Page 74 of An Earl for the Archeress

“I will only obey if I agree upon whatever command has been leveled against me,” she interrupted.

“Eh, Lord Robert?” questioned Father Tucker nervously.

Robert began to chuckle. Then laugh. “Continue, good man of the cloth. No one can make her obey. But for the sake of the ceremony, my sweet, innocent rose, do be agreeable.”

“Right. Sorry,” she murmured and put her head down again.

“These vows,” continued the priest, shaking his head, “though conducted in haste, are words that cannot be lived out in haste. Are you certain that you make the right choice tonight?”

Robert nodded, confirming they both understood the ramifications of their actions, and was heartened when he saw her defer to him.

Father Tucker continued in Latin for some minutes when Robert realized she squeezed his hand too hard again. Except he was also squeezing hers. It hit him. They were about to be married. He was about to defy both her father and his king. He had much riding on this decision, as did she. And in that moment, he realized he had wanted to marry her all along. That night, by the fire in the woods when she had planned to go to London, his confusion on the matter was only because he’d known in his heart it was time to make a pledge to a woman.

…

Mariel steadied her thoughts as Father Tucker chanted. There was no fine veil to drop over their heads or scented garlands of woven foliage to ring around both their necks as they listened to their marital requirements. There were no guests in attendance. The banns had not been posted. There was no feast upon departure.

And yet there were also no bachelors squabbling for her clothing, stripping her bare for her marriage bed in hopes to bring luck to their search for a young and fertile wife, hooting and yelling beneath their bedchamber window as Robert made love to her for the first time. There were no guests to please and no endless lines of well-wishers. For Mariel, this was perfect. It was Robert and her, and she was about to be his wife.

“Rise, Robert. Lady Mariel, remain in supplication to your lord and repeat your vows.” Those words tore her out of her thoughts. “Do you vow to give yourself, body and heart, to Robert Huntington? To love him faithfully and let no other man come betwixt you?”

She had to agree, she realized. And of course she would never cuckold Robert, but saying so in a state of submission chafed. Still, she managed to nod once and state, “aye,” though she could not convince her eyes to look upward.

“To be obedient, his loyal servant, to deny him not, and uphold your duties as his wife?” he continued.

“So long as he continues to treat me kindly, aye.”

Father Tucker looked up to Robert shakily. “Eh, my lord—”

“I want it to be known before God.” She shrugged.

“Continue, Father,” Robert said.

Now Tucker rolled his eyes, but then looked back down at the open bible in his hands.

“Do you vow to honor and respect him, forsaking all others?”

She nodded and looked up at him. Their eyes locked. “Aye.”

He didn’t smile as he returned her gaze. But she could see his pulse racing at his neck. She had just placed her faith and trust in him. Pray he never abused it.

“Rise, my lady,” the priest said. “Lady” was spoken with a hint of doubt, but Mariel ignored it and did as he bade. “Lord Huntington, please kneel and take thy lady’s hand.”

Robert did, slowly lowering to one knee, and reached up to take her left hand. He held it in both hands, looking up at her, his fingers actually trembling.

“Do you, my lord, take this woman, to love and cherish, to provide for her living?”

One corner of his mouth tipped up, his eyes locked on her glittering green ones. “Aye,” he said, and she smiled at his Scottish affirmative.

Even now he jested, she realized, to cover up the discomfort of his own feelings.

“And to protect with thy sword and thy life, if needs be?”

Robert nodded again, still watching her. “I will protect her at all costs.”

She gazed at him, feeling the squeeze of his fingers around hers. A tear welled in her eye and rolled down her cheek, falling onto his hand. His eyes crinkled in concern, except she smiled at him and reached out, caressing his cheek. Those words, now spoken before God, bore more meaning than Robert would ever know.

“To love faithfully, in all matters of life’s hardships, and to deny her not?”