The wedding...thank you all so much for reading and reviewing. This isn't the end...there will be more once they get back to England.

Celebrating

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She thought the spring flowers outside her window were stunning: tiny alpine plants and bulbs in every shade and hue. The mountains beyond looked pristine, dusted with the last of the snows, and the sky was the same colour as his eyes, the man about to be made her husband. Finally.

As the maids made everything with her dress just right, Edith looked out at the scenery and admired the spring which seemed to have arrived overnight. In reality it had been there for over a week, but she had not seen it.

Her mother took delivery of the bouquet and brought it over to her. It, too, was perfect, Edith thought. The florists had carried out her wishes to the letter.

"They've done very well! These crocuses are an amazing shade of blue, don't you think, Edith?" Cora grinned as she caught Edith's own smile; a confirmation of a secret discovered. Perhaps Rosamund was right after all.

The maids finished and stood away.

"Perfect. Just right, thank you."

Once they'd gone, Cora took both her daughter's hands and looked at her.

"You look beautiful, my darling."

Edith sighed. "Rounder at the middle than I should be."

"But not so very noticeable. The dressmaker did very well…considering."

Edith glanced at Cora, feeling defensive. But she calmed herself. No matter what they said about her, no one was going to made snide side-swipes at Anthony today, and for that she was grateful.

.

Stewart took his time shaving his master. Anthony had slept a little around dawn, but otherwise had spent a very disturbed night. When he came to shave himself, he found that he couldn't hold the razor steadily enough and had to call for his man's help.

His feelings lurched chaotically between knowing that Edith needed his name and protection…just as much as he desperately wanted to give those to her, and feeling that he was putting himself in her way, between her and the life she deserved to live, as ever.

"All done, Sir, and not even a nick! I'm quite proud considering I haven't shaved you for over a year. You are quite independent now, but I think most gentlemen would want back-up on their wedding day!" Stewart wiped the last of the shaving cream away, but Anthony didn't move.

"Sir?"

"What? Oh, yes…well done, Stewart. That was very comfortable. Wouldn't do to turn up today of all days with my throat cut, would it?"

Anthony smiled a watery smile.

"No. Sir." Stewart's tone was stern. He caught Anthony's eye and an unspoken admonishment passed between them.

"No, quite. Stewart, you have been the closest thing to a friend that I have had in years. Thank you for all you've done for me. Truly, I will be honoured to have you as my Best Man today."

"You're very welcome, Sir."

"It will be the end of some troubles and the beginning, I fear, of a whole raft of new ones" said Anthony as he tried, and failed, to tie his cravat.

"Is Lady Edith likely to make much trouble for you, Sir?" Stewart asked as he took over tidying the silk around Anthony's neck.

"Oh not intentionally, I'm sure. No. But…well, I had almost come to terms with never seeing her again. And now…I'll see her everyday."

"I'm sure you will both be very happy, Sir."

"She doesn't love me, Stewart" Anthony stated baldly. "This is purely a marriage of convenience to save her reputation and that of her child. I should have told you before. I…I don't know how I will cope, Stewart. I love her so."

Stewart frowned.

"We will manage, Sir, somehow. Still, surely it's better to have her safe at Locksley rather than see her dragged through the gossip columns, isn't it, Sir?"

Stewart held out the morning coat and Anthony eased it onto his body, followed by the wretched sling.

"Of course, of course. I am doing the right thing…in the short term at least. Yes. I'm sure. Later, she and I can sort something out more…appropriate."

.

He stood at the altar waiting for her to take her place at his side. He kept his eyes on the priest, alert for the slightest hitch. There was none. He felt her presence behind him, and then she was there, dressed in cream, just as she had been in his dreams, but with blue embroidery and holding a bouquet of bright blue crocuses, the same colour as his eyes. He gazed at her through the long veil to see a mirror-image of his own nervousness. She looked terrified. He smiled at her, trying to be encouraging. She immediately smiled back, as though she'd been waiting for his acknowledgement, her happiness at seeing him evident.

Anthony ignored Robert who was trying to be both protective of Edith and stand in the aisle behind them so Anthony couldn't bolt without bowling into him. Instead, he took Edith's hand in his and kissed it, delicately.

"My dear" he whispered, as she responded by squeezing his fingers. It was all the reassurance she needed.

They turned to face the priest, and their future together.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here…"

The priest intoned the introduction and then suddenly they were exchanging vows.

"Anthony, will you take Edith to be your wife? Will you love her, comfort her, honour and protect her, and, forsaking all others, be faithful to her as long as you both shall live?"

"I will." His voice was sure and steady. He looked at Edith throughout almost numb with anxiety to get this right for her sake. He continued looking while she made the same vow, wondering if he would ever find out if she meant it.

"I, Anthony Philip Strallan, take you, Edith Josephine Crawley, to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy law. In the presence of God I make this vow."

He meant every word, knowing that his love would be tested on a daily basis for the rest of his life. He released her hand, and she, ignoring what they had agreed at the rehearsal, deliberately took his right hand hanging in its sling, as she made her vow, keeping her eyes locked with his. There was real feeling there, he could see it and feel it. The priest, Rosamund, her parents, and all the church disappeared. Alone, outside of time, they stood, hand in hand. If only…

They exchanged rings, the priest said a prayer and a blessing, and it was done.

Anthony continued gazing at his new wife incredulously, and became aware that she was expecting him to do something. In a trance, he lifted her veil and bent close to her to touch his lips lightly to hers. It was their first kiss. And for all he knew, their last. But he couldn't feel sad, not when she gave him that dazzling smile, and took his arm, and walked by his side as his lady. It made his chest swell with pride. His heart felt like a lion's. He had married Lady Edith Crawley…Lady Edith Strallan…his wife!

The wedding party made their way back to the hotel. Toasts were made, hugs and kisses exchanged. Anthony had hired a horse and carriage to take Edith for a ride out to the pastures while Stewart supervised the packing up of all their chattels ready for the journey home.

"Well, my dear, we've crossed the Rubicon. Any qualms?" he asked as steadily as he could, while pretending to look over the fields and listen to the horses' hooves.

"None whatsoever. You?" she shot back. He turned round to look at her.

"None at all, ever. I've made plenty of promises today, Edith, so a few more won't hurt. I will never regret marrying you. I'm only sorry it took a tragedy to get us to this point."

"My mother wants me to talk to you about the child. She…"

Anthony put a gentle finger against her lips.

"Shh, my dear. Your father tried the same thing with me yesterday. I'm afraid I rather told him where to go. That might be why he was so jumpy at the church."

"The Champagne seems to have brought him back to normal, though. But don't you think we should talk about the baby?"

"There is plenty of time. There is nothing to worry about. I want you to keep the child and raise it at Locksley, if that is what you want, but I'm not pressuring you to make any decisions today. Let us enjoy spring in Appenzell in all its glory, on our last day here in the place where we found each other once more, secure in the knowledge that whatever you decide, I will support you. I promised to honour and protect you today, and that's exactly what I'm going to do."

He took her hand and kissed it again.

"I'm never going to get used to this, Anthony" she wept happily.

"I recommend you do, my dear, because I'm not going to stop."