Chapter 23

As he strode into the room, Sidney's gaze focused on Lady Anastasia, and he could look at nothing else. She was wearing a long white gown, a veil of gossamer-thin fabric over her hair, covering her face. She was holding a bouquet of pink and white roses. The fabric of the veil was so thin that he could see her face quite clearly through it—or, clearly enough to see her wide eyes and the surprised expression she wore.

His heart thudded. He had run up the stairs—indeed, he had run around the house from the stable at the back, but it was not for that reason that his heart was racing fit to burst. He was here. He had managed to arrive in time.

"You!" A shout from the chairs on his right made his head whip around to face it. He saw Lord Graystone rising out of his seat. His expression was full of rage. Beside Anastasia, Lord Ridley stood still. His mouth opened and then shut, as if he was going to say something and then thought through it and decided not to.

"I have an impediment to relay." Sidney faced Lord Graystone, who strode towards him, his face white with rage.

"You can get out of my home!" Lord Graystone shouted. "You have no right! This is not a public building."

Sidney did not move. He did not care what Lord Graystone said. His gaze moved to Lady Anastasia.

"My lord?" The vicar was looking at Lord Graystone. His dark eyes were wide. "Please, sit down. This man here is permitted to speak. The wedding rite requires it."

"Oh..." Lord Graystone had been about to swear, but he seemed to recall in time that the fellow was a vicar and decided against it. "Let him speak, then." He turned to Sidney. "But if you lie, or if this is some wild foolery, I swear that you will regret it."

"I will never regret speaking the truth," Sidney said firmly. He stared down at Lord Graystone. The fellow might be bulkier than Sidney, but he was much shorter.

Lord Graystone glared.

"Please, son," the vicar said softly. "Speak. We all wish to hear what you have to say."

Sidney cleared his throat. Lord Ridley was glaring, but Lady Anastasia was gazing at him, her blue eyes fixed on him. His heart soared. She wanted him here. She wanted him to speak. She wanted his help. He took a deep breath and began.

"This man, Lord Ridley, has approached Lord Graystone under false pretenses," Sidney began. "He professed to have extreme wealth. Is that not so?" He let his gaze rove to Lord Graystone.

Beside Lady Anastasia, Lord Ridley took a step forward. If he could have killed Sidney just with a glare, Sidney would be dead.

"Get out," he growled.

"My lord." The vicar took a step forward. "Let the man speak."

"Answer the question," Sidney growled.

Lord Graystone's face flushed with anger. "Of course. But this is preposterous. I know for a fact that he is extremely well-off. It can't be true."

Sidney raised a brow. "Strange, then, that he was proclaiming to his acquaintances of having come into a fortune the other evening. Curious, too, that he is reputed to owe them a considerable sum."

"What?" Lord Ridley's blue eyes glittered. "This is nonsensical."

Sidney glared at him. "Do you deny it?" he demanded.

Lord Ridley said nothing.

Sidney glanced at Lord Graystone, who had been full of rage, practically ready to attack. He had rooted to the spot. He studied Lord Ridley intently, hanging on his words.

Sidney just looked at him, waiting for him to answer the question.

Lord Ridley tried to say something, but then he swore.

"Bah!" he shouted. "You cannot prove it. This is ridiculous," he added, turning to the vicar. The vicar looked at Sidney.

"You have proof of this?" he demanded. He looked worried.

Sidney nodded. "It is common knowledge in the Grantham club. Is it not, Lord Ridley? Your friends there are all your creditors. Is that not so?"

"Bah!" He said again. He glared at Sidney. "May ill fortune attend you."

Sidney just blinked. He knew he had won. Silently, he thanked Giles and whoever it was who had brought him the information about the wedding. He stood unspeaking.

Lord Ridley turned to Lord Graystone.

Sidney tensed, knowing that Lord Graystone was furious. He looked away. His gaze moved to Lady Anastasia.

Beside the viscount, she moved. She did not step forward, but her hand lifted to her lips and a small cry escaped her. Sidney saw her eyes widen and he grinned.

She knew, as he did, that there was no reason, anymore, for them not to be together. She took a step forward and he stepped towards her.

"This is all lies, is it not?" Lord Graystone demanded of the viscount.

Lord Ridley was rooted to the spot. He had gone pale.

"Is this man's testimony untrue? Or did you lie?" Lord Graystone challenged.

Lord Ridley said nothing.

Sidney looked away. The vicar stepped forward, ready to intervene, and an older gentleman, the father of Lady Camilla, came and joined them, putting a hand on the earl's shoulder as if to caution him against violence.

What happened to Lord Ridley was not his business. There was only one thing in the room that was his business, and that was the reason he was there. He turned to Lady Anastasia.

"My lady," he said, addressing her. A huge smile spread across his face. He could not hide it. He bowed low. "May I escort you to a chair?"

Lady Anastasia grinned. "Please do, Your Grace. Please do."

Sidney smiled and held out his hand. She took it and he led her to a chair. It was only when she was sitting that he really took in how strange it was to see her in a gown and veil. She looked so beautiful that he withdrew his hand from her arm shyly. She lifted her hand, hesitantly folding the veil back from her own face.

"Anastasia! Anny!" A gentle voice rang out and Sidney looked over to see a young lady of perhaps sixteen, hurrying from the chairs across the room towards them. She was wearing a pink-and-white gown, and she wrapped her arms around Lady Anastasia and gave her a crushing hug. "Anny! You're free. Isn't it wonderful?"

Sidney beamed at the young lady, who must have been Anastasia's little sister. He was sure he had seen her somewhere before. She smiled back.

"Is this him? Anastasia?" she demanded of her sister.

Lady Anastasia grinned. "Yes, Lily. This is him."

"Oh! How wonderful!" Lady Lily beamed first at Lady Anastasia, and then at him. "I'm Anastasia's sister. My name is Lily," she added, her hazel eyes sparkling warmly.

Sidney grinned. "Honoured to meet you, my lady. I am Sidney Markham, Duke of Willowick."

Lady Lily looked at him and then at Lady Anastasia.

"He has green eyes. I like him."

Sidney felt his heart soar. He had not expected such an overwhelmingly pleasant assessment from Lady Anastasia's little sister. His scars horrified most people, and a young lady not yet out in society would almost certainly be even more terrified than others.

"He is a wonderful man." Lady Anastasia's voice was low and resonant, and Sidney's heart almost stopped as she gazed into his eyes. He could see such tenderness there that his heart stopped for a moment. He took a deep breath.

"And you are a wonderful woman," he said softly.

She blushed. Her pale, petal-soft skin flushed a pretty bright pink that moved from her chin to the roots of her hair. He grinned, delightedly.

"How lovely!" Lady Lily exclaimed.

Sidney smiled.

He looked up to see two people hurrying across to them. One was Lady Graystone, Lady Anastasia's mother. He could see the resemblance to Lady Anastasia at once, and to Lady Lily too. The other was Lord Graystone. The vicar followed, frowning worriedly.

"Get out," Lord Graystone began.

"Hubert...it is not his fault. He was doing us a favour," Lady Graystone was murmuring. Her husband shot her a look.

"This man was serving a higher purpose," the vicar began. Lord Graystone spun around as though he was going to hit him. Lady Graystone stood next to the vicar.

Sidney shot him a grateful look.

"I don't have to put up with him in my home," the earl shouted. "He is trespassing. He can get out of my house if all he can do is defy me and my plans."

"Hubert. He saved our daughter," Lady Graystone began.

Lord Graystone glared at her.

"The Lord uses all manner of things and people to manifest His will," the vicar said quietly. "Unmasking a liar is never a bad thing. Lies are an instrument of darkness."

Lord Graystone shot the vicar a warning look, but even though he opened his mouth as if to say something, he shut it again, fighting to hold his rage from crossing his lips.

"I have never been so rudely treated in my life," Lord Graystone blustered, but he said nothing more, simply went to the door and pushed his way through. Sidney watched him withdraw. Lady Graystone followed him.

Sidney turned to Lady Anastasia. The remaining wedding guests, including Lady Camilla, stood silently, and he was distantly aware that they were all staring at Lady Anastasia and himself. Lady Lily stood beside them silently, a happy smile still sparkling on her sweet, youthful face.

"I wonder if we might go somewhere else?" Sidney managed to ask Lady Anastasia. "It is a little disconcerting in here."

She laughed, a bright sound that washed through his soul like sunshine. She nodded. Her gossamer-light veil billowed out around her face, framing it beautifully as she tipped back her head, clearly amused.

"Yes. Perhaps we might retire to the anteroom next door? From there we can access the balcony." She gestured to the balcony that ran the length of the drawing room. Sidney nodded.

"Yes. Let us go there."

Lady Lily grinned. "I'll stay outside in the hallway," she suggested. "That way, if Papa or Mama or that horrid man come back, then I can tell you."

Sidney smiled at her bright young face. "I thank you, Lady Lily. But I assure you that we will be quite all right."

"Oh. Well, then." Lady Lily beamed. "Then I'll stay here. Camilla can show me that new piece I'm learning. Is that all right?" She looked at Lady Anastasia frowningly.

"Of course, dearest sister."

Sidney smiled as Lady Anastasia turned to him. Her blue eyes were full of joy and delight. His heart started to thump wildly, more uncontrollably than it had when he ran up the stairs. That had been from fear. This was because that look was something new entirely and he had no idea where to begin.

"Come," she said gently.

Sidney nodded and followed her into the hallway. They went next door to the anteroom, and she shut the door behind him and went to sit down.

Sidney followed her to the chairs by the window, his throat tight and his heart racing and he stared into her eyes, not knowing what came next or what to do. All he knew was this was unchartered water, this new closeness, and he had never been keener to dive into anything else in his life.