Page 57 of A Rogue to Forget

Hannah reached up to touch his jaw. “You went to all this for me. How can I possibly say no? Yes. I will marry you.”

With a loud laugh, Henry wrapped his arms around her and turned in a circle. “She said yes.”

“What if she’d not agreed?” The priest shook his head. “I would’ve been cross to be up for this only to learn the lass wanted nothing to do with you.”

*

They held handswhile exchanging vows, the sounds of the wind outside the only accompaniment to the ceremony. At the same time, Hannah could not think of anything so romantic.

The candles’ flickers played along the floors, walls, and faces of the five people gathered. Henry’s soft gaze locked to hers as he professed to be faithful. Her voice shook when repeating the vows, a tear trailing down her cheek when they were pronounced husband and wife.

It wasn’t until the priest pronounced them husband and wife and the other informed them a room had been prepared for them that Hannah finally felt as if it was all real.

She turned to Henry as they walked back out of the chapel to a small courtyard. “I cannot believe this. Marta will be horrified when waking and finding me gone.”

“I left a message stating that you and I had gone to get married and to keep our secret.”

Hannah wasn’t sure what to say. “In the morning, I believe that I will be quite perturbed with you.”

Instead of a reply, Henry gave her a devilish look.

The room they were shown was nicer than she expected. There was a four-poster bed, a washstand, and a wooden chest at the foot of the bed.

“Someone from the village will be here early and cook tomorrow,” Father Bruce said. His gentle eyes met Hannah’s. “I have known Henry since we were lads. He is a good man.”

“He is,” Hannah replied. “Thank you for staying up and doing all this for us.”

The priest chuckled, and Hannah realized he was a rather handsome man. Much too handsome for a man of the cloth, in her opinion.

She smiled back. “Henry did not give me a choice.”

When the door closed, every emotion she’d suppressed seemed to erupt. Arms extended she turned in a circle, face up, broad smile stretching. It was so freeing for some reason to do something so reckless. Her entire life had been changed in the span of the last two hours. Arguably, her entire existence had taken a turn the day her father died.

Tears streamed down her face as she came to a stop, and she rushed to the window to peer out into the darkness. “I cannot say I’m happy about how you went about this.”

Seeming to understand she needed time, Henry stood back. It was such the way they’d gotten to know one another over the span of the last few months that he understood what she felt.

Hannah turned to face her new husband. “But I am so very glad you did it. If not, you and I would have allowed others to influence us and in the end, we would lose ourselves.”

“I believe so, yes. However, it was my father who urged me to take control of things. Would I have otherwise? I am not sure.”

It took a great deal of humility for him to admit it and yet by doing so, he grew in her estimation.

“Thank you for loving me enough.” Henry neared. “For allowing me to spirit you away and marrying me. Thank you for being brave for the both of us.”

Tears welled up in her eyes. “I love you Henry Aaron Campbell. As an added prize, I learned your middle name.”

Both laughed.

“I already knew yours, Hannah Elizabeth,” Henry quipped. “I once asked Felicity.”

“You did?” It seemed a strange conversation to have at the moment when the bed loomed so large. Butterflies swooped and twirled in her stomach each time she glanced at it.

“Come.” Henry took her hand and brought her closer to him. “Think of nothing but what is in the moment.”

They kissed. It was a different sort of kiss, one of propriety almost. Hannah marveled in the knowledge that this man was her husband. That they would spend the rest of their lives together.

When his lips traveled from her lips down the side of her throat, she clung to him, wishing for the moment to never end.