The Duke's Lady

Chapter 33

The church was filling with guests, everyone was amazed at the chapel filled with fragrant flowers. The windows were open letting in the warm spring air. The breeze helped spread the fragrance around the room. The isle was lined with flowers from both estates, both wanted to make this day wonderful. The guest were wondering if there was a flower left in the gardens. 

William was in the priests office waiting for the time to pass by. He couldn't wait for his bride to walk down the isle to be his forever. He started to pace the room, and his brother Gabriel snickered" Will, your going to wear a path on the rug."

William stopped and looked at his brother" I am just anxious about the waiting, I just want to see my bride walking towards me."

Gabriel stood and patted him on the back," I know what you are feeling, I felt the same way about my wedding day."

Both brothers laughed and started to pace back and forth as they waited for the bride to arrive. At the back of his mind he was worried that she was going to change her mind. What if she decided she didn't want to marry him after all?

The guests were filling the church and talking amongst themselves. The carriage carrying the bride and her bridal party arrived. Martha was escorted into the church to await her daughter, to make sure her dress was in place. As the bridal party stood awaiting for directions, John Campton stepped down out of the carriage. He turned to help his favorite daughter out of the carriage. Holly smiled down at her father, she was going to miss him so much. She knew that she was just going to be just a short distance from him. 

Martha kissed her daughter on the cheek, and fixed her veil. She was already wiping the tears from her eyes. Holly smiled, this was going to be a long tearful ceremony for her mother. She started to tear up a bit, but recovered in time. Martha walked up to take her brother's arm to wait for the music to start.

She was shaking her skirts of any wrinkles as she waited for her father to take her arm. She could hear the pianoforte' playing the wedding march. This was it she was starting to get an overwhelming feeling of butterflies in her stomach. She watched as her mother went down the isle to be seated by her oldest brother. Her other siblings were already  in their seats, and was watching for her to make her entrance.

Jessica and Lindsay walked down the isle one right after the other. Then it was the flower girls and ring bearer. She closed her eyes as her time to walk to her future came. She had to steady her nerves, she was shaking from being so nervous. Could she do this?  What if he wasn't there waiting for her? What if he changed his mind?

As the doors to the chapel opened and she felt her father move her towards the entrance. She kept her eyes closed for she feared that when she opened them he wouldn't be there. She felt her father stop, she opened her eyes and saw all the flowers. She was amazed at the sight before her eyes. She saw all the guests and they were standing and smiling at her. She walked with her father towards the end of the isle and sighed when she saw William. 

As tradition states the groom is not allowed to see his bride until she stands beside him. Holly couldn't wait to see his face, she wanted to see his smile. As they walked the long isle to the end, she noticed that his brother was turning every once and a while. Holly grinned, she knew that he was telling him what he saw.