Page 40

“Dearly beloved,” Mr. Donaldson began, “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; which is an honorable estate, instituted of God in the time of man’s innocency, signifying unto us the mystical union that is betwixt Christ and his Church; which holy estate Christ adorned and beautified with his presence, and first miracle that he wrought, in Cana of Galilee; and is commended of Saint Paul to be honorable among all men: and therefore is not by any to be enterprised, nor taken in hand, unadvisedly, lightly, or wantonly, to satisfy men’s carnal lusts and appetites, like brute beasts that have no understanding; but reverently, discreetly, advisedly, soberly, and in the fear of God; duly considering the causes for which matrimony was ordained. ”

Heaven help us. Grace stifled a groan. If this was the abbreviated version, she couldn’t imagine standing through the service word for word from the Book of Common Prayer .

Her stomach gurgled loudly enough for all to hear even over the endless droning on of the vicar.

She clenched her teeth and whispered, “Sorry,” to Wolfe.

He trembled against her side. She prayed that meant he was silently laughing.

Mr. Donaldson lowered the book for a moment and glared at them before continuing.

“Wilt thou, Romulus Adalwolf Craigston, Duke of Wolfebourne, take Grace Elena Daisy Abarough to be thy wedded wife, to live together after God’s ordinance in the holy estate of matrimony?

Wilt thou love her, comfort her, honor, and keep her in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, keep thee only unto her, so long as you both shall live? ”

“I will,” Wolfe said.

Romulus Adalwolf? How could he not have told her his Christian name before now?

Romulus as in Romulus and Remus? The twins raised by a wolf?

The myth about the city of Rome’s namesake and origin?

And what was the origin and meaning of Adalwolf?

Good heavens, and here she thought her three names were a bit excessive.

Wolfe cleared his throat and nudged her while pointedly arching a brow at her.

Oh dear. The vicar had asked her something. Surely he had just repeated the same question to her. “I will,” she said, with a little more exuberance than she intended.

The twins snickered, as did her sisters, her brother, and her brothers-in-law.

In the distance, her hounds had started a racket that sent a shiver of alarm through her.

They sounded as though they’d escaped the pens they only stayed in whenever their liveliness might prove a bit overwhelming to guests.

Behind her, a muffled woof and scratching at the closed parlor doors told her that Gastric wished to join the ceremony as well.

Wolfe took hold of her left hand and slid a gleaming ring of gold onto her finger. “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.”

“Amen,” she repeated, even though she wasn’t quite certain she was supposed to.

“Let us pray,” Mr. Donaldson said.

They bowed their heads just as her herd of adoring hounds poured into the garden, and Gastric managed to force open the parlor door.

Carson, winded and gasping for breath, crashed in behind them, their leashes in his hands. “I beg your forgiveness, my lady,” he shouted over the cacophony of happy yips and barks. “I’ve never seen them act this way before.”

Grace split the air with a sharp whistle, then pointed at the ground to her left. “Down and quiet, if you wish to remain for the rest of the ceremony.”

Every hound, including Lucy’s seven half-grown pups, lay down and watched expectantly, seeming to smile with their long red tongues hanging out.

Gastric lay at the front of the group with Hector and Galileo on either side of him.

The cat appeared to be surveying the dogs as if deciding which of them to execute first.

With a decisive nod, Grace turned back to the vicar. “Continue, Mr. Donaldson. They will behave now.”

Wolfe turned aside with a coughing fit that Grace suspected was supposed to cover his laughter. After a moment, he composed himself and gave her hand a squeeze. “Yes, Mr. Donaldson. After all, we are about to cross the finish line.”

“Uhm…yes.” The vicar frowned down at his book while flipping a page. “Forgive me—I seem to have lost my place.”

“It would seem you covered everything,” Wolfe said, “except the very last bit.”

Mr. Donaldson shook his head and snapped the small prayer book shut.

“Forasmuch as Romulus Adalwolf and Grace Elena Daisy have consented together in holy wedlock, and have witnessed the same before God and this company, and thereto have given and pledged their troth either to other, and have declared the same by giving and receiving of a ring, and by joining of hands; I pronounce that they be man and wife together. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Those whom God hath joined together let no man put asunder. Amen.”

“Amen!” Connor shouted, then jumped up from his seat and ran to hug them.

Unable to contain her joy, Grace laughed and hugged the boy close as she held out a hand for Sissy to join them.

“Please forgive his lack of manners,” Sissy said. “Sometimes he just can’t help himself.” She poked Connor in the shoulder. “Wolfe looks like he wants to hug her now. Give him a turn, as everyone wishes to congratulate them.”

Connor glared at her. “How do you know? This is the first wedding where we made it to the end. Father died in the middle of his.”

Merry clapped her hands. “No such talk allowed today! It’s bad luck. Come. Let’s see what the buffet holds. Maybe we can sneak a treat.” She caught hold of the twins and steered them inside.

“I took the liberty of bringing the register,” Mr. Donaldson said before Grace had a moment to look into her new husband’s eyes. “If we could proceed to the library with the designated witnesses, we can enter the marriage lines, and sign the original and the copy for the bride.”

Mrs. Donaldson nudged in close, reminding Grace of her dogs when they wanted to be petted. “Such a lovely ceremony. Very lovely, indeed.”

Grace forced a smile and hooked her hand through Wolfe’s arm as they obediently fell in step behind the vicar and his wife to complete the legal proof that the wedding had taken place. “Sorry about the dogs,” she whispered for Wolfe’s ears alone.

“If not for them,” Wolfe whispered back just as quietly, “I feel certain the vicar would still be praying over us even though he promised an abbreviated service.”

Grace held her breath to keep from giggling as they stepped into the library and approached the desk bearing the oversized parish register book. She touched the cross at her throat and sent up a silent prayer of thanks. She had indeed found the perfect man to marry.