Toast of the Season

✩ Epilogue I ✩

✩ Third Person ✩

Wedding Day, Evening

Everyone in attendance said that Edmund and Elizabeth Westworth had the most beautiful wedding they had ever seen. The flowers, decorations, candles, everything was designed to make the ceremony beautiful. Elizabeth asked Beatrice to be her Maid of Honor and the Elliott twins to be her bridesmaids. Edmund chose James to be his Best Man and William and Fred as his groomsmen. All the attendees were greatly moved by the obvious love between the newly married couple. No one having seen them together could deny their complete adoration for each other.

Lady Westworth much desired her son get married at Saint Paul's Cathedral in London, but it was decided that the wedding would be near Beaumont so that the servants could attend. It was the only decision that Edmund was insistent on. In all other ways the wedding and related celebrations fulfilled Lady Westworth's wishes. William teased that Edmund demanded the closer location because he did not want to travel four hours by carriage to get home on his wedding night. Edmund did not deny it.

Once the guests had dissipated, Edmund tracked down Lizzy with predatory determination. He found her saying goodnight to the Havishams. He watched their hugs and kisses, then waited exactly one second after the door closed behind them before sweeping his bride up into his arms and with a purposeful gait he carried her toward the stairway. He lowered his mouth to her ear, "I am in ever great need of my wife right now, Lizzy." She could not help but smile at his single mindedness as she reached her hands up and entwined them behind his neck.

As he passed Fields he said, "Everyone is dismissed for the rest of the evening. We are not to be disturbed." Edmund's eyes did not leave Lizzy's face as he issued the order and started up the stairs.

Fields chuckled at how distracted Edmund was, "As you wish, Sir."

Once the newlyweds were up in Edmund's room, Lizzy remembered the long row of buttons down the back of her dress. "Should I not call Rachel to help me out of my gown?" 

Edmund came from behind, resting his hands on her shoulders, "Absolutely not," he huffed, but his tone softened as he added, "I am sure I can manage a few buttons, Lizzy." He lowered some sweet kisses onto the back of her neck. "Come sit down and let me take your hair down first." 

Elizabeth chuckled, "Oh, I want to see this." She sat on a bench where she could watch him in the mirror.

Edmund looked back at her in the mirror as he started removing her hair pins and flowers, "You are the most beautiful bride there ever was, Lizzy. Every man at our wedding was jealous of me, I am sure."

Lizzy blushed, "I am not certain of that. But there will be some tear soaked debutant pillows this evening as London's most eligible bachelor has been taken off the market." 

Edmund chuckled, but in contrast his eyes were intense, "I have been 'off the market' since the night I met a dark haired, green eyed siren who stole my heart completely and has never given it back." 

To Lizzy's surprise, Edmund had her hair almost fully down in a matter of minutes. He was now carefully unraveling the last braids. She smiled up at him, "It has just occurred to me that you arranged my hair the very first night we met and are now doing it again on our first evening married."

He kissed her on the top of the head as he reached for the hairbrush on the table in front of them. "See? I am practically an expert by now. I could replace your lady's maid completely." There was a twinkle in his eye, "I think I would enjoy the job immensely." He brushed through her hair several times but it didn't require much and his fingers were itching to start working on the buttons at the back of her gown. He pushed her hair over her shoulder and carefully started releasing the tiny pearl shaped buttons one by one. "You look stunning in your beautiful wedding gown, Lizzy. But for some reason I am eager to see it off of you."