Nathanielshookhishead."Ithinkwecanforget thatridiculousceremony,"hestated."Godknowsifit waslegal,butI'mpreparedtoforgetiteverhappened."
"Well,I'mnot,"Gabriellesaidfirmly."AndIthink it'smostunchivalrousofyoutosuggestImightbecome abigamist."
"Don'tmakeajokeofthis."
"Well,Idon'tknowwhatelsetodo,"sheretorted. "You'rebeingabsurd."
"I'mbeinghonest,"hesnapped."AndI'mtryingto saveyoufrommakingamistake."
"Oh." She stood up, her eyes flashing. "Well, let me tell you, Nathaniel Praed, that I don't need saving from anything, and I'll make whatever mistakes I choose. And if that includes marrying an arrogant, miserable, self-willed, ill-tempered, misanthropic bastard, then so be it."
"You are a termagant," Nathaniel declared as honeyed relief flowed in his veins.
"Well, maybe you'd like to think twice about marrying me, in that case."
"Oh, I have," he said with a slow grin. "Many times. It doesn't seem to make any difference though."
"Bastard," she said again, but with a responding grin, relieved in her turn that the painful intensity had dissipated. He'd change his mind once he was secure in their marriage. There was plenty of time.
"And as it happens, I do have an opinion on black ribbons," Nathaniel said. "I won't permit them. This is a wedding, not a wake." He pulled her to him, pushing up her chin. "And once we're married, I won't tolerate being savaged by a disrespectful virago either. Is that clear?"
Before she could respond, he sealed the statement with his mouth on hers, his hands sliding around her body to cup her buttocks, pressing her hard against him until he felt the playful resistance leave her. Her mouth was soft and yielding beneath his, her body moving against him of its own accord.
The door burst open at this inopportune moment. "Gabby… Gabby… can I… oh-" Jake stood openmouthed in the doorway, staring.
Nathaniel released Gabrielle and turned slowly, bending a stern eye on his blushing son. "I believe you forgot something," he said. "What do you normally do outside a closed door?"
Jake shuffled his feet. "Knock."
"Precisely. I suggest you go back outside and start again."
"It's easy to forget in all the excitement," Gabrielle said.
Jake shot her a grateful look and rapidly disappeared.
"You shouldn't make excuses for him," Nathaniel said, frowning.
"Oh, but he was so embarrassed, poor lad."
"It could have been a great deal more embarrassing…" Nathaniel's frown deepenec as he regarded the closed door. "Now what's he doing?"
"Perhaps he's too uncomfortable to try again."
Nathaniel shook his head and impatiently opened the door. Jake was standing in the corridor, chewing his lip. "Did you want to talk to Gabrielle?" his father demanded.
"Yes, sir." Jake nodded.
"Well, come in, then." Nathaniel waved him in and Jake scuttled past him. Clasping his hands tightly, he gazed intensely up at Gabrielle and spoke in a rush.
"Primmy says that when people get married they have page boys," he blurted out. "Can I be your page boy when you marry Papa?"
"Yes, of course you can." Gabrielle bent to kiss the earnest little face. "I would be honored… and so would Papa." She glanced up at Nathaniel and Jake's anxious eyes followed hers.
"Yes, I would," Nathaniel said gravely. "In fact, I'd like you to do something very important. I need someone to hold the ring and give it to me at the right moment. Do you think you could do that?"
Jake's face was scarlet, his brown eyes huge, and he could only nod vigorously. Then abruptly he turned and ran from the room, and they could hear his shrieking whoop of excitement receding down the corridor as he headed for the nursery stairs.
"Now, that, Papa, was an inspiration," Gabrielle approved, smiling. "And it deserve? a kiss."
"More than that, I believe," Nathaniel said. "But I think I'll lock the door."
******************************************************************
The next afternoon Jake stood behind his father in the dim, musty light of the village church, waiting for Gabrielle. He clutched the gold circle that Papa had given him so tightly that it seemed to be ingrained in his hot, sticky palm.
Papa had said there wouldn't be anyone there but their three guests and Primmy and Mrs. Bailey, and any of the household who might want to give up part of a Saturday afternoon to see Lord Praed married, but in fact the church was full. The entire village had turned out, as well as the estate workers and tenants.
Jake's stomach was fluttering. Supposing he missed the right moment, or, horror of horrors, dropped the ring. He stared down at the uneven flagstones at his feet and imagined the bright little circle of gold rolling away under one of the pews among all those feet.
He took a step closer to Papa and tugged his coat with his free hand. "What happens if I drop it," he said in a loud whisper that reached the front pews.
"We'll just pick it up again," Nathaniel said with a calm smile.
Jake nodded, but kept hold of his father's coat. It made him feel better.
There was a rustling in the church, people turned their heads toward the door, and Jake looked too. Gabby was walking up the aisle with Lord Vanbrugh. She was smiling, acknowledging the people in the pews, and when she reached Jake, she bent down and kissed him.
"I might drop it," he whispered.
"Then we'll pick it up," she said, just like Papa, and he knew it wouldn't matter. He let go of his father's coat and looked confidently around as Reverend Addison began to speak in his Sunday voice.
"I think I'm going to cry," Georgie said matter-of-factly to Miles. "Doesn't Gabby look wonderful?"
She did, Miles agreed. Nathaniel had prevailed over the black ribbons and she wore a blue-gray gown opening over a half-slip of Valenciennes lace, her hair piled high and held in place with a pearl-encrusted silver fillet. Pearls encircled her throat and wrists, and their creamy pallor seemed to blend with her skin, accentuating the dark eyes and the vivid fire of her hair.
Nathaniel's head whirled. He wondered if he would ever become so used to her that she would no longer take his breath away. And then she gave him her crooked little smile and there was a gleam of mischievous invitation in her eye, and he knew that she would never lose the power to enchant him.
"With this ring I thee wed," the Reverend Addison intoned.