Page 188 of The Sisters of Sea View
“It’s rather wonderful,” Sarah said. “Thank you, Mamma. And I shall have to thank Miss Stirling as well.”
“You are welcome.”
Staring at the painting of the clustered sisters, Sarah said softly, “Soon another piece of our family will no longer be in place.”
“When Viola marries, do you mean?”
“Who else?”
Mamma gave her a knowing look. “Viola will be only next door,assuming she and the major decide to remain in Sidmouth. And if you ever were to, say, move away, I would miss you terribly—we all would. But we would not prevent or begrudge your happiness for all the world.”
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”
Mamma squeezed her hand. “Very well. For now, we have a more pressing matter to attend to. Will you help me organize Viola’s wedding breakfast?”
Sarah grinned. “Just try and stop me.”
Emily sat down at the writing desk in Mamma’s room. It was quieter there than in the office, and Mamma said she was welcome to use the desk whenever she liked. She and Georgie were out for another walk before going sea-bathing again. Meanwhile, Sarah was finishing some small details for the upcoming wedding breakfast, and Viola was visiting the Huttons. So Emily had time, and the room, all to herself.
She stroked the cover of a new bound journal she had bought at Wallis’s Marine Library, then opened it and smoothed the first page.
After considering where to start, she dipped a quill pen in ink and began to write.
On the south coast of Devonshire, there lived four sisters. Sisters who never stopped thinking about, and longing for, the fifth, lost to them, but God willing, not forever....
Viola and Major Hutton met with the vicar of the parish church, and soon the banns were read for the first of three times. They planned to marry in late July. The service would be followed by a wedding breakfast held at Sea View for all the friends and neighbors who would wish to celebrate with them.
On a fine summer morning, the happily anticipated event finally arrived.
Viola wore an elegant new gown of ivory silk with a fashionably tapered waist. Miss Stirling curled and arranged her hair, then helped her don the new veil adorned with Mrs. Denby’s sprigs of lace.
Emily, as Viola’s attendant, chose an understated dress of pale blue satin for the occasion, and Miss Stirling wove flowers into her hair.
As they were dressing, someone knocked on the bedchamber door. Georgiana poked her head into the room, and Sarah stood behind her. “Are sisters welcome?”
Viola turned. “Definitely. Come in.” She embraced each sister in turn, missing Claire once more.
“You both look lovely,” Sarah announced. “Miss Stirling, you have not lost your touch!”
Fran Stirling bit back a smile, clearly pleased with their flattery. “I could not resist. I had to come and offer my services, for old times’ sake.”
Viola pressed the woman’s hand. “And we are very glad you did.”
For good measure, Miss Stirling added a few curls to Sarah’s hair as well and repinned Georgie’s haphazard chignon, which had already begun to fall loose.
When everyone was dressed and ready, Emily took her twin’s hands and beamed at her. “How beautiful you are.”
Viola flushed with pleasure.
Then they all went downstairs and joined Mamma, who wore a subdued gown of pale lilac, now that her year and a day of full mourning had passed. Together they went outside and climbed into the Huttons’ carriage, waiting near the door, festooned with ribbons and flowers.
When they arrived at the parish church a few minutes later, the major stood looking nervous and handsome in a dark suit ofclothes and snowy white cravat. He wore a discreet black band over his ear, but at Viola’s request, he wore no eye patch. To her, both of his blue eyes were beautiful even though only one had sight. With it, he watched in awe as Viola joined him at the altar, love and admiration evident in his expression. Viola had never felt prettier or more cherished.
Friends and loved ones filled the first several pews. Mr. Hutton gave her away while Mamma wiped her eyes on her new handkerchief. Emily attended Viola, and Colin and Armaan stood beside the major during the service.
With friends and neighbors looking on, the vicar began, “Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here in the sight of God to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony; signifying unto us the mystical union that is betwixt Christ and his Church.”
Viola’s heart beat a happy rhythm. She still could hardly believe this was really happening.
