CHAPTER THIRTEEN
It had been a long and mostly sleepless night, as Audsley had worried about the future. Then, just a few hours after he’d finally fallen asleep, the bright sun had shone through his heavy drapes. He’d wearily risen to make his ablutions as he thought about the day ahead. He’d been so worried that Emma didn’t want this marriage that he’d snapped at his valet, then apologized. The man had maddeningly smiled, as if thinking Audsley had a simple case of wedding day jitters. Audsley almost snapped at him again but realized he shouldn’t take out all his frustrations on his faithful servant.
His friends had enjoyed themselves at his breakfast sideboard, looking only slightly worse for having stayed up to the wee hours drinking. But why shouldn’t they be happy? Soon they’d be reunited with their loving wives, who hadn’t been forced to marry them. They’d done it by choice.
Now Audsley was at the village church with Carter by his side, in a vestibule near the altar. The church was nearly empty, since they’d invited only their friends. Audsley was disappointed that his cousin, Lady Endicott, had been unable to come, but she was somewhere in Scotland and since time was of the essence, they hadn’t been able to wait.
“Stop pacing, Audsley,” said Carter, amused. “Save your strength for when you’ll need it tonight.”
Tonight. Audsley could barely wait until that night when he could finally be with Emma again. They’d only spent the one night apart, but it had felt like an eternity. He’d been in the habit of going to Emma’s after dark, then staying until just before dawn. He had a feeling his servants knew he hadn’t been sleeping in his bed, but they would never breathe a word of it. And Audsley had enjoyed his nights so much he hadn’t been able to stay away. Not when Emma lived so close. He now had some sympathy for the complaints of his friends when they’d had to suffer through a night without their wives.
He wasn’t certain how long they’d been waiting at the church, but he was beginning to worry. What if she didn’t show up? What if, God forbid, something had happened to the baby? What if…
“Here they are,” said Carter, as he poked his head out into the church. The five women were all huddled together at the back of the church, while their husbands and the children waited in the pews.
“Does she look happy?” asked Audsley.
“Of course, she does. Emma loves you.”
“Has she said that?” Audsley hated having to ask his friend that.
“Not in so many words, at least not to me. But I’ve seen you two together. There is a bond between you which is deep and true.”
Just as Audsley was trying to get his head around that, it was time for Carter and him to take their places at the front of the church.
He was going through a myriad of emotions. He was relieved that Emma had shown up and currently showed no signs of bolting, though he knew skittish horses sometimes didn’t bolt until a ride was well underway. He made a mental note to refrain from telling Emma he’d compared her to a horse. He knew next to nothing about being a husband but had a feeling that would be a mistake.
He was apprehensive about being the center of attention. He had no qualms about making a speech in the House of Lords, but it was another thing entirely to be standing up in church with the woman he loved, wondering if her friends thought she was making a huge mistake.
Now that she was so near and he could smell the lemon scent of her bath oil, he wanted nothing more than to find the nearest bed so they could engage in the one part of their relationship which had no problems whatsoever.
She looked up at him and smiled and, suddenly, the only emotion he was aware of was love. This woman who intrigued him, challenged him and sometimes exasperated him, was soon to be his wife. He would love her to the end of his days and count himself as the most fortunate of men that she had agreed to be his wife.
The vicar cleared his throat. “My lord,” he said quietly. “Your vows.”
“What vows?” asked Audsley, vaguely aware that he should have been paying attention to something other than his wife.
“Steady on, man,” said Carter quietly from his side, then he turned to the vicar. “Perhaps you might want to repeat them. I believe Lord Audsley’s mind was quite elsewhere.” He smiled at Emma and their guests laughed. While Emma didn’t laugh outright, her eyes were dancing.
Audsley was well and truly besotted.
And didn’t mind a bit.
The ceremony continued and, other than Emma coughing during the portion of her vows where she promised to obey – and, really, he was not wholly convinced that had been just a coincidence – they were soon pronounced husband and wife. It was finally time to kiss her and he made sure she knew just how much he had missed her over the past day. Judging from her enthusiastic response, it appeared she had not been untouched by his absence.
Their kiss was met with a few whistles, then it was time for Carter to once again offer unsolicited advice in the form of, “You are embarrassing the vicar, though the rest of us are quite impressed.”
If Audsley could spare a thought for anyone other than his wife, he would have trod on Carter’s toes. But, it was time to leave the church to the best wishes of their cheering friends.
* * *
Emma wasn’t certain she’d ever be able to face the vicar again after that incredible kiss. Audsley – her new husband – had invaded her soul with it. It had not only been a powerful kiss, but it had relieved her of the worries which had come over her since she’d entered the church and seen him frowning with an expression more appropriate to standing in front of the gallows instead of an altar. She knew his honor wouldn’t permit him to do anything other than marry her, but did he have to look so miserable about it?
But then they’d had their marvelous kiss and nothing else had mattered. Emma wasn’t sure how long they’d kissed until she’d heard Grace say, “My goodness!” But, finally, they’d pulled back from each other, though he’d kept her close from that moment on.
Now they were in his open-air carriage and waving at their friends. Audsley was holding her hand and Emma had never felt so happy. Then he waved at someone in the lane.
“Mrs. Canterbury, say hello to Lady Audsley,” he called out to the gossipy shopkeeper who had tried unsuccessfully to hide. Apparently, she’d wished to see them, but hadn’t wanted to be seen doing so.
But today was a day to rise above petty grievances – though Emma was quite certain Mrs. Canterbury would soon give offense again – so she waved at the woman as they drove by. The shopkeeper lifted a limp hand in reply and looked grievously unhappy doing so.
“We did it,” said Emma to Audsley. “We are married.”
Audsley kissed her hand and his eyes blazed with a heat which made her realize he wished to kiss more than her hand.
She wanted it, too.
“My aunt will be extremely disappointed to have missed the ceremony,” said Audsley.
“I enjoyed getting to know her very much and hope we’ll see more of her. I believe she’ll be more in charity with the union than your mother will.”
“I believe you are right. But know this, Emma, I will not allow my mother to make your life unpleasant. I will protect both you and the baby.”
That was extremely gratifying to hear, but Emma had a feeling life with his mother would be unpleasant no matter what he did to protect them. But she wouldn’t worry about that now. Today was a celebration.
The wedding breakfast was held at Grace and Carter’s home, so the carriage took a circuitous route to enable their hosts to return first. As Emma and Audsley took in the scenery of their drive, Emma realized this was but the first of many activities they would do as husband and wife.
“It is odd, Audsley, that after making decisions on my own for so long, I’ll have your wishes to consider now and soon the babe’s.”
“Is that a bad thing?”
“I am not quite certain. I just know it will be different from what I am used to.”
“I’m sure there will be adjustments for both of us, but we should bear one thing in mind. Neither of us will have to face the burdens of life alone.”
Emma couldn’t speak for a moment because her heart was so full. Perhaps this was the time to ask him how he felt about their marriage. “Audsley…” A rut in the road had her bumping up against her husband as the carriage took a turn onto the driveway to Carter’s house. They’d soon be at the breakfast and their time for quiet conversation was at an end.
The other couples, along with the children, were already there when Emma and Audsley entered the house.
“To the happy couple!” said Carter, as he motioned to his butler to open the first bottle of champagne. “Audsley, I hope I might be the first to kiss the bride. I promise to make it shorter than the one you gave her in church.”
“It had better be,” grumbled Audsley in a tone which suggested it had been said only partially in jest.
“Congratulations, Emma,” said Carter, as he kissed her cheek. “You are a radiant bride and Audsley is a fortunate man.”
“Just as I am a fortunate woman,” said Emma.
She received best wishes from the gentlemen and teary-eyed hugs from the ladies, as if they hadn’t already embraced her before the wedding. Emma valued her friends and knew they would be even more important in the years ahead. All things considered, while her wedding might have been slightly forced upon her, it was off to a good start.
* * *
Audsley had tried not to feel annoyed when Carter and the other men pulled him into the library for a series of private toasts without the ladies. Audsley liked his friends, but now that he could finally have Emma by his side, he hated parting from her.
“Do you miss your duties at the Home Office?” Jonathan asked Oliver Wadsworth and Jeremy Beckett.
Both men looked at each other.
“I wouldn’t say either of us is completely gone,” said Oliver, who’d just been instrumental in thwarting an assassination attempt on the queen. “I suspect we’ll both be back from time to time, but I am enjoying my life in the country once more, especially since I am very newly married.”
“And I enjoy watching my wife paint,” said Jeremy.
“I’m sure that’s not all you’re enjoying,” said his brother Carter with a smirk. “And before you plant me a facer for daring to speak of such a personal matter, you know how much I love my new sister.”
“That is the only thing saving you,” said Jeremy. “That and knowing just how much you enjoy spending time with your wife.”
“See here,” said Carter. “That doesn’t give you leave to talk about Grace that way.”
As Audsley smiled at the brothers’ good-natured bickering, he realized he was now able to enjoy spending time with Emma – making love with Emma – as much as they cared to do. He was counting the hours until he could take her away from there for their first night as a married couple.
“When will you return to London?” Oliver asked him.
“We haven’t discussed it yet. I hope we can remain here for a while, though I have duties which will require my presence in the city.”
“I know Grace will feel much better about her new duties as a countess with Emma going through the same adjustment period,” said Carter.
Audsley nodded. That was actually one part of his marriage he felt uneasy about. Emma would need some help learning about her new duties and his mother would be the logical choice of a tutor since no one knew more about being the Countess of Audsley than she. But she wasn’t a kind woman and had never cared for Emma or her family. The last thing Audsley wanted was for Emma to be forced to take instruction from her. But that was a worry for a different time.
“A toast,” said Carter, raising his glass. “To the last of us to marry, the man who has waited the longest to love.”
As the others drank, Audsley could have told them that he’d actually been in love the longest. He’d been in love since lying with Emma in the maze seven years earlier.
It was long past time to begin his life with her.