Page 99 of The Lord I Once Loved

And then the front doors of the church opened once again, and I found myself staring at my bride.

Amelia was dressed in a white gossamer gown, her hair pleated and falling around her angelic face. Her grey eyes were shining in the dim church light, and I found myself entranced by them. In that moment, I felt that she and I were alone in the church – nothing and no one else mattered.

Nicholas Allen walked her to the alter. He had agreed to give her away, and I knew that she was thrilled about it.

Neither of us had much family to speak of… but now, we would be each other’s.

She stood before me, only a few feet away, and I noticed glassy tears in her eyes. They made her look all the more beautiful.

The officiant turned to us and began to speak the banns of marriage, his deep voice ricocheting throughout the lofty eaves of the church.

Finally, it was our turn to participate.

“Wilt thou have this Woman to thy wedded Wife, to live together after God's ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony?”

He asked, turning to me.

I looked at Amelia, seeing my life flash before my eyes all at once.

Our childhood at Rosehill, when we had played amidst the halls and gardens of my ancestral home. How she’d comforted me when my parents had spurned me, and how I’d pushed her to do adventurous things she wouldn’t have otherwise dreamed of.

And then I saw the dark period… the in between, after Amelia had left my life and I hers. I had been confused and reckless, grieving the death of my father and the deterioration of my mother. Instead of facing the realities of my life head on, I had buried the pain with alcohol…

I had become London’s most notorious rake, for better or for worse.

And truly, I had never thought I would be anything else.

But then, Amelia had come right back into my life, just as if she had never left. I recalled seeing her on Gracechurch Street, months ago, and finally remembering who she was thanks to those dark, ocean grey eyes. Had I known then that I loved her?

I think I had.

I just hadn’t known what love was.

Now, love was looking right at me.

“I will” I said solemnly.

Amelia’s eyes widened and a smile burst forth across her lips.

The officiant turned to her.

“Wilt thou have this Man to thy wedded Husband, to live together after God's ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony?”

She didn’t hesitate.

“I will.”

Chapter Twenty-One

Amelia

Thedayhadgoneby like a dream.

It felt like I was living in a fairytale… except that the fairytale was real life. I was a viscountess, not a princess – and my prince was the biggest rogue of London.

Formerrogue, to be correct.

The wedding itself had been magical. My Uncle Nicholas had, to my great joy, agreed to give me away… and all of our friends had been in attendance, even Cassie. She had begged Lady Radcliffe to let her attend, and the old woman had finally relented, under the condition that the girl brought her new governess with her.

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