Chapter 22
“Verity, look at you!”
Verity rushed into her Aunt Mabel’s embrace, the floral scent of her perfume a reminder of the warmth and comfort that always accompanied her.
It had been years since Verity had seen her, for her aunt did not often venture into London, living at one of Verity’s father’s estates that they did not often frequent.
Besides a few more wrinkles and grey in her hair, she looked and felt the same.
“Aunt Mabel, it is so good to see you.”
“I couldn’t miss this, especially—” She stopped when she saw Verity’s mother approaching. “Especially now,” she finished. Verity was fairly certain she was about to reference the letter Verity had sent her. “We must find time to catch up later today, shall we?”
“Of course,” Verity agreed.
Mabel would be the only visitor this weekend, for all was coming together quite quickly.
Once Verity had chosen to wed, all was set into motion immediately, and a special license was sought—likely before Verity or her groom could change their minds.
Even her brother was too far away to arrive in time.
“I never thought I’d see this day, Mabel,” Verity’s mother said as she greeted her, although with less enthusiasm than Verity had. “I always believed Verity was intent on following in your footsteps.”
“It’s not too late,” her aunt said with a twinkle in her eye, and at that, Verity’s mother had them all moving from the room with the promise of refreshments. Verity could hardly hold her laughter in at the horror that had stricken her mother’s face.
It was some time before Verity and her aunt could find time alone together, all the while Verity’s nervousness at the approaching wedding only growing.
Was she really doing this? Had she made the right decision?
On that fateful day when both men had come to visit her, she had quickly reached her first conclusion—that she was going to have to marry one of them or face complete ruination.
Throughout her life, she had most often made the safe choice, but the more she had considered it, the more she had realized that, in this case, there wasn’t necessarily a safe choice.
There was the choice her parents would have preferred in Lord Eastclere, but was he truly safe, after so much about him had shocked her?
There was no sure bet. With Lord Eastclere, she risked living a dull life, one in which she was used and then shuffled aside.
But she would likely never have to want for anything, and her family would be near and supportive.
She wouldn’t be disappointed in his treatment of her, for she would enter into the marriage with no expectations.
With Julian… well, she would never know what to expect. But she was attracted to him, had feelings for him, and his promises had seemed true. Her life could be more fulfilling, but it could also be full of emptiness if he later decided that he wanted nothing more to do with her.
“Verity, let us have tea in the front room,” her aunt said, finding her later that afternoon.
Verity was grateful to be drawn away from her mother’s wedding preparations.
So far, in the past few days, she had been poked and prodded by the seamstress, nearly made herself sick in testing wedding breakfast, cake, and refreshment options with the Cook, and smelled so many floral arrangements she wasn’t sure her nose would ever work the same again.
“Thank you, Aunt Mabel,” she said with a sigh as they sat with a cup of tea. “I have no interest in most of the wedding preparations, but Mother is most excited.”
“She certainly is,” Mabel said. She was Verity’s father’s sister, but she had known Verity’s mother since they were both girls. “Now, why do we not get to the heart of the matter before we are interrupted once more?”
“The letters,” Verity said. “Is that what you wish to discuss?”
“Yes. I arrived so quickly for your wedding because I was already on my way. I didn’t want to speak of this through correspondence. The matter is too important.” She leaned in. “You found them in your bedroom?”
“I did.”
Mabel sighed. “I should have hidden them better.”
“So, they were yours, then?” Verity asked, warmth and excitement filling her that she had been right, grateful that not only had she found the letter writer, but that it was Mabel, for she knew she could trust her.
“They were,” Mabel said softly. “I couldn’t bring myself to burn them, though I should have. I’m not sure why I didn’t take them with me to the country. I suppose as much as I couldn’t burn them, I also couldn’t hold onto them. They were too great a reminder.”
“Of what?”
“Of love.”
Verity bit her lip, even though she had already guessed the truth. “With whom?”
“Charles Hartford.”
Verity’s eyes widened. “Julian’s uncle?”
“Yes, with Charles,” Mabel said, a faraway look entering her eye.
“He was so handsome. So charming. Everyone loved him. He attracted all he met. He made everyone around him feel comfortable, needed, and I fell into his charms more than anyone. He was promised to another, but we fell in love anyway and were making plans to be together.”
He sounded so much like Julian.
“What happened between you?” Verity asked. She had so many questions, likely others that were much more important to the diamond, but first, she needed to know why two people who had so obviously been in love had ended up not choosing one another.
“I wish I knew the entire answer,” Mabel said, meeting her eye.
“What I do know is that one moment, we were writing love notes, and then not long afterward, Charles broke things off with me. I did him a favor—a large one that required betraying my own family—and soon after that, I never heard from him again.”
She pressed her lips together. “I don’t think any of it was real, at least not on his end, Verity. He used me.”
Verity’s heart broke for her aunt and the pain that she still so obviously carried with her. She could understand exactly what she was saying.
“He never explained himself?”
“I left for the country before he could,” Mabel said. “I couldn’t stay in London, couldn’t see him when my heart still wanted him so badly, despite what he had done.”
Verity nodded. Was this the direction her own life was taking?
“Are you sure about this, Verity?” Mabel asked, as though she could hear her thoughts. “Do you truly want to go through with this wedding?”
Verity met her eye. “I believe so.”
“Do you love him?”
Verity closed her eyes and sighed as the sweet scents of vanilla and cherry from the wedding cake invaded the parlor.
“It doesn’t matter if I love him or not.”
Mabel placed her hand on hers, waiting until Verity opened her eyes again and met her gaze.
“I now believe, Verity, it’s the only thing that matters.”
And so, the next morning, Verity found herself standing at the back of the drawing room, bouncing on her toes, still wondering whether she had made the right decision.
When she opened her eyes and saw her groom standing at the other end, she knew.
* * *
Julian took a deep breath as he stood outside of Lord Camden’s townhouse.
He wasn’t used to such deep thoughts.
He usually lived on the principles of enjoyment and pleasure. Everything else was a firm no.
But for the first time in a long time, he had found himself in a situation where the way forward wasn’t clear. Whatever he had chosen, whatever Verity had chosen, had so many unknown outcomes.
So, he had acted on impulse. He could only hope that they had both chosen correctly.
“Are you certain about this?” Asher asked him from his place beside him.
“It’s too late now.”
“Not yet,” Asher corrected. “Soon, though.”
Julian closed his eyes, tilting his head back to the sky, as though it could provide him some guidance.
“Yes.”
“Then let’s go.”
“I have heard of weddings that do not go through because of the decision made by one of the parties,” Asher said as they knocked on the door.
“Why would you tell me that?”
Asher shrugged. “To give you hope?”
“It is hope that I do not need.” He looked over at Asher. “Here we go. I believe it is time to stir the waters a little.”
* * *
Verity held tightly to her father’s arm as he walked her to the front of the room, where her groom awaited.
Even though it was morning, the curtains were pulled nearly shut, the room lit instead by the fire in the hearth and the wax candles dripping in their holders. Verity caught Evelyn’s eye, for she had insisted her closest friend stand up for her as her matron of honor.
Her heart was beating so hard that she wondered if the few other people in the room could hear it. They had kept this small, family only, for both haste as well as, Verity guessed, not wanting this to come out publicly until necessary.
The vicar began the short ceremony before Verity had even come to a complete stop.
He must have somewhere to be after this.
She took one breath, and then another, as she finally peeked at her groom a few minutes into the vicar’s prayers.
The man she would now be tied to, in one way or another, for the rest of her life.
He was waiting patiently, with no look of hesitation or uncertainty on his face, despite how this had all come together.
He was at peace with the decision that they had each made.
Verity, meanwhile, still wasn’t entirely sure.
But it was too late now.
She caught Mabel’s eye, her aunt attempting a smile, but she seemed troubled as she shifted from one side to the other.
They still had so much more to speak of, including the letters and what Mabel had done for Charles, but that would have to wait until later.
Verity wondered what Julian knew of the situation, but she was certain he would have told her if there was anything of note.
But the betrayal Mabel had felt… oh, it would have hurt.
Although this was not much of a topic to be considering when she was supposed to be getting married.
The vicar caught her attention when he turned to her groom.
“Wilt thou have this woman to thy wedded wife, to live together after God's ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony? Wilt thou love her, comfort her, honor, and keep her in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all other, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye both shall live?”
The man who would become her husband in just moments if they continued this looked down, right into her eyes.
“I will.”
Heavens above.
The vicar turned to her. “Wilt thou have this man to thy wedded husband, to live together after God's ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony? Wilt thou obey him, and serve him, love, honour, and keep him in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all other, keep thee only unto him, so long as ye both shall live?”
Verity swallowed hard, looking back up at him.
And it was his conviction, his expectation, that encouraged her to find the bravery within her and answer, “I will.”
Verity’s hands shook as they exchanged the rings, and after a few prayers, it was when the priest said, “Those whom God hath joined together let no man put asunder,” that she realized the enormity of what had just happened.
People were married every day, yes.
But she was now married.
Nothing would ever be the same again.
Despite how her heart beat, how her body trembled, she looked up and met her groom’s eyes.
They were calm, sure, steady.
And then, Julian smiled, that signature grin of his.
And she knew everything would be just fine.