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Chapter 37
Crispin couldn’t believe that it was the day he had been waiting for. At last, Mary was going to be his bride. At last, they would have the future he had been hoping for. They were going to spend their lives together and enjoy a future full of wonderful things.
They had struggled quite a lot to reach this point, but the day had arrived when he would be able to make her his wife and they could share in the love they had been fostering for the previous three months as they waited to finally wed.
Harry came alongside him and gave Crispin a friendly smack on the back.
“Ah! You look like you are about to be a husband!” he teased.
“Indeed, I am,” Crispin replied, looking at himself in the mirror to be sure that everything was perfect. Not a hair was out of place and his clothing had been pressed to perfection. He was confident that this was the best he could possibly do, even for a day as grand as this one.
“Is your bride ready?” Harry asked.
“I certainly hope so. I am desperate to see her,” he replied. “And what about you? Are you ready to propose to Miss Lambton? Or are you going to draw out the courtship even longer?”
Harry laughed and shook his head.
“No, it is time. I intend to propose within the week. I am ready to make her my wife and I do believe that seeing your wedding will encourage her to agree to the match,” Harry said.
“I believe she would have agreed even without my wedding taking place,” Crispin replied.
“I can only hope for so much,” Harry said.
“Very well. And as to the future between myself and Mary, it is my greatest hope that we will enjoy the sort of love and family that anyone would be fortunate to have,” Crispin said.
“Well, none of that is going to happen unless you hurry and get yourself ready to go out the door. You know, you have very little time before the ceremony is about to begin,” Harry reminded him.
With that, Crispin put his hat on and they made their way to the coach. It was quite strange, knowing that he was on his way to the most important day of his life. He knew with all his heart that this would be a day full of beauty and wonder, a day of hope and joy. He would finally have everything he had ever wanted. He would finally have a life with the woman he loved.
The ride to the chapel was a short one and when Crispin and Harry exited the coach, they rushed inside to find the minister preparing everything for the wedding. They were early enough that no guests had arrived yet, but Lord Comstead was present, along with Charlotte and her husband, Joseph.
“Ah, how wonderful to see you, Lord Hanbrooke,” the minister greeted. “And is your sister coming along with your bride to be?”
“She is, alongside Miss Lambton, Lady Mary’s dearest friend,” he replied.
“Excellent. I am glad that the family will be together,” the minister said.
Of course, Lady Rachel would not be in attendance. She still had another three months left on her journey abroad, however Mary had said that Charlotte received a letter alluding to the fact that her mother may remain in Italy indefinitely.
This was no trouble to the rest of them and Mary had been gladdened by the news that she would not have to see that woman again. For now, however, Crispin wanted to focus on the joy of becoming a husband to the woman he loved more than anything in all the world.
Slowly, the guests began to trickle into the church. They had not invited a large number of people, but expected a few friends, including Miss Anne and some of Crispin’s business associates.
At last, however, the time had come. Crispin stood beside the minister. He took a deep breath as the doors opened to reveal his bride.
Mary was lit by the glow of the sun outside and she was cast into silhouette for a moment before he could finally see her.
With her hair up in a neat bun at the base of her neck and her pale pink dress cascading down around her, Mary was the portrait of British gentility. She was feminine and delicate in every way and Crispin was astonished by how stunning she was.
Mary’s smile was bright and pure. She held a bouquet of zinnias and baby’s breath in her hands as she walked calmly towards him with tears of happiness in her eyes.
At last, she reached him and Crispin could hardly believe that she was there, standing before him. He took her hand and gave it a squeeze as the minister began speaking.
“Dear friends, we have come here today to honour the union of Lord Crispin Dunaway, the Duke of Hanbrooke and Lady Mary Goldfield. As we gather for their marriage, we remember that matrimony is a good and wonderful gift that has been given to us, a gift of commitment and love and respect,” the minister said.
Crispin was delighted by each of those elements, knowing in his heart that he could honour them with his bride. He wanted nothing more than to love her, to respect her, and to commit to her. And he was confident that she would do the same for him in return.
“As we enjoy the gift of marriage, let us not forget that the joys and the pains alike bring us closer together. As a husband and a wife give themselves to one another, they are promising that there will never be a day when they will allow selfishness to come between them,” he continued.
