Page 68 of The Scarlet Lady's Duke of Desire
"You did?" James raised an eyebrow and gripped her tighter.
"I wish to invite the Favershams to the wedding."
Though her mother had insisted that the invite had already been sent, it was not entirely true. The invitation had been written though it was the last one still sitting upon the desk, waiting until she was certain.
James' shock was evident in the way he took a half-step backwards and gazed at her as though she had gone quite mad. "After all that Lady Florence attempted? Are you quite certain?"
Melody lifted her hand to cup his cheek and smiled warmly up at him. It was clear from his reaction that he only sought to protect her.
"Yes, I wish to put the past behind us once and for all," Melody explained, stepping closer to him when he urged her to do so with his hands upon her lower back. "Besides, if we did not invite them that might give credence to Lady Florence's accusations and then how would it make us look?"
"I do not care what the rest of thetonthinks of us," James insisted and he pulled her close, pressing a gentle kiss to the tip of her nose. "I merely care for you to be my wife."
"And I feel the very same way. Though I also wish to begin our lives together on the right foot," Melody announced.
Her fiancé surprised her then by kissing her almost violently upon the lips. He held her so close that she felt herself melting into him, her lips growing bruised with his passion.
Knees growing weak, she felt as though his arms around her were the only thing holding her up.
It was only when he eased up that she whispered, "What was that for?"
"Simply for being an amazing woman," James announced, kissing her again before he added, "Your easy-going nature astounds me. I could never so easily forgive."
Melody pursed her lips. She had not forgiven. Shaking her head, she said, "I must admit, I have not forgiven, but I shall agree to attempt to forget."
James kissed her again, his hands holding her face in place as though he was terrified that she might try to pull away.
It was only when the maid cleared her throat that Melody realised they were not alone. She gasped in shock as she also found her hands had instinctively risen to the front of James' waistcoat, her fingers working on the buttons.
James smirked down at her and gripped her hands where they remained on his chest. "Perhaps we ought to save this for the wedding night."
Chapter 35
Though Melody had dreamt of her wedding day ever since she was a little girl, she had never dared to believe that it would be so grand.
Just three months after James' proposal, she met him at the head of the isle, standing before practically every member of theton.It appeared that every invitation they had sent had been accepted and to Melody it felt as though the entire world had turned out to see her wed.
In the post-chaise afterwards, Melody felt as though she had gone deaf save for the rapid beating of her own heart in her ears.
"I…I cannot believe so many turned up," Melody exclaimed, sitting so close to her husband that she was practically sat upon his lap.
He wrapped his arms around her and held her close, kissing her over and over before he said, "You ought get used to it. You are a duchess now. People will flock far and wide just to be in your presence."
Melody shivered at that. There was only one person whose presence she wished to be in right now. With her hands free after having thrown her bouquet for the awaiting ladies, Melody gripped her husband close and kissed him.
Afterwards, she nuzzled close, resting against him for the ride to the reception where their guests would be awaiting them.
The gentle rocking of the post-chaise made her quite tired. After excitement of the ceremony and having spent the last few months planning like a madwoman, the adrenaline had worn off and when next she opened her eyes, she realised that she must have fallen asleep.
When she lifted her head to look around, she realised she did not recognise their surroundings. The carriage had stopped, but they had not arrived at her parents’ townhouse, where her father had insisted upon hosting their post-wedding celebrations.
Instead, she recognised the greenery of Hyde Park just in the distance.
"James, what are we doing here?" She asked, yawning.
"I have something I wish to show you," James told her.
"James, our guests shall begin to talk!"
