CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

Giff's grandfather, uncles, aunts, and whatever older cousins had been around when Grandad decided to depart arrived from Scotland two days before the wedding and tried to enact the ritual of taking the bride and groom out separately to drink a great amount of whisky that they just happened to have brought with them. Giff took them to Worthington House to meet Alice and her family and to see how quickly his grandfather's idea was shot down.

They were in a large drawing room drinking tea.

"Ye can no have a proper wedding without whisky," his grandfather said fully expecting Grace to cede to his wishes.

But Grace, as Giff had been told to call her, squared off with his grandfather and put her dainty foot down. "No one is going to get drunk before this wedding. I leave it to you to do as you wish afterward."

Brows raised, they stared at each other until his other family members began to fidget. "Are ye sure ye do nay have a tiny bit of Scots in ye? Ye're mighty fierce fer a wee Englishwoman."

She folded her lips together. "I have a great, great, great grandmother from Scotland. Are you satisfied?"

"Ach, aye. I can see my lad is marrying into a good family. Unlike his mother ye understand."

Grace inclined her head. "It was a pleasure meeting you, your grace."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "And just how did ye know about that? I do nay recognize the English king's title."

"In that event, you should contact Debrett's and convince them to stop including you in their publication.."

Mamma patted Grace's shoulder as she followed her family out of the room. "Well done, my dear."

Once the door had closed, she resumed her seat. "I would like a glass of wine."

Alice quickly poured three glasses of claret and handed her sister one.

"Thank you." Grace glanced at Giff. "Other than your mother, do you have any relatives that are not intent on getting their own way?"

He shrugged. "A few of my father's brothers. You will meet them tomorrow evening."

She drank her wine. "This is the most interesting wedding we have had thus far."

Giff was simply glad he had talked his grandfather out of having them piped from Park Lane to Berkeley Square and over to St. George's church. He had agreed to wear the plaid sash they'd brought for him to honor his Scots side, but not the kilt. His father would have been apoplectic.

The night before the wedding Alice's family, his Scots family, and all the family members from his father's side who came to Town for the wedding dined at Cleveland House. Grandpa brought a few bottles of whisky as well. "Fer after dinner, ye understand."

His mother shared a look with Grace and sighed. "All I can say is that you had better not be late for the ceremony tomorrow. It is at nine-thirty in the morning."

His grandfather's, uncles', and male cousins' eyes shot open.

"That's a bit earlier than I thought it would be. No wonder ye didn't want us to pipe ye to church."

The ladies rose and left the gentlemen to whichever libation they chose to imbibe. After his second glass of very fine whisky, Giff signaled to Charlie Stanwood, at whose house Giff would be spending the night. If he'd have tried to slip away on his own, he'd have been brought back. Since Mamma would not allow a chamber pot in the dining room, they made their excuses under the guise of needing to relieve themselves and left the house.

"Was it my imagination, or was one of your aunts trying to matchmake me to a lady?" Stanwood asked.

"They're all prodigious matchmakers. Fortunately, you're too far away for much to come of their plans. However, you might not want to set foot in Scotland until you're safely wed."

They turned the corner on to Mount Street. "There doesn't seem to be much love lost between your father and grandfather."

There wasn't. He never actually understood how Grandpa had been convinced to allow his mother to wed his father. "They do seem to spend a great deal of time aggravating each other." They strolled silently for a while before turning into Berkeley Square. "Why didn't Phinn and Augusta join us?"

"Augusta would not have enjoyed herself and, consequently, would have begun speaking to people in a language no one understood."

Giff liked Augusta a great deal, but there was no doubting that she sometimes had strange ways. "But she can speak the Gaelic. She could voice her objections."

"She doesn't like arguing as much as your family does. And if she had heard anyone say anything critical about Alice or your marriage, she would have given them a piece of her mind in Gaelic."

Back to his father and grandfather again. Between the two of them the meal had been rather loud. "Perhaps she can meet them when my father's not around."

"I hope so. I'm quite sure she would like your aunts and come of your cousins."

* * *

The next morning Alice woke and smiled at the sun shining into the room- from the window. It was her wedding day. Her hair had been washed yesterday before they went to dinner. The most time-consuming thing she had to do was bathe and dress. She threw her legs over the bed, shoved her feet into the slippers, and padded to the basin. Bertram entered carrying a day dress. Alice would have to change into her wedding gown directly after breakfast.

She missed having Giff to join her at the breakfast table, but there was a tradition in her family that the groom could not see the bride before the wedding. After she broke her fast, Alice dressed in a Pomona green gown with an embroidered net overdress. Her hair was put up with the pearl tipped pins Giff had convinced her to buy before he'd given her the necklace and earrings. The only thing left to don was the small hat she would wear when a knock came on the door. This was also tradition, but a much better one than not being able to see her future husband. Elizabeth entered, first followed by Madeline, Eleanor, Grace, and Joan, one of Giff's aunts.

Elizabeth handed Alice a handkerchief embroidered with forget-me-nots. It was not nearly as lumpy as the last one she did. "I am getting much better."

Alice kissed her niece's cheek. "You are a sweetheart. This is beautiful."

Eleanor gave her the combs she had loaned to Madeline as something borrowed. "Do not forget to give them back. Although, we will be together for the next month or more."

"We will. But you may have them directly after the wedding breakfast."

Madeline carefully hugged Alice so as not to muss her. "I am so very happy for you. I have a new pearl bracelet for you."

She clasped it on Alice's wrist. "Thank you. It is just what I needed today."

Joan glanced at Grace before going to Alice. "It is a tradition in Scotland for a mother to give the eldest daughter a Luckenbooth Brooch. I was the only one blessed with all sons and no daughters. At least, they keep telling me I'm lucky. I'm no so sure about that. When I saw you, I knew this would be perfect." She held out her hand. As her fingers uncurled, they revealed a gold brooch in the shape of two hearts intertwined. In the middle was a sapphire. "It's been passed down from mother to daughter for well over two hundred years. I want you to have it to wear and give to your oldest daughter on her wedding day."

Tears sprung to Alices eyes. "Thank you so much. I will cherish this always."

"Aunt Alice, use the handkerchief." Elizabeth tugged on Alice's skirt.

"Yes, of course." She dabbed her eyes.

Matt came to the door. "It's time to go. I do not want to give your future grandfather-in-law an excuse to pipe his part of the family from the church to here."

Joan laughed. "He'd do it too." She glanced at Alice. "He's really a sweet man. There's just something about Mairead's husband that sets him off."

Alice had noticed that the two of them could not seem to be in the same room together without coming to loggerheads. "I look forward to coming to know him when the duke is not around."

Matt held out his arm to Alice. "Come along. Your groom is going to think you're late no matter when you arrive, so you, of all people, should be on time."

Matt escorted her up the stairs to the front door and they paused. Theo took her place as the maid of honor, and they started down the aisle. Giff had never looked more handsome. He wore a blue jacket and breeches. His waistcoat was embroidered in gold. A plaid sash was across his chest, and the sapphire she had given him was in his intricately tied cravat. He caught her eye, and she could not look away. Thankfully, Matt was guiding her. Charlie joined them halfway to the altar. Like Eleanor, she wanted to honor both the man who had raised her and her brother, the head of her house. John Montagu stood next to Giff as his best man.

The vicar stepped forward. "I hear this is the last wedding I will perform for you for a few years. Let us begin. Dearly beloved . . ."

Alice was not surprised at the depth of feeling with which Giff said his vows. Nor the strength of her voice when she answered.

"I now pronounce you man and wife."

"Kiss her now, lad." Ooof," one of the male cousins said.

"Not in England ye great buffoon," another admonished.

Giff took her arm. "Let's sign the register and get out of here before there's a fight about Scots and English customs."

They signed quickly and headed up the aisle to the waiting coach at the bottom of the stairs. She stopped and stared at the carriage. "Boots?"

"My cousins. They must have found the coach." Giff cringed.

"Remind me to ask your mother what they were like at her wedding."

"She got married in Scotland. But it's a grand story."

He helped her into the coach and just looked at her. "We are really married."

"We are." She kissed him.

Reaching over, he touched the brooch. "Where did you get this?"

"Your Aunt Joan. She does not have any daughters and wanted me to have it."

"She likes you a lot. To give you that." He sat back. "She has a granddaughter."

"I am going to cry." Alice took out her new handkerchief. "I had no idea."

Giff placed his arm around her shoulders. "I arranged to leave after we cut the cake if that is all right with you."

Alice dabbed her eyes. "It is. Where are we going?"

"I thought about a hotel, but except for the nursery, our home is ready. And everyone thinks we are going to a hotel, so we'll be all alone, with the exception of the servants."

"Our servants who will not bother us on our wedding night or tell anyone we are there." They might have even thought to leave food for them to eat, and wine to drink. If they knew. "Do they know?"

Giff was dragging one finger in circles on her back and up her neck. "Yes. I told my valet to inform everyone."

They reached Worthington House before everyone else. Once Grace, Matt, and the duke and duchess arrived, they took their places in the receiving line to greet their guests and receive their good wishes. The tables for food were set up inside, but there were small tables scattered around the garden where people could eat.

Giff led her out for the reel she had been practicing. It was very much like some of the country dances, but it seemed much faster. Afterward, they were piped to their table by the piper his grandfather had brought. The duchess was right, the music sounded much better than Alice thought it would. The duchess also insisted that the sword dance be held before the dancers became too "relaxed" as she put it. Alice was surprised at the skill it took to perform the dance. After the men were done, the children all insisted on being allowed to try.

This was a nice party, but she would rather be alone with her new husband. "When are we cutting the cake?"

He glanced at something. "Right now." He led her over to where the cake stood on the table and took a wicked-looking short sword from his grandfather. Giff and Alice gripped the sword together and cut the cake. He gave her a small piece, and he took a larger one. Their chef du cuisine finished cutting the cake. "It's time to make our escape. You go first. I'll meet you in hall."

Considering everyone was in the garden, that made sense. Alice signaled to her twin and Madeline, and they slipped into the house. "I will see you tomorrow at the docks. Someone will advise you when the ship plans to sail."

They nodded and hugged her.

"Happy night," Eleanor said.

Giff joined them. "Until tomorrow."

Alice waived as they escaped through the door to the waiting coach, cleaned of ribbons, boots, and other items.

The carriage drove up to the front door of the heir's wing—They should really think of something else to call it—and Giff jumped out lifted her down then turned to the coachman. "I will send word when we need you tomorrow."

"Yes, my lord." The coachman drove the horses away.

"Is he our new coachman?"

"He is, and he'll have a nice vacation while we're in Scotland. He and the second coachman are meeting us in France."

The door opened, and Giff swooped Alice into his arms and carried her into the house. "Welcome home, my lady."

She hung onto his neck. "Welcome home, my lord."

Simmons bowed. "The staff would like to offer their congratulations, my lord, my lady. We have arranged some delicacies we hope you will enjoy. If you require anything at all, please tug the bell-pull."

"Thank you all." She glanced at Giff. "Onward."

They spend a quiet afternoon alternately making love, eating, and drinking. Close to seven o'clock, a knock came on the door. "My lady.

"What is it, Bertram?" Alice asked.

"We just received news that the ship will sail at five in the morning."

It was a good thing she was tired. "Please have Williams send word to Lady Madeline's and Lady Montagu's houses. They already know to meet us at the docks. And tell the coachman."

"Already done, my lady. Good night."

Alice went to the basin and washed. Giff did the same. They crawled back into bed cuddled in each other's arms.

His valet and her dresser woke them the next morning. Betram brought tea and toast. "I was told you will be able to break your fast on the ship."

Alice brushed her teeth and washed her face. She was glad she had given herself a through washing the previous evening.

She liked the design of their apartments. A parlor was the first room one entered. That led to the bedroom, which was flanked by dressing rooms and bath chambers. It made a great deal of sense. A bright yellow carriage gown was laid out in her dressing room for the morning.

She finished her tea. "Are the trunks downstairs?"

"They are already on the ship," her dresser said. "They were taken there yesterday."

Another thing that made sense. Now to brace herself for a full ship of family.

The main part of the house was quiet when they drove away. Giff's grandfather and the rest of his family must be at the docks already. Alice hoped she and Giff were not running late. "What time is it?" Why was she asking? She had her own watch.

"We have more than enough time to arrive."

She supposed the ship would not leave without them. They saw Harry's coach just ahead of them on Piccadilly. Giff glanced back. "Montagu is behind us."

"Does Harry know which dock?"

Giff shook his head. "We'll take the lead when we get closer to the area."

A half an hour saw them to Wapping where the New London Docks were located. Harry's coach slowed and moved over to allow she and Giff to pass. The ship was much larger than she thought it would be. "What type of ship is it?"

Giff helped her from the coach. "A four-masted barque."

"Even though it's been fitted as a yacht, it also carries guns and cargo." There were a few men on ship, but she did not see any of Giff's family. "I wonder where everyone is?"

He wrapped his arms around her and nuzzled her hair. "I have no better idea than you do. Let's enjoy the quiet while we can."