It was this part of the ceremony that he had planned on stepping out. He had approached the girl not long after he had noted Allan's absence, and made the request. Though she had protested it completely, she had promised not to leave that part of the ceremony out.
He owed it to Marian to be there. No matter how much it ached, no matter how hard it was. All he had done, all that he would do... There would be no way for him to change it if he did not start now. He stepped from the foliage as she distracted the pair with the beginning. Once she asked the question, he cleared his throat.
"Her mother and father do, from their places at God's side." He spoke loud enough for both to hear him. He had never been an overly religious man. He had gone to confessional, but he often avoided the congregational meetings. Given that, he knew Marian needed someone to give her away, and seeing as neither of the people mentioned could be there, he had done so in their stead and gave up his place in courting her in one step.