Page 32 of Pursuing Mr. Mattingly

Vicar Mitchell grinned. “You are a good sort, Mr. Mattingly.” He glanced at his clerk. “If you set up the register on a table at the back we can move forward.”

With a nod the younger man broke away. He set his folio on the table where a large vase of varied colored roses rested. Oliver had convinced the dowager to let him cut a bouquet for the wedding. Thankfully, she’d gladly agreed. Perhaps it would make Sophia smile.

“Well, I’ll leave you to it.” Lord Ettesmere clasped Oliver’s shoulder. He looked at the vicar. “And I’ll be seeing you not long from now.” Then he crossed the floor and took a seat next to his fiancée. The ever-present rotund beagle lay at her feet. There were two roses tucked into his collar in honor of the festivities.

Still his nerves continued to plague him, but when the double doors to the drawing room opened and Hannah strolled in, he couldn’t but help a grin. She was adorable in a pale blue gown with a cluster of pansies tucked over her left ear. She held a single yellow rose in her right hand. Her blonde hair had been left down, tied back with a matching satin ribbon. With an exuberant wave to Oliver, she settled upon a chair next to the dowager countess.

Then Sophia paused at the doorway, and he completely forgot how to breathe. “Well, hell’s bells,” he whispered, much to the amusement of Vicar Mitchell.

Her gown of raspberry pink silk had been the perfect choice and showed her curves, making her a veritable goddess. The skirts flowed about her ankles as she slowly approached the top of the room where he stood. A band of gold encircled her waist, which only served to bring his attention to the swell of her breasts over the low bodice. Pretty color stained her pale cheeks, and her golden hair had been arranged into an intricate updo with swoops and braids. Curling tendrils hung at her temples and nape. A strand of delicate pearls encircled her neck with an oval-shaped pink gemstone in the center that winked with her every movement. Her green eyes sparkled, and those soft pink lips curved into a smile that both conveyed delight and wicked promise.

A shiver moved down his spine. Never had he been more certain of a decision before in his life. As a few snickers moved through the room, he glanced about only to find the orange kitten trailing after Sophia’s skirts, batting at them with each step she took. He chuckled. “What is life without laughter to help soothe the way?” he asked of the room at large. When she reached his side, he grinned like an idiot. “Good morning, Lady Sophia.”

“Good morning yourself, Mr. Mattingly. You are quite handsome today. I adore the sash.”

“Thank you.” He’d chosen an ivory satin sash for the occasion, to better display his medals and ribbons proclaiming various accolades and honors bestowed upon him during his stint as an ambassador. Since he had no title, he felt this might set him apart from those that did, and that Sophia might be proud of him. “I’m rather proud of all I’ve accomplished.”

“And so you should be. I certainly am and cannot wait to hear the stories.” The faint scent of roses floated his way as she nodded at the vicar. “Hullo, Vicar Mitchell. Thank you for coming.”

“It’s lovely to see you so happy, my lady, all things considered,” the older man said. “Shall we begin?”

“Yes, please,” she replied with a speaking glance at Oliver. “Delay is not something I wish to indulge in.”

The vicar cleared his throat. “Our nuptial couple is ready to start.” He opened his Book of Common Prayer and turned to the correct page, then he encompassed them both in his gaze and then said, “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; which is an honorable estate, instituted of God in the time of man’s innocency, signifying unto us the mystical union that is betwixt Christ and his Church…”

Oliver’s mind wandered slightly as the words the vicar spoke became caught up in the cloud of worry in his brain. Their lives were about to change. In a mere handful of moments, he would walk from this room with a wife as a married man. Was he up to the challenge? Did she think him good enough? Did it matter she was marrying below her station or that their time together was short?

When Sophia gently touched his hand, the swirling thoughts ceased to chase around his mind, and he concentrated again on what the vicar said. Apparently, just in time, for the older man was addressing him directly.

“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, honor, and keep her in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye both shall live?”

So long as ye both shall live.

A tremble of fear went down Oliver’s back. The time he would be given with Sophia was truly limited. Panic bubbled up in his chest. He always thought that when he married, it would be for longer than perhaps a few months to a year without the worry that any sort of large shock or excitement might strike his bride dead. His breathing became labored. How could he prove any sort of good husband in such a short time? Yes, he was infatuated with Sophia and selfishly he wished for more time, yet… He glanced at her, saw the gleam of happiness in her eyes, and all his concerns vanished like mist before the sun.

In a clear voice, he answered, “I will. In fact, from the first moment I saw the lady, I knew my future lay with her.”

“I rather assumed you would, Mr. Mattingly,” the vicar said to a few titters from their audience. Then he turned his attention to Sophia. “Wilt thou have this Man to thy wedded Husband, to live together after God’s ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony? Wilt thou obey him, and serve him, love, honor, and keep him in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, keep thee only unto him, so long as ye both shall live?”

For a horrible few seconds, she didn’t answer the question.

“Mama, you are supposed to say yes,” Hannah interrupted in the world’s worst stage whisper, which made the clerk snicker at the back of the room.

Sophia’s smile was as beautiful and beaming as a sunrise. She nodded. “I will.” Her answer came out breathless and, in a whisper, said, “This is perhaps the most poignant of my marriages.” Tears gathered in her eyes. What thoughts were plaguing her? Did she, too, wish for more time, or was she even now regretting that she’d arrived at this pass?

Damn it all, there were too many unknowns, and on this day of all days!

Oliver was instructed to take her right hand in his right one. Her fingers trembled, and her breath came in short pants. Was the stress of the ceremony too much? Surely, she wouldn’t expire right here. As his protective instincts rose, he leaned close, put his lips to her ear, and whispered, “I give you my word and my promise this isn’t a mistake, and I will make certain, to the best of my ability, that the remainder of your life will be spent in abundant happiness and pleasure.”

“I appreciate that, but not even you and your bright attitude can control fate, Ambassador,” she whispered back.

“Perhaps not, but I can put up the devil’s own opposition as I fight to give you every good thing while I can.” When he smiled, the blush in her cheeks deepened. Never had he felt more passionate about a goal in all his life.

“Should I go on, Mr. Mattingly?” the vicar asked with amusement in his tones. “Or do you wish to continue to convince your bride she hasn’t chosen a husband poorly?”

Heat rose up the back of his neck. “Yes, please. I apologize for the interruption. It’s not every day I am presented with such unique challenges.”

“Indeed.” But the vicar smiled as he focused fully on him. “Mr. Mattingly, repeat after me…” As he intoned the words that would forever bind him to Sophia, Oliver drew his bride a tiny bit closer and held tight to her fingers.

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