Free An Aria Writ In Blood (The Underwood Mysteries Book 4) by Suzanne Downes

money to be lavished upon it, the wedding of Cara and Gil could not have been more lovely; though all those who knew the couple well admitted that they seemed so much in love that all the pomp was rather out of place.  It was evident they would have been quite as happy to exchange their vows in a draughty, old, country church as in the rather grander setting which was their eventual choice.
    Underwood, in his place by his brother’s side on the front pew, glanced back and was astonished to see just how many people had gathered to see his younger brother marry Cara.  It was probably in that moment that he realized just how big a step Gil was taking.  No wonder the man had been plagued by second thoughts!  One did not just marry an Earl’s daughter; one entered a whole new world.  The glitter of jewellery alone was enough to blind a man if looked long enough at it.
    He would have been even more stunned if he had seen the seemingly never-ending procession of carriages which inched their way to the church porch, disgorging yet more guests of the Earl; the gentlemen dressed in peacock colours which vied with the ladies’ pastels.  Lady Hartley-Wells was dressed in her usual half-mourning purple, and a few other elderly women were similarly attired, but the fashion was generally for much lighter colours, such as peach, pinks, mauves and yellows.  The bride wore ivory satin, with a train of remarkable length, and her supporting friends were clad in palest yellow.  Horatia held her mama’s hand, on her best behaviour, and Toby looked stunning in his dark blue, his grin so wide that his teeth rivalled the pearls about Cara’s throat.
    For the ladies it was over all too soon; for the gentlemen the stifled sighs of relief fooled not one of their spouses.  They were eager to devour the wedding breakfast and begin to toast their ‘lost’ brother – as Jeremy James elegantly phrased it,
    “Another man leg-shackled to a harridan-in-waiting!”
    The reception was everything Gil and Underwood feared.  Uncle George did indeed drink far too much – fortunately for them, he did it with the Earl as his companion.  It was painfully evident the Countess was not amused, but since her own husband was the instigator, there was little she could do about it.  Even Cara laughed at her mother’s stiff expression when Uncle George insisted upon treading a measure with her.  She had never allowed her husband to take the liberty of dancing a waltz with her, being of the old fashioned sort of lady who disapproved of such frivolity, but she found herself being swept across the floor by George and when he finally released her, she joined the Underwoods, valiantly fanning her pink cheeks, breathless and on the edge of giggling, admitting, “I must say that it is a remarkably enjoyable way to dance!”
    By late afternoon Cara and Gil were waved off amid showers of rice and rose petals, their carriage bound for a secret location where they would spend their wedding night, to be followed by the journey to Southampton, where they would board the Earl’s yacht bound for an idyllic honeymoon travelling in Europe – made safe by the final defeat of old Boney, thanks to such heroes as Thornycroft and the Wablers.
    It was to be several more days before the last friends and relatives were seen politely on their way home, then the Brighton contingent were able to do their own packing and prepare to decamp.
    Only one thing occurred to alter this plan.  For some days Luisa had been pale and unwell; she was barely able to fulfil her duties as maid-of-honour to Cara, and when the time of departure came, it was obvious she was not physically able to stand the rigours of a sea voyage.  It had been intended that Peter and Luisa should accompany Gil and Cara to Rome, where Peter owned a villa, but it was not to be.  Peter had been particularly eager to whisk his wife away from the temptations offered by the wicked city of London, but even he could not