Wedded in Scandal

Gwen was radiant, and Edward was grinning. It looked as if he couldn’t believe his luck to be joined with his lady love. Robert stood as his best man, tall and proud. He could not have looked more handsome, and Helaine fell more deeply in love with him.

The priest was no less a person than the Archbishop of Canterbury. The service proceeded as was expected with Edward and Gwen speaking their vows in voices that carried to the back of the cathedral. It was clear to all that there was no doubt in their minds. The two were desperately in love. Helaine had to reach for her own handkerchief at that moment. Before long, they were pronounced man and wife. The organ music swelled, Edward kissed Gwen soundly, and the two were wed.

Then everything took a very bizarre turn.

It was time for the bride and groom to leave the cathedral together. Edward had his wife’s hand and a look of utter joy on his face. But he did not actually take his bride down the aisle. Instead, he leaned in close and whispered something to her. She gasped in shock, putting her hand to her mouth as her gaze hopped to her brother, who gave her a rather sheepish shrug. She squealed in delight and stepped to the side, pulling Edward with her.

It was Robert who then stepped to the center to address the congregation.

“Friends and family, I am afraid this is rather awkward. Or at least it is for me. But a man will do quite a few very awkward things for love. And I am definitely such a man. A man in love.”

His gaze then flowed across everyone there to land right on Helaine. Whatever could he be doing? Announcing this in front of everyone? Meanwhile, he was coming down the aisle, talking as he moved.

“If everyone could please bear with me a moment. There is something I have been trying to ask for a very long time now. But the stubborn woman has been difficult indeed.”

He made it to her side and held out his hand. Helaine just stared at him, her mind numb with shock. It took her mother poking her in the ribs before she moved.

“Stand up!” the woman hissed. “Stand up!”

Helaine did, her eyes wide, her body stiff. And then she released a squeak of shock as Robert dropped down to one knee before her. Then he took her hand and gazed up into her eyes.

“I love you, my dear. Will you make me the happiest man in the world and say you will marry me?”

Helaine gaped at him. He could not be serious. No one married their mistress! Then, before she could frame any words, he pulled out a folded piece of paper and pressed it into her hands.

“It is a special license. We can be married right now by the archbishop himself. Look at it.”

She did as he bade, slowly unfolding the parchment. There in bold black letters was a special license allowing Robert with all his names and titles to marry one Lady Helaine, daughter of the Earl of Chelmorton. It was her name. Her real name.

“Oh, God,” she whispered.

“I want to marry you,” Robert said firmly. “The bishop will only name you Helen Mortimer,” he said in an undertone, “but I will allow no legalities to negate our vows.”

Helaine stared at him, her hands trembling where they gripped the paper. “But…but, Robert.” She swallowed and leaned forward to whisper in his ear. “There is no baby. There is no need—”

He took her face in his hands, turning her so that she could look directly in his eyes as he spoke. “There is every need for me to marry the woman I love. I love you. And I want desperately to marry you.”

Her heart melted. Indeed, it had fallen for him a long, long time ago. “I have loved you forever,” she said.

“Tsk!” snapped Wendy from the seat beside her mother. “Then say yes and let him get off his knees!”

Helaine laughed and nodded, her heart in her throat. “Yes, Robert. Yes, I will marry you.”

Her family erupted into cheers. There were likely other comments as well, whispers and confusion, but Helaine didn’t hear them. She was too busy kissing Robert. And then he was pulling her forward down the aisle, back to the front of the church. It took her a moment to realize that he meant to marry her this very second.

She stumbled slightly as she looked at the grinning bishop. “What? You mean right now?”

“It is the best way,” Robert whispered into her ear. “Quickly, before anyone can look too deeply into your past. I don’t care, Helaine. Understand that. I don’t care, and your identity will come out eventually. But it is best to establish you as Lady Redhill first. There will be scandal either way, but this will minimize it.”

She swallowed, understanding the logic behind his decision. But this was Gwen and Edward’s day. She didn’t want to intrude. “Surely we can’t,” she began, but Edward just shook his head.

“You can. In fact, it was my idea.”

“Not the wedding,” Robert hastily added. “Just the timing of it.”

Helaine looked to Gwen. “You don’t mind?”

“Mind?” Gwen gasped. “I get a husband and another sister on the very same day! I am thrilled!”

And so it was done. Robert took her hand and led her to the altar, where they knelt before the Archbishop of Canterbury. They spoke their vows and Robert slid a pink diamond onto her finger, one that perfectly matched the gem in his cravat.

“You are mine now,” he said after he had kissed her silly right there in front of everyone. “Nothing can take you from my side ever.”

“Nothing,” she agreed. Because why would she ever want to leave?

“I love you,” he said. And she laughed because she had said the exact same words at the exact same moment.

In the back of the church where Wendy misted up and Helaine’s mother openly cried, Penny hugged her brother tight and whispered into his curls.

“That’s love, Tommy. Real love the way it should be. And someday, if we’re very lucky, we’ll have it, too.” She didn’t really believe it would happen, but she wanted to pretend. And more than anything, she wanted it to be true for Tommy. So she said the words and clutched her brother tight.

Having no words, Tommy didn’t answer except to gurgle happily and leave a sloppy wet kiss on his sister’s cheek.