But they were together again and had already vowed never to allow anything to come between them. Sloan brought the ring with him. Not the one he’d originally presented to Elise. There were those nasty words spoken when she’d thrown the Emerald at him, and he didn’t want her reminded of that horrid scene for the rest of her life. He’d purchased a new one – this time a magnificent canary diamond that he said matched her golden hair. Elise was thrilled. She would have been happy to accept the original ring, but his thoughtfulness meant so much. He slipped it on her finger, and she swore it would stay there forever.
Their conversation turned to talk of the engagement party and wedding. No one in the village knew of the rupture in their relationship, outside of Anne and Josef. They were both immensely glad that they hadn’t shouted it to the world. Things could progress as if there’d been no interlude. Sloan had told his parents that Elise had gone to Brighton to visit Violette, who was more mother than friend. She wanted Violette to be at the wedding. Neither Lord Rowan nor Lady Celia had any reason to question what Sloan told them.
Sloan and Elise also discussed what to do about Anne. Should she be included in the plans that were being made? Neither particularly wanted her present, but if they shunned her, there were sure to be questions, not only from his parents, but Anne’s as well. They reached the conclusion that they would send an invitation, and she could decide whether she wanted to attend. If she came, they’d both be decent to her, but certainly not overly warm.
Sloan had also brought a letter from Giselle. Naturally, it hadn’t been opened. Elise tore the envelope, and read the contents. Giselle was happy – settled – liked America. Elise’s eyes scanned the words. She and Ted were going to come over for the wedding! She would be Elise’s Matron of Honour. Other than having Sloan sitting next to her on the train, she couldn’t imagine anything that would have made her happier. Now that everything had worked out, and plans were going forward, Elise was elated. The date was still December 28. There was so much to accomplish. Elise knew she’d be incredibly busy. She began ticking things off in her mind; invitations needed to be ordered; a wedding gown selected; attendants’ apparel; a time set for a chat with the Rector; decisions about the reception – flowers, music, and food. On and on. It was all so exciting. She would let Lady Celia handle arrangements for the engagement party. After all, that was truly her affair. Of course it was in honour of Sloan and Elise, but she would rather Lady Celia make the decisions. Elise would be happy to lend her thoughts, but she really wanted to concentrate her attention on the wedding itself.
She would invite Lady Celia to accompany her on a trip to London to search for a wedding gown. She knew very little about which shops would be the most appropriate. Everything had to be perfect. She’d never dreamed this day would come. It was going to be flawless. She would have Josef walk her down the aisle. She could imagine how touched he would be. He’d been as much her father as anyone, from the time she could remember. Everything was turning out so splendidly. She was going to marry Sloan and live in the wonderful village she’d come to love; he would adopt Chloe who would, at long last, have a Daddy; Violette would be there; Giselle would be there; could any woman ever have felt such fulfillment?
***
The guests danced the night away at Elise de Baier and Sloan Thornton’s engagement party. Lady Celia had outdone herself. Highcroft Hall was a picture. The ballroom was filled with yellow roses and white lilies, with purple and white violets as accents. Elise stood in line with her future in-laws, receiving good wishes from everyone present. She held a sweet nosegay of yellow and white rosebuds, encircled with lavender violets. Her dress was enchanting. It was very pale yellow, with a wide sash of lilac satin encircling her tiny waistline. The designer in London had made it according to her specifications, so that it fit perfectly with the décor of the evening. Constructed of organza, it had an Alencon lace overlay, with long sleeves and a high, Victorian collar. Not since before the war, had anyone seen such an elegant event. Ruth outdid herself with food preparation. Regardless of the fact that rationing was still in effect on certain items, it was a marvelous feast. There was even a delightful cake, covered with yellow icing and topped with candied violets.
Anne accepted the invitation, but did not bring an escort. She looked lovely, but somewhat subdued. Wearing an amber gown, with the shoulders bared, and her dark hair spilling softly around them, no one could deny she was a beautiful woman. Elise had a kind heart and couldn’t help but feel a bit sorry for the person she’d once thought was her friend. Sloan and Elise accepted Anne’s best wishes when she moved through the receiving line, but otherwise kept their distance. Naturally she knew most everyone present, so she wasn’t lacking in attention. Sloan couldn’t help but notice that his friend from London, Elliott Woodbridge, who was going to be his Best Man, seemed somewhat intrigued with Anne. Sloan briefly remembered the talk he’d had with Elliott back in London, right after the war. The girl he’d described as his own soulmate could well have been Anne. Elliott had said that he preferred brunettes – sultry, sexy, and spunky. Elliott had also said she would have to be intelligent. Well, Anne was certainly all of those things, as well as sly and manipulative.
Even Violette had come to the party. Dressed, as always, in a lilac gown, she could have passed as a member of the peerage. She was definitely a very attractive women, in spite of being in her early fifties. There was nothing flashy or untoward about her. Elise was exceedingly proud of her, and made certain that everybody present met her. Both Sloan and Elise chuckled to themselves when they noticed that old Lord Tom Sterling, an acquaintance of Sloan’s parents, hovered about the elegant Violette, bringing her punch and asking for dances. If he had known what Violette did for a living, he would probably have keeled over in a dead faint. The gentleman was a widower, perhaps in his late sixties. He was good-enough looking, if one liked the type. Clearly he enjoyed his rank in the aristocracy.
Elise wasn’t sorry to see the party come to an end. Although it was the most incredible ball she’d ever attended, and she couldn’t quite grasp that it had been held in her honour, she was counting down the days until her wedding. Now that the engagement had been announced to one and all, the distinguished, engraved invitations she and Lady Celia had selected could be addressed and posted. Elise was anxious to get on with preparations. She loved Sloan with all of her heart, and the wedding day couldn’t come soon enough.
Guests departed, and after the last one left Highcroft Hall, Lady Celia, Lord Rowan, Sloan, Elise, Elliott, Giselle, Ted and Violette gathered together in the drawing room to talk over the night’s success. That was always one of the most enjoyable parts of hosting a large party. It was such fun to discuss everything afterwards. Everyone agreed it had been unsurpassed in loveliness. Elise continued to receive accolades from the small, intimate group. She smiled and thanked them, but insisted they move on to other topics.
“You spent a good deal of time chatting with Anne Whitfield,” Sloan remarked, looking at Elliott.
“Yes, I did. I was very drawn to her. Do you recall our discussing soulmates when we met in London after the war, Sloan? I have to admit, Anne touched a nerve with me. She meets my definition of the ideal woman.”
“Oh no, said Giselle. “
“Why do you say that?” Elliott questioned.
Sloan and Elise looked at each other. “Elliott, be a bit careful with Anne. You know she and Sloan were once engaged. That’s all behind them now, but we’re not certain Anne is ready for another relationship,” answered Elise.
“I’ll watch my step. But, I’d like to see her again.”
“Anne could use some attention from a handsome gentleman. Just go slowly,” Elise continued.”
“I’m glad I’ll see Anne again at the wedding. I may even make arrangements to see her before then. Believe me, you’ll be the first to know if it develops into something serious.”
Sloan shook his head, but said nothing more.
“Viol
ette, you were the ‘Belle of the Ball’. Lord Sterling was charmed with you. How did he strike you?” asked Lady Celia.
“He’s a very fine man. I felt honoured that someone of his stature would find me attractive. We got on very well. Of course, he was just being gallant. Can’t you imagine me traipsing about with someone from the aristocracy?”
“And, why not? Personally, I think he’d be lucky to have you.”
“Lady Celia, you’re very kind. But he doesn’t know me at all. I doubt he’d even speak to me if he did.”
Lady Celia had no idea that Violette owned a brothel. If she had, she too would likely have keeled over. “That’s nonsense. Just because you’re not of the peerage, and are in business for yourself, I think he’d find that admirable. We’ve known Lord Sterling for eons. His deceased wife owned an interior decoration business. He’s always admired women who aren’t interested in leaning on their men.”
“Well, that’s lovely. But I think we’ll leave it at that. I’m far too fixed in my ways to think about changing them now. I’m really quite happy with my life.”
“Of course that’s the important thing, isn’t it?” answered Lord Rowan.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
1945
December 28th arrived with a blue sky and sunshine. The wedding was to be held in the chapel adjoining Highcroft Hall, and the reception would follow in the beautiful ballroom where the engagement party had taken place. The chapel was adorned with red roses and white lilies, along with pine boughs draped along the railings. Red bows were tied on the end of each pew.
The chapel was filled to capacity, since every person who’d received an invitation was present. Elise, Violette, Giselle, Chloe, and the other three bridesmaids had spent the previous night at Highcroft Hall, so that they would be able to dress on the premises without any worry about creasing their gowns on the way to the ceremony. Giselle and Elise hadn’t fallen asleep until the wee hours, since they’d had so much to catch up on. Elise was adamant that she wouldn’t see Sloan on their wedding day, so she took meals in her room and never ventured down the staircase.
Guests had begun to arrive the evening before, and there was a lovely dinner held in the mammoth dining room. Elliott was there, as well as Ted and Giselle, Violette, Lord Sterling, Josef, all persons in the wedding party and, of course, the groom’s parents. It had been a charming occasion, and everything went well.
It was difficult to tell what was going on with Lord Sterling and Violette. He seemed much taken with her. She’d told Elise that before the relationship moved forward, she intended to tell him her entire background. Elise begged her to wait until after the wedding, because she certainly didn’t want any upset. Violette agreed. She would never have done anything to spoil Elise’s wedding day.
Elise was the perfect bride. She was dressed in an exquisite gown. It was white taffeta, trimmed with white velvet. The long sleeves had soft cuffs of velvet, and the bodice was of the same fabric. The skirt billowed out into folds of silk taffeta, ending in a train trimmed with velvet braid. She wore a diadem of diamonds that Lady Celia had worn on her own wedding day. It held a gossamer veil in place on top of her golden curls. The matching earrings were a gift from Sloan. Violette gave her delicate, lace gloves, bought in Paris before the war, and Giselle provided the blue garter, so necessary for any bride. Josef presented her with a silver six-pence for her shoe, meant to bring luck and happiness. Elise’s bouquet was an enormous arrangement of lilies – all varieties and all white.
Her bridesmaids were dressed in green velvet. The gowns had high waistlines, reminiscent of the Napoleonic era. Each girl carried a white fur muff, topped with a sprig of holly. Chloe was a tiny angel, dressed in white velvet, with touches of red at the collar and cuffs. She carried a basket of red and white rose petals, strewn in front of Elise as she began her walk toward Sloan. Josef was the proud brother who escorted her, and everyone in the sanctuary stood as she made her way toward the altar. Josef handed her off to Sloan and took a seat next to Violette. The two lovers stepped forward and knelt before the Rector. The organ played enchanting music, and Elise and Sloan bowed their heads in prayer.
After they stood and repeated vows, there was the exchange of rings, followed by the pronouncement that they were husband and wife. The entire chapel burst into applause, as Sloan bent and kissed Elise’s sweet lips. No one in Thornton-on-Sea could say that they’d ever attended a more beautiful ceremony. Both Lady Celia and Violette wiped tears from her eyes. No one would ever know what a large part Violette had played in the coming together of the bride and groom.
Following the ceremony, the reception drew oohs and ahh’s from those attending. There were so many incredible flowers that the ballroom was filled with sweet fragrance. Fountains were scattered about the room, beneath arrangements of roses, climbing on arbors and trellises. An orchestra played beautiful dance music - songs from the war years, which kindled memories for everyone in the room. A sumptuous buffet table was piled high with delicacies, and a triumphant wedding cake stood in the centre. Red roses climbed along the tiers. They rested in a pretty arrangement on the top. After receiving their guests, Elise and Sloan made their way round the room. Anne was standing with Elliott, and there was nothing for it but to acknowledge her. Before they moved on, after a chat with Elliott, Anne pulled them both aside for a private word.
“I want you to know that I truly wish you all the best. I made a terrible mistake and someday I hope you can find it in your hearts to forgive me. I’ll spend the rest of my days trying to make amends. You two make a stunning couple. Thank God my actions didn’t keep you from one another.”
“Anne, both Elise and I appreciate your apology, and we hold no grudge. You can rest assured that there won’t be any repercussions from us. Perhaps someday we can heal from the past completely. We do wish you well and hope you find happiness in the future.”
With that Sloan took Elise’s hand and turned away. Just as they began to move on, to speak with another group of guests, Elise spotted Violette and Lord Sterling entering the ballroom from the outer doorway. Violette looked triumphant, while Lord Sterling looked like he’d won first place at the County Fair. What on Earth could have happened? Surely Violette hadn’t chosen to admit her past to him? She had promised not to do so. Elise found her way over to Violette and took her by the arm. “Why are you looking like the cat who ate the canary?” she questioned.
“Perhaps because that’s the way I feel. I had to confront Lord Sterling with the truth. He began to speak about the future to me. He said he hadn’t felt so romantic in ages. I had to nip it in the bud. Or, at the very least, make certain he knew all of the particulars, before getting carried away with talk about what a grand lady I am. So, I motioned for him to follow me outside, and I simply told the truth.”
“Oh my God! How did you say it?”
“I just said ‘There are things you don’t know about me. Before you say another word about your feelings, let me be very honest with you. I operate a brothel in Brighton and have for many years.’”
“What did he say?” asked Elise, putting her hand up to her mouth.
“He said ‘Is it successful? How much is your profit in a year?’”
Elise burst into laughter. “You can’t mean it.”
“Yes. I told him I’d grossed a little under half a million pounds last year. Her proposed to me immediately.”
Elise could scarcely stop laughing. She caught Sloan’s eye and motioned him to her side. When she repeated what Violette had told him, he, too, nearly bent over in hysterics.
And that was the end of that. Elise threw her bouquet; Anne caught it; Chloe danced a jig; Giselle and Ted were seen kissing in the foyer, and Violette and Lord Sterling disappeared up the stairway.
Thornton-on-Sea basked serenely in the sunlight of a winter day, while Josef Lisak sampled another hors-d’oeuvres, trying to decide whether to add it to the starter menu at ‘Chez Chloe’.
Other Books by Mary
Christian Payne
The Somerville Trilogy
Willow Grove Abbey: Book 1 of the Somerville Trilogy
St. James Road: Book 2 of the Somerville Trilogy
Serendipity: Book 3 of the Somerville Trilogy
The Claybourne Trilogy
The White Feather: Book 1 of the Claybourne Trilogy
The White Butterfly: Book 2 of the Claybourne Trilogy
White Cliffs of Dover: Book 3 of the Claybourne Trilogy
The Thornton Trilogy
No Regrets: Book 1 of The Thornton Trilogy
No Gentleman: Book 2 of the Thornton Trilogy
About The Author
Mary Christian Payne is an accomplished business-woman who has held high ranking, management positions with Fortune 500 companies, in New York City, St. Louis, Missouri, Orlando, Florida, and Tulsa, Oklahoma. She is a recipient of the Mayor’s Pinnacle Award in Tulsa, for directing a highly successful program at The Women’s Resource Center at the University of Tulsa. All of these positions involved significant amounts of writing. She has also acted as a speech-writer for high profile political figures, and for executives of major corporations.
She is now a retired career psychologist. She was the Founder and President of Transitions Counseling Center, in partnership with her father, the retired CEO of a four billion dollar retail organization. She has taught seminars throughout Oklahoma. Mary Christian is a world traveler, and has spent extensive time in England, thus creating an excellent foundation for writing novels set in Great Britain. The era of World War II has always held tremendous appeal for her, and she is a committed Anglophile. The daughter of an Army Major during World War II, she grew up hearing countless stories of that tumultuous and romantic time. Mary Christian has written and published nine novels since her first was published in 2013.
No Regrets: A Novel of Love and Lies in World War II England (The Thornton Trilogy Book 1) Page 23