Lord and Lady Dayton smiled and began to make their way past Olivia, walking into the church and leaving Olivia and her two cousins to make their way inside. Louisa and Margaret – who had made a full recovery – stood to one side, having watched the exchange between Lord and Lady Dayton and Olivia.
“I thank you both for being here with me today,” Olivia said, as warmly as she could. “I know we have not always found ourselves to be as close as cousins might be, but for the present moment, I will say that I am glad to call you my family.”
Louisa smiled, her eyes free of the sadness and the pain that had been there for so many weeks prior. “It seems that we are to return to London next Season,” she said, as Olivia nodded. “Lord Monteforte is a very generous man.”
“Very generous indeed,” Margaret agreed, with just a hint of envy flickering in her eyes. “To know that he is willing to take us both to London with you when you go is kindness itself.”
Olivia let out a long, contented sigh, smiling at her cousins and feeling a new sense of happiness fill her heart. Lord Monteforte had indeed been kind. Knowing that Lord and Lady Dayton could not return to London for the next two years at least for fear that any whispers about him might only intensify – as well as due to the edict of The King’s League, he had offered to ensure that both young ladies enjoyed the following Season, and with Olivia to accompany them, she was certain that they would both find husbands very soon.
“Shall we go?” she asked, gesturing towards the door with laughing eyes. “If you are quite ready?”
With a warm smile on both of their faces, Louisa and then Margaret held open the doors and waited for her to walk ahead of them into the church. Her eyes fixed solely on the gentleman who rose to stand at the very front of the church, Olivia made her way forward slowly, her heart filling anew with a fresh love for Lord Monteforte and all that he had become to her.
His eyes were practically glowing as he held her gaze, his smile speaking to her of all the love that he carried for her in his heart. As he reached out one hand towards her, she felt herself step forward into her future, her smile growing all the more as she felt her spirits lift to the skies.
“You look more than beautiful, if there is such a thing,” he whispered, his fingers tight against her own. “I cannot imagine what I have done to deserve such a creature as you to call my own.”
The parson gestured for the congregation to stand, but Olivia could pay him no attention. The words that were on her heart could not be stayed, not even in front of the watching crowd. They were there on her lips, said only for Lord Monteforte, and knowing that it was to him that her heart belonged.
“I love you with all of my heart,” she whispered, as he pressed his other hand over their joined ones. “And I shall love you until my very last breath.”
His eyes burned with joyous affection, his fingers tight on hers. “As I love you,” he promised, his voice loud and echoing through the church for all to hear. “I love you most ardently, Lady Olivia, and this day, this wonderful, glorious day, is the most joyous day of my life, for it is the day I have the honor of making you my wife.”
Her smile matched his own, her heart filled with a love that she knew was returned. There was no more darkness, no more confusion, no more pain nor doubt. Her love for Lord Monteforte carried a bright light forward into her future, for there, her happiness with him awaited.