𝗨𝗟𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗘 | 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐰 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝

𝐢𝐢. 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑 - 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒖𝒕, 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒎𝒆 𝒉𝒐𝒎𝒆

♕

They walked out of the chapel into a burst of applause and cheers that followed them into the Long Hall, and upstairs into the ballroom, where the tables had been set for the wedding feast. 

Dahlia, still hand in hand with Matthew, looked around in wonder. The ballroom had been transformed into a glittering fantasia. Sona and Laurina had worked tirelessly with Tessa to plan the party, and they'd left no corner of the ballroom untouched, from the candles winking from the hundreds of brass sconces to the swaths of gold silk draped at the windows. The golden hues of Dahlia's lehenga were echoed again and again, in shimmering pennant sand gleaming bells strung from the ceiling. Gold glinted from the ribbons that twined through garlands of tansy and Welsh poppies, and gilded the apples and pears nestled in arrangements of evergreen and white-berried quickbeam. Even the two huge tiered cakes at the center of the lavish spread were iced in gold and ivory. 

Dahlia nearly blinded her self.

 There was a truly impressive spread laid out: steaming platters of roast lamb and chicken, thin pounded mutton chops, beef tongue, goose-liver pâté. Another long table was bedecked with cold salmon in a cucumber sauce; a salad of lobster and rice and another of boiled potatoes and pickles; and plump eggs suspended artfully in aspic. Interspersed among the dishes were towers of brightly colored jellies in amber, fuchsia, and green.

Dahlia sorrowfully remembered the  green goopy horror that Ariadne had made, she made a small note to force Matthew to eat it. 

Christopher had nicked a pear from a display and seemed disappointed to discover that it was made of wax. 

 "Goodness, it's magnificent," Dahlia said, gazing around the room. "You flatter me, darling," Matthew said mildly. "I have been saving this waistcoat for a special occasion, though."

Dahlia slapped his arm. "Not you. The room." she said, rolling her eyes.

Cordelia laughed just as James's parents descended on them—wishing to congratulate them and also, Dahlia suspected, to protect them from being overwhelmed by eager members of the Enclave. 

"I'm famished," Matthew whispered to Dahlia as Lucie tried to shoo their well-wishers toward the tables—as the bride and groom, they could not stop to eat until all the guests were settled. "It's cruel to have to gaze upon a feast like that and not be able to nab so much as a biscuit." 

"Is Christopher eating his wax pear?" Cordelia whispered. "That can't be healthy." 

Dahlia's eyes widened in alarm. "Christopher, don't eat the pear!" she started, Christopher sheepishly placed the pear away. Dahlia shook her head in  mild amusement and worry.

After a few minutes of well wishes Dahlia gave up trying to keep track of all the guests. Dahlia found herself relieved by the appearance of anyone she actually knew personally: Gabriel and Cecily and their toddler son, Alexander, who had been retrieved from the nursery and remained amazingly asleep through the raucous congratulations and cheers. Rosamund Wentworth, who wanted to talk about wedding cakes since "as of course you know, I am also to be married soon. Thoby, stop that and pay attention." Thomas's elder sister, Eugenia, recently back from Idris. Henry Fairchild, who simply held Dahlia's hands and wished her happy with a straightforward sincerity that made her want to cry. In fact a few moments after he left, Dahlia felt hot tears spilling down her face. Matthew looked alarmed.

Dahlia wiped them away with her gloves, and was sure her makeup was ruined now. She sighed deep

With help from Lucie and Tessa, the guests were steered into their seats, and James and Cordelia were able to sit down. Dahlia had told Matthew to o sit while she looked for her sister, once she found Ariadne she retuned to her seat, which as unfortunately next to Matthew. Lucie had managed to arrange it so most of the friends were sitting together in a cheerful group. Only Anna—off in a corner looking glamorous and chatting to Magnus Bane about Ragnor Fell's sojourn in Capri—had not joined them.