"Dearly beloved," he began.

Allegra looked about her discreetly. It was a beautiful church, but she regretted that she could not be wed in her own church come October. She listened intently to the service. With my body I thee worship. A delicate blush suffused her features as she remembered Quinton's kisses the night of her ball. They had not kissed since. How did a man worship you with his body, she wondered? Then she was drawn back from her thoughts as Sirena pushed her own bouquet of white roses, green ivy, and silver ribbons at Allegra to hold while she knelt at the altar rail.

Allegra put her own thoughts aside, and concentrated on the wedding ceremony. When the church's rector pronounced her cousin and Viscount Pickford man and wife she blushed again as the bride and groom kissed most enthusiastically before their guests. Her eyes met those of Quinton Hunter. His demeanor was serious, and to her relief not teasing. Would he kiss her as warmly once they were wed?

Sirena and Ocky hurried from the church. They were both laughing happily, and had eyes only for each other. The duke tucked Allegra's hand into his arm, and escorted her down the steps. The bride and groom were already driving off. The twenty guests followed behind them back to Lord Morgan's house in their own coaches and carriages where the wedding breakfast was awaiting them.

Lord Morgan's French chef had prepared a delicious meal which the servants passed around the dining table. There were eggs, poached in heavy cream, and fine Madeira sherry. There were pink country ham, rashers of bacon, a platter of lamb chops, and one of poached salmon in a dill sauce with carved lemons decorating its silver server. There were freshly baked breads, and little rolls with sesamed tops. There were several cheeses: a wheel of Brie from France, another wheel of sharp English Cheddar, and a nutty flavored cheese imported from Switzerland, which Allegra particularly favored, that had holes in it. There was a bowl filled with fresh fruit: sectioned oranges from Spain, slices of pineapple and yellow banana. There was a crystal bowl of fresh strawberries, and next to it a dish of heavy, clotted cream. A delicate wine was served throughout the meal until the bride's cake with its spun sugar icing and decorations was brought forth. Then the champagne was brought out, and several toasts were drunk to Sirena and Ocky.

The bride shortly afterward slipped from the dining room, followed by her cousin. Upstairs her maid, Damaris, was waiting to help her from her wedding clothes, and into her traveling outfit, although Sirena was traveling no farther than her father-in-law's town house today.

"Mama and Uncle have not yet announced their surprise," Sirena said to her cousin. "You don't think they have changed their minds?"

Allegra shook her head. "Papa said they would make the announcement before you leave."

"I can't wait to see the look on Charlotte's face," Sirena replied with a giggle. "She will be torn between relief and horror that Mama should remarry at her time of life, which is how she will put it, I am quite certain."

"How old is Aunt Mama?" Allegra asked her cousin.

"She is surely past forty," Sirena said. "She married Papa at fifteen, and had my brother when she was sixteen. Gussie is twenty-five, I know, so Mama must be past forty."

"She is forty-one," Allegra said with a smile. Sirena had never been particularly good with her sums.

"There, my ladies, you're ready," Damaris said to her mistress. Then she began to weep. "I can't believe yer a married woman," she sniffled, wiping her eyes with her apron. "It just seems like yesterday you come out of the nursery a young lass put in my care."

"Now, Damaris." Sirena hugged her maid. "You'll still be with me, and I've seen the looks you and Ocky's valet have been giving each other. You'll soon be a married lady yourself, and what shall I ever do if you leave me?"

"No man could take me away from you, my lady!" Damaris declared stoutly. "Now, you and Miss Allegra run back downstairs to yer guests. I'll be waiting for you at Pickford House." She curtsied.

Sirena, looking enchanting in a white muslin gown decorated with pink silk ribbons and a charming straw bonnet, also with pink ribbons, set over her blond curls, gave her maid a smile. Then hand in hand with Allegra she descended the stairs of the house into its circular central foyer where her husband and her guests were assembled waiting for her. She went immediately to her mother and her uncle.

Hugging them Sirena whispered, "Tell them now, please."

Putting his arm about both Allegra and Sirena, Lord Morgan said in a loud voice, "This has been a most wonderful day for us all. I have seen my dearest niece successfully married off. My beloved daughter will marry her duke on October fifth. Tomorrow, however, shall be an equally happy day, for tomorrow I will marry the woman who has done me the honor of agreeing to become my wife, Lady Olympia Abbott. As you have all wished Sirena and Ocky happy, I hope you will wish us the same as well," Lord Morgan concluded.

"Well, I'll be damned," the Marquess of Rowley said, totally and utterly surprised by his uncle's declaration. Then he reached out, and shook Lord Morgan's hand. "You have my blessing, sir, although you certainly don't need it." Grinning, he kissed his mother heartily. "And you, madame, have my best wishes. Just when I thought you could no longer surprise me, Mama, you have gone and done it."

"Then you do not mind, Gussie?" she said, a trifle nervously.

"No, Mama, I do not mind in the least," he responded, smiling even more broadly.

The other guests crowded about the couple offering their congratulations and good wishes. It was at that very moment in the crush that Sirena and Viscount Pickford chose to make their escape. Hand in hand, they left through the open door of the house, down the marble steps, and into their carriage. When their absence was finally realized, there was much good-natured laughter, and the guests were invited into the main salon of the house to partake of another champagne toast, this one to the next soon-to-be-married pair.

"And another family wedding tomorrow!" Lady Bellingham exclaimed. "My dear Olympia, what a naughty puss you have been keeping such a wonderful secret." She tapped Lady Abbott with her fan, giving her an arch look. "Of course it is the perfect match for you. I imagine your son and daughter-in-law are delighted for you." She turned her gaze to Allegra. "And you, miss, what think you of this turn of events?"

"Sirena and I have been trying to get Papa and Aunt Mama together ever since she came out of mourning," Allegra announced candidly.

"Ha! Ha! Ha! Have you indeed, my gel? Well, good for you!" Lady Bellingham said. "Not a selfish bone in her body, Quinton. You have chosen a fine gel to wife. I shall certainly look forward to returning to London in the autumn for your wedding. Even Bellingham has agreed to give up a few days of his hunting for such an event, haven't you, husband?"

"Indeed, yes, m'dcar," Lord Bellingham agreed with a broad wink at the assembled company. "If it pleases you, it pleases me." He took a long sip of his champagne.

"Well I for one am completely astounded that dear Mama would marry again at her time of life," Charlotte said. "Gussie and I have suddenly become quite bereft of family, I fear." She sipped her champagne.

Allegra giggled behind her hand, but when Charlotte glared at her she said bluntly, "Sirena said you would say that, madame. As for being bereft, I suspect you are more relieved to have Aunt Mama and my cousin gone from Rowley. You will have Gussie all to yourself now." She smiled sweetly at the Marchioness of Rowley.

"Allegra," her cousin the marquess said chidingly but his mouth twitched with amusement. "You must behave yourself, and practice more tact now that you are to become a duchess."

"Oh, Gussie, I fear I shall never become that proper, and poor Quinton knows it. Do you not, my lord?" She looked to him.

"It will take time, I see, but I believe that eventually I can persuade Allegra to the advantages of diplomacy, sir," he said to the Marquess of Rowley.


"That will be a battle worth observing," Lady Bellingham murmured softly, and her husband chuckled at her words.

The remainder of the guests made their farewells. It had been a most satisfying and exciting morning to have been party to, and privy to, they all agreed. The Earl of Aston and Lord Walworth had both asked the duke to stand up with them during their upcoming nuptials. Now both of their fiancees made certain to speak with Allegra before they left.

"You will come to the wedding with the duke?" both young ladies asked. "Mama will see you receive an invitation."

"I shall be pleased to accept," Allegra responded as she waved them both off. How odd to have friends who were girls, she thought. The only girl who had ever been her friend was Sirena. What was more, she liked Lady Eunice Tarleton and Caroline Bellingham. I really am growing up, she considered to herself.

"We will take the air in the garden," the duke said. They were now alone. Her father and Lady Abbott had disappeared.

Allegra slipped her hand through his arm. "The poor old house feels quite sad," she sagely noted. "Everything is coming to an end. The season is over. Sirena and Ocky are married. Our friends are all gone from London. Nothing will ever be the same again, will it?"

"No," he agreed, "but that is life, Allegra. The world changes about us constantly for good, or for ill."

They moved out into the garden. The afternoon was warm for June. The roses perfumed the air, and there was barely the hint of a breeze.

"Perhaps the world does change with each passing minute," Allegra said, "but I have never before felt it as strongly as I do today." She sighed a long, and wistful sigh. "My life has, despite my mother's absence, charted a steady course, and has not deviated. I was raised and educated at Morgan Court. My best, my only friend until a few months ago, was my cousin, Sirena. The years have been a round of passing seasons marked by holidays, family, and schooling. It has always been the same."

"What of your brother?" he asked her. She had never really spoken of her elder sibling.

A look of sorrow passed over Allegra's beautiful face. "Ahh, yes," she said. "My world did change then, didn't it? I had put it from my mind for it is too painful to speak on, Quinton."

"What happened?" he gently probed as he drew her down in the shade of an apple tree to a marble bench. "I only know that he is dead."

"James Lucian-we never for some reason called him anything other than his whole name-died in France. He was affianced to the daughter of the Comte d'Aumont. Because of the political situation it was decided he would marry immediately and bring his bride back to England," Allegra explained. "While he was there the family was arrested, betrayed by someone before James Lucian could wed his sweetheart. He would not leave Celestine. The authorities, if you can call that rabble in France by such a name, offered my brother his freedom as he stood upon the scaffold with her. She begged him to go, but he would not. James Lucian, it was said, knelt before his affianced, speaking gently to her of their eternal life together even as the guillotine fell. Her head rolled into the basket before him; and he was spattered with her blood. He then arose, and without assistance, knelt for his own execution." Her eyes were bright with unshed tears.

Shocked by her recitation the duke said, "He was a very brave man, your brother." His arm went about her to comfort her.

Allegra shook off the arm. "My brother was a fool!" she cried, and now the tears ran down her face. "He wasted his life for what? For love! You say, my lord, that you shall never love me, for you would not commit the mistakes of your antecedents. Well, I shall not love you either, for love brings nothing to anyone but pain. But we shall have a good marriage for it shall be based upon sensible principles. Respect for one another and enough wealth to sustain us. And whatever love either of us can muster we shall lavish upon our children. The love of a parent for its child seems to be the only love that does not hurt."

He wiped her tears away with his own linen handkerchief, but said nothing more. What could he possibly say that would comfort her? It was obvious that she had loved her brother greatly, and his death, three years before, had hurt her terribly. Finally he spoke. "Is the loss of your brother the reason you learned how to manage your own funds?"