Page 13 of Everything But the Earl
Midwood stated the figure, which was more than Owen expected. He didn’t much care about the dowry; he had no need of Midwood’s money. Perhaps he would set the money aside for Grace’s use, however she decided to use it.
They shook on the deal, which bothered Owen a bit. It was like a financial transaction, not like a major, life-changing event.
Midwood stood and said, “I have a connection to St. Paul’s. I believe I could reserve the church for the wedding in a month’s time, unless there’s a reason the ceremony needs to happen sooner.” He shot Owen a pointed look. “Is there?”
“No, sir. A month will be fine. Or however long you need to arrange it.”
Owen stood. Midwood grasped his hand and shook it again. “Welcome to the family, son.”
Thus emboldened, Owen asked about Grace’s whereabouts, feeling like she should be a part of this decision. Midwood escorted Owen to a sitting room down the hall from his study. Lady Midwood appeared as if from nowhere as well.
Owen’s heart pounded. Everyone’s eyes were upon him. He’d hoped to have a conversation with Grace without everyone watching.
“Do you think I might have the opportunity to have a word with Grace?” Owen asked. The “without her family staring at us” was left implied.
“No need,” said Midwood.
Perhaps they could speak once the betrothal was official. “All right.”
Grace stood, looking at him expectantly.
He stepped forward. “Lady Grace, I…” Well, here went nothing. “I’ve come to ask for your hand in marriage.”
She hesitated. Owen imagined he could see the same conflict in her eyes that he felt in his own heart. But she took a deep breath, smiled, and said, “Yes. I will marry you.”
Chapter Four
The next monthwas a whirlwind. Grace’s mother dragged her to the modiste, the perfume shop, the jeweler, and a half dozen other places in London. Grace had to stow all her worldly possessions into trunks. She wasn’t finding time to work on her pottery, so she packed up her wheel and her other supplies one afternoon. Everything was to be sent via coach to Wales, so when Owen’s men came to take all but her essentials, Grace sacrificed some her dignity to emphasize to the men that the large crates contained her most prized possessions, including several ceramics, and they were to be treated with utmost care. Still, she feared the crates would arrive in Wales with her finished works smashed to pieces.
Grace’s mother took charge of the errands and the wedding planning, but there was something oddly rote about it. Sometimes Grace stopped and thought,This is awedding. When it’s over, I’ll be living somewhere else entirely. Mother was treating this like any other series of errands. Whenever Grace opened her mouth to talk about how all of this made her feel, Mother shut her down. So Grace found herself overwhelmed, and the only person she could talk with about it was Penny, who had no experience with marriage and couldn’t entirely relate to her. Grace had hoped the advent of her wedding would be a way to become closer with her mother, but Mother remained as distant as ever, which was frustrating. Was Mother not upset Grace would soon be leaving the house? If she was, she showed no sign of it.
Owen was apparently also busy, because he rarely stopped by. But he did call on her a few days before the wedding wearing a very stylish black coat. The fabric looked so fine that Grace wanted to run her hands over it.
“I apologize for being scarce, my lady,” he said, eyeing the open door. They were alone, but Grace’s mother was just across the hall in the other sitting room.
“We have both been busy.”
“I wanted to tell you of my plan for after the wedding. Your father has offered to host the wedding breakfast here. After that, we shall begin the journey to my property in Wales. Unless something unusual happens, the journey takes five days.”
“Five days!”
Owen nodded, looking chagrined. “I know it’s a distance, but I know the route well. There are a series of inns I usually stay at. The sooner we get on the road after the wedding, the better so that we can travel the first leg before it gets too dark.”
Grace was alarmed by how perfunctory all this sounded. “As romantic as five days in a carriage sounds, can we slow down for a moment?”
He frowned. “What do you mean?”
She led him over to a sofa and gestured for him to sit beside her. He complied, his expression blank, likely evidence of confusion.
“We’re going to bemarried, my lord, and yet I can count the number of conversations we have had on one hand.”
Understanding dawned on his face. “All right. What would you like to know about me?”
She had no idea where to begin. “Well, all I know about you so far is that you are an earl, you are Welsh, you have two or three homes depending on whom you ask, and you intend to whisk me off to Wales the moment our wedding is over.”
“You said you wanted to spend time in the country.”
“I did, that is true. And I had prepared myself for this eventuality. Would it be all right if my friends came to visit me after I am settled?”
