“We are gathered here today...”
At the man spoke, Iris and Ewan stared intently at one another. Their long journey to get to where they were flowed between them, reminding them both that they had fought for this happiness, and now it was time to relish it.
Iris enjoyed staring at Ewan; his raven hair, those piercing eyes, the muscular chest and high cheekbones... he was still a dream to look at, better than any dream she had ever enjoyed.
Ewan loved Iris’s soft features, her gorgeous hair, the soulfulness to her gaze. He would have followed her to the ends of the Earth if he could make her his.
Both of them wanted it all, everything that married life had to offer. The children, the love, even the hard times, because they knew now more than any other couple who got married, that they could do it together.
This was why people needed to marry for love. It made the wedding worth it, it made life worth it. If everyone else could see that, then Iris and Ewan both felt certain that the world would be a much happier, less stressful place.
Then all the silly traditions that made no real sense could go.
“I would like you to repeat after me...”
It was time. Time to say the words that would permanently link them. Time to declare their love for one another, even if it was only in front of three strangers. Iris could not wait.
* * *
“I am terribly sorry that we do not have a honeymoon to go on,” Ewan said quietly as he sat next to his wife on the sand. “I feel like we have done nothing in the right way.”
“That is because we like to break the rules, remember?” Iris smiled to herself as she recalled their first meeting all over again. “And anyway, our whole life from now on will be a honeymoon. We are always away from home.” She turned her neck to look at the man she had just married. “And you are now my husband.”
Iris did not need to go anywhere, she did not want to go anywhere. The journey to America had not actually been too difficult for her, but she was in no rush to go travelling again anytime soon. Not yet. First, she wanted to get settled.
“My husband... I do not think I will ever tire of saying those words. Husband.”
“Come here, wife,” Ewan teased. As he spoke the word ‘wife’ he realized that he felt the same way. He did not know how powerful a word, a label could be. It made Iris his in every way. “Let me kiss you now, Mrs. Oakley.”
Mrs. Oakley... who would have ever thought it?
As Ewan brought his lips down to kiss Iris, there was a real sense of belonging. They belonged to one another for now and forever. That clung to his heart and warmed up his chest.
Iris tingled all over as they kissed, she had finally found her place in the world and that was worth everything. If Daisy had felt this way when she married the Duke, then Iris understood her so much better now.
“So, what do we do now?” Ewan asked. “You are my wife, so where do we go from here?”
“We must find somewhere to live, we must make some friends and settle into our new environments, and we must find a way to make our lives useful.” Iris stood up and brushed the sand off of her dress. “If working with Amy has taught me much, it is that I want to live a useful life.”
“And what do you think you will do?” Ewan asked as he joined her. “Will you work with children, or in a medical center? I assume that you do not wish to be a handmaiden again.”
“I could not do that for anyone other than Amy, she was very special to me. No, what I have planned is something very different.”
Alright, Iris had one last secret from her husband, but it was not a huge one. She just wanted to see how it worked out first, after all, it was not common for a woman to hold onto such dreams.
Iris wanted to get all of the fantasies out of her head, she wanted to write them down onto paper, and to create some sort of escapism with them. She wanted to write stories for those who could not daydream like she could. It might not have been a help in a traditional way, but as Iris suffered under her black cloud of gloom, losing herself in her imagination had been wonderful to her. She wanted to give that gift to other people in the only way she knew how.
The idea had come to her on the boat. When she was alone she started making notes, creating ideas, which now she needed to finalize. She did not want to tell Ewan until she knew for certain how she could make it work. She wanted to be sure before she shared her biggest fantasy, laying herself out in such a vulnerable way. Iris held no doubt that Ewan would support her, but she had so much strength, she wanted to make things work alone. She could not seem to overcome the urge to be independent in some way or another.
Ewan had never met anyone quite like her, and he knew that he never would again.
“I see you have a plan,” Ewan smiled as he spoke. “I trust you will share it with me as soon as you are ready?”
Iris loved that Ewan knew her so well. He had gotten to understand her so clearly during their isolation on the boat that he understood exactly what she needed. And right now what she needed was to work this out on her own.
“I will let you know as soon as I have it sorted.”
They never let go of each other’s hands as they wandered slowly back into the town center to start sorting everything out, it was almost as if they needed one another to stand. Nothing could keep them apart anymore, there wasn’t a thing in the world that could ruin their love. They finally had what they’d been searching for, and it was wonderful.
The End
Curious to read how Iris’ and Ewan’s relationship evolved? Then enjoy this complimentary short story featuring the beloved couple.
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About the Author
Hanna Hamilton has been fascinated with the regency era ever since she was a young teen, first discovering historical romance novels by famous authors such as Jane Austen and Lisa Kleypas. She believes that love was just so much more magical back then, more like a fairy tale. She always daydreamed about finding love herself that way, but since that is impossible in the twenty first century, she decided to write about it instead!
Born in Texas, Hanna Hamilton obtained a degree in Creative Writing, and has worked as a literature teacher before becoming a novelist. When she isn’t writing, Hanna likes to explore the countryside with her husband and two children, gaining inspiration from the natural world around her.
So, come on a journey into love, confusion, and redemption all within the regency era. Hanna hopes that you will enjoy immersing yourself into her novels, and that you too will find a love for old fashioned romance, just as she has.
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Also by Hanna Hamilton
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Hanna Hamilton
The Duke of My Heart (Regency Romance) Page 29