“Because, you were about to marryhim,” he growled.
She shrank back, shock filling her.
How could he speak to her like that? Her heart pounded in her chest. He wasn’t the man she remembered.
The air was so heavy one could cut it with a knife.
He got to his feet turning away from her.
“Now, let’s go out there and get this over with,” he snapped before stomping from the room.
All Veronica could do was sit there, trying to catch her breath.
Just what had her family gotten her into?
Chapter Three
Veronica began walking down the aisle.
It was hard to keep a serene expression on her face when everything inside her wanted to run. But then she made it to the end, all that stood there was Christopher and the Archbishop and she didn’t have to pretend anymore.
She felt Christopher’s fingers brush against her own, though the meaning of the gesture was lost on her.
She could barely hear the words of the ceremony over the ringing in her ears. She couldn’t keep her eyes from darting to the man who would be her husband. The man who had shunned her for two years.
She knew how her last prayer for the wedding ceremony to cease resolved, so instead of another escape she prayed for her sisters.
Let them be well.
Let this all happen for a reason.
And please, allow me to one day find happiness in this marriage.Veronica forced herself to repeat after the priest’s marriage oath and seal her fate.
Finally, it came to an end, and as the Archbishop announced them as husband and wife, Veronica felt herself walk out of the church beside her husband.
She couldn’t pull in enough air to satisfy her lungs. Sounds and sights blurred around her until the soft touch of upholstery beneath her hand brought a soothing silence. She was in a carriage, it’s interior lavish and comfortable.
But she could still not pull her attention to focus on her surroundings. Not even when her husband joined her in the vehicle.
By the time she could finally snap out of her own panic and look outside she was met with stunning rolling hills and plush trees.
“We are not in London.”
“No, we are not.”
“We must turn back then! The wedding breakfast will happen any minute and we cannot be late!”
“I’m afraid we don’t have time.”
“What do you mean?” Veronica demanded, gripping her fists tight enough to hurt.
“Because we need to get back to the manor. I hate even being away this long.”
“If you’ve already been away longer than you like, then you can return and let me go to my family’s house.”
“You know that I cannot, it would invite even more scandal, and our wedding has caused enough gossip to last us a lifetime. Besides, I already cleared it with your family.”
“And you didn’t think to ask me first? I did not even get the chance to say goodbye. I will likely not see my sisters for months!”
