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“I pronounce that they be Man and Wife together, In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”
Finn bent and kissed her, although the vicar didn’t seem too pleased by that.
Robin coughed into his closed fist in warning, just as Claire’s father stepped toward them. Finn pulled her into his chest and hugged her hard. “She’s mine now,” he said playfully to her father.
“That won’t keep me from kicking your—”
Claire rushed to cut him off. “Is there cake?”
“Of course, there’s cake,” her mother said, as the footmen brought in a cart full of tiny cake squares, little sandwiches, and tea. “Let’s all take a seat, shall we?”
***
How had she gotten here? How had Claire gotten to this place where everything fit so right? She’d never even liked this world, much less the people in it. She’d believed in magic and only magic, and had eschewed anything that didn’t have magical origins. Her life had been simple—she’d had her missions, her brother and sister, and her grandparents. She had her magical homeland, and it was her refuge.
All of her boxes had been neatly stacked where they belonged, until she came here and they were scattered and turned on their side. But now Finn was her refuge. He was her everything. Finn’s cheek was splotchy where her father had hit him. He would certainly have a bruise there tomorrow. He touched his fingertips to it and winced, and then bent down so she could kiss it softly. Her lips lingered over his skin, warm and firm.
He’d put her boxes all back in order for her. They sat nicely upon the shelves, all stacked and tidy. They were solid, firmly supported by her family, her friends, and her husband. Claire laid a hand on her belly and thought about how she’d felt a few short weeks ago.
She’d been desperate to escape her life, to run far, far away from everything she considered to be home. But now he was home. He winked at her. Heat crept up her cheeks.
She loved. She loved him the way she’d never loved anyone, and she couldn’t wait to tell him. That night, she could just imagine climbing on top of him, fluffing her wings, and encouraging him to touch them. To learn them as he’d learned every other part of her body. She needed for him to embrace that part of her, just as she was willing to give it all up to be with him.
She would give him children and love him until the day she died. If someone told her today that she would have to give up her wings to be with him, she would do so. She couldn’t wait to tell him all about it that night.
Wilkins, the butler, stepped into the room and crossed to speak to His Grace. He handed the duke a missive, sealed with a wax marker. Finn leaned over the duke’s shoulder to read as he did. His face blanched.
“What’s wrong?” Claire asked.
He took her hand and led her down the corridor to the duke’s study. “I think we have a problem,” he said as he closed the door.
“What is it?”
He held the missive out to her, and she took it with trembling fingers.
Dear Lord Phineas Trimble,
Bedfordshire is lovely this time of year.
It wasn’t signed, but it didn’t need to be. Only one person could have sent it. Mayden. The Earl of Mayden had found out where Katherine was, and he’d gone there.
“Is your man still there?”
Finn nodded as he began to pace.
“Then Katherine will be fine, right?”
Finn didn’t look certain, but he nodded. “Probably.”
“What do you think we should do?”
“I can send more men.” Finn continued to pace back and forth across the floor. “But I really wouldn’t feel comfortable sending anyone else into the situation blind.”
The door opened and Robin stepped into the room, followed by Sophia. “What do you want to do?”
“It’s my wedding day. I want to take my wife home.”
Robin just looked at him.
