But he hadn’t intervened to preventherfrom being humiliated. Could he really be angry if she decided not to come today? Would her uncle permit that if that was what she wanted?
He wasn’t used to feeling this nervous. He was used to other people treating him with admiration and respect. It startled him that she was able to have this effect on him.
Before he could give it too much thought, however, the door at the rear of the church opened, and there she was.
And all he could think at first was that she looked stunning.
The sun lit her from behind as she walked up the aisle on her uncle’s arm. She was smiling as if she had a secret she didn’t want to share. Her dark hair shone, and her cheeks were pink with happiness, and Thomas wondered how he could possibly have feared that she wouldn’t want to be here today. It was obvious that she was enjoying this.
It wasn’t until she was halfway to them that he realized she wasn’t wearing the gown his mother had chosen.
She was wearing the gown he had sent to her instead.
He didn’t think he had been unclear. It had always been carefully explained that his mother’s gown was meant to be worn for the wedding. The one he had sent had simply been a gift, an expression of his affection for her—and possibly a way to let her know that he didn’t expect her to cover up her scar.
He hadn’t meant to confuse her. He would never have tried to do that.
She walked the rest of the way down the aisle, beaming.
Thomas knew he shouldn’t, but he stepped away from the altar to meet her and took her hand.
“I’m sorry,” she murmured as her uncle went to sit down. “I know I shouldn’t have done this.”
“Shouldn’t have done what? Worn the gown?”
“Your mother must be very angry with me.”
Thomas glanced over at his mother. It seemed that Madeleine was right. The expression on her face made him feel certain she would have nothing good to say about this development.
But if he was honest, he didn’t care about that right now.
“You look beautiful,” he told her. “Absolutely beautiful.”
She blushed prettily. “Thank you,” she murmured. “I really didn’t do it to cause trouble.”
“You’re not causing trouble. You don’t need to worry about that.”
“I don’t want your mother to be angry.”
“Mother will just have to accept this,” Thomas said. “And if she can’t find a way to do that, I’ll deal with her. I don’t want you to worry about anything right now, Madeleine. This is your wedding day, and you look lovely.”
“I know people are going to see my scar. I know that isn’t what you wanted.”
“I don’t care about that at all,” he assured her. “I’ve never cared about that. That was always Mother, not me. All I want is foryouto be happy and comfortable.”
“Then you’re not worried about what people will think of me? You’re not afraid they’ll think I’m unfit to marry a duke?”
“If they think so, it’s their own problem, not mine. It’s my business to say who is and isn’t fit to marry me, not theirs.”
She smiled. “I suppose you have a point.”
“Come on.” He took her by the hand and led her to the altar.
And then, on the spur of the moment, he guided her to the left and took a position at the right side of the altar.
She had made it clear, with her choice of attire, that she didn’t want to hide her scar. She wanted to be who she was and force everyone else to deal with that.
Thomas wanted to support her in that decision.
