The wedding went off much as such affairs do. Lord Cumnor and Lady
Harriet drove over from the Towers, so the hour for the ceremony
was as late as possible. Lord Cumnor came in order to officiate as
the bride's father, and was in more open glee than either bride or
bridegroom, or any one else. Lady Harriet came as a sort of amateur
bridesmaid, to "share Molly's duties," as she called it. They went
from the Manor-house in two carriages to the church in the park, Mr.
Preston and Mr. Gibson in one, and Molly, to her dismay, shut up with
Lord Cumnor and Lady Harriet in the other. Lady Harriet's gown of
white muslin had seen one or two garden-parties, and was not in the
freshest order; it had been rather a freak of the young lady's at the
last moment. She was very merry, and very much inclined to talk to
Molly, by way of finding out what sort of a little personage Clare
was to have for her future daughter. She began:--
"We mustn't crush this pretty muslin dress of yours. Put it over
papa's knee; he doesn't mind it in the least."
"What, my dear, a white dress!--no, to be sure not. I rather like
it. Besides, going to a wedding, who minds anything? It would be
different if we were going to a funeral."
Molly conscientiously strove to find out the meaning of this speech;
but before she had done so, Lady Harriet spoke again, going to the
point, as she always piqued herself on doing:
"I daresay it's something of a trial to you, this second marriage of
your father's; but you'll find Clare the most amiable of women. She
always let me have my own way, and I've no doubt she'll let you have
yours."
"I mean to try and like her," said Molly, in a low voice, striving
hard to keep down the tears that would keep rising to her eyes this
morning. "I've seen very little of her yet."
"Why, it's the very best thing for you that could have happened, my
dear," said Lord Cumnor. "You're growing up into a young lady--and
a very pretty young lady, too, if you'll allow an old man to say
so--and who so proper as your father's wife to bring you out, and
show you off, and take you to balls, and that kind of thing? I
always said this match that is going to come off to-day was the most
suitable thing I ever knew; and it's even a better thing for you than
for the people themselves."
"Poor child!" said Lady Harriet, who had caught a sight of Molly's
troubled face, "the thought of balls is too much for her just now;
but you'll like having Cynthia Kirkpatrick for a companion, shan't
you, dear?"