The wedding reception at Claridge’s had drawn to a close beneath crystal chandeliers and the warm glow of candlelight. The last notes of the string quartet had faded into the evening, leaving only the lingering fragrance of roses and the memory of a night worthy of a fairy tale.

Now, high above London's bustling streets, Edward James Sterling escorted his new bride into the luxurious hotel suite reserved for their wedding night. Beyond the tall windows, the city glimmered beneath a veil of mist. Inside, champagne rested in a silver ice bucket, ivory roses adorned the mantelpiece, and the gentle glow of shaded lamps lent the elegant room an almost dreamlike warmth.

Edward was a gentleman accustomed to order and restraint. Born into an old and distinguished family, and esteemed among London's barristers, he carried his wealth and standing with quiet assurance rather than ostentation. Even after an evening of celebration, his black evening suit remained impeccable, his gold cufflinks gleaming as he removed his gloves with unhurried precision.

Yet his bride was quite another matter.

She could scarcely keep still, wandering about the suite with barely concealed delight, admiring the flowers, the magnificent bed, and the glittering city beyond the windows. There was something almost enchanting about her restlessness, as though the happiness in her heart were too immense to be contained within her small, graceful frame. Every little luxury delighted her; every glance at Edward seemed to remind her anew that he was, impossibly, her husband.

Edward watched her with a hint of amusement, his usually inscrutable hazel eyes softened by an affection he seldom displayed so openly. He had spent a lifetime mastering the art of composure, yet there was something rather endearing about the unrestrained happiness of the woman who had become his wife.

“My dear,” he remarked, loosening his tie with measured elegance, “I rather suspect you shall have exhausted yourself before the evening has properly begun.”

The faintest smile touched his lips as he approached her and offered his hand.

“Come here, if you please.”

Beyond the windows, London slowly vanished into the silver mist. Inside, for the first time that day, Edward Sterling had nowhere else to be and no reason to hurry.