Chapter 450

"Erik, this is splendid. I am just over the moon. I can't wait for her to see it." Christian was looking at the pics of the steam along the road where he and Pearl, just a short while ago, got stuck in the mud together.

"The view. The privacy. There isn't a living soul for miles."

Erik nodded. "Simple will be good as well. No need to decorate at all. Just you both and what members of the family you'd like to come. I know Alex and your mother, and Isla of course."

"And you." Christian said. Erik looked at him.

"Are you sure?" He asked.

"Yes. I was wondering if you would be the one to marry us? Nora is not religious at all and I don't believe a catholic priest would be caught dead out there. Will you, Erik? Will you marry us?"

Erik became suddenly choked up. His forehead lines showed the emotion on his face as he wiped his eyes.

"Yes. Of course I will. What an honor. I don't know what to say."

Christian gave him a pat on the arm. "Say you will."

"I will."

"Great! Wonderful. Two weeks then? We are set?"

"Yes." Erik said with a smile and red eyes.

"Balmoral will be ready for your stay after the ceremony before you leave for your honeymoon in the Maldives for a month."

"Splendid. Just splendid."

"I have it all arranged. Relax. Enjoy it." Erik said. His phone rang and he excused himself to answer it.

"Yes Sydney. Right. I'll get on Zoom right now."

"Excuse me, your majesty. Must take a meeting with my partner in the US."

"Of course. See you at dinner." He said.

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Everyone was in the dining room that evening. It was the first time since the funeral they had all been together.

"Hello Pearl. How are you?" Maggie asked.

"I've been better. I've been worse." Pearl said.

Nora came in and hugged Pearl. "I'm glad to see you are up and feeling better." She said. Pearl smiled. "I told him." She whispered.

Pearl smiled and nodded. Christian was beaming with delight as he put his arm around Nora. Alex was there, too, sitting by Isla and making jokes about her new hair color, which was blue. Everyone was chatty and smiling.

"This is perfect. This is what he would have wanted. All of us here, carrying on with our lives. I'm grateful for you all. Truly. I love you so much. And even though a huge part of me is gone, I fill it with the love of my family. To us!" Pearl said as she held up her glass of water.

"To us." Alex said.

"To us." Christian said.

"To you." Erik said as he walked in. They all looked over at him as he sat down. "Apologies for my tardiness. I had a call." He said. He looked over at Pearl. She looked well. He was devastated at what he would have to tell her later and how this glow radiating from her would ultimately be snuffed out by a long buried truth, finally seeing the light of day.