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.I cannot walk into the Church with nothing on my head.”She had succeeded, just before Charles joined her, to brush and pin up her hair in much the same fashion that Antonio had done it last night.Now she thought if they could find a veil, it would hide any discrepancies.To her surprise Walter put his hand in his pocket.“It is with the possible greatest pleasure,” he spoke up triumphantly, “that I can give you a wedding present!”He handed Rania a small parcel and she wondered what it could be.She took off the tissue paper and she saw that it was a veil made of very soft tulle.“I am afraid this veil has not been in my family for generations, but it will serve its purpose,” Walter told her.“Of course it will,” agreed Rania, shaking it, “and all I need to keep it in place are two flowers to pin it down on each side over my ears.”“We will stop on our way to the Church,” Charles suggested.He ordered the Steward to call for the best carriage available, and then as the man hurried away he went on deck to speak with the Captain, who was standing on the bridge impatient to move the Mermaid out of harbour.“My plans have now somewhat changed, Captain,” he began.“I am to be married immediately and I would like you to take us on quite a prolonged honeymoon!”The Captain stared at him, thinking he was joking.He thought for a second and then burst out,“My heartiest congratulations, sir, I had no idea – ”“We will talk about it another time.What I want you to do now is to stock up the ship right away with all the food and provisions you will require.We will, of course, stop at various French ports on the way and then at Lisbon before we reach Gibraltar and the Mediterranean.”He saw the delight on the Captain’s face and there was no need for him to put his feelings into words.“I expect we shall be ready to put to sea in about an hour-and-a-half,” said Charles, walking away.He heard the Captain giving sharp orders before he reached the Saloon to rejoin Rania and Walter.“Everything is arranged,” he told them, “and while I write a note for you, Walter, to take to Major Monsell in Berkeley Square, Rania must now make a list of what she requires immediately for a long sea voyage.”“I have nothing!” she cried.“Nothing but what I’m wearing now!”“I know, darling, as soon as we are married Walter can take us, I am sure, to a local shop where you can buy a few essentials and then we can stop for more in France.”He smiled at her lovingly before he finished,“We shall also stop everywhere else for what will eventually be, I promise you, a very exquisite trousseau.”He thought Rania might protest that he was asking too much of her.Instead she laughed.“Only you, Charles, could think of marrying a bride who has nothing to wear but a white evening gown and a veil which was our first wedding present!”“I am certain that the French will be able to frame you even better than the English have done, Rania!”His eyes were twinkling and she knew that he was enjoying his surprises for her.She was quite sure that in his own magical way she would get everything she wanted and a great deal more.‘I love him,’ she said to herself.‘No man could be more magnificent or more exciting.’The carriage was waiting for them at the quay and Charles had a last word with the Captain.Then they drove off to the small and ancient little Church on the outskirts of the town of Tilbury.Because it appeared so unpretentious Charles could understand why Walter had chosen this Church for his runaway wedding.The Parson was old and kindly and he might have thought it odd that Walter was not to be married while his friend was, but he was too tactful to say so.There were white flowers on the altar and down the aisle.He read the Marriage Service with great sincerity.Rania considered that it could not have been a more moving and memorable service if it had taken place in a Cathedral.There had been no time at all for Charles to buy her a wedding ring, so he drew his signet ring from his finger and although it was a little large for her, Rania felt it was a potent symbol of their love.As the old Parson blessed them, Charles and Rania were both thinking of the love they had talked about.Charles had believed it was impossible to find this very special love and yet he knew now he had really found it and it was even more perfect than he had longed for.For Rania the Marriage Service was so incredibly beautiful and so perfect she felt as if it came to her from Heaven itself.She knew she would have hated a big wedding with hundreds of guests she did not know and who were not any part of her life.She would have loved Harry to be there, and Mr.and Mrs.Johnson from home, but she felt that they would understand.When the service was over, they thanked the Parson and Charles gave him a generous donation for the Church.Then as the three of them climbed back into the carriage Charles said to Walter,“Now we must go shopping, and next we must be away on our honeymoon – and the sooner you reach London and settle matters with Major Monsell, the sooner you will forget your own problems.”He realised that it must have been very painful for Walter to see him and Rania taking his place in front of the altar, but he hoped that once Walter was back working in the world where he had been so successful he would find someone very special to marry himself.Walter then took them to the most fashionable and he added ‘and most expensive shop’ in Tilbury.Rania managed to quickly find two day dresses she could wear on the yacht and a coat and cape in case it was cold as well as two nightgowns, a negligee, stockings and several other necessities.Charles had wandered away whilst Rania’s clothes were being packed up and when he returned to the shop he was holding a small parcel in his hand which she guessed was a present [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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