Page 10 of Duke of Emeralds (Dukes of Decadence #2)
“ H ester, dear, we have arrived,” Leonard said, peering out the window.
Hester’s heart leapt into her throat, her fingers tightening around her bouquet. She took a deep breath, her gloved hands in her skirts. “I am ready, Leo,” she replied.
As the carriage door opened, Hester’s breath hitched at the sight of the crowd gathered outside St. Paul’s Cathedral.
The grand edifice was practically bursting with people, members of society craning their necks to catch a glimpse of the bride and groom.
Her fingers tightened around her bouquet of white roses and lilies, their sweet scent doing little to calm her racing heart.
“I thought you said you didn’t invite a lot of people, Leonard,” Hester said, her eyes wide as she took in the sea of faces.
Leonard paused with his hand on the carriage door handle.
“I promise I didn’t, dear sister,” he replied, his gaze meeting hers with a reassuring smile.
“But society is rampant with news of your marriage to Lushton. More than half the guests here invited themselves, and we cannot possibly send them away.”
Hester sighed, her stomach knotting further at the thought of facing the ton en masse. She had always preferred the quiet corners of a ballroom to the center of attention, and today, she was the center of attention.
“Now, shall we?” Leonard offered his hand to help her alight from the carriage.
Hester took a deep breath, her gloved fingers gripping her brother’s hand tightly as she stepped down.
Thankfully, they took a side entrance into the cathedral, avoiding the direct onslaught of guests.
The cool, dim interior of the cathedral provided a brief respite from the chaos outside, and Hester felt some of the tension ease from her shoulders.
“Lushton is already waiting at the altar,” Leonard said, leading her into a nearby office where her friends awaited her.
“I will come get you once it’s time,” he reassured her with a gentle squeeze of her hand before disappearing through the door.
The moment he was gone, Fiona gasped, her eyes widening as she took in Hester’s appearance.
“Oh, you look splendid, Hester,” she gushed, her hands clasped together in front of her chest. “I am so sorry I couldn’t make it to the shopping.
But I see Anna and Nancy have done an excellent job of dressing you.
You look like a bride straight out of a fairytale. ”
Hester felt a blush creep up her cheeks at Fiona’s words. “Thank you, Fiona,” she murmured. “I must admit, I do feel rather like a princess in this dress.”
Fiona’s eyes welled with tears, and she burst into sobs, her hands flying to cover her mouth. “Oh, I’m so proud of you all. And I cannot begin to tell you how happy I am for you, Hester,” she managed to say between sobs.
“Oh dear,” Nancy said, patting Fiona’s shoulder gently. “Are you well, Fiona?”
Hester couldn’t help but worry, her eyes searching Fiona’s face for any sign of distress. “Yes, are you quite well, Fiona?” she asked, her brow furrowing slightly.
Anna waved a dismissive hand. “Oh, don’t worry about her. It’s only the nerves of a soon-to-be mother,” she said, taking Hester’s hands in hers and giving them an encouraging squeeze. “You look beautiful, dear.”
The emotion in Anna’s eyes nearly undid Hester. She felt a lump form in her throat, her fingers tightening around Anna’s hand. “Thank you, Anna,” she managed to choke out, her voice barely a whisper.
Nancy, ever the one to lighten the mood, rolled her eyes with a playful smile. “Oh, I cannot believe I am surrounded by married women now,” she quipped, her hands on her hips as she looked at them with a mock stern expression.
Hester couldn’t help but chuckle at Nancy’s antics, her shoulders relaxing slightly. “Almost,” she said, her lips curling into a smile. “I am yet to take my own vows.”
“Like it makes any difference,” Nancy replied, waving a dismissive hand.
Hester laughed again, feeling some of the tension ease from her shoulders.
Nancy had a way of diffusing the atmosphere, of making even the most nerve-wracking situations seem a little less daunting.
And Hester was grateful for it, for the brief respite from the whirlwind of emotions that threatened to overwhelm her.
“It is time,” Leonard said, reappearing in the doorway. His eyes were soft with understanding, and Hester felt a fresh wave of nerves.
Her friends rushed to her side, their hands gentle as they rearranged the tiny pearls in her hair. “You look absolutely stunning, Hester,” Anna said, her eyes shining with unshed tears.
“We will see you inside, dear,” Anna whispered, pressing a gentle kiss to Hester’s cheek before she and Nancy shuffled out, preceding Hester and Leonard to the main hall where all the guests were waiting.
And her groom, she thought, swallowing nervously. She could feel the weight of the moment pressing down on her, the reality of what she was about to do hitting her full force.
“Shall we?” Leonard offered her his arm, his eyes never leaving hers.
Hester nodded, her fingers trembling slightly as she placed her hand on his arm. She couldn’t trust herself to speak, not when her throat felt so tight with emotion.
They made their way to the great entrance of the nave, and Hester felt her legs grow heavier with each step she took.
She could feel the eyes of the assembled guests on her, their whispers and murmurs filling the air.
Her fingers dug deeper into her brother’s coat sleeve, her knuckles white with the force of her grip.
Her anxious gaze traveled over the seated guests, and she felt a pang of sorrow.
Their father should have been the one beside her right now, about to give her away.
And their mother, hale and hearty, should have been seated in the congregation, watching as she walked down the aisle, nodding her encouragement and dabbing at a tear or two.
Alas, fate had different plans for them all. They had decided, with heavy hearts, that it was best to exclude their mother from the ceremony. It was a risk they could not take, not when her health was so fragile. And neither was it healthy for her, not when she was still so deep in her grief.
Besides, it had been a while since Patience had mixed with any outsiders. Bringing her into a crowd of this magnitude would have been sure to upset her, to send her spiraling back into the depths of her despair.
As though her brother had somehow read her thoughts, Hester felt his hand gently squeeze hers, his thumb brushing against her knuckles in a soothing motion. “Mother and Father would have been proud,” he said, his voice steady and sure. “No, they are proud.”
Hester’s heart quickened as she and Leonard began their slow procession down the aisle.
Thomas stood tall and broad-shouldered, his tawny hair and beard setting him apart. His striking blue eyes seemed to belong to an ancient Grecian deity, and Hester felt a flutter of nerves in her stomach as she drew closer to him.
Leonard handed her over to Thomas, and she inhaled, holding the breath. Thomas’s fingers were warm and strong, but his stance was cold and somewhat foreboding.
As the vicar began a short sermon, Hester stole a glance at him. He looked more marble than man at this instant, and the light streaming into the cathedral emphasized the scar on his cheek.
“Hester Marianne Jensen…” Her eyes snapped to the vicar, and her heart picked up beat as she realized what was happening. “…wilt thou have this Man to be thy wedded Husband, to live together after God’s ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony?”
She swallowed and willed herself to breathe. Then, “I will.”
After another brief sermon, the vicar pronounced, “I pronounce that they be Man and Wife together…” His voice rang like a bell through her consciousness. She was the Duchess of Lushton now and no longer simply Lady Hester Jensen the wallflower.
She stole another glance at her now husband and found him staring ahead. Cold as stone. How could he look like this when a war of nerves raged within her? It was utterly unfair.
The vicar led them to sign the register, and as Thomas straightened after appending his signature, his sharp eyes settled on her. There was no emotion to be seen in their depths, but he held out his hand. When Hester took it, a current ran through her.
Outside, the cheers of the ton felt like a physical force. “One would think they’d never seen a wedding,” Hester breathed as Thomas handed her into the carriage.
His response was curt. “We’re this season’s spectacle.”
At the breakfast in Leonard’s townhouse, the scrutiny continued. Guests regarded them as though they were jewels at an auction. Nancy and Anna came up to her, their eyes bright with triumph. “Who’d have imagined our Hester taming that Scottish bear!” Nancy whispered behind her fan.
Anna elbowed her sharply. “Hush! But truly, dear,” she added, clasping Hester’s hands, “you look magnificent.”
Their congratulations were cut short when Lady Montague materialized, her feathered headdress trembling with ill-concealed curiosity.
“Your Grace,” she cooed, addressing Thomas while her eyes dissected Hester’s dress.
“How delightfully… efficient your nuptials were. One marvels at modern marriages—so practical.”
Thomas’s knuckles whitened on his champagne flute. “We find practicality underrated, My Lady.”
Near the terrace doors, Leonard watched them, his smile not reaching his eyes. When Hester approached, he drew her aside. “Is all well? You look rather pale.”
She forced a smile and glanced back at Thomas, who stood with a group of men, still seeming detached. “It is, Brother. We shall be leaving soon, and I should like to see Mama.”
Leonard nodded, his eyes soft with understanding. He excused them from the gathering and led her up to their mother’s chambers, his hand gentle on her arm.