty declared. “We will go on many adventures together, hand in hand, side by side, and we will have the best life imaginable. As long as I have you beside me.”
James tenderly kissed her lips. “You will always have my heart, as you have had from the start, until the day I perish, and even after that.”
As James pressed his lips gently against hers, Kitty melted into him and the sweet smell of the white flowers from her floral crown filled the air as their love ignited.
An everlasting love that would never grow dim.