Page 28 of To Tempt a Scandalous Lord
Niall’s portion of the church was crowded with a collection of illustrious MPs, dukes, duchesses, and other notable peers. Alicia recognized no one on her side of the aisle…except for Niall’s sisters, who were seated in the first row. Their friends, Lord and Lady Firthwell and the Duke and Duchess of Darington, joined them.
She was overwhelmed with that show of support, and flashed a wobbly smile back at Flora.
The strains from the organ echoed through the chamber.
Alicia swallowed. It was time.
“Are you ready, my dear?” Effia asked as she slipped into the room.
Pivoting, she allowed her shoulders to relax as she met her friend’s calm gaze. “It will be well…yes?”
“Of course it will. You’ve considered every scenario, and we’ve discussed ways for you to continue yourpursuitsin a discreet manner.” Effia grasped her hands and held them tightly. “You deserve to be here, Alicia, because you’re brave and beautiful and smart. You’re dressed in this stylish new gown and look every inch an equal to every toff in that church. And you’re going to walk down that aisle with your head held high and marry that handsome man who’s waiting for you. And one day he’ll give you lovely babies and that family you’ve desired.”
Tears burned her eyes and Effia suddenly grew blurry in her vision. Alicia was so grateful that her friend was here to see her off for this next adventure in her life.
Producing a handkerchief, Effia offered it to her. “Only happy tears from this point on. Happy tears only.”
“These are happy tears,” Alicia sniffled, pressing the cloth to her cheeks and running it gently under her eyes. “I’m happy you’re here with me. It means so much.”
Effia nodded but didn’t speak, and the sparkling light in her dark eyes told Alicia she was just as touched by the moment as she was.
“Now are you ready to marry that man, or do you need to have another cry?”
Wiping her cheek one last time, Alicia squared her shoulders. “I’m ready.”
Gripping her bouquet with tight fingers, she inhaled deeply, stepped to the head of the aisle, and began her walk toward her future.
Somehow Alicia managed to put one foot in front of the other, no matter how her legs trembled or how the many eyes of the assembled guests bore into her. She felt detached from her body, experiencing the moment as a spectator from above.
Then she arrived at the altar and raised her gaze to meet Niall’s somber gray eyes, and the warmth she glimpsed there jerked her back to earth.
Alicia recited her vows from rote memory, her recitation stiff and unemotional. Yet, her body was brimful of chaotic emotions. Admiration, respect, and desire clashed about in her chest like a tumultuous thunderstorm. Only Niall’s steady gaze kept her tethered to the moment. Tohim.
A scant fifteen minutes later, Alicia was a married woman. Once again. She could only pray that this time around, things would turn out different. In fact, she would make sure of it.
Before she could get her bearings, the bishop pronounced her and Niall husband and wife. Niall bussed a fleeting kiss to her cheek, and as she was processing the feel of his lips on her skin, Niall turned to escort her back down the aisle.
Her second wedding passed just as quickly as her first, and yet this experience left her decidedly at sixes and sevens.
Alicia could barely make sense of her emotions as she watched Niall sign his name to the marriage certificate. The Duke and Duchess of Ashwood were with them to sign as witnesses, and the duchess made a steady stream of conversation about her observations of the ceremony.
“I’m surprised by how many people were in attendance. I knew people would attend, what with the rumors still circulating about what transpired at the Talbot ball, but I had not expected quite that many.”
Some choice rumors had refused to die, even after her and Niall’s engagement appeared in the papers. Almost all of those she’d heard pertained to Niall and his Scots heritage, and the unfairness of the accusations made her want to scream. He had been nothing but honorable in all her dealings with him, and that a simple accident between them was used as a weapon to villainize him made her hands curl into fists.
Perhaps she could use her words and essays to chase these insidious rumors away for good? The idea merited further thought.
“Of course there was to be a large crowd,” Ashwood said, tweaking one of his wife’s curls. “People wanted to meet the woman who has finally won Inverray’s hand.”
“Perhaps it’s the other way around,” Alicia couldn’t help but to interject. “Perhaps it was his lordship that won my hand.”
“That’s the way of it,” the duchess chuckled, her grin for her husband. “I suspect the crowd wanted to see the woman who finally convinced the Marquess of Inverray to marry.”
“Or ensnared him in the parson’s trap. It is a much better story than the truth,” Niall said with a shrug, not meeting her eyes. “Marriages of convenience to avoid a scandal are a tale as old as time, and no one would be entertained by our version of the story.”
Bile surged up her throat. Niall’s tone had been…dismissive. Casual. Dare she say, bitter? This marriage may have come about under duress, but she thought they were in agreement that they could make their union a pleasant one. To describe it now in such succinct terms left her teeth on edge.
Snatching the pen from his hand, Alicia leaned forward to sign her name. She didn’t need anyone to explain what the license meant and how difficult it would be to dissolve the marriage, should it ever come to that.
