Page 51 of The Lord She Could Not Forget

"I can understand that, Mama," Clara answered, sensing her mother's lingering sorrow. "I know you wish that Tyrone was present today also but I hope you can understand why we could not have him with us." Her brother had shown no remorse for what had been revealed --- had carried on as if his shame and disgrace were matters beneath his notice. Clara had responded with a determination of her own: she had asked Thomas to walk her down the aisle and give her away, and had made it clear that neither she nor Rutland wanted Tyrone present today. Thomas had accepted without a second of hesitation. Getting Tyrone to agree had proved far more difficult, but Thomas had dealt with their elder brother privately, and whatever he had said had been enough.

"Oh, I can understand very well indeed," came the reply. "You may be surprised to know that I am in agreement with you. Tyrone has not behaved well even now! There does not seem to be any sort of sorrow within him for what he has done. It is as if he feels no guilt!"

Clara sighed. "He may, in time. Soon, he will be alone in the manor house, without Thomas, myself or even your presence to keep him company. Mayhap in that silence, he will have no choice but to think about what he has done."

"Mayhap." Her mother smiled. "It was very kind of Thomas and Sophia to invite me for a prolonged stay with them once they are wed. I look forward to acquainting myself better with Sophia. She does appear to be a very lovely young lady."

"And you must come to stay with myself and Rutland thereafter," Clara added, seeing the warmth in her mother's eyes. "You will not have to reside with Tyrone again, not unless you wish to."

Her mother embraced her then and, with tears in her eyes, Clara hugged her tightly. Everything had been revealed, everything had been made known and whilst there was a good deal of sadness and sorrow in learning the truth, there was, twined through it, a great happiness and overwhelming joy. A joy that, Clara knew, would soon become overwhelming once she stepped into the church and made her vows before God and man --- vows that would finally make her Rutland's wife.

"We should hurry." Lady Tyrone stepped back, dabbing at her eyes again. "We have been talking for far too long and your poor Lord Rutland will be wondering where you are!"

Clara laughed and then took her mother's arm. "Then let us make him wait no longer," she said, with a heart that began to fill with expectation and delight at all that lay before her on this momentous day. Arm in arm with Lady Tyrone, Clara walked out of her bed chamber and towards the staircase that would lead her down to the waiting carriage. Looking over her shoulder, she paused, letting her gaze drift over each and every room. This would no longer be her home. It was the last time she would walk through this house as Lady Clara. From this day on, she would be Lady Rutland, wife to the Earl of Rutland --- and from then on, her future would be with him.

She could hardly wait for that future to begin.

Clara took a deep breath, her heart fluttering in her chest as she took Thomas's arm.

"You are not nervous, are you?" Thomas's eyes twinkled as Clara shot him a sharp look. "I am teasing you, my dear sister, I promise you."

"If it were only my own family and Lord Rutland, then I should not feel any nervousness at all!" she explained, having already peeked inside the church and seen the pews filled with guests. "But no, I am not anxious in the least about becoming his wife." She smiled back at Thomas. "I can hardly wait."

"Then let us step in, shall we?"

With no time to respond, Clara was led forward as the doors opened and the cool air inside the church rushed towards her. She caught the glint of sunlight through the stained glass windows, casting a rainbow of colours onto the stone floor that seemed to welcome her as she walked. The few murmurs from the expectant guests faded into quietness as she made her way slowly towards Lord Rutland, seeing him turn towards her. There were family, friends and acquaintances present, their gazes settled solely upon her, but Clara's eyes were drawn only to Josiah. He stood at the front of the church, his shoulders back and his head held high, his gaze soft but fixed to her as if she were the only one in the room. With each step, her pulse quickened, an urgency pushing her forward despite Thomas's exceedingly slow pace. She could not help but smile, feeling tears prick in the corners of her eyes.

Thomas stopped right beside Lord Rutland and Clara, whilst she was meant to be looking to the clergyman, could look nowhere else but Lord Rutland's face.

"Let us begin." The clergyman's voice forced her back to the present and demanded her full attention. Unwillingly, she pulled her gaze away from her betrothed and fixed it on the clergyman, ready for the ceremony to begin. It took all of her concentration to focus on what the clergyman was saying, however, for her desire to look to Lord Rutland, to draw near to him, to have himwrap his arms around her was so great, she had to repeatedly fight against it. Once Lord Rutland had made his promises, she repeated her vows after the clergyman, her voice trembling with the joy that flooded her. With every word, it felt as if she were walking further into a dream, each promise solidifying the future she had longed for.

"If you might, Lord Rutland?"

Her skin burned and her heart leapt as Lord Rutland took her hand in his.

"With this ring, I thee wed. With my body, I thee worship, and with all my worldly goods, I thee endow."

As Josiah slid the ring onto her finger, Clara felt a sense of completeness creep over her, satisfying her in a way that she had never experienced before. Her eyes went to the simple band, seeing it as a physical symbol of everything they had endured but, with it, all that they were soon to build together. Her heart swelled with love, and she looked up at Rutland again, seeing the tenderness in his eyes and the gentle smile on his face.

The clergyman led them in a prayer, but Clara's mind was fixed on Josiah. Whilst the guests and even Lord Rutland himself bowed their heads, Clara could not tear her eyes from him. From the first moment of their meeting, she had sensed that his presence in her life would alter it forever. Now, they were to be joined in matrimony, able to build their future together without restraint.

"Amen."

The clergyman's words rang through the church and Clara's heart beat fast. Was this the moment? The moment when she would finally be declared his wife?

"Forasmuch as the Earl of Rutland and Lady Clara Frankton have consented together in holy wedlock," the clergyman said, speaking slowly and, to Clara's ears, dragging each word out, "Inow pronounce them to be man and wife together." Gesturing to them both, he smiled. "Lord and Lady Rutland."

Before Clara could even take a breath, Josiah, his face lit with a grin of pure joy, turned to her and swept her up in his arms --- and this despite the fact they were standing at the very front of a church! She gasped in surprise, hearing the laughter from one or two of the guests as she clung to him, her arms tight around his neck.

As he spun her gently in his arms, Clara felt the joyful weight of their new life together settling over her. She was his. She was his wife and nothing could ever separate them again.

"I do apologise." Lord Rutland spoke to the guests and then, setting Clara down gently, looked to the clergyman. "I could not help myself. My happiness is very great."

"As is mine," she whispered, leaning into him as Lord Rutland smiled back down at her, his hand finding hers. Following him into a small room so they might sign the marriage lines, Clara stayed close to him, unable to be even the smallest step away from him.

"Let me just go and fetch an inkpot," the clergyman said, sounding apologetic. "I was certain I had one here."

"Take your time," Lord Rutland said, making Clara laugh and flush hot as the clergyman threw him a knowing smile. "We do not mind waiting."

"No, we do not," Clara murmured, as the door closed. Without even a second of hesitation, she threw her arms back around his neck and reached for him, his kiss coming to her in an instant. Everything around her faded whilst, inwardly, her desire and her heart roared into an even greater life than before. She could barely breathe but she did not care, desperate to be as close to him as she could be.

"Oh, Clara," he murmured, his lips still brushing hers. "I love you so very much."

She smiled and, with her eyes still closed, kissed him again.

"I love you too, Rutland," she whispered, her fingers threading through his hair. "And I swear to you, I always shall."