Chapter 297: Chapter Two Hundred And Ninety Seven

THE WEDDING DAY...

The morning of the long-awaited wedding day had finally arrived. The London sky was a bright, clear, and beautiful blue. The sun shone warmly through the tall glass windows of the small, quiet townhouse Aunt Renee had rented.

Inside the largest bedroom of the townhouse, the atmosphere was filled with peaceful, happy excitement. Delaney stood quietly in the center of the room. Two cheerful maids, Jane and Sarah, fluttered around her like busy little birds. Aunt Margery had sent her absolute best, most trusted maids from Hamilton House early that morning to make sure the bride looked completely perfect.

Delaney was finally wearing her mother’s wedding dress. The beautiful ivory silk flowed smoothly down to the floor. The delicate seed pearls sewn into the bodice caught the morning sunlight, making her look as though she were glowing.

Jane, the older maid, stood behind Delaney, carefully pulling the silk laces at the back of the dress.

"Hold your breath just a little bit, my lady," Jane instructed gently, offering a warm smile. "We must make sure it fits perfectly."

Delaney took a soft breath and smiled. "It feels wonderful, Jane. Thank you."

Sarah, the younger maid, was kneeling on the floor, carefully arranging the wide, sweeping train of the silk skirt. She looked up at Delaney, her eyes wide with pure, absolute admiration

.

"Oh, my lady," Sarah sighed happily, clasping her hands together. "You look absolutely beautiful. I have helped dress many ladies for balls and parties, but I have never seen a bride look this lovely."

Jane tied a perfect, neat bow at the back of the dress and stepped away to admire her work. She nodded her head in complete agreement with the younger maid.

"It is the absolute truth, Lady Kingsley," Jane smiled, a happy twinkle in her eye. "When His Grace the Duke sees you walking down that church aisle, his breath will surely leave his body completely. He might even faint right there at the altar!"

Delaney laughed. It was a bright, musical sound that filled the quiet room.

"I highly doubt a Duke like him would faint, Jane," Delaney giggled, her cheeks turning a pretty shade of pink.

"Well," Sarah added mischievously, standing up and brushing off her apron. "He may not faint, but he will certainly forget all his proper manners. He will stare at you, my lady. He loves you very much. Everyone in the staff knows it. We are all so very happy for you."

Delaney felt a warm swell of emotion in her chest.

"Thank you, Sarah. Thank you, Jane," She said softly, her hazel eyes shining with gratitude.

The bedroom door opened slowly. Aunt Renee stepped into the room. She was wearing a highly elegant, deep lavender silk dress, perfect for the mother-figure of the bride.

Aunt Renee stopped in the doorway. She raised her gloved hands to her mouth. Her eyes instantly filled with bright, happy tears as she looked at her niece.

"Oh, Delaney," Aunt Renee whispered. Her voice shook with deep emotion. "You look exactly like Genevieve. You look exactly like your mother."

Delaney smiled softly. She picked up the edges of her silk skirt and walked carefully across the room. She stood in front of her aunt.

"Do you truly think so, Aunt Renee?" Delaney asked gently.

"I know so," Aunt Renee nodded firmly. She reached out and gently touched Delaney’s dark, carefully curled hair. "Your parents would be so incredibly proud of you today. You have survived the storm, my dear. Today, you begin your beautiful new life."

Delaney hugged her aunt very carefully, making sure not to crush the delicate lace sleeves of the dress.

"Come," Aunt Renee said, pulling back and wiping a single tear from her cheek. She offered a bright, excited smile. "We must not keep the Duke waiting. It is time to go."

Delaney nodded. She took a deep, steadying breath. She picked up her small white silk gloves and her beautiful bouquet of white roses.

Together, the two women walked out of the bedroom, down the quiet wooden stairs, and out the front door. The waiting footman opened the door of the grand carriage. Delaney and Aunt Renee got into the carriage, and the horses began their slow, smooth journey toward St. George’s Chapel.

Meanwhile, on the completely opposite side of London, the atmosphere inside the grand Hamilton House was exactly the opposite of peaceful.

It was absolute, complete chaos.

Ines, the Duchess of Carleton, was currently in her old childhood bedroom. She was engaged in a terrible, frustrating battle of wills with a very small, very energetic opponent: her baby son, Harry.

"Harry, please sit still!" Ines pleaded, her voice rising in deep frustration.

Baby Harry was sitting on the center of the large bed, happily chewing on the wooden wheel of a toy horse. He was completely refusing to let his mother put his tiny, matching white silk shoe onto his left foot. Every time Ines brought the shoe close, Harry kicked his chubby leg and let out a loud, happy squeal.

"Edith!" Ines called out, looking over her shoulder. "Help me hold his foot! We are going to be late!"

Edith, the patient nursemaid, was completely busy on the other side of the room. She was rapidly packing a very large leather bag. She was putting in three extra blankets, two glass bottles of warm milk, four wooden toys, and a spare change of clothes.

"I am coming, Your Grace," Edith promised, quickly shoving a silver rattle into the bag. "I just need to pack his extra mittens."

"Edith, we are going to a wedding at a church for exactly one hour," Ines sighed, wiping a bead of sweat from her forehead. "We are not moving to France. He does not need three blankets."

"Babies can be highly unpredictable, Your Grace," Edith replied politely, rushing over to help hold Harry’s wiggling foot.

Downstairs, in the foyer, the situation was equally loud and chaotic.

Aunt Margery was completely dressed in a stunning, bright emerald green dress. She looked absolutely beautiful, but she was currently very busy fighting with a small animal.

Aunt Margery was trying to get Fifi, her fluffy poodle, completely ready for the wedding.

"Fifi, stop wiggling this instant!" Aunt Margery scolded the dog sternly.

She was holding the small dog tightly under her left arm. In her right hand, she held a bright, oversized pink silk ribbon. Aunt Margery was determined to tie the pink ribbon around the dog’s neck, but Fifi hated the ribbon. The dog barked sharply, twisting and turning, trying desperately to escape.

"You cannot attend a Duke’s wedding looking like a wild street dog!" Aunt Margery argued with the poodle, finally managing to tie a very crooked, messy pink bow around the dog’s neck.

Standing near the open double front doors, far away from the barking dog, stood the Duke of Carleton.

Carcel was already completely dressed. He wore a sharp, formal black coat and a crisp white cravat. He looked perfectly calm, completely unaffected by the loud chaos surrounding him. He stood with his hands folded neatly behind his back.

He was speaking quietly to Mr. Simmons, the dignified butler.

"The weather is quite fair today, Simmons," Carcel noted politely, looking out the open doors at the blue sky.

"Indeed it is, Your Grace," Mr. Simmons replied smoothly, standing perfectly straight. "A highly agreeable day for a wedding." 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Carcel slowly pulled his gold pocket watch out of his waistcoat. He checked the time, completely ignoring the loud bark of the poodle behind him.

"Do you think the ladies will be ready before the hour strikes?" Carcel asked mildly.

Mr. Simmons did not smile, but a knowing look passed through his eyes. "Women take a very long time to prepare for such grand events, Your Grace. It is a mystery of nature."

Carcel simply nodded in agreement. "Indeed."