Page 84 of Wedded to the Deviant Duke
“Doctor, yes! Going to get him now!” Charlotte quickly slipped past the crowd, helping pull them back out as Robin helped usher away any stragglers. Thalia moved to walk with Christian, only to feel Gabriel’s hand tighten around hers.
“Oh… oh, of course.” Thalia glanced Christian’s way, who simply nodded. He turned to leave, but stopped, doubling back and kneeling in front of Thalia.
“How’d you know he was awake this time?” Christian asked.
Thalia managed a wobbling smile, gently pressing her wet cheeks against Gabriel’s hand. “He replied to me.”
“With what?”
Thalia’s smile brightened considerably. “‘I know’.”
CHAPTER36
Of all the ideas she’d had in her life, Thalia Sutton—soon to be Harding—knew this was one she’d never regret. She stood before the mirror with a slight daze, uncertain if the woman staring back really was her. Madeline had truly outdone herself with the wedding gown, perfectly layering the lace hem of the skirt so it billowed with each movement.
A cresting of lilacs embroidered around her waist and along her bodice, perfectly matching the smaller florets pinned throughout the curls of her hair. It felt like she’d been placed inside a pillow; silken and light, as if she were wearing nothing at all.
“Thalia, Thalia! Tell me you’re ready, huh?”
Thalia chuckled lightly, practically gliding across the room as she gently cracked the door open. As expected, Charlotte came bounding in, dancing around her with her own beautiful, floral-printed gown. “Ooh, I knew it, I knew it! You really outdid yourself, Maddie!”
Madeline’s face appeared next, nervously pushing her frames up the bridge of her nose. “Everything is still fitting nicely, then?”
“Like I was born to wear it,” Thalia beamed, gathering both ladies in for a tender embrace. “Thank you; both of you. I can’t imagine having done all this in under a week without your help.”
Charlotte’s lower lip stuck out dramatically, and she hastily waved at her eyes. “No, Thalia! Don’t make me cry yet! I put powder on just for you, and you’re going to ruin it already!”
“Now, if only you could dedicate as much effort to planning your own Seasonal event…” Thalia teased.
Before Charlotte could reply, gentle rapping on the door pulled attention towards Robin’s appearance, standing stiffly in the frame in a hand-tailored suit of his own. Charlotte crooned loudly, now fawning over the young Sutton with gushing adoration.
“Thalia, make her stop,” Robin begged.
“Charlotte, we should go find our seats,” Madeline said.
“Oh—oh, right! We’ll see you out there, Thalia!” With one more quick hug, Charlotte bounded down the hall, Madeline in quiet pursuit. As soon as the pair had put a fair distance between them, Robin exhaled loudly.
“Is my wife going to be as crazy as she is?” he asked.
Thalia gave him a teasing frown and a light swat across the shoulder. “You would be lucky enough to have a woman as lovely as Charlotte.” The siblings stood in quiet contemplation for a moment, and Thalia wondered if, perhaps, she should say something.
“When I said–” Robin began.
“I want you to know,” Thalia started.
The pair stopped, a fit of nervous giggles passing between them. With another sigh, Robin offered his arm to his sister, who graciously accepted it. “I love you, too,” Thalia beamed.
Robin rolled his eyes, but offered a slight smile as he led her outside.
The Orion’s lawn had been decorated in a dazzling display of deep blues and rich purples, with the occasional splash of yellow to mimic the sparkling stars in the night sky. Members wore their traditional garb while friends and family dressed in their best, all eagerly awaiting to catch a glimpse of the bride before she made her grand entrance. Beneath a flowering archway, a gentle show of petals greeted Thalia, and Robin dutifully led her up the aisle. He lingered near the front, however, giving his sister the chance to grasp hands with Mr. Cooke.
“I wish your parents could have seen you,” he wept, dabbing his handkerchief at the corner of his eyes. “You’re breathtaking, your Ladyship.”
“Thalia,” she insisted gently, pulling her dear friend into an embrace. “We are family, George, and family has no title between them.”
Robin indicated his head, and Thalia returned her gaze to the altar. It was hard not to simply kick off her shoes and sprint the rest of the way; Gabriel looked so irresistible in his own astral suit, arm freed of its cast and proudly tucked behind his back. Her face warmed at the sight, and soon, Robin’s arm left her own, allowing Gabriel’s to take its place.
She hardly heard a word from their officiant, drifting between their vows and the exchanging of rings. She watched, giddy, as Gabriel slipped the ring onto her finger, and eased his ring on next; a silver band made especially for him, melted down from whatever parts of his father’s pocket watch remained. He lifted to inspect the craftsmanship, a beautifully warm smile crossing his lips as he caught the inscription. “‘Find the time’,” he said softly.
