‘Oh! It’s beautiful.’ Jessica intoned in awe as the stones flashed in the mirror.
‘There are also the ear bobs, a ring and a bracelet.’
Ring! Jessica thought and looked down at her wedding band, still on her third finger. ‘I suppose I should remove this.’ She murmured as she span the ring around her finger. Slowly she eased it off her finger and placed it carefully in the box. She took out the earrings and hooped them quickly through her ears and then pushed the large stoned ring onto her right hand and the bracelet went on her right wrist.
Mary carefully placed the bonnet on her head and tied the ivory ribbons with a flourish under her chin.
‘Do I get the honour of giving you away?’ Anthony asked as Jessica stood and accepted the matching reticule and a pair of the finest kid gloves.
‘Of course!’ Jessica said firmly. ‘Who else would I ask?’ she pulled the gloves carefully onto her dainty hands.
‘I just wondered if you would ask your father.’
‘Please don’t spoil my day!’ Jessica said quite harshly. ‘I hope he doesn’t learn of this and turn up, because I will give them both the cut.’
‘Well, prepare yourself.’ Jessica looked up at Anthony quizzically. ‘The betting at White’s had been rife and nearly the whole of the haute ton should be at the Chapel so that they can see for themselves that they’re not being cheated by White’s.’
‘Good God!’ Jessica cursed. ‘Gossip is the bane of my life and I think I will retire to the country to have my children.’
‘I can’t really say as I blame you.’ Anthony said and offered his arm. Jessica slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow. He escorted her down to the foyer where the staff were all lined up waiting to wish her luck. Bennett stood at the end of the line, holding the bouquet of red roses.
‘We wish you every happiness, Your Ladyship.’ He said formally with a bow and handed over the flowers.
‘Thank you, Bennett.’ She smiled and turned to the rest of the staff. ‘Thank you all, but I’m sure this won’t be the last time you’ll see me.’
Anthony escorted her down the steps to his very stylish landau, complete with four black horses and the coat of arms on the door. He held Jessica’s hand as she climbed the steps into the carriage and he waited until she was seated before he gave the direction to the footman and they were off. They drove steadily away from a mansion in chaos and the cart was already liveried to take the food around to the Duke’s. Mary sighed and went to pack Jessica’s trunks.
Chapter Seventeen
John waited for Mrs. Beaton to bring Elizabeth down. She tore down the stairs like a hoyden and as she saw her father waiting in the hall she slowed down and demurely walked up to him.
‘Well, I can see you know how to behave like a lady, so let’s see if you remember to do so this afternoon.’ He swept Elizabeth up into his arms. ‘Now, are you sure, Pigeon?’
She nodded her head vigorously. ‘I like her Daddy. She was kind to me yesterday when I was so frightened.’
‘You do understand that she’ll be your mother and she will have the final say over what happens to you.’
‘Yes, I understand that, but she’ll also have control over any brothers and sisters I might have, so I think that’s fair.’
John Farrington loved to hear the sensible logic that came out of a child’s mouth. ‘Do you want to walk down the aisle with me or with her?’ John had so far refrained from calling Jessica by her name.
‘The Baroness will be preceding the bride down to the altar, Your Grace. I have a basket of rose petals for her to spread around.’ Mrs. Beaton told him and handed over the basket of petals.
John viewed his staff with a smile. ‘We will be back soon, so I expect everything ready. We could have hundreds of guests or none.’ He shook Butchers hand and led Elizabeth out to the Ducal carriage.
The coach ride was quite quick for them as they were only around the corner in Grosvenor Square, but still there was traffic congestion and John had never seen so many carriages on South Audley Street as he did that day. A majority of them were parked up with their coachmen holding the head collars to keep them under control.
As he stepped out of the carriage, his sister Verity left the group of guests waiting outside the chapel.
‘John!’ she said as she threw her arms around him. ‘You are such a sly devil, these days! Why didn’t you tell me you were getting married?’ She quickly kissed her niece on the cheek.
John carefully set Elizabeth down on her feet. ‘Because I didn’t know until yesterday that I would be getting married.’
‘Well, I hope you will be very happy.’ She smiled so happily that John wondered how happy her marriage was.
‘Are you happy, Verity?’ John asked and placed his palm on her cheek.
‘Actually I am. Christopher is not easy to get along with at first, but I feel we’re getting there. I know he trusts me and that is the most important thing, yes?’
‘It’s the perfect place to start.’ John smiled. ‘Perhaps I should go in and wait at the altar.’
‘Yes, you should. Christopher is starting to get the rest of the guests inside. Edward is skulking around somewhere,’ she looked about, ‘he was here a minute ago.’ She shrugged. ‘Elizabeth can wait here with me for the bride to arrive.’
‘I didn’t invite any of these people.’ He said indignantly.
‘No, I believe they invited themselves. The Duke of Norfolk is waiting for you at the altar.’ Verity smiled cheekily. ‘He won the toss this morning in the House after you left. It was decided you needed a second and he won that dubious honour.’ She laughed at his expression. ‘Go on, I’ll see you after.’
‘Be nice to her, Verity. She’s all I’ve ever dreamed of.’
‘I shall, now go.’ She said as her attention was drawn to another carriage trying to get to the church.
John sauntered down the aisle and was astonished to see every pew in the church filled to capacity. The single peers were even standing at the back. John acknowledge his colleagues from the House of Lords and arrived at the altar.
‘I say, Johnny. You look a little white around the gills! Are you alright?’ Norfolk asked concerned as John shook hands with him and the Archbishop of Canterbury, who was officiating.
‘I’m fine, Robbie.’ John said and rummaged in his pocket, ‘I didn’t expect you, your eminence.’ He muttered, withdrawing the gold band he’d bought in Bond Street that very morning and handing it to Norfolk. ‘The badge of office for the groomsman.’
‘I lost the toss for this.’ The Archbishop said dangerously. ‘More’s the pity!’
John looked around the chapel and saw many familiar faces. He looked at the stained glass windows with their depiction of the resurrection and he looked at the beautiful font and appreciated the craftsmanship involved. His attention was drawn by the music coming from the organ and he was surprised to realise that he was hearing some of Bach’s most popular music.
~*~*~*~
The Earl of Dean’s Landau had been highly polished, all tack was burnished so that it glowed in the sunshine. The glass panels had been removed and the roof was down. Jessica could see the four black horses, their ivory plumed headdresses nodding as they trotted. The footmen were dressed in their finest livery and there were ivory bows and ribbons strewn over the carriage and horses.
Jessica felt a little like a queen as the carriage proceeded down Queen’s Walk to Piccadilly in a stately manner. Anthony took her hand and smiled. ‘All right?’ he asked.
She nodded her head. ‘I feel like a fairy princess.’ She murmured.
‘Well, you are marrying into the royal bloodlines, you know?’ Anthony said lightly and Jessica looked at him horrified.
‘Do you mean that John has royal blood?’ she asked in shock.
‘He does.’ Anthony said and frowned quizzically. ‘Didn’t you know?’
‘I did not.’ Jessica said and then looked up at him. ‘Should I marry him?’
‘Is your mother titled?’ Anthony asked.
‘Yes. She’s the daughter of an Earl.’
‘Then you have enough noble blood not to taint the royal line.’ He smiled softly. ‘Your children will never sit on the throne, so you don’t have to worry about it.’
‘You’ve made me realise I know very little about John’s relatives or where he comes from.’
‘John’s great, great grandfather was the sixth son of the king. He was awarded the dukedom of Warwick on his marriage to John’s great, great grandmother, who herself was a princess of Austria. I think she was the fifth daughter of a Queen, but I’m not sure.’
‘How do you know this?’ Jessica asked with a frown.
‘I looked it up in Burke’s peerage this morning.’ Anthony swayed as the carriage turned onto Park Lane and the horses picked up a little speed. ‘Slow down, James! We don’t want to get there before the groom!’ Anthony shouted and the coachman pulled the horses back to the same steady trot. ‘Now where was I?... Oh! Yes, John’s relations. So the dukedom has followed the male side exclusively for the past few hundred years.’ He smiled again. ‘You can probably trace your lineage back to the stone age.’ He laughed. ‘I doubt that he can. But it followed the male side until his uncle failed to produce an heir.’ He sighed deeply. ‘It’s not widely known, but the previous Duke died screaming in madness with the pox eating away his body.’ Jessica shuddered. ‘And I have it on good authority that John has been careful where to stick his cock ever since!’ he inhaled sharply as he realised what he said. ‘Oh! Jessie, forgive my blunt male tongue.’ Jessica was having a hard time not to laugh and in the end it spluttered out making Anthony smile. ‘That’s better. Now you don’t look as if you’re going to the gallows!’
The carriage turned gently into Stanhope Street and then made a very slow turn into South Audley Street. ‘Good God! Look at all those carriages!’ Jessica blurted.
‘It would appear that the entire ton has turned out for your nuptials, my dear.’ Anthony said solemnly as he patted her hand. ‘You must take a deep breath and smiled sweetly at every single intractable biddy inside the church.’ Anthony said softly.
‘I shall ignore them all and have eyes only for John.’ She told him firmly.
The carriage slowly drew up in front of the church and they waited for the footmen to do their jobs. The lad next to James got down and settled the horses as the other lads from the back climbed down and opened the door first and then folded down the steps. Jessica could see Elizabeth with her aunt on the steps waiting.
Anthony climbed down and waited for Jessica to join him. The footman held out his gloved hand and Jessica stood carefully and laid her hand on the offered palm. She stepped gracefully from the coach and smiled at Anthony. They ascended the steps to the chapel door and Jessica wondered how Verity Farrington would greet her after all these years.
Elizabeth seemed to pick up the tension between the two women straight away, with that indefinable women’s instinct for conflict. She smiled tentatively at Jessica, but didn’t gush over her as Jessica expected her to do.
‘Lady Jessica.’ Verity greeted her formally. She smiled, extended her hand and said ‘I hope you can forgive a very presumptuous sister.’
Jessica smiled in return and took the offered hand. ‘I hope you can forgive a very intimidated ingénue for running away from your brother.’
‘All’s well that end’s well!’ Anthony blurted and smiled at Elizabeth.
‘Oh! Forgive me.’ Jessica said and then made the formal introductions.
‘You’re not going to be happy about this, but Lady Gordon is inside.’ Verity said softly to Jessica.
‘Then I shall ignore her.’ She smiled down at Elizabeth. ‘Are you my petal thrower?’ she asked and Elizabeth nodded her head.
‘I’ll get inside. Lord Watson is holding me a space at the front.’ Verity said and hustled away inside the church.
‘It’s time to face the music, old girl!’ Anthony said and extended his arm.
Jessica took a deep breath and followed Elizabeth Farrington, Baroness of Cubbington, sedately into the chapel. Jessica was astonished at the number of people there, but then her gaze fell on John, as he stood transfixed at the altar. The Duke of Norfolk beside him smiled broadly and Elizabeth threw rose petals vigorously everywhere. Anthony almost sniggered when a handful bounced off Viscount Boston’s face and then they were at the altar and Verity encouraged Elizabeth into the first pew, to sit on her knee.
Jessica smiled coyly at John as he smiled and whispered ‘You look so beautiful.’ and they turned to face the Archbishop as John clasped her hand in his.
‘Dearly beloved. We are gathered here in the sight of God and this congregation.......’ John tuned out the drone of Canterbury’s voice. He smiled down on his bride until Jessica was startled out of the reverie by the strident tones of the Archbishop. ‘.....and therefore is not by any to be enterprised lightly or wantonly to satisfy man’s carnal lusts and appetites, but reverently, discreetly, advisedly, soberly and in the fear of God, duly considering the causes for which matrimony was ordained.’ He took a deep breath and glared out at the congregation.
‘Firstly it was ordained for the procreation of children. Secondly as a remedy against sin and to avoid fornication.’ He emphasized the word loudly, making Jessica jump. She swivelled her guilty eyes up to see the fire of the Lord in his eyes and shivered. John squeezed her hand to attract her attention as the Archbishop continued in a softer, more compassionate voice. ‘Thirdly for the mutual society, help and comfort that the one should have for the other both in prosperity and adversity into which holy estate these persons present come now to be joined.’ The Archbishop cleared his throat. ‘If there is any person present that knows of any impediment against this marriage, speak now or forever hold your peace!’
The silence was profound as they waited for somebody to object. John and Jessica just stared at each other, their hearts racing just in case.
Then the Archbishop speared Anthony with a fierce look and demanded ‘Whom giveth this woman away?’
‘I do!’ Anthony blurted and stepped forward to hand Jessica’s left hand to John.
The Archbishop smiled at them and then looked at John seriously.
‘Do you, John, Edward, George, Farrington, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, forsaking all others, to love and honour her, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, from this day forth for as long as you both shall live, so help you God?’
John looked down with his bright cerulean blue eyes into the face of the woman he loved and smiled. ‘I do!’ he spoke loudly and clearly for everyone to hear.
The Archbishop cleared his throat and whispered in Jessica’s ear as he asked for her full names. He straightened and smiled gently.
‘Do you, Jessica, Anne, Katherine, Carruthers, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, forsaking all others, to love, honour and obey, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, from this day forth for as long as you both shall live, so help you God?’
Jessica had barely looked away from John’s face throughout the entire service. He saw her lip tremble as she swallowed. He smiled encouragingly and she took a deep breath and said ‘I do!’ loudly and clearly and let out the breath in a deep sigh.
The Archbishop looked at Norfolk and offered the bible in his hands. ‘Do you have the ring?’ Norfolk nodded and carefully placed the simple gold band onto the pages of the book. The cleric smiled down and blessed the ring, making the sign of the cross over the bible. He offered the bible to John, who just as carefully picked up the ring. He lifted Jessica’s left hand and held the ring over the third finger. The Archbishop began, ‘Say after me..?’
‘With this ring I thee wed,’ John intoned solemnly, ‘with my body I thee worship and with my worldly goods I thee endow!’ he pushed the gold band onto Jessica’s finger and was surprised that it was a perfect fit. He’d expected it to be on the la
rge size. Jessica stared down at the physical sign of their union and couldn’t help but think of the day David Carruthers had to force the ring on her finger and how she’d wished she could keep her fist clenched against his brute force. John gently clasped her hand, as if he knew what she was thinking and then it vanished under the Archbishop’s stole as he wrapped it about the joined hands. She looked up suddenly at John and the tears filled her eyes.
‘By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you man and wife. That which God has joined, let no man put asunder. In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen.’ The Archbishop made the sign of the cross again and then smiled. ‘You may kiss the bride, Your Grace.’ He murmured.
John gently held her precious face between his large hands, sweeping his thumbs over her tear stained cheeks and slowly pressed his lips to hers as the chapel erupted in cheers and applause for the happy couple. There was only one dry female eye in the building and it belonged to Lady Eleanor Greyston.
The Archbishop led them to the signing table and presented the register. Jessica watched John sign his name with a flourish and then he vacated the chair and Jessica sat. She looked at some of the illustrious names above theirs as she laid her bouquet aside, picked up and dipped the quill, and then in a bold hand she wrote, Lady Jessica Farrington, Duchess of Warwick. The chapel clerk filled out the certificate and handed it to John and they turned for the exit.
‘I love you.’ John murmured as they approached the top of the aisle. She looked up at him and smiled.
‘I love you too.’ She said happily.
John looked evenly at the congregation and said in a very firm voice. ‘I hope you all pay your debts at White’s!’ He laughed. ‘I’d hate to see a fine club close it’s doors because of your supposed penury!’
The Duke and The Governess Page 23