Authors: Gloria Harchar
"
You
'
re lovely.
"
Betsy motioned toward her plaited locks.
"
And I adore all that hair, such a nice color. Why, y-you simply shine.
"
She suddenly burst into tears.
"
And I
'
m so afraid for you!
"
"
Why, Betsy!
"
Nicola
turned in surprise.
"
What has gotten you all upset?"
"
Don
'
t
marry the Black Falcon, miss. P
lease,
"
Betsy said, covering her face with her hands.
"
I fear for you.
"
"
Now, now, Betsy,
"
Nicola
replied, giving
the servant
a reassuring rub on the shoulder.
"
Not
as
bad as all that.
"
She lowered her hand from her face and stared with pale blue
eyes wide
with anxiety.
"
Please, miss! He
'
s evil! He killed his brother and ever since he
'
s returned, his tenants
'
crops have been doing poorly. If he doesn
'
t kill you outright, he
'
ll suck the life out of you, like he has the land.
"
"
Nonsense. The Earl isn
'
t evil. Those are all rumors, Betsy.
"
"
How do you know for sure, miss?
"
"
Do you remember when everyone thought old Mrs. Poore had been set upon by demons because the neighbors saw something white and shimmering flying in the trees? And it was only her rooster caught in the sheets?
"
"Yes
,
"
Betsy said, glancing at
Nicola
uncertainly.
"
This is the same. The Earl
'
s brother died in a tragic hunting accident and the crops are suffering because
of
lousy farming techniques, something I
'
m certain that the Earl will fix. Now, smile for me. This is supposed to be the happiest day of my life.
"
Giving Betsy a reassuring pat, she picked up the hat she
'
d been working on and carefully placed it on her head.
"
Miss
Nicola
?
"
Betsy stared at the bonnet.
"
The hat is … well, interesting
, but—
"
She knew the hat was inappropriate, but she wore it for a cause. Falcon would understand its defiant message. She turned to the maid.
"
Shall we go?
"
Her father waited at the bottom of the stairs and watched as she descended, his craggy
features
beaming.
"
You look as lovely as your dear mu
m did on our wedding day.
"
The reference to her parents
'
blissful marriage caused her to realize how empty her own wedded life would be. The
years
stretched out long and lonely before her.
He gazed at her uncertainly.
"
But that
hat
...
"
He stared at its ornament.
"
What is that thing you
dyed
in
Clockwork Blue
?
"
"
I knew you would appreciate my latest creation, Papa,
"
she said, tongue in cheek.
"
Are you ready?
"
"
I
'
ll never understand women
'
s fashions,
"
he mumbled. Taking her hand, he squeezed it gently.
"
Are you happy, daughter? If you aren
'
t, we can call this off.
"
She was tempted, truly she was
... so much so that she opened her mouth to agree. However, Ramsey wasn
'
t out of danger. And she suddenly had a crazy feeling that the Earl needed her. It was silly, but Betsy
'
s fear had made
Nicola
want to charge to his rescue. He was the most misunderstood man she
'
d ever known. And she could do something about it. She squared her shoulders and gave her father a reassuring pat.
"
I
'
m fine, Papa. This is what I want.
"
If only to save Ramsey.
"All right, then."
His mouth drew into
a stoic line. H
e took her by the arm and escorted her to the front door. The tenants were waiting on the street. As
Nicola
stepped over the threshold into the bright sunlight, the crowd cheered.
A horse stood in front
of the cottage. The buttermilk-
colored palomino was dainty and beautiful, adorned with a bridle laced with twines of honeysuckle, the tail and mane braided with ribbons of violet and green.
Nicola
gave her father a questioning look.
He doffed his hat to rub his balding head.
"
A present from the Earl. He insists that you come to him on the animal.
"
A lump formed in her throat. The Earl
'
s gesture was thoughtful, almost whimsical.
"
The mare is beautiful.
"
"
I suppose it is,
"
her father replied grudgingly.
"
I still have reservations about him, but—dash it all, I just want you to be happy.
"
"
Don
'
t worry, Papa—I will,
"
she said, determined to be so. After all, happiness was a state of mind
, right?
And it was in her nature to be happy. She
patted his shoulder.
She allowed him to assist her onto the sidesaddle, then adjusted her skirts. The crowd cheered again. At the end of the block, she could see the newly constructed white gazebo, compliments of her future husband. Inside the structure was Falcon with the vicar, awaiting her arrival so that the vows could be read—thus securing the yoke of marriage around her neck. Even Ramsey would be there to serve as a witness.
A woman called to her, flapping her hands boisterously. Recognizing Mrs. Wallis with her five young daughters,
Nicola
returned the wave.
"
We know you
'
ll tame the Black Falcon!
"
Mrs. Wallis called.
"
Foolish woman,
"
Nicola
'
s father muttered.
Nicola
rode toward the town square and her doom. A footman
clothed
in the Falcon livery
of orange and black,
led her horse. Her father walked beside the withers on the other side. Her wedding gown flared over the horse
'
s rump.
Crinoline scratched the back of her neck. Perspiration tickled her brow.
She shifted in the sidesaddle
several times in an attempt to get comfortable.
The villagers continued to follow, their
eyes
full of hope and awe. Colorful flowers adorned their heads and decorated the streets.
Despite the prickle of tiny thumbtacks stabbing the backs of her legs,
Nicola
realized her wedding day couldn
'
t have been more beautiful.
Would one of Mrs. Wallis
'
s daughters want to be in her place? she wondered. From the look of fascinated terror on their faces, she doubted it. Determination swept her as she noted their fear. If she accomplished one thing from this fiasco of a marriage, it would be to dispel the ridiculous superstition that surrounded the Black Falcon.
Someone called to Papa and he halted to talk to the man. Allegro perched on the tip of her mare
'
s ear. A shimmering ball of gold, he hummed
"
Eroica
"
in his lilting voice.
"
Didn
'
t I do
well on the weather?
"
Nicola
frowned.
"
Where have you been? And d
on
'
t tell me you had something to do with
the weather
.
"
His aura dimmed.
"
I did. You didn
'
t know I have some
ancient
Celtic wizardry in me. I wanted to make it a perfect day for a perfect match.
"