Page 192 of Storm of Bells
‘…horrible behaviour…shame on the familyname! Never thought I’d see the day when a son of minewould…running away without even letting me know? How could you!Didn’t you think I’d worry? Insufferable…no responsibility atall…can’t just run off and get married—’
I realized, at this point I should probablyget involved. By the looks of her, Lady Samantha was ready tostrangle someone.
‘Um…Lady Samantha?’
‘…utter shame! How could you treat that poor,sweet girl like that? She is so warm and good and kind and—’
—apparently being ignored.
‘My Lady? Excuse me?’
‘—is inexcusable! A marriage, let alone awedding, isn’t something to take so lightly! You cannot just go upto the north and get married—’
‘Pardon me? We didn’t get married, MyLady.’
‘I mean, really, son. Marriage! Your weddingis something to treasure for the remainder of your life! How canyou force your poor bride to go through it without even having hernearest and dearest close by to—’
Taking a deep breath, I formed a funnelaround my mouth and yelled, as loud as I could: ‘We did not getmarried!’
Lady Samantha froze. Slowly, she turnedtowards me. ‘Pardon, my dear?’
‘I said we did not get married. You know,hitched? Joined for the rest of our lives? That kind of thing?’
‘You…you mean…the wedding is still on fortoday?’ Something glittered at the corners of her eyes. ‘I canstill see…still be there…’
‘Unless the church has burned down or thevicar got struck by lightning.’
‘You…you…’ Her eyes zeroing in on me, sherushed towards me. I raised my arm, ready to defend myself from herwrath, waiting for an avalanche of recriminations for making herworry—
‘—you wonderful, wonderful girl!’ Pulling meout of the coach, she crushed me in her tiny arms. ‘You are thekindest, most understanding woman in the world. Thank you so muchfor talking him out of his silly idea!’
‘Myidea?’ Straightening slowly, MrAmbrose took a step towards where his mother was squeezing me todeath, his cold eyes glittering.
‘Of course it was! Miss Linton would never doanything so cold and inconsiderate of a mother’s feelings as to runaway and not come back for ages and ages!’ She threw him a verymeaningful look. ‘She is a kind, loving lady, and I thank the starsevery day that she was kind enough to condescend to acceptyou.’
‘Shewaskind enough tocondescend—now wait a minute, Mother…!’
‘Thank you for your confidence, My Lady.’ Iinclined my head. ‘I’m honoured.’
‘You deserve it, Sweety!’ Taking my hand, shegave it a gentle pat and started to pull me out of the carriage.‘Let’s go! This is your big day.’
My big day?
Blinking, I stared past her, into the morningsun.
Wait a minute…the morning sun?
It was morning.
The morning of my wedding day.
‘First of all, let’s get you out of thosedirty travelling clothes and give you a bath, shall we?’
Deep in thought as I was, it took a moment ortwo for her words to sink in. By that time, she had already draggedme halfway towards the manor house. The instant I realized what wasgoing on, I dug my heels into the ground.
‘Err…um…thanks, but no thanks!’
She blinked. ‘Why not?’
