Page 32 of Not His Usual Style (Diamonds of London #10)

“I don’t know.” She blew out a huff that stirred her veil. “Perhaps I can’t bear to see you in misery, and as your best friend, we should probably stick together. Who knows? In a handful of years, we might be able to obtain a divorce.”

“And yet by then, everything between us will be destroyed. The people we both love will have moved on with their lives, and we will have lost everything anyway.” He slowly shook his head as his heart continued to break. “It’s insane.”

“Agreed.” Her eyes sparkled with tears as she nodded. “You know how to fix it.”

“I…” Where was his damned courage? Why couldn’t he make himself break free from the shackles of duty and an old promise? There was no gaining pride from his father since he was dead. Then why did she insist on clinging to the past? Was it to keep a piece of his father alive?

I’m a fool.

There was no more time for reflection. The carriage-style clock on the mantel softly chimed the five o’clock hour.

A man of indiscriminate looks and temperament came into the room with a younger man, who held a leather folio.

No doubt that was the register and other paperwork to make the union legal.

“Good evening, everyone. I’m Mr. Markam, the minister who will conduct the ceremony.

If you could all settle into chairs, we’ll soon get underway.

” He came over to Grey and Sarah, then introduced himself as he transferred a worn, leather-bound book to his other hand.

“My clerk, Mr. Simmons, is in charge of the registry and other things. Is there somewhere he can wait?”

“Of course.” Grey shoved all thoughts away. “You may make use of my study downstairs. We shall come by once the ceremony has concluded.”

“Very well.” With an incline of his chin, Mr. Simmons scurried out of the room. “Are there any concerns before we begin?”

Oh, if only you knew.

But for the sake of keeping scandal to a minimum, he shook his head and released Sarah’s hand. “I don’t believe there are, so if we could crack on? We’re both anxious to put this ceremony behind us.” He flicked his gaze to the butler, and then gave him a nod.

Immediately, that austere man closed the double doors while the remainder of the guests settled into the available chairs.

Mr. Markham led them to the top of the room, pausing before the fireplace where cheerful flames danced behind the decorative metal grate, for there was an autumnal chill in the air.

“The nuptial couple is ready to begin.” He included them both in his gaze.

“Lord Greystone, Lady Sarah, please face me.” When they did, he opened his book to the appropriate page.

“Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here in the sight of God, and in the face of these witnesses, 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… ”

Grey forced a hard swallow into his throat and attempted to concentrate on the pulse pounding in his ears.

Perhaps it would drown out the vicar’s words.

This wasn’t how he’d wished to find himself wed.

Dear God , in minutes he would say vows to Sarah, his best friend of years.

He would be expected to begin a life with her, yet having a child with her was completely out of the question since she was already increasing with another man’s babe.

That he would be forced to call his own, raise as his own to prevent scandal and gossip.

Pain welled in his chest and sent sharp pricks of aching fire through his heart.

At the last second, he stifled a wild sob that rose in his throat.

Sarah must have heard his distress, for she turned her head. The haunted look in her eyes reflected his feelings so completely that he was lost in a mire of self-doubt and grief.

The minister continued, his voice a pleasing timbre as he talked about the holy state they were about to embark upon. Grey wished he had a glass of brandy in hand, but it hardly seemed proper to drink himself into oblivion on his wedding day.

I don’t want to do this! It felt all too wrong, a betrayal to his own life, regardless of the promise he’d made to his father.

Mr. Markham held the Book of Common Prayer in his hands, the black leather spine cracked and worn, while he addressed Grey.

“Wilt thou have this Woman to thy wedded Wife, to live together after God’s ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony?

” His lips curved with a smile. The poor sot assumed this was a wanted union.

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

Oh, God.

A knot of unshed emotion formed in his throat.

How can I ever learn to love Sarah when my heart belongs to Victoria and hers to Phillip?

“I…” How could he say those words when he didn’t mean them?

In that pause, he glanced at Sarah, who trembled beside him, and she was doing an admirable job of trying not to openly sob, but her distress added more pain to what was currently destroying his heart. “I…”

Then the double doors crashed open with such force they slammed against the walls. Chaos and confusion went through the assembled guests as Victoria came into the room, followed by the Bow Street inspector from the other day. Dapper, the swan, brought up the odd addition.

“Victoria?” Dear God, but she was a sight for sore eyes. “I thought you were on your way to France?”

“I was, but I couldn’t leave, couldn’t bear the thought of not trying to win you.”

“I beg your pardon?” What was happening? Though she seemed a bit mussed and harried, the gown of pale blue taffeta suited her complexion and brought out the blue in her eyes. “What are you doing here? For that matter, how the hell did you bring the swan?”

“And why?” Sarah asked as she wiped the tears from her cheeks with a lace-edged handkerchief.

A tight laugh escaped Victoria. “I hoped the swan might help make my point, so we’ll find out if it was a mistake or not.”

Dapper, not to be ignored on this highly confusing day, uttered a honk as he made his way through the room toward Grey while the butler quivered with outrage at the doors and Sarah’s viscount lover rose to his feet.

“Am I too late?” The dulcet sound of her voice worked to give him some much-needed calm, even if his brain couldn’t make sense of the interruption. “Have you already spoken your vows?”

“No. Not yet.” He looked at Mr. Markham, who frowned. “If you will indulge us for a couple of moments?”

The minister cleared his throat. “This is highly irregular.”

Victoria halted before them. “I apologize for the interruption, but this can’t wait, and I would hate myself if I didn’t try.”

The marquess launched to his feet. “I demand these… people and swan be removed. This ceremony must continue.”

When the butler surged forward, Grey held up a gloved hand. “Let her say her piece.”

“Thank you.” Victoria bounced her gaze between him and Sarah. “I apologize, Lady Sarah, but I suspect you know how it is when your heart is engaged. Nothing else matters.”

Oddly, Sarah nodded. “Please, say whatever you need to. It might just be what we all are waiting for.”

“Thank you.” When Victoria rested her gaze on Grey, his whole world tilted, and he held his breath. “I couldn’t let you go through with your vows to Sarah before I had a chance to say what’s been on my mind and heart these past couple of days.”

He frowned and quickly glanced at the Bow Street man, who shrugged. “But nothing will change—”

“For the love of God, Montague, please let me talk for once without interrupting.”

One corner of his mouth lifted in a grin, for interrupting was how they’d come by their first kiss. “Very well.”

“I shall strive to make this conversation short.” When she held his gaze with hers, he honestly thought he might drown in the stormy depths of her eyes.

A blush stained her cheeks, making her even more adorable.

“I know you’re stubborn and you have insisted on going through with this ceremony, but I am here today to implore you to marry me instead. ”

“What?” Confusion and a tiny bit of hope pushed through his chest.

She nodded. “I love you fiercely. In fact, as fiercely as this swan loves you.” As she spoke, Dapper continued to wander about the room in a most circuitous fashion on his way to Grey’s location, nipping and nibbling at various things as he went as if trying to puzzle them out.

“I realize that I don’t have a title and I’m not certain I have a dowry—it hasn’t come up in conversation with my father, and now he’s on his way out of the country for a bit—but that shouldn’t matter when the heart is involved. ”

“Why that is ideal in theory, it rarely works in life.” God, he was such an idiot, for she’d come all the way over here to speak her truth regardless of how it made her appear in front of these members of society.

“Why must you be a recalcitrant arse right now?” she asked in a whisper, but before he could respond, Victoria dropped to her knees in front of him.

Gasps from the assembled crowd circulated throughout the room.

“Montague, please. Marry me . I love you. It’s remarkable and perhaps impossible given the length of time we’ve known each other, but there it is.

” She shrugged, and tears shimmered in her eyes.

“Have a life with me and everything that entails. Come what may.”

Dear God. How proud of her was he in this moment? But he shook his head. “The gossips will eat us all alive, sweeting. Stop this at once.” He couldn’t imagine how her reputation could survive after this.