Next, her mother entered the chamber carrying a square, velvet-covered box. “I have been keeping these for your wedding day.” She put the box on the toilet table. “They were your great-great-grandmother’s on my side.”
Adeline opened the box and gasped. Inside lay a necklace with loops of pearls interspaced with emeralds and a pair of earrings. “Mama, these are magnificent.”
“My lady, you have to dress,” Fendall reminded Adeline.
Her mother gathered her friends. “I will see you in the chapel.”
“I’ll be downstairs, waiting with your father,” Georgie said.
Fendall made short work of getting Adeline dressed. She met her father and Georgie in the hall. “Where is the chapel? I have not even seen it.”
“There are inner and outer entrances,” Georgie explained. “We are to use the outside entrance today. People are already lining up to see you.” That was something Adeline had not expected. “That means you will have to walk down the aisle instead of coming in from the side, like Dorie did.”
It would be strange to be part of a promenade where she was the sole focus, but... “If I must, I must. I will not keep Frits waiting.”
She took one of her father’s arms and her friend took the other. Creswell bowed. “If you will follow me.”
Georgie had not been exaggerating. People lined the path from the front door around to what had been described as a small chapel, but was much larger than Adeline had expected. As she walked with her father and friend, she saw most of the pews were already full, but her focus was on Frits. He was splendid in a dark blue jacket and breeches, a waistcoat embroidered with silver thread, and a perfectly tied, snowy-white cravat with a large, square, emerald tiepin nestled in the folds.
He smiled broadly as he gazed at her and mouthed, I love you.
I love you too, she mouthed back, and Adeline could swear that most of the women and girls in the church sighed.
When she reached the vicar, the church, which had been a buzz of noise, became so quiet, one could hear oneself breathe. People leaned forward in their seats, and the vicar began the service. She and Frits spoke their vows in clear voices, and when he got to the part about worshipping her body, she could not stop her cheeks from heating, which caused light chuckles from several in the church. Frits slipped on her finger a ring of gold set with a large square emerald that matched his signet ring, and two square diamonds on either side of the emerald. Adeline was amazed that it fit so perfectly.
Finally, they were proclaimed man and wife, and the church broke into cheers.
“I have never seen a wedding like this one,” Georgie Featherton said as they went to the side of the church to sign the register.
“Neither have I,” Adeline admitted.
“Wait until you see the festivities.” Frits handed his wife the pen. She would be the first to sign. “They will go on until late tonight.”
Adeline signed the register and handed the pen back to him. “Are we required to remain until the end?”
“No, we’ll slip away quietly.” Frits signed his name and waited for Miss Featherton and Turley to do the same before placing Adeline’s hand on his arm. “Are you ready to brave our well-wishers?”
She looked as excited as he felt. “Lead on, Husband.”
“I like the sound of that, Wife.” By that time the church had emptied, and their tenants, neighbors, and friends had lined up outside.
The second they stepped out, children started throwing flower petals on the path that wound around the house to the lawn outside of the ballroom, and the adults shouted congratulations.
Long tables had been set up with all sorts food, and two multitiered wedding cakes were set in the middle of each table. Cider and lemonade were on two other tables.
“Look at those cakes.” Adeline’s eyes rounded. “When did your cook have time to bake them?”
“He had help. Ladies and women in the area contributed layers. The wedding of a lord of Littleton really is a community celebration.”
“I can see that.” She glanced toward a woman handing out small bags. “What is that?”
“Wedding gifts from our family to our guests.” Abney approached with large glasses of champagne, and Frits handed one to Adeline. “To us and a long and fruitful marriage.”
Tears blurred her eyes as she lifted her glass to him. “May we always be as happy and in love as we are now.”
“You cannot cry.” He was only partly teasing. He knew the tears were because she was happy, but he couldn’t stand to see a female cry.
“I’m not going to.” She sniffed. “This is so much better than it would have been if we’d wed in Town.”
