Page 34 of Always the Bridesmaid, Never the Duchess (Wallflower Season #3)
The buzz quieted down, and Kate finally looked up at Andrew. He gave her a reassuring smile. He took her hand in his own. She stared up at him, confused. What is Andrew doing?
His grip tightened. Kate looked at her grandmother, who gave her an approving nod. “As I was saying, there won’t be a wedding today unless Miss Avery agrees to marry me.”
A gasp rose from the guests, echoing Kate’s own. “Pardon?”
Andrew turned to her and took her other hand in his. “Kate Avery, I am declaring to you and the world that you are exasperating, stubborn, opinionated—”
“Is this a proposal or a trial?” A voice called from the guests, followed by a burst of laughter from the other guests.
Andrew smiled. “A proposal that I clearly am doing a horrible job of saying the right thing.”
Kate’s eyes glistened with tears, and she whispered, “I think it’s the best proposal I’ve heard, but I’d like to hear all of it.” Her heart tripped a quick beat at his smile.
“As I was saying, you are all those things and more. You are smart and passionate, and you sing like an angel. You make me laugh, and I feel like I could never smile again if you didn’t agree to marry me. Say that you will, Kate. Say you will be my wife.”
“Yes,” Kate’s voice faltered. She cleared the catch from her throat and said a little louder, “Yes, Andrew, I will marry you.”
A cheer of happiness erupted in the chapel, startling the curate. The choir members looked at each other and at a nod from their choirmaster, they began to sing.
Andrew turned toward the curate. “Will you have us married?”
“You wish to marry today?” Kate felt dumbstruck by the events of the past twenty-four hours. It was as if her life had been turned upside-down in the most amazing way.
“I can’t wait for you to be my wife, Kate. I love you,” Andrew said softly. He turned back to the curate. “So, will you?”
The curate looked confused. “This is all a bit unusual.”
The Dowager Duchess gave him a reproving look and said, “I shall make a large donation to your church’s coffers, Curate.”
The curate’s face cleared, and he brightened. “Of course.”
May DeClancy stood up. “If everyone could wait a moment, please.”
Viola looked at her sister and hissed, “May, what are you doing? Sit down.”
May shook her sister’s hand off. She looked at her mother for approval and when her mother gave her a slight nod, May continued. “If this is to be a proper wedding, we need to have a moment with Miss Avery to help her prepare. Your Grace, may I steal your bride for just a few minutes?”
Andrew inclined his head. “Of course.” He released Kate’s hands, and May scurried forward and grabbed Kate’s hand in her own, and took her to the small vestry.
May closed the oak doors behind them so they could have a moment of privacy. “This is so exciting!” May exclaimed.
“I can’t believe he wants to marry me.” Kate was still in amazement that Andrew loved her and had declared it to everyone. She wanted to pinch herself, but she didn’t want to awaken from this dream.
May frowned and said, “He is lucky to have someone smart like you. Do you know how tiring it is pretending to be stupid? Or to hide your books under your bed lest your sister find them and tease you?”
Kate’s eyes widened. “You read?”
May grinned. “Probably more than you do. You’ve given me hope that I might find someone like the Duke who will love me for who I am rather than what people think I am.” May grabbed a flower from a nearby vase and fixed it to the front of Kate’s gown.
Kate allowed her to fluff her curls and gather a quick posy of flowers from the marble vases that stood in the entryway. The Dowager Viscountess joined them, and the old woman’s eyes filled with tears as she looked at her granddaughter.
“Kate, I always prayed you would find true love. There is something that I wish you to have.” The Dowager Viscountess reached up and took off the small brooch of emeralds and diamonds that she always wore.
She pinned it on Kate’s dress. “This was given to me by your grandfather on our wedding day. It was a symbol of his love.”
Kate touched the brooch. “Grandmama, thank you, but I can’t take this from you.”
The Dowager Viscountess stopped Kate from removing it.
“Our love doesn’t reside in a brooch or a castle or anything you can see with your eyes.
It lies in my heart, just as your love for Andrew does.
I don’t need a brooch to remind me of him.
I see him every night in my dreams when I close my eyes. ”
Kate’s eyes welled. “I shall wear it every day, Grandmama.” She hugged her grandmother. “Thank you.”
“Are you ready to get married?” May asked.
Kate nodded. May walked before her and slid into the front row next to the Dowager Duchess. Kate walked with her grandmother down the aisle. When they reached the altar, the Dowager Viscountess gave Andrew a stern look and whispered, “Treat her well.”
“I will treasure her more than all the rubies in the world,” Andrew said. He turned to Kate. “Are you ready?”
“I am.”
Facing the curate, they bowed their heads as he read from The Common Book of Prayer. When he finished, he continued, “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join this man and this woman in the holy state of matrimony.”
Kate didn’t recall the rest of the words as they passed in a blur of happiness and a final kiss at the end.
She didn’t know what she had been expecting.
Perhaps a quick kiss on the cheek or a peck on the lips, but when the curate announced that Andrew could kiss the bride, he swept her into his arms and bestowed a kiss on her that made her swoon.
Cheers erupted once more from the watching guests.
The curate announced over the guests, “May I present to you the Duke and Duchess of Devonport.”
Andrew and Kate walked down the aisle and accepted the congratulations from the guests. As they passed the Dowager Duchess, she gave a regal nod of her head to Kate and said, “Well done, child.”
Outside, Harry sat beneath the oak tree nursing his bruised jaw. At Andrew and Kate’s sudden appearance followed by the guests, he had the grace to disappear. Kate’s last glance at him was the back of his head disappearing behind the hedge. A truly happy sight.
Back at Renwood Castle, the guests moved to the dining room for the wedding breakfast. When Kate and Andrew walked in, hand and hand, Mr. Scoville’s face was shocked.
Andrew leaned in and said, “She agreed to be my wife.”
“Very good, Your Grace! I shall inform the other servants. They will be over the moon.” Mr. Scoville said, allowing a smile to crack his normally impassive face.
Mr. Tibbs bounded in. He wagged his tail and lifted up on his haunches, placing his front paws on Andrew’s leg. Andrew reached down and scratched behind his ears. “Mr. Tibbs, do I have your approval?”
The little dog did a little hop and yip before licking Andrew’s hand, much to Kate’s delight. “You have spent more time winning Mr. Tibbs over to your side than you did me,” she joked.
“He took much more convincing. You were guaranteed to love me,” Andrew said and winked when she opened her mouth to protest.
“You are still incorrigible,” Kate declared.
“And you are still stubborn,” Andrew countered.
“Will the two of you please stop arguing and have a seat,” the Dowager Viscountess said.
The servants brought out an array of exotic fruits and trays of sweet breads and more food than Kate could imagine she had planned. She could barely eat she was so full of joy. Unlike the previous evening, guests chatted happily, and conversation flowed.
The Viscount of Surry wiped his mouth. In a quiet voice, he asked, “Do you think Miss May DeClancy would entertain the thought of me courting her?”
“I don’t think you stand a chance with her, my friend,” Andrew answered before Kate could form words.
The Viscount cast his gaze down to the other end of the table and considered it. “I suppose you are right. I fear she is much too outspoken for polite society.”
“She is,” Kate agreed. “Which makes her absolutely perfect.”
The breakfast was almost finished when Mr. Scoville came in bearing a note. It was addressed to Andrew, but Kate recognized the writing on the envelope.
“It’s from Nicholas!” she exclaimed.
Andrew handed it to her without opening it. “You read it.”
Kate broke the seal and read the neat handwriting that she knew so well.
Dearest sister Kate,
I hope you are not too vexed with me for eloping with Julia.
Life is much too short to not spend it with the one you love.
And I love her, Kate. I love Julia so much that my heart aches at the thought of not having her as my wife.
We married this morning as soon as we could wake up a curate to perform the ceremony.
We plan to travel for a few weeks to allow the gossips to have their say far from our ears.
When we return, I pray a new tidbit of gossip will allow us to build our lives in peace.
I hope you will allow me to give you a piece of advice.
You are usually very smart about most things, but when it comes to love, you are not quite so well-versed.
Love doesn’t live within the pages of your novels.
It doesn’t come from fancy words or declarations from rose-strewn balconies.
It comes from actions. From small gestures.
From acceptance of both your good and your bad.
I may be wrong, but I think there is someone who has demonstrated all those things if only you and he could see it. Perhaps in time, you will.
Give Grandmama my love and tell her not to be too angry. I shall see you in a fortnight.
With love, Nicholas
Kate wept tears of happiness. At Andrew’s questioning look, she said, “They married this morning.” She thrust the note at him so that she could wipe her eyes. To the rest of the guests, she said, “My brother and Miss Roves married this morning.”
“It’s about time. They should have married long ago,” Lady Uxbridge said.