The Wedding Affair (Rebel Hearts series Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page B

worried though. It had been too long since they had had any news of William. Sally longed to comfort the girl and threw an arm around her shoulders to pull her close. She had hoped news of her marriage might cheer everyone, and it had to a degree. Yet she did wonder at the prudence of considering a wedding when for all she knew one member of the family might be on the brink of death at that moment. “Take comfort that he is on English soil and not aboard ship for his recovery.”
    “We should be with him, tending him,” Evelyn protested. “It is our right. We are his sisters. It is not our fault he and Father do not get along and would not be wanted. William should not be alone.”
    Sally sighed. “He is not alone. Grandfather promised he was in the best possible hands to aid his recovery.”
    “We do not even know what is wrong with him.” Evelyn sobbed suddenly, thumping her fist on the bed. Sally rubbed Evelyn’s shoulder, aware this might not be the last time her young cousin threw a fit of temper over a situation they could not control.
    The men of the family refused to speak of very much to do with William within their hearing no matter how much they begged for information.
    “I am sure they only wish to spare us the details. You know how our mothers will carry on. William never did like anyone fussing over him. I am sure when the worst is over we will be allowed to see him or he will come home to Newberry Park.”
    She did not tell her cousin, but the first thing Sally would do as a married woman would be to visit William in London. Her grandfather could not stop her then.
    Sally went to her wardrobe to hide her determination from her cousins and considered what to wear for dinner. She had to choose the perfect gown for such a special occasion as her wedding announcement. She fingered a delicate blue silk gown she had ignored for a while, considering if she could bear to wear the color again.
    The door opened behind her. “You really are dragging your feet tonight, young lady,” Aunt Penelope Ford chided as she swept into the room. “Lady Ellicott was just remarking about not having seen you as yet.”
    Sally would not apologize—no Ford worth their salt would ever admit they were at fault—but Aunt Penelope was Sally’s favorite relation, unmarried and undeterred from speaking her mind on any subject she was interested in and deserved an explanation. Sally released the blue gown and pulled a lovely pale green muslin trimmed with ribbons from the closet and held it up to the light. “Evelyn wanted to see the wedding gown now that it is almost finished. Everyone has left their mark except for you.”
    “There is plenty of time,” Aunt Pen said. “I will attend to it directly, but first our guests are most anxious to see you.”
    Her aunt had guided Sally through society’s murky waters and comforted her when her parents were at war, which had been often in recent years. She owed her so much. “I will be there soon.”
    Sally stepped into the green gown, and Louisa fastened her at the back as Aunt Pen examined the wedding gown that had been left lying across the bed.
    “A white flag. A flag of surrender?” Her aunt glanced at Evelyn, frowning severely. “Only you could have done that.”
    “Maitland stitched a hangman’s noose on his last visit home,” Evelyn protested, speaking of Sally’s elder brother. “I was just following his example.”
    “How many times must I warn you that following in your elder cousin’s footsteps will only cause you pain?” Aunt Pen caught Evelyn’s face gently and pressed a sweet kiss to her brow. “Maitland and I had words about his attitude to marriage before he left for his new assignment. The example he sets is appalling. He should already be setting up his nursery.”
    Despite the topic, Sally smiled at the mild bickering. Her family was noisy, bossy, and opinionated in private. She would not have them any other way. She caught Evelyn’s eye. “Never