“Yes, but…”
The strains of music began to echo around them, and the girls lined up in front of Ivy.
“It’s time,” said Rose quietly. “Just breathe.”
Easier said than done. She took Sir Laurence’s arm, grateful for his quiet, smiling support.
Somehow she managed to put one foot in front of the other and with her gaze fixed on Colly, Ivy made it to the end of the aisle. When she got there, she didn’t know what to do.
“Breathe,” he whispered as her friends returned to their seats and Sir Laurence dropped a gentle kiss on her knuckles before joining Lady Maud.
“I wish people would stop telling me that,” she murmured.
Colly held out his hand and she put hers into it, finding it warm and comforting. He turned them both to face the Bishop, an august gentleman of many years, but with a reassuring sparkle lurking in his eye.
The ceremony moved forward apace, the words familiar, the emotions clearly on display, as demonstrated by more than a few sniffles.
And before she realised it, Ivy Siddington had become Her Grace the Duchess of Maidenbrooke.
Her “I do” was steady, confident. All the things she wasn’t at that moment. Since his sounded the same, she spared a moment to wonder if he too was suffering from well-concealed apprehension.
But when it came to kissing the bride, he betrayed no apprehension whatsoever, simply turning toward her, putting his hands either side of her face and tilting it so that he could bend down and touch her lips with his.
Tenderly, he held the two of them thus for a moment or two, then moved back, taking her hand and putting it through his arm.
He turned them both, and the room burst into cheers and applause.
The new Duchess blinked.
Oh God. I’ve done it now.
Chapter Twelve
Siddington Castle rang with the sound of laughter and music long after the Duke had managed to pull Ivy away from the party.
“I hate to ask you to make your farewells, Ivy,” he’d apologised. “But we have to leave as early as we can in the morning. Time is of the essence now.”
She’d understood, for which he was very grateful.
Even so, it had been almost an hour before he could finally close the door behind them, and relish the chance to be alone with his bride at last.
She looked around. “I never imagined myself in this room. It seems very odd, if you must know. All my things are still in my room.”
“True.” He nodded and began to shrug out of his jacket.
“Um…” she gulped. “What are you doing?”
He smiled gently at her. “I’m getting ready for bed, Ivy. This is our bedchamber now and we’ll share it tonight.”
Her eyes widened. “Oh. Well. Yes, I suppose we should.”
Unfastening his waistcoat, he glanced up. “I’m aware of the custom of separate suites, and in fact Hartsmere House has such an arrangement.” He cleared his throat. “We will talk about that when we get to London. There’s no hurry, my dear. We have a lifetime ahead of us to sort it all out.”
“I know.” Her face was pale and she looked down at her hand where a plain gold band adorned her third finger, thoughtfully provided by Woodleigh, Colly’s butler. He had included it with the other materials forwarded to Siddington Castle for the wedding.
Sensing her nerves, Colly took pity on her and moved behind a large screen to finish undressing. He seldom slept in a nightshirt, but this was an unusual occasion. “I believe your maid did bring in some of your night things,” he commented, keeping his tone casual.
“Yes, I see,” she answered.
“Once I’m done, you can use the screen.”
“All right.”
He emerged, his nightshirt flapping around his bare calves. Her eyes flew to his feet and then back up to his face.
“Ivy.” He walked to her. “We’re husband and wife now. We have what I’d like to think is a growing attraction between us. Am I right?” He cupped her cheeks in his hands.
She nodded, her gaze fixed on his face.
“But we’ve wed in a dreadful hurry, and for reasons other than our feelings or emotions.”
“Yes,” she whispered.
“Let me be perfectly clear—I desire you. As a husband should desire his wife. But even though tonight is our wedding night, I cannot bring myself to rip those clothes off you and drag you naked into our bed.”
She swallowed. “You can’t?”
“No,” he sighed. “That would be unthinkingly cruel and selfish of me. We have to rise before dawn, we have a solid few hours in a coach before us and Lord knows what awaits at Hartsmere House.” He closed his eyes for a moment and leaned down, resting his forehead against hers. “If I start making love to you, I won’t be able to stop. You will probably be uncomfortable. I wouldn’t have you hurting because of my greediness.”
“Ah,” she whispered. “But when we get to London…”
The soft words seemed to contain a hopeful note. Or perhaps that was his desire leaking out through his ears. But he knew he was doing the right thing, difficult though it was.
“When we get to London…” He opened his eyes and kissed her gently. “When we get to London, you’ll become my Duchess in all the ways that count.”
“Promise?”
“Word of honour.”
She sighed then, a huge breath that probably mingled relief and what he hoped was anticipation. “Very well. If you will give me a hand with my laces, I’ll get undressed too.”
She turned her back, and Colly fought to keep his hands from trembling as he carefully unfastened her gown.
“You looked very lovely today, my
