She Hid Under a Table to Escape a Matchmaker — The Duke Was Already There
Chapter 12
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Winnie stopped when she saw it. "Oh, Daphne." Her sister took her hand. "Your roses. I love it."Gilbert stood behind them, feeling more pleased than he had when he approved the original grand arrangement.There was one missing chair. He took a step towards it, then saw Osric dealing with the matter. His brother spoke to a servant, moved two people pleasantly along, and made room without appearing to command an operation. Gilbert sat down.When the time came for his speech, he took the little page from his pocket and looked at it only once."My brother asked me for two things this week," he began. "A carriage for a parcel of ribbons, and a short speech. I have supplied the carriage. The second request is still in danger."There was a laugh. Osric looked at him with hopeful alarm.Gilbert spoke about the things his brother remembered, the attention he gave to what other people wanted, and the evidence that Winnie was already very good at telling him. He thanked the people who had worked to make the day pleasant. Then he raised his glass before anyone could begin wondering how many pages remained.The applause came warmly. His mother wiped her eyes. Daphne, across the table, smiled at him as though she had been waiting to see something she already knew he could do. He found he wanted that particular smile again.Afterwards, people congratulated the bride, the groom, the mothers, and several helpers who had not expected to be congratulated at all.Marcia came to stand beside Daphne by the window. "Your sister looks happy.""She is."Marcia glanced towards Gilbert, who was being detained by a man explaining the superiority of a different route to the church. "He looks better, too."Daphne kept her expression innocent. "Did he look unwell?""He looked like a man who had been appointed to supervise his own enjoyment and expected to make a report afterwards."Daphne laughed."You are fond of him," Marcia added."I have known him for two days.""Then you have had a remarkably efficient beginning." She went to speak to Winnie before Daphne could produce a satisfactory denial.The newly married couple left in the late afternoon. There were kisses, last instructions, a parcel nobody wished to take responsibility for, and a moment when Osric climbed into the carriage before discovering he had left his hat with somebody else. Winnie laughed at him. He bowed to the company without it.The carriage moved away with both of them looking back, happy enough to forgive the disorder they were leaving behind. Daphne stood on the step until it had gone beyond the turn.Gilbert came beside her. "A successful conclusion.""I hope the rest will be less organized.""Osric will do his best."She laughed and turned towards him. There was no next item on the list. For the first time all weekend, neither of them was needed immediately elsewhere.