Guests filled the ballroom. Light fell through tall windows. Lilies lined the aisle. A quartet played a calm piece. Staff moved like quiet shadows. Cameras waited. People spoke in low voices about flowers, the menu, and the weather.
Celeste stood near the front with Emily. She wore the engagement gown the maids had pressed at dawn. The belt sat clean at her waist. The fabric skimmed the floor. Her hair was pinned in a simple style. She had chosen plain earrings. She had kept the veil in its box. She wanted her face clear.
“Ready?" Emily asked.
“I am," Celeste said. Her tone was steady.
Across the room, Marcus stood with two partners. He smiled with his usual ease. He checked his watch and spoke to the emcee. He practiced a few lines, as if the day were a speech and not a bond. He did n
