Page 79 of To Break the Rules

All the women agreed, each of them pushing forward, eager to add their comments and welcome husband and wife to the party that celebrated their union.

“Well, Lady Cavendish?” Silas said, grinning from ear to ear. “I think we had better begin the celebrations, don’t you?”

“Yes, my lord, I think we should,” Aashini replied, staring at him with such adoration that Matilda’s throat tightened again.

She remembered how vehement the young woman had been in her hatred of men, in her determination to never marry, but Lord Cavendish had set out to prove himself worthy of her, and Matilda could only agree that he truly had. She suspected their lives would be full of adventure and romance, and was privileged to be allowed a place in it as Aashini’s friend.

Word must have reached the rest of the guests, for they all moved forward, everyone desperate for their first glimpse of the new Lady Cavendish. Murmurs of shock and approval, exclamations of wonder and scandalised gasps, all echoed about Cavendish House.

Moving closer, the Peculiar Ladies—with the Duke and Duchess of Bedwin at their head—gathered about their friend and escorted Lord and Lady Cavendish into the grand ballroom, where the celebrations could truly begin.

***

“My feet hurt,” Kitty complained, many hours later, as she settled into the carriage next to Matilda.

“Mine too, dear,” Matilda admitted. “But what a wonderful night it was.”

Kitty nodded, hugging her arms around herself. “Lucky, lucky, Aashini. Did you see the way Lord Cavendish looked at her? Like the sun shone for her and no other reason.”

Matilda laughed and nodded, knowing just what she meant. “You’re a romantic, Kitty.”

“I suppose so. Aren’t you?” Kitty looked over at her, frowning, and Matilda shrugged, not entirely sure how to answer that.

“I was once, but now…. Oh, I don’t know, Kitty. So much has happened I find it hard to believe in fairy stories now.”

“What? Even after everything you’ve witnessed this season? Three of us married, Matilda. Three! How can you not believe?” Kitty shook her head in astonishment. “And it isn’t fairy stories, it’s us.”

Matilda frowned, turning to look at Kitty more closely. “What do you mean, it’s us?”

“It’s the Peculiar Ladies,” Kitty said, rolling her eyes as if she was speaking to a particularly dim child. “Ever since our group came together, things have happened. We were all alone before that, all adrift in our own little worlds, but now… now we have each other. We have friends and confidantes, and people who would drop everything and come to us if the need ever arose. It’s changed us, Matilda, all of us. It’s like….” Kitty paused, searching for inspiration, her brow puckered. “It’s like our friendship has given us some kind of power, like we’ve made magic.”

Matilda laughed and gave her a sceptical look. “The power to attract a husband?”

“No!” Kitty exclaimed impatiently. “The power to be ourselves, to believe in ourselves. The men are incidental, really. Those three just happened to be intelligent enough to notice what was happening.”

“So, you’re saying we’ve begun attracting husbands because we’re growing in confidence, because there are people who support us?”

“Yes, exactly,” Kitty said, nodding.

Matilda stared at the young woman, surprised and impressed. “How astute you are, Kitty. I should never have considered it that way, but yes, I believe you might be right.”

“Of course I’m right,” Kitty said with a snort, making Matilda laugh. There was silence for a little while until Kitty spoke again. “Did you hear from your brother yet?” she asked, sounding casual, though Matilda could hear the desperate desire for information all the same.

“I did,” she said. “I’m afraid he doesn’t know of a Luke Baxter, but he’s promised me he will make enquiries. Matilda gave her a sympathetic smile as Kitty sighed with disappointment. “We’ll find him, Kitty.”

“Oh, I know we will,” she replied, surprising Matilda with the certainty in her voice. “I feel it in my heart. I know we shall be together again, it’s meant to be. It’s our fate. I just wish fate would hurry up and get a move on.” She moved closer and laid her head on Matilda’s shoulder. “I miss him. So much.”

Matilda put her arm about Kitty and hugged her, and fervently hoped that Luke Baxter felt the same way. According to Kitty they’d been children when the boy had disappeared, and there was no guarantee he hadn’t forgotten all about Kitty. He could already be married with a family of his own.

Please no, Matilda prayed, desperately hoping that everything turned out just as Kitty wanted.

It could happen.

Childhood sweethearts did reunite and live happily ever after.

Didn’t they?

Kitty yawned. “I’m so tired,” she said with a sigh.