Alexander’s parents were the main reason she had insisted on waiting for a while before fixing a wedding date. He would have rushed her down the aisle the day after their engagement if he could have, but she knew his parents needed time to come to terms with it all. And to be truthful, so did she. Alexander had spoken about resigning his commission and leaving the army once they were wed, but she’d impressed upon him that they didn’t need to make a decision about that initially. She knew a large part of Alexander’s intention to leave the job he loved was so that they could move abroad, but that didn’t sit easy with her. In fact, little sat easy with her except that she knew she wanted to be his wife.

She turned restlessly from the window and glanced across at Betsy who was lying on the rug engrossed in one of the storybooks Alexander had given her. Once he’d discovered Betsy’s passion for reading he had made sure he never came to see them empty-handed. Rose smiled to herself. Her daughter adored ‘Uncle Alexander’ and he her, and that at least boded well for the future. And Betsy was thrilled she was going to be a bridesmaid.

The thought of the wedding tightened Rose’s mouth again. Alexander’s mother had wanted it to be a grand affair, almost in a form of defiance, Rose suspected, against those of her social circle who’d looked askance at the Bembridge son and heir marrying a widow from the working class. But neither she nor Alexander had wanted the travesty of a high-society wedding. Instead they were getting married at the local parish church with just family and close friends invited back to Highfield Hall for the reception. She was wearing a long cream dress and hat and Betsy was going to look as pretty as a picture as the only bridesmaid in pink and white. The day would be nothing like her marriage to Davey, when they hadn’t had two pennies to rub together and their reception had been a meal at a local hotel which Nathaniel had treated them to. The three of them had had a roast dinner and a glass of champagne, and afterwards she and Davey had made their way home arm in arm as Mr and Mrs O’Leary.