"Her happiness floated like waves of the ocean along the coast of her life."―Santosh Kalwar

"About that!" William said sceptically.

"What do you mean about that? About what?" Hannah was the one to ask William.

"Do not tell me you eloped with Kathalina and didn't marry her," She continued her tone angry.

"Will," Kathalina said looking with wide eyes, "We said our vows. We had our witnesses. We are married."

She couldn't believe William was about to bust their secret. She hoped William understood what she was trying to convey to him and that was to keep his mouth shut.

"Kate," William said smoothly, "I am only worried about your father finding out. If we tell the truth here we will be protected from unwanted problems."

William looked at Kathalina, both of them speaking to each other through their eyes.

"The suspense is killing me," Sebastian chimed in making the newlywed break out of their eye match. He got smacked on the head by his father for doing so.

"Do not fret, we will support you through anything," Oliver said smiling widely at Kathalina and patting William's back.

"Unless you haven't married yet," Hannah said her eyes narrowed.

"So..," Sebastian said impatiently. Everyone waited with bated breath to hear what William had to say.

"One of the witnesses was underage," William said carefully. The emotions displayed on everyone's faces varied from wonder to worry.

"How much underage?" His father asked.

"Well," William hesitated, "He was seven years old who could write his name."

Nobody knows why the concerning matter was awfully hilarious to Sebastian as he burst out laughing. The twins mimicked him and the entire atmosphere turned to chuckles and smiles.

"If someone finds out it will make your marriage invalid," His father blurted out for which he got smacked in the head by his mother.

Even though it was spoken in jest, it was the truth. They can't afford to lose any time. The extravagant wedding will take longer to plan. For Kathalina, being with William was more important than the extravagant wedding.

"How about we have a wedding in three days?" Kathalina proposed looking through her audience, "It doesn't have to be as glamorous a wedding as we would like. It could be a simple affair with family and friends, a quiet little ceremony in the church. And when everything has settled down a glamorous reception."

"Why darling?" Lady Kentshire said worried, "Everyone should get a lavish wedding. And believe in my abilities I can make arrangements for extravagant affair within a couple of days."

"I believe in you, my lady," Kathalina said sadly smiling at Lady Kentshire, "But the extravagant affair will be without my parents. Once they accept us, I promise we will plan for a glamorous reception for months and throw a celebration London has never seen before."

Everyone stayed silent. She was right. Everyone knew her parents will not go so easy.

"It is your special day. We will do it as per your wish," Mother Kentshire said placing her hands on Kathalina's and squeezing it, her way of assuring the young bride.

"And it is not my lady to you anymore, it is mother and father," She continued. Father Kentshire nodded from behind.

"And can we call you Kate or Katie, Kathalina is too long to call, if you are alright with it?" Sebastian asked brazenly.

Before Kathalina could answer William interjected.

"No you cannot call her Kate," He announced, "Only I can call her Kate."

"Oh my goodness," Seb exclaimed, "William is human again." Everyone chuckled while William seemed mildly annoyed.

"Lady Kathalina, please do not mind, Seb," Nick said in a gentlemanly manner, "We do not mind calling you by your proper title."

Kathalina wondered how these two were brothers. Many often mistake them for twins while they are so different in many ways. Nick was trying to rectify what Seb had done for he thought he shouldn't have been so brash with her. But Kathalina wanted to be part of this family. She wanted everyone to be comfortable with her and to be one of them, a Kentshire.

"May I call you Nick?" Kathalina asked smiling.

"Absolutely," Nick answered immediately earning a chuckle from Oliver.

Nick's excitement to befriend Kathalina wasn't lost on anyone in the parlour.

"Then you may call me Kathy," She replied, "All my family calls me Kathy."

"How about Kat? I would like to annoy William," Seb asked hopefully.

"I approve," Kat said earning disapproving glances from William.

"Kat it is!"Seb said raising an imaginary glass to toast.

Everyone chatted for quite a while and moved to have their luncheon. Kathalina and William didn't have much rest and after luncheon was guided to separate bed chambers by mother Kentshire.

"Is it because of our wedding witness?" Kathalina asked William in a hushed whisper walking down the way.

"No, she did it to us too," Hannah answered from the front who was sent by mother Kentshire along with Oliver to make sure her commands were executed as they are and both newlyweds stayed apart.

"Why?" Kathalina asked.

"I think she wants us to feel how it would be if we had a wedding like others," Hannah said warmly, "The anxiousness, the longing and wait, the ticking time of the clock. She wants us to go through it to make everything a bit more special and a bit more real."

Make it real! It definitely felt like a dream for Kathalina to be married to the man she loved. But she didn't want to spend her wedding night in separate bed chambers.

"I think she is punishing you," Seb said from behind them. Nick and Seb joined the two couples just for the fun of it and since then everyone tried to ignore the mischievous duo at the back.

"Why would she punish them, Seb?" Nick asked dramatically.

"Oh you know, how mother is about the weddings," Seb said.

"Seb," William said without looking back at him, "Even if she is punishing us it will be over in a few days. But remember you are next on her list."

"You mean Nick is next on her list," Seb said carelessly, "I think everyone knows it would take a miracle for me to get married."

"You never know, that miracle might just be around the corner," Kathalina said glancing up at William. She found her miracle and looking at everyone around her the worry about Kentshires rejecting her melted away.

"I would love to see that," Nick said earning a playful punch from Seb.

The banter went on till they had to separate. Hannah guided Kathalina to her assigned bed chamber while men followed William to his.

Kathalina was successful in sneaking out and joining William in his bed-chamber knowing the way. She also found her bed-chamber was closer to Hannah's and realized she will need to tell the couple the man present after the twins' birth was her.

The family met again at the dinner time. Kathalina had a wonderful time playing with the twins and she couldn't get enough of them. She chatted with Nick and Seb like long lost friends had found each other again. She felt she always belonged here. It has been only a couple of hours and she knew she wanted to be here with not only William but the entire Kentshire family.

She was so happy and completely free. After dinner, everyone was sitting in the parlour and enjoyed being in the company of the people they hold dear.

Kathalina realized the atmosphere around her had gotten silent, an uncomfortable feeling settling over her. She looked away from the twins to find William standing next to Oliver both of them looking into the evening newspaper.

"What is it?" She asked, catching everyone's attention.

"Will," She said again her voice wavering.

William opened his mouth to say something but failed to find the right words. He sat beside her kissing her temple and placing his hands on her waist as support.

"Kate, I am here with you," William said soothing her back, "For every step, for whatever you decide. We all are with you."

"I love you," He whispered for only her to hear.

"Will, you are scaring me," Kathalina said a bit scared.

He passed the evening newspaper to her reluctantly.

Conservative Party Leader, Lord Liverpool, resigned. His Daughter Eloped.

Former Prime Minister and leader of the conservative party has resigned from his post of leadership and announced his retirement from parliament bringing his long almost 3 decades political career to its early end. This announcement comes after his only daughter disappeared from her own wedding and eloped with her lover.

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