Chapter 24

A Wedding to Remember

Nigel had been forced to return home by Alexander after he had thrown a bucket of cold water over him. The last of the drink had left him, and as he stood, staring at himself in the mirror, he tried to smooth his ruffled, sandy hair.

Alexander appeared behind him, already wearing his own formal wear, and held out Nigel's top hat to him. It was the same one he had had to return for all those weeks ago when he and Olivia were still at one another's throats. Nigel smiled as he took it from him.

Alexander asked. "Are you ready?"

"Is it normal to feel that you might be sick?" Nigel's stomach gurgled.

"Perfectly. Especially after two bottles of wine?" Alexander made it a question.

"God, I have no idea." Nigel shook his head. "But I do not think it is the wine."

"It is probably love then." Alexander clapped Nigel on the shoulder. "Come, Lady Cotswalts has made all the arrangements and will have both our hides if we are late."

"And I suspect if she does not, my lovely wife certainly will." Nigel smiled. I love the sound of that.

"She will not be your wife if we do not get to the house." Alexander strode from the room, and Nigel followed him.

In Pembleton Manor, Olivia stared at herself in the mirror. Her dress was everything she had imagined. I look like royalty. Her hair was elegantly curled atop her head, and she wore a pearl necklace that her mother had worn on her own wedding day.

Beside her, Jane's eyes filled with tears. "You look wonderful."

"Thank you." Olivia turned to face Jane, feeling a peculiar fluttering sensation in her stomach. "Goodness, I feel almost as though I might faint. In a good way though."

Lady Cotswalts nodded sagely. "I felt much the same on my wedding day."

"As did I." a voice said from the doorway.

Olivia's mother, Christine Rokesby, the Dowager Duchess of Emberly, walked through the open door and held her arms wide. "It is so wonderful to see you, my darling girl."

"Mother!" Olivia threw herself at her mother, letting herself be wrapped in her tight embrace. "I am so glad you're here."

"I would not have missed your wedding. I am only sorry I did not arrive sooner." The Dowager Duchess smiled. "I had planned on being here sooner, and indeed we were making good time, but then the horse threw a shoe, and the carriage wheel broke." The Dowager Duchess shook her head. "I confess, I was worried that we would miss your special day altogether."

"Well, I am deeply grateful you are here. And are the twins and Marie with you too?" Olivia asked glancing around, half expecting her three siblings to rush through the door at any moment.

"Of course. They wanted to see you, but I thought it would be more lovely if they were surprised when you entered the garden." Olivia's mother nodded towards the window.

When Nigel had first suggested they get married by special license, Olivia had agreed on the basis that they would be able to get married anywhere and at any time they wanted.

"I am not from a family of early risers." Olivia had laughed.

"Nor I, so that is lucky." Nigel beamed at her. "Where would you like to get married? We could rent a palace or a house."

"How would you feel about the gardens at Pembleton Manor?" Olivia asked.

Nigel paused for a moment. "I think that sounds perfect."

In the present, Olivia looked out of the window at the marquee that Lady Cotswalts had arranged. She was deeply curious about what would be waiting for her, but Lady Cotswalts had insisted that it be a surprise.

The clock chimed ten, and Olivia's breath caught. It is time.

"Are you ready?" the Dowager Duchess asked, her eyes brimming with tears.

Olivia nodded. "Yes."

Nigel tried not to fidget as he stood in front of the floral archway. It was a marvellous creation of magnolias and lavender. The smell reminded him of Olivia. He breathed in deeply and felt a strange calmness settle over him.

He glanced behind him and locked eyes with his mother, who smiled and mouthed, "not yet." His glance showed him that the small collection of guests was still trickling in.

The first few rows had been reserved for their families, and Nigel had spotted the Rokesbys and Rose all chatting to Lord Pembleton and Rose's other sister, Emily.

Behind them sat servants. Originally, the seats would have been for various members of the ton but having cancelled their wedding and then un-cancelled it at such short notice, they had decided not to bother telling anyone.

"Besides, Lady Cotswalts made sure they would all join us at the ball to celebrate afterwards." Nigel knelt to stroke Dandelion behind on of her ears.

As Nigel faced the archway, he twirled his top hat in his hands. "The congregation might be small, but it is perfect."

"Hello, it is so good to see you!" he had said as he and Alexander had arrived.

Olivia's siblings had all thrown themselves at Nigel, demanding a hug and expressing disappointment at not being allowed to see Olivia.

"Well, I expect we shall all be in for a surprise," Nigel had joked.

"Well, you are the groom! It is bad luck to see Olivia before the wedding," Rose had chided before giving Nigel a hug and Alexander, her husband, a kiss.

The sound of laughter brought Nigel to the present, and he glanced over his shoulder in time to see his mother, Lady Cotswalts, and the Dowager Duchess Emberly with their heads bowed and giggling hysterically.

They reminded Nigel of three people whose plan had come to fruition, and he felt a sneaking suspicion take hold of him. A breeze rushed through the marquee, and beside him, Dandelion wagged her tail and stared up at him.

"I'm glad you're here girl." Nigel ruffled her fur.

Dandelion had a bow tied around her neck and was scratching at it. Before Nigel could stop her, he was distracted by the sound of the musicians beginning to play. He turned to see Olivia, the picture of radiance, walking down the aisle towards him.

"Oh." Nigel murmured, completely awestruck by the sight of his future wife. She is perfection. She was right to make me wait to see this dress.

As Olivia walked into the garden, she took in just how magnificent it all looked. No expense had been spared, the marquee was an exquisite, sweeping structure of white and gold. At each end of the marquee were two arches. The first, would be where she entered.

As Olivia hovered at the first archway, she caught sight of her mother, Lady Cotswalts, and Nigel's mother all talking animatedly to one another at the front of the congregation. Realisation struck Olivia, and she shook her head in disbelief.

"They were all in this together," Olivia murmured to Jane as she looked at the women.

"It would appear so," Jane agreed, gently gripping Olivia's arm to stop her entering the marquee to early.

Olivia made a mental note to remember to the power of meddling mothers. She desperately wanted to peer further into the marquee, but Jane held her firmly in place.

"You need to wait," Jane said simply.

"But it's just a little peek!" Olivia looked pleadingly at her friend, but the other woman would not be convinced.

After what seemed like an eternity, Alexander appeared at the entrance to the marquee.

"How do I look?" Olivia asked, suddenly worrying at his strange expression. "Is there something wrong with my hair?" Surely Jane would have said?

"You look wonderful. I just… I never expected to see my little sister so grown up." He offered her an arm.

Olivia smiled at him. "Well, I am."

"Shall we go in?" Alexander asked.

Olivia nodded, and they entered the marquee. As soon as she stepped inside, the music began.

Her breath caught as she saw the beautiful floral arch that Lady Cotswalts had commissioned. The chairs were full of familiar faces: her family and the servants of the Pembleton, Glassley, and Emberly estates.

Beneath the arch stood Nigel. His characteristically windswept hair was almost hidden beneath his top hat. Olivia could see the slight tension in his shoulders, and she longed to run to him.

Alexander had left Nigel a moment before. Of course, I would marry someone who would have his best man also give me away.

Olivia strode down the aisle in her beautiful white satin dress, the silver lamé catching in the light. She looked like a woman of myth, beautiful beyond anything Nigel had ever imagined.

As Olivia made her way towards Nigel, she wondered that the guests could not hear the pounding of her heart. He is so handsome. He had had a morning suit tailored just for the occasion, and Jane had embroidered a tiny Olive branch onto his lapel.

The adornment was a break from tradition, but seeing it made Olivia's heart soar. It was a symbol of his love for her and a joke that Jane had made about their relationship needing an olive branch.

Nigel's green eyes found Olivia's, and it seemed as though everything else faded away. I cannot wait to marry you, Nigel.

Alexander squeezed Olivia's arm. "You don't need to run to him, dear sister."

"I may not need to, but I want to." Olivia murmured.

"It will be worth the wait, I promise." Alexander smiled at her.

"Do you think father would approve?" Olivia gave Alexander a worried look.

"Of course, he would. He would be so proud of you and so deeply happy that you have found someone who will bring you such joy." Alexander gave his sister a reassuring smile.

They had reached Nigel, and Olivia took her place beside him. She was vaguely aware of Alexander standing to one side of Nigel and of Jane on her other side.

Nigel beamed at Olivia. It took all of his strength not to reach towards her, to hold her delicate hand in his, and tell her how wonderful she looked.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here in the sight of God, and in the face of this congregation, to join together this Man and this Woman in holy Matrimony," the Priest spoke in a surprisingly booming voice.

"You look wonderful," Nigel mouthed to Olivia, unable to resist.

"So do you," she mouthed back.

As the ceremony went on, Nigel found it harder and harder to focus on anything the priest was saying. All he could do was marvel at his good fortune. I cannot believe I get to marry this woman. I shall spend the rest of my life making her the happiest woman in the world.

"Who giveth this woman to be married to this man?" the priest's voice rang out.

"I do." Alexander spoke in his ringing voice and placed Olivia's hands into the old, wizened ones of the priest.

The priest nodded to Nigel who took Olivia's right hand in his own. Nigel's heart thundered in his chest, and he marvelled at the perfect softness of Olivia's hand in his.

He listened to the priest, waiting until he was told to repeat the words to speak. "I, Nigel Maxton, Duke of Glassley, take thee, Lady Olivia Rokesby, to my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I plight thee my troth."

As Nigel spoke his vows, he felt his own amazement. Till death do us part. Oh, may that be a long time from now. May we have four score or more years together. May we part old and aged and infirm. He had never imagined what getting old would look like, yet now, it seemed almost a certainty.

They released their hands, and then it was Olivia's turn to take Nigel's right hand in hers and speak her own vows. Nigel smiled at her, marvelling at the surety with which she began to speak.

"I, Lady Olivia Rokesby, take thee, Nigel Maxton, Duke of Glassley, to my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part." Her breath caught on the words, and Nigel could see her hopes in her words as she finished her vows.

Once more they released their hands, and Nigel instantly missed the warmth of Olivia's hands in his own. He glanced down at Dandelion and gently untied the bow around her neck, sliding a plain gold band from it.

He carefully slid the ring onto the fourth finger of Olivia's left hand and said, "With this ring, I thee wed, with my body I thee worship, and with all my worldly goods, I thee endow: In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen."

And with those words, Olivia felt as though her life had just begun. She barely heard the rest of the ceremony. Every time she looked at Nigel, her smile widened. She wiped a tear from her eye, her heart so full she thought it would burst.

As soon as the priest proclaimed them married and the ceremony ended, the small gathering of people around them erupted into jubilant cheers.

In the commotion, Nigel swept Olivia into his arms, and forsaking all sense of propriety, he kissed her. She threw her arms around him, losing herself in the kiss.

When they broke apart, Nigel's eyes glittered fiercely. "I love you, my darling Olivia."

"I love you too, Nigel." Olivia nestled her head into his chest.

Holding his wife in his arms, Nigel strode down the aisle, ready to finally start living his life. They both knew that it would be a long one, full of love and laughter.

And Nigel never attempted to write poetry again.