Strange Bedfellows
~ch. 15, concluded ~
Dara wandered throughout the
conservatory, trying not to examine too closely the decision she had just made.
She moved about the exotic flora and attempted to calm her growing
nerves.
There was really no need for
nervousness, Dara tried to convince herself. Marriage to Stefan Cassadine would merely be an unusual
business arrangement designed to achieve their mutual goal.
In all her contemplations of
the last half hour, Dara was surprised to discover her feelings about her
imminent marriage. She was not
aghast at the thought of marriage to Stefan.
She was not aghast at the thought of marrying a man merely as part of a
business arrangement. But she should have been.
Mrs. Landsbury came bustling
into the conservatory. “Master
Nikolas gave me the news,” she explained.
“And asked me to serve as one of your witnesses.”
Her face beamed with genuine joy. “It
would be my honor,” she informed Dara. “So,
how can I help you, Miss?”
Dara managed a smile for the
longtime Cassadine housekeeper. “There
is nothing to do, Mrs. Landsbury. Mr.-” Dara corrected herself, “Stefan is taking
care of all the details. We just
have to wait for the judge.”
Mrs. Landsbury looked at
Dara’s empty hands. “But you
don’t have a bouquet, Miss!” She
began to move throughout the conservatory, gathering an assortment of exotic
flowers. Moments later, she
returned to Dara’s side.
“I know that it seems a bit
of a hodge-podge, Miss.” The
housekeeper gently thrust the unusual assortment into Dara’s hands.
“And if you were having a public ceremony, your bouquet would be
something far more beautiful than this. But these,” she touched the blooms
with a loving hand, “are special. Tulips mean ‘consuming love’ and ‘happy years’.
Stephanotis means ‘a happy marriage’. The Sweet Peas mean ‘lasting
pleasure’. And of course the
garden roses-”
“Speak for themselves,”
Stefan finished. Both women
started. They had not heard Stefan
walk up behind them. “Your
thoughtfulness is appreciated, Mrs. Landsbury.”
He shocked the faithful housekeeper by placing a light kiss upon her
cheek. “As are your good wishes
for our union.”
Stefan extended an elegant
hand to his bride-to-be. “Come.
The ceremony awaits.”
