Page 70 of The Colonel's Ungovernable Governess
Also at Jocelyn’s insistence, they agreed to marry in the local parish church, though his mother had lobbied for the family church in Derbyshire. “If we are to become the face of both the manor and the earldom until Vincent reaches his majority, it is important for the people depending upon the estate for their existence to view us as part of the community,” his lovely intended had stubbornly declared.
Without a doubt, Edward did not care, as long as they were married; therefore, he wisely took his future wife’s side over his mother. “Doing so will mean a happier life,” he had told Darcy.
It was also decided that, for the immediate future, either Matlock or Darcy would call regularly on Babbington, at least once each fortnight, especially when Edward was away with his duties, until the community understood young Babcock’s future was in good hands. One of the most powerful land owners in all of England and a well-known earl would see that all was executed as it should be and there was some form of accountability in place.
As he had promised, his father had expedited the promotion, and, on this, Edward’s wedding day, he proudly wore his full regalia as a major-general. He waited at the front of the church for his soon-to-be-bride to make her entrance. The crowd outside the church was equal to, if not larger, than the one inside. Two earls, counting Vincent, a viscount, and a baron all at the same time in their local church had many residing within the parish more than a bit curious. Add to that, the fact one of the richest men in England, along with the man’s wife, were to stand as witness for the recently-engaged couple’s marriage, people from all about were in a celebratory mood. His brother Lindale had stood good for a drink for all at the local inn, while Lords Romfield and Matlock had had a small basket of goods delivered to each home in the village, as well as the surrounding home farms, attached to the estate.
Nervous as he had ever been, Edward again thought to straighten the cut of his uniform, but Darcy cut short the action by leaning forward to say, “It is time.”
Edward swallowed the mixture of anxiety and pure relief rushing to his chest. He nodded to Lady Romfield as the woman scurried up the aisle to claim her seat next to her husband and young Andrew Romfield on the second row. His mother and father, along with his brother, Lady Lindale, and the woman’s two daughters, shared a bench at the front of the church.
With a slight clearing of Darcy’s throat as a reminder, Edward turned to his cousin to hand his hat off to Darcy. Edward had been holding it out of an ingrained habit. His cousin immediately turned to hand it to Vincent. The boy beamed with pride at being included in the ceremony. The child’s presence at the front of the church had been a relatively late decision by Jocelyn, who had declared, “If not for Vincent, we would never have come to be together.” Edward disagreed: He thought it more Fate than Elizabeth Darcy’s manipulations, but he held no real objection to the boy being part of the ceremony. Lord Vincent immediately handed the box holding the ring Edward had designed for Jocelyn off to Darcy. They were all set for his bride’s entrance.
Then everyone rose, initially blocking his view of the church’s aisle where his beloved Jocelyn stood. Elizabeth was assisting with the fullness of the dress, which Jocelyn had refused to alter to the “English style.”
“Trust me, Edward,” she had said several weeks back, “in a year, all in London will have abandoned their empire design for something more feminine.”
In truth, he had not protested one way or the other. Whatever Jocelyn chose to wear was insignificant; all he saw was the woman he loved. At length, she stood beside him. Immediately, the rector overseeing the Babbington vicarage and who insisted it would he to marry such distinguished members of the aristocracy cleared his throat to say, “Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here in the sight of God, and in the face of this Congregation to join together this man and this woman in holy Matrimony.” Beyond that, Edward’s mind began to wander. For a man who had never thought to know happiness, this was all so real, and he wished to enjoy all the moments making up the essence of this day.
All too quickly, the rector was saying, “Edward Richard George Fitzwilliam, wilt thou have this woman to thy wedded wife, to live together after God’s ordinance in the holy estate of matrimony? Wilt thou love her, comfort her, honour and keep her, in sickness and in health, and, forsaking all others, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye both shall live?”
“I will.”
The rector asked for the same pledge from Jocelyn and received a like response. Meanwhile, Edward marveled at how his lady love did not appear nervous, but rather assured. He supposed she should be confident, for he had professed his devotion often enough since she had accepted the offer of his hand.
Her father placed Jocelyn’s hand in Edward’s and the rector instructed Edward to repeat the “I plight thee my troth” speech. They switched hands, and Jocelyn spoke her “for better or for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health” pledge.
The blessing of the ring followed and Edward’s promise to her. “With this ring I thee wed, with my body I thee worship, and with all my worldly goods, I thee endow. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.”
There were instructed to kneel, which proved a bit comical for the both of them for Jocelyn initially caught the heel of her shoe in the hem of her gown and kneeling with a sword about one’s waist is never as easy as one would think. The fact they had both “stumbled” into the blessing of their marriage had them each grinning widely. They were truly perfectly matched.
The rector directed his prayer to those gathered within the church and then delivered his “Those whom God hath joined together let no man put asunder” warning before he spoke to the congregation of the seriousness of marriage vows, added another blessing, read two psalms, and while Edward and Jocelyn were still kneeling before the Lord’s Table, the rector said, “Lord have mercy upon us,” with those gathered within and without the church responding in the prescribed manner, as all of them had done all their lives. Such was followed by more prayers addressing the blessing of their children, if God’s hand permitted it, along with prayers regarding the duties of a man and his wife, and finally they received Holy Communion.
At last, he stood and assisted Jocelyn to her feet, before leaning down to kiss her briefly. Turning together, they caught hands. Darcy slapped Edward joyously on the back, and Elizabeth presented Jocelyn a quick embrace. A round of applause followed. They stood, grinning widely for the world to take note of their commitment to each other. They were man and wife, at last.
* * *
Jocelyn looked across the room to where her husband stood with his brother Lindale and Mr. Darcy. Although his lips spoke of his responded to the pair, his eyes remained on her. Those gathered to celebrate their marriage had thinned to just the family. In preparation for just such a situation, Jocelyn had chosen a suite of rooms in a different wing from where the others would be housed. Such did not completely guarantee their privacy, but she believed Elizabeth Darcy would take it on herself to guarantee Jocelyn and her beloved Edward would not be disturbed.
She glanced to the ring on her finger. As much as she loved her husband’s great-grandmother’s ring, she planned to leave it on her right hand. The one Edward had placed on her left hand today was absolutely stunning. It was a combination of her mother’s betrothal ring and a like one belonging to Lady Matlock. The jeweler, a Mr. Francis Grose, who had designed King George’s crown, had not only braided the two bands together, but he had rearranged all the jewels so they complemented each other perfectly. Jocelyn had always loved the circle of mid-sized diamonds on her mother’s ring, but adding them to the gold-banded solitaire of Lady Matlock’s was absolutely spectacular.
“You are the hope of both our families,” her husband had whispered when he caught her admiring the ring earlier in the evening. “I pray I have not misjudged. Is it too much?” he asked. “You will wear it?”
Something greater than both of them would have to rip it from her finger as they placed her in her grave. She reached up to stroke his jawline to soften his concern. The diamonds caught the overhead light and banked the flame of fairylike magic across his chiseled features. She loved this man with all her heart. “Forever, my husband. Forever.”
* * *
As he had done so for the last few hours, Edward watched his wife as she circled the room, obviously expressing her gratitude to each within. When she finally reached his side, she said softly, “I am going up now.”
“Do you require my escort?”
She smiled knowingly. “There is no other who would do as well.”
Edward did not require more inspiration. He took her hand and placed it on his arm before turning their steps towards the main staircase. “Are you nervous?” he asked. “I promise to treat you tenderly.”
“I hold no doubt of your honor, my husband.”
He sighed heavily. He had to exercise control, but the idea of her in his arms tonight and every night was quite overwhelming. He escorted her to her quarters and opened the door to note a maid waiting for her within.
