Lord Atherton's Ward (12 page)

‘It will be a lively match, that’s for sure. If you put your mind to it, Perry, I’m certain you can make her fall in love with you.’ He chuckled. ‘You’ve never had any difficulty charming the fairer sex before.’

Perry ran his fingers through his hair. ‘You’re right, instead of hiding from Sarah, I should have been courting her. I have left it too late now; it’s our wedding day tomorrow.’

‘It doesn’t help that you’re not leaving for your wedding trip until after the New Year Ball. It will be impossible for either of you to feel free from constraint living under the same roof as your mother and sisters.’

 ‘I’d thought of that. Although we shall be married tomorrow, I have decided to leave things as they are until the New Year. She shall remain in her apartment, I in mine.’

‘Good God! That is a nonsensical notion. That will only make her feel worse You cannot abandon her to own devices, think of the gossip.’

He frowned - his friend was right. ‘I shall take your advice. I shall arrange for us to move to the Dower house; if I remember rightly there are several bed chambers. She can still remain private and no one here need know about the arrangements.’

‘If the house has been unoccupied for some time it will need cleaning, the fires lit, and you must select discreet staff to run it for you.’

‘I shall get it organised immediately. Thank you, Dickon. You have made me feel more hopeful about the outcome of tomorrow’s ceremony.’ Perry was so busy arranging things that he quite forgot to tell Sarah of the change in plans.

* * * *

‘You look lovely, Sarah. But you are too pale, pinch your cheeks and bite your lips a little to give yourself some colour.’ Jane stood back to admire her. ‘The pale green of your velvet gown is perfect for a winter wedding. Come, we must not delay longer, the carriage is waiting downstairs to take us to the church. Lord Atherton and Lord Mainwaring left some time ago, as have the other guests.’

Sarah nodded sadly. This was not how she had imagined her wedding day would be. Papa should have been there to walk her down the aisle, Mama sitting proudly at the front of the church to see her oldest daughter married. She watched Jane hurry into the church, leaving her standing in the porch. She heard the congregation stand, and knew it was time to progress down the aisle. She couldn’t do it on her own. Seeing the wooden bench that ran down either side of she walked across unsteadily and sat down. She heard steps but didn’t look up.

‘Sweetheart, how could I have been so thoughtless? You cannot walk into church unescorted. We shall walk together; it is unusual, but then so are we.’

She looked up and her heart skipped. He looked breathtakingly attractive in his closely fitting jacket, his intricate stock tumbling down beneath the strong column of his neck. Dumbly she nodded and held out her shaking fingers. He threaded her arm through his.

Dimly she heard the music start again. Safe by his side the ceremony seemed less a disaster and slightly more of a celebration. Somehow she stumbled through her vows; whilst he spoke clearly and with conviction. When he took her hand and pushed the gold band over her knuckle her eyes filled with tears. It was done. She would be a good wife, and maybe he would come to love her in time.

The short carriage journey back to Highfield gave them no time to converse. They were ushered triumphantly back into the house by Foster. The wedding breakfast seemed interminable. She wasn’t sure what was to happen afterwards, she knew her trunks had been packed and removed. Perry had told her they were not going away until the New Year, but she had been too dejected to ask about the change of plan.

The carriage was waiting and he handed her inside, she pressed herself into the corner, unable to meet his eyes, to see the expected disappointment there. The vehicle move forward and then it rocked again and he was sitting beside her.

Reaching out he casually untied the bows of her bonnet strings and removed it, tossing it across to land on the seat at the far side. ‘There is something I should have told you, sweetheart. I had meant to, but well….whatever you might think of me, it was my intention to marry you the moment I saw you. I thought of nothing else during the long months we spent apart. I love you, I know you don’t feel the same, and I promise I shall make no demands on you until you are ready; I shall do my best to be a good husband…’

She gazed at him her face radiant. ‘You love me? Why did you never say so?’

‘I did not wish to burden you with my feelings.’

‘I did not wish to burden
you
with mine. I did not realise I loved you until after you had saved my life.’ His arms came round her and she was scooped on to his lap.

‘My darling girl, how can we have been so stupid? We have made each other miserable unnecessarily. But it’s not too late to make this the happiest day of our lives.’

 The carriage rocked again and stopped. ‘Good heavens! Why have we halted so soon?’

‘We are to live in the Dower house, my darling, until after the New Year Ball. I believe I forgot to tell you.’

Impulsively she flung her arms round his neck wanting to show him just how much she cared. As his lips covered hers she was transported to a place she hadn’t known existed. Her doubts, her worries, drained away for ever.

The door opened and the steps were lowered. She was breathless, dizzy with happiness. ‘I think we had better go inside, Perry, we have and interested audience gathered outside.’

He trailed his lips along her neck before sitting back his eyes blazing. ‘I love you, Sarah, and I promise I shall make you happy.’

‘You already have, my love. If I were any happier, I believe I should burst.’

Copyright © 2009 by Fenella Miller

Originally published by DC Thomson, UK, in My Weekly Pocket Novels

Electronically published in 2009 by Belgrave House/Regency Reads

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This is a work of fiction. All names in this publication are fictitious and any resemblance to any person living or dead is coincidental.