Page 28 of The Duke's Second Bride
Edith was there, which was the only person she truly cared to have by her side. She and Christian had both been married once prior; what was the sense of making a big fuss of things?
Particularly given the way this marriage had come to be, she thought. Christian was doing this as a favor. As some misguided act of chivalry. Still, he had to have heard the rumors about her. Surely he also welcomed the relative anonymity of this marriage. Hopefully, the rumors would die down and then be quashedentirely when they eventually appeared in public as a married couple.
She had been fearful that Brandon might show up on the wedding day, perhaps claiming he owned her. Refusing to give her away. But much to her relief, he didn’t so much as show his face. In fact, she had not even seen him once since that horrid night.
Instead, Christian’s friend Vincent, the Marquess of Sedwin, walked her down the aisle.
As she walked down the aisle, she thought about how she had never truly had a wedding like one would read about in storybooks as a child. Her marriage to William had been when she was quite young, and he had made it clear quite early on that he did not love her and that she was a disappointment in every way.
And now, when Christian looked at her—well, it was hardly with tears of joy in his eyes. Which was, of course, to be expected; she knew as well as he did that this was a marriage of convenience. When she married William, she had not loved him, but that was because he had been a stranger. There had been some hopes, however soon dashed, that he could be someone she would one day grow to fall in love with.
Christian, on the other hand … there was no hope. True, he had done her this great act of kindness, for reasons that were still beyond her comprehension. And true, too, he was the most well-formed man she had ever laid eyes on. It rankled her to her coreto know the effect he had on her—probably the effect he had on every woman, she thought. Lord knows he would probably scorn her if he knew.
And now she was to be married to him.
Perhaps they could grow some sort of mutual understanding someday? If he were to get over his stubbornness, that is—so perhaps not.
As she reached the altar, she looked up at him, and almost immediately regretted doing so.
He looked so handsome, of course. His eyes were bluer and darker than ever, and fixed on her with such intensity it nearly took her breath away.
“Dearly beloved,” the priest they had procured began. “We are gathered here today …”
Throughout the vows, Ava could not help but keep her gaze firmly fixed on Christian. His eyes did not leave her, either.
Fine, she thought.
Probably his pride kept him from being the first to look away. In that case, neither would hers. And so, they held each other’s gaze, stopping only to blink.
Perhaps it was somewhat juvenile to begin one’s wedding with a staring contest, but if that were the case, then she would gladly be juvenile. Just because she was grateful to Christian for this sacrifice he was making to keep Brandon out of her life, didn’t mean that she was going to capitulate to his every whim and desire.
She needed to know that he knew that. She would not enter into any relationship where she had no will or control over herself.
Partway through the priest’s speech, her gaze caught Luke’s. He was beaming so brightly that, despite any misgivings she might have had about his father’s intentions, she could not help but smile back.
Surely the Duke could not have been all bad to have sired such a sweet child. And perhaps he truly did want someone to help care for Luke. If that were the case, she would gladly embrace her new role in life.
She would be a mother, now, she realized. A stepmother, at the very least.
She had never thought it possible for her. Of course, she had, in some small, quiet locked room of her heart, hoped to marry again. Then time had passed by with increasing speed, and the whisperings around her grew worse and worse. It soon became clear that her prospects for marriage were slim to nonexistent.
And with them, her chances of ever possibly having a child of her own dwindled to zero.
It was a difficult pill to swallow for a young woman in her childbearing years. For a young woman who wanted children more than anything.
Christian had made it clear that the marriage between them was to be a business affair; he already had a child by his first wife, so he would not be interested in bearing any children with Ava. But even if that were the case, they would still have Luke.
Ava would, after all these miserable years, have a child of her own.
“… as long as you both shall live?”
Ava blinked. She realized, with a start, that the priest was looking at her. Everyone was waiting for her to respond.
“I do,” she said firmly, returning to look Christian firmly in the eye.
CHAPTER 10
“Ido,” Ava said.
