AllFreeNovel
Share Us
CHAPTER32
“Let me straighten the dress. And that tiara’s not on properly. It’s too far forward,” Penelope grumbled as the carriage drew up outside the church.
Eloise wanted the whole thing over as soon as possible, but she stayed dutifully in her place as Penelope and Claudia fussed over her. A crowd had gathered on the steps of the church, and a carriage was parked in front of them, presumably having contained Lord Crawford, who would now be waiting for Eloise inside the church. The church clock had just struck eleven O’clock, and the time had come.
“There, now, much better,” Claudia proclaimed, as the carriage door was opened for them, and the Viscount helped his daughter out.
The crowd strained their necks to catch a glimpse of her, and Eloise knew precisely what they were thinking. Here was the madwoman, marrying the charitable Lord Crawford. She was an object to be pitied, not because she was marrying Lord Crawford, but because the loss of her sister had driven her to the brink of insanity. Her life would now be lived through a succession of sympathetic callers, who would consider it their Christian duty to visit poor Lady Crawford and bemoan the tragedy that was her madness.
“Come now, Eloise. It’s time,” her father said, leading her up the steps.
Penelope and Claudia had made themselves bridesmaids, and they walked together in awkward procession up the steps of the church doors, where a surplice-clad clergyman waited to greet them.
“Lord Crawford’s waiting inside, My Lady. I must say, it’s a truly blessed day when a delicate creature like yourself finds such happiness in a good and honourable Christian man.” He took Eloise’s hand in his and gazed at her sympathetically.
“Come now, we must be getting on,” her father said.
It pleased Eloise to think her father felt an air of necessity about the proceedings. He was no doubt anxious for her not to create a scene. She wondered what would happen if she screamed or fell to the floor, and had to be dragged down the aisle. But such thoughts were folly. Lord Crawford would still marry her, and her shame would only be increased.
“Yes, there’s no time to lose,” Penelope agreed, placing her hand on the small of Eloise’s back and pushing her forward into the church.
The organ was playing a fanfare as they lined up at the back. The pews were full, and heads now were turned and necks were craned to catch a look at the bride-to-be. Eloise could see Lord Crawford standing at the front. He was smartly dressed in a red frock coat, standing stiffly facing the front. Eloise’s heart was racing. She took a deep breath as her father led her down the aisle.
“Remember, Eloise, this is your duty,” he whispered, as they came to the altar.
The clergyman took his place, and Lord Crawford turned to look Eloise up and down. He smiled at her. Not the smile of a groom who has awaited his bride with all the hopeful longing for a happy future to come, but a nasty, smirking smile, one which spoke of power and dominance. He had won the battle, he had won the war, and Eloise was his.
“You look pretty enough,” he sneered, taking her by the hand.
Eloise fought back the tears but made no reply as the clergyman opened his prayer book and began the marriage service.
* * *
“I requireand charge you both, as ye will answer at the dreadful day of judgement when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed, that if either of you know any impediment, why ye may not be lawfully joined together in matrimony, ye do now confess it. For be ye well assured, that so many as are coupled together otherwise than God’s Word doth allow are not joined together by God; neither is their matrimony lawful,” the clergyman said, glancing at both Eloise and Lord Crawford as he spoke the words.
Lord Crawford had a smug expression on his face, and whilst Eloise could think of a hundred reasons why she had no wish to marry him, there was no truly just cause as to why it should not happen. Neither of them was impeded. The clergyman cleared his throat as he prepared to pronounce the vows.
“I do,” a voice from the congregation called out.
Lord Crawford’s grip on Eloise’s hand tightened, and the clergyman looked up in surprise. The words were a mere formality, and there could surely be no reason why anyone should object. But Eloise had recognized the voice, and her heart swelled with joy, as she turned around to find Jackson standing in the middle of the aisle. Lord Crawford let out an angry cry and pointed at Jackson with a shaking finger.
“Get him out of here. How dare he interrupt,” he bellowed.
“My Lord, we must hear the charge,” the clergyman said, stepping forward, as Jackson hurried down the aisle towards them.
Eloise’s father had risen from his pew and was staring angrily at Jackson, whose gaze fell on Eloise.
“I promised you,” he whispered, and Eloise’s eyes grew wide as tears rolled down her cheeks. He had not abandoned her.
“I won’t hear this! He’s mad, insane, I want him thrown out,” Lord Crawford exclaimed, but the clergyman stepped between them and addressed Jackson.
“Do you have a reason why this marriage shouldn’t be enacted?” he asked, and Jackson nodded.
“Lord Crawford doesn’t know the truth about the woman he’s marrying, about her family, her sister,” he declared.
Eloise’s father now let out an angry cry and he advanced on Jackson, who stepped to one side as the clergyman tried to bring calm to the situation.
“An issue of marriage?” he questioned, but Jackson shook his head.
