Sarah couldn't believe Sunday had come so fast. Service at the small
country chapel near his home had been cancelled for her wedding to Brandon.
She breathed heavily as she faced him before the pastor, beaming upon them
both. It was Brandon's second or third time, he believed. Yet something
felt different here-it was like the light had returned brighter than ever
to the Colonel's sad eyes.
Sarah felt almost out of her body as she recited the sacred words, but she knew whom they were gestured toward and so she felt slightly better. As she ended her vows and the pastor gestured for Brandon to lift her veil at last, she felt a sweet breath of his air as he whispered, "I love you."
Then her eyes were closed and she felt his soft lips on hers, sealing the deal with a perfect kiss. It was longer than she expected, but it wasn't like she didn't enjoy it, the tense silence of the crowd before they broke into applause. At last he let go of her, for now, and his hand moved to hers.
Well, the pastor thought to himself, I have never seen a sweeter smile on that man in my entire career. And it was true. Sarah blissfully tossed her bouquet into the crowd, and Edward caught it, handing it to Elinor among laughter. As Elinor sniffed the sweet, plump peach-colored roses she couldn't help but wonder if her sister was watching her old marriage go to waste this day.
She leaned back into his torso as their carriage rumbled on down the road, and she felt him sigh behind her. "So, love?" She smiled. "It was beautiful." "That it was." He paused. "And so are you." Her smile widened. "Thank you.for everything. You don't know what this all means to me." "No, no, m'lady, you don't know what it means to me. To be in love with you.it's.it's indescribable." She thought this over in her head. "Yes."
Later that evening they stole away through the dark house and up the stairs to his bedroom. She could see he was eager to take her at last. She glanced around her at the beautiful estate before she followed him into the room and closed the door. His quiet, low voice comforted her as he placed a hand gently on her side and laid her down beside him. It had been such a long time, it seemed, since there had been a woman in his bed. "Sarah, my love.do you like it? This is your home now.forever.with me." He studied her face, her gentle features barely visible in the falling darkness. "Anything you could ever want." He brought the empty satchel from his pocket and showed it to her. She smiled. She knew what they both wanted.
Sarah felt almost out of her body as she recited the sacred words, but she knew whom they were gestured toward and so she felt slightly better. As she ended her vows and the pastor gestured for Brandon to lift her veil at last, she felt a sweet breath of his air as he whispered, "I love you."
Then her eyes were closed and she felt his soft lips on hers, sealing the deal with a perfect kiss. It was longer than she expected, but it wasn't like she didn't enjoy it, the tense silence of the crowd before they broke into applause. At last he let go of her, for now, and his hand moved to hers.
Well, the pastor thought to himself, I have never seen a sweeter smile on that man in my entire career. And it was true. Sarah blissfully tossed her bouquet into the crowd, and Edward caught it, handing it to Elinor among laughter. As Elinor sniffed the sweet, plump peach-colored roses she couldn't help but wonder if her sister was watching her old marriage go to waste this day.
She leaned back into his torso as their carriage rumbled on down the road, and she felt him sigh behind her. "So, love?" She smiled. "It was beautiful." "That it was." He paused. "And so are you." Her smile widened. "Thank you.for everything. You don't know what this all means to me." "No, no, m'lady, you don't know what it means to me. To be in love with you.it's.it's indescribable." She thought this over in her head. "Yes."
Later that evening they stole away through the dark house and up the stairs to his bedroom. She could see he was eager to take her at last. She glanced around her at the beautiful estate before she followed him into the room and closed the door. His quiet, low voice comforted her as he placed a hand gently on her side and laid her down beside him. It had been such a long time, it seemed, since there had been a woman in his bed. "Sarah, my love.do you like it? This is your home now.forever.with me." He studied her face, her gentle features barely visible in the falling darkness. "Anything you could ever want." He brought the empty satchel from his pocket and showed it to her. She smiled. She knew what they both wanted.