Emma shut the door quickly behind them and scurried over to the dressing room door. 'They're gone,' she said quietly, not at all sure why she was whispering.
'Are you certain?'
'For heaven's sake, Belle. I have eyes, don't I? I tell you, they're gone.'
Belle poked her head around the side of the door, and when she was satisfied that the room was devoid of male creatures, ventured out.
'
'I lost my sense,' Belle said, meaning it.
'Are you sure you're ready to do this?'
Belle nodded and a tear welled up in her eye. 'I just thought it'd be different. My mother isn't even here!' She sniffled loudly.
Emma touched her arm, deeply moved by her cousin's tears. 'You can wait, Belle. There is no reason you have to go through with this today.'
Belle shook her head. 'I can't wait, Emma. Not another day.' And then she told her the entire story.
Chapter 17
Once Emma was convinced that Belle was truly in love with John, she helped her cousin into her wedding gown and proclaimed her the most radiant bride she'd ever seen.
'I suppose that means my eyes aren't bloodshot any longer,' Belle joked. She'd let loose quite a torrent of tears.
Emma solemnly shook her head. 'Do you want Alex to give you away?'
Belle frowned. 'I had hoped that Ned would be here by now. If I cannot have a father of the bride, I was hoping for at least a brother. As it is, Father is going to be furious that he didn't get to give me away.'
'Well, he got to give me away,' Emma said efficiently. 'That will have to do. Did Ned send a reply?'
'There wasn't time.'
Emma nibbled at her lower lip. 'Why don't I go downstairs and stall the proceedings? I'll be right back.'
She slipped out the door and made her way to the drawing room. John was pacing back and forth, not so much with nervousness as with impatience. 'What's taking so long?' he snapped.
Emma pursed her lips and looked up at the clock. 'It's only ten minutes past seven. That's perfectly punctual for a wedding that is supposed to begin at seven.'
'Women.' This came from her husband, who was sprawled on a sofa which was much too small for his large frame. Dunford was sitting across from him, smirking.
Emma shot both of them a rather nasty look before turning back to her future cousin-in-law. 'We only need a bit more time,' she hedged.
'Emma, darling,' her husband said in an unbelievably smooth tone. 'Could you come here for a moment?'
Emma eyed him suspiciously but walked over to the couch.
'Do you see the priest over there?' he whispered.
She nodded.
'Do you see anything, er, shall we say, odd about him?'
Emma tilted her head as she surveyed the portly gentleman. 'He does seem to be leaning a little to the left.'
'Just so. He's been here thirty minutes, and that's his fourth glass of brandy. I think we ought to get this ceremony underway while we are still able.'
Wordlessly, Emma exited the room and went back upstairs. When she reached Belle's bedroom, she said, 'I don't think we can stall very long.'
'Not even a few minutes?'
'Not if you want to get married tonight.'
Belle had no idea what that meant but decided she'd rather not find out. She picked up a piece of white Spanish lace and fixed it on her head. 'I suppose we cannot wait any longer for Ned. You had better summon Alex to give me away.'
Emma darted back down the stairs, grabbed her husband by the hand, and asked Persephone to begin at the piano. She and Alex met Belle at the top of the landing just as Persephone began thumping away.
'Good God,' Alex said as the cacophony assaulted his ears. 'Is that Beethoven?'
'I could have sworn I asked for Bach,' Belle said, furrowing her brow.
'I don't think it's Bach, either,' Alex said. 'I don't think it's anything.'
'We can only hope she doesn't start to sing,' Emma said. She shot her cousin one last smile before she headed down the stairs as matron of honor.
'She could hardly do worse than you,' Alex jibed.
Belle looked at her cousin who was already halfway down the stairs. 'I don't think she heard you,' she whispered.
'That's probably a blessing. Shall we go?' Alex offered her his arm. 'I believe it's our turn.'
As they floated down the stairs, past all of the pink and white roses Belle had specially ordered, her nervousness and disappointment over the hastiness of her wedding melted away, and all that was left was a deep sense of contentment and joy. Each step took her closer to the man she loved, the man whose life would soon become inextricably linked with her own. When she turned into the drawing room and saw him standing next to the priest, his eyes glowing with pride and desire, it was all she could do not to run headlong into his arms.
She and Alex finally reached the front of the room, and he placed her hand on John's arm and stepped away.
'Dearly beloved!' Mr. Dawes barked. Alcoholic fumes swept across Belle's face. She coughed discreetly and took a tiny step back.
Persephone missed her cue and kept banging away at the piano, enjoying herself immensely. Dawes turned to her with obvious irritation and yelled, 'I said, 'Dearly Beloved!' '
Persephone's musical thumps died a slow and painful death.
Belle took advantage of Dawes's momentary distraction to whisper to John, 'Are you sure he's a man of God?'
John bit back a smile. 'Quite sure.'
Dawes turned back to the couple. 'As I was saying-Dearly beloved.' He blinked a few times and surveyed the scant crowd. 'Or rather,' he muttered, 'perhaps I should say the three of you.'
Belle couldn't help herself. 'There are four guests, if you please.'
'I beg your pardon.'
'I said,' she ground out. 'There are four guests. I realize that this is an irregular wedding, but I'd like to be credited with all four of my guests.' She could feel John next to her, shaking with silent laughter.-
Dawes was not the type to give in easily to what he saw as a mere slip of a girl, especially after he'd been fortified with five glasses of fine brandy. 'I see three.'
'There are four.'
His finger jabbed at Alex, then Emma, then Dunford. 'One-two-three!'
'Four!' Belle finished with a triumphant motion toward Persephone who was watching with obvious fascination and mirth from the piano.
At this point Dunford exploded with loud laughter, which set off Emma and Alex, who had heretofore managed to keep themselves under control. Dawes grew quite red in the face and said, '
'She's my guest.'
'Oh, all right, you impertinent little chit,' he grumbled, mopping his brow with a limp handkerchief. 'Dearly beloved, we are gathered here before
The ceremony continued with blessed unevent-fulness for several minutes. John could hardly believe his luck. Just a few more minutes, he thought, and they'd exchange vows and rings, and then she'd be his for all of eternity.
