The moment their eyes met, Daryl smiled brightly. It was a smile so radiant that anyone who knew him would be surprised.
Eleanor eventually reached the podium and Daryl lifted her veil. He looked at the bride, who shyly lowered her eyes, with an affectionate gaze.
“Do you, Daryl Allen Lloyd, take Eleanor Lorraine Townsend as your wife, to have and to hold for a lifetime?”
“…Yes.”
Daryl spoke with a slightly choked voice. His eyes seemed to be moist, faintly glistening with tears. Seeing his eyes, Eleanor felt a surge of tears coming and took a deep breath to hold back her crying.
“Do you, Eleanor Lorraine Townsend, take Daryl Allen Lloyd as your husband, to have and to hold for a lifetime?”
“I do.”
“The two of you may now exchange rings as a symbol of your vows.”
Daryl removed Eleanor’s gloves and slid the ring onto her ring finger. It was the very ring that had been lost on the beach before.
“Under the name of God, I now pronounce you husband and wife.”
It was exactly like five years ago, yet it was different. Everything was, altogether.
Daryl pulled Eleanor into his embrace and kissed her. Eleanor closed her eyes under the bright lights. The sound of the guests clapping could be heard.
****
Daryl was more nervous than ever before.
Looking back, he wondered if there had ever been a time in his life when he was this nervous. If he had to choose, it might have been the second proposal. But at that time, he had proposed on impulse, without even realizing he was nervous.
Soon, the sound of a door opening was heard. Daryl unknowingly sprang to his feet.
Eleanor was dressed in a thin negligee with a gown over it. Seeing her, Daryl already felt a dryness in his throat.
Elleanor approached slowly with her eyes downcast and sat next to Daryl.
“Have you been waiting long? I’m sorry. It took me a while to get ready…”
“No, it’s okay. I can wait as long as it takes.”
Eleanor couldn’t help but smile at his earnest response.
“What if we end up staying up all night?”
“I’m okay with that.”
“I’m not. It’s too embarrassing in broad daylight.”
After saying that, Eleanor realized how bold her words were and blushed belatedly.
“Eleanor.”
Daryl spoke in a slightly hoarse voice.
“Are you really…okay with this?”
“…You’re asking me this now, after the wedding?”
Eleanor responded incredulously.
“If you don’t want to, you don’t have to force yourself. As I said, I can wait as long as it takes…”
“I don’t not want to. There’s no reason for me not to.”
Eleanor looked puzzled.
In truth, Daryl didn’t know why he was saying these things. Perhaps it was because of the mistakes he had made before.
He was unsure about anything related to Eleanor. Even though she had miraculously accepted him again, it still felt like a dream.
When was the first time he had dreamed of becoming one with Eleanor? He couldn’t believe that this day had finally come.
“Eleanor…”
Daryl gently cupped Eleanor’s cheek. He could tell that she was also very tense.
Daryl kissed Eleanor. As he sucked on her soft lips and tangled his tongue with hers, a small gasp escaped her. Eventually, as Eleanor’s tension eased and her body relaxed, Daryl patiently continued the long, deep kiss.
Daryl removed Eleanor’s gown while holding her. As he untied the straps of her negligee and pulled it down, Eleanor’s bare shoulder was exposed. At the same time, she shuddered for a moment.
“…It’s okay.”
It was meant to reassure her, but his voice was so hoarse that he couldn’t even believe it himself. Nevertheless, Eleanor bravely nodded her head.
“I love you, Eleanor.”
“Me too. I love you too…”
Daryl gritted his teeth at her delicate voice. His wife was already frail, and this was her first time. He had to be as careful as possible to avoid causing her pain. He knew it, but controlling his desires, which felt like they could explode at any moment, was not an easy task.
Daryl loved Eleanor too much. He was so afraid, afraid of losing her again. He didn’t want to hurt her even a little bit.
Eleanor looked up at Daryl with faint fear in her eyes. Daryl closed her eyes and kissed her eyelids. And he whispered again that he loved her.
Then Daryl moved his lips to Eleanor’s bare body.
****
The next day, when Eleanor opened her eyes, Daryl was lying next to her, looking at her.
“…Daryl.”
Eleanor covered her face, embarrassed, and pulled the blanket over herself.
“Why are you looking at me like that? If you had already woken up, you could have woken me up as well…”
“Your sleeping face was too beautiful. I didn’t want to wake you up.”
Eleanor’s cheeks turned pink at his words. Daryl gently kissed her forehead.
“Did you sleep well? Is your body okay?”
“Um…I don’t know. It feels sore here and there…”
Eleanor’s body had red marks here and there, even though only her shoulders were exposed.
Despite promising himself not to push his wife too hard, Daryl ultimately failed to control himself completely.
It was a moment he had dreamed of and waited for so long that he honestly didn’t expect the night to be better than his expectations. But Daryl and Eleanor’s chemistry was much better than he had imagined. Judging by her reactions, it seemed like she wasn’t only feeling pain. If Eleanor had felt even half of the pleasure he had felt, Daryl thought he couldn’t ask for more.
“Sorry. It was your first time, so I didn’t want to push you too hard…”
“……That such…..right?”
Unable to bring herself to say the number, Eleanor reproached Daryl with a vague tone. Daryl responded with an awkward smile.
“I couldn’t help it. Your body felt so good….”
Eleanor’s face turned beet red. She pulled the covers up to her face.
“How could you say that….”
Daryl chuckled at his adorable wife. Even last night, she had reacted with a blush to the words whispered in her ear.
“You’ll get used to it. You’ll hear it every day from now on.”
“Every, every day? Every day like this…?”
Eleanor said, genuinely shocked.
“That’s why I asked before we started. If you were really okay with it.”
“I didn’t know it meant this…!”
“It’s okay. I’ll do it within the limits of what’s comfortable for you.”
“Just one night was already too much!”
“You’ll gradually get used to it.”
Daryl said, then kissed Eleanor’s cheek. She pouted, looking like she was about to cry.
Even that expression was so lovely that Daryl couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
****
Daryl and Eleanor were sitting side by side on a garden bench, reading a book. Eleanor rested her head on Daryl’s shoulder, looking very comfortable. Even so, she seemed to be deeply focused on the book, her eyes rolling from side to side.
Daryl held a book in one hand, but his gaze was entirely fixed on his wife. He had a warm smile on his face.
“…look so happy.”
Herbert looked pleased, but also a little bewildered. Peggy chuckled beside him.
“Who wouldn’t be? It would have been nice if they had done this sooner.”
“There were a lot of issues. Still, I’m really glad that the two are happy.”
After the wedding, Peggy and Emily officially worked together at the Duke’s Mansion. She had been offered the position of head maid to replace the retiring Matilda, but she said she was satisfied being Eleanor’s personal maid.
“Really, looking back, it’s hard to believe. Even just a while ago, I never thought a day like this would come….”
Emily murmured softly. She had been a little girl when she first met Eleanor, but now she was a full-grown young woman.
Eita!!!!