Page 26

EPILOGUE

“ M y dear Rosalyn. How beautiful you look.”

She smiled, feeling as though she were glowing with happiness. “Thank you, brother.”

He came towards her, reaching to take her hands. “Are you ready for today?”

“ More than ready.”

Smiling at her as she stood in the vestry, ready to make her way into the church, Lord Fairchild took a long moment simply to look at her before he spoke again.

“Do you know something, Rosalyn? There has always been a faint hope, a vague thought, that such a thing as this might happen.”

Her eyebrows lifted in surprise.

“For what could be better than for my sister to marry such an excellent gentleman as the Marquess of Waverley?” he continued, squeezing her hands gently.

“He is one of my closest friends, someone I know who has the most excellent heart and whom I trust implicitly. I could think of no one better for you to marry, my dear.”

Rosalyn’s lips quirked. “You forgot one of the most important things, did you not?”

“Oh?” His eyes searched hers. “What is that?”

With a heart filled with love for Lord Waverley, Rosalyn let out a small, contented sigh.

“He does not mind in the least that I am a bluestocking. Not only that but he encourages me in it, delights in how learned I am and wants to do all he can to aid me in my further study. That is one of the things that I have come to value about him, because he loves me for who I am rather than insisting that I change myself to suit what he requires.” Aware there was a gentle rebuke in her words, Rosalyn smiled softly.

“I want you to be happy also, my dear brother. I know that you have begun to care for Lady Catherine, have you not? Do you not hold a growing affection for her in your heart?”

Her brother frowned. “How do you know about that?”

Rosalyn laughed, hearing the organ music drifting towards her from the church itself.

“Because you have danced with her three times, spoken about her almost every day since your first meeting, and because I have seen you lost in thought on many an occasion. Even through all of this, she has been an ever present consideration for you.”

He shook his head, lips pursed. “I cannot think of her, not when her father – ”

“Yes, you can.” Rosalyn moved a little closer to her brother, gazing up into his eyes. “It was not she who had anything to do with the theft of the painting, was it?”

Lord Fairchild looked away, a touch of color on his cheeks.

“No, it was not, but her family does not have as good a standing as I might have hoped. Besides which, now I know that her father is a little impoverished and that there is no hope of him bringing a decent dowry to the fore, so why… ” Trailing off, he sighed heavily.

“Why is it that I cannot stop thinking of her?”

Her heart leaped up at her brother’s sudden vulnerability.

“Because you have begun to care for her and I can assure you, no matter what difficulties stand before you, the affection you have in your heart will make them all very light indeed. Set your expectations aside and think only of what you have found growing in your heart. I can promise you, pursuing that will bring you a joyous, happy future. But to step away from what you feel will only bring you darkness.”

After a few moments, Lord Fairchild began to nod and, as Rosalyn watched, a small smile touched the corners of his mouth.

“I think you are right, Rosalyn,” he said, softly. “Seeing you as happy as this, seeing the way that Lord Waverley has lost his heart to you completely… well, I think I would like such a thing for myself also.”

“Then you will pursue her?”

With only a second of hesitation, he nodded, a broad, warm smile spreading right across his face as if this decision had filled him with a new energy and fresh delight. “I will,” he said, a little more loudly now. “Though let us make sure you are married first, shall we?”

Rosalyn laughed and took her brother’s arm, her heart filled with anticipation at the thought of standing up and making her vows to Lord Waverley. “Yes, I think that is an excellent idea.”

With another nod, Lord Fairchild took in a breath, glanced at her, and then nodded to the footmen to open the door.

The music swelled and Rosalyn’s heart with it, walking into the church but seeing no one but the Marquess.

The softness about his smile, and the tenderness in his eyes made her heart lurch, her fingers tingling with the expectation of being able to reach out to take his arm though it was not yet time.

She stood between her brother and Lord Waverley, still holding her brother’s arm but looking towards her betrothed with nothing but love in her eyes.

“Dearly beloved,” the clergyman began, the music now ended.

“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 to 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.

First, it was ordained for the procreation of children, to be brought up in the fear and nurture of the Lord, and to the praise of his holy Name.

Secondly, it was ordained for a remedy against sin, and to avoid fornication; that such persons as have not the gift of continency might marry and keep themselves undefiled members of Christ’s body.

Thirdly, it was ordained for the mutual society, help, and comfort, that the one ought to have of the other, both in prosperity and adversity.

Into which holy estate these two persons present come now to be joined. ”

To be joined. Rosalyn’s smile spread wide as she closed her eyes for just a moment, taking in the significance of what lay before her. Their lives were to be joined together, each day shared with each other. Could there be anything more wonderful?

The clergyman cleared his throat, then gestured first to the Lord Waverley and then to her.

“Therefore, if any man can show any just cause, why they may not lawfully be joined together, let him now speak, or else hereafter forever hold his peace.” The clergyman paused for only a breath before continuing, looking down to them both.

“I require and charge you both, as you will answer at the dreadful day of judgment when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed, that if either of you know any impediment, why you may not be lawfully joined together in matrimony, you do now confess it. For be you well assured, that so many as are coupled together otherwise than God’s Word doth allow are not joined together by God; neither is their Matrimony lawful.

At which day of marriage, if any man do allege and declare any impediment, why they may not be coupled together in matrimony, by God’s Law, or the Laws of this Realm; and will be bound, and sufficient sureties with him, to the parties; or else put in a caution to prove his allegation: then the solemnization must be deferred, until such time as the truth be tried.

” Again, he paused for only a breath before smiling, clearly aware that there was nothing to impede them. “Then we come to the vows.”

Rosalyn’s heart began to quicken its pace, turning to look up at Lord Waverley, desperate now to put her hand to his arm, to have him close to her.

“Phillip, Marquess of Waverley, will you have this woman to thy wedded wife, to live together after God’s ordinance in the holy estate of matrimony?

Will you love her, comfort her, honor her, and keep her in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all other, keep only to her, so long as you both shall live? ”

“I will.”

Her heart swelled, happy tears in her eyes as the clergyman turned to her.

“Lady Rosalyn, will you have this man as your wedding husband, to live together after God’s ordinance in the holy estate of matrimony? Will you obey him, and serve him, love, honor, and keep him in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all other, keep only to him, so long as you both shall live?”

“I will.”

The clergyman smiled. “Then who gives this woman to be married to this man?”

“I do.” With a press of her hand, her brother set Rosalyn’s hand to the Marquess, and Rosalyn’s breath hitched, the significance of the action not lost to her. Her fingers held tight to Lord Waverley’s arm, hearing the clergyman offering him the vows he was to speak.

“I, Phillip, take you, Rosalyn, as my wedded wife; to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part, according to God’s holy ordinance; and thereto I plight thee my troth.”

The gentleness of his voice and the joy shining in his eyes as he looked down at her made Rosalyn blink furiously, fighting to keep back her tears of happiness.

“I, Rosalyn, take you, Phillip, as my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, cherish, and to obey, till death do us part, according to God’s holy ordinance; and thereto I give thee my troth. ”

When the gold band was slipped onto her finger, Rosalyn could barely see it, such were the tears in her eyes. She was his now. The moment was upon them, the moment when she would be declared to be the Marquess’ wife, and he, her husband.

As though he could sense her urgency, the clergyman lifted his hands to bless them. “I pronounce that they are Man and Wife together, In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Amen.”

“Amen,” Rosalyn whispered, as she turned to face her husband.

With one swift motion, the Marquess lifted her veil, and in that same instant, her tears receded.

Finally, she was able to look up into his face, to see the love shining in his eyes.

She had never felt such great happiness before, had never felt herself filled to the brim with light and joy.

“This way, my love,” he murmured, leading her towards the small room where they were to sign their wedding lines. Rosalyn leaned into him, the door closing behind them, and though the clergyman moved forward, the Marquess kept her back.

“My darling Rosalyn.” Lifting his hand, he ran his fingers lightly down her cheek, his eyes fastening to hers. “I cannot express to you the joy I feel in this moment.”

“My heart feels it too,” she answered, leaning into his touch.

“In all the years we were known to each other, I did not think for even a moment that we would ever wed! And yet now, it is as though I have stepped into the light for the very first time as if those previous years were clothed in shadow even though I did not know it.”

Lord Waverley smiled, then bent his head to kiss her; their first as husband and wife.

Rosalyn pressed herself up on tiptoe, her arms going around his neck, his settling about her waist. They lingered for some minutes, lost in the embrace, lost in the love that they both shared, until reluctantly, the Marquess broke them apart.

“I suppose we should sign our wedding lines,” he said, with a smile. “Then I shall capture you in my arms again, my dear Rosalyn, and mayhap will never let you go.”

“To be with you is the only place I want to be,” she answered, her hand settling against his heart. “I love you, Waverley.”

He took her hand and brought it to his lips, his eyes searching hers. “I love you too.”