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“Saddleworth is lovely,” she agreed. “And we shall be very happy there in the summer and winter months,I’msure.”
“But you’re still going to insist onLondon?”
She sighed into the darkness. “Rachel will come out next Season, Marc. And Callie and Emma aren’t that far behind her. For them to navigate Society at some point, they have to live in it. We can’t keep them locked away like princesses in some fairy-taletower.”
“They’re ten years old,” he said. “Fairy-tale towers are the perfect places for girls that age. And as for Rachel, it’s not too late to send her to that conventIknow.”
Caroline laughed slightly against his chest. “Depending on how next Season goes, let’s keep thatoptionopen.”
Chapter30
When Caroline was barely fifteen,she’d walked down the aisle at St. George’s Church in Hanover and was quite terrified about the idea of marrying a man she didn’t know at all. In the end, David Benton had been the mildest mannered gentleman of her acquaintance, and the idea that she’d ever been frightened of him had been quite laughable in the years thatfollowed.
Now here she was at thirty-two, preparing to walk across the yellow parlor at Haversham House quite eager to marry a man with a dangerous reputation and from whom any other rational lady would run in the opposite direction. Things had definitely changed in her life and in her view of the world since she wasfifteen.
And now she was going to be a mother again. That fact alone should terrify her, especially at her age and since her own mother had perished in childbirth. But she wasn’t afraid. And she wasn’t afraid of Marc’s past coming back to haunt them or anything of the like. Being afraid wouldn’t do her any good, or anyone else for that matter, so she simply refused to give any sort of credence to any of those thoughts, and instead she focused on the wonderful life they were going to sharetogether.
She loved Marcus Gray with all her heart. Every arrogant, exasperating and…remarkableinch of him. He truly was her knight in tarnished armor, and she wanted the world to know how much sheadoredhim.
Marc’s parlor was overflowing with their friends and family, more than she would have ever dared to hope for. Luke had been the most wonderful brother, as he’d ridden for Eton to make sure Adam could walk Caroline down the aisle, or across the room, so to speak. All of their collective children were in attendance, and Rachel even seemed happy for them. Emma and Callie were over the moon that they were to be sisters in reality. Luke and Juliet beamed at her from the far side of the parlor. And even Robert had abandoned his brood in Dorset to be there for her as well. There were so many smiling faces, she couldn’t even count them all, and Caroline couldn’t remember a time she’d ever been sohappy.
“You’re sure about this, Mother?” her son Adam, Viscount Staveley, asked, glancing up at her from their spot in thethreshold.
Caroline blinked back happy tears. “My darling, I’ve never been so sure about anything inmylife.”
“All right, then.” Adam nodded once and then led her into the parlor, where Marc stood near the window, waiting for her with the clergyman, Mr.Bailey.
Marc smiled as she approached him, and he looked at her as though they were the only two people in the crowded parlor. Caroline almost stumbled from the promise, from the love and adoration she saw reflected in hislightgaze.
And then she stood before him and his smile widened further. “Last chance to run, Caroline,” he said only loud enough for hertohear.
Ridiculous man. “I will never run from you,” she whispered as Adam relinquished his hold on her arm and then offered her handtoMarc.
Marc squeezed her fingers and Caroline grinned right backathim.
Mr. Bailey cleared his throat and said, “In Romans 12:10, we read, ‘Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.’ And it is quite easy for us all to see how devoted the two of you are to eachother.”
“That we are,” Marc agreed, though his eyes never left Caroline, and she felt flush all of asudden.
Heavens, they were reallydoingthis.
“I hope you have many years of happiness,” the clergyman continued. “Now, do you Marcus Howard Charles Gray, Marquess of Haversham, Earl of Kirkburn, Baron Saddleworth-Gray take Caroline Elizabeth Beckford Staveley to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness or in health, to love and cherish ‘til death doyoupart?”
“I will,” Marc said, squeezing her fingers once more, and there was such a promise in histouch.
“And do you, Caroline Elizabeth Beckford Staveley, take Marcus Howard Charles Gray, Marquess of Haversham, Earl of Kirkburn, Baron Saddleworth-Gray, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness or in health, to love, honor and obey ‘til death doyoupart?”
Marc’s brow went up at the wordobeyand Caroline narrowed her eyes slightly on him. Arrogant man. But she had no doubt, no reservations at all in her mind as she said, “I have andIwill.”
“In that case, Lord Haversham, you may kiss yourbride.”
And Marc wasted no time doing so. He slid his hand to her waist and drew her against him before pressing his lips to hers in front of the assembledcrowd.
The room broke out in applause and a moment later, Marc lifted his head. “Lady Haversham, I look forward to many years of yourobedience.”
Caroline couldn’t help but laugh. “I might have been crossing my fingers duringthatpart.”
“Then the entire thing is null and void. Make Bailey do the whole thingagain.”
