Cass’s voice was strong and sure. “I will.”
Lucy pushed her handkerchief up to her mouth to absorb another sob.
Jane pressed her lips together, hard. Other than the obey part, that had been lovely. Truly lovely. And she’d never seen Cass so happy. Pure radiant joy shone from her face. All the years Cass had written Julian, hoped he’d come back from war safely, had culminated in this beautiful moment. Jane had to shake her head against the burn behind her eyes this time. A movement to the left caught her attention. She glanced over to see Garrett leaning slightly forward, smiling at her softly. He and his mother were sitting farther down the long row.
Jane returned his smile with a tentative one of her own before returning her attention to the ceremony. Garrett looked especially fine today in his formal morning coat. His dark hair brushed the collar and the black brought out the color in his eyes. They looked dark green.
Perhaps marriage wouldn’t be so awful after all. The thought came out of nowhere and struck Jane in the chest. She gasped. Lucy gave her a quick, questioning look but Jane barely shook her head to indicate nothing was amiss.
She surreptitiously looked over at Garrett again. So far she hadn’t thought beyond the house party and their little, ahem, flirtation, but they would have to have a talk at some point, the two of them. That much was clear. Would he be contemplating proposing marriage? Jane plucked at the neck of her gown. She couldn’t think about that now. It was too much.
The fact was, in addition to Mrs. Bunbury, and Isabella Langford, Jane had a third problem, and it might well be the most pressing. She had the nagging feeling that she was falling in love with Garrett Upton. It seared her brain every time she had the thought, coming back to haunt her again and again. Each time she tried to push it away, it returned, more insistent than before.
She was surprised to think it. Upton had proven to be funny, intelligent, and well read. The well read part alone was enough to send her halfway to being in love with him. If the first edition Mary Wollstonecraft hadn’t got her, quoting it certainly would. Add to that the fact that the man was gorgeous and knew how to do amazing things with his mouth and fingers, and she was nearly without hope.
She couldn’t tell Upton she loved him. Could she? Lucy had convinced her he loved her, but Jane wanted to hear it from him. It was far too frightening a pronouncement for her to be the first to make it. But butterflies, of all poetry-dwelling, nauseatingly happy things, fluttered in her belly every time she thought about Garrett. When she caught his gaze again and he gave her that sensuous half-smile of his, the butterflies doubled.
She mustn’t think about such things right now. All she needed to do was enjoy the ceremony and look forward to tonight. Her ankle was still sore, but perhaps she could muddle through a waltz with Garrett. Just one. She’d remember it forever. A sly smile spread across her lips. Aside from the waltz, she hoped tonight would be similar to last night actually.
She was going straight to hell for thinking about it in a church of all places, but ooh, last night. Heat rushed between her legs at the memory. The things they’d done. The things they’d almost done. She’d nearly begged him to take her right there on the settee in her friend’s drawing room. Not very ladylike and certainly not very bluestocking spinsterish of her, but that was perhaps the best part. She plucked at the neck of her gown. It was getting warm in the church with such a large crush. Her thoughts were not helping.
Jane turned her attention back to the ceremony and watched with delight as her two beloved friends promised their lives to each other.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
After the wedding, the entire party had a breakfast feast on the lawn at the Moreland estate. Tables were set up and covered with huge white linens. Lilacs and white roses festooned each of them. Colorful ribbons of green and lavender had been strung above the tables with poles and children ran and shouted and laughed. There was nary a cloud in the sky and the smell of the fresh flowers along with the slight breeze made the entire affair magical.
Jane was stuck sitting next to a family member of Cass’s, some sort of knight. She couldn’t help glancing over at Garrett’s table time and again. They sat only a few yards from each other. He was usually watching her.
The rest of the day was a blur with Jane and Cass and Lucy all hugging one another, wishing Cass the best, and congratulating her groom. Jane and Lucy helped Cass prepare for the wedding ball, and then they all settled in to take naps so they might be refreshed for the dancing.
Jane snuggled beneath her coverlet, just about to nod off, when her mother came into her room. “Jane, dear, you haven’t said. Have you met anyone special since you’ve been here? A gentleman perhaps.”