Page 92 of The Duke Says I Do
He laughed and only just restrained himself from kissing her. “You make a stunning bride.”
Lord Shelburn rose and held out his hand. “Congratulations, Your Grace.”
Granville realized that he’d completely forgotten his manners. He should have acknowledged his host and hostess first. But how could he think about anyone but Portia on this day of days?
He tore his attention away from his darling and shook Shelburn’s hand. “Thank you. And thank you to you and Lady Shelburn for supporting us in our plans for a quiet wedding.”
“I’ll be the most envied woman in London, once the news is out.” Lady Shelburn stood beside her husband and threaded her hand through his arm. “Everyone will want the details of what you wore and what you said and what you did.”
“As long as you say the groom was much prettier than the bride.” Portia took Granville’s hand again. “Hobbs has excelled himself.”
Granville sighed with mock self-pity. “The fellow’s been pecking and picking at me all morning.”
“You look the ideal bridegroom, Your Grace,” Lady Shelburn said.
Granville had on a black coat and biscuit pantaloons. His neckcloth was a perfect fall, and he wore his favorite gray silk waistcoat.
“Thank you.” He smiled. “Given both of you will play such an important part in my wedding day, perhaps you should call me Alaric.”
Lady Shelburn cast him a warm glance. “Then we must be Kate and Leighton.”
“What did the rector say?” Portia asked.
“He’s at our disposal for the rest of the day.”
“Capital,” Leighton said. “In that case, let’s have some champagne to celebrate before we go.”
As if on cue, the butler arrived with a bottle in an ice bucket, followed by a footman bearing a tray of four glasses.
While the butler poured the wine, Kate sent Granville a teasing glance. “Isn’t it bad luck to see the bride on the day of the ceremony?”
Portia gave one of her beguiling giggles. “We just might have met after midnight last night.”
Kate arched her eyebrows. “You got over your headache fast.”
Portia blushed like a rose. “Love is the best medicine.”
“We had things to talk about,” Granville said, although he suspected that Kate and Leighton guessed that at the very least, kissing had occurred.
Leighton smiled and raised his glass. “May I propose a toast to the engaged couple, Portia and Alaric, and wish you both every happiness?”
“Thank you.” Granville already felt like champagne flowed through his veins.
“Thank you, my dear friends,” Portia said after a sip.
Kate took a mouthful of wine and set her glass on the table. She turned to Leighton. “Come and help me choose some flowers from the garden. Portia hasn’t thought of a bouquet.”
Leighton caught on immediately and drained his glass before setting it next to Kate’s. “We can’t have our bride missing out on her flowers.”
The moment that the Shelburns disappeared behind the closed door, Portia flung herself into his arms. “Alaric, I’m so glad Jim Jones didn’t kill you.”
He laughed as he clasped her close. It felt like an eon since he’d held her, even if it was only last night. “By Jericho, so am I.”
“Don’t joke.” She gave a shudder. “I was scared to death.”
“I was mainly terrified that you were going to fly out of the grove like a Valkyrie and take him on again.”
“You don’t know how difficult it was, staying put,” she mumbled into his shoulder. “I kept telling myself that if I trusted you enough to marry you, I trusted you to handle Jim Jones.”
