Page 23 of Single Desire
A few minutes later there was a knock on the door. It was Pansy, wife of the innkeeper, Jack. He was a stoop-shouldered man of perhaps Murdoch’s age. From the day Maura and Murdoch arrived, Pansy and Jack had treated them with warmth and generosity, seeing to their every need. It was almost as if they were friends, not guests.
Maura reminded Pansy of her eldest daughter. She’d told her as much that first day. Maura recalled that now, as Pansy helpedher into a silk, blue and white striped gown. She had purchased it on the way, for just this purpose—to serve as a wedding gown.
Maura was tempted to wear the crimson gown she’d worn for courage two days earlier, almost in defiance of Alec. She had a strong feeling he would neither have liked it nor approved of it. He’d done nothing but show his disdain for her since his proposal—if one could call it that. She, on the other hand, had done her best to keep her distance from her impending husband. It was partially out of anger for his behavior that day—and partially out of fear. What if he should look her in the eye and realize what she had done? What she was about to do? If he discovered the truth, it would jeopardize her plan.
No, whispered a voice in her mind, it would obliterate her plan!
And she might never find the Circle.
She hated to admit it, but she needed the duke too much.
Pansy offered to curl and arrange her hair, but Maura declined, winding it into an almost severe knot on her crown and donning a cap. Pansy fussed because she had no veil, but Maura replied that there had been no time to shop for one.
Besides, she didn’t particularly feel like a bride. Everything had happened so fast, her mind was still whirling. The procurement of the special license; the local parish priest had refused to marry them in light of that very haste.
She had anticipated that. Indeed, she and Murdoch had planned for it. Oh, yes, she had counted on the priest’s refusal to marry them. And indeed, everything had played outexactly as she hoped—and Murdoch continued to perform his part amazingly well. When the priest refused to marry them, Murdoch advised both the baron and Alec that he would take upon himself the task of finding an officiant to preside over the marriage.
A marriage that would take place in the baron’s beautiful gardens.
Before the hour was out.
When she was ready, Pansy held the door wide and Maura stepped through. But as she did, her gown caught on a splinter in the wooden floor, ripping a small tear in the hem.
“Rats!” she muttered.
Pansy, however, clasped her hands in delight. “Oh, no, Lady Maura, you should rejoice! Do ye not know it’s the best o’luck to tear yer wedding gown on yer wedding day?”
Maura did know, which was precisely why she was so annoyed.
“You and yer new husband will surely have much happiness together.”
If luck would come her way, she thought, she and the duke would not be together for long at all. But for the sake of appearance, she turned and thanked Pansy.
Murdoch waited for her downstairs. Her trunk was loaded onto the carriage, and off they went to Lord Preston’s home. The ceremony was set for eight-thirty in the morning. Alec had madeclear his intent to leave for Scotland as early as possible after the ceremony was performed.
The baron was waiting for them near the entrance to the garden, as well as Deacon O’Reilly, whom Murdoch had arranged to preside over the ceremony.
“I thought the fountain would be a lovely place for a wedding.” The baron presented her with a bouquet of white and yellow roses.
Touched, Maura gave him a quick hug. He and Pansy seemed the only ones happy at the impending nuptials.
Certainly Alec was not.
One glimpse of the harsh set of his jaw tied her stomach in knots.
He looked directly at the clergyman. Baldly, he said, “I wonder what price they paid you to hurry the wedding.” His gaze swiveled to her. “And what price have I paid for you, I wonder?”
Maura felt as if she’d been slapped. Her cheeks flamed. Behind her, she heard Murdoch suck in a breath as well. She was both furious and fearful. Had he guessed the truth? He was already suspicious, she knew. He might call her bluff. Faith, he might call the authorities!
The baron issued a firm reprimand. “Your grace, please! May I kindly remind you this is a wedding ceremony? Your wedding ceremony?”
“Aye,” stated Murdoch in as threatening a voice as Maura had ever heard. “You would do well to remember it.”
Maura discovered her hands were shaking. She felt Alec’s gaze on her, but she couldn’t look at him. She didn’t dare.
“Get on with it, then,” growled the duke.
Just as Maura stepped up beside him, the sun emerged from behind a cloud. The sky had been gray when they left the inn, but by the time they arrived at the baron’s home, it began to clear. Now, the sun shone directly down on her; she could feel its warmth.
