Read Online School of Fortune by Amanda Brown - Free Book Online Page B

March,” all eyes turned toward the rear of the auditorium. Pippa and her father, Robert, walked slowly up the aisle, trailed by Pippa’s just-repaired wedding train. It was heavy enough when she was pulling it on a marble floor; pulling it along a carpet was nearly impossible. Both Pippa and her father were leaning forward, straining like two beasts of burden, as the train clung to the carpet every inch of the way. Every few steps they could hear a little rip as the threads binding the train to Pippa’s custom-designed titanium harness broke. Sensing that his daughter was on the verge of panic, Robert regaled her with a long-winded joke about a priest, a rabbi, and an ayatollah on the golf course.
    Pippa didn’t hear a word her father was saying. Her eyes were glued to Lance, who was watching in adoration as she neared. Robert was just about at the punch line of the golf joke when he and Pippa arrived at their destination. The music stopped so he reluctantly stopped as well.
    Reading from a script, the Reverend Alcott cleared his sore throat and quietly began. “Dearly beloved, we are gathered together to witness the union of two young hearts and two great families, the Walkers and the Hendersons. It is a historic, joyful occasion.”
    â€œExcuse me,” Thayne interrupted. “You forgot ‘unforgettable.’“
    The Reverend Alcott squinted at his script. “That’s been crossed out.”
    â€œWhat? Who?”
    â€œI did,” Cedric replied. “The word is inappropriate.”
    â€œPut the word back in,” Thayne ordered. “Cedric, have you been tampering with my ceremony?”
    Rosimund leaned over the aisle. The Walker family crest, so crassly embroidered in gold on Pippa’s train, was giving her a violent headache. “Could we move on? Four hundred guests are waiting for us in Texas Stadium. I’m sure that you and your hired man can sort out this ‘script’ later.”
    The Reverend Alcott continued, “Who gives this woman to be married?”
    Flustered, his mind still on the golf joke, Robert replied, “I do.”
    Thayne leaped to her feet. “No no no, Robert! Please concentrate! One more time!”
    The Reverend Alcott repeated the question. Robert gathered his wits for five full seconds before replying, “Thayne Ardelle Beatrice Brattlewood Priscilla Inge Walker and I do.”
    Thayne went nearly purple. “No no no, Robert! You forgot ‘Tuttle’! One more time! Inge Tuttle Walker!”
    The Reverend Alcott repeated the question. There was an even longer silence before Robert replied, “Thayne Ardelle Beatrice Brattlewood Priscilla Ingle Tuttle Walker and I do.”
    â€œInge, not Ingle!”
    â€œInge Tuttle Walker and I do,” Robert said. “That’s the last time I’m saying it.”
    â€œThat’s more like it,” Thayne beamed.
    The Reverend Alcott was only a few sentences into a reading from the Song of Solomon when Chardonnay swooned. On the way down, she grabbed the elbow of the violinist sitting behind her. Chardonnay’s head and the violinist’s Guarneri del Gesù hit the floor at about the same time. The violinist went ballistic. “Will you calm down,” Thayne shouted. “It isn’t the end of the world. I’ll buy you another one.”
    â€œYou sure as hell will,” the violinist screamed back as four people tried to restrain him. “Hope you’ve got a spare three f-ing million!”
    Again Rosimund leaned over the aisle. “Thayne, this is the last time I’m going to ask you to control the language in this pigsty.”
    Arabella began to whimper, but not from the four-letter words she heard every day in kindergarten. “What happened to that lady, Mother? Is she dead?”
    â€œShe’s had a little too much excitement, that’s all. Come here, darling. Sit with me.”
    Arabella had no intention