Christmas Eve, one year later
“YOU’RE SHAKING,” her father remarked.
Geri turned and took her father’s hand as they sat in the back of her father’s car on their way to Buckinghamshire, where she was marrying Thomas and becoming the Duchess of Weatherstone.
She’d wanted to spend the night before her wedding in Holland Park with her father, who was doing well, given that he was still undergoing chemotherapy. He’d lost his hair, but Geraldine had told him that it suited him.
He’d been happy to learn that she and Thomas were engaged and getting married, but he’d tried to get out of walking her down the aisle because he hadn’t wanted to scare anyone with his looks. Chemotherapy was taking its toll, but he still looked quite debonair in his grey morning suit.
“I look like a billiard ball.”
“No, you look like Daddy Warbucks,” Thomas had teased.
“I assure you I’m nowhere near as wealthy as Daddy Warbucks,” her father had groused.
“You’re handsome, Father, and you’ll look great walking me down the aisle.”
“Are you cold?” Her father asked, concerned. “I think you should’ve picked a dress that was warmer.”
“I think she looks great,” Zoe commented from the other side of Geri’s father. Zoe had insisted on spending the night before the wedding at Holland Park as well, as she was the bridesmaid.
Her father smiled at her. “You were the one who picked out the wedding gown. Did it really have to show so much skin?”
Geri laughed. “I like the dress too.” And she did. It was simple but gorgeous and even though her father said it showed a lot of skin, it was covered with lace. It reminded her of the gown Grace Kelly had worn for her wedding, which had always been her favorite.
A dream dress of hers. She’d never thought she would get the chance to wear a wedding gown, but there she was, sitting in the back of her father’s car, which Jensen was driving to Weatherstone House to marry Thomas.
The love of her life.
“I’m nervous, that’s all. I just wanted a simple wedding.”
Her father patted her hand. “You’re marrying the Duke of Weatherstone. A small wedding is out of the question.”
It had been a whirlwind year. She’d finished off her residency and was now a surgeon working at St. Thomas Aquinas. Thomas and her father had found a suitable cardiologist to replace her at the practice and she enjoyed working in the hospital, doing surgeries far more often than Thomas, still in the private practice.
The car turned up the long drive and Geri took a deep breath. She was terrified, but she’d never wanted anything more in her life.
She wanted Thomas and wanted to spend the rest of her life with him.
“There’s press here!” Zoe exclaimed.
Geri cursed under her breath. “Why is there press here?”
“He’s the Duke of Weatherstone,” her father reminded her.
“What have I got myself into?” Then she laughed with her father.
“Did your mother respond to your invitation?” he asked.
“No. She won’t be coming. She’s on a cruise at the moment.” Geri may have been able to repair relations with her father, but she doubted whether she and her mother would ever have any kind of relationship. It was clear that her mother didn’t want anything more to do with her. It hurt, but Geri had long ago moved on.
Geri wasn’t going to live a life like her mother’s.
She was happy for the first time in a long time and she intended to keep it that way.
Jensen parked the car in front of the chapel that was in the grounds of Weatherstone. It was a small church, so by society standards their wedding was small. Jensen got out and opened the door to help Zoe out in her aubergine-colored bridesmaid’s dress.
“Are you ready?” Charles asked.
“Yes.” Her voice shook. “More than ready.”
He nodded and climbed out the opposite side, waiting for her as Jensen held out his hand. She took it and he helped her out.
“My lady,” Jensen said, beaming.
Geri gave him a quick peck on the cheek while Zoe fluffed out her dress. She took her father’s hand and he led her up the steps, only now he was the one shaking.
“Are you all right, Father?”
He nodded and placed his top hat on his head. “I’ve just found you and now I’m giving you away. That town house will be quiet now.”
Tears stung her eyes and she kissed her father. “I’m only a short tube ride away in Notting Hill.”
Her father groaned. “The tube? Honestly? A duchess riding on the tube?”
“I’m not a duchess yet,” she teased.
“You will be in a moment,” he said. “Come on, then.”
The doors opened and Zoe started down the aisle. Geri took a deep breath and held her father tight as he walked her in. All she could see for the first few moments was a sea of brightly colored hats. Which was overwhelming as everyone stood up. Her father took off his top hat and tucked it under his arm, while she clung to the other one.
Then she focused her attention to the end of the aisle and saw Thomas standing there in his morning suit, his hands clasped behind his back, grinning from ear to ear. When his gaze landed on her, she almost melted.
That twinkle in his eyes, the secret smile was just for her. It was hard to believe that a year ago that same smile and same twinkle had made her want to run in the opposite direction. Now she was running toward him.
She knew the vicar was saying something, but she couldn’t quite hear him as her father passed her hand to Thomas and took his seat in the front pew of the church. Thomas just beamed at her and she couldn’t believe how lucky she was.
Love was something she hadn’t ever believed in after her mother and Frederick had toyed with her heart, but Thomas had made everything right.
The final vows were made and the rings slipped on their fingers.
“You may now kiss the bride,” the vicar said.
Thomas leaned in and kissed her on the lips.
“I love you,” she said, as he took her hand and led her down the aisle.
“I have a surprise for you.” Thomas led her out of the chapel and across the lawn to the house.
“Why are we going in here? We have to have pictures in the arboretum first,” she said as he brought her into the main hall. The house and estate were closed to tourists today, thankfully. Thomas covered her eyes and led her inside.
“Now you can look,” he said with excitement.
Geri gasped as “Christmas trees! Two of them.”
There were two thirty-foot Christmas trees in the foyer, one on either side of the large staircase. They were covered in twinkling lights and brightly colored baubles that accentuated the deep cherry-red of the wood.
“What do you think?”
“It’s gorgeous. You did this?”
He nodded. “Guilty.”
“But you don’t like Christmas trees.”
“I can change my mind.”
“Last year you compared them to Pomeranians, wasn’t that it?”
Thomas groaned. “I did, but that was last year and this is a gift for the new Duchess.”
“Oh, no,” she gasped.
Thomas cocked an eyebrow. “What’s wrong?”
“I’d just got used to the idea of being Lady Collins and being way down on the list of succession.”
“Yes, and...?”
“Now I’m going to be a duchess, and any children we have are going to be further up the list than me.”
“Children?”
She laughed. “Yes. I assume you have to continue your line.”
“Can we wait a bit on the children, though?”
“Perhaps.” She wrapped her arms around him. “I suppose I have to get used to being called Your Grace. No going back now.”
He kissed her possessively. “No, there isn’t. And just to show you there is no going back I have something else for you.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a flat velvet box.
“What is it?” She took it from him.
“As you’re the Duchess of Weatherstone this belongs to you now.”
Geri opened the box and gasped at the stunning diamond necklace and earrings that lay against the silk inside the box. “They’re beautiful.”
“They were my mother’s. They’re quite old.” He reached into the box and pulled out the necklace. He stepped behind her and she felt the weight of the diamonds on her neck and a kiss against her pulse point after he finished clasping it. “They have been worn by every Duchess of Weatherstone since the time of James III.”
“It’s beautiful,” Geri said, touching it. “It makes me nervous to have something so old in my possession.”
“Well, if you had accepted Lord Twinsbury’s proposal...”
“You’re impossible.”
“What do you think of your gifts?” Thomas asked as she wrapped his arms around her again.
“I love them.”
“Is that all?”
“I love you too, Your Grace.”
“And I you. Thank you for bringing me back to life and mending my heart.”
“Thank you for mending mine.” She grabbed him by the lapels of his morning coat and kissed him before the wedding guests came in to enjoy the wedding brunch.
After the brunch they would head off to Greece, to escape the winter.
“I can’t wait to get you to Greece and get away from all of this.”
“I thought you were a Christmas convert?” she asked.
“I am, believe me I am, but I’m looking forward to some sunshine and spending many a hot night with you wrapped up in my arms, until we head back to reality.”
“That sounds divine, Your Grace. Absolutely divine.”
She’d tell him about the baby later.
* * * * *