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"Absolutely."
"Then I shan't lock you in your room until the wedding. If you promise to behave yourself."
"I'm sure I'll try the best I can."
Edward's face reddened again, but Marissa's smile widened. She stopped to kiss Jude's cheek before floating from the room, and on that note, he faced the York brothers with far more happiness than the situation called for.
"Well," Aidan said, "You got what you wanted."
"Your sister loves me." He said the words, and they felt real his lips. Jude found himself truly believing it for the first time. "You may find it as difficult to fathom as I do, but it's true."
Edward snorted. "And you think that will last?"
He gestured at Jude as if his very being made the words a joke.
"Don't underestimate her," Jude said. The words were quiet, but he saw the way they hit Edward. "I would not love her if she weren't strong and intelligent and capable of seeing me for who I am."
Edward ran a weary hand through his hair while Aidan escaped to the sideboard to pour himself a drink. After shooting a dark look at Jude, he poured two more drinks and offered one to each of the men.
Jude took his glass and slopped Aidan with a hand on his sleeve. "I apologize for speaking so callously. And .. ." He cleared his throat. "I apologize again to both of you for betraying my word. If it's unforgivable, I can accept that. But I'll marry your sister, regardless."
Edward looked up at the ceiling for a moment; then he shook his head and stood to offer his hand. "You did this family a priceless service. I can't resent that it might actually turn out for the best."
Jude shook his hand. "Thank you."
"Congratulations."
Aidan did not slap him on the back and claim that all was well. Instead he slumped into a chair and drained his whole glass in one swallow. "As you once made clear, the line marking decent and dishonorable is a shaky, twisting thing. You were right then, and you are right now. And who has honor ever served, anyway?"
"I'll treat her well," Jude said quietly.
"I can see that." Aidan waved a dismissive hand and pushed to his feet. "Well, welcome to the blasted family. You'll fit right in, clearly."
Both men seemed content to leave it at that.
Jude felt a small sense of relief. He'd stepped into this room knowing he would marry Marissa, regardless of their objections. Still, his heart pounded with satisfaction as he escaped to find his bride.
Marissa loved him, and she was bright and brave and, yes, a tiny bit shallow. And he loved her.
The rest of society could go to hell. What did it matter what the rest of England thought of him, if Marissa loved him for the man he was? He needed nothing more than her.
And soon enough, it would be official. The family had given their reluctant blessing. The danger of public scandal had finally passed, and now Jude was looking forward to a lifetime of private debauchery.
A month suddenly seemed a long time to wait.
Chapter 25
The ceremony was, by all accounts, lovely. Marissa could remember nothing of it but Jude's hands around hers, and his happy eyes and secret smile. And then he'd kissed her and they'd left the chapel in a shower of good wishes and flower petals. It was done.
Once again, the rush to the altar had proved unnecessary, but Marissa would not have put off this day for anything.
She glowed. She knew she did, and it was confirmed by the whispers around her as they entered the wedding ball and were presented as man and wife.
"The bride ..."
"So beautiful..."
r /> "Like an angel ..." No one said anything about the groom. But to Marissa he was far more an angel than she. One of God's warrior angels, perhaps, equipped with a great steel sword instead of a harp. He was fierce and gentle and so protective that he'd only let her sneak into his room twice more in the month since she'd convinced him to stay.
