CHAPTER 22
Katie sat in the chapel,her wedding dress pooled around her, the delicate lace of her sleeves trembling with each breath she tried to take. The hushed voices around her were like the hum of an impending storm, each word pressing down upon her, refueling her anxiety.
Aiden was nowhere to be found.
The ceremony had been delayed for nearly two hours now, and the sun, once high in the sky, was now dipping below the horizon, casting a soft golden light through the stained-glass windows of the chapel. It should have been beautiful, a serene moment on what was supposed to be the happiest day of her life. Instead, it felt like the world was crashing down around her.
Her father sat beside her, one hand resting comfortingly on her shoulder. His eyes were filled with a deep, quiet sadness that only made her feel worse. He had always been a man offew words, but the look on his face said everything—he was heartbroken for her.
“Katie, my dear,” Lord Crawford finally spoke, his voice thick with emotion. “Perhaps you should… consider postponing. Maybe something’s happened to him, and he’ll come back when he can explain.”
Katie shook her head, her throat tight. “No, Father. He said he would be back. He’ll come back, I’m sure of it.” Her words sounded hollow, even to her own ears, but she clung to them like a lifeline.
Leah fumed and paced up and down the aisle, her hands clenched into fists. “This is ridiculous! How could he just disappear on his wedding day? It’s unacceptable!”
Her husband Magnus, a tall, broad-shouldered man, stood nearby with his arms crossed and a deep frown etched on his face.
“He’s a warrior, Katie,” he stated, his voice low and steady. “If something had happened to him, we would have kenned by now. He’s too skilled and very careful.”
Katie wanted to believe him, wanted to hold on to the hope that Aiden was safe and would walk through the chapel doors at any moment. But as the minutes turned into hours, that hope began to fray and disintegrate.
Daphne was also fuming. “How could he do this to you? On your wedding day, of all days! I agree with Leah—what he has done to you is utterly reprehensible and completely unforgivable!” She glanced at Katie, her anger softening for a moment as she dropped her arms to her sides in defeat. “I’m sorry, Katie. I just can’t understand what drove him to do this.”
Katie bit her lip, the ache in her heart growing with each passing second. “Maybe… maybe nothing serious has happened to him. Maybe he’s just… delayed.”
The words sounded weak even to her own ears, but she couldn’t bear to think of the alternative.
Griselda was beside herself with worry and fury. She had been pacing back and forth, wringing her hands, her usually composed face now lined with concern.
“I cannae believe this,” she muttered, her voice laced with frustration. “Where in God’s name is the boy?”
Lady Crawford, Katie’s mother, had been silent for most of the ordeal, watching everyone with a critical gaze. But now, as the situation became increasingly dire, she finally spoke, her voice cold and cutting.
“This is a disgrace, Katie. Do you have any idea what this will do to your reputation? No man will want you after this. Not once they find out you’ve been jilted at the altar.”
Katie flinched at her mother’s words, feeling them like a physical blow. She had always struggled to meet her mother’s exacting standards, and now, on what was supposed to be her special day, she was failing once again.
“Mother,please,” Katie whispered, her voice trembling. “He’ll come back. I know he will.”
Theodosia’s lips thinned, and she shook her head in disgust. “And if he doesn’t? What then, Katie? What are you going to do? This is a scandal, anabsolutescandal, and it will be your ruin. You should have chosen someone more dependable, someone with more sense.”
Lord Crawford shot his wife a stern look. “Theodosia, that’senough. This is our daughter’s wedding day. We should be supporting her, not berating her.”
But Theodosia was relentless. “Supporting her? And what if this man never returns? What then? She’ll be left alone, humiliated, and disgraced in front of all these people, as we will be. You think that’s something we should just ignore?”
Katie clenched her hands in her lap, her knuckles white. She was numb, and a hollow void had opened deep in her chest. In a way, she knew her mother was right. If Aiden didn’t return, if he had truly left her, her life would never be the same again. But she couldn’t bring herself to believe it, couldn’t accept that the man she had come to love had deserted her.
Griselda’s voice broke through the tense silence. “Oliver!” she snapped, her voice shaking with anger. “Get out there and find yer braither.Now!”
Oliver, who had been standing quietly by the door, nodded sharply. “Aye, Maither. I’m on it.” He shot Katie a sympathetic look before turning on his heel and running out of the chapel.
Katie watched him go, her heart sinking even further. If Oliver couldn’t find Aiden, then what hope did she have? She looked down at her hands, the delicate lace of her wedding dress catching the fading light. She had dreamed of this day for so long, had imagined every detail, every moment. But now, as the sun dipped beneath the horizon, it felt like that dream was fading away.
Griselda returned to Katie’s side, her eyes brimming with anger, sadness, and embarrassment. “I’m so sorry, Katie,” she murmured, her voice thick with emotion. “I don’t know what’s gotten into him. This isnae like Aiden at all.”
Katie forced a smile, though it felt brittle and fragile. “It’s alright, Griselda. I’m sure he has a good reason. He’ll be back.”
But even as she said the words, she could feel the uncertainty creeping back in, coupled with the dread that maybe, just maybe, Aiden wouldn’t come back at all. That he had changed his mind and had abandoned her here, alone and broken.
