Marina noticed him pull away, and she rolled her eyes as she finished signing her name. “Do not worry, I will not be annoyingyou with my proximity for much longer. I solemnly swear that as soon as we are behind closed doors, I will be a stranger to you. Two strangers raising a child. Nothing more natural than that.”
He gave her a stern look as the clergyman closed the wedding registry and backed away from the newlyweds. He was clearly eager to leave the chapel. Evan barely noticed him as he focused on his wife. “You knew my expectations when you decided to become my wife. What is the point of arguing about them now?”
“Just because I know your expectations does not mean I like them,” she said hotly. “To be frank, they are entirely unrealistic. How are two strangers supposed to raise a child together?”
“Easily,” he said. “It is much simpler if we do not let emotions get in the way. You have to know that. Our duty is to Lilly, not to each other.”
She did not look convinced. “If we are to give Lilly a stable home life, then we have a duty to each other as well. She needs a family, after all.”
“She has a family. She has a father, and now she has a mother again. What more could she want?”
She looked at him, exasperated. “You cannot really mean that.”
“Mean what? I am just speaking facts.”
“Then your facts are wrong. Children need love and compassion. They need to be raised by people who are compassionate and kind to each other because they learn from example.” She raised an eyebrow at him. “Unless you wish for her to end up in a loveless marriage.”
Irritation prickled under his skin as he remembered his first marriage. “I suggest you keep your opinions to yourself,” he said. “You have been my wife for less than five minutes. You do not have the faintest idea what my daughter needs.”
“I know what it is like to be part of a family,” she said, arching an eyebrow. “I know emotions cannot be simply shut off the way you think they can.”
“You are not acting rationally. You are unwell.” A faint sheen of sweat was glistening on her forehead now. He needed to get her out of the chapel and into the manor so he could call a physician. “We should go. Everyone else has already left the chapel.”
He did not know when the chapel had emptied out, but they were indeed alone. Most likely, their guests were waiting at the manor. Even though there would be no wedding breakfast, Marina’s family would most likely linger to say goodbye to her.
She looked at the empty chapel, surprise flickering on her face. She had been as oblivious to the guests leaving as he had been. “All right,” she said. “I am more than happy to leave for the manor.”
She picked up her skirts and strode quickly to the chapel door. Evan fell into step beside her, trying not think about the way her breathing was getting more labored with every step. When he opened the door, he found the Shirleys standing just outside the entrance, talking quietly with each other.
Lilly and her nanny had already gone back to the manor, and Carlson had probably gone with them because he was nowhere to be seen. He glanced at his wife, making sure he stayed right next to her in case she needed his arm for support.
Lady Shirley turned to look at Evan with a simpering smile. “Congratulations on your wedding, Your Grace!” she said. “It was so lov?—”
Out of his peripheral vision, Evan saw Marina waver, and he immediately stopped paying attention to Lady Shirley’s insipid platitudes. He wrapped an arm around his wife’s waist and slowed her descent as she collapsed in a dead faint. Her head bumped against the stone floor with a lightthud,and dread shot through him at the sight of her unconscious.
Amelia, Bethany, and the twins gasped audibly and quickly surrounded their sister. “Marina!” Amelia shouted, kneeling at her sister’s head. The other sisters were quick to surround her, but all of them were frozen because they were unsure what to do.
“Please, step to the side,” Evan commanded. He pushed between the girls and knelt next to his bride. Carefully, with shaking hands, he turned her around, so she was on her stomach. Hegrabbed the back of her dress and her corset and tugged on it until there was a slight tearing sound.
Marina gasped as air filled her lungs and she was finally able to breathe. Evan relaxed at the sound of her breathing and carefully picked her up in his arms, bridal style. How fitting. Her head lolled against his shoulder, and he focused on the sound of her shallow breaths to reassure himself that she was still alive and breathing.
The Shirley daughters parted the way for him, murmuring quietly with concern. He glared at Marina’s parents, who had not even seemed to notice their daughter fainting. Lady Shirley was busy trying to sneak a peek at the nearby gardens while Lord Shirley was staring off into the distance, probably thinking about his next meal.
“Lord Shirley,” he said sharply.
The man startled at the sound of his name and turned to look at the duke. “Yes, Your Grace?”
“Yourdaughteris feeling ill. Run ahead to the manor and call for a physician.” He barely kept himself from snarling out the words.How on earth can these people show so little concern for their daughter?
He would be distraught if Lilly suddenly fainted, but Lord and Lady Shirley had not even noticed. They probably did not notice how poorly Marina had been feeling on her own wedding day.
Lord Shirley looked properly cowed by Evan’s tone. He turned toward the manor and started to jog in its direction, so he could summon the first servant he saw to call for a physician.
Evan followed at a slower pace, surrounded by the rest of the Shirley ladies. All of them were looking at their sister with concern, and none of them was talking as they made the trek to the manor.
He glanced down at his bride now and then. Her face was ghostly pale, and her eyes were still closed from lack of consciousness. But at least she was still breathing.
It felt like an eternity before they reached the manor. He carried Marina straight upstairs, to the duchess’s suite, and set her down on the bed. He looked at her sisters, who were currently trying to crowd into the room. “Give her space,” he said. He gestured to a side door, which led to the duchess’s private sitting room. “You may wait in there until after the physician has examined her.”
