The Contract Duchess, a Regency Romance: Key To My Heart Book 1

Chapter 14 Angela and Derrick

Angie watched Derrick closely, hoping that he was not having second thoughts. She could detect nothing in his gaze or stance to show any hesitation, other than a flash of what might have been horror just after he met her gaze. The look was gone as quickly as it had appeared, replaced with a grin that reached all the way to his eyes. Confident now that this was the best thing for both of them in this moment, she stepped forward into the beam of light halfway between the fireplace and the door and paused.

She was as amazed as everyone else when the walls were suddenly lit with shifting patterns of spots of light, reflections from the intricate bead work of the gown. She had noted it as Anne helped her into its heavy folds. Anne had instructed her to walk slowly but purposefully into the room, and to stop in the light beam. She understood why now; the vague feeling that the dress was pulling her down into the floor was worth the stunned expression of wonder on the faces of everyone in the room.

She knew that she could not linger much longer, for even with the braces to steady her legs, she was still weak from the illness and did not want to collapse before reaching the lounge beside Derrick's chair. She resumed her journey to the front of the room where her brother Robert rose and stepped up to take her hand.

The minister cleared his throat. "Beloved we are gathered here to join this man and this woman together in holy matrimony. Who gives this woman to this man?"

"I do," came Robert's clear and confident voice. He gave her a warm smile as he gave her hand a light kiss before placing it in Derrick's. Clearly he had taken the last several days to work through his doubts about the marriage. "I implore you, sir, to care for her well, for she is my dear sister, and I will always be ready to help her, should she need it." Or not, Angie thought, unable to completely control a tiny smile at the veiled threat.

"I will ensure that she is always cared for with me."Derrick's response was firm, as was his arm under her hand after he drew it there. Robert stepped back, and in his place, Derrick stepped to the seats reserved for he and his bride, ensured that she was quite comfortable, and then the ceremony began in earnest.

Angie sank into the lounge in relief. The very air felt heavy around her, so deep was her exhaustion suddenly. The room blurred around her as the minister spoke at length about the sanctity of marriage and the marriage bed. They repeated short vows, her cheeks wet with tears at the emphasis Derrick placed on the vow to love her in sickness and in health, and then came the exchange of the rings.

Theo leapt forward with their father's wedding band, a rare and unusual thing, burnished silver inset with onyx stones. Most men did not wear a band, but their father had. The story he told was that he was so handsome, their mother had wanted to be sure that no maiden was unaware that he was married, lest they fall in love with him at first sight and ever after be heartbroken. Their mother had said that it was because theirs was a second marriage, surrounded in some rumors, that she wanted to be sure that others noticed her husband's dedication to her, even when he was out on business. Whatever the tale, Angie was glad when Derrick's smile only deepened when she slipped the band on his finger and it was a perfect fit.

When he slid his ring on her finger, she gasped. Forgoing the traditional gold band, he had placed a silver band on her hand, with an emerald in the center with two onyx stones on either side. It was a perfect match to the ring that now resided on his hand, though hers must be much newer.

Derrick found great delight in the fact that he had managed to find a ring to match the description Theo had given him of the ring that was to be given to him at the ceremony. He had despaired of getting a silver ring at all, nearly given up, only to find one at the last broker that was perfect. The man had asked if he was looking for anything in particular, reading the dejected expression on Derrick's face, no doubt, and had gone in the back of the shop for an eternity before emerging with the ring he had just slipped onto Angie's hand. It was worth spending half a day searching for a specific ring to see the look of awe crash over her face like an ocean wave onto the shore.