A Lady For Him

32. Happily Ever After

"I think we ought to live happily ever after." ― Diana Wynne Jones, Howl's Moving Castle

Hannah was suffocating. The tension in the parlour was enough for anyone to cower in the corner with sheer power exuded from the Kenstshires. No one spoke a word since they returned to the Kentshire manor.

Everything happened in a blur of the moment overwhelmed with emotions. Their trip to Gretna Green two days ago, returning to the estate as newly wedded, Morrison's welcomed them happily. They spent days in bed making love to each other and Oliver made her agree to attend Prince's ball and it would be the best place to announce their marriage.

The ball was a nightmare in itself. The footman gawked at them when Oliver asked him to announce, the Lord and Lady of Kentshire and then the entire ballroom gawking, whispering about them. Everyone's prodding eyes made her uncomfortable but Oliver's soothing touch gave her the strength to face everything.

The princess was quite a delight, though she couldn't decide if she was being sincere while complimenting her beauty. But the moment she had to leave Hannah alone, everyone attacked her more blatantly, making comments that she was a mistress and will soon be thrown out. Their words and laughs made her screen crawl and she wanted to run away.

She jumped from boiling water into the fire when Lord William asked her for dance. She wasn't versed in the ballroom rules but she knew she can't refuse anyone for dance. The dance ended and she found herself surrounded by the Kentshire family and Oliver at the other end.

Oliver swiftly crossed the ballroom and greeted his parents and brother as was expected of them. Under the scrutiny of the audience, they played the game as they had rehearsed it hundreds of times and she was hardly given any role being the newcomer to this drama.

Lord and Lady Kentshire moved to their majesties while other brothers gracefully went dancing on the floor while Nick had asked them to visit Kentshire manor. She danced with Oliver a couple of waltzes and she knew it was all for the show. When they returned to manor everyone has already been waiting for them.

Oliver has squeezed her palm since their carriage stooped at the manor's door and was still clutched in his waiting for others to speak up. Everyone kept glancing at the green stone sitting on her other hand curled in her skirt.

Whatever it was she wanted to get it over with. The silence was going to drive her insane, the flash of her capture and days in confinement sent her trembling. Her breath started to come out laboured.

"This is unacceptable," Lady Faith said, freezing her. This was the worst, she didn't know what will be worse, her being separated from Oliver or Oliver being separated from his family because of her.

"Mother," Oliver pleaded.

"We can't accept fleeing to Gretna Green and getting married like a thief for the Kentshire heir," She continued paying her son no heed.

"I agree," Lord Kentshire added.

"We are sorry," Hannah said bravely facing the Kentshire squarely, "We should have come to you and asked for your permission properly. We should have been braver and fought for our love."

She turned to Oliver squeezing his hand tighter.

"I believe in us and I love you. Thank you," She whispered to him smiling. He instinctively kissed the top of her head earning a loud cough from father Kentshire.

"You should have come to us," He said.

"Would you have accepted us or torn us apart?" She asked him.

"It would have depended on how much you fought to be with each other," He said sitting down beside his wife.

"Now we can only do one thing," He continued.