A Virgin Bride (11 page)

“It may not be as stupid as you think, Rock. I will be praying, my darling, that you will be happy and I feel in my heart that you will be.”

Rock had kissed her affectionately.

Then she had waved to him from the bay window as he boarded
The Thistle
.

As they set out to sea, he looked back at his castle and wished he had spent more time there and less time in London pursuing beautiful women.

‘I have been such a fool,' he mused, ‘and now I am having to pay for it.'

The sea was certainly rougher than when he had come North.

Although
The Thistle
steamed at a record speed, he did not arrive back in London until dinnertime the evening before the wedding.

“We were frightened, Your Grace, you'd be later still,” the butler said to him.

“I will have to leave early in the morning,” Rock replied. “Tell them the horses should be brought round sharp at eight o'clock.”

He had reckoned that he would arrive at the Church at a quarter-to-two and he was determined to have a good luncheon before the ceremony.

*

He stopped at a famous Posting inn about twenty miles from Lynbrook Hall.

His most efficient secretary had already ordered his luncheon and a bottle of champagne had been put on ice at least two hours before His Grace arrived.

The traffic was particularly heavy coming out of London and Rock was not able to reach the high speed he expected from his team of perfectly matched chestnuts.

Thus he was late for luncheon and as the inn had taken so much trouble over it, he did not like to hurry or refuse the courses they had prepared for him.

So he reached the Church only five minutes before the bride was due.

He found his Best Man, Jeremy, in an agitated state in case he did not turn up for the wedding after all.

“I was really afraid,” he fumed, “that I might have to marry the girl myself!”

Rock laughed as he was meant to do.

“I have heard you swear millions of times, Jeremy, that you would remain single whatever the temptations and I can hardly imagine you being so idiotic as to marry a girl you have never seen before.”

Jeremy made a grimace.

“But that's exactly what
you
are doing, Rock, but perhaps you will be surprised at what you find.”

Rock was not prepared to discuss the matter further.

He was feeling nervous in case his bride was not as beautiful as he had been told.

And it struck him that perhaps he was being palmed off with someone no one else wanted – was that why the Duke of Lynbrook was so pleased at his proposal?

Then he told himself that he was being unjust and because he was nervous he was suspecting the worst, which may not actually happen.

His Best Man had met him outside the Church and now, as they went in through the Vestry door, Rock saw that the Church was packed to suffocation.

In fact there were people standing at the back and along the side walls – every seat in the Church was taken.

Jeremy took Rock into the Vestry where the Vicar was waiting for them.

“I am delighted to see you, Your Grace,” he intoned. “In fact we were rather worried in case you were delayed.”

Rock murmured his apologies as the Vicar went on,

“I have never known such a crowd. I understand a lot of guests have come all the way from London.”

It passed through his mind that perhaps they were expecting something dramatic at the Service and, knowing how appallingly badly the Earl always behaved, they were thinking he might make a scene at the wedding.

As if he had spoken his thoughts out aloud, Jeremy piped up,

“I thought of that, Rock, and there will be an usher at each door who knows the Earl by sight. If he attempts to enter the Church, he will be stopped.”

“Thank you, Jeremy. I might have guessed that you would be practical about the whole thing. I have no wish to embarrass the Duke of Lynbrook or my future wife.”

“Of course not and if the Earl put a bullet through your chest, it would be a dreadful way to start your honeymoon!”

“Has he been saying he is going to?”

Rock spoke in a low voice so that the Vicar could not hear what they were saying.

Jeremy nodded.

“He is rushing round London cursing you, but most people have merely laughed at him.”

Rock sighed, knowing there was nothing he could do about it and only hoping they would get away safely on their honeymoon.

Jeremy whispered,

“When the Duke of Lynbrook told me where you are going, I deliberately then informed all the gossips – and Heaven knows there are enough of them – that you will be spending your honeymoon in Scotland.”

“That was clever of you, Jeremy. I can assure you if he goes up there chasing after me, my mother's clan will deal with him.”

“And rightly too. He is an unpleasant man and we have always disliked him.”

There was no time to say any more as the Vicar informed them he had been told that the Duke and the bride were on their way.

They left the Vestry and went to stand at the top of the aisle.

The organ was being played softly by the Vicar's wife and was creating the right atmosphere.

Rock noticed that everyone was excitedly watching the West door.

It passed through his mind once again that he was making a great mistake.

Just how could he sensibly marry someone he had never seen and of whom he knew nothing?

Then he told himself that it was a sacrifice he had to make on behalf of his family and it was too late now to do anything but make the best of a bad job.

As the organ became louder and the choir took their place in the Chancel, there were sounds of cheering from outside the Church.

Then the organ played ‘
Here comes the bride
.'

He became aware that the woman he was to marry was proceeding up the aisle on her father's arm.

It was impossible for him not to try and visualise what she would look like, but he knew she would have a veil over her face and he would just see someone dressed in white clinging to her father's arm.

He had been to a number of weddings and he had always thought at each one of them that the bride looked just the same as every other bride.

There was no reason to suspect anything different on this occasion.

Yet, as they drew nearer, he sensed that Venetia Brook was different.

Lady Manvill had made it very clear in her letter to Frederick Worth that it would be one of the most important weddings of the Season and she wanted the bride, who was very beautiful, to look spectacular.

Frederick Worth had undoubtedly done his best.

The gown was completely different from anything any other designer would have dreamt up – let alone been able to produce at such short notice.

In fact Venetia had received it only the day before and she could hardly believe that anything so fantastic and beautiful could have been made in such a short time.

Worth had embroidered a soft crepe in silver and had starred it with diamonds and garlanded it with sprays of lily-of-the-valley.

There were puffs of tulle and flowers, all glittering in the sunlight streaming through the Church windows and there was a bustle with a short train.

Instead of a traditional veil of Brussels lace, Venetia wore a veil of white tulle and sparkling with diamante it fell over her hair and shoulders.

It was such a fantastic ensemble that it would have astounded Paris and it made everyone in the Church gasp as the bride came into view.

Rock had no doubt when he saw her face that his bride would be extremely beautiful, but in a different way from the beauty he had seen in so many other women.

As Venetia reached him, the Service started.

Only when he put the ring – which his mother had given him – on her finger, did Rock notice that she was very nervous and her fingers trembled beneath his.

He then looked into what he thought were the most stunning eyes he had seen on any woman.

They knelt for the Blessing.

Venetia prayed that her marriage would not be so frightening or as horrible as she anticipated.

‘I am married,' she thought, ‘and no one can end it. Somehow I must be clever enough to ensure that this man beside me makes me happy.'

She felt as if her whole being sent out a protracted cry to the Heavens for God to help her.

They signed the Register in the Vestry.

Rock offered his arm to Venetia and they walked down the aisle.

The whole congregation appeared to be moved by Venetia's appearance and, as they reached the West door, women were crowding out of the pews chorusing,

“Good luck! God Bless you! You look wonderful!”

A carriage was waiting outside the Church to take them the short distance to Lynbrook Hall.

Now the drive was lined with villagers and small boys and girls ran along throwing flowers into the carriage.

It was impossible for the bride and bridegroom to look at each other, as they had to keep turning to the people waving and cheering on either side to accept their good wishes.

When they arrived at the house, the domestic staff were all waiting on the steps.

They were led into the huge ballroom where the Duke of Lynbrook had optimistically felt he would be able to receive everyone who attended the wedding.

It was then, as the guests were drinking champagne and raising their glasses to the bride and bridegroom, that Venetia's father suggested,

“There is such a crowd outside that I think you will both have to go and show yourselves. They are shouting for you and I am afraid they might try to rush the doors!”

Venetia laughed.

“Of course, Papa. I can quite understand they feel out of it when they cannot see what is happening inside.”

“I did not expect to have so many people wishing me luck,” Rock said with a touch of sarcasm in his voice.

The Duke of Lynbrook laughed.

“I did not realise I was so popular either – or rather that Venetia is. And as you will see, a number of people who have cheered us frequently at the races have turned up from London.”

“Have they really?” Rock replied in astonishment.

“This is such a romantic marriage, which, I am told, has caught the attention not only of the Press but of those who have made money by following our horses.”

Both men were laughing as they reached the steps outside the front door.

There was an enormous crowd and they cheered wildly when Venetia and Rock appeared.

Rock saw that the Duke had not exaggerated when he had said there so were many from the racing world. Jostling to the front of the crowd, they shook his hand and wished him luck at Ascot.

At least several of them shouted out,

“It's just like you, Your Grace, to be as lucky at choosing a bride as you've been at choosing a winner!”

Rock thanked them, but there were so many well-wishers that he was relieved when the Duke suggested,

“I think you should now both go and change and be ready to go away. Otherwise this lot will drink the cellar dry! I am told the barrels of beer I provided for them are already beginning to run out!”

“That would be a real tragedy – we will go at once, Papa,” laughed Venetia.

She ran upstairs and she realised as she did so that it had been impossible for her to have even a word with her husband since they had left the Church.

Mrs. Johnson and four maids were waiting to help her out of her wedding gown.

Her ‘going away' dress had also just arrived from Paris and it was just as spectacular as her wedding gown.

“You look so lovely, my Lady,” Mrs. Johnson kept saying. “I just thinks when I looks at you how proud your mother'd be.”

Knowing her father was not exaggerating when he said it was hard to restrain the crowd, she changed quickly.

Her ‘going away' dress was blue with touches of pink on it and the flowers in her dainty but smart hat were of the same colours.

When she walked downstairs, the women waiting in the hall gave exclamations of surprise and appreciation.

Rock was already at the front door and he thought she might have stepped straight off the stage of a brilliant designer show. She literally dazzled the other women.

Rock's four chestnuts had been replaced in his open chaise by the Duke of Lynbrook's special white team that were famous locally and were most suitable for a wedding.

As they drove away, there were cries and shrieks of good wishes that seemed to rise up into the sky.

“You have been so wonderful, my dearest Venetia,” her father sighed as he kissed her.

“Think of me, Papa, and I hope I will not be away for too long.”

She only had time to kiss one more person before she climbed into the chaise – and that was Lady Manvill.

“Thank you for everything, Aunt Alice. You have given me courage. Perhaps I will now be able to do what you have told me to do.”

“I am betting on it, Venetia, and with your beauty and brains I feel I am on to a certainty!”

They both laughed as Rock picked up the reins and they drove off.

They were leaving later than they had intended and Rock knew he had to make the horses perform miracles if they were to arrive in London in good time for dinner.

Actually it was only just after nine o'clock when he drew up outside Rockinston House in Park Lane.

The butler followed by four footmen hurried out.

“We was worried, Your Grace, in case you'd had an accident.”

“We were prevented from leaving as soon as we hoped by people being too kind to us. We will therefore have dinner as soon as possible as we are both very tired.”

He then introduced Venetia to the rest of the staff who were waiting for them in the hall.

Then the housekeeper led Venetia upstairs.

Her room was magnificent and she realised as soon as she walked in it through the door that it was where the Duchesses of Rockinston had always slept.