“Of course. But how did you get in?”
“The window. Which is the way we’re both going to get out.” He nodded to the fluttering drapes at her window box.
“Did you locate the cloaked figure? Do you have—”
Declan shook his head. “I searched the park for an hour, but there was no trace. I was afraid to spare any more time. I’ve... I’ve had a change of heart, Helena. That is, a change ofplans. I used the time to make arrangements.”
Helena’s rapidly beating heart seized. She stared at his face in the dark. “What change?” she asked cautiously.
“About our future. That is, your future with me. I agree that we should get married. If you will have me. I’ve located a priest who will do it.”
For a long moment, Helena did not move. She examined the words, making sure she had heard correctly. She hesitated, waiting for him to reverse what he said.
He stared at her. “Helena?”
She threw back the covers and leapt up. Working quickly, she began to gather her garments. A dress—she would dress darkly like him—stockings, slippers...
“But where will we go?” she asked, dropping into a chair to slide on her stockings.
“To his church,” he said, watching her ease the silk up her legs. After a long moment, he spun around, staring at the wall. “But we must go now and be back before sunrise.”
“You’ve located a priest who conducts weddings in the middle of the night?”
“Actually, it’s early morning. Father Thomas—this priest is called Father Thomas—has parish commitments on Sundays. And Monday is Girdleston’s birthday. It’s tonight or—”
“Tonight,” she proclaimed, pushing from the chair.
Years later, she would amuse herself by looking back on her wedding night. How he came to her through the window, told her they would marry, and carried her down the side of Lusk House on the trellis. He’d turned his back modestly while she’d dressed. They spoke so very little, afraid of awakening the house. They’d already said so much, and the ramifications of what they were about to do felt too significant to say out loud.
When they left Lusk House, Declan hailed a hackney cab and they clattered across London squished beside each other on the seat, clutching both hands.
“What made you change your mind?” she finally asked.
“You don’t want to know.”
“Ever the romantic,” she said. “I do want to know. Tell me.”
He looked down at her. “If I marry you now, in the Catholic church, and if wedo notconsummate the marriage, then you may annul the union later.”
“I will no—”
“Stop. You asked for a reason, and I’m giving it. I’ll only do this if you have choices. You cannot predict what you’ll want.”
“I can predict what I want—how very hard is it to know one’s own mind?—and I’ve been predicting it from the beginning. You’ve been the only one to listen. Until now.”
“I am listening,” he said, “but so must you. For once.”
They traveled another block. Helena weighed the odds of challenging him. Finally, she said, “Is that what you want? To marry now and seek an annulment later?”
“It is the best I can arrange for now,” he said. “I cannot, in good conscience, bind you to me in my... current situation. I want you to have a way to be rid of me, just in case you—”
He stopped. Finally, he added, “Just in case.”
“So you are marrying mefor the moment?”
“I am marrying you, Helena. Please let us leave it at that. The decision to do it was exceedingly hard-met, and very soul-wrenching, but I’ve found a way.
“AndI’ve located this priest,” he added. “He even knows a clerk who will sign the license.
