Page 30 of Her Duke for Thirty Days
“All right,” Phyllis agreed, locking arms with her sister and heading out the door.
She was filled with a renewed sense of hope, which she knew would not be long lasting. But being with her sister again, their bond as strong as ever, reminded her that maybe, just maybe fate would throw some happiness her way, despite the life sentence she had received.
CHAPTERSIXTEEN
“You cannot do this!”
The door burst open as if a typhoon had blown it open and now threatened to destroy everything inside. That was the power of a mother’s word, who now stood before Alexander, slamming the door shut to provide at least a semblance of privacy, but with her tone of voice the way that it was, such a thing was almost impossible.
Alexander turned to her, adjusting his tie. She was wearing one of her finest gowns, adorned with delicate lace, the color of lilies in bloom. It wrapped her neck accentuating the pearl dangle earrings she had put on, a gift from her own late mother, a gift she had worn only on special occasions. After all, today was the most special of all occasions… the wedding of her older son and she had done her part to look ravishing.
Alexander sighed exasperatedly. “We’ve already discussed this, Mother.”
“No, no,” she shook her head, approaching him, looking like an ethereal being who moved without touching the ground. “I cannot allow you to do this just to save our family. It is too much to ask of you, and furthermore, it is not fair, Alexander.”
He smiled, taking her by the hand. “Life isn’t fair, Mother. We’ve learned that the hard way and I’m fine with it. I have accepted it.”
“No, no,” she kept saying over and over again. “That is exactly it. You shouldn’t accept this as your fate. There are other ways we can consider. You have friends who could loan you the money, Alexander.”
“Absolutely not,” he frowned, feeling the icy cold grip of shame tighten around his throat. “Out of the question. I will not mix money with friendships. That never ends well. Besides, it would inevitably change how I feel about that friend.”
“Maybe they could invest in your business,” she offered another suggestion.
“They can do it of their own accord, not because I ask that of them,” Alexander shook his head. “No, Mother. Marriage is the only way I can obtain the necessary funds without feeling as if I owe someone my life.”
“This is a mistake, Alexander, you just can’t see that yet. And I’m afraid that you will realize that when it’s too late. Please, don’t do this…I’m sure there is another way.”
He tried to reassure her again, although he didn’t like that the day had started like this. It was already stressful enough without his mother’s insistence on this being a mistake. In fact, there had been so many mistakes in his life, he wouldn’t know where to start rectifying them even if he could. So, what was another mistake to add to that list?
“This ismydecision, Mother,” he reminded her. “I am the head of the family now. Phyllis St. Clair will be my wife in a matter of hours. Nothing you say or do will change that. Now, please… I have to finish getting ready for my wedding.”
Feeling utterly defeated, his mother walked out without saying another word. Alexander felt a pang of anguish tug at the very core strings of his heart. His mother had always been on his side. Always. Why couldn’t she understand that he needed to do this? Why couldn’t she see that he didn’t want love in his life, that he didn’t need it? He was far better without it.
He inhaled deeply in an effort to steady his racing thoughts and even more troublesome nerves. He glanced at his reflection in the looking glass. The man looking back at him was not hopeful. He was merely a man who had accepted his fate. After all, what was wrong with that? Once he was happy with what he saw, he reminded himself once again the reason why he was doing this.
For the family.
He nodded to himself, then headed out into the courtyard, where the carriage had already been prepared, ready to take them all to the church, where they were to meet Phyllis and her family. The guests would later come for the wedding breakfast, which would be hosted in the grand hall of his estate.
Although Alexander had hoped for a small wedding, Phyllis ended up insisting on more guests. However, he was almost certain that this was all her father’s doing. He was probably the one who wanted all those additional people present and accounted for. Still, Alexander wanted to appease Phyllis, and do whatever it took to make her at least a bit happier on this day that ended life as she knew it.
As he stood in the church, his brother by his side, Alexander patted his pocket. He felt the reassuring square shape of the box where the ring was nestled. He wondered if Phyllis would like it. That thought came so naturally that it completely took him by surprise. In all honesty, it did not matter in the slightest bit if she would like it or not. She would wear it, as a symbol of their bond, to prove to the ton that their devotion was beyond compare. But the truth… only the two of them would know that.
As he stood in the hallowed sanctuary of this place, the anticipation of the impending union with Phyllis weighed upon him. He tried to distract himself by gazing at the windows, focusing on the golden sunlight filtering through the stained glass, casting a warm glow on the ancient stones. The guests were all silent in anticipation as well. The air seemed to hum with a palpable sense of expectancy.
Then, the grand doors creaked open, and all eyes turned toward the entrance. There, framed by the ethereal light, Phyllis made her entrance. In that moment, time seemed to suspend as Alexander beheld her breathtaking beauty. Her gown, a vision of opulence and grace, cascaded in delicate folds of silk and lace. The ivory hue accentuated the radiance of her complexion, and the intricate embroidery sparkled like stardust under the soft glow.
Phyllis moved with an ethereal grace down the aisle, her steps echoing in the hallowed silence. A delicate veil trailed behind her, adding an air of mystery to her already enchanting presence. Her eyes, pools of depth and vulnerability, met Alexander’s gaze, and for an instant, the world outside ceased to exist.
When she finally reached him, she stood by his side, their hands clasped together. Hers was cold, clammy, just like his. They were focused on the minister, who commenced with his speech, not daring to look at each other yet.
“First, I would like to welcome each and every one of you for joining us on this wonderful day, when we are to see the union of these two people in holy matrimony…”
Alexander could barely focus on the words that the man was speaking. All he could think about was Phyllis’ hand in his, how beautiful she was. He barely listened when the minister read a passage from the Bible related to marriage, love, the union of man and woman. What followed was a charge about their responsibilities and duties within the marriage.
In fact, the entire ceremony was one big blur of a moment that seemed to blend one into the other, when finally, all he could hear was that they were now husband and wife. He turned to her, gritting his teeth nervously. Her cheeks were slightly flushed. She was not smiling, but the expression on her face was of dignified acceptance, an expression mirroring his own. He had never seen such a look on the face of a woman. It almost made him drop to his knees before her.
He squeezed her hand reassuringly. It was barely a touch, yet it shocked him to the very core. His heart started to beat wilder, and he had to look away from her, as he led her out of the church by the hand. Now, it was just a matter of the wedding breakfast, where he hoped he would survive the onslaught of well-wishers.
