Free Blaze Wyndham by Bertrice Small Page A

day she had ever imagined.
    Finally it was over. Master Anthony led her out of the chapel. For the first time in over an hour Blaze was able to draw a deep breath. Almost instantly her head cleared. Within the chapel with its flickering beeswax tapers and heavy clouds of exotic incense her chest had felt constricted.
    “You are quite pale,” he said quietly. “Are you all right?”
    Blaze nodded. “A wedding, even such a hurried, proxy affair as this one, is apt to be overwhelming for the bride. I could not breathe, but I am fine now.”
    He led her into the Great Hall. Her family and the others came behind them. There her father raised his goblet to her, as did all the others within the hall.
    “A health to my daughter Blaze,” Lord Morgan said. “Long life! Happiness! And many sons to my beloved first child, the Countess of Langford!”
    “Long life! Happiness! Many children! And God bless her, the Countess of Langford!” came the echoed reply from the guests in the hall.
    Her health and that of the absent bridegroom were drunk. Then Blaze was hurried from the Great Hall back to her own chamber. There Heartha helped her to remove the lovely wedding gown, redressing her in the dark blue velvet skirt and matching bodice with its pearl-and-gold embroidery. Blaze’s new boots felt wonderful upon her feet. There was more than enough room for her big toe, which was overlarge. Heartha fitted a small flat bonnet with a jaunty white feather upon her lady’s head, handing her a pair of white leather riding gloves embroidered with gold and pearls, as was the bodice of her gown.
    “Now, there’s a coach if you gets tired, my lady,” Heartha said. “No need to exhaust yourself before we gets to RiversEdge.”
    Below, her family had gathered to bid her farewell. Gently she hugged Gavin and Glenna. “Take good care of that gown,” she cautioned Vanora. “Remember that Glenna can wear it when you’ve outgrown it. I will see you have another. I promise.”
    “I want one the color of your riding outfit,” said Vanora boldly. “Dark blue should suit me well.”
    “We shall miss you, dearest Blaze,” chorused Larke and Linnette. “Come home and visit when you can.”
    “I will,” she promised, kissing them upon their rosy cheeks.
    Delight flung herself at Blaze, hugging her eldest sister hard. “Who will protect me from Bliss now?” she wondered aloud. “Did you know that they have asked me to share their chamber with them? I’m moving in tonight.”
    “Blythe will protect you, though you really need her not. You have always been able to outrun Bliss and her temper,” laughed Blaze, “and aye, I knew, for it was Bliss’s idea.”
    “ It was? ” Delight was astounded. “Perhaps I am too hard on her.”
    “Be patient with her,” warned Blaze, giving Delight a final hug. “Do not allow your quick tongue to overrule your common sense.”
    Bliss and Blythe stood before her. They were absolutely gorgeous in their sky-blue velvet gowns, which were trimmed with seed pearls. Certainly they were meant for greater marriages than could have been obtained for them before her own marriage to Edmund Wyndham. “You are beautiful,” she said. “I promise to seek the best husbands for you, but any man seeing you as you look today would offer his all to wed with either of you.”
    “Be happy, dearest,” said Blythe, kissing her elder sibling upon the cheek. “I know that you will do your best for us all.”
    “Fine words,” grumbled Bliss. “Fine words, but we shall see. Only time will tell the true tale for us.” Then her sapphire-blue eyes welled with tears which, to Bliss’s mortification, spilled over and ran down her cheeks. “God’s foot!” she swore softly as her scandalized mother rolled her own eyes heavenward.
    “Ohh, Bliss,” said Blaze, trying hard not to laugh. “You have offered me the nicest parting of all. I shall miss you so very much!”
    “Forgive me, my lady, but we must go,” Anthony