“And I came to tell you Father Hope is ready to read the banns this morning since it’s Sunday.” Grandma Smith held her hands clasped before her, appearing modest and deferential, but her eyes shone with defiance.
“Mistress Smith, you made a trip here for nothing.” Vinita said as she came to stand before the woman. “We already knew and intended to ask Father Hope to do just that this Sunday, but we can do that today.”
The older woman looked at the three Rowes and Ben. It always angered her the two men conducted any smuggling business without her as an intermediary. She wasn’t quick to forgive and forget. But neither were Ben nor Theo. They would recall the meddlesome woman’s intentions because it stole Ben’s change to propose. Vinita drew the former nanny and current ringleader away, her eyes boring into Jemma, who wisely followed without instruction.
“I suppose this was bound to happen since I couldn’t expect you to only see each other here.”
“I still would have preferred not to have the town crier interfere. This isn’t what I envisioned for Jemma.”
“I understand. At least we’ll be family in three weeks.”
Three weeks. Bloody hell. My family doesn’t even know how I feel about Jemma, let alone that I wish to marry her. That ruddy busybody. I thought to at least tell Mama and Father before posting the banns for the first time. Seems that’s not to be the case.
“You wish you could have told your parents first,” Theo surmised. Ben nodded his head, and Theo rested his hand on the younger man’s shoulder. “I understand. I married Lady Rowe before my missive explaining my intentions reached my parents. We arrived the same day as my missive announcing our marriage. It was delayed because a courier’s horse threw his shoe. I didn’t know my letter was aboard the same ship on which we traveled. My father was opening it just as we arrived.”
“I have no hesitation about marrying Jemma. I will gladly accept posting the banns today, but I don’t wish to hurt my mother.”
“Then you will need to leave for Dorset today, so you can be home before the wedding, and so you can invite your family.” Theo walked outside with Ben as the women boarded the family’s carriage. Theo and Ben rode their horses alongside the conveyance. He found Kent had already prepared his cart, so he attached his horse.
Ben greeted Charlie and Rajesh, quickly explaining what had occurred the night before and what they would witness at the end of the next Mass. They’d already set off for church with the girls, wanting to escape any chance Zachary might return. Charlie had remained hidden in their chamber while the miscreant was at Rowe House.
The service was over before Ben noticed, and he was soon standing on the church steps with Jemma listening to Father Hope ask if anyone knew of an impediment to their marriage. Stunned faces stared at them, with a few knowing smiles frompeople who’d spied them earlier. Since the damage was already done, Ben saw no point in much restraint. As soon as Father Hope nodded at the silence that followed his question, Ben drew Jemma in for a brief but hardly perfunctory kiss.
Ben brought his lips to Jemma’s ear. “Would you marry by special license rather than wait three weeks?”
“Yes. As soon as you return.” Jemma swallowed tears, knowing Grandma Smith ruined their plans for Christmas together. It was only three days away, so she doubted Ben would return before then.
“I’ll make sure it happens, sweetling.” With a whispered goodbye, he dropped a kiss on her nose and climbed onto his cart, pointing it east.
Chapter Seven
Jemma stared out of the window as she sat in her bedroom’s window seat. She absentmindedly embroidered, but found she had to pull out twice as many stitches as she kept. The clatter of hooves and wheels brought her back to the present as she peered out her window. Horse and a carriage approached. Ben was easy to spy, since he was at least a furlong ahead of his family. Jemma scrambled off her perch and ran to the door, which she flung open. She hurtled herself down the stairs, her hand gripping the banister after she nearly tumbled headfirst halfway down. The footman barely opened the door in time. She dashed down the steps and flung herself into Ben’s arms as he tossed his reins to a groom. Neither cared who watched, which was both their families and most of her family’s household staff. Their kiss was needy as they clung to each other.
“You can cease devouring my daughter, or there will be nothing left to marry.” Theo said, but only after the young couple finished their kiss. He could recall what it had been like to be apart from Vinita for weeks when the East India Company forced him to travel away from Bikaner. He’d despised every minute, and he still loathed traveling without her. He was a homebody because he resolutely preferred his family’s companyto anyone else’s. It had only been two days apart for Ben and Jemma, but he understood the feeling.
After Ben introduced Jemma to his mother and sisters, Steven and Charles greeted Theo, and his family met Vinita, they made their way inside.
“What are you doing here?” Jemma asked as she once more stood in front of Ben. “I didn’t expect to see you until after the holiday.”
“I know. I have a surprise for you.”
“What?” Jemma wanted to bounce on her toes like a little girl. She prayed it was the special license. Ben dug in his pocket and pulled out a folded document. He held it up to her, but he wouldn’t let her have it.
“I need to speak to Jemma for a moment.” Ben didn’t wait for anyone to disagree. He practically pulled her down the path to the garden. It was perishing, so they couldn’t remain outside for long, but he loathed how Grandma Smith stole a precious moment from them. He intended to make it up to Jemma. He reached into his pocket and withdrew something else.
He lowered himself to one knee and took Jemma’s left hand in his. “Jemma, I love you. I have for years. I wish we could capture the years we lost and bring them back. But I wish to spend all the ones in front of us together. Will you marry me?”
“Yes!” She yanked his hand, urging him to stand before she flung herself at him again. Their kiss was fast and hard before Ben opened the box he held and lifted a sparkling emerald ring. He slid it on Jemma’s finger and watched as she twisted her hand to see it from all angles. “This is gorgeous.”
“Like it’s owner. I have the license, sweetling. We could marry tomorrow.”
“On Christmas? Would Father Hope do that?”
“I believe a generous donation to the parish might make him amenable.”
“I’ll ask Papa to send a messenger right now.”
Ben chuckled as she dragged him back to the front door. The others had gone inside, quickly aware of Ben’s intentions. The idea of a Christmas wedding thrilled, so Theo sent Daniel to speak to the parish priest. Ben ensured the young man had a hefty coin pouch, which his soon-to-be brother-in-law didn’t return with.
