Morgan, who stood at his side, gave him a rueful grin. “She’s beautiful. I’ll give you that.”
“Yes,” Adrian murmured. “She certainly is.”
Her dark hair was piled into an intricate knot atop her head, with satiny tendrils curling about her slim neck. The pale cream gown was cut low, and emeralds sparkled upon the upper curves of her magnificent chest. Her dark eyes met his, and what he saw there stilled his rioting emotions.
Actress, she may be, but he chose to believe the concern and care in her gaze were authentic.
His mother had done wonders with Lucien’s conservatory, filling it with flowers, candles, and ribbons. Less than fifty guests were in attendance, sitting in five rows of chairs on either side of the aisle. There were still too many, as far as he was concerned, but they were all family or old friends, no one here to simply gawk.
He’d caught a glimpse of Gabriel sitting beside Morgan’s wife, Anne, but had refused to meet his mother’s gaze. He’d deal with her later.
At last, Lucien delivered Vanessa to his side, giving him an encouraging smile as he took his place beside Morgan. Vanessa lifted her gaze tremulously to his as he took her arm and turned to face the minister.
The ceremony passed in a blur, and before he knew it, Vanessa Bourke was his wife.
“Kiss her,” Morgan coaxed with a laugh, and Adrian realized he’d missed the minister’s prompt to do so.
Vanessa stared up at him, her heart in her eyes, and he couldn’t resist. He bent his head and touched his lips to hers, catching his breath when she wrapped her arms around his neck and stood on tiptoe, turning the chaste kiss he’d meant to give her into something far more passionate.
Laughter erupted around them, and then a smattering of applause. He finally forced himself to pull away, a little embarrassed.
“We’re married,” Vanessa said softly.
“Yes,” he said grimly. “We are.”
God help us both.
Chapter Seventeen
The wedding brunchwas served in the earl’s ornate dining room, a cavernous room decorated in green and gold, with extraordinary china atop a table that looked as though it could seat at least twenty.
Vanessa prepared herself for it to be nearly as excruciating as the engagement party had been.
Most of the wedding guests had already left, including Fiona, who needed to get back to Brookhaven. The twenty or so people who filed into the room seemed to be mostly Adrian’s family, but Vanessa still felt awkward and unwanted.
Gabriel had been taken to the nursery with the other children, and Vanessa felt as though she hadn’t a soul on her side, not even Adrian, who, after that rather spectacular kiss, had proceeded to completely ignore her.
