So they processed down the aisle to the booming strains of the church organ, amid the cheers of the few good friends gathered there in the old Norman church of Clifton Village. In the sunny churchyard, they were quickly surrounded and showered with a fall of rose petals.
“Oh, Carmen!” Elizabeth cried, wiping at her eyes with her lacy handkerchief. “I have never seen a bride so lovely.” She straightened the folds of Carmen’s ivory-colored lace mantilla, which fell from her high comb over her simple ivory satin gown.
“I should be,” Carmen said. “You and Georgina spent hours fussing over me this morning!”
“My mama is the loveliest woman in the world!” Isabella announced, leaning against her father’s leg. She was quite pretty herself, in a new white dress with a pink silk sash. Even her curls were tidy for once, brushed and threaded with a wreath of pink rosebuds.
“Indeed, she is one of the loveliest women in the world,” said Peter, catching his daughter up in his arms and kissing her cheek. “You and your Aunt Elizabeth are the others!”
Isabella giggled.
Elizabeth beamed. “Shall we go back to Evanstone, then? Pierre will pout so if his magnificent wedding breakfast grows cold.”
“Ah, yes. The famous lemon cake. What do you say, my loves?” Peter said. “Shall you ride with us, Bella?”
“Yes!” Isabella shouted. She wriggled down from her father’s arms, and ran toward the flower-bedecked open carriage that awaited them outside the churchyard gates. “Come on!” she called. “All the villagers are lined up along the road to wave to us!”
And Peter and Carmen looked at each other then ran down the pathway amid more rose petals and laughter, to join their daughter and be carried forward to their new life.
Table of Contents
Praise
Title Page
Copyright Page
Scandal in Venice
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-one
The Spanisk Bride
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Epilogue