The Fairy Tale Bride

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen

As they watched the carriage approach up the drive, Miranda’s eyes sparkled up at Simon like fine sherry. Thinking of how small and forced her smiles had been of late, he realized just what he had wrought with his impatient need to possess her. He wanted desperately to lift her up and bury his face in her neck, where the scent of her was strong and sweet, and apologize for his unmeant cruelty.

He had not considered how full her life had been with family — or how empty of friends his home was. Katherine was somewhat of a confidante, but she was a servant. And he could not understand how Miranda tolerated his mother, never mind enjoyed her company.

Having her sisters underfoot would be a relief to both of them. She would have them to keep her distracted from concentrating on his false illness, and he would have more than enough chaperones.

“Miranda! Your house is even nicer than Anderlin. I want to live here.” Kate burst from the carriage before it had even rolled to a complete stop. He could not help his own smile as he hurried to catch the irrepressible elf in mid-flight and hand her to her happy sister.

“Kate! You could have injured yourself.” Miranda stood by the carriage, Kate clasped against her side to prevent her from darting into the path of the team as it came to a halt with a jingle of harnesses. The coachman opened the door formally for the remainder of her sisters to dismount more sedately, and Simon went to offer his hand.

The courtyard itself seemed electrified by the presence of the girls. Even the coachman, a thin-faced, normally somber man, was smiling broadly, albeit a little dazedly. He was not used to the constant high pitched chatter of excited young persons of the female persuasion. Simon found himself overwhelmed with tales of the trip and the inns and food where they had stopped.

He watched Miranda, choked with emotion at her sisters tumbling from the carriage in bright flounces of skirts and even brighter smiles. She could not speak. He suspected she was close to breaking down into outright sobs. Her hands on Kate were tight, as if she might never let her go — until the little girl broke away to feed a carrot from her pocket to the lead horse.

Simon allowed his arm to encircle his wife’s waist as she, with tears in her eyes, embraced Hero. He saw similar tears in her sister’s eyes and realized how much he had missed by never knowing his own brother.

The sisters hugged each other tightly. Miranda’s voice was husky as she said, “It is so good to see you looking well.”

“And you, as well.” Hero smiled through her tears, blinking away the moisture until her gaze was focused on her sister. “I have missed you. How do you fare as Duchess of Kerstone?”

The question was pointed and Simon hurried to answer, fearing that Miranda would be too honest. “Your sister is the most gracious duchess we have ever known. I, for one, cannot think there is one more qualified for the position. And I would not change one thing about our last few weeks.”

Miranda, on the verge of speaking, looked up at him in surprise. Her lips were turned up in a teasing smile as she asked, “Not one thing?” But her eyes were serious.

Fortunately, at that moment Juliet bubbled up to her. “Oh, Miranda, the duke’s coach is just the thing. We traveled in the lap of luxury. You would not believe how comfortable the ride was, compared to our old carriage that Father should have had re-sprung years ago.”

She looked up at Simon with a flirtatious flip of her lashes that made him want to shout with laughter. But then, her eyes widened as she realized what she had said and the color left her face, “I did not mean ... “