“About as much as I would give.” She rose up on her toes and pressed her lips to his. His hands slid down and over her derrière, drawing her closer. “We are not going to be left alone long enough.”
“Reluctantly, I have realized that.” He took her hand and they walked down the stairs. “Where do you wish to go for a wedding trip?”
“Paris.” She had always wanted to go to the city. Then she remembered that Gavin’s sister lived there. “But, if you do not mind, I do not want to stay with your sister. At least not at first.”
“Agreed. We would be much more comfortable alone. I know of an excellent hotel that would be perfect.”
* * *
London was thin of company, but, between the two of them, they had so many family members come to Town that it seemed there was always something planned. Even Mary, Kit, and their new baby came for the wedding.
* * *
Her wedding day was finally here. Georgie gazed into the mirror and marveled at the way the royal blue gown made her skin glow and brightened the rubies around her neck and hanging from her ears. “It is perfect.”
“I’d say so, miss.” Smith packed up the last of the items on the toilet table and put them in a bag. “You’ve been saying all along that the brighter colors would look better.”
Gowns of red, emerald blue, bright deep pinks, and other strong colors had been arriving for the past few days, but this was the first time Georgie was allowed to wear one of them. Her mother had very definite ideas as to what was proper for an unmarried lady as opposed to a married lady, or one minutes away from being married, should wear.
A knock came on the door. Smith answered it, and Adeline, Dorie, and Henrietta strode in.
“I have never seen you look better.” Adeline hugged her lightly. “We come bearing wedding traditions.” She put her hand in her bag. “This is something blue. Although it seems a bit redundant when you are wearing blue.” She handed Georgie a ring with a single sapphire.
“It’s perfect.” Tears of joy pricked the back of her eyes.
“There is to be no crying,” Henrietta said sternly. “If you start the rest of us will follow. I have something borrowed for you.” She handed Georgie the same gold combs that she had loaned to Adeline and Dorie.
Smith took them and fitted them into Georgie’s hair.
“And I have something old.” Dorie clasped a ruby bracelet on Georgie’s arm then stood back with a pleased smile. “The minute I saw it I knew it would be perfect.”
Mama, Grandmamma, and the duchess strolled one after the other through the door.
“We have wedding presents that we have been keeping for today.” Mama embraced Georgie lightly. “We almost waited until after the ceremony but decided that there would be too much excitement. This is from my side of the family.” She handed Georgie a large, deep rectangular box.
She opened it and found a long strand of matched pearls, earrings, and a bracelet. “These are beautiful.” Georgie almost felt bad that she was wearing her new rubies. “If you wish me to wear them . . .”
“No. Save them for another time.”
Grandmamma stepped forward with another box. “This is from the Featherton side of the family. The moment I saw your dark hair and blue eyes, I knew they belonged to you.”
Inside this box was a heavy necklace set with emeralds and diamonds. “Thank you. They are magnificent.”
The duchess bussed Georgie on the cheek. “You’ll have to go to the stable to meet my gift. When I found out that Turley was having a phaeton made for you, I bought you a pair of matched bays to go with it.”
Adeline quickly handed Georgie a handkerchief. “No crying.”
She blinked rapidly to stave off the tears. “Thank you so much. That was something I never expected.”
The duchess had a smug look on her face. “I know.”
“Come along.” Mama started shooing them out of the room. “Your father is waiting. You do not wish to be late to your own wedding.”
“She cannot be late if I am attending her,” Henrietta said. “Because I am never—”
“Late,” the rest of them finished for her.
She grinned, then her brows drew together. “When I finally wed, I shan’t know any single ladies to attend me.”
“Perhaps we’ll meet someone new,” Dorie said as she linked arms with Henrietta. “If not, I will attend you and bother tradition.”
Georgie would miss them, but it wouldn’t be long before they were all back together again. “Let us go. Turley is probably already at the church.”
“And if I know him”—Adeline raised a brow—“he is waiting anxiously for you to arrive.”
Chapter Thirty-Three
“Do you have it?” Gavin, Littleton, and Exeter had arrived at the church hours ago. Or perhaps it was only a few minutes and just seemed like hours.
“Shall I give you the same answer I gave you a few seconds ago, or would you like a new one?” Littleton drawled.
The “it” was the betrothal ring that would magically turn into a wedding ring during the ceremony. Henrietta had handed it to him last evening as they all left the dinner party that included both his and Georgie’s families. “No. I just want this over.”
“That’s normal,” Exeter commented. “Be thankful that you decided to travel today. You’ll be able to have your bride alone much sooner.”
Gavin and Georgie had decided to start the trip to Dover. It was a good eight hours or more, and they wouldn’t finish the trip today. As he usually traveled straight through and didn’t know any of the inns along the way, his brother-in-law recommended an excellent one around Maidstone where they would spend the night.
He pulled out his pocket watch. “Damn, still five minutes to go.”
“If you hadn’t insisted on being so early, you wouldn’t be so wrought,” Littleton retorted.
Gavin almost snapped at him, but that wouldn’t do any good. They’d spent most of the time waiting in the back of the church as two other ceremonies took place. He’d had no idea St. George’s was this busy.
“It will all be over soon.” He was surprised at how fatherly Exeter sounded.
Gavin’s sister and her husband entered the church, and finally, the side door opened, and Georgie’s friends walked in followed by her mother, her father, and Georgie. “She is exquisite.”
“She is,” Littleton agreed, but Gavin had the feeling he was looking at his wife. “She wore the rubies.”
“So she did.” He’d assumed that her family would have jewelry for her to wear. Perhaps she had chosen what he’d given her instead. He stepped forward and held out his hand for her.
“Not yet.” Lord Featherton grinned, holding Gavin back. “You’ll have her soon enough.”
The clergyman joined them. “I take it everyone is here?” They nodded. “Then we shall begin.”
Soon he had Georgie’s hand in his and they said their vows gazing into each other’s eyes as they did. When the cleric got to the part about promising to love her he was relieved that he truly did love her. He slipped the ring on her left hand and a few seconds later they were finally pronounced man and wife.