Anne crossed the lawn to where Marie stood. For a moment, the sisters regarded each other in silence, their complicated history hanging between them.
"I see congratulations are in order," Marie finally said, her voice careful but sincere.
"Thank you," Anne replied. "It's very recent, just this morning, in fact."
Marie nodded.
"He is a good man, far better than..."
She trailed off, leaving Charles's name unspoken.
"Yes, he is," Anne agreed simply.
Marie hesitated, then asked, "Are you happy, Anne? Truly happy?"
The question held genuine concern, perhaps even a touch of wistfulness.
Anne considered her answer carefully.
"I am," she said finally. "Not in the way I once imagined happiness would feel, all excitement and grand gestures. This is deeper, calmer, more certain."
Understanding flickered in Marie's dark eyes.
"That sounds like something worth cherishing."
"It is." Anne paused, then added, "I hope you find that certainty, too, Marie, in your own way."
A shadow crossed Marie's face, quickly masked.
"Perhaps. Charles and I... we have much to learn about each other still."
The implication was clear. What had begun in passion now required the harder work of building a lasting bond.
Anne felt a surprising surge of sympathy for her sister.
"You will find your way," she offered, "just as I have found mine."
Marie's eyes brightened with unshed tears.
"Thank you, Anne, for everything. Your forgiveness most of all."
Anne reached out impulsively, squeezing her sister's hand.
"Family remains even when everything else changes."
The gesture, simple though it was, seemed to bridge some of the distance between them. Not completely, some chasms were too wide to close entirely, but enough to allow the possibility of a new relationship, different from what had been, but perhaps, in time, equally valuable.
With a final nod of understanding, Anne returned to where David waited. He received her with a questioning look.
"All is well?" he inquired gently.
"Getting there," Anne replied honestly. "Some wounds heal slowly, but they do heal."
David's smile was warm with approval.
"Your capacity for forgiveness is remarkable."
"Not forgiveness, precisely," Anne clarified. "Understanding, perhaps, and a choice to move forward rather than remain anchored to past hurts."
"Wise as well as beautiful," David murmured, offering his arm once more. "Shall we face the house party together, my love?"
Anne placed her hand on his arm, feeling the solid strength beneath the fine fabric of his coat.
"Together," she agreed. "Now and always."
They entered Brentwood Hall side by side, ready to share their joy with the world. Lady Caroline, ever observant, noted their radiant expressions immediately and gave them a knowing smile from across the drawing room.
Within hours, news of their engagement had spread throughout the house party. Congratulations flowed, along with speculations about the wedding and the merging of two great estates. Through it all, Anne remained grounded by David's steady presence at her side, his quiet joy matching her own.
That evening, during a moment of relative privacy on the terrace, David presented Anne with a ring, an exquisite sapphire surrounded by diamonds, set in platinum.
"It was my mother's," he explained as he slipped it onto her finger. "My grandfather gave it to me before he died, saying it should adorn the hand of the woman who would one day hold my heart."
Anne admired the way the stones caught the evening light.
"It's beautiful, David. I shall treasure it always."
"As I treasure you," he replied, raising her hand to his lips.
The following day, arrangements were made for their early departure from Brentwood Hall. Lady Caroline, though expressing appropriate disappointment at losing them as guests, was clearly delighted by the outcome of her matchmaking efforts.
"I knew from the moment I saw you together in London last season," she confided to Anne as they said their farewells. "Such a perfectly suited pair, in intellect, in character, in heart. I merely provided the setting. You two did the rest."
"Nevertheless, we owe you our gratitude," Anne replied warmly. "Brentwood Hall will always hold special memories for us."
"You must return for your anniversary each year," Caroline insisted. "I shall expect it."
The journey to London passed swiftly, filled with conversation about their future together. David spoke of Harrington House, his London residence, and Norfolk Park, his country estate in Derbyshire.
"It needs a woman's touch," he admitted. "The house has been without a mistress for too long. But the grounds are beautiful, rolling hills, ancient woodlands, a lake that reflects the sky perfectly on still mornings."
"It sounds wonderful," Anne said, already imagining walks together through those woodlands, picnics by the lake, a lifetime of shared moments in their own private paradise.
"It will be, with you there," David assured her. "Everything will be."
Lord and Lady Hobart received news of their arrival, and the reason for it, with mixed reactions.
Lord Hobart was clearly delighted by the match, the Duke of Norfolk representing an even more prestigious connection than the Duke of Westmere had been.
Lady Hobart, while pleased with the social elevation, seemed more genuinely moved by her daughter's evident happiness.
"You look radiant, my dear," she observed as they sat together in the drawing room after dinner, the men having retired to Lord Hobart's study to discuss settlements. "Positively transformed."
"I feel transformed," Anne admitted. "I never imagined I could be so happy, especially after... after that unpleasantness with Westmere."
"Well, it seems that unfortunate episode led to something far better. Norfolk is a fine man, reserved perhaps, but steady and honorable."
"He is all of those things," Anne agreed, "and so much more when you truly know him."
Lady Hobart patted her hand.
"I am pleased for you, Anne, truly pleased."
The formal announcement of their engagement appeared in The Times the following week, setting London society abuzz with speculation and congratulations.
Letters arrived from friends and acquaintances, including a particularly warm note from Marie.
"Dearest Anne, words cannot express how truly happy I am for you. Lord Harrington is everything a husband should be, honorable, devoted, and clearly besotted with you. The way he looks at you, it is as if you are the sun around which his world revolves. I pray that you will find in marriage all the joy and fulfillment you so richly deserve. Perhaps in time, our families might find occasions to meet without painful memories overshadowing the present. With deepest affection, Marie."
The letter touched Anne deeply, representing another small step toward healing the rift between them. She replied with equal warmth, expressing hope for the future of their relationship as sisters, and eventually as friends once more.
The months leading to the wedding passed in a whirlwind of preparations. David proved to be an attentive fiancΓ©, involved in planning their future together, while never overwhelming Anne with excessive dictates or demands.