Page 41 of Four of Hearts

‘Here we go,’ Ben said.

Harry and Ben watched as Grace and Liz, and Jen and Mary-Ann, left Harry the shire horse, and the pony, with Phil, and gathered at the far end of the aisle. Liz, Harry knew, had asked Arthur to walk her down the aisle, as well as Grace. He’d accepted immediately, and with a few tears shed by both.

Then soft music started to play, and with all eyes upon them, they began to walk slowly down the aisle.

All Harry could see, all he cared about, was the smile on Grace’s face, and the sparkle of magic in her eyes. As far as he was concerned, she looked beautiful whatever she wore, be that jeans and one of his jumpers, a waxed jacket and Wellington boots with a gun under her arm, or something a little more fancy, when they managed to get their act together and actually go out somewhere swish for the night. Not that that happened very often; something he decided there and then, he’d need to rectify.

Right now, though, he’d never seen the like. He searched for the words to describe how she looked, something that could, at the very least, capture the vision before him. In the end, he gave up. It didn’t matter. Sometimes, words simply weren’t enough. This was more than just a visual experience. For Harry, it seemed as though his whole being was witnessing something that no part of him could fully comprehend, and neither would it ever, either.

Arthur led Grace to Harry, and Liz to Ben, and stepped back just a little, so that he wouldn’t be caught up in proceedings. Then, with a wink at Harry, Grace turned to stare back up the aisle, and sent out a sharp, bright whistle.

Harry was fairly sure nothing could surprise him now, especially after having watched a shire horse bring his own bride, and his brother’s, down the hill. That was until, in response to Grace’s whistle, a small pack of dogs trotted down the aisle.

With everyone watching them as they padded past, Smudge, Fly, Jess, and Arthur’s dog, Molly, came to heel.

‘Cheese!’ called Mary-Ann, and a golden ball of furry nonsense threw itself out of one of the rows of chairs, and pelted down the aisle to join them. She threw herself into Mary-Ann’s arms and licked her cheek. Mary-Ann giggled, then placed the dog gently onto the ground, where she sat, good as gold, beside her mum, Smudge.

‘Well, I think that’s everyone,’ said Margaret, then looked at Jen and added, ‘Unless Steve’s joining us as well?’

‘Too busy keeping an eye on the sofa,’ Jen said.

Margaret turned her attention to the whole gathering.

‘Well, good afternoon, everyone!’ she said. ‘It gives me a huge amount of pleasure to welcome you all to this beautiful place, surrounded as we are by family, friends, and a good number of sheep wondering just what on earth is going on, to celebrate not just one marriage, but two.’

Harry laughed, and wasn’t the only one.

‘Now, I’ve attended a good number of weddings over the years, and taken part in plenty, too. I can honestly say, however, that this is the first time I’ve stood before two brides, two grooms, five dogs, and enough police officers to arrest the entire congregation if things get out of hand. So, you’ve been warned!’

A ripple of laughter moved through the guests.

‘Today, though, isn’t about keeping the Dale safe, making sure the rabbit population isn’t getting out of hand, or any of the other myriad things that have occupied these four people for far too long. It’s about finding the person who makes the world feel a little more like home, no matter what life throws at you. And if you want me to be soppy about it all, it’s about love, plain and simple.’

Harry half expected to hear more laughter. Instead, there was only respectful silence.

‘This is a special place,’ Margaret continued. ‘And I have no doubt that Anna is smiling down on us all.’

‘Oh, she is,’ came the soft, highland lilt of Gordy’s voice from somewhere behind Harry, and he saw his own smile reflected in the one on Grace’s face.

And from that moment, Harry was lost. He knew that he and Ben were surrounded by friends, that Margaret was speaking, first to everyone gathered as witnesses, and then to him and Grace, and to Ben and Liz. He heard music and singing, listened to a reading by Arthur and another by Gordy, and only just managed to keep the tears he felt welling up, from falling freely. He threw himself into the pools of Grace’s eyes as Margaret handed over the rings, and they listened to Ben and Liz exchange their vows. Simple words, and deep. The silence which followed them was enough, it seemed, to still even the sheep on the hills for a respectful moment or two.

Then Harry had a ring in his hand, and was ready to slip it onto Grace’s finger.

Grace let out the faintest gasp.

‘That’s ...’

Arthur leaned in close and whispered, ‘It’s your mum’s, Grace. And Harry’s got mine.’

‘But ...’

Arthur stepped back, smiling.

Harry could hear his heart thumping hard. And yet, he was calm. Even more so, because, to his own monumental surprise, he could remember the vows he’d written as clear as day.

‘Grace, you make the good days better and the bad days bearable. You are my lover, my best friend, you are my home, and the person I want beside me for the rest of my life. I promise to love you, support you, and to never stop being grateful that, even with this face of mine, you chose me.’

As gentle laughter took to the air, Harry slipped the ring fully onto Grace’s finger.