Richard yelped and rubbed his arm, then sighed. “Look, the worst wedding I ever went to, the groom dropped dead at the altar.”
“He what?” Blake tried to work out if his friend was joking or not.
“He was rather old,” Richard explained, running a hand through his hair. “Still, put a bit of a dampener on the occasion.”
“I can imagine.” Blake glanced down at his top hat.
I suppose my wedding would not be as bad as that, at least.
“Look, everyone gets nervous. It’s perfectly normal, but all you have to do is show up, not throw up on your bride, and not die. Piece of cake.” Richard grinned at him.
“Well, when you put it like that.” Blake sighed. “How do I look?”
“Any woman would be lucky to have you.” Richard gently gripped Blake by the shoulders and guided him into the church. “Now let’s go wait for your future wife.”
* * *
“Are you ready?” Lord Cotswalts looked into Jane’s face, his eyes full of pride and concern. “If you need a moment, I do not mind waiting.”
They stood outside the church, the crisp breeze ruffling her dress. She could see Cressida and her bridesmaids waiting at the entrance, everyone poised to act. The anxious flutters she had felt on her way to the church seemed to fade.
Jane turned to her father, smiling, and shook her head. “I do not want to wait for a moment longer.”
“Then let us go in.” Lord Cotswalts held his arm out to her, and Jane took it.
As they walked down the aisle, people turned to face her. Familiar faces beamed at her. Alexander and Rose, Olivia and Nigel, and all their children. Various relations and members of the ton.
As they walked past Rose, they heard one of her daughters asking, “Did I do a good job, Mother? Did you see me?”
“You did excellently. Now shh!” Rose gestured to her daughter, who was one of Jane’s flower girls.
Jane smiled at her sister and breathed deeply. Her father’s arm anchored her as she made her way towards the figures waiting at the altar. Blake turned to face her, and she gasped.
He always looks so wonderful in tails.
“Not so fast, this is not a race.” Her father laughed softly.
Jane swallowed. “I know. I suppose I can wait a little longer.”
“Good,” the Viscount replied. “The best things are worth waiting for.”
And then she was standing beside Blake, and he was smiling at her, looking like he had never seen anything so wonderful as her before. Jane beamed back at him, her heart fluttering wildly in her chest.
“You look divine,” Blake murmured.
“Flirt,” Jane whispered back.
“Always.” Blake winked at her.
A deep, booming voice rang out in the church as the minister said, “Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here in the sight of God, and in the face of this congregation, to join together this Man and this Woman in holy Matrimony…”
As he continued to speak, Jane found herself entirely distracted by looking at Blake. She was all but vibrating with excitement. She traced his strong jawline with her eyes and breathed in the familiar and comforting scent of orange blossom and sandalwood.
He caught her looking at him and smiled at her, and Jane felt as though her heart would burst.
* * *
Blake drew in a sharp breath as the minister said, “Who giveth this woman to this man?”
