status as interloper had never felt as painfully strong as in that moment. Her insides twisted into knots at the fear she was altering the fate of these lovers—interfering with something that was supposed to be.
Charlotte recovered quickly, reclaiming her charm. “He’s a fine man.”
Gia couldn’t help herself. “You care for him.”
Charlotte tilted her head, her defensive expression softening. “Very much.” She lifted her chin. “But I shall get over it.”
With those simple words, Charlotte started away, but the strain in her voice left Gia doubting this would be quite so easy.
Chapter 7
Alice worked like an artist, face set in concentration, as she applied the finishing touches to Gia’s hair. She stepped back from the dressing table, admiring her handiwork. “Finished,” she declared in a rare tone of pride.
Gia gazed at her reflection in the mirror in front of them. Shimmering pins secured each perfectly arranged tress in place. She turned her head from side to side. A long lace veil hung from the garland of orange blossoms encircling the intricate twists of hair piled at her crown. She looked like a princess. She looked like…a bride.
The memory of the dream she’d had before leaving Boston waltzed into her head. A haunting sadness followed. During the darkest hours of her excruciating recovery, from the tatters of her unraveling life, a beautiful dream had been woven.
Perhaps it wasn’t merely a dream but a vision. She’d been so addled from the opiates she couldn’t be sure. But as vivid as it was vague, the dream had ensconced her in warmth, and she’d wrapped herself in the hope it had provided when she’d needed it most.
A maelstrom of emotions welled inside her, spewing forth in a rush of uncontrollable tears she couldn’t contain.
“You don’t like it?” Alice asked, clearly alarmed.
Gia blinked, wiping furiously at her eyes. “I do,” she said, trying hard to compose herself. “Forgive me, Alice. I’m just being foolish.” She forced a smile through her tears. “This is not how I pictured my wedding day.”
Alice tilted her head, regarding Gia in the mirror. “I suppose not.” The pity in her eyes made Gia feel worse.
“May I tell you something silly?”
Alice stepped to Gia’s side to face her directly.
“Before I left Boston, I had a dream. One of those dreams that make you so happy you’re disappointed when you wake up.”
Alice nodded. “What was your dream?”
“I stood on a hill, watching the sunset. With a man.”
Alice set down the brush, her lips pursed tight. “You’ve forced my brother into this marriage, so please forgive me for not sympathizing with you for your last-minute regrets.”
Gia lowered her eyes, abashed. “You are right, Alice,” she said. “I’ve made my bed. I know that.” Feeling a fool for seeking comfort from the girl, she willed back her tears and shook off the stinging rebuff. Several awkward moments passed before Alice spoke again.
“So, who was he?”
Gia glanced up, surprised. Alice regarded her with more curiosity than judgment, and Gia inhaled a small breath of relief.
“That’s what’s so silly,” Gia said. “I don’t know. All I know is the love that filled my heart as I stared down at our interlaced hands felt so wonderful. So real.” She shook her head. “So much so, I can’t help wondering if he’s out there somewhere. This mysterious man who leaned on a cane and made me feel loved.”
Alice cast her gaze to the floor.
Gia couldn’t blame her for her awkward response. In light of Landen’s contempt for Gia, hearing the words out loud sounded pathetic to her own ears.
“I told you it was silly.”
Alice shook her head. “It’s not silly at all.” Not a hint of reproach marred the girl’s face. Alice had the makings of a true friend, and Gia’s heart swelled with growing fondness for her future sister-in-law. “It was a beautiful dream.” She reached for a handkerchief
Charlotte recovered quickly, reclaiming her charm. “He’s a fine man.”
Gia couldn’t help herself. “You care for him.”
Charlotte tilted her head, her defensive expression softening. “Very much.” She lifted her chin. “But I shall get over it.”
With those simple words, Charlotte started away, but the strain in her voice left Gia doubting this would be quite so easy.
Chapter 7
Alice worked like an artist, face set in concentration, as she applied the finishing touches to Gia’s hair. She stepped back from the dressing table, admiring her handiwork. “Finished,” she declared in a rare tone of pride.
Gia gazed at her reflection in the mirror in front of them. Shimmering pins secured each perfectly arranged tress in place. She turned her head from side to side. A long lace veil hung from the garland of orange blossoms encircling the intricate twists of hair piled at her crown. She looked like a princess. She looked like…a bride.
The memory of the dream she’d had before leaving Boston waltzed into her head. A haunting sadness followed. During the darkest hours of her excruciating recovery, from the tatters of her unraveling life, a beautiful dream had been woven.
Perhaps it wasn’t merely a dream but a vision. She’d been so addled from the opiates she couldn’t be sure. But as vivid as it was vague, the dream had ensconced her in warmth, and she’d wrapped herself in the hope it had provided when she’d needed it most.
A maelstrom of emotions welled inside her, spewing forth in a rush of uncontrollable tears she couldn’t contain.
“You don’t like it?” Alice asked, clearly alarmed.
Gia blinked, wiping furiously at her eyes. “I do,” she said, trying hard to compose herself. “Forgive me, Alice. I’m just being foolish.” She forced a smile through her tears. “This is not how I pictured my wedding day.”
Alice tilted her head, regarding Gia in the mirror. “I suppose not.” The pity in her eyes made Gia feel worse.
“May I tell you something silly?”
Alice stepped to Gia’s side to face her directly.
“Before I left Boston, I had a dream. One of those dreams that make you so happy you’re disappointed when you wake up.”
Alice nodded. “What was your dream?”
“I stood on a hill, watching the sunset. With a man.”
Alice set down the brush, her lips pursed tight. “You’ve forced my brother into this marriage, so please forgive me for not sympathizing with you for your last-minute regrets.”
Gia lowered her eyes, abashed. “You are right, Alice,” she said. “I’ve made my bed. I know that.” Feeling a fool for seeking comfort from the girl, she willed back her tears and shook off the stinging rebuff. Several awkward moments passed before Alice spoke again.
“So, who was he?”
Gia glanced up, surprised. Alice regarded her with more curiosity than judgment, and Gia inhaled a small breath of relief.
“That’s what’s so silly,” Gia said. “I don’t know. All I know is the love that filled my heart as I stared down at our interlaced hands felt so wonderful. So real.” She shook her head. “So much so, I can’t help wondering if he’s out there somewhere. This mysterious man who leaned on a cane and made me feel loved.”
Alice cast her gaze to the floor.
Gia couldn’t blame her for her awkward response. In light of Landen’s contempt for Gia, hearing the words out loud sounded pathetic to her own ears.
“I told you it was silly.”
Alice shook her head. “It’s not silly at all.” Not a hint of reproach marred the girl’s face. Alice had the makings of a true friend, and Gia’s heart swelled with growing fondness for her future sister-in-law. “It was a beautiful dream.” She reached for a handkerchief
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