late Mr John Ffolliot. He wondered whether it was the part of a friend to warn the groom, but decided against it. That’s what you get for buying a pig in a poke! he thought with a certain wry amusement.
Penelope proceeded up the aisle on her brother-in-law’s arm, feeling extremely nervous about getting through the ceremony without making a fool of herself. She could see practically nothing in the dimly lit church. All her reliance was on the fact that she knewthe place very well and had been walked through the ceremony a dozen times. And thank God it was Richard at her side, rather than Geoffrey, although just where Geoffrey had disappeared to was a complete mystery to her. The knowledge that Sarah was just behind her was an added comfort.
Penelope’s confession of why she was doing this had touched Sarah’s childish heart to the core. She had known her sisters loved her but, that one of them would do this to save her from scandal made the knowledge very real to her. Sarah was no fool; she knew Phoebe was protected by Richard and that the brunt of society’s anger would have made it difficult for Mama to launch her into society. Sarah vowed to herself that there must never be anything she was not prepared to do for Penny.
So serious did she look that the groom was quite disconcerted by the frown on her face. He wondered if his bride was that solemn, but the memory of that stifled chuckle in the vestry reassured him.
The marriage service was brief and the bride and groom took their vows clearly. Penelope listened closely to the Earl’s voice. It was just as attractive as she remembered. Their brief conversation in the vestry had confirmed that. He sounds a little nervous, thought Penelope, but she was aware few others would realise this. Her own nerves must be much more obvious!
The Earl thought initially that his bride was suffering no nervous jitters at all. Until, that was, her hand was placed in his by Richard Winton. Then he became aware that she was trembling slightly. George’s comments on his behaviour rose mercilessly in his mind; he felt a cad. He could sense the girl staring at himand gave her hand a comforting squeeze. At least, he hoped it was comforting.
As for Penelope, she had become suddenly aware of the Earl’s physical presence as he took her hand. The sun shone brightly through one of the windows and she was dimly aware of his height beside her, though his voice came from way over her head. She tried to stop shaking, but could not. Then, as she tried in vain to pierce her darkness and see him, she felt him press her hand gently. The trembling stopped and Penelope resolved to thank the Earl as soon as they were away from the church.
Darleston felt less guilty when his bride stopped shaking. He followed the rector through the service carefully, placed the ring on Penelope’s now steady hand and heard them declared man and wife. My God I’ve done it now. There’s no going back! he thought wildly, and then became aware that something was expected of him.
‘You’re supposed to kiss her, Peter!’ came George’s agonised whisper. The rector looked as though he were trying not to laugh.
Very carefully Darleston lifted the veil back from his wife’s face to gaze into her dark grey eyes. Strange eyes, he thought. They seemed to look straight through you, as though you weren’t quite there. He put a gentle hand under Penelope’s chin and bent to kiss her lightly on the mouth. Her lips were warm and soft. The Earl decided that he would definitely enjoy kissing her again later on.
Penelope was unprepared for this. Although she had known it would happen it was the one thing that had not been rehearsed, and the strange feeling of yearning which swept over her at the touch of his lips was acomplete surprise. She wondered if he had wanted to kiss her. George’s whisper had been quite audible to her, and she was unsure whether to be amused or miffed. She felt the Earl draw her hand through his
Penelope proceeded up the aisle on her brother-in-law’s arm, feeling extremely nervous about getting through the ceremony without making a fool of herself. She could see practically nothing in the dimly lit church. All her reliance was on the fact that she knewthe place very well and had been walked through the ceremony a dozen times. And thank God it was Richard at her side, rather than Geoffrey, although just where Geoffrey had disappeared to was a complete mystery to her. The knowledge that Sarah was just behind her was an added comfort.
Penelope’s confession of why she was doing this had touched Sarah’s childish heart to the core. She had known her sisters loved her but, that one of them would do this to save her from scandal made the knowledge very real to her. Sarah was no fool; she knew Phoebe was protected by Richard and that the brunt of society’s anger would have made it difficult for Mama to launch her into society. Sarah vowed to herself that there must never be anything she was not prepared to do for Penny.
So serious did she look that the groom was quite disconcerted by the frown on her face. He wondered if his bride was that solemn, but the memory of that stifled chuckle in the vestry reassured him.
The marriage service was brief and the bride and groom took their vows clearly. Penelope listened closely to the Earl’s voice. It was just as attractive as she remembered. Their brief conversation in the vestry had confirmed that. He sounds a little nervous, thought Penelope, but she was aware few others would realise this. Her own nerves must be much more obvious!
The Earl thought initially that his bride was suffering no nervous jitters at all. Until, that was, her hand was placed in his by Richard Winton. Then he became aware that she was trembling slightly. George’s comments on his behaviour rose mercilessly in his mind; he felt a cad. He could sense the girl staring at himand gave her hand a comforting squeeze. At least, he hoped it was comforting.
As for Penelope, she had become suddenly aware of the Earl’s physical presence as he took her hand. The sun shone brightly through one of the windows and she was dimly aware of his height beside her, though his voice came from way over her head. She tried to stop shaking, but could not. Then, as she tried in vain to pierce her darkness and see him, she felt him press her hand gently. The trembling stopped and Penelope resolved to thank the Earl as soon as they were away from the church.
Darleston felt less guilty when his bride stopped shaking. He followed the rector through the service carefully, placed the ring on Penelope’s now steady hand and heard them declared man and wife. My God I’ve done it now. There’s no going back! he thought wildly, and then became aware that something was expected of him.
‘You’re supposed to kiss her, Peter!’ came George’s agonised whisper. The rector looked as though he were trying not to laugh.
Very carefully Darleston lifted the veil back from his wife’s face to gaze into her dark grey eyes. Strange eyes, he thought. They seemed to look straight through you, as though you weren’t quite there. He put a gentle hand under Penelope’s chin and bent to kiss her lightly on the mouth. Her lips were warm and soft. The Earl decided that he would definitely enjoy kissing her again later on.
Penelope was unprepared for this. Although she had known it would happen it was the one thing that had not been rehearsed, and the strange feeling of yearning which swept over her at the touch of his lips was acomplete surprise. She wondered if he had wanted to kiss her. George’s whisper had been quite audible to her, and she was unsure whether to be amused or miffed. She felt the Earl draw her hand through his
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