by Dilys Xavier
Anna grabbed his hand again and hurried to the kitchen.
Liz had just boiled the kettle and made four mugs of tea, when she and Quentin appeared. ‘You both go into the lounge while I cut more cake,’ she said. ‘I’ll bring it in on a tray.’
‘Now I have to tell everything to Mum,’ Anna said, as she and Quentin went through the hall.
‘Everything?’
‘Yes, everything, including our future plans.’ With a look of concern, she stopped and tugged on his arm. ‘Say nothing about going to live in London though. It would upset her to think I’ll be moving away; that news would be best left for a while.’
‘Who said we’d live in London?’ Quentin asked.
‘You said this place was merely a stepping stone to bigger and better things… in London.’
‘Yes, but that was before I fell in love with you—and before my uncle told me he is retiring at the end of the year, and that I could have the practice here.’
‘Oh, Quentin, that’s wonderful. Then London’s not on the cards any longer?’
‘It is not. I’m going to settle down in this cosy little area of Wales with the most beautiful woman I have ever set eyes on.’
He wrapped his arms around Anna just before they entered the lounge. ‘Quite frankly, I don’t care where I go as long as you’re with me, my love.’
‘You two look rather full of yourselves,’ Liz quipped, when they sat down very close to each other on the sofa, sipping their tea.
Quentin took the cue immediately. ‘We’ve every reason to be,’ he said. ‘Meet my fiancée.’ He proudly lifted Anna’s left hand, and kissed it. ‘By tomorrow evening, there will be a token of my promise on this finger.’
‘Wow! Congratulations,’ Liz said, looking quite stunned at the news. ‘So when did all this happen…?’ She stopped mid-sentence as Anna lifted her hand.
‘It’s a long story,’ Anna said, ‘but not now, because we’re about to go and give Mum the news. Look after the place while we’re gone, will you?’
‘Come along,’ Quentin said, ‘let’s get it over with.’
Chapter Twenty Three
When they both arrived at Rose Cottage, Margaret was sitting with her feet up on the stool, enjoying a quiet cup of coffee. She flashed a look of surprise when she saw Quentin, then stared questioningly at Anna, quickly cleared her magazines off the sofa, and patted the seat at her side.
‘Make yourself comfy,’ she said to Quentin, giving him a welcoming smile.
First of all Anna introduced him, and then he took up the story. ‘Mrs Williams, I’ll come straight out with it. I love Anna and I want to marry her, with your permission and blessing, of course,’ he said. ‘It’s as simple as that.’
Margaret jerked up and almost dropped her cup in surprise, but she quickly composed herself. ‘This is sudden.’ For several seconds she just stared at them both. ‘Well, if Anna wants to marry you, that’s fine by me,’ she replied.
‘Now, put me straight. I’m wondering who you are, and what you’re doing in this part of the world, because I can tell from your accent you’re not a native of Wales.’
As Quentin began to give her an account of his life, Margaret quietly assimilated all he said, his words being interspersed by Anna’s, until Margaret lifted her hand in protest. ‘All right. I’ve got the story, and I can see where you fit into the picture.’ She wagged a cautionary finger at him. ‘If you’re the one that Anna wants, then that’s all right by me. So, I wish you both good luck, and a long and happy life together.’
Anna breathed a sigh of relief that everything had gone so smoothly. Next, she needed to talk to her mother about her reluctance to go to the manor house.
‘Will you give Hope House another try, Mum? I mean will you come and stay for a short while and see how you feel about it?’
‘I don’t know. Leave me to think on that, Anna. I promise to give it some serious thought, but I’m happy here in my little home, and I doubt I’d move to Hope House permanently even if you paid me to.’
‘Well, you know so much about hotel management, that I wondered if you’d like the job of overseeing the business there.’
Margaret looked pensive. ‘Well, that’s a different proposition, and interesting. I don’t know about totally accepting your offer, but I tell you what - I’ll stay with you from time to time and show you the ropes.’ She gave a shrug and got to her feet. ‘Now be off with you, because I’m going out with Janet in ten minutes.’
Anna beckoned to Quentin and walked towards the door. ‘Okay, that’s fine, as there’s a load of work waiting at the manor for me. I’ll pop in to see you tomorrow.’
Anna pulled hard on Quentin’s hand as they hurried to the car. ‘To be honest, I want Hope House to ourselves from now on, so I’m not disappointed that Mum is reluctant to go there; it suits me now.’
As soon as they got back, Anna called out to Liz and they all relaxed in the lounge. It was then the events that had happened hit Anna like a sledge hammer, and she burst into tears, probably more from relief than anything else.
Quentin hugged her and she buried her face in his chest as he consoled her. There were still tears in Anna’s eyes as she clutched Quentin’s hand when they all finally drifted off to bed. That night, Quentin shared Anna’s room, but between their lovemaking and excitement, neither had much sleep.
The next morning, Quentin woke first and lifted himself up on his elbow to look into Anna’s peaceful face. ‘You look so beautiful,’ he whispered, as she opened her eyes and drew his lips down to hers.
‘I know what a tough time you’ve had, my darling,’ Quentin said, lifting her chin as he smiled at her. ‘But all that’s behind you now, and there’s a rosy future ahead. As for our wedding, that will take place as soon as you decide on a date.’ He gave her a little squeeze. ‘Be happy, my great, great, great whatever you are.’
Anna already looked brighter. She dabbed her eyes and smiled. ‘How right you are, I guess it’s time to concentrate on our wedding plans.’ As she gazed up at Quentin, he wrapped his arms around her again and smothered her face with kisses.
‘Yes, my love,’ he murmured, into her hair. ‘Now we can look to our future.’
Epilogue
Time seemed to slip by at an amazing speed, and by now, Anna had efficiently organised her hotel business, invested most of her fortune wisely, and Quentin had successfully taken over his uncle’s busy law practice.
‘So, my sweet, we’re getting married tomorrow,’ he whispered in her ear as he watched the van from ‘Beautiful Brides’ pull up outside.
‘Yes, so you had better make yourself scarce now,’ she said, with a smile, ‘because Madeline is delivering my wedding dress right now, and it’s said to be unlucky if the groom sees it before the ceremony.’ She reached up and gave him a big hug and saw him to the door. ‘Have a pleasant overnight stay at your uncle’s,’ she said, as she welcomed Madeline inside.
They went straight upstairs to Anna’s bedroom. ‘This is a dream,’ she said, as she tried on the wedding dress for the last time before the big day. She pirouetted in front of her cheval mirror to see how she looked in the Broderie Anglaise rose pink silk gown made in the same style as the gown young Letitia wore in the painting. She nodded approval. ‘It’s perfect, Madeline; you’ve captured the period exactly as I wanted it.’
Anna ran her fingers lovingly over the deep lace frilled yoke that reached from shoulder to shoulder. Gathered into the edge of the yoke, the sleeves draped over her arms like small capes, widening to cuffs that were edged with a two-inch frill, as was the yoke. The neat bodice was gathered tightly into the waist. The skirt fell away in gentle swathes, ending in a five-inch frill that matched that of the yoke and sleeves. From underneath the skirt, peeped the toes of a pair of delicate hand embroidered silk wedding shoes she had just slipped on to complete the look. ‘Oh, wonderful,’ she murmured, twirling around again. ‘I feel so much a part of history, dressed like this,’ she said, swingi
ng around to Madeline for approval.
‘Whatever you feel like, you look truly stunning,’ Madeline said, as she admired her own handiwork, made from sketches she had made from the painting of Letitia’s gown.
Anna smoothed her hands lovingly over it. Then she placed the ruby and emerald collar around her neck, and stood silently in awe for a few moments, thinking of young Letitia.
Ten minutes later, with great care she took off the necklace and the gown, and laid them on the bed. ‘I’ll put them away now,’ she said, carefully arranging the gown over a padded clothes hanger. ‘The next time I put it on will be for the wedding downstairs.’
Once Madeline had left, Anna checked for the last time that the caterers providing the buffet wedding breakfast the next day had everything organised. She had sought approval for weddings to take place at the manor, and had been in touch with the minister who was to conduct the blessing that would take place after the civil ceremony. Everything was ready.
She barely slept that night, tossing and turning with excitement, and glad to wake to an early dawn. She lay there for a little while until she heard the sound of the caterers getting everything ready in the huge dining hall. She was also more than aware that her mother and her two bridesmaids, Liz and Dot, were already moving around downstairs. David would be arriving soon with Mary, his girlfriend, and he had agreed to give her away. She took a leisurely bath, and then went down for some breakfast.
‘No more to do now,’ Margaret announced, with a beaming smile. The old grandfather clock chimed ten, and she pointed at it. ‘Two hours to go. The caterers have arranged everything beautifully in the large dining hall, so all that remains is for you to get dressed, and for the groom, the registrar, and the best man to arrive, plus all the guests, of course.’
As she took in her mother’s words, Anna felt the grip of excitement churning her stomach again, and at that point she wished it was already over and done with. It took no time at all for Anna to slip into her gown and fix her hair in a perfect chignon style. Liz and Dot were both there to help her, but as soon as they saw she was ready, they put the finishing touches to their own appearance. By now, there were sounds of people arriving, and Anna’s pulse quickened even further with excitement.
She was ready, and with nothing more to do, it was time to present herself downstairs, on the arm of her old pal, David.’ A knock on the door and an urgent call from Margaret made her gather up her skirt and hurry to the top of the staircase, but not before taking one last glance in the mirror.
Waiting for her on the great landing, were her bridesmaids, who took her antique lace train in their hands. David, who was to give her away, was waiting alongside them with a beaming smile. She took his proffered arm, and lifted the front of her gown as she graciously descended the wide staircase to the strains of the small string quartet playing the wedding march.
Feeling more like a princess than Anna Williams, she looked around happily at the sea of smiling faces assembled to witness her wedding in the hall below. Waiting in the front with Greg at his side, Quentin was more handsome than she had ever seen him look before. Her heart leapt for joy as she reached his side and looked into the adoring eyes of the man with whom she would spend the rest of her life.
A hush descended over the hall, and the ceremony began. For a short while, she felt as though she were in a dream, but her senses crowded back on her as Quentin pressed the gold band onto her finger.
‘I now pronounce you man and wife,’ the registrar announced. It was all over.
Quentin took her in his arms and gently kissed her. ‘So, how does it feel to be Mrs Hale?’ he murmured into her hair.
‘Incredibly wonderful,’ Anna replied. ‘I am so happy.’ They walked back towards the end of the hall, shaking hands on the way with all the guests who were waiting eagerly to greet them. As they came to the end of the line, she turned and whispered to Quentin.
‘Both our ancestors are at our wedding.’
Quentin’s eyes widened. ‘Come on, Anna, you’re dreaming again.’
Anna couldn’t stop her giggles. ‘I’m not dreaming,’ she chuckled, ‘their portraits are up front, see them?’ Anna laughed with happiness as she pointed to their respective ancestors before drawing Quentin back into the centre of a crowd of guests.
He took a deep sigh of relief that the ceremony was all over, and wrapped his arms around her in a loving embrace.
‘By the way, your mother told me you want to know what your family motto is. Well, “Quid Nunc” means “What Now”. So let’s both enjoy the rest of a most wonderful wedding day.’
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