Page 85 of His Wicked Secret
Audrey’s coach stopped in front of St. George’s, and she held her breath. A flutter of nerves made her place one hand over her stomach. She’d kept her bodice loose and hadn’t worn any stays beneath her gown in order to give her room to breathe without her wound being rubbed too much. She wasn’t as fashionable looking as she’d hoped to be on her wedding day, but at least she was alive andfinallymarrying Jonathan.
“You ready?” Cedric asked as he helped her out of her coach.
“I am.” She held her hands and looked up into his face. “Are you?”
Her older brother smiled. “To let you grow up and be a wife and mother? Never, but I couldn’t give you away to a better man.” His voice grew rough with emotion. “If Mother and Father could see you now, they would be so proud of you.” His eyes misted as he cleared his throat.
“Now, don’t you start,” she said with a sniffle. “If Jonathan sees me crying, he will worry.”
Cedric nodded, trying to pull himself together as well.
“Then we’d best get you married before I make a damned fool of myself.” He laughed, wiping at his eyes.
Cedric opened the doors of the church, and they met the crowd that awaited them. Audrey beamed, feeling beautiful in her pale rose gown. There were pearls on the bodice, and Belgian lace trimmed her sleeves and the hem. It was simple but elegant, the best kind of gown, and one she would certainly wear again. Her stomach had managed to heal except for an angry red scar that was still tender, but she was able to wear a slightly closer fitted dress without too much pain now.
Her brother escorted her down the aisle, where Jonathan stood waiting nervously. Ever since their return from France, he’d been so open, so affectionate. It took nearly losing each other to find out how deep their love for one another actually ran.
They shared their vows to love and honor each other and were pronounced man and wife. Jonathan cupped her face, and despite—or perhaps because of—the scandalous whispers it would cause later, he placed a lingering kiss of honey and fire upon her lips for all to see.
“Would it be terribly rude to banish everyone so we might enjoy our wedding night early?” she asked when they broke apart.
“Terribly rude.” Jonathan winked. “But since when do either of us care about propriety? Say the word and I’ll have them banished.”
“Ahem,” Charles cut in from behind. “No one is to do any banishing until I have had a slice of wedding cake. That shall be my reward for sitting through yetanotherbloody wedding.”
“Soon it will beyourturn,” Audrey informed him.
“Not likely,” Charles shot back, but she didn’t miss the glimmer of hope in his eyes.
“I’m certain Lady Society has much to say on the subject.” She bit her lip to keep from giggling at Charles’s horrified expression.
“Oh dear,” Jonathan muttered in amusement.
“Lady Society can mind her own business for once.” Charles huffed and walked off, his young valet, Linley, trotting after him. Audrey knew he wasn’t as angry as he was pretending to be. She grinned a little impishly.
“Oh no, are you smiling?” Jonathan asked.
She giggled, ignoring the twinge of pain in her stomach. “Perhaps.”
“You’re scheming already.”
“Darling, I’malwaysscheming.”
“You know what I mean. You have someone in mind for Charles. Another Lady Society matchmaking plot?”
“No, no. I don’t think there is muchIcan do for Charles, to be honest. He’s too closed. Too wary.”
Jonathan tucked Audrey’s arm in his, and they walked back down to find the coach that would take them to his—no,their—home for the wedding breakfast. “Then why are you smiling?”
“Because I believe sometimes matters simply take care of themselves. Sometimes from the most unlikely of places.”
“You sound like a blasted oracle.”
She couldn’t stop laughing at the mystified expression on her husband’s face.
My husband.She’d waited so long to really use those words. Jonathan grasped her waist gently and set her in the carriage. It was thankfully a warm day for mid-November, but she couldn’t resist pressing against Jonathan, who wrapped an arm around her shoulders and tucked her into his side.
“Better?” he asked.
