Note: This story is set in an alternative universe, which separated from ours perhaps during (or even because of, maybe even in spite of) the reign of Queen Victoria.
Jim Turner and Timothy Stedding stood at the front pew, in grey morning suits and tails.
"I expect you are nervous, old chap," Jim said.
"Well, why wouldn't I be? I didn't exactly start on the right foot with your family, did I?"
"In a few minutes, they'll be your family."
"I'm sure they could do with another black sheep about the place."
"No, you have it wrong..."
"I know I do. Honestly Jim, the more I know them, the more I love them. They have all gone out of their way to accept me."
"No, I meant you are a lamb to the slaughter, not a black sheep." Jim said, giving Tomothy a hearty shove.
"Ha ha Jim. Your aunt scares the heck out of me still."
"Join the club, old man. But you can see she's just like both you and I really."
"I see little resemblance, but I know what you mean. She reminds me so much of Nancy, it's creepy."
In the little stone baptistry, away from the crowds, Nancy leaned on one of the two Corinthian columns, looking down on an open page of the Bible, practising the short reading she had insisted on giving during the service. "Now if Timotheus come, see that he may be with you without fear: for he worketh the work of the Lord, as I also do.
"Let no man therefore despise him: but conduct him forth in peace, that he may come unto me: for I look for him with the brethren."
Dorothea looked around the slowly-filling village church. Nancy and Peggy had certainly gone overboard with the decoration. On each side wall of the nave there hung a huge white flag with a black skull and crossbones ("White," Nancy had said, "because that's the correct colour for weddings. We couldn't really have black.")
"Just here, Aunt Maria, and Aunt Hussy, yours is the one on the left," Peggy was saying.
"Thank you, Margaret dear." "Thank you, sweetie." Dorothea observed the different manners in which Peggy's formidable great aunt and her rather more jolly-looking companion thanked their usher.
Dick strode down the aisle to his sister with a bundle of hymn books. "I say, Dot, this must be like research for you, gathering data for your romance writing."
"Well, I've always wanted to be a bridesmaid, but I never imagined it would be exactly like this. I think many romance writers are not gathering enough data though."
Dick changed the subject. "Here, would you hand these to the people on this side? I was supposed to give them out at the door."
Timothy whispered to Jim, "I'd be nervous whatever I was doing; that's my nature, as you know... Have you got the ring?"
Jim patted his pockets. "Have you?" he asked.
"Very funny, Jim." Timothy looked around briefly, then faced forward again. Rev Thornton was standing by the vestry door; there was an atmosphere of readiness. "Oh well, here goes."
Rev Thornton walked to the front of the altar and opened her prayer book.
Timothy and Jim turned to each other and smiled at exactly the moment that she began those magical words of the Solemnization of Matrimony:
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here in the sight of God, and in the face of this congregation, to join together this Man and this Man in holy Matrimony; which is an honourable estate, instituted of God..."