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Chapter Fifteen
His bride was late. Nicholas’s feet tapped the marble floor of the church as his gaze periodically went to the doors. He no longer wanted Jenny to change her mind. He wanted to marry her.
His grandmother appeared to have invited the entirety of London to the wedding and the pews were practically spilling with guests. In his six and twenty years of life, he had never been this anxious about anything. Thus, he glanced at the doors once more and ran his damp palm over his waistcoat for the umpteenth time that morning.
Had she received his note? Would she come? Had she changed her mind? All these questions collided in his mind and he decided to distract himself by looking in his grandmother’s direction.
“Beautiful day,” the portly Lord Hambert, who was sitting on the dowager’s left, remarked. “Thank the heavens for sunshine today.”
The dowager twisted her cane. “It is Seaton’s wedding. The clouds would not dare.” Nicholas did not care for the beautiful weather. He thought only of Jenny and how late she was.
“It appears the bride is late,” Lord Hambert observed.
“A bride is never late,” his grandmother returned, her gaze meeting his. “A bride may take as much time as she wishes.”
Nicholas was still not convinced and when the church doors opened, he half-expected someone to rush in and announce that the bride had run away. Instead, he was filled with relief at the sight of Jenny on her father’s arm.
She was a vision in a lavender dress and his nerves melted away. He had meant every word he had written to her that morning. He wished to make amends and restore their fractured friendship. And for the first time in his life, he had the sense that he was doing something right.
Her hand trembled slightly when she placed it on his arm and she did not look up at him but he smiled down at her nonetheless. Upon turning to face the priest, he reached with his other hand to squeeze her hand on his arm in a reassuring manner.
“You look lovely,” he murmured.
“You don’t look bad yourself,” she returned, seeming to relax.
The ceremony went on smoothly and when the time came for him to kiss her, he let his lips linger on hers. He might not get another chance to kiss her again. It was noon when they arrived at Seaton House for the wedding breakfast that the dowager used to show how proud she was to present the duke and duchess.
“I don’t know about you but I quite feel like a creature on display,” he said to Jenny, more in an effort to draw her out.
She smiled. “So do I. Do you think we can find something sweet to distract us at that table?”
Nicholas’s chest lightened. Her question was like an olive branch and he took it eagerly. “Let us make a break for it before Persephone’s attention returns to us.”
“You dare call her by her name?” Jenny’s smile was broader now.
“She cannot hear me, now can she?” He led her to one of the tables filled with food and first handed her a glass of champagne. Then followed it with a cake that looked like it had an excess of glaze.
“Persephone is an interesting name,” she said.
“She has none of Persephone’s charms though. If Hades sees her, I have no doubt he will run.”
She laughed and started to raise her glass to her lips. He gently stayed her hand. “Let us make a toast first.”
“What do you wish to toast to?”
“A new life.” He raised his glass and she did the same. “And friendship.” Her demeanor appeared more pleasant and he grinned.
“There you are,” Lord Hambert boomed, joining them. “My felicitations, Your Graces.”
“Thank you, Lord Hambert,” Nicholas responded almost pleasantly.
“Now is the time to socialize, my dear,” he continued when Nicholas thought he would leave them. “There shall be an expansion soon.”
Jenny tensed on his arm, reading the meaning behind his remark. “Lord Hambert,” his teeth were clenched as he spoke but Jenny squeezed his arm and he decided to ignore the man. “I believe some of the guests are in want of your attention,” he said instead.
“Don’t mind him,” Jenny murmured after he had left.
“He was being disrespectful.”
