No marriage is happy ever after - On VERY temporary hold!

Preparation

Louisa gave a unladylike snort. "Lord Hiddleston and I have only met for twenty minutes since our engagement and during that short time he made it very clear that he would have nothing to do with me and that he is in love with someone else!"

Ashley was silent. She already knew everything about the feelings of Louisa concerning the engagement and the impending marriage. At this particular moment, Louisa treasured her even more than ever. Ashley would let her lady babble and rant as she wanted, letting her get out her frustrations and then say something soothing when time was due.

"Ashley, why can you not come with me?" Louisa turned her head and looked straight at her maid. "I will miss you terribly and I will be all alone in that house, knowing absolutely no one."

Ashley withdrew her hand and patted the hand of her lady. "I wish as well that I could. But my father lives here and he is too fragile to move. Lord and Lady Wightwick have been very kind to understand my situation and hire me so that I could remain close to him."

Louisa nodded slowly. Her maid was the only child of a former merchant. There had been a son, but he had been lost at sea some years ago. The mother had died when Ashley was an infant. The merchant was ill and now Ashley was the only one left to take care of him. Lord and Lady Wightwick had hired her as a maid for Louisa mostly as an act of mercy as their house was close to the part of the village where Ashley lived. This way she could earn her living and still stay close to her father.

Unfortunately for Louisa she was herself going to move to another county. While she mourned the loss of her friend she had herself made the arrangements so that Ashley could stay in the Midgrove Manor instead of tearing the maid from her only relative.

Louisa tried to pull a small smile. "I truly will miss you, but stay here, Ashley, and be happy."

The maid giggled and then made a teasingly low curtsey. "The word of my Lady is law."

Louisa slapped lightly at the girl and could not help smiling a little brighter. "You insolent wretch! I could have you hanged for such a behaviour!" She would never do it and Ashley knew it. Ashley had an almost magic ability to know exactly how far she could go teasing her mistress and she never overstepped.

Suddenly a knock sounded on the door. Three small knocks and one harder. The characteristic knock of Lady Jane Wightwick, mother of the bride. The giggling in the room ceased abruptly and Louisa was pulled back into the dark thoughts that Ashley had almost managed to banish and she stared into the air again. "Enter."

The door opened and the elder Lady Wightwick came into the room. She was a woman with a slim build, with curly blond hair and sharp green eyes. Neither time nor birth of three children had seemed to be able to diminish very much of her youthful grace as she strode into the chamber in her forest green dress, ready for the ceremony. She made a loud gasp, too loud in Louisa's ears to sound genuine, and clapped her hands together in appreciation. "My dear girl, you look wonderful! Absolutely gorgeous!"

Louisa only gave external snorts when she with close companions, but she was also a master at making internal snorts. Not a thing could be seen on the outside but inside she was seething. She had always looked up to her mother, tried to reach her standards to the best of her capabilities which had over the years cultivated her into everything a lady should be. But Louisa's admiration had ceased after the engagement. When her parents had been so eager to marry her off to a stranger just because he was the heir to a rich lord while he clearly had another love in his life, Louisa no longer felt compelled to live up to them. She would still behave like a lady, but now it would be for her own benefit only.

When Louisa did not say anything, Lady Jane started to circle around her. "That dress is just as beautiful as I remember it. Oh, it looks heavenly on you. If only your face had been more bright. And your hair! I must say, Ashley, you are a true magician."