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Out of the two of them, Ella had been the one more nervous about meeting Kit’s family. He, on the other hand, had simply been excited. Ella was absolutely, in every way, the perfect girl to introduce to the family. And she had already, very briefly, met his father, and he had been impressed by her as well. So there was nothing to worry about.
But to the king’s surprise, his queen was worried. Only a few hours before the dinner party at which Ella was supposed to meet all of Kit’s cousins, aunts, uncles, the whole lot of them, she sat on their bed, fumbling with her hands, looking completely terrified.
“It’s only that… I’ve never met a man’s family before,” she said, which caused Kit to chuckle lightly.
“I’d hope so, because that would indicate you’d been married to someone else before me,” Kit sat next to her, pressing a light kiss against her hand. “You have nothing to be concerned about. My family is very accepting, and you are the perfect woman.”
“But I am not nobility, am I?” Ella’s voice shook as she said it.
Kit knew it would be about this. Somehow it always came back to this. He sighed, shaking his head. “They don’t care about that. The only person who cared about such a thing was the Grand Duke, and he’s long gone.”
“I just don’t want you to feel you made a mistake.”
“Never,” Kit said with such a firm tone that Ella couldn’t help but to smile. His love for her gave her more confidence than anything she’d ever experienced before. Perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad. And even if his family didn’t like her at first sight, they’d have years to grow closer.
It was only that Ella had never had the best track record with new family members, if the Tremaines were anything to go by. Of course, when she’d said this to Kit, he had immediately said that those three women did not count.
Maybe he was right, but it didn’t boost Ella’s confidence too much. So, when she took his hand and they began to make their way towards the dining room, he still felt rather discouraged.
“I love you,” Kit whispered in her ear before they entered the room, the three words Ella had come to love more than anything.
Before she could respond, however, the doors were opened and Kit’s family stood up from around the handsome table.
Perhaps Ella had been worried about nothing. His aunts were very lively and cheerful, his uncles intelligent and eager to talk literature with her. His cousins, young and old, all seemed to adore her, and Kit’s only living grandparent, a man who looked to be over a hundred, said she was adorable.
So Ella smiled, engaged in conversation with every one of them, and tried to enjoy herself. It wasn’t too hard with her husband by her side. Anything was fun as long as he was a part of it. But she was worried she would ruin everything, somehow. The way she’d felt things had gotten ruined with the Tremaines from that very first day.
It was only at the very end of the evening that her doubts disappeared. She was watching one of Kit’s second cousins, a lovely little girl, do a ballet number as she heard Kit’s aunt and uncle pull him aside.
“She’s lovely!” His aunt said with a bright smile on her face, nodding her head as if to indicate her approval. “I knew she had to be quite something when you married her against the Grand Duke’s wishes-”
“I beg of you, do not bring that up,” Kit groaned, shaking his head. “Ella is worried enough as it is, I do not want anyone reminding her of what should have happened, according to that horrid man. His opinions no longer matter, if they ever did.”
“What we’re trying to say, son, is that we like her. Very much,” his uncle said with a knowing smile. “I think you two will be very happy.”
As Ella turned her eyes back to the little girl doing the lovely ballet, she couldn’t help but to agree.
Together, with Ella’s head pressed against Kit’s shoulder, the king and queen slowly made their way to their chambers at the end of the day.
“So, was it that bad?” Kit asked with a soft smile, looking down at his wife.
“No. I think your family is amazing.”
“Our family,” Kit corrected, kissing her forehead. “They’re our family now.”
“I like the sound of that,” Ella murmured, thinking that maybe her luck with family had finally turned.