Page 45 of An Arranged Betrothal with an Icy Duke
A shout from down the hallway made him rise, a weighty smile on his face. “I should probably go to make certain that the servants are not about to receive the weight of the Duchess’ wrath,” he said, seeing his brother’s wry smile. “Thank you, Lady Frankton… Rachel.” He looked to his brother. “Thank you both.”
Epilogue
“And now we come the giving and receiving of the ring.”
Edith could barely breathe, such was her anticipation. She stood by the Duke, waiting for him to take the ring from Lord Eaveswood. There had been so many words spoken, so many vows already given, so many minutes passing them by, and yet still, they were not yet husband and wife.
How much she longed for that moment!
The Duke of Fairglen looked deeply into her eyes, his gaze tender as he took her left hand in his own. With gentle fingers, he pushed the ring onto the third finger of her left hand, the metal cool against her skin. “With this ring I thee wed. With my body I thee worship, and with all my worldly goods I thee endow.”
Edith’s eyes filled with joyful tears as she looked down at her hand. The Duke’s ring was settled there, reminding her that she was now his – and he now hers. Their hearts were joined as one, their lives now entwined together from this day onwards.
“And now, let us pray our final prayer.” The clergyman smiled and then closed his eyes, his hands lifting so as to bless them both. Obediently, Edith closed her eyes also and listened to the few words which he spoke. “Eternal God, Creator and Preserver of all mankind, Giver of all spiritual grace, the Author of everlasting life: Send thy blessing upon these thy servants, this man and this woman, whom we bless in thy Name; that, as Isaac and Rebecca lived faithfully together, so these persons may surely perform and keep the vow and covenant between them made, whereof this Ring given and received is a token and pledge, and may ever remain in perfect love and peace together, and live according to thy laws; through Jesus Christ our Lord.Those whom God hath joined together let no man put asunder. As these two here before you all have consented together in holy wedlock and have witnessed the same before God and this company, and thereto have given and pledged their troth either to other and have declared the same by giving and receiving of a Ring, and by joining of hands; I pronounce that they be Man and Wife together. In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.”
“Amen,” she heard the Duke say, as she too murmured the same. She turned and then, her arm on the Duke’s, followed after him through to sign their marriage lines. The next few minutes were something of a blur, for she was told to sit here and write there, her hand trembling such was her joy as she wrote her name. She could not quite fully take it in, could not quite believe that she was now the Duchess of Fairglen. After all of their difficulties, all of their trials, here she was, her hand resting on the arm of the gentleman she had come to care for so deeply.
“If you are quite ready, Your Grace?”
Edith looked up at the Duke, her heart filled with joy. “I am,” she answered, as his free hand set on hers for a moment. “We are man and wife, Fairglen. Can you believe it?”
He laughed softly, then, despite the presence of the clergyman, bent down and kissed her cheek. “It is a wonderful moment, is it not? And I have yet more wonderful things for you, my dear.”
Edith, not understanding what he meant, was prevented from asking questions by the Duke sweeping her out towards the front of the church. Before she knew it, she was outside, hearing the cheers and the congratulations of the gathered crowd. Her mother embraced her, her sister too, as well as her aunt. Edith found herself crying for the sheer joy of it, feeling more happiness than she had ever anticipated.
“You are so very blessed,” her aunt murmured, as she took Edith’s hands in her own. “Your kind heart has brought you a happiness that you truly deserve.”
“Thank you, Aunt.” Her thoughts going back to the London orphanage, Edith’s smile faded. “How is Lilly? I am sorry that I was not able to see her before the wedding.”
For whatever reason, her aunt’s lips quirked. “Oh, she is doing very well indeed, my dear,” she said, as Edith’s frown flickered across her forehead. “In fact, I think she will have an excellent future.”
“Oh?”
Her aunt pressed her hands again and made to say more, only for the Duke’s arm to wrap around Edith’s shoulders and catch her attention again. She was tugged away gently to greet Lord and Lady Frankton and, with her heart still filled with nothing but light and happiness, Edith went willingly with her new husband.
***
“I know you are tired but I thought you might like to waken before we reach the manor house.”
Edith yawned and sat up, only to blush as she realized she had been practically draped across the Duke’s lap as she had slept. “Do excuse me.” Reaching around, she touched her hair, realizing that the pins had fallen out of it, leaving it loose. “Goodness, I am so very sorry, Henry. I must look something of a mess and – ”
The Duke’s lips found hers before she could finish and despite the rolling of the carriage, Edith leaned into it. “You look more than wonderful to me, Edith,” he murmured against her lips. “I cannot quite believe that I am taking you back home as my wife. It thrills my heart in a way I cannot express.”
Edith smiled softly and leaned back. “I feel the very same way.” Her heart quickened just a little as she found herself eager to say more. “No, that is not quite true, in fact.”
“No?” The Duke’s eyebrows lifted a little but Edith only smiled, reaching up to brush her fingers lightly down his cheek.
“No, because I feelmorethan that,” she told him, nervousness threatening to grasp ahold of her before she could tell him all that she had been thinking. “I believe that I am quite in love with you, Fairglen.”
The Duke’s blue eyes went wide, his jaw a little slack as he stared back at her. Flushing, Edith dropped her gaze, turning her head away just a little. “Though that is not to say that you must reciprocate my feelings,” she said, quickly, wondering if she had said too much or embarrassed him in some way. “Please, do not think – ”
“I love you too.”
Edith turned her head quickly, seeing the Duke’s eyes alight as a broad smile spread across his face. “You do?”
“I do. I love you,” he said, grasping her hands and speaking now with fervency. “My feelings for you have grown and grown and grown to the extent that I cannot even breathe without so much as thinking of you. I adore you, Edith. I cannot tell you of how fortunate I count myself to have you as my bride! To know that my love is returned is more wonderful than I ever thought!”
He kissed her again and Edith’s heart seemed to explode in her chest. She wrapped her arms around his neck, only for the carriage to lurch as it pulled to the front of the manor house, making them laugh as they broke apart.
