Page 12 of Her Duke to Tempt
The innkeeper raised a brow.“And who is yer son?”
“The Marquess of Redding,” he said.
The innkeeper tilted his head to the side.“Aye,” he replied.“I do believe yer son was here, but he’s not here at the moment.Him and his lady have gone off to the blacksmith.They mean to wed this morning.”
Enid sighed.“Of course they do…”
Logan’s lips tilted upward.“I expect they do.Can you give us direction to the blacksmith?We do not wish to miss them saying their vows.”
“Ye canna miss it,” the innkeeper said.“It’s at the end of the courtyard.Just turn left when ye exist the inn and keep walking.Ye will walk straight into the blacksmith shop.”He frowned.“Ye doona wish to stop this wedding?”
Logan shook his head.“Not at all.My son loves her, and it is about damn time he settled down.”Logan winked.“It is a good match.”
The innkeeper grinned.“They did seem to be in love,” he agreed.“I wished them well as they left.”
“If you will pardon our abrupt departure,” Logan began.“We have a wedding to witness.”With that Logan took Enid’s hand in his and led her out of the inn.They had finally caught up with Aiden and Felicity and he could not wait to see the two young lovers.They walked in the direction that the innkeeper had given them.They stopped when they caught sight of a young couple in the distance.It was, of course, Aiden and Felicity.The two were standing before the blacksmith shop, a flash of gold catching the light in the early morning sun.They were speaking in low voices, their heads close together.
Logan and Enid stopped, their presence unnoticed at first.It took a moment for the young couple to realize they were being watched.Aiden looked up first, his face breaking into a wide grin.“Father…,” he said, a hint of surprise in his tone.“Why are you here?”He reached over and grasped Felicity’s hand, pulling her close.
Enid raised a brow.“Shouldn’t we be asking you two that?”she asked, her voice filled with chastisement.
Aiden's grin only widened as he nodded toward Felicity.“Well,” he began.“I think it is obvious what we have done.”He glanced at Felicity and his smile softened a little.“We came here to be married.”He turned his gaze back to Logan and Enid.“If you wanted to stop it you are too late.The deed is done.Felicity is my wife.”
Enid sighed.“He has no remorse at all.”She turned to Logan and glared at him.“He is your son.You deal with it.”
“What pray tell should I do?”he shrugged.“They’re married.”He turned to Aiden and frowned.“You just had to create a scandal, didn’t you?You could not have courted her properly and then married her after the banns were read?Did you truly need to do a mad dash to Scotland?”
Felicity blushed, casting her gaze downward.“That’s my fault, not his.He might have done it the proper way if I hadn’t decided to run away.”
Aiden grinned wider.“Difficult to say what I would have done if you had not led me on a merry chase.”He lifted her hand and kissed her palm.“You, my love, were determined to be stubborn and difficult.Apparently, I find that hard to resist.”
“I suppose that is it then.”Enid blew out a breath and turned to Felicity.“I am going to let you explain this to your father.I am not looking forward to that conversation.”
Felicity’s eyes widened.“But Aunt Enid…”
“No,” she said.“You made this mess.It is yours to clean up.”
“You did not need to come after us,” Aiden said.“We would have returned shortly.This was not meant to be a lengthy trip.”
Felicity snorted.“You didn’t intend it to be one, but I certainly hoped never to return.”She sneaked a guilty glance at her aunt.“Clearly, I did not think that through properly…”
The explanations were good and all, but Logan had other things on his mind.He had been telling himself to remain patient.To give Enid time… Hiss thoughts raced as looked at Enid with a longing he could not deny.As Aiden and Felicity kept up their explanations all he could do was look at Enid.Logan stepped closer to Enid, his voice dropping to a near whisper.
“You know,” he said, his gaze never leaving hers, “there’s another matter that should be addressed.”
Enid blinked at him in confusion, her brow furrowing.“What do you mean?”she asked.
Logan drew in a breath and steadied himself.The time had come.“I’ve been thinking, darling...That after last night—after everything that has happened—perhaps we should...”He had to just say it.Why was this so bloody difficult?“I want you to be with me.I want you to be my wife.I want you beside me, always.”
Enid’s eyes widened, her mouth falling open in surprise.She blinked rapidly, as if trying to make sense of what he had just said.He had clearly stunned her into silence, and he was fumbling this.Perhaps he should have discussed this with her in their room, but he couldn’t stop now.
Logan continued, his voice stronger now, full of the sincerity that had taken root in his heart long ago.“I love you, Enid.I have loved you for so long that it feels like the very air I breathe is bound to you.Marry me and be my duchess.Let me love you for the rest of our lives.”
Aiden, ever the source of levity, cleared his throat and slapped Logan on the back again.“What is this… You want to marry?”he said with a grin, though there was a teasing note in his voice.
Enid remained speechless, her eyes darting between Logan and Aiden, the weight of Logan’s words hanging in the air.She swallowed hard, her lips trembling as she finally spoke.“I…” she stammered.“But…”
“There are not buts, love,” Logan replied, his voice steady and unwavering.“I want you to be my wife.I want to spend the rest of my life with you.You have been my heart’s desire for so long.Please, say yes.”
