by Joyce Alec
“Take them away. They do not deserve to be here,” Lord Crettingham said scathingly. And without another word, they were removed from the room.
Lord Crettingham walked back down the aisle with Lord Pembrooke, who was now rather pale now that the excitement had died down. He still held the gleaming diamond jewels in his hands, and he returned to stand in front of Henrietta.
“Are you all right?” He asked her, searching her face.
“I…” she began. She shrugged her shoulders. “I do not know. That is a lot to take in.”
He nodded in agreement, the understanding clear on his face. If she was so stricken to have been betrayed by such a good friend, he must feel just as anguished at having been betrayed by his own brother.
The minister looked between the two of them. “Do you wish to continue with the ceremony?”
“Just a moment,” Lord Pembrooke said. He removed the necklace that Henrietta was wearing and handed it to Lady Charlotte. Then, he took the diamond necklace and put it around Henrietta’s neck.
When he stepped back, many people in the room murmured to one another, and she realized how stunning it must look. He held up the diamond ring to her.
“Now, we are ready to continue,” he said.
And she smiled up at him. Their marriage was more important than anything else that had happened. That much was clear now.
They finished the ceremony with much fanfare, with loud cheers and clapping from their remaining family and friends. Lady Charlotte hugged her fervently, with a mixture of joy and sadness on her face. They would have to discuss what had happened at some point, but they both knew it could wait.
They allowed everyone to congratulate them and wish them well, and they both felt at peace. What happened was entirely out of their control, and they were not going to let the two who had attempted to sabotage their wedding to rob them of their joy.
Before the sun set that evening, Lord Pembrooke and his new wife were ushered into a carriage to head off on their honeymoon. Lord Pembrooke had planned an elaborate trek around the south of England, and they were to be gone celebrating for three weeks.
After waving at everyone excitedly, and their parents reassuring that they would handle everything at home, including Lady Mary and Lord William, they both leaned back in the carriage and sighed heavily.
“What a day,” Henrietta said.
Lord Pembrooke smiled at her. “My dear bride, are you quite all right?”
“I am now,” she replied honestly. “It is all behind us now, love. We mustn’t linger on it.”
He smiled at her. “You are quite right. We have a long, relaxing trip ahead of us that I can hardly wait to begin.”
“You don’t have to wait any longer, dear husband,” she replied. “We have already begun.”
*****
THE END
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