Standing by the altar inside Kellynch Church, Frederick was the very picture of a dashing naval captain. His full dress uniform featured a dark blue coat with a stand-up collar, gold buttons running down both sides, and bright white lapels and cuffs edged with gold. Upon each shoulder rested an epaulette with a silver crown and anchor on top and gold fringe on the sides. He would have appeared very dignified and commanding indeed but for his constant fidgeting.
"Frederick, you need to relax," Edward teased as he stood in front of his brother.
Unable to remain still, Frederick shifted his weight from one foot to the other whilst pulling down at his coat sleeves and tugging at the collar surrounding his neck.
"I am relaxed, Edward. This church is too hot and my coat itches."
"That is strange. My coat is the same as yours and I feel perfectly fine," Captain Harville chimed in, also wearing a full dress captain's uniform, as Edward laughed.
Frederick pointedly ignored them both, wondering what had possessed him to ask Edward to perform the ceremony and Captain Harville to stand up with him.
He would barely admit it to himself, much less anyone else, but he felt unusually nervous today. He had wanted to marry Anne as soon as possible after the third reading of the banns. However, she preferred to wait until Henrietta and Louisa celebrated their double wedding and completed their bridal tours. He understood her reasoning and agreed, albeit reluctantly. After so many years of love and longing, and then a torturous three month engagement, his anticipation of the wedding day had reached a fevered state.
The creak of heavy, old wood reverberated through the interior of the church. Frederick straightened his back and raised his head expectantly. The doors slowly swung open and in that instant, time stood still. His heart stopped, he forgot to breathe, and his body stilled as he fixed on the angelic vision standing at the threshold, the morning sun illuminating her figure and filtering into a diffuse light through the veil behind her. The sublime tableau before him would be forever seared into his memory until his very last breath.
He could not have described Anne's dress, or how her hair was arranged, or if she even wore his necklace (though he was sure she did), for as she walked down the aisle, he was solely focused on her incandescent face and sparkling dark eyes. When she finally stood next to him, he could only grin mutely, utterly bewitched.
Amused at his speechlessness, she whispered, "You look very handsome, Frederick."
A low cough from Captain Harville snapped him out of his stupor and he found his voice.
"You are absolutely breathtaking, Anne."
She bestowed a dazzling smile and his heart skipped a beat. Together, they turned towards Edward, who held the Book of Common Prayer open in his hands.
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here…"
~~END OF CHAPTER~~