Page 90 of To Have & To Hold

Grace’s cheeks flushed, though she regarded her husband with a tender smile.

Nathaniel’s eyes grew misty as the realization settled over him, leaving him momentarily at a loss for words. His mindflashed to years past—to the image of a broken Oliver mourning the loss of his wife and unborn child.

Nathaniel had once believed there could be no healing from such a wound. Yet here Oliver stood, perfectly whole and undeniably happy. The life he and Grace were building together was proof that beauty could rise from even the darkest of ashes.

Nathaniel let out a breathless laugh, his throat thick with emotion. “There are many reasons to celebrate tonight.”

Oliver nodded, his eyes brimming with tears of joy. “There are indeed, my friend.”

Before Nathaniel could offer a word of congratulations, his attention was imperceptibly drawn to the balcony above. The upper level doors opened and the music slowly faded into silence. Briggs turned to the crowd below, unable to keep the smile from his face as he gave the long awaited introduction.

“Her Grace, Emilia Eaton, the Duchess of Kenswick.”

Nathaniel could feel the rush of excitement around him, but the roar of the room was nothing but a faint whisper in his ear as Emilia appeared at the top of the spiral staircase.

Her curls shone with brilliance, softly arranged at the top of her head, with loose tendrils framing her face. The dress she wore was so similar to the red gown she had worn to the Langley ball, but this one was a deep sea of green, the color making her hazel eyes burn like an emerald gem stone, even from a distance.

The fall of the gown made her appear as though she were floating, with every step down the stairs. The outer skirt of the dress was an even darker shade of green, embroidered with silver threads that made her as bright and radiant as the starry night sky.

Charlotte followed a few steps behind, adjusting the train of the dress as Emilia descended the stairs, her smile nearly as bright as the one Nathaniel felt stretching across his own lips.

Nathaniel felt Oliver’s presence press in closer as he whispered over his shoulder. “I assume it would be pointless to invite you to join me for a game of whist that has just begun in the drawing room?”

Nathaniel brushed off Oliver’s comment with a mere shake of his head. “My wife has just entered the room,” he said, his eyes never leaving Emilia. “I’m afraid I am completely incapable of focusing on anything else at the moment.”

Oliver’s deep chuckle resonated in his ear as Nathaniel made his way to the bottom of the staircase. Villagers and nobility alike were pressing around the duchess offering hands of greeting and well wishes, but they parted like the sea for Nathaniel’s tall frame.

Emilia’s eyes met Nathaniel’s and her smile immediately brightened. He dramatically bowed over her hand, pressing his lips against the soft silk of her ivory gloves. When he met her gaze again her neck and cheeks were flushed his favorite shade of pink.

“You are enchanting, my love.” He whispered against her ear as he tucked her hand into his arm, pulling her to his side.

“Thank you,” she replied. “You are quite distracting yourself.”

“Did I not tell you her entrance would be grand?” Charlotte’s beaming face appeared at Nathaniel’s other side, and he could not help but laugh.

Affection for his sister swelled in his chest as she slipped her hand into the crook of his free arm. Her black curls were neatly styled into controlled ringlets, pinned near the nape of her neck.

Her dress was layers of robins egg blue and ivory, in a swirl of satin skirts that looked like the foamy banks of the river on a bright spring day. If it wasn’t for the mischievous twinkle in her eye, she would have looked perfectly proper and tamed. But the joy that radiated from her smile had Nathaniel secretly hoping that her spirit would never fade.

“You look lovely, Charlotte,” he said, making his way across the room with both ladies on his arm.

His sister looked up at him with a start. “Truly?”

The shock in her expression tugged at his heart. He slowed his steps and looked at her fully. “Truly,” he said softly.

There was the sparkle of a tear in her eye, but it disappeared quickly under her teasing grin. “I took extra care to ensure my dress was not the same color as Emilia’s. It would be quite unfortunate for the same mistake to happen twice.”

Nathaniel laughed a full laugh, the feeling warm in his chest. “Thank you,” he replied. “I appreciate your consideration.”

Charlotte removed her hand from his hold, dipping into a curtsy before hurrying off to find Oliver and Grace.

The music was a lively swirl around them, the ballroom suddenly becoming a din of laughter and cheer as men and women from the village performed the steps of the first dance with unrefined perfection.

Emilia watched the scene unfolding around them with amusement, but Nathaniel only had eyes for her. She glanced up to catch him staring, a slow smile tugging at her lips.

“You must stop looking at me that way,” she scolded. “It makes the desire to kiss you far too tempting.”

Nathaniel furrowed his brow in confusion, “I do not see that as a problem.”