Rigel strode into the hall and flagged down a passing servant. “Here,” he said as he waved a paper in his face. “Take this and invite everyone on this list.”

The man bowed and darted out the side door, as Rigel continued his way to the kitchens. He barged in and caused several kitchen aids to cook. Looking around, he spied the cook and walked up to her. “You are going to be very busy today and tomorrow. Send one of your aids to hire 20 more people. We will have a grand ceremony for my daughter.”

The cook nodded and grabbed the collar of a young woman as she attempted to dart past. “Of course sir, this girl will find us the best she can steal away from others for the day.”

“Good.”

He left the kitchens and the clanging of pots behind him and sought out his wife in her sun parlor. She was draped in a chaise lounge with a damp cloth over her eyes.

He sank into the chair beside her and moaned. “We are not going to be ready in time.” His spine straightened as though he had been zapped by a hundred sheets at once, as the door opened and the nurse walked in to bring Lady Aurora some lemonade.

“What are you doing here?” he asked her. “Where is Raine?”

“My young charge has wandered over to visit Friar Laurence in the chapel. She wished to be alone for confession. So I thought I would stay here and help out where I could.”

Lady Aurora lifted one corner of the cloth and languidly reached for the cup to drink. “And an excellent help she has been,” she murmured as she handed the cup back. The glass clinked on the table as the nurse set it down so she could readjust Lady Aurora’s towel.

Rigel snorted. “Well hopefully the man can talk some sense into her, that ungrateful little wench.”

“Oh look,” cried the nurse as she gazed out the window. “Here she comes now. Oh, the dear thing looks so happy. The meeting must have been a merry one.” Giddily, the nurse bustled over to the parlor door and waved Raine over. “Come here, child. Come here.”

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Still smiling, Raine changed her course and entered the room. Her face fell and she stopped just short of the threshold when her gaze took in her father.

“Well now my headstrong girl, where have you been?”

His eyebrows shot up in surprise as she kneeled before him. “I went to repent of my sin. The father instructed me to kneel before you and beg forgiveness.” Her hair swept in front of her face as she tilted her head down. “I’m sorry father. I promise I shall do what you say.”

“Excellent.” Rigel clapped his hands and a servant poked his head in the doorway. “Send for Derrin and tell him we’ll have the wedding tomorrow morning.”

“I saw him this morning,” Raine said softly. “I showed him as much love as I could without being immodest.”

“Excellent,” Rigel said again. “Well now, stand up.” He waved his hands to beckon her to her feet though her eyes could not see him do so. As she stood, he turned to the servant who was still hovering on the threshold. “Well, go on, fetch the count. I wish to see him.”

The servant bowed and exited.

Rigel turned to Lady Aurora and lifted the cloth from her face. “I swear, this whole city owes so much to that friar.”

Raine retreated towards the hall door. “Nurse, will you come with me and help me pick out some clothes and jewellery for tomorrow?”

Lady Aurora pushed the cloth the rest of the way off of her face and stood up. Resting a hand on Raine’s shoulder, she waved the nurse away. “No not tonight. There will be plenty of time in the morning. It’s almost night already. We can do this tomorrow.”

“Nonsense,” remarked Rigel. “Go with her nurse. We can have the wedding in the morning.”

“The morning?” gasped Lady Aurora. “We will not be ready by morning. There isn’t enough food or drink. Let alone informing the guests of the time.”

Rigel pushed Raine and the nurse out of the room. “Relax my dear, I will go down to the kitchens and make sure that everything is underway like it should be. If I must, I will stay up all night to get things ready. Now you go and help our daughter prepare for married life. I will handle this.”

Still shaking her head, Lady Aurora followed her daughter and nurse out of the room. As the door shut once more, Rigel brushed his hands off in the light of the setting sun and glanced around him. “Well now, I guess all that remains is to make sure that Derrin is ready for the wedding too.” Humming softly to himself, he left the room, peeked in the kitchen to hurry things along, and went to find the groom.