“I should warn him.”
“I would not. It is a kindness to wait until the last minute before informing the condemned man that the guillotine awaits him.”
A faint rustle entered the chamber. Adam turned to see Clara and her grandmother.
Clara always appeared beautiful to him. Even with hair mussed after a hard ride, or striding on city streets in black, the sight of her always made his heart flip. Now it jumped. Her dress and hair dazzled him, and her expression glowed with joy.
He just stared for a moment before remembering himself. He stood and went to her and gave her a kiss. “The carriages are ready, darling. Theo has already gone outside. You look so magnificent I may find it hard to speak the vows because my heart will be in my throat.”
They shared a private gaze full of their love. It might have gone on forever if a commanding voice had not interfered.
“If the carriages are here, we should go,” the dowager countess intoned.
Adam looked over in time to see the other two people in the chamber gazing at each other. Clara’s grandmother’s eyes held their flinty glint. His mother’s showed only amusement and warmth, but her hand gently stroked the unbound pages ofParnassus. Then she stood and walked around the table. She kissed Clara’s grandmother, to the older woman’s astonishment. Then she embraced and kissed Clara herself.
Clara would have preferred a quiet wedding, but that became impossible once she allowed her grandmother a free hand. She entered a church full of people. The oddity of a marriage between these two families might be responsible for the attendance of some of them, but her grandmother’s influence no doubt made this a command performance for many others. There were rumors that some ladies of the ton felt obligated to delay their departure from town so they could be present.
None of that mattered once she stood beside Adam in front of them all, with Brentworth and Emilia serving as witnesses. Only Adamexisted then. She waited for the vows, immersed in memories of their arguments, then their passion and finally their love. She marveled that she had chosen to marry after all, and this man of all men.
Misgivings had plagued her last night, but none did now. She looked over at his handsome profile. He noticed and their gazes met.
Vows would be exchanged soon, but she saw the promises he made without words. He had spoken them two nights ago before they parted.You can trust me with your love and your life and your dreams. I will always be faithful. I will never try to change who you are. You hold my own heart in your hands.
The minister stepped in front of them. The church hushed. They spoke the words that bound them together forever. She did not hesitate when her turn came.
Adam guided Clara through the crush of people seeing them off. When they made it to the carriage, Clara released his arm and spoke quietly to his coachman, then allowed the footman to hand her inside.
He settled beside her. “I am grateful to address you as my duchess, Duchess.”
“And I am grateful to have you as my husband.” She leaned in to kiss him.
“So now we face an interminable wedding breakfast before we can be alone. I suppose it would be scandalous to have my way with you right now. It would probably ruin that dress. Nor will there be time.”
“Actually, there might be.”
What an odd thing to say. He worked out the possibility in his mind all the same.
Then the carriage took an unexpected turn.
“You vixen. Did you tell him to take a long ride first?” He reached for her as the possibilities expanded.
“Not exactly. I did give him a destination besides your home, however. I have something to show you before we join our guests there.”
“It could not wait?”
“I think it has waited a bit too long, truth be told.”
He knew there were men surprised by all kinds of discoveries right after they wed. Mostly unwelcomed ones. Even scandalous ones. Clara would never save the latter until after the wedding, of course.
They rolled through town at a good pace, heading east. “What is this about, darling?”
She gave him an impish smile. “Mysterious doings.”
“I intended to discover those on my own.”
“Yet you never did.”
“I was distracted. I also concluded there was nothing much to discover.”
