“Yes,” she said with a gleam of amusement in her eyes.“Now that I have stopped running away from you, I have come to realize you are quite nice.”
He also looked impossibly handsome in his elegantly tailored coattails.
All chatter quieted when the vicar stepped up to the altar and motioned for them to join him.
Tulip had not expected the abundance of feelings that suddenly overwhelmed her as John walked her down the aisle and gave her over to Alex.As she stood beside her handsome betrothed, she felt the permanence of these vows they were about to exchange.
With her family looking on, she promised to love, honor and obey him.
He quirked an eyebrow at the ‘obey’ part and grinned.
He promised to love and protect her.
If not for the warmth of his hand as he clasped hers, she would have thought this was a dream.
The vicar’s voice resounded through the church as he pronounced them husband and wife.
Alex surprised her by giving her a tender kiss on the lips.“How does it feel to be the new Duchess of Davenport?”he whispered as he ended their kiss.
Duchess Tulip was not a very elegant name, she thought.
If he did not mind it, then neither would she.
“It will take a little getting used to,” she admitted in all honesty.
“You’ll be wonderful.”He gave her hand a light squeeze before releasing it to accept the handshakes and congratulatory pats on the back from family and friends.
Her cousins and the several friends she had made during her time in London now surrounded her, hugging her and squealing with excitement.Even Gory was present, waddling about while eight months along and scaring every male present because she really looked about to pop out the next little Thorne at any moment.
Well,littlewas a misnomer because these Thorne men were big.
So was Alex.
Tulip’s heart did not stop racing, not during the ceremony or the entirety of the wedding breakfast, for her path was now irrevocably set.
She was a Davenport, for better or for worse.
Alex, true to his reputation, remained calm throughout.
She found herself becoming quite sentimental and burst into tears when John gave his speech.Her cousins did the same, for John had been like a father to them all.
They burst into more tears for the silliest reasons and often for no reason, but these were happy tears, she hurried to explain to Alex so that he would not worry.
Tulip found herself crying again when other family elders took turns speaking about her and all the incredible things they knew she would accomplish.
“You are a fortunate man, Your Grace,” George said, raising his champagne glass in toast.“Treat her well.”
“I will,” Alex replied, turning toward her.“Always.”
She smiled at him through more tears.
Gad, why was she such a watering pot today?
She noticed the loving way Sophie looked upon her husband as he sat beside her.John, it turned out, had already dampened two handkerchiefs with his joyful weeping.
All right, then she was not so bad.
Perhaps brides and their families were permitted to behave this way.
