Page 112 of Foolish Bride
Inch by inch through the complaining onlookers, the three made progress until Thomas Wheel, smartly dressed for the wedding, arrived at the carriage door.
She couldn’t help the joy welling up inside her. These friends of hers and Michael’s were extraordinary.
He made a half bow in the saddle. “My lady, I am afraid when you marry one of us, you must accept all four as family.”
She laughed. “You say that as if it is a bad thing, Mr. Wheel.”
He smiled brightly. “Today you will be happy to have us, but I expect that there will be a day in the future that our presence will become a nuisance.”
“Mr. Wheel, if you can get me to my wedding, I will forgive you any transgressions in the future.”
Tugging on the horse’s reins, Thomas nodded, his eyes full of amusement. “You may come to regret those words, but we will get you there.”
The three riders moved into position in front of the carriage and nudged the throngs of people aside enough to allow for the carriage to roll forward. It still took over an hour to make the short trip to the church, but they did arrive, and everyone was still there waiting for the bride.
The people in the street oohed and aahed as she descended the carriage. Great cheers rose up as she walked into the church. Then the doors closed behind her, and there was silence.
Hundreds of faces stared, but the only one she cared about had bright blue eyes that twinkled in the candlelight of the altar as they looked down the center aisle at her.
Markus Flammel, Dory’s brother and longtime family friend, walked Elinor down the aisle.
When he handed her over to Michael, she gasped for the breath to thank him.
He smiled and joined his wife, Emma, in the second pew.
Elinor took her place next to Michael.
“Are you all right?” he whispered.
“I am here now. That is all that matters.”
The pastor cleared his throat to get the bride and groom’s attention. He was obviously annoyed by the long wait.
He spoke of duty and obedience, and the perils of desire and depravity.
Elinor listened but heard only a word here and there. She and Michael faced each other, and she was lost in his eyes. When it was her turn to answer, she turned to the pastor momentarily before turning back to those stunning eyes and saying, “I do.”
* * * *
Michael never took his gaze from hers as he too answered in the affirmative. The ornate church filled with murmurs as he said the words that would make Elinor his for a lifetime.
The moment after they were pronounced man and wife, they rushed from the church.
The people still waited in the street.
Michael turned toward his bride, pulled her to him, and kissed her soundly on the lips.
A roar went up in the crowd.
Elinor blushed the prettiest shade of pink.
It took two hours to make the twenty-minute ride to the Burkenstock townhouse, where the wedding breakfast was served later than expected.
After two hours of laughing and speech-making, Michael had all he could take of the celebration. His only desire was to have his wife to himself.
His wife. He couldn’t believe she was his.
He looked around the room at each of his three best friends.
