Victoria Alexander - The Proper Way To Stop A Wedding (In Seven Days Or Less)

“Come now, half the gentry in England has exceptionally bad habits and lives on credit.” Gwen waved off the comment. “The trick is not to acknowledge that publicly. Society runs on illusion. As Katherine is to marry the twin brother of the Earl of Danby, the guest list is extensive and socially prominent.”

“No surprise there,” Effie murmured.

“If this wedding is a disaster, I dare not think what the repercussions for Celia’s future will be.” Gwen shuddered. “The groom’s mother died several years ago, so apparently I am the closest female relation on either side. Except for Miss Quince, of course, who does seem unable to manage this.”

Gwen had realized very nearly the moment she arrived that the social events Miss Quince and Katherine had planned leading up to the wedding, as well as the nuptials themselves, were both extravagant and complex. But then the groom’s brother was paying for it all. While Miss Quince had said no expense would be spared, Gwen suspected the earl was a bit less than thrilled at the expenditures even if he did seem to care too much for his brother to protest. At least thus far.

“Well, we are here now.” Effie offered a feeble smile. “And it’s not as if we had anything better to do.”

A not uncommon occurrence, as the husbands of all three women were currently out of the country. Charles Blodgett and Malcomb Fitzhew-Wellmore were both engaged in pursuits of exploration, and Effie’s husband, William, was a military officer currently in the Crimea. Gwen and Poppy considered it their duty as her friends to keep Effie’s mind off the war as much as possible—a difficult task given the papers were full of reports of battles and men lost or wounded.

It was their husbands’ penchant for wandering the world in the name of exploration or in service to Her Majesty that had led to the three women meeting in the first place, some ten or so years ago. They were of a similar age—all three now past their forty-fifth year—none of them had been blessed with children, nor did any of them have much in the way of family, and they became as close as sisters. Indeed, they thought of themselves as such.

“I for one am delighted to lend my assistance. I love weddings.” Poppy nodded enthusiastically. “What exactly do you want us to do?”

“Unfortunately, there are any number of details still to be arranged. I’m certain, between the three of us, we shall overcome any difficulties, although this is a bit more complicated than one might expect.” Gwen braced herself and favored her friends with a confident smile. “In addition to the wedding itself—which I understand is more restrained than the bride had originally wanted at the request of the groom—there is to be a rather grand pre-wedding ball.”

Goodness, one would have thought Gwen had tossed a bucket of cold water over her friends’ heads given the disbelieving looks on their faces. Perhaps it was best to continue before either Effie or Poppy or both called for a carriage for the lengthy ride back to the nearest train station.

“However—”

“Oh, good, there’s a however,” Effie said wryly. “I was afraid there wouldn’t be.”

“Aside from ourselves and family members, there are no other guests staying here at the manor, which will make things much easier,” Gwen began.

“Will it?” Poppy asked faintly.

Gwen ignored her. “While the staff seems adequately trained, they appear to have taken a rather strong dislike to Miss Quince.”

Effie snorted.

“Only the earl and his brother, Henry, inhabit the house and then only when they’re not residing in London, which apparently they do most of the year,” Gwen said. ”This is a bachelor establishment, ladies. So it’s obvious why our help is so desperately needed.”

“To be expected really.” Poppy shook her head. “Men are helpless when it comes to the more practical aspects of life.”

“Hard to believe they can expertly undertake an expedition to the far corners of an unexplored jungle but they cannot manage to direct a cook to prepare toast for breakfast,” Effie added.

Gwen nodded. “There’s been no mistress at Danby since the earl’s mother died a few years ago and the staff might be a bit lax.”

“Then we had best get started.” Effie drew a bracing breath. “What exactly do you want us to do first?”

“You have both been traveling today and I know how wearing that is, so, for the moment, I want you to do nothing more than rest,” Gwen said firmly.

“To gather our strength, no doubt.” Effie’s brow furrowed. ”As we shall obviously need it.”

“I have made lists of all that must be accomplished as well as charts delegating who should do what on which day and so on and so forth. I shall distribute those at tea and we can discuss all the details then.”

“Will Miss Quince be assisting us?” Poppy asked.

“She has taken to her bed with a sick headache.” Gwen shook her head in a mournful manner and summoned up her most sympathetic expression. “Poor dear.”

“Poor dear, indeed.” Effie tried and failed to look appropriately concerned but then Effie, and Poppy as well, held Miss Quince only slightly less responsible for keeping Gwen from her niece than they did Celia’s father.

“One more thing.” Gwen hesitated. She wasn’t at all sure if she was right but something odd had struck her the first night at dinner and then again last night. It was subtle and she could very easily be wrong. “You are both intelligent women and have been known to be quite observant. Do let me know if you notice anything...unexpected.”

Once again her friends traded looks.

“What do you mean by ‘unexpected’?” Caution sounded in Effie’s voice.

“Goodness, Effie.” Gwen huffed. “If I could tell you that, it wouldn’t be at all unexpected but rather extremely expected. Don’t you think?”

Effie’s eyes narrowed.

“Besides, I want your unbiased, completely dispassionate opinion.” Gwen chewed on her bottom lip thoughtfully. “Suffice it to say, I’m not sure all is as it appears. Or perhaps as it should be. I might well be wrong. However, if I’m right...”

Effie grinned. “I do love your howevers.”

“If I’m right...” Gwen settled her gaze first on Poppy then shifted to Effie. “We shall have to take it upon ourselves to do something about it.”

CHAPTER TWO

“MRS. BLODGETT, Mrs. Higginbotham and Mrs. Fitzhew-Wellmore—” Edward, the Earl of Danby, stood at the head of the dinner table and raised his glass in a toast “—welcome to Danby Manor. I cannot remember the last time so many lovely guests were gathered around this table. Thank you for improving the conversation—” he grinned “—and the view.”

“Allow me to add my thanks, as well.” Henry Saunders favored the newcomers with a welcoming smile then retook his seat.

It was indeed unusual to have any guests at all at the country house and rarer still to have ladies in residence. But between Katherine, her sisters, Louise and Celia, Celia’s aunt and her aunt’s friends, the men in residence were outnumbered two to one. More, really, if one included Miss Quince, who was indisposed tonight and not at dinner. Apparently it took a flock of women to arrange a week of prenuptial events culminating in the extravaganza that would mark the joining in marriage of a man and a woman. Henry believed he might have heard doves mentioned but he preferred not to think about it. If he had his way, the ceremony would be simple and the celebration restrained.

His gaze caught his fiancée’s. Katherine was seated beside Edward at the head of the table; her sister Louise sat on his left, devoting all of her attention to Edward. Hoping to ensnare another Saunders brother, no doubt. Katherine cast him a brilliant, perfect smile and a wave of shame washed through him. Even if his thoughts about Louise were true, they were unkind. After all, she would be his sister-in-law when he married the incomparable Katherine.