"Are there material facts that would change that preference, like, if it turned out central claims of Catholicism weren't true, or is that not really the point..."

"Dear," Nell says. 

"You can answer too if you've made a study of Catholicism!"

"One of the things I'm not actually terrible at is faith so I don't see how it would 'turn out' that way," says Rebecca.

"I don't know enough about the truth claims to propose a more specific hypothetical." Catherine stirs; he switches to murmuring in Greek at her.

Rebecca appreciates the distraction.

"So, Saturday wedding?"

"You didn't answer what was so urgent," his mother says distractedly. 

"I don't see any reason to wait longer than it'll take Theodore to be back in the country - unless you think either set of grandparents would come around with a month's cooling off period -"

His parents look at each other. "No," Nell says regretfully. 

Rebecca smiles and leans on Michael.

"Lovely. We should plan it," he says to Rebecca, "colors and flowers and scheduling and things -"

"Ooh - blue and red? Campanulas and roses - I don't care what time - my sister Beth might be able to sneak away with enough warning though -"

"Should I just go knock on the door and invite your whole family or should I try to get a message to her specifically -"

"Well, I suppose what can they even do about it if they object, right -"

"Nothing at all!"

She kisses him.

He kisses her back. But not very much.

And he goes to visit her family again. Knock knock.

Her father opens the door.

"Hello, sir! I'm Michael Way and I'm here to extend an invitation to my wedding to your daughter. It's at noon Saturday."

"Are you that lunatic who kidnapped Caroline? Where is she? What is going on?"

"I met Rebecca, who was discovering that being a nun was not her vocation after all, and we decided to get married. On Saturday. At noon. I'm adopting her child, she's back at my family's estate now."

"Are you Catholic or some - random hooligan -"

"No."

"You can't marry her!"

"Is that a legal claim or a moral one or a metaphysical one?"

"I'm saying I won't allow it and the Church won't sanction it!!"

"It may have escaped your notice that I was inviting you, not asking your leave."

"I want to go," pipes up a voice from inside the house.

"You're not going! Nobody's going!" cries Mr. Arden.

"Anyone who is going will want to go about a mile north of here at the bridge, I'll have a carriage for guests there."