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With a sudden rush of confusion, Alice wondered whether holy matrimony was truly only ink blotted on a registry. Or should a wedding mean something more? Would she come to regret tying her fortunes to his, despite the freedom being a married woman with a disinterested and otherwise occupied husband could afford her?
“Miss Tombs?” The priest’s voice rattled through her mind.
Alice snapped back to the room. “Pardon?”
“Wilt thou have this man to thy wedded husband, to live together after God’s ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony? Wilt thou obey him, and serve him, love, honor, and keep him...”
Obeyhim? Serve him?
The priest stared at her expectantly.
Hatherly tapped one foot on the marble floor, crushing one of her runaway pearls.
She couldn’t promise to obey and serve him.
What if he decided to interpret those words literally and keep her in England as his scullery maid?
“Having second thoughts, Dimples?” Hatherly whispered in her ear.
“You know I won’t obey you, right?” she whispered back.
“You’ll obey me in bed,” was the extremely inappropriate response he delivered with a smoldering look that made her cheeks too warm, as if she’d fallen asleep next to a burning candle.
“And I won’t serve you, either,” she whispered.
“I’ll serve you, young lady,” he responded with a devilish grin. “You’ll receive just what you deserve tonight.”
The priest glared so ferociously that Alice nearly giggled. “The Lord might smite you for that, Lord Hatherly.”
How did he overcome her resistance and dissolve her fear with only a few playful words? Her body had gone boneless with longing, and her thoughts had flown ahead to the wedding night.
Alice darted a backward glance at her best friends. Charlene was frowning, probably thinking about her warning to Alice.
Be very, very careful, sweetheart.
“Ahem.” The priest cleared his throat. “May we continue?”
“Remember,” Hatherly whispered. “My solicitor is finalizing the contract you asked me to prepare. You’ll go your way and I’ll stay right here.”
She’d completely forgotten the contract. The set of rules and parameters for their convenient arrangement. If both of them followed the rules, everything would go as planned.
Hatherly pressed her hand. “Take a deep breath,” he said. “And trust me.”
The sound of excited whispers swept through the room. Every second of delay meant the tantalizing possibility of scandal.
“Miss Tombs?” the priest asked again.
Alice inhaled deeply. “I will.”
