How do I get myself into these predicaments, Alan groaned.

"Caroline, will you have this man to be your lawful husband, to live together in the covenant of marriage?" the vicar inquired, not without what to Alan seemed a cocked brow in amazement. "Will you love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health, and, forsaking all others, be faithful unto him as long as you both shall live?"

"I will," Caroline declared without a pause, with a tremulous eagerness and vigor, delivering upon Lewrie once more a visage of pure adoration.

"Alan," the vicar intoned, rounding upon him, and to Alan's already fevered senses seeming to frown the slightest bit, "will you have this woman to be your lawful wife…?"

Forsake all others? Lewrie shivered. Bloody, bloody hell! Be faithful as long as we both … I say, hold on, there! Mine arse on a bandbox! The solemnity crushed in upon him then, and he like as not would have torn out the doors, if his legs would have shown any sign of strength beyond holding him shudderingly upright.

Yet found himself declaring for all time, "I will," with a force born on a quarter-deck that echoed off the ancient stones like a pronouncement of doom.

There was a tentative Giving In Marriage by Uncle Phineas, in his role of paterfamilias for the Chiswicks, before the vicar ordered "Let us pray" and they could thump to their weak knees upon the pad before the altar. And as the vicar recited the short prayer of blessing before the Lesson and Epistle, and the vows proper, Caroline insinuated a slim, cool and soft hand into his and their fingers entwined to squeeze reassurance and strength.

There was no backing out now, Alan thought; in for the penny, in for the pound, ain't I? Ye Gods, it may not be that bad-I do care for her, well as a rogue like me may care for anyone. I might even call it love. Much as 1 know what that's all about!