Page 57 of A Scarred Wallflower for the Duke
She stood for a moment, lips parted as she tried to make sense of the situation. Jane thought of Lydia’s assertations that she was in love with Lord Renshaw. Her pleas that she might be permitted to marry him. But what of Georgina and the Duke? Surely, he did not wish for a wife who looked the way Georgina did.
Does he? Because the look the Duke was giving Georgina could only be described as adoring. Perhaps she had been wrong about Georgina, and her unsuitability as a wife. Perhaps a gentleman did not need to have an interest in the unique and unusual, as the Dowager Duchess had suggested. Perhaps she had been foolish in assuming men would see no more in Georgina than the way she looked.
And at that moment, Jane Wyatt realized she had been played.
How could I have been so blind? How could I have not noticed what was going on in front of my eyes this whole time?
She felt like an utter fool. But there was no way on earth she was going to let anyone see that. Especially not the Dowager Duchess of Levinton.
“No,” she said finally, lifting her chin and pressing her shoulders back. “No, of course, there has not been a mistake. Please forgive my interruption.” She did not miss the tiny smile that passed between Georgina and Lydia. Jane did not know whether to be furious at her granddaughters and their husbands-to-be or damnably impressed that they had managed to pull off such a grand deception. The way Marcus was looking around the congregation, challenging them to object, suggested that he too had known exactly what was to take place today. Either way, Jane had no choice right now but to take her seat and pretend she had known about this all along. She would deal with her grandchildren later.
“Then perhaps we all ought to take our seats?” said Marcus firmly. “Let the ceremony continue?”
Jane sat obediently. “Yes,” she murmured. “Yes, of course.”
The priest’s eyes darted between the Dowagers, and then back to the two couples. He turned to the Duke. “Shall I proceed, Your Grace?”
“Yes.” He looked down at Georgina at gave her a smile that seemed to light the gloomy corners of the church. “Please do.”
* * *
Arm linked with her husband’s, Georgina stepped from the church, squinting in the bright sunlight. Confused murmurs rippled through the crowd, making the two couples laugh. But the throng of well-wishers overcame their confusion quickly, and broke into loud cheers, flinging handfuls of rice over the newlyweds.
Vincent wrapped his arm around Georgina and pulled her in close, kissing her firmly on the lips. The crowd reacted with a cheer, underscored with faint murmurs. Georgina did not care. Let them say what they liked. Let them think what they liked. She was married to the man she loved more than anything. At that moment, it felt as though nothing could hurt her.
Georgina turned to Lydia and pulled her into her arms. “Lady Renshaw. My deepest congratulations.”
Lydia’s eyes were shining with happiness. “And to you, Your Grace.” She embraced her sister again.
They turned to see their grandmother approaching, her face unreadable. Bracing themselves against the Dowager Viscountess’s onslaught, the sisters linked their arms. Lord Renshaw and the Duke stood on either side of them, the four wearing the expressions of guilty children.
“Well.” The Dowager Viscountess’s eyes shifted from one granddaughter to another. Her voice was low so none of the onlookers could hear. “I believe you have some explaining to do.”
“I am so sorry for deceiving you, Grandmother,” said Georgina. “But we both are truly so happy. All of us are.”
The Dowager Viscountess’s expression softened slightly. “Yes,” she said. “Yes, I can see that.” She swallowed visibly.
The Dowager Duchess appeared beside her, eyes darting between Vincent and Georgina. She wore a puzzled look on her face. “And you, Vincent?” she asked. “Are you… happy with this arrangement?”
Vincent fixed her with a look of sincerity. “Yes, Mother,” he said. “I am happier than you could know. I love Georgina very much.”
The Dowager Duchess’s eyebrows quirked, as though she had not been expecting such a heartfelt declaration from her son. “I see.” She tilted her head, as though considering the matter. Georgina realized her heart was thundering. Not caring what the crowd thought was one thing, but not caring what her mother-in-law thought, well that was damnably more difficult.
“Well,” the Dowager Duchess said finally, “if the two of you are happy, then who am I to object?” Her eyes darted between her son and his new wife. “Provided there are grandchildren, of course.”
Georgina and Vincent exchanged a smile. It was hardly the most glowing of endorsements, but it was a beginning, for certain. And right now, that was enough.
“Thank you, Mother,” said Vincent. “That means a lot.”
Georgina dared to look at her grandmother. She knew well how much the Dowager Viscountess hated being deceived. She knew there was every chance her grandmother would not be as accepting of the situation as the Dowager Duchess.
She fixed Georgina with hard eyes. “I know this was all your doing, Georgina. It has your fingerprints all over it. Sometimes you are too clever for your own good.”
Georgina smiled slightly, lowering her eyes. “I am sorry, Grandmother.”
“But I also know when I have made mistakes.” Her eyes drifted between Lord Renshaw and Lydia, then to the Duke, before alighting back on Georgina. “And I am willing to admit when I am wrong.” She reached for her granddaughters’ hands and gave them a firm squeeze. “I wish you all a lifetime of happiness.”
Epilogue
